A-spooktobring we still go…
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SPOOKTOBER DAY 2 – PSYCHIC
OPTIONAL CHALLENGES: DOOMED/DEATH ROW, TULPA/IMAGINARY FRIEND, ALARMS & SIRENS
TAROT INFLUENCE: THREE OF CUPS, UPRIGHT
TITLE: MORE THAN A PARTY (OOH OOH)
Premise: Life’s a party (THREE OF CUPS / SOCIAL GOOD TIMES). Or is it? Three people are having a good time at an endless weekend in a mansion, but they figure out they’re actually in a psychic prison of some kind, and struggle to escape.
The Villain: The characters are two lovers and a third wheel type who is actually the gaoler of this pleasant prison. He’s a psychic (PSYCHIC) villain who has captured a hero and intends to keep him until he dies (DOOMED / DEATH ROW).
Horror Element: The hero’s lover is actually a psychic construct (TULPA / IMAGINARY FRIEND) of the villain meant to distract the hero and prevent his escape. But she is real. Should you die in a dubious love, or live for truth? Furthermore, every time the hero thinks he’s escaping, he’s just entering another illusion, until he loses faith he can ever find reality. Maybe he does escape but has to always live in doubt. Then again, it’s fucken Inception innit. I was thinkin’ of a thing where mysterious sirens (ALARMS & SIRENS) are manifestations of his hunger pangs as he’s starving to death, but now it’s just that big played out Inception note.
I don’t have a strong feeling about the genders of these characters, but changing them around could change the feeling of the situation dramatically. To be considered, if I should ever write it.
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This year I’m using AI tools from goog and openai plus photopea to make my covers. My goal was to always start with sketches of my own, but on this one I just used the Rider-Waite tarot’s three of cups and a lot of prompt verbiage. Looks a lil generic but I rather like it, especially the spooky boy.
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Mustn’t confuse a tulpa with an egregore.
Could the hero come to realize that the villain, because the villain has to psychically focus to keep the hero engaged, has in fact put themselves in the same jail? If the villain knew this before trapping the hero, what was the motivation for the villain to trap the hero? If the villain did not know this prior to trapping the hero, what is the villain prevented from doing in the real world while they have the hero trapped? Are they both hospitalized and comatose? Could the family of either of them pull the plug?
good ideas ye all. i should remember to look at these comments if i come back to this idea in the future.