Wishblooded Speculative Fiction Thread

[The Allomantic Metalhead]

Well, I'm currently working on a working on a writing project (yeah, I know, I have a lot of them), and the basic premise is this:

It is the year 314 N.E. (New Era). About 400-500 years ago (around present day), a being known to most English-speakers as the Wishgiver appeared and offered quite literal wish fulfillment to anyone that asked so long as they made the trip to where the being currently was. It started in New York City and moved around for two or so years before settling in an extremely isolated and hard-to reach valley in Scotland. Each person was only granted one wish, but if they were willing to make the journey again they could undo said wish and ask for another instead.Some things it either cannot or will not grant, but it can make you immune to aging, rich, or able to shapeshift (among many, many other things).

Anyways, millions upon millions of contradicting wishes mixed in bizarre and alarming ways, and it was not very good for civilization, people's sanity, or the world in general. The world fell into utter chaos for 100-200 years (nobody's really sure. Time was weird for awhile) before people were finally able to rebuild civilization with anachronistic technology.

Flash back to about a generation after the Wishgiver first appeared. It is discovered that certain wishes have a chance of being passed down from generation to generation so long as they meet certain requirements. Wishes that do get passed down from generation to generation are called "Hereditary Wishes", and have a 100% chance of being passed on from parent to child so long as they don't mess with other hereditary wishes (then stuff gets weird).

I decided not to list said requirements above because it's complicated and takes up space. I'll put them in the spoiler below.

Spoiler

1. The wish must only affect the wisher. "I wish I could see perfectly in the dark" has a chance of becoming a hereditary wish, whereas "I wish everyone could see perfectly in the dark" does not.
2. It must be "internal". This is probably a confusing term, however, it basically means that it has to directly affect you or your capabilities (like wishing you were a pyrokinetic) instead of indirectly (like wishing you were wealthy).
3. It can't be too powerful. You could wish to be able to speak 3 random languages as well as your native language and have it become a hereditary wish, but you can't wish to be omnilingual and have it become a hereditary wish.
4. No wishes that directly affect your personality or other things that make you you. You can't wish you were nicer and more selfless and have it become a hereditary wish.
5. A hereditary wish is just a wish that the Wishgiver chose, for whatever reason, to make hereditary, a wish that gets passed on because it was part of the original wish. For example, let's say you asked to be made telekinetic and your child is born with telekinetic powers. That's a hereditary wish. If you wished that your entire family had telekinetic powers and your child is born with telekinetic powers, that's just part of the wish. Non-hereditary family/population/species-affecting wishes usually die out about a generation after the wisher dies, though there are exceptions (which is why stuff is still really weird).

The new world is a bizarre jumble of anachronistic technology and styles (architecture, fashion, etc;) and those with hereditary wishes are nobility while those without hereditary wishes are commoners who usually have very little political power. Despite the inequality and anachronistic stuff (and the general craziness of a post-wispocalypse world), it's actually a surprisingly good place to live in, and rarely ever boring (for outsiders, at least).

That's it for now, folks.

My next post on this thread will talk about major geographic regions and other such goodness. After that, we'll talk about the kingdom where the main story takes place and the noble houses there. After that, I'm not really sure, but I'm willing to answer questions.

Oh, and I'll probably have to think of a better name than "wishblooded".

Edited January 12, 2018 by The Allomantic Metalhead

[Yezrien]

Interesting concept. It has a lot of possibilities to make a very weird and wonderful world. My only suggestion is that maybe the Wishgiver shouldn't be so localized. If the requirement for making a wish is physically accessing the Wishgiver, you know the government would set up a big blockade and only allow a handful people to actually make wishes.

Instead, maybe it just appears to people at random, or reaches out to them telepathically. If making the journey was really important, you could substitute something else for that. Maybe the Wishgiver appears to random people and gives them personalized trials, like "quit smoking" or "reconnect with your estranged father," and you earn your wish by completing the trial, which is something uniquely difficult for each person. Only people with the will to overcome their own issues get wishes granted.

And that could lead to some prejudice against the Wishblooded. They have powers they didn't earn. What gives them the right?

[The Allomantic Metalhead]

Okay, so this is part two of the Wishblooded Speculative Fiction Thread, so let's start off with what I promised: Major geographic regions, how the world has changed, and other such goodness .Once we're done with that, I'll move on to the feedback section, where I reply to your questions, comments, and concerns.

What's Changed About the World in General: It would be impossible to summarize everything that has changed in the world since the wishgiver came, however, here are some of the more noticeable, common, and/or large-scale changes.

