How would you react?

[Ambriel]

One thing you need to think about is the character's immediate reaction on discovering they have powers.

Since (like most people, I think) I sometimes have dreams that I can fly or do other impossible things, I would wonder if I was dreaming and try to wake up. When I am dreaming and try to wake up, it usually works. Since it wouldn't work in the case that it is true, I might need more convincing. Am I sick? Did I absent-mindedly take too much of one of my medications and am therefore hallucinating? And so forth.

It wouldn't really be difficult for me to believe in magic, but it would have to be the kind of magic that people who really HAVE believed in magic have believed in, magic that requires knowledge and effort, not the cheap, easy kind of magic you see in games and quite a number of fantasy novels. Since the kind of magic you are talking about is that kind of magic, I would not be easily convinced.

But once I was convinced, I would probably want to test it. Your idea to make action figures fight each other sounds like a reasonable test. But you know, just about anyone can make action figures fight each other even without magic. All it takes is two hands and a voice. To do it with little more than a thought would have a certain novelty factor at first, but it wouldn't really impact my quality of life, so I think I would soon grow bored. (To make the statues and statuettes of dragons and other mythical creatures I have around the house and garden move and talk appeals more to my imagination and I think would bring me more pleasure, but even that would be something I'd only want to do occasionally, as I wouldn't want to spoil it by making it too commonplace.)

Once I had convinced myself and experimented, I would definitely want to be discreet in how I used those powers. History tells us that other people don't deal kindly with those they believe have magical powers. Also, I can see how people with other kinds of power (politicians, crime bosses, etc.) would want to use me for their personal ends. In the case of criminals, if I refused they might try to convince me by hurting or threatening my loved ones. There might be other reasons to keep my powers secret, but these are the ones I thought of at once. I'd have to be amazingly powerful to keep myself safe from a large group of people trying to do me harm, and I would have to spend a lot of time being vigilant to keep those I care for safe . . . so, yes, my best choice would be to keep my powers secret.


I'm not drawn to this idea. Who am I to think I can teach these people a lesson? Could I even teach them a lesson, really? It sounds good to humble bullies and make them feel small, but many people who are bullies already feel small and it is by bullying that they feel big and powerful, so "humbling" them might make them act even worse. Unless my powers included mind-reading so that I could tell the difference between these people and those who do the same sort of things because they are selfish and cruel, the malignant narcissists. But by using my powers against those I judge deserving of such treatment . . . well, it's a slippery slope, and I can see it bringing out tendencies to malignant narcissism in myself, so better not to do it.

I would be much more interested in trying to provide secret help to people in need. Although even there, there is a danger of unintended consequences, so I would want to be careful and think things through . . . except in cases where the need is immediate and urgent and I am right there at the time.

It might well occur to me that if I have such powers, other people might have them too. If they have had their powers for quite a while they would be more experienced and therefore (I hope) more wise in how they use them (having learned from any mistakes) so I would try to find them in the hope that they could provide valuable advice. And maybe we would work together. Especially if there was a group of them. Yes, that would appeal, to be part of a secret society with the power and experience to make a positive difference. But then I would consider there are probably bad people with the power, so I'd have to be careful who I trusted.

Really, it doesn't sound like a lot of fun. There would be satisfaction in helping people and yes wielding the powers could be an amazing experience with the potential for mind-blowing moments of wonder and adventure, but on the whole it sounds like a huge responsibility and one full of moral dilemmas, and so many dangers to myself and my family. Until I came to terms with all that, I suspect I would have moments of sheer terror just thinking about the possibilities for things going wrong.

A most fascinating and well thought out answer. Thank you! You’ve given me much food for thought as I progress in my journey of writing out this idea. I’m inclined to agree that meddling in politics would not be a good idea without being adamantly sure that you wouldn’t get caught, which is to say it’s better to avoid it. I was thinking possibly a defunct secret society, possibly men of letters -esque, that left behind potential references for my “guy(s) in the chair(s)” to use. The first story is going to be about revenge though. Not against a human, in case that caused concern.

