Assistance requested

[Overread]

well I was suggesting that those that past the test to get a "companion" would - but that their might be elements of trickery and deciete (on the part of those in charge or other interested groups) which would see students who would not normally pass passing, or "special cases" for a companion. In the end though this would be dependent upon the setting for your story and also for you methods of bonding between people and the companions

[Ridque]

Well, I must say you have my curiosity now as to this "opal" character. Like I previously stated, be sure they aren't just a miserable being whom may become annoying to read about. If you are planning to make it worth my while, then I salute you. Also, as I mentioned, You have some very nice starting ideas, keep going with them.


So, you're the Cocky, Smart-Ass, Son-of-a-Bitch Type Eh? Me too, I must admit, a great deal of the time. I'm also a Very judgemental human, which I am not certain falls under Diamond or not. I am the Exact opposite of "Opal" and am Not afraid to show it

[Giovanna Clairval]

I'm not sure that Salamanders (who are Fire Elementals) can represent insecure people. No Elementals are subdued. And Djinn is the name of the Prince of Salamanders, by the way.

If you want an Elemental correspondence, you could pick the Undines, who give reassurance to those who believe themselves unattractive and shy...

Look at the red Salamander sweathed in fire. These beasts inspired legends on mythical beasts like dragons (this Fire dragon is Chinese, of course).

[Ridque]

Hmm, I did not think of this, but it definentally has my gears turning.

True enough that Salamanders aren't quite the "insecure" types of beasts. If you dont mind using humaniod beings, then Undines would be a clever choice. If not looking for Humanoid subject, then You may need to do some searching for other beasts.

Unless there's a different angle implied, you should search for a beast that stands for the "insecure"

[Ghost of Harrenhal]

I think salamander would fit in well. Although I'm not too sure about having a "were-bear" for "people pleasers"

[Ridque]

Illithrim should be Choosing the beasts somewhat on what they personally perseive the characteristics of those beasts to be, although some have specific personality traits that would stick out more than others.

If there is a "Were-Bear" than perhaps it isn't best to have it as a people-pleaser, depending what it's characteristics implies, but if it is a beast Illithrim is creating for their story, than, they can make the personality of this beast their own, and fit it in anywhere they please.

Now for the "Salamander", As Giovanna Clairval, they symbolize strength in many respects. As for insecure beings, they have no inner strength, so unless the target is to be ironic, I would possibly rethink that one.

[Illithrim]

well I'm not going to use the prefix "were" because that implies transformation into a human. I was thinking about using "dire" instead. I do like the idea of using some sort of spirit like undines as the insecure peoples guardians. Are undines good or evil and is there a good/evil counterpart?

[Giovanna Clairval]

Like the other Elementals, Undines are neither good nor evil. The Elementals are just creatures made of only one element
Is Fire evil? Is Water good? Good an Evil are human concept that don't apply to the bricks of existence.

Of course, you can invent your own beasts and Elementals, but if you use the mythological ones, and change the correspondences, you risk off-putting a few readers.

For instance, you use either a mythical beast or an elemental, but mythical beasts are not on the same "class", or category as Elementals.

Beasts, however mythical, are mortal, even though a few of them can live a new life (Phoenix). Moreover, mythical beasts are visible to the human eye.

Elementals, on the other hand, cannot die, and aren't visible either, at least on our plane of existence.

It's like putting together, say, bacteries and whales.

You coud pair off a mythical beast with an elemental (one pair for one class of characters), but in this case you should invent the missing one (sorry, I don't remember if your characters must fit into five types or more).

If you do this, you should try to find a correspondence with the quality of an element.

Anyway, in the tradition:

The Phoenix and the Dragon go with Fire and Salamanders;

Pegasus/Gryffin with Air and Sylphs;

Minotaur, were-something, and any four-legged, non-flying beast (but the buffalo) with Earth and Gnomes;

Water serpent/dragon, buffalo (a water animal sacred to the Moon)*, with Water and Undines.

Hope this helps.