Spoiler

Geography: Geography is still mostly the same, however, it seems as if the world has subtly shifted and twisted, and places sometimes aren't where they should be. It seems as if the world has grown larger, but, paradoxically, the continents have grown slightly closer together. Despite this seeming change, gravity is still the same. The most noticeable change, however, is the continent that emerged in the middle of the pacific ocean, which is slightly larger than Australia. It seemingly has no native life, although tentative life from nearby islands has been growing on the coastlines for awhile and is slowly making its way inland. The continent has been dubbed "Atlantis" after the fabled drowned city, and has been colonized by various nearby kingdoms, empires, and other nations, though such colonies are small and Atlantis is still mostly unexplored.

Alchemy: Alchemy is now a viable law of nature, though it is considered separate from science by the general world. Although many people are skeptical of this new branch of study, claiming that it is probably temporary or that it will probably be unable to operate in certain areas, the Wishgiver has not only stated to people who ask that it is a permanent change, but that it is a universal change (meaning that the entire universe now operates on the laws of alchemy as well as the laws of math and science). Though still in the alchemical equivalent of the stone age, the world has already benefited from the use of alchemy and creation of alchemy-based technologies. Alchemists generally have the same work uniforms as scientists, with the small exception of color, since the traditional color for an alchemical lab coat is some shade of (usually bright) red. The Irish are currently the leading experts on alchemy and developers of alchemy-based technology.

"Unstable/Wish-Contaminated Areas": These areas are places where the world is still unstable due to contradicting, crazy, or destructive wishes messing around with each other and the environment in said area (basically, the wishpocalypse is still happening in unstable areas). The world is weird everywhere, but it's really, really, really weird in wish-contaminated areas. Time tends to be erratic inside (either slower or faster, though most unstable areas switch between the two frequently), and tends to act in a similar manner to time in Stephen King's Dark Tower series (in Roland's world, at least). In general, due to the erratic nature of time in these areas, humans (at least those connected to the outside world), rarely settle these areas, except on the outskirts, where it is only slightly weirder than in the world in general and time moves almost normally. The average size of a wish-contaminated area ranges from about the size of a small city to a few times as large as a large city, though there are unstable areas both much smaller and much larger than average, the largest being a sizable portion of the radioactive wasteland that used to be the Middle East (note: this is not wish fulfillment (for me at least), I just figured it would be realistic for a few loonies to wish that "they" would nuke the Middle East, even if I don't think it would be morally, ethically, religiously, or logically acceptable to do so). The most notorious unstable area is not the large chunk of the Middle East, but the "Innsmouth-Kingsport Area" (those with knowledge of H.P. Lovecraft can probably guess what the Innsmouth-Kingsport Area is like). More about the Innsmouth-Kingsport Area will show up in my next two posts.

Technology: Technology (and styles), as I said in my first post, are part of the weirdness of the world, having mixed and jumbled into a bizarre, anachronistic level of technology that makes it hard to tell whether it's on a level with 2017 or 1307. Although, as I said, it's hard to tell, transportation has probably been hit the hardest. Airplanes are rare, and are usually small 1-2 person vehicles instead of the massive jets we see today. Streets, once reserved for cars, have been reclaimed by pedestrians, horsemen, and horse-drawn wagons and carriages, although cars aren't completely gone, having reset to early 1920s or lower (although they are very rare). Boats have motors and engines and stuff, though truly massive cruise, war, and cargo ships are almost nonexistent. Trains are gone completely (though why is unknown), but, oddly enough, buses of 1970s-1980s level technology are relatively common, though they're mostly just used to get between cities. As for energy sources, alchemically-produced oil/gasoline-substitutes are very common (and safer and better for the environment, though harder to produce despite the components being easier to find) , and solar panels are more common than ever (and are sometimes actually futuristic by our standards). Communication and entertainment have been set back, too. Though computers still exist (though they're far from common), the internet is no longer available (with the exception of a few cities, which all have their own localized version of the internet that connects the entire city instead of the entire world). Radio is still very common, and is often the main technological method of entertainment or communication. Cell phones don't exist, but landline phones exist in some important cities. Color televisions are available, but very few places broadcast any channels for them to pick up, so they're mostly used for playing old DVDs/VHS tapes. CDs, Vinyl Records, and Cassette tapes also exist, as do radios that can play them, so people have a lot of options when it comes to music (which is reflected in the music genres of the world, which are many and varied). Books still exist. Surprisingly, many old shows, movies, books, and music seem to have survived the apocalypse, and are sometimes referenced by the characters. Space technology doesn't exist anymore (at all), and the Earth has lost almost all of the space junk orbiting it (including still-functioning satellites and the International Space Station, unfortunately). The Kepler Space Telescope is still out there and functioning, but nobody knows that due to the fact that they are currently unable to receive its signals. One of the kingdoms that used to be part of Germany (I haven't decided what part of Germany or the kingdom's name yet) is currently home to the leading experts on science and science-based technology. There's more, but I feel that was enough for now.