 

[paranoid marvin]

I agree with Teresa. I would be very concious of being 'found out' and thus being imprisoned or coerced into doing something I wasn't comfortable with.

There would also be a burden of guilt. Every emergency, every disaster; why was I not there saving the day? By doing nothing, I would feel responsible in some wsy. By doing something, I would risk exposure and the risks that go with that.

In short, with magical powers, my life would no longer be my own. Thanks, but no thanks.

I have pass the test; I will diminish, and go into obscurity. And remain pm.

 

[Wayne Mack]

I would think that there would be two phases. One, discovery, where the character becomes aware of having magic abilities, and, two, learning, where the character determines how to control the abilities.

 

[Ambriel]

Would the temptation to transmute things overcome and be used to get rich?

 

[paranoid marvin]

Would the temptation to transmute things overcome and be used to get rich?

It's not that easy. You turn something into gold. But what do you do with it? Who will buy it off you? And how will you explain how you acquired it? How do you explain ypur new found wealth to the tax man witbout arousing suspicion?

Two hundred years ago you could probably have gotten away with it, but not now.

 

[Astro Pen]

(extended reply for clarity)
If I could use my magical powers on the world I would ensure that lies would have a red aura and truth would have a blue aura.
What the speaker might believe or want to be the case wouldn't matter, only reality.
This might of course be a sociological disaster, but it would definitely change the way the world works.

 

[Ambriel]

It's not that easy. You turn something into gold. But what do you do with it? Who will buy it off you? And how will you explain how you acquired it? How do you explain ypur new found wealth to the tax man witbout arousing suspicion?

Two hundred years ago you could probably have gotten away with it, but not now.

there are still less than reputable pawn shops that don't ask too many questions, and don't make so much that it becomes too obvious to the tax man. Cash is still king.

 

[Ambriel]

Lies would have a red aura and truth would have a blue aura.
What the speaker might believe or want to be the case wouldn't matter, only reality.

I missed something I think, its an interesting idea but where did it come from?

 

[Astro Pen]

I missed something I think, its an interesting idea but where did it come from?

PM'ed you

 

[KGeo777]

I would have anxiety paranoia about it.
If such things existed then it means Divine Retribution might exist too so I would be second guessing every use of it. Is it a trick? A trap? Looking for signs that it doesn't backfire.

There's a certain comfort in knowing you don't have control over everything--if you really did, I think it would be a serious mental burden unless one is not inclined to second guess.

 

[Ambriel]

(extended reply for clarity)
If I could use my magical powers on the world I would ensure that lies would have a red aura and truth would have a blue aura.
What the speaker might believe or want to be the case wouldn't matter, only reality.
This might of course be a sociological disaster, but it would definitely change the way the world works.

Ah, that makes more sense. I think that would cause a massive number of issues. Imagine if all the world leaders could tell if the others were lying, there would be no way to bluff their way out of a bad situation or bluff their way to stopping a bad situation.

 

[paranoid marvin]

there are still less than reputable pawn shops that don't ask too many questions, and don't make so much that it becomes too obvious to the tax man. Cash is still king.

But then you're dealing with dodgy characters who will know other dodgy characters. And who will wonder where you're getting your dodgy gear from, and if they can get some for themselves.

Also as soon as you start spending above your previous mean, it will be noticed by the authorities. Unless you keep you're spending to low amounts, which kind of defeats the point of using your powers to gain wealth.

 

[Danny McG]

I'd find a quiet corner, eat pies and read SF books, getting all the new ones as soon as they're published

 

[Ambriel]

Haha "stop blowing holes in my ship!!!- Jack sparrow

No, give me things to think about I love it. You're asking me questions that I wouldn't have thought of, and you're also giving me opportunies to draw from my literary experiences which is one of the goals of my book. Not rip off exactly but pay homage to by referencing my favorite authors in appropriate ways.

But then you're dealing with dodgy characters who will know other dodgy characters. And who will wonder where you're getting your dodgy gear from, and if they can get some for themselves.

