forum I have a very complex plot that has some major issues can someone please help??

Started March 14, 2019 by Deleted user

tune

So… I already know the series I'm trying to work on is going to be many many books long. But as I was going through characters, and working on one in particular through roleplays, I realized that there's a major event in my story that is impossible, but somehow has to happen to start off the second generation.
Basically my main plotline is your basic prophecy child is destined to defeat a great evil. But I've built around that with a very very complex web of magical history, relationship issues, ect. This web is honestly so complex even I can't always keep it straight.
So… starting out on the characters, I have my main starting out at like.. 11-12. He's my prophecy child. he has just found out that he has an older half brother, and isn't fully human after an encounter with a ruthless pack of wolves. He and his newfound brother are now on the run from the pack. They encounter their other older brother by chance as they wander into a smaller valley, which is home to an old rundown cottage that used to belong to their mother. The oldest brother has been searching for traces of their mom, (without knowledge of the younger ones) since he was nine, when his mom vanished, leaving him on the city streets.

While the trio is sorting things out and getting over the fact that they have the same mom, my main character's twin attacks, trying to kill him.
This is the main plot of the first generation, finding their powers, their place in the world, and why the twin had attacked.
In truth the twin is actually possessed, and his body is being used by one of my main villains, while his mind is imprisoned. This leaves him very very traumatized for life. Cool right?
Well here's the issue…. These twins, they control a very special type of magic called Harmonix and Chaosae, also known as the most powerful type of Harmony and Chaos auras. Their powers clash, and their is a long history of alliances, wars, ect. caused by the conflict between these two powers.

My second generation focuses on these powers a bit more, following the story of my main's children, because his firstborn has the power to weild Harmonix and Chaosae auras. Something that was previously unthinkable.
The reason my second main even attempts this is because he knows his dad was able to do it for a split second, in a desperate tactic to save him and his sister when they were kids.

which presents me to my plot issue:
My second main is supposed to be between 7-10 years old when he witnesses this event.
Thing is, I have the second twin's story arc for how he get's possessed and for how long all planned out. And his twin, my first main, and my second main's father, has to be the same age right?

The second twin, Arthur, is separated from the main character, Alex, when they are nine. When he is 11, he encounters the Chaosae Sabre, and get's possessed by a dark spirit, who uses him as a host body to try and assassinate his twin. This possession of his body is supposed to last for 10-12 years. Leaving him at 21-23 when it's over.
So… my main character is supposed to be between 12 and 21… and have an 8 yr old kid…. for this event to happen…
That means he has as wife who is pregnant as soon as the story starts…
That is impossible….
Also his twin sister is supposed to have a 15 yr old child.
I do not know how this happened… I need help…. someone help me…

Bumping this cause I could really use some advice….

(Bumping this again cause i really actually do need help…

I think you could probably change up some of the timing and ages. That seems like the easiest way to work out the kinks here. I don't 100% understand everything that's going on, but it seems from the surface that you might be focusing too much on number ranges of how many years have passed, how old they are, etc. Is there any way you could rework a bit of that?

Possibly, but part of it is that I need Alex's son to witness this event so he will have that little push he needs to start his own story.
And it has to be within the timeline that Arthur is being controlled by an evil spirit, so that the circumstances of the event actually align to force it to happen…..
then there's the fact that I can't have him be possessed for to long or he'll be literally insane……

It's really difficult for me because I have several other arcs after this first one… and I need my characters to still be physically capable of certain things later on…..

Yeah, I gotcha. Hmmm well you peak physically around 30, and it's not like there's a steep drop in prowess after that, if that's what you're referring to. If your characters train and stay in good shape, they can be doing stuff well into their 40s, and perhaps onward.
As for length of possession being an issue, you can always switch up the rules for possession and make him possessed for longer. It's your world, so you are allowed to change your rules.
If you haven't tried yet, write down a physical timeline. Also, look for places where there can be overlapping arcs, if you think that's an option (it's better if you're just doing 1-3 books with a continuous plot line).

Sohnds reasonable, and good to know. Though I still have issues with the possession part.
Yes I know It's my world, but I also want it to be as realistic and enveloping as possible to a reader. One factor here, is how much torture a human mind can continuously take. Basically what happens to Arthur, other than being used as a host that repeatedly tries to kill his twin, the spirit responsible, repeatedly tries/does injure her.

Does the possession have to happen over a consecutive span of time, or could it work differently, so the spirit (or whatever you call it) tries to latch onto Arthur a few times over the span of a few years, but isn't fully able to possess him right away due to some explanation, like him being strong-willed or less compatible than the last host (assuming there was one). Alternately, he could be completely possessed from the start, but something happens toward the end of his possession, like either he starts to crumble and becomes a less suitable host, and the spirit loses its grip on him from time to time, or he is able to will the spirit out gradually, but it doesn't happen all at once.
Just a couple of suggestions if you want to spread the possession out without doing what might logically break him.

Interesting idea, I might have to look into it a bit more.
Either way starting out on what the Spirit is, is fairly easy. The spirit, (AKA Shadowfang,) is a minion summoned by another character of mine. Arthur himself had naturally weak mental barriers to begin with, and some very bad luck.
And there's a second Spirit involved in the whole thing.

It's a lot to explain since it has to do a lot with Arthur's chaos powers, but basically Shaodwfang is a former Chaos Guardian. Arthur is acccidentally lured to the chaosae Sabre and becomes the next one. But when he takes the Sabre Shadowfang pounces, and tries to destroy his soul to take his body.
The only reason this isn't possible is because of Discordion, the spirit linked solely to the blade and it's power. Discordion ends up being the only reason Arthur wasn't physically killed, destroyed, ect. while under Shadowfang's power.

There are a few other factors but that's the gist of it……

Okay, well if there’s anything else I can do to help you work out some of the kinks in your plot, I can always try to help. That’s really all the advice I have for now.

Thanks for the advjce Bec! I appreciate it.