So, I was doing a little exercise I like to do sometimes where I start with a blank mind, and then go "Think of a good idea for the premise of a book, RIGHT NOW!", and I came up with something that needs some polish and alot of stuff added, but could probably work if I could sit down and write like an actual writer. Though, please don't expect this to be a setting bible, because this is just a bare premise. I need to write things down afterall, writing things down is important.
Idea: Present Day world. There's a secret cult organization of people with a special power. They can write things down, and the things they write become true.
Throughout history, this organization has literally been shaping the world to the best of it's ability. This organization, known between them as the Authors, have commanded the rise and fall of civilizations, the outcomes of wars, and has been determining the fates of entire countries for thousands of years.
This power, while incredible enough to warp reality itself, has a number of limitations.
-Those writing have to take careful consideration of WHAT they write, as the what is written will occur EXACTLY as it's written. So something which is poorly worded might have some unexpected effects. It doesn't matter what language it's written in, so long as it's legible. Anything an Author writes will be accepted, but it can only be single sentences, and won't activate until the period at the end is added.
-It has to be written in the blood of the Author, so the organization members can feel free to use regular pens for writing stuff, and then use specially made pens for writing in blood for when they want to use their ability. However, the Authors can feel free to write ON anything they want, be it paper, stone, wood, or plastic; it only needs to remain legible. Destroying the writing of an Author will have no effect, once it's written, it happens.
-The abilities of an Author can't be learnt, studied, divined, or inherited. In order to continue it's existence, those in the organization will use their abilities to filter through the world's population to find those that are intellectually capable of handling the responsibility of being an Author, then use their abilities to manipulate him or her into the organization, where they will then be taught of the Authors. If he or she is suitable, then an existing Author will use their ability to warp reality, and give that person the ability of an Author.
-While capable of warping reality, this comes at a heavy price. For every time this ability is used, a small fragment of the person's soul is burnt away in order to compensate for how much the various laws of physics are broken. Small things are easily done, but more powerful things can kill you outright. Wrongly wording something can also cause it to expend more energy than you might have originally intended, which is why heavy thought must be placed into writing. If an Author were to write something in which the cost of his soul is simply not enough to execute, then his entire soul will be burnt up, and whatever he wrote simply won't happen. Once 100% of someone's soul is burnt away, that person dies, obviously.
-While capable of killing, Authors can't use the ability to control the actions of others, nor can they directly cause any harm to any creature with a soul. For example, if you wanted to kill somebody, you couldn't write "John has a fatal heart attack", you'd have to write something like "John's house will burst into flames". Extending from that line of logic, Authors can't do positive things to themselves or others either. For example, an Author couldn't cure himself or his loved ones from fatal illnesses. Lastly, Authors cannot create life with their ability.
This origins of the secret organization stem from a single person in Rome. This person, through some method, uncovered forbidden knowledge which not only gave him irreputable proof of god's existence, but also the abilities of an Author.
The story itself would entail the workings of the organization, and a stray member which, through careful study and experimentation, figures out loopholes in the rules. This consequently pisses God off, who then sends down some angels of righteous vengeance, who all take the form of normal humans with extroadinary powers, to eliminate all of them.
There is no story beyond that, I just thought of this yesterday. However, parallels to Death Note are inevitable.
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Topic: Story Premise: The Authors (Read 1141 times)