*Looks around* I'm not sure that this is the right place to put this topic, or even how to totally approach it, but here it goes.

I have a concept I want to utilize, at least for a short story but perhaps more, that is similar to the basis of Dracula. Intimate relationships as tattoos. Each individual has a mark that is their personality. When they are married that mark becomes a tattoo on their spouse or if they are otherwise intimate the tattoos are distorted. Again, I'm going for a moral theme similar to Dracula but to see how this plays out otherwise I thought I'd ask y'all to brainstorm with me.'

This could probably go in the Magic & Cobha room, but this room works too.

I thought it seemed similar the the "world of music" concept so I put it here.

Like I said, here is fine.

That sounds neat, I never actually read "Dracula" though. What happens if the wife has one certain tattoo and the husband has another? Does the wife have both tattoo's? Also, does the husband get his wife's tattoo?

See, I was thinking they somehow know what their mark is but don't have it. So if your married you have your spouse's tattoo and only that tattoo. But then I'm not sure how distortion would work for an improper relationship, what distortion would be caused by divorce, or what would change by being widowed and possibly remarried.

An interesting idea, Riniel.

I think the most obvious issue here(not a problem exactly as you'll no doubt easily be able to address it, but something you will have to address) is the notion of "married" vs. "improper" relationships. How will the tattoo know who is married? Is any public lifetime commitment to one's spouse-to-be enough, or must a particular ceremony be performed? And what are the implications, morally speaking, of choosing either option?

If you make a particular ceremony necessary for the tattoo to function properly, are you thus saying that a ceremony is necessary for marriage in the real world too? Do you want to say that? Maybe so; I don't know. I'm just raising a few thoughts.

What does it mean to be married? If a couple agrees never to leave each other, are they thus married? Or does it have to be public? Or does it require recognition by the state? Does one need priestly assistance?

These are the things you'll probably have to figure out and somehow translate to your story to make this work. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with it!

Yes, I have to find a way to make the vow before God something that has physical affects. I may have to venture slightly into the realm of magic here. But yes, the ceremony is required although simple enough to still be performed under a variety of circumstances.

Interesting. OK, so do you need witnesses and/or some kind of priest figure?

Still debating that bit...

*pokes head in* I had a similar issue come up in one of my worlds and it wound up turning into a very interesting discussion with my Dean of Students about what marriage actually is Or at least our views of it.

This is a cool idea! I have never read Dracula so I'm not exactly sure what you are aiming for but I will try to help. But first a few questions:

Are they born with this tattoo? Are they given it at birth or a later age? Does what they do define the tattoo or does the tattoo define them and what happens to them? Does the tattoo shift or appear magically/are there a special division of people used to alter these tattoos and if so what is their role in society?

The tattoo could be kind of a future telling instrument if you wanted it to be. Mapping out the life of a character before it actually happened. Just an idea.

I'm giving each person a symbol that is like their name. It's something of their definition or captures their essence in a picture.

I'm not having each person have their mark on their own skin. I've heard those of us without tattoos referred to as having "virgin skin" and that's what got me thinking. A tattoo is also something you can't undo so I decided to make something of a metaphor out of it. The theme of Dracula and the original vampire folklore was that their bite was based on lust so even though it was about a monster, it's really about purity and that's what I was going for.

I'm thinking the symbol will be given at the "christening", perhaps on a necklace but the tattoo magically appears.

That's cool!

Any thoughts on how things should distort based on an immoral relationship or divorce or death?

I would have to say color. If a spouse was to die or be divorced if it were a certain color tattoo it would fade to a grey or black. Or the tattoo could disappear at a death but leave an imprint. Kind of like if you go to the beach and draw something on your arm with suntan lotion without putting any on your body and you run around for the whole day. Your skin is all red but the drawing has a paler imprint. Just a thought.

I've already told you this, Rin, but I'll say it again here: I really like this concept. And it sounds like it's coming together pretty well for you

Perhaps a distortion if someone cheats on their spouse is that they have two people's tattoos rather on top of each other, making it a bit of a mess? Perhaps the tattoo is blurred and hard to see the shape properly if you aren't married. What if a person has an immoral relationship, but then both of them change and decide to get married?

I like the idea of death making it fade but leave a bit of a mark, because you're morally free when your spouse dies, but it's also left a lasting impression.

That's cool, I like the blur idea for immoral relationships. A Distortion of the picture.

I have a question though, what is the tattoo normally of? Is it like runes or pictures? What kind of color? Does it shine in light or is it black or green?

I was going to save gray-green for the not so good relationships... I'd want to give a real, true relationship nothing less than silvers and golds and beauty.

That's cool. So the color corresponds with the status of the relationship? *thumbs up*

Absolutely. *wants to sketch some tattoo designs*

Cool, if so I want to see them!

You should definitely link some sketches here when you come up with them. I love the different colors idea.

Well... I know this hasn't be responded to in a while... but just throwing this out there...

What if the tattoo color is purple to begin with? Purple is the color of royalty. And then gradually over 25 years it turns silver. And then over 50 years it turns gold.

I like the ideas of when a spouse dies the tattoo fades to an imprint. And I like the color for the immoral relationships.

Perhaps, though... What you could do is if someone is married and they have a wrong relationship, the two tattoos get mangled up together because the relationship affects not just one person. Then their sin becomes obvious. But the immoral tattoo can be removed and the other tattoo be made beautiful again through forgiveness.

Just throwing these out there.

O.O

Those are excellent ideas.

That's a neat thought, Nemo.

Maybe the shape morphs over time depending on the health of the relationship... Then the two could sort of overlap if something nasty goes on...

*thinks*