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Hello, fellow writers! Got any question that you can't find answer from Google or Wikipedia, but you don't think it needs a separate thread for? You came to the right place!

Don't be shy, and just ask away. The nice folks here, writers and non-writers, experts and non-experts, will do their best to help you.

The folder below contains links for special interest threads, mostly at OTC, but also from Yack Fest and Troper Coven.

    Special Interest Threads 

Also take a look at Useful Notes on various topics. They can be pretty useful.

Now, bring on the questions, baby!

edited 11th Apr '18 6:31:51 PM by dRoy

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30676: Jun 13th 2025 at 8:06:31 AM

[up][up] closer to a humanoid bell with the torso being above the actual bell part (which would be visually akin to a long metal dress skirt) and no legs

ArsThaumaturgis Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
#30677: Jun 13th 2025 at 9:51:56 AM

[up][up] That might stray into Unfortunate Implications, I fear...

[up] A game that I recently played (Crypt Custodian) had bell-enemies, and they seem to have gone with a pun: the enemies would produce a pair of arms, initially held apart, then swung inwards to meet at the centre, hands together.

Because—if I'm inferring the intent correctly—bells have "clappers"!

Edited by ArsThaumaturgis on Jun 13th 2025 at 6:52:07 PM

My Games and Asset Packs
Trainbarrel The Story Supporter from The Star Ocean Since: Jun, 2023 Relationship Status: You cannot grasp the true form
The Story Supporter
#30678: Jun 13th 2025 at 10:54:29 AM

Regarding bells: Why not just make them into "Iron Maiden Bells"?

Music-instruments of torture.

"If there's problems, there's simple solutions."
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30679: Jun 13th 2025 at 11:00:11 AM

[up][up] @ Ars Thaumaturgis:

Is it because of the implication that religion=mind control? Or is it more to do with being offensive to a specific religion? I'm just curious since that is all I can think of as to why it would be potentially offensive.


I'm trying to think of a reason why a young child would be spared in the wake of his family's brutal murders.

To explain: before the very first werewolf became the first werewolf, he was just a young boy living with his parents in the late 1200s. One night two vampires break into the family's small cottage and kill his parents and siblings...which is what inspires the deep hatred within him that would be passed onto every werewolf throughout the centuries, at least until the main character of the story uses his power to cure the werewolves of this this aspect of his influence.

What I'm wondering is how to ensure that the boy survives? There is no real reason for the vampiric couple to leave him alone. He can't run from them due to his age and their superior physical powers. He can't even hide due to them being easily able to hear and smell him.

I'm just wondering if there is some other outside factor or reason that would have them just abandon the boy in the house with the bodies of his loved ones.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Jun 13th 2025 at 2:00:24 PM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30680: Jun 13th 2025 at 11:22:15 AM

[up][up][up] Perhaps some sort of alternative could be the ability to gather people by clapping, at which point her natural charisma as a 3-4 meter tall woman just inspires worship? Or just preaching at the crowd's an option too.


[up] Do the vampires have any weaknesses the boy might've accidentally employed to protect himself? As an example that probably wouldn't work, maybe he got tangled in silver chains, and the vampires were unable to free him without hurting themselves? Or they attack late enough for the encroaching sunrise to drive them away before killing him? Or maybe there's some other time limit, and they were just terrorizing some poor family for the lols? And they underestimated how much time killing them would take, so they had to leave in a hurry?

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30681: Jun 13th 2025 at 11:30:45 AM

[up] @ Morning Star 1337:

The kid didn't exactly do anything except hide in the next room over while his family was being tortured and fed on, but your suggestion about the vampires losing track of time and realizing they need to leave before the sun appears is probably the best solution.

In this case, the family and a lot of other people were traded to the vampires of the area without their knowledge, so no one was coming to help them. These particular vampires had zero fear of discovery or attracting human attention no matter how loud of "messy" things got.

So, I think I may go with the encroaching sun example; it's the only thing that would drive the monsters back.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Jun 13th 2025 at 2:31:01 PM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
ArsThaumaturgis Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
#30682: Jun 14th 2025 at 5:09:06 AM

Is it because of the implication that religion=mind control?

Basically, yes. (Part of which being the fact that this is a church bell, specifically.)

