Fiction - what kind of magic would an Aspie do? Any ideas?

Page 1 of 2 [ 18 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next

Nascaireacht
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Posts: 145

08 Oct 2012, 6:29 pm

I'm participating in the NaNoWriMo next month. My book's main character is an Aspie girl who is a magician of some kind - I haven't decided exactly what kind yet. My question is, what sort of magic does anyone think would come naturally to a girl Aspie? I'm guessing that strong empathic powers are unlikely! I haven't really narrowed it down, other than that.
In the story, it won't be known by non-Aspies that she has powers, but other Aspies will know. She won't be the only person around with magic, but she mightn't have others working with her directly, not sure about that yet.
So does anyone have any ideas or guesses about what powers might be the best fit for her? I suppose it could be related to her special interest, possibly.



BanjoGirl
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 24 Mar 2012
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Posts: 644

08 Oct 2012, 6:31 pm

This can inspire you

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_superhuman_features_and_abilities_in_fiction


_________________
I don't use English since September 2007.


Nascaireacht
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Posts: 145

08 Oct 2012, 6:37 pm

Thanks, I'll take a look!



Fnord
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 6 May 2008
Age: 67
Gender: Male
Posts: 59,884
Location: Stendec

08 Oct 2012, 7:32 pm

Carnymancy - The magic of influencing probability of events.

This word was first used by Rob Balder in his Erfworld webcomic, so it may be copyrighted. He depicted the wizard "Jojo" as a George Harrison-like figure, dressed in a marching band uniform, who originally spoke in phrases used by "Carnies" or Carnival Barkers -- people who whose purpose is to lure carnival-goers into games of chance along the midway.

I think this might be appropriate for a fictional Aspie, because many of us seem unable to make things work for us without outside help. If a fictional Aspie were to become adept at such magic, then he or she might have as good a chance as any Entie. A couple of rules for Carnymancy might be useful...

1. The longer the lead time, the less magic needs to be expended for the desired results. Casting a Carnymantic spell to favor a toad-faced girl with marriage might actually produce result 20 years later with very little effort, but expending all of one's magic to cast the same spell for a beautiful princess on the day of her beloved's wedding to another woman might actually bring disaster.

2. The caster can only be certain of the location OR the time-frame in which to expect the results, but no one will ever be able to determine both. Any determination of the time will result in the place being a complete mystery to anyone, and not just the caster. Any determination of the place will result in the time being a complete mystery to anyone, and not just the caster.

3. If two or more Carnymancers try for effects that conflict in any way, then the point of conflict will be randomly determined. That is, it is possible for results to be mixed -- the toad-face girl gets her prince, but only the "Other Woman" will bear the prince's children.

4. The more specific the desired results, the more magic that must be expended to achieve those results, and the more likely it is for something to go wrong.

5. The more wide-sweeping the desired effect, the more magic that must be expended.

Thus, if the mother of the toad-faced girl asks the Carnymancer to guaranty that her new-born daughter will be married by her 20th birthday, then that is more likely to happen than if the mother wants her daughter to marry a handsome prince from Hillsdalefordshire on her 18th birthday (tomorrow) with the sun shining, the birds singing, and an abundance of of food for 100 guests and a 30-piece royal orchestra. The former would take no more magic than would lighting a candle, while there may not be enough magic in the world to pull off the latter!

:twisted:


_________________
 
No love for Hamas, Hezbollah, Iranian Leadership, Islamic Jihad, other Islamic terrorist groups, OR their supporters and sympathizers.


Ganondox
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Oct 2011
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,776
Location: USA

09 Oct 2012, 4:08 am

Actually, I think empathy magic is a good idea, just as long as it's clearing magical and fundamentally different than NT empathy.


_________________
Cinnamon and sugary
Softly Spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes

Autism FAQs http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt186115.html


Robdemanc
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 30 May 2010
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,872
Location: England

09 Oct 2012, 1:39 pm

She can hyper focus intensely and make do whatever needs learning/doing/organizing in seconds to the amazement of everyone else.



Nascaireacht
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Posts: 145

09 Oct 2012, 2:00 pm

Lots of cool ideas are coming - thanks so much, everyone! They are all very interesting, and I may use bits of all of them.



