Putting Limits on someone with a compelling voice.

I've had this idea floating around in my head. Basically, a singer realizes they have a Compelling Voice and uses it to become a celebrity. The way their power works is that people find their voice extremely dulcet and pleasing, to the point they won't resist when the singer makes demands. I don't want this character to be invincible, so I'm trying to come up with possible weaknesses or ways to get around their powers.

Take your pick:

• It works only once per person, or loses effectiveness the more times it's used on a person.
• It won't work if the target(s) can't hear the singer (because they're being drowned out with very loud noise or music, or because the target is deaf), or doesn't understand the letter of what's being asked of them (the target is a young child, or they don't speak whichever language the singer used).
• The target is able to invoke Exact Words and is able to fulfill orders to the letter, but not necessarily the spirit. ("Put a bullet in your head." *takes out a bullet and puts it in their mouth*)
• The singer can only direct their power at one person at a time. ("Hey, you didn't see me here." *target walks away* "Wait, WTF did you just do to him?")
• Alternatively, everybody within earshot of the singer using their power follows the order, even if it's not directed at them. (So if they tell an enemy to shoot themselves and the singer's buddy happens to be nearby and forgot their earplugs...)
• The singer is otherwise an ordinary squishy baseline human and can be injured, stopped, or killed through normal means. (Hello, sniper shooting them from literally a mile away...)
• The "compelling" aspect of the singer's voice only works when the target is physically within earshot; it will not carry over into audio or video recordings, or transmitted over phone calls, the radio, TV, livestream, or other transmission of their voice, limiting how many people they have access to control. Maybe the compelling part also won't carry over electronic amplification, like if the singer speaks into a microphone- only people close enough to hear them if they weren't amplified will be compelled.
• Alternatively, a recording of their voice with the "compelling" turned on does work, and such recordings need to be handled very carefully to make sure the wrong person doesn't hear them.
• The compelling is psychic in nature or requires a lot of focus that could easily be lost or disrupted in a chaotic combat situation, or simply if the singer is stressed.
• The target can be convinced by someone else that they've fulfilled an order, even if it's not to the letter or spirit of what the singer intended.
• The compelling just doesn't work on a certain category of people or targets. In a setting with sapient fantasy races, maybe it only works on targets of the singer's race/species, a specific gender or age group, people with or without magic or a specific kind of magic, etc.
• Certain people just might not be charmed by the singer because they're just that strong-willed or aren't predisposed to be impressed by the singer, and the singer might not have any way of knowing that without trying first.

Edited by CrystalGlacia on Nov 2nd 2020 at 4:44:13 AM

[edit]Somewhat ninja'd by the above.[/edit]

Well, the obvious one is deafness (naturally or artificial): if you can't hear the voice, then you can't find it pleasing, and thus won't be compelled by it.

Another might simply be that tastes differ: what is pleasing to one might be less so—or even unpleasant—to another. Just as I doubt that there's anyone who is universally beautiful, it may be that your compelling voice isn't universally mellifluous.

And finally, perhaps acoustics might be useful: if the wielder of the voice is put in a situation that results in a distortion of the sound of that voice, then it may become less appealing, and thus less compelling. This might come about simply as a result of electronic distortion—perhaps they're not compelling over the telephone—or physical—that is, by means of an environment that produces strong acoustic effects.

Edited by ArsThaumaturgis on Nov 2nd 2020 at 11:41:13 AM

Some ideas:

• Earplugs. From simple cotton to today's "combat earplugs", there are many ways to muffle sounds that would hinder a compelling voice. "Combat earplugs" were originally de singed for shooting spots - they are designed to muffle loud brief sounds but let loud steady sounds pass. That means you can talk to the person next to you while you shoot, but all sounds are still a little muffled.
  • Headphones could also distort "the voice" and today there are many headphone that are cordless. The Baddie tries "OBEY ME!" only to discover that the victim has their airpods in and is listening to Nickelback.

• Deafness is a no-brainer but what about really good hearing? A character (especially a young person who would have less hearing damage) could hear the compelling voice as sounding "off", maybe even grating. "Dude, your voice puts my teef on edge..."

• Like hypnosis, the compelling voice can't make people do things they don't want to do. They can't make a police officer steal, make a vegan eat spam or make someone slit their wrists. Instead they make someone think they are doing something else or they know enough about people to make them do what they want. E.g. they pull the "these are not the droids you are looking for" on the police when they are pulled over.

Edited by TairaMai on Nov 2nd 2020 at 1:59:49 PM