My Games and Asset Packs
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30683: Jun 14th 2025 at 11:02:06 AM

to clarify. it was only to give a ball park in shape and maybe size and was the first frame of reference I had (the charterer was inspired by a certain deltarune encounter). Granted I'm toying with the idea that they were a replaced church bell brought to life afterwards, but that might be straying from the goal of myinquiry a bit.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Jun 14th 2025 at 11:03:30 AM

ArsThaumaturgis Since: Nov, 2011 Relationship Status: I've been dreaming of True Love's Kiss
#30684: Jun 15th 2025 at 7:39:00 AM

Hmm... This probably isn't a good idea, but in case it's useful:

What about the bell-character having a Schmuck Bait power?

Specifically, that when they peal, any who wonder what the cause or target of the pealing is then take damage.

That as a play on the old line: "Ask not for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for you."

(A simpler version—and arguably more fitting with the origin of that line, if I'm not much mistaken—would be for all in earshot—maybe including allies...?—to take damage. As the bell tolls for all, and "no man is an island".)

My Games and Asset Packs
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30685: Jun 16th 2025 at 5:52:39 AM

[up] @ Ars Thaumaturgis:

Specifically, that when they peal, any who wonder what the cause or target of the pealing is then take damage.

I'm not sure if you're familiar with the manga/anime Seven Deadly Sins, but that sounds like one of the powers/curses of the villainous group, the "Ten Commandments". Not in the way that it literally is something one of the members has, as much as that it sounds like it would fit right in with their kind of magic. I mean that as a compliment by the way. Also, thanks for clarifying what you meant about the potential offense of my suggestion, I was really confused there.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30686: Jun 16th 2025 at 8:07:41 AM

I was trying to find a way to phrase this question and hopefully this works...

Would it make sense for werewolves to be surprised that another werewolf took advantage of The Ageless nature of their wolf form to essentially become immortal?

One of my four major antagonists has a decades-long Urban Legend around her existence (well, not her specifically, but around a wandering werewolf who invades and takes over packs and then metaphorically grinds them to dust before moving on).

One of many reasons the pack inhabiting the main character's hometown did not suspect her when she arrived was because the legend itself is far older than this villain appears. They are then shocked to find out that she is Older Than She Looks (she appears to be early thirties but is actually in her late 90s).

The reason for this is because the wolf forms of werewolves are always in their prime and never change, regardless of how much time passes. Likewise, their human bodies are "frozen" at the time they transform and only start aging again when they change back. She just took advantage of this to spend decades in wolf form, only changing back when absolutely necessary.

Again, there are a host of other reasons why no one suspected her or even believe the legend was real, but I wonder if the aging aspect would be something they'd be reasonably surprised by, since not aging in wolf form is common knowledge among them.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Jun 16th 2025 at 11:08:17 AM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30687: Jun 16th 2025 at 8:29:21 AM

[up] It does feel kinda odd, though... I dunno... I'll settle on the side of it being kinda weird that no-one else thought of using their werewolf form like that. Like, you'd imagine at least one old fart would decide that living forever as an immortal form-locked elder werewolf would be worth it.

Also, how do they know that they don't age? Like, I obviously don't know how often they transform, but throughout their life... surely not more than a year total? This doesn't seem like something that you'd learn by just observing each other. Is it just something they learned in ye olden times, and it was passed on to the modern day?

From where I stand, it could be reasonable? Like, thirty's kinda young, relatively speaking. Too young for a mid-life crisis fueled decision to live forever as a giant wolf, at least. It'd probably help the illusion if she doesn't stick to wolf-mode most of the time, since that would make her not seem like the kinda person who lives the immortal wolf life.

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30688: Jun 16th 2025 at 8:46:17 AM

[up] @ Marchen:

Thanks for the reply!

This made me realize that I should add some context; I was trying to be brief-but-straightforward so I didn't add some things.

'll settle on the side of it being kinda weird that no-one else thought of using their werewolf form like that. Like, you'd imagine at least one old fart would decide that living forever as an immortal form-locked elder werewolf would be worth it.

There are a few werewolves who have done this. Mainly powerful fighters who are deemed too valuable to let die of old age or pack leaders who want to hold onto their power, but it's a rare thing for a lot of reasons.

The previous leader of the werewolf pack that inhabits my main character's town was asked to remain forever in werewolf form to combat her old age due to her history of good leadership, but she refused, which led to her replacement by the story's Big Good.

Also, how do they know that they don't age? Like, I obviously don't know how often they transform, but throughout their life... surely not more than a year total?

