Do you like the fantasy genre? Ideas

[Amethyst]

Not sure if this is possible with human biology, though.

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Originally Posted by Nemo2 Latching onto some of the aforementioned breeding posts, and incorporating the "It takes a village to raise a child" mantra......what if it took an entire village to conceive a child?

[Nemo2]

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Originally Posted by Amethyst Not sure if this is possible with human biology, though.

Perhaps not, for the humans on this world, but on a 'different world', who knows? (Only the writer.)

[Amethyst]

Among my guidelines in my first post: "The animals/plants are different from earth's, while the people are regular human beings."

But...there may be cultural ways to implement the idea.

What is important, is that some of you would like to read about it. Short of writing actual porn, I have no objection to novel "practices" if that's what it takes to engage the reader and move the story along

"Observers," or something. Just as long as it doesn't get too close to some "Earth's Children" scenes I can think of. Jean Auel did that to death.

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Originally Posted by Nemo2 Perhaps not, for the humans on this world, but on a 'different world', who knows? (Only the writer.)

[harley]

I guess if I was any good at this, I'd write my own book. I do love fantasy, although the genre has been a bit overworked by sparkly vampires and such these days. You could obviously go with some classics, like the RoUS in The Princess Bride. Also, the concept of one character trying to catch up with the other one but continually running into the fallout of the first character's (mis)adventures is sometimes fun. Having the secondary characters they run into be unpredictable regarding their motives can lead to interesting complications. Having likeable ones turn out untrustworthy or at least self interested while the less likeable ones are benevolent is an option. Just a few vague ideas. Good luck on the book. Maybe someday I'll...look, a butterfly!

[Totoro]

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Originally Posted by Amethyst Among my guidelines in my first post: "The animals/plants are different from earth's, while the people are regular human beings." But...there may be cultural ways to implement the idea.

Well, the animals and plants are different. And humans need specific nutrition to be healthy and being able to carry babies to term.

Or maybe there is a specific disease that kills off all pregnancies unless a whole village collaborates to prevent a human from temporarily being affected by it.

Think Zika virus that can only be countered by eating a very rare plant that needs to be prepared in a specific way to preserve the anti-viral properties?

[Sunset]

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Originally Posted by Totoro Well, the animals and plants are different. And humans need specific nutrition to be healthy and being able to carry babies to term. Or maybe there is a specific disease that kills off all pregnancies unless a whole village collaborates to prevent a human from temporarily being affected by it. Think Zika virus that can only be countered by eating a very rare plant that needs to be prepared in a specific way to preserve the anti-viral properties?

Or that there is no anti-viral solution, so they resort to manual methods of protecting the individual for first X amount of time, which would be a real challenge in a non-industrial society.

[Amethyst]

This is just what I wanted. Ideas that couldn't have come from my brain.

I love writers who create environments so vivid that you feel you've been on an extended visit. Are there any particular aspects of a "fantastic" environment that you would particularly like to visit?

[Totoro]

I love the discovery of how strange rituals flow very logically and naturally from the natural environment.

Or sometimes can be traced back to the founders of a certain tribe. People doing things a certain way because 'religion' and 'taboo' turns out to be actually crucial after all. With some strange side-effects because locals don't really understand what they're doing.

For example: In the 100 there is a transition ritual from one leader to the next involving required incantations and rituals etc ..

Turns out it's not just for show: the incantations involve activation sentences allowing an AI to transfer from one human host to another. Other rituals were necessary to ensure biological compatibility and definite proof the transfer took place.

Same thing with Dune: a lot of the culture flows from the lack of water, and a vision of a scientist who thinks he can turn Dune back into a water-rich planet. His followers don't really understand everything, but a collection of taboos ensure execution of his vision long after he dies.

You see it in real life too: supposedly the taboo against pork for example stems from the fact that many diseases are easily transferred from pigs to humans (and vice versa).

Same thing with not being allowed to shake hands with your left hand (sanitation) in Hindu religion.

[Amethyst]

There is in fact something along these lines (although not at all similar in its elements) in my story line. When I first came up with the idea (at age 15) I hadn't heard of Dune, but of course Earth religions are heavy with "do this, don't do that, and don't ask why."

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Originally Posted by Totoro His followers don't really understand everything, but a collection of taboos ensure execution of his vision long after he dies.

[Nemo2]

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Originally Posted by Totoro Same thing with not being allowed to shake hands with your left hand (sanitation) in Hindu religion.

Likewise don't go to a Saudi kabsa, (what the expats refer to as a 'lamb grab'), and pick up from the communal plate with your left hand.