You're getting into the morally ambiguous territory of "three men can keep a secret if two of them are dead". I like it. If I take your meaning correctly, you're talking about dodgy characters wondering if they can get back alley gold or what ever, right? Thats a potential story itself, having to deal with the mundane bad guys as well as the supernatural ones.

Also as soon as you start spending above your previous mean, it will be noticed by the authorities. Unless you keep you're spending to low amounts, which kind of defeats the point of using your powers to gain wealth.

Once again you give me a question to answer. "How would I go about hiding my increased income from the government?" Well, there's shell corporations, but that's potentially traceable. A potential solution is long term gradual build of wealth with a small business, cooked books are a bit easier to hide, and I have the luxury of having a VA small business loan at my disposal. Alternatively, there are 8 other characters who are part of the main characters team, collectively thats a fairly easily hidden collection of wealth, provided they are moderately unscroupulous which they are. Yes, I think splitting the increased income between 9 people would be the easiest solution to the problem.

 

[Teresa Edgerton]

Yes, I think splitting the increased income between 9 people would be the easiest solution to the problem.

Right up until they start arguing over who deserves the larger share. Or someone figures out that their own share would increase if there were fewer people dividing the profits.

You say they are moderately unscrupulous, but if they are ethically and morally challenged to begin with, and if the money involved is great enough, some of them could easily escalate to greatly unscrupulous, and bloodshed could follow. (And it wouldn't even need for someone to actually act on the idea of eliminating some of the others. Once people start thinking of these things and suspecting each other of being up to no good, someone could act pre-emptively, and the whole group blows up in violence.)

 

[Swank]

I would affirmatively fix the largest issues on earth.

 

[Ambriel]

Right up until they start arguing over who deserves the larger share. Or someone figures out that their own share would increase if there were fewer people dividing the profits.

You say they are moderately unscrupulous, but if they are ethically and morally challenged to begin with, and if the money involved is great enough, some of them could easily escalate to greatly unscrupulous, and bloodshed could follow. (And it wouldn't even need for someone to actually act on the idea of eliminating some of the others. Once people start thinking of these things and suspecting each other of being up to no good, someone could act pre-emptively, and the whole group blows up in violence.)

That is a fair point, and you have impressed upon me the need to explain that the military veterans in the group would trust each other implicitly there are three of them. The two significant others of two of the veterans would also implicitly trust their partners. Two of the other characters have been friends with the main character since they were old enough to make friends so there is undying loyalty there as well and because of that the significant other of one of the old friends would follow the example. That leaves the ragamuffin runaway and the seasoned older friend, the runaway is motivated by money but is satified by the amount given as it's more money than they have ever had in their life, and the seasoned friend is low level independently wealthy already so they would lack motivation to do anything detrimental to the group.

In short there is a circle of trust built into the group by shared experiences, previous friendships, and motivations. The lack of scruples is directed outward rather than inward.

 

[Swank]

I would think that there would be two phases. One, discovery, where the character becomes aware of having magic abilities, and, two, learning, where the character determines how to control the abilities.

Just like every super hero story.

Snooze.


How about not doing what every other "hey, I have powers!" story does and not have the MC start by being a comedic bumbler, then be selfish, then realize they have a responsibility, blah, blah, blah.


Skip the Spiderman story and just get to the thing that is going to happen.

 

[Ambriel]

I would affirmatively fix the largest issues on earth.

The ability to do so would entirely depend on how powerful you were, and what you consider to be the largest issues on earth? Do you believe that over population is an issue, if so would you use the Thanos approach?

Just like every super hero story.

Snooze.

What would you suggest as an alternative? Would you dive right in to experimenting with the super dangerous stuff?

 

[Swank]

The ability to do so would entirely depend on how powerful you were, and what you consider to be the largest issues on earth? Do you believe that over population is an issue, if so would you use the Thanos approach?

What would you suggest as an alternative? Would you dive right in to experimenting with the super dangerous stuff?

You can choose to grant your character immediate competence along with magic. There's no rule that every story has to start like The Greatest American Hero.

They are also not obligated to live in fear of change, not fitting in or the government.



Largest issues: Ecological meltdown, gross inequity, authoritarianism.