Admittedly I never get into this in-story, but it's something that was observed in times when werewolves would spend long amounts of time in werewolf form (they can spend an indefinite time in werewolf form although it's the exact opposite for their human form). The bigger indicator is the aggressively insane feral werewolves who can wander for far longer than a human lifetime without showing any signs of age or change apart from fur growing wild and shaggy.

Anyway...

Thank you for your advice. If it helps, she stays in human form for the majority of Part 1 due to her needing to stay that way as part of her plans; she only starts mostly taking werewolf form once The Reveal is out of the way.

Edited by Swordofknowledge on Jun 16th 2025 at 11:46:33 AM

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30689: Jun 17th 2025 at 7:08:06 PM

Sorry to double post but, here we are. This is somewhat of a complicated question, but I'll try to be brief.

One of the conflicts my main-character-turned-Big Bad's parents undergo is their guilt (among other feelings) for the way they feel they failed as parents and how it partially led to the world-ending tragedy that the hero team is desperate to stop.

His mother's relevant failure (raising him as a human without telling him a thing about his true nature or the supernatural world) is pretty easily quantifiable. It's his father's screwup where I struggle a bit since I wonder if this would count as failing to be a good parent.

Upon realizing that his son was a supernatural being and was involved in a conflict with powerful figures within the supernatural community, his father simply...let it happen. He never once offered advice or tried to take the lead on anything, despite prior experience with supernatural beings himself.

He would give encouragement, but he very much let the main character shoulder most of the burden of trying to find a way for their family to survive the conflict whole and alive. He knew that his son was cracking under the mental and physical burden of everything that was happening, yet he continued to hover in the background.

Now there are' somewhat valid reasons for this (the biggest of them being the father's Fatal Flaw which is that he cowers behind people with power to the point where he believes people without it simply can't change anything even if they want to). But it's still no excuse for basically letting his son metaphorically drown among a number of other cowardly and manipulative things he's done.

I just wonder if all of this is valid enough to consider him a bad parent? Both the main character's mother and father vow to never make the same mistakes again and that is—among other things—their path to "redemption" for their mistakes.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
C105 Too old for this from France Since: Jan, 2012 Relationship Status: Yes, I'm alone, but I'm alone and free
Too old for this
#30690: Jun 17th 2025 at 11:25:11 PM

[up] To mitigate this, I would suggest having the father actually try reaching out to his son on various occasions, only to back away when the son expresses issues tied to his supernatural nature, as the father is convinced he can't help him with these kind of issues.

Whatever your favourite work is, there is a Vocal Minority that considers it the Worst. Whatever. Ever!.
Swordofknowledge Spreading literacy with book and blade from I like it here... Since: Aug, 2012 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Spreading literacy with book and blade
#30691: Jun 18th 2025 at 5:15:34 AM

[up] @ C105:

Thanks that's a good idea. It would balance out him being parental (which he is; he's a good father otherwise) but it gives more credence to him being so deeply bound by his habit of hiding behind power and feeling out of his depth when it comes to the supernatural.

Fear is a tyrant and a despot, more terrible than the rack, more potent than the snake. — Edgar Walllace
Mysterium I am you from Winden Since: Mar, 2020 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
I am you
#30692: Jun 18th 2025 at 12:00:38 PM

Hi again, decided to continue writing after some hiatus.

There's a faction in my fantasy work, the Meshe Dornem, that is probably an Expy of the wildlings in Go T (haven't watched it, what I read sounds similar tho) that routinely engages in Rape, Pillage, and Burn, even tho the aspect "rape" is somewhat downplayed.

However, since I intend the Meshe Dornem to be more egalitarian than the rest of their continent's society, meaning that they don't really care if someone's male or female as long as they can fight.

Which made me think then: Wouldn't there women engage in the same behavior then? What implications would arise from that?

Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30693: Jun 18th 2025 at 12:24:34 PM

For what it's worth, "Rape" seems to originate from the latin "Rapere", meaning something like "to snatch, to grab, to carry off", and has historically been used to refer to kidnappings and other thefts, such as the rape of the Sabine women, or the satirical epic narrative The Rape of the Lock.

So, in this case, it could "merely" refer to the kidnappings of various people, potentially for modern rape purposes, but maybe in your case they're just prisoners of war or, like, aztec style human sacrifices? That is an option, if you wish to evade the optics while still staying true to the terms "Rape, Pillage, and Burn".

