SpiritDragon Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 3 hours ago, zil said: Sort of, but battery is too technologically advanced a word for this story, and has (I suspect) the wrong connotations in people's consciousness. Hmm. So now I have to decide if this is like a banned (forgotten, lost, something) practice (and thus has a name), or if it's something newly discovered (and thus doesn't yet have a name). I think I'm leaning toward new (at least for this society - I was kinda thinking they learned it from the (perceived) barbarians who live up on the plateau). I wasn't even thinking of the practice of blood letting and leech therapy. What about the Almire - it comes from allure to start with signifying sucking things in, and quagmire suggesting it's hard to get back out (or flip it for a quaglure). You might also like to call it the inveigler although that generally connotes conversation to win someone over. Does your canister speak to people and seduce them into giving up their soul? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 36 minutes ago, askandanswer said: This is exactly what the Dementors did in Harry Potter OK. But whatever else is true, this won't be exactly like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
person0 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 1 minute ago, SpiritDragon said: I wasn't even thinking of the practice of blood letting and leech therapy. What about the Almire leechmire zil, SpiritDragon and Overwatch 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, SpiritDragon said: I wasn't even thinking of the practice of blood letting and leech therapy. Neither was I. I was only thinking about the object having a name until you mentioned "leechery", at which point I starting wondering if the act/what the object does has a name. 3 minutes ago, SpiritDragon said: What about the Almire - it comes from allure to start with signifying sucking things in, and quagmire suggesting it's hard to get back out (or flip it for a quaglure). You might also like to call it the inveigler although that generally connotes conversation to win someone over. Does your canister speak to people and seduce them into giving up their soul? No, no alluring or seducing involved - it's more mechanical, sort of like a vacuum - it operates without the victim even being aware that it exists or what exactly is happening to them. We're approaching RAFO territory (read and find out - though you'll have to wait until May 2019 or so for that). 5 minutes ago, person0 said: leechmire Enleechinator. SpiritDragon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
person0 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 (edited) could you use your fancy fountain pens to draw us a picture of how you think this item would be used and what it might look like? As excellent as was your description, I would be better equipped to name the device if I have a picture. Side note: Does the name of the item have to be related? In a show I really like called 'Grimm', the magic healing stick was refereed to simply as 'The Stick'. Edit: I gave leechmire before, but I just thought of leechrod. Edited June 20, 2018 by person0 zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordorbund Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 16 hours ago, zil said: If it helps, this will be (part of) the name of a malicious object - think of it as something that sucks your soul (energy, power, life, something like that) in and locks it away - poor you. I missed this. Can't you just call it a lawyer and leave it at that? person0, SpiritDragon, zil and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiritDragon Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 Well a vacuum that sucks the life out of someone sounds like a vivetex to me zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeuroTypical Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 16 hours ago, zil said: it'll draw something in and hold it (or store it). The obvious options aren't working for me: ... this will be (part of) the name of a malicious object - think of it as something that sucks your soul (energy, power, life, something like that) in and locks it away - poor you. Soulamajugger. Essencebahnq. Helen's Auger. zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 40 minutes ago, person0 said: could you use your fancy fountain pens to draw us a picture of how you think this item would be used and what it might look like? As excellent as was your description, I would be better equipped to name the device if I have a picture. Side note: Does the name of the item have to be related? In a show I really like called 'Grimm', the magic healing stick was refereed to simply as 'The Stick'. Edit: I gave leechmire before, but I just thought of leechrod. Hmm. Yes, I think I could doodle something. It won't qualify as a drawing, but I've got enough now to have some idea. Gimme a while... 