Major Geographic Regions and How They've Changed: It would be impossible to list, in minute detail, the major geographic regions of the world and how they've changed, however, I'm just going to list the continents (and a few other areas) and how they've changed, as well as a more detailed look at how the world in general has changed.

Spoiler

In General: In general, the world still looks mostly the same, despite subtly twisting and shifting and seeming to grow larger and closer together, as I said in the "Geography" section of "What's Changed About the World in General". It's slightly cooler (global warming having been mostly undone) and less polluted (pollution also having been mostly undone as well), but otherwise its environment is about the same, too. Most pre-apocalypse cities have mostly or completely disappeared, reclaimed by the land, but there are some exceptions, mostly major cities like Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; London, England; or New York City, New York (although, oddly enough, Washington, D.C. wasn't one of them), which, though in ruins after the apocalypse ended, remained mostly untouched by nature. Every single nation collapsed, and, in most cases, was replaced by several smaller kingdoms that take up its place on the map (the exception being Ireland, which, though its pre-apocalypse government is long gone, actually gained land (read: Northern Ireland) after civilization was rebuilt. However, size doesn't matter when it comes to clout in international politics, and, as with today, many tiny European nations have more political power than large Australian Nations. Make of it what you will. Also, although it may not seem like it from my descriptions of copuntless kingdoms and stuff, the world has a smaller population than it had before the apocalypse, though this has more to do with the negative side effects of all those clashing wishes (read: the apocalypse) than the wishes themselves.

Africa: Africa is actually much better off. Though its nations are still far from the most technologically advanced or best places to live, various wishes, alchemical breakthroughs, and more level-headed leaders have made it an okay place to live, though still third-world, like most of South America and some parts of Asia and post-apocalypse Australia. Geographically, nothing much has changed. Endangered African species are now much more common and better off, though still rather rare.

Antarctica: Antarctica is larger, colder, and more inhospitable than ever (in known human history, at least). Despite this, a few tentative colonies have emerged for some reason. Most of said colonies are after the various rare minerals that Antarctica is rich in. Other than that stuff, ditto for Antarctica.

Asia: Asia is having a resurgence, and most of the Asian kingdoms are now first-world, and have about the same technological advancement and political power as their European and North American counterparts. Despite this, a few Asian kingdoms, mostly southern ones, aren't doing that well, and are still third-world, and Asia is home to the few remaining communist dictatorships. The Himilayas seem to have grown larger and taller, both individually and as a range, and there are rumors of strange and dangerous beasts (mostly strait out of Asian mythology, folklore, or popular media), especially in the Gobi Desert. On the plus side (again), as with Africa, endangered species are on the resurgence and the third-world nations are doing better than they were before the apocalypse.

Atlantis: As I said in the "Geography" section of "What's Changed About the World in General", Atlantis is a new continent, slightly larger than Australia, which seemingly has no native lifeforms but plenty of life (both imported by humans and nature, mostly from nearby islands) on its coastlines, though the farther in you go the more barren it gets. It is still being explored and has been colonized by various nearby kingdoms, though such colonies are still small, few, and far between. Its coastline is warm and tropical, but little is known about its interior.

Australia: Australia is... better (mostly). Most of its countries are first-world, but mind their own business, though a few are third-world (and worse off than third world countries on other continents). A lot of the more deadly forms of life seem to have gotten much rarer, and the land seems to be more welcoming and fertile, but it's still (for the most part) the same old Australia (geographically, at least).

Europe: Europe is still pretty much the center of the civilized world (mostly), being home to both the scientific and alchemical leaders in world development. However, that's not to say it hasn't changed. It seems as if there's more space than there used to be, and there are definitely more places. Also, as with Asia and North and South America, there are rumors of strange creatures that have emerged, even outside of unstable areas, where such things are expected. These creatures tend to be described as strait out of a medieval European fantasy story, though some are less familiar in description.

The Middle East: As I said in the "Unstable/Wish-Contaminated Areas" section of "What's Changed about the World in General", the Middle East is now a radioactive wasteland almost completely devoid of human life and home to the largest known wish-contaminated area in the world. For obvious reasons, little is known about how its geography and stuff have changed. Although I said this before, I feel I should say it again just in case: this is not wish fulfillment (for me at least), I just figured it would be realistic for a few loonies to wish that "they" would nuke the Middle East, even if I don't think it would be morally, ethically, religiously, or logically acceptable to do so.

North America: North America, once home to only three major countries, now, like everywhere else, has dozens of little kingdoms all over it, though they tend to be larger and more sparsely populated the farther north you go. It is home to the setting of our story, a relatively large as-yet-unnamed-by-me kingdom in what once was New England that is home to the Innsmouth-Kingsport Area. It is often rumored that strange creatures (typically strait from cryptozoological legend, the ice age, or Native American folklore) lurk in the now-ample North American wilderness. North American physical geography is mostly unchanged, with the exception of what once was Florida, which is now 90% sinkhole (yes, that is a slight exaggeration).