Edited by Marchen on Jun 18th 2025 at 9:24:56 PM

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
Mysterium I am you from Winden Since: Mar, 2020 Relationship Status: Browsing the selection
I am you
#30694: Jun 18th 2025 at 1:17:22 PM

I am very much aware of the word rape and its etymology. Nah, I'm looking for the implications that would arose of women practicing sexual abuse on a regular base while plundering , too.

Marchen Too hot (Hot damn) from Somewhere Out in Space (Experienced, Not Yet Jaded) Relationship Status: It's not my fault I'm not popular!
Too hot (Hot damn)
#30695: Jun 18th 2025 at 1:22:06 PM

Right. Well, keeping in mind that this is the opinion of just one person of the many there are, I think it just falls along the line of "That's just the kind of asshole they are", unless you, like, do a Patrick Rothfuss and spend a couple chapters examining this culture and its sexploits in depth. That might be too much, but just as a fact seems like it's fine?

Read Otr of the Flame (She/Her)
empressteta Since: Nov, 2019
#30696: Jun 18th 2025 at 1:28:09 PM

[up][up] Of course, I can't speak for everyone — but being a woman, I definitely won't be offended.

However, this situation does make you think about some difficult issues.

In Real Life, women commit violent crimes, of course — but men commit them much more often. But why? Hardly because women are angels. Rather, it's because men have more power in society, and society is more supportive of male aggression than female aggression.

But it is difficult to talk about the social causes of violent crimes.

For example, talking about poverty as the cause of crime (a bit contradictory in relation to the "more power" that I wrote about above). Yes, there is a correlation, but it is a bit insulting to

  • poor people — not all poor people become criminals, besides, poverty must be fought so that poor people stop suffering, no additional reasons are needed,
  • victims of violent crimes — their suffering fades into the background, while how the aggressors are offered a Freudian Excuse.

I don't think that such topics should not be raised — but again, it's difficult.

Edited by empressteta on Jun 18th 2025 at 11:30:51 AM

GearFriedTheKnight BLOCKING - A weapon for the 21st century. from The nearest road that can be raced (Experienced Trainee) Relationship Status: I'm in love with my car
BLOCKING - A weapon for the 21st century.
#30697: Jun 18th 2025 at 3:37:58 PM

Okay, here's something.

I'm currently thinking of writing a novelization of a role play that was left incomplete. Whilst I lack the plans that it's organizers had in mind, this is a non-issue as my plans are to make this into an adaptation that can be flexible, even if it strays somewhat from the source.

Now, the point of this role play was two rival groups coming to blows because one of them, an Ancient Conspiracy holding the reins of the Masquerade, cannot accept the existence of a renegade group. However, the truth is that the two groups are being manipulated by a third group, who installed Moles in both and is using them to escalate their conflict.

Now, in the role play, the third group's goal was to let the other two groups weaken one another and do the dirty work necessary so they could resurrect a person. However, I will be adaptating that character out. So, I'm left struggling to figure out what, possibly, this third group would have to gain from manipulating the other groups, and I need help coming up with one. Any ideas?

''There's no magic in tuning; yet, it's something that tends to escape from any logic."
MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30698: Jun 18th 2025 at 3:46:17 PM

Well I read Catwoman: Soulstealer recently so this is more inclined to keeping that charatcer and reasoning, but making more of a sympathetic "wants to save a loved one from death" except in this context it would entail likely causing untold death and destruction so its still selfish.

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Jun 18th 2025 at 3:49:42 AM

underCoverSailsman Peeks from Under Rocks from State of Flux Since: Jan, 2021 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
Peeks from Under Rocks
#30699: Jun 18th 2025 at 5:32:59 PM

[up][up]What's the main point of contention between the first two groups? Is it The Masquerade vs "We want The Unmasqued World?" or is it two factions with different ideas on how to maintain masqued society?

If the later, your third group my be looking to discredit the first two if/when things start coming out into the open.

MorningStar1337 The Encounter that ended the Dogma from 🤔 Since: Nov, 2012
The Encounter that ended the Dogma
#30700: Jun 18th 2025 at 7:22:46 PM

okay, I want to ask what would be the abilities of a monster that is basically a cross between Labubu and a FNAF anamatronic (besides generic anamatronic stuff)?

Edited by MorningStar1337 on Jun 18th 2025 at 7:22:58 AM


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