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Dragon-humans
https://archive.holyworlds.org/viewtopic.php?f=244&t=9051		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Kya Lightwing [ November 25th, 2014, 11:31 am ]
Post subject:  Dragon-humans
A random idea popped into my head a couple months ago as I was thinking about NaNo. What if there were humans who have all the capabilities as dragons while being human? In my world, the original human was infused with a tiny bit of a dragon's genes. But I was thinking about how that would propose problems that may or may not have to be addressed in the story, so I wondered about just giving them magical qualities. I don't know if I like the idea about magic, though. What do you guys think?

(And it's a really messy idea in my head, so... :roll: )
Author:  Andorin [ November 25th, 2014, 12:12 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
How is this different than the "Dragons in our Midst" series? I guess I'm a little confused.

I typically come at the whole dragon issue from a negative view point. I usually see them as an embodiment of evil. I know there are other views (even historically) I just think they make way cooler bad characters/beasts than good ones. If that is the case, then is the dragon DNA a fatal flaw of some kind that must be overcome/redeemed in some way?
If you don't have a negative view of the dragon DNA, then perhaps it is some sort of heroic strength that they posses. If this gives them some sort of magical heritage or not, I don't know.
Author:  Kya Lightwing [ November 25th, 2014, 12:59 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
Andorin wrote:
How is this different than the "Dragons in our Midst" series? I guess I'm a little confused.

The anthrozils are fully dragon and fully human. These are only fully human. They also each receive all the traits of dragons, while anthrozils get select ones. And the gene was added to them rather than them having some sort of draconic parent.

Andorin wrote:
I typically come at the whole dragon issue from a negative view point. I usually see them as an embodiment of evil. I know there are other views (even historically) I just think they make way cooler bad characters/beasts than good ones. If that is the case, then is the dragon DNA a fatal flaw of some kind that must be overcome/redeemed in some way?
If you don't have a negative view of the dragon DNA, then perhaps it is some sort of heroic strength that they posses. If this gives them some sort of magical heritage or not, I don't know.

The DNA was forced upon the original dragon warrior. The dragons in this story are evil, and one of them gave his gene to a human hoping it would make him evil as well. I was considering ending the series with them getting it extracted, but I'm still debating.
Author:  Andorin [ November 25th, 2014, 1:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
You could end it that way, but it wouldn't be the most interesting in my opinion.

For this specific situation almost reminds me of Matthew 18:6
"but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea."
In this case you are looking from the perspective of the "little one", the victim. I would be curious what you could come up with given the limitation that it cannot be extracted.
Or if you don't like what you come up with for that scenario, think of an interesting way in which it could be extracted. Maybe the character has to give up something to get rid of the DNA. Or they can only get rid of it in the next generation. I bet you could come up with some pretty interesting situations with impossible choices given the nature of what you are working on.

I can keep brain storming with you if you'd like. Just let me know what direction you are leaning, and we can go from there.
Author:  Kya Lightwing [ November 25th, 2014, 3:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
Hmm...I'd never thought of it that way.

The main character is the great-grandson of the first dragonized human. He's more powerful than his predecessors but doesn't know it. So I don't know if I should just allow him to stay dragonish or not.

Also, I'm trying to figure out if it would be better just to say it's magic...though I'm not sure that's the wisest decision.
Author:  Andorin [ November 29th, 2014, 9:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
I understand your reluctance to call it magic. From the little I've heard about your story, and given your reluctance, it seems that "magic" isn't the right word for this dragonishness thing you've come up with.

Since you are taking the perspective that this dragon nature is evil, I'm also wondering if you are treating it as an allegory for humanity's sin nature. If not, then maybe do some thinking as to what "it" is.

It gives the character strength, but does it have a drawback? What sort of draw back? Is it something like where the person loses their humanity? Do they become animalistic? Do they just become selfish or power hungry? If any of these are the case, then what is the cause?

Maybe its not so much a drawback as it a deep rooted darkness. Perhaps it is evil because it causes chaos? If not, then why is it evil? These are just my rambling thoughts.

I don't think you should call it magic. If you can dig deeper, then I think you could find something much more fascinating and meaningful. It might still be magic by definition, but you will have something that has roots in something deeper than the "oh-hey, I-can-make-mist-appear-because-it-is-cool-or-helps-with-a-plot-point" kind of magic. Don't get me wrong. There is a place for that kind of magic, but perhaps this isn't the place.
Author:  Kya Lightwing [ December 4th, 2014, 11:20 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
Andorin wrote:
Since you are taking the perspective that this dragon nature is evil, I'm also wondering if you are treating it as an allegory for humanity's sin nature. If not, then maybe do some thinking as to what "it" is.

No, I wasn't thinking about it as an allegory. It was more of an inspiration point, and I drew the story around it.

Andorin wrote:
Since you are taking the perspective that this dragon It gives the character strength, but does it have a drawback? What sort of draw back? Is it something like where the person loses their humanity? Do they become animalistic? Do they just become selfish or power hungry? If any of these are the case, then what is the cause? Maybe its not so much a drawback as it a deep rooted darkness. Perhaps it is evil because it causes chaos? If not, then why is it evil? These are just my rambling thoughts.

Hm...I hadn't thought of any of this before. I suppose I should, but the only thing I can think of is prejudice against them in certain cultures. Maybe they're considered "unclean" or something?

Well your rambling thoughts are hard to answer, but they're good. Thanks for the questions; they're making me think more about the world-building aspect around it.

Andorin wrote:
It might still be magic by definition, but you will have something that has roots in something deeper than the "oh-hey, I-can-make-mist-appear-because-it-is-cool-or-helps-with-a-plot-point" kind of magic. Don't get me wrong. There is a place for that kind of magic, but perhaps this isn't the place.

Yes, that's what I don't want. I think I'll be working more with the whole dragon idea and what can be done within those borders, in which case it would be more like cobha, right?
Author:  Riniel Jasmina [ January 15th, 2015, 10:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Dragon-humans
If you don't want too much sparky-bang magic, perhaps they simply have a certain draconian air about them, where their presence inspires certain feelings of discomfort or self-awareness.
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