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Superhero Story about Thoughtforms


Scott Z

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A few months ago, I started a thread entitled Tulpa as a Superhero Sidekick. That thread got a little long, and the concept for the project has changed considerably. I decided that a fresh thread was needed.

 

Here is the project in a nutshell: I am writing a series of short stories and (later) first person vlog posts in the superhero genre. The main characters are a tulpamancer and tulpa who fight criminals together. A buddy of mine has volunteered to take on the role of the arch-villain in the stories. We chose both the hero and the villain from forgotten comic book characters in the public domain, but the tulpa in the story is an original character inspired by what I have learned about thoughtforms here at tulpa.info.

 

Just to be clear, I am writing fictional stories about these characters. I am NOT