33 minutes ago, SpiritDragon said: Well a vacuum that sucks the life out of someone sounds like a vivetex to me The results I get when I google "vivetex" are disturbing, and not whatever you might intend, I hope. 38 minutes ago, mordorbund said: I missed this. Can't you just call it a lawyer and leave it at that? Hmm. I think now you owe @Just_A_Guy a rootbeer to soothe his hurt feelings. Just_A_Guy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordorbund Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, zil said: Hmm. I think now you owe @Just_A_Guy a rootbeer to soothe his hurt feelings. I'm not falling for that again. Last time I took @Just_A_Guy out for a root beer I commented on the prices. "Wow!" I said, "this is highway robbery!" JAG said, "did you know that to be robbery (as opposed to theft) there has to be the violence or the threat of violence?" We then had a pleasant conversation about where the legal line would be for high prices and what case law it would fall under. Later, in the mail, I found out this pleasant conversation was actually a "legal consultation" that was billed at $100. zil, Just_A_Guy, person0 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 19 minutes ago, mordorbund said: I'm not falling for that again. Last time I took @Just_A_Guy out for a root beer I commented on the prices. "Wow!" I said, "this is highway robbery!" JAG said, "did you know that to be robbery (as opposed to theft) there has to be the violence or the threat of violence?" We then had a pleasant conversation about where the legal line would be for high prices and what case law it would fall under. Later, in the mail, I found out this pleasant conversation was actually a "legal consultation" that was billed at $100. Sounds like he gave you a friends & family discount. Sunday21 and Just_A_Guy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 18 hours ago, zil said: So, you know how a heat sink draws heat from something and then dissipates it? Well, I need a word sort of like that use of "sink", except there won't be any dissipating - it'll draw something in and hold it (or store it). In Palladium, an object that acts as a battery for mystical energy is called a talisman. Obviously a slightly different meaning than what is used in our world... In D&D, a phylactery is used to denote the storage device of a lich's soul. Again a different usage than the Hebrew word of the same name. In the early Christian era, a fetish, meant something that held within it a holy relic that provided power or protection to the bearer. You can also just make up a proper noun: A Telan Crystal. What does "Telan" mean? Absolutely nothing. Or use a variation of another word in a foreign language: tubikla. I think you know where that came from. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 2 hours ago, person0 said: could you use your fancy fountain pens to draw us a picture of how you think this item would be used and what it might look like? As excellent as was your description, I would be better equipped to name the device if I have a picture. Well, I didn't use a fountain pen, but here we go... Here's a concept for what it could look like (except it would actually be cylindrical and not weird shaped)... The pencil marks would be the wire "cage" that holds the crystal. The maroonish shading would be the crystal inside the cage: Now, imagine our kingdom is situated in a ring of mountains (perhaps a long-defunct volcano, like below, perhaps not, but it's good for our purposes), and several of these devices have been positioned in a ring around said kingdom (the red bars on the drawing - which are so NOT to scale): The circular positioning is necessary to focus their effect on all the people inside (were it not for the circle, either they'd have no effect, or more likely, they would only affect a person within a certain proximity of the device). 2 hours ago, person0 said: Side note: Does the name of the item have to be related? In a show I really like called 'Grimm', the magic healing stick was refereed to simply as 'The Stick'. No, it doesn't. Also, I'm hoping to keep the name simple1, but didn't like "magic sink" (for example). 1I've learned about the learning curve a reader experiences when reading fantasy, and that you want to keep it as shallow as you can. Proper names increase the learning curve. So while I could use one of the wonky names herein, it would be better to just use common terms as a single word or phrase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, Carborendum said: In Palladium, an object that acts as a battery for mystical energy is called a talisman. Obviously a slightly different meaning than what is used in our world... In D&D, a phylactery is used to denote the storage device of a lich's soul. Again a different usage than the Hebrew word of the same name. In the early Christian era, a fetish, meant something that held within it a holy relic that provided power or protection to the bearer. You can also just make up a proper noun: A Telan Crystal. What does "Telan" mean? Absolutely nothing. Or use a variation of another word in a foreign language: tubikla. I think you know where that came from. Excellent. I like this. Common word, but new meaning. Yes, this is good. This widens our pool of words (so to speak). Off to the subconscious for this! Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeuroTypical Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 After you're done with whatever you're doing, your creation needs to be put to music, then an animated video made out of it. So there can be credits at the end, and you can list all of us. mordorbund and SilentOne 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 3 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said: After you're done with whatever you're doing, your creation needs to be put to music, then an animated video made out of it. So there can be credits at the end, and you can list all of us. So, Brandon Sanderson teaches a creative writing class at BYU. Admission is by application only (for the workshop portion of the class). I will apply in October and hopefully get in (there are only 15 seats, unless something's changed). The coursework requires writing a novella (~35,000 words). I have been pondering my unwritten story ideas and am tweaking one of them down from something epic-ish to novella-ish (which is good because I never could figure out a satisfying ending for the epic-ish version, but I have a good ending for the novella-ish version). I have a good idea of the plot, a basic idea of the characters, now I'm doing worldbuilding. These doohickeys positioned around this kingdom is significant. I also need names for everyone / everything, to figure out what the magic can and can't do, if it's even called magic, how it works, and more details about the structure of the political states involved. At the moment, I'm leaning toward a sort of federation of small kingdoms held together by a class of people who can do magic - they sort of keep the peace and settle disputes, and keep the federation united against some common enemies beyond their mutual borders. NeuroTypical, classylady, Sunday21 and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 20, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 12 minutes ago, NeuroTypical said: After you're done with whatever you're doing, your creation needs to be put to music, then an animated video made out of it. So there can be credits at the end, and you can list all of us. ...Once done, I'll likely attempt to self-publish it (as an eBook) while trying the traditional publishing route for my other novels (unrelated to all this). If someone wants to then collaborate with me on an animated version (or a video ad for the book) set to music, I'd be game, but don't have the skills for that. And if I e-publish, you'll all get added to the acknowledgements. NeuroTypical 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday21 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 @zil The Coolest! zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overwatch Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 2 minutes ago, zil said: ...Once done, I'll likely attempt to self-publish it (as an eBook) while trying the traditional publishing route for my other novels (unrelated to all this). If someone wants to then collaborate with me on an animated version (or a video ad for the book) set to music, I'd be game, but don't have the skills for that. And if I e-publish, you'll all get added to the acknowledgements. Wooo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sunday21 Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 43 minutes ago, Overwatch said: Wooo! I know! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiritDragon Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 3 hours ago, zil said: The results I get when I google "vivetex" are disturbing, and not whatever you might intend, I hope. Too funny. I should have googled this combination word first, I suppose. Mind you when I did google it I was finding textiles/linens for decorating your bedroom and bathroom... something tells me you found something more disturbing than that. I was going for the combination of vivo/viva for life and replacing the vor in vortex with the new combination going for a life sucking vacuum. I'm really curious what you came up with! zil 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
askandanswer Posted June 20, 2018 Report Share Posted June 20, 2018 You need a word? Sure, go ahead, take your pick. There's plenty to choose from. No need to limit yourself to just one. SilentOne 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zil Posted June 21, 2018 Author Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 17 minutes ago, SpiritDragon said: I'm really curious what you came up with! Scantily clad women in South America. 4 minutes ago, askandanswer said: You need a word? Sure, go ahead, take your pick. There's plenty to choose from. No need to limit yourself to just one. I'll be sure to un-acknowledge you. I think I'll phrase it like "but no thanks to that obnoxious dude hanging upside down from the bottom of the world" Sunday21 and askandanswer 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
askandanswer Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 You could write your whole novella with this book, it's got all the words you need. All you have to do is pick which ones you want to use then put them in the right order. SilentOne and Sunday21 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpiritDragon Posted June 21, 2018 Report Share Posted June 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, zil said: Scantily clad women in South America. I guess my parental controls are working well because I didn't get that anywhere. Too bad they had to go and ruin a perfectly fun word. zil and Sunday21 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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