VIDEODROME
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 20 Nov 2008
Age: 47
Gender: Male
Posts: 2,691

09 Oct 2012, 2:17 pm

I think the power Abe Sapien had in Hellboy to read the past events of a room from holding objects was interesting. Kind of taking the phrase "If walls could talk" literally.



knowbody15
Velociraptor
Velociraptor

User avatar

Joined: 6 Aug 2012
Age: 48
Gender: Male
Posts: 469
Location: California

09 Oct 2012, 4:44 pm

Something like Spiderman's spider senses..... or feel other people's emotions, but can't feel their own.... short term future prediction, like they get an urge something will happen, but it always happens within seconds or minutes after they feel the urge....


_________________
?Being happy doesn't mean that everything is perfect. It means that you've decided to look beyond the imperfections.?


AutisticBelle
Pileated woodpecker
Pileated woodpecker

User avatar

Joined: 24 Nov 2011
Age: 31
Gender: Female
Posts: 193

09 Oct 2012, 5:18 pm

Trapping peoples consciousness's in elaborate mind puzzles that reflect her own mind. Only those that can discover the key can break free, and generally come out with a different perception on life.
Or something like intense hyper awareness, where she can remove herself from human limitations and her mind can reach its full potential, allowing her to work out any problem. Of course, afterward she should suffer a severe meltdown as a balance to her power.
Personally, I like the first one better, because an Aspie's mind is so different and has the capacity to be incredibly complex.



1000Knives
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 8 Jul 2011
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,036
Location: CT, USA

10 Oct 2012, 1:56 am

Building giant deathrays and discovering the keys to perpetual motion and free energy.



transformingcar
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 23 Jul 2011
Age: 31
Gender: Male
Posts: 622

10 Oct 2012, 3:12 am

Hmmm.... ya know, I'm writing a book about a sorceress, she's supposed to have a varity of magic powers, but also alot of mental issues, she's also supposed to have a mental illness, which in her case is Aspergers.

I could help, I'm pretty good at creating a personalty for a character, as well as creating their abilitys or powers. it just take me some time to think, but once i got an idea, it sticks with me forever.

I'm my case, the sorceress is an adult, comes from a very rich familiy, was abused by various people, inculding her mother.
but that cursed writers block got me agian...

my sorceress has the power to quite litarally trap people inside her mind.
they can not escape untill shes enjoyed enough of their suffering.
and she has the power to put herself into another persons body, and control their every move.
much like a ghost would possess a living person.
as well she can project her emotions unto her suroundings. causeing all manner of havock when shes stressed.
she can also shrink people, but thats not really relavant at this point.



Ganondox
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 7 Oct 2011
Age: 27
Gender: Male
Posts: 5,776
Location: USA

10 Oct 2012, 12:50 pm

Ganondox wrote:
Actually, I think empathy magic is a good idea, just as long as it's clearing magical and fundamentally different than NT empathy.


Like the explanation for this is that she developed empathy magic specifically due to her natural impairment.


_________________
Cinnamon and sugary
Softly Spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes

Autism FAQs http://www.wrongplanet.net/postt186115.html


Nascaireacht
Snowy Owl
Snowy Owl

User avatar

Joined: 10 Mar 2012
Age: 52
Gender: Female
Posts: 145

10 Oct 2012, 4:20 pm

Thanks, these are all really cool ideas, and they're getting my brain moving along nicely!



Mindsigh
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 29 May 2012
Age: 57
Gender: Female
Posts: 3,272
Location: Ailleurs

11 Oct 2012, 4:18 pm

I know it's kind of cliche, but an ability to disappear, or not to be noticed easily--to blend in with the background. Or maybe reverse empathy--when she has a meltdown everyone near her feels it too?


_________________
"Lonely is as lonely does.
Lonely is an eyesore."


MakaylaTheAspie
Veteran
Veteran

User avatar

Joined: 21 Jun 2011
Age: 27
Gender: Non-binary
Posts: 14,565
Location: O'er the land of the so-called free and the home of the self-proclaimed brave. (Oregon)

11 Oct 2012, 4:21 pm

I'm doing NaNoWriMo as well this year. I already have all my character maps and plot sorted out...

I think mind control would be an excellent ability for an Aspie, just saying. :lol:


_________________
Hi there! Please refer to me as Moss. Unable to change my username to reflect that change. Have a nice day. <3