Need input on a story concept problem

[sunandshadow]

I've seen "rules of fairness" used for this kind of function. For example, in many magic systems a witch's curse must have a solution built in, so the witch can only obfuscate and obstruct that solution. Similarly if a demon or god makes some kind of bargain with a human there must be some way the human can get out of it, or that the non-human can be tricked into breaking it; binding such a promise into a physical object is possible, and destroying the object or performing some specific action with would then break the promise.

On a different note, perhaps the secret-leaver has an awesome method of travel or disguise, but it happens to have a drawback that that can't transport anything or can't transport certain kinds of things with them. Thus, no choice but to leave them behind, hidden as much as is practical.

 

[mythtrav16]

I've seen "rules of fairness" used for this kind of function. For example, in many magic systems a witch's curse must have a solution built in, so the witch can only obfuscate and obstruct that solution. Similarly if a demon or god makes some kind of bargain with a human there must be some way the human can get out of it, or that the non-human can be tricked into breaking it; binding such a promise into a physical object is possible, and destroying the object or performing some specific action with would then break the promise.

On a different note, perhaps the secret-leaver has an awesome method of travel or disguise, but it happens to have a drawback that that can't transport anything or can't transport certain kinds of things with them. Thus, no choice but to leave them behind, hidden as much as is practical.

Ah! Now here are a couple of really interesting ideas! The laws of the universe assert that secret has to be left accessible, but they don't nessesitate that the secret is "unguarded." This has potential. I'll think about this some more! Thanks!

The "secret had to be left behind" is also an interesting idea.

 

[oggbashan]

I laughed about this as well. DESTROY THE MCMUFFIN BEFORE IT DESTOYS US ALL! AND I'D KIND OF LIKE ONE OF THOSE HASHBROWN PATTY THINGYS. YES, I'LL PULL UP TO THE FIRST WINDOW.

Oops! I had McDs last night after going to the theatre!

 

[3113]

Not big on imagination, I guess. A person in an institution, looked at day after day, taken as an idiot with no communication skills. That's pretty much in plain sight. Think Rainman as an example. Judge Wapner at two, every day at two. Non-human has the key to unlock it. Pretty straight forward, I'd say.

Not big on observational skills on your part, I'd say. I look at all sorts of people day after day, and they're much more in plain sight than your savant. The homeless guy at a traffic stop with a sign asking for money, the guy at the take-out window, the dumb, cheery, chirpy lady gossiping about celebrities on the news. The rock star on stage. All much more in plain sight, MUCH more public than a person in an institution that most people will never, ever see, just his family and those who work at the institution. In fact, your idiot savant is going to see a doctor who is asking him all kinds of questions daily; he's working with people trying to get into his head all the time, family included. If he does have a secret, it seems much more likely to come out, as people really want to know what he's thinking. Unlike the guy asking for money at the stop light.

And why is the secret more a secret with the idiot savant than with any of these more public people? Am I, or anyone else, going to assume the rock star has any important secret in his head outside of the illegal drugs he's taking? Why should I assume the chirpy woman putting out entertainment gossip has more important secrets than the one's she's dishing out? Why should I care what the secrets are of the guy at the take-out window? And even if they did have a big secret hidden in their head, awaked only by some special sound (really, haven't you watched the Manchurian Candidate?), how would I see it? So the person is in plain sight, but not the secret. Unless the person is the secret. In which case, a person who is on television every day is far more in the public eye than any idiot savant in and institution.

 

[lance gt]

Not big on observational skills on your part, I'd say. I look at all sorts of people day after day, and they're much more in plain sight than your savant. The homeless guy at a traffic stop with a sign asking for money, the guy at the take-out window, the dumb, cheery, chirpy lady gossiping about celebrities on the news. The rock star on stage. All much more in plain sight, MUCH more public than a person in an institution that most people will never, ever see, just his family and those who work at the institution. In fact, your idiot savant is going to see a doctor who is asking him all kinds of questions daily; he's working with people trying to get into his head all the time, family included. If he does have a secret, it seems much more likely to come out, as people really want to know what he's thinking. Unlike the guy asking for money at the stop light.

And why is the secret more a secret with the idiot savant than with any of these more public people? Am I, or anyone else, going to assume the rock star has any important secret in his head outside of the illegal drugs he's taking? Why should I assume the chirpy woman putting out entertainment gossip has more important secrets than the one's she's dishing out? Why should I care what the secrets are of the guy at the take-out window? And even if they did have a big secret hidden in their head, awaked only by some special sound (really, haven't you watched the Manchurian Candidate?), how would I see it? So the person is in plain sight, but not the secret. Unless the person is the secret. In which case, a person who is on television every day is far more in the public eye than any idiot savant in and institution.

Tell you what, you write it for him. I gave a suggestion that would work and have no desire to rebut the pros and cons of it with you. It's just an idea and he can manipulate it to his heart's content.