I have everything I need to start a big story, but I can't figure out how to start the first case. I'm writing about underworld detectives and they need a case for the first episode(I'm animating it later). Something fairly simple but not too easy since they are detectives and not just simple cops. I need a case that will allow them to be fairly humorous but also very deep as to psychological concepts. I'm trying to introduce the main characters as well, which shouldn't be too hard but I'd like the case to sort of help them open up. I'm trying to keep it fairly appropriate since the story is intended to be a lot like modern cartoons. Also if you guys have any good jokes about skeletons, witches, vampires, etc feel free to drop a comment bout it. It'd be great if I could get help with this, thank you.
@RebeccArt what kind of world is your story set in? Futuristic? Present day? Past? Alternate universe? Are there aliens? Is there magic?
It all takes place in the underworld, filled with monsters, spirits, and a whole bunch of other Halloween characters. There are witches with magic, holy/demonic places, 'cults', vampires, gods, passed away humans. It's got modern places like Mcdonald's but I twist the names to give a more spooky/humorous effect. The police department is similar to modern departments but enrolls monsters and whatnot. It's basically just a fantasy Halloween version of Earth. There are multiple 'secret' passages from Earth to Underworld but none allow things from the Underworld to return to Earth. Most of that happens through magic and god power.
I could actually use a different name for the place, I feel like it's misleading when I say Underworld. It implies that they have to die in order to go there, but really it's just a world of immortal/mortal monster citizens.
Hmm. Okay. I like it. How do laws/crimes in the Underworld differ from those we see here?
Actually, I am going to base it off of the greek mythology underworld but Americanized. The laws sort of reflect or go off of present day law, basic morals have to be kept in the underworld to prevent disasters and to keep the peace. Like no littering, murder, and stuff. But the more bigger laws? The underworld citizens aren't allowed to interfere, contact, or affect the living world and their timeline. It's also illegal to seek life after death, which makes most of the holy places limited to gods, angels, and other spiritual beings that never lived in a physical body. I'd say most of the crimes are involved with that issue, where magical artifacts are stolen in order to be brought back to life..holy places are invaded with dead people, and other weird stuff.
Okay. Uuuuh so let's say this dude's wife dies in a car crash so he steals a magical artifact of some sort from a museum in order to bring her back to life? Or maybe his wife and daughter? Or just his daughter? Maybe his wife died earlier but he'd been refraining from doing something rash and illegal for his daughter's sake but then she dies and so he snaps and goes after them? I don't know. Maybe one of the wife or daughter's deaths could be an unsolved murder, or both, to add to the mysteriosity of it. (I feel like mysteriosity isn't a word but it should be). I'm sorry, I'm better at finding motivation for people to do bad things than making the bad things they do interesting and complicated and full of mysteriosity. (That's my new favourite word).
Also I'm sorry you said "more bigger" and I'll admit I died inside a little.
Ha ha, more bigger. I'm so bad at english. But I like that idea of the guy's wife and daughter dying and him lashing out because of it. It also allows me to tie in a little family history about the main characters in order for them to figure out the guy's story.
I'm glad that's helpful. :) do you still need help or does that do it for you? I'm here to offer my (admittedly limited) assistance should you need it.