The North Pole: Polar bears and seals are more common than ever. Other than that, it is larger, colder, more inhospitable, and mostly the same.

South America: The standard of living has improved, but there are actually more deadly species and unexplored areas. There are several reports from large parties of explorers (who have, in other times, proved to be reliable sources) that El Dorado is now a real place, albeit really, really hard to find, in ruins with no sign of current or past human life other than the buildings, and possibly in an unstable area. As with Asia, Europe, and South America, there are rumors of strange and dangerous beasts ranging from dinosaurs to creatures strait out of South American mythology. It is currently the third least explored continent, right behind Antarctica and Atlantis.

Various Islands: The various non-affiliated islands of the world range from radically changed to mostly the same. It is worth mentioning that the Galapagos Islands are now devoid of human life and invasive species, Haiti, Polynesia, etc., are much better off, and, for some strange reason, the group of islands from the Jurassic Park franchise now exist (though they don't have any dinosaurs or park ruins on them).

Feedback/Q & A: I only got one reply so far, but one is enough. As always, I welcome any feedback, questions, comments, and concerns on my posts. Thank you.

On 1/12/2018 at 11:15 AM, Belzedar said:

Interesting concept. It has a lot of possibilities to make a very weird and wonderful world. My only suggestion is that maybe the Wishgiver shouldn't be so localized. If the requirement for making a wish is physically accessing the Wishgiver, you know the government would set up a big blockade and only allow a handful people to actually make wishes.

Instead, maybe it just appears to people at random, or reaches out to them telepathically. If making the journey was really important, you could substitute something else for that. Maybe the Wishgiver appears to random people and gives them personalized trials, like "quit smoking" or "reconnect with your estranged father," and you earn your wish by completing the trial, which is something uniquely difficult for each person. Only people with the will to overcome their own issues get wishes granted.

And that could lead to some prejudice against the Wishblooded. They have powers they didn't earn. What gives them the right?

I think this is a good idea, but it wouldn't work. I'll explain why:

1. I know that the government would definitely try to restrict access to the Wishgiver, so that's why I had him move around every 2 days or so for about two years (long after the world started to collapse due to millions of contradicting wishes and stuff) before settling down. I was originally going to have him just be in one place, but then I thought of the access problems (and not just the "He's holed up in a valley, let's block the valley off and only let certain people in" problems, but also the "Aw, hell, I gotta buy a plane ticket to Scotland!" problems). Even then accessing the Wishgiver is still a problem, but a lot less of one. Especially since, even though he's still in a certain area, he can move around within that area if someone's trying to block/limit access to him, and even the government would have a hard time keeping a semicorporeal energy being in one place when it doesn't want to stay in one place.
2. Why is physical access such a priority? Why have people with powers they probably didn't earn? Well, mostly, it's because it's the reason the world is so weird and messed up. You see, if only the people who earned wishes got wishes, there'd not only be less people making wishes, but the wishes would also probably be a lot less likely to be frivolous, crazy, dangerous, or likely to contradict other peoples' wishes in messy or meaningful ways. You may disagree with me on this point, but, well, so far as I see, earning a wish usually entails character development and deep contemplation of your wish, which make the wishpocalypse much less likely.
3. Prejudice against those with hereditary wishes (the working title for them is the wishblooded)? Probably likely. However, we must remember that in almost every major (and most minor) country in the entire world, the wishblooded are nobility, and thus are pretty much in charge of almost everything. Another thing: are the people on Scadrial (second age, at least) prejudiced against allomancers and feruchemists, who also have powers they didn't earn? Not that we see. And sure, as I said, the wishblooded are nobility wheras everyone else are commoners, which definitely leads to some resentment, however, in most countries on the same end of the spectrum as, say, North Korea, the Soviet Union, Iran, or Nazi Germany, expressing resentment towards the wishblooded would probably end about as well as a skaa expressing resentment towards a nobleman or a normal person expressing resentment towards an epic; and in most countries on the same end of the spectrum as the USA, Britain, etc., resentment levels are probably pretty low (though still present) due to the fact that the common people are pretty much equal except for having less political power and being less likely to be as wealthy,

However, despite not working in my story, those are all very good ideas, and I really appreciate you sharing them!

Anyways, that's it for now, folks.

In a change of plans my next post on this thread will talk about new flora and fauna (both confirmed and non-confirmed) that have emerged after the apocalyps. After that, we'll get onto talking about the kingdom where the main story takes place and the noble houses there. After that, I'm not really sure, but, as always, I'm willing to answer questions.

Edited January 28, 2018 by The Allomantic Metalhead