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[wheel_of_masks]

More notes for further development when I have more time -- PLEASE don't take any of these at face value or read personal jibes into them, they're really just half-formed thoughts I want to make public in case they'd inspire someone in the meantime! There are NO hidden messages fnord in this post.

Comments

[anonymous]

Another note to self -- would like to talk w/people in Charmed plotline about the general symbolism and theme underpinnings of the plot -- especially interested in the Charmvirus's reduction of intelligence and whether/why low intelligence is seen as specifically in tune with the nature of Charm -- not criticizing or making any assumptions, just want to open up the discussion because there might be some interesting tensions and an opportunity to better define my own imagination of Charm, for or against it...

--lazy hurried OR

[anonymous]

Further thoughts, there are definitely clear references in my own Charmwarp writeups to "simplified" states of mind being popular in Charm -- this could lead to interesting conversations about what intelligence is, what it's not, what it means for a being's identity, and how or whether it's contrasted with other qualities like willpower or wisdom -- if the Charmvirus does cause loss of "intelligence," what KIND does it degrade, and what does it leave intact, and what kind might it even enhance?

(This really ties in with some personal issues here -- keep in mind I've BEEN several Charm-like characters under hypnotic or psychedelic states in RL, so this is a hot-button topic for me, but an interesting one not an offensive one or anything...)

--still OR

of course...

[cascade_seven]

...this begs a character (mask, possibly) who's brilliantly intelligent but also unarguably Charm-esque. One method is someone who appears to be simple but who produces genius conclusions as if out of thin air ('you underestimate me' kind of thing); I think it'd be more interesting to have a character who is more or less consistently both clearly brilliant and clearly Charm.

Children's educational programs are, of course, springing immediately to mind. Bill Nye, Beakman, and the like (at their best) combined a certain innocent, almost selfless, and effervescent enthusiasm with clear intelligence. But there are undoubtedly other approaches, too.

Re: of course...

[wheel_of_masks]

Remember Simon, the kid with the magical piece of chalk? :) (No, not the Mike Myers version. Put that straight out of your mind, already. :p )

We're already got that great Upwarpian documentarist, Dr. Darlus, to cover the Beakman spectrum. I'm actually thinking of following Dendriphorax's interesting comparison of the Bubble Dolls to the blue metal elves described in Terrence McKenna's DMT visions. XOR and I were talking just yesterday about creating a Bubble Doll who was tall, angular, cool-colored, and friendly in a uniquely icy and alien "trip guide" sort of way. Maybe she(?)'d make a good mask...

[anonymous]

also for later discussion

[balinares]

Better: do fall for the trick, but in such a devious way that it's the trickster who eventually ends up done for. Think "pact with the Devil" stories, and any number of African legends.

It might just do wonders for the Dolls' reputation if Theeka's equivalent of a personal guard was composed solely, blatantly of formerly non-Dolls who tried to trick her (and probably thought they'd succeeded). All utterly delighted about their new job, of course. :)