Assistance requested

[Culhwch]

So each student will have one of these animals as a guardian, kind of like His Dark Materials? Or is it more a metaphysical thing?

[Illithrim]

Yeah just like His Dark Materials. Except that the students can draw on the magical energy of each one which is why I want to use mythological creatures.

[Illithrim]

Oh, about the real dragons thing if u want to see science prove that they are really look up Dragons: a fantasy made real on Animal Planet. It gives ways to prove that dragons are real.

[Culhwch]

Originally Posted by Illithrim

Yeah just like His Dark Materials. Except that the students can draw on the magical energy of each one which is why I want to use mythological creatures.

Well why not have different animals for each person, based on their personality or needs? It would generate a lot more variety than each student having one or the other of their house's animal. Besides, where are all these dragons, unicorns, etc going to fit? And who cleans up their, well, leavings...?

[Overread]

perhapse you could limit the animal companions - such as having only the truly "gifted" having proper companions from which to draw from - whilst regular students must draw from themselves or other sources

[Illithrim]

So you suggest that i go into detail about each personality. I thought of that and I'm thinking its a little too complicated. As for where they stay each tower has a "stable" at the base where the animals go. They are sentient creatures that know where to go to the bathroom. I do kind of like the idea of limiting the amount of guardians. Would you suggest something like you have to test to get a guardian and if you don't your just a normal student or would it be something like just the top students get them and if your not a top student oh well. I was also considering mentioning the guardians but only giving specific ones to my main characters. What do you think about that? Again thank you all for your input.

[Illithrim]

My friends also suggested that I add a sixth tower and make it the tower that unites the rest of them. That got me thinking about having the sixth tower rise from a group of students who don't fit into any of the other towers.

[Overread]

Originally Posted by Illithrim

. I do kind of like the idea of limiting the amount of guardians. Would you suggest something like you have to test to get a guardian and if you don't your just a normal student or would it be something like just the top students get them and if your not a top student oh well. I was also considering mentioning the guardians but only giving specific ones to my main characters.

I don't want to seem that I am dictating your story but you could do all of the above!
limiting the creatures to a test is a good way of losing a pokemon feel (but who is to say that topgraders don't get an unfair -- helping hand). As for the main characters - make them different from each other in specical ways - perhapse have one with and one without a guardian - that way you can develope both sides of a story from two different viewpoints

[fire_elf20]

i agree with you there making character diversity is the best way.. more view points of the same thing the better it will be

[The Curious Orange]

Ruby, Diamond, Sapphire, Amethyst and Opal are the names of the Trollz in the Nickleodeon cartoon show of the same name.

Trollz.com

Well, close enough, they have Topaz and Onyx instead of Diamond and Opal, but it was the first thing I thought of.

You might wish to re-think.

[Ridque]

Hmm, Sounds neat so far, good starting ideas, will be interesting to see what else you come up with.

A Couple things, I see you have 2 Mythological creatures for each tower, correct? Perhaps reducing the number, or only having one of each per tower? Also, I see You have speculations about the "were" bear. Why not create yourself the beast if there isn't? Be creative, and be sure that the story is your own, you've got a nice thing going here. As for the other Neat-Freak Creature....I'll have to think about it. As for the others they look pretty well matched, although maybe you wanna expand your knowledge of Mythical beasts, just for the advantage of having more options.




Oh, Just one other thing. About the Opal people. They seem to be annoying and needy, probably not the most appealing. Unless they are to just be background characters, or expendable I would leave them out, or change the personality. I'm not sure if I'd like to read about a character who has problems with everything, and is no good. I'm not sure if you know any, but I know people that are "insecure", and frankly they make even good times bad.

[Illithrim]

Thanks for the advice Ridque. I will however make it worth your while for this "opal" character. I'm not going to tell you what but it's a struggle I'm going through at the moment. I am not the opal character though. I'm a diamond.

[Illithrim]

limiting the creatures to a test is a good way of losing a Pokemon feel (but who is to say that top graders don't get an unfair -- helping hand). As for the main characters - make them different from each other in special ways - perhaps have one with and one without a guardian - that way you can develope both sides of a story from two different viewpoints[/quote]

so are you suggesting that I make it so that the top graders and the testers get them or just the top graders who pass a test?

[Illithrim]

[quote=
limiting the creatures to a test is a good way of losing a pokemon feel (but who is to say that topgraders don't get an unfair -- helping hand). As for the main characters - make them different from each other in specical ways - perhapse have one with and one without a guardian - that way you can develope both sides of a story from two different viewpoints[/quote]

so are you suggesting I make it so the top graders and the test takers get guardians or just the top graders who took and passed the test?

[Illithrim]

About the trollz thing the gems aren't the names of characters they are the names of the "houses" that the students at the academy stay in.