Gio





*NB: Sirens are not acquatic creatures, actually; they are winged and near to Sylphs (in the Greek folklore they originated from, but if you use this, you should explain: people have forgotten the origin of sirens... Apart from this detail, all I explained here is universally accepted in Western lore)

[Overread]

Originally Posted by Giovanna Clairval

Elementals, on the other hand, cannot die, and aren't visible either, at least on our plane of existence.

just to be picky, but wizards of the coast (aka, Dungeons and Dragons) would take issuse with these two statments (more with first, slightly less with the second). Though they are by no means the most definative or accurate group with mythologies (I think they have now "dire" everythin in the animal kingdom) it is another viewpoint to take. Though elementals that cannot die do have the advantage that if one is bonded or joined with the lead character the reader has a chance to learn more about the depth of hte world set through the elemental (that is if the elemental has such understandings of the world)

[Giovanna Clairval]

Originally Posted by Overread

just to be picky, but wizards of the coast (aka, Dungeons and Dragons) would take issuse with these two statments (more with first, slightly less with the second). Though they are by no means the most definative or accurate group with mythologies (I think they have now "dire" everythin in the animal kingdom) it is another viewpoint to take.

In Fantasy, everything is possible. The WotC decided that Elementals had certains characteristics. Amen.

But I was referring to the "real" Elementals of our Western esoteric tradition. These are the cultural references. Of course any description is legal, so long as the new system has internal coherence.

[Illithrim]

do you think I should join an elemental with a mythical creature and then have the characters have those? I just got a brilliant idea. If I use the basic esoteric elementals, they would have no tangible form correct. Well if I bond the elemental with a mythical creature they, then, have a tangible form.

[Giovanna Clairval]

It's a good idea.

Elementals can be sensed, and even seen, when evoked (by magicians).

You could use a fifth elemental from the Chinese tradition: wood or metal (the others--roughly-- correspond to ours).

This is how it works for me when I need to invent a correspondence:

Metal is interesting. Where does this word come from?

From the Greek μέταλλο. But this sounds like our ordinary metal (and Metallica...). Oh, the Indonesian word looks nice: logam.

A Logam.... not bad (but it's just an example).

Now we have the name; what are the features of this element? It can be found melted in the centre of the earth, so maybe its nature is WARM.
When melted, metal is like ardent water: it moves (dynamic), but when you forge a sword, you have to cool the hot metal in water and beat it flat on an anvil, so perhaps this metal has a double nature: hot and cold/dynamic and static.

This could be okay for characters who are double-faced, calm and cold on the surface but hot and dangerous within (or vice versa).

What do they look like (when you evoke them)? Tall creatures with scaled or spiked armours, or molded bipeds alternately smouldering and razor-sharp (hey, I know it's cliché, just brainstorming, here).

And then we should try to associate other personal traits.... and so on.

Well, this is what I do...

Hope this helps

Gio

[Ishar]

After having a bit of a read of this I have some thoughts.

(the tower names remind me of the latest Pokemon games)

Maybe you could keep each tower fairly open to interpretation. Rather than keeping them very specific.

I do agree that not everyone should have access to a guardian and that only those that show they can control their powers to a certain degree should qualify.

Maybe keeping each tower to an ideal, a way of thinking, or a specific element could help. Then when they test to get animal they could get one that relates to this in some way.

Say we go with attributes (or ideals) as your basis. Towers could be based around intelligence, strength, wisdom, speed, compassion. THings like this, with each tower having its specific target. Then when they test they could get an animal that somehow relates to these. Bear for Strength, Hippogriph for Intelligence, Owl for wisdom, Cheetah for Speed, Pegasus for compassion. And it doesnt always have to be the same animal. A little diversity doesnt hurt. And if only the elite students have them, then you wont have a worry remembering who has what.

[Winter Lord]

Perhaps part of their training could be that they have to build a vessel, or find a familiar for an elemental to inhabit.

[Ridque]

Whew, I seemed to have missed alot. Anyhow, I shall keep up to tabs.

SO, from what I'm getting, each student that recieves a beast(through winning/earning it one way or another) is able to instead have a spirit and inhabit the beast of their choice, correct?

I had an idea, not sure if you will be going for it. If any of the main characters are student "rejects" whom didn't receive a spirit, perhaps they shall be companioned with earthly beings. Like, say, a dog, or horse or animal that is assumed with loyalty, Or owl for Wisdom(ofcourse that's a bit like Harry Potter, the owl). And the students who do receive the spirits get the mythological beasts.

This is ofcourse unless you plan on keeping it all unearthly like. Which is parhaps wise as well. What I was simply implying though, was all students get a creature, just some more magnificent than others(if you get me)

If all the main characters are those who've earned their spirits, than nevermind the whole damn comment I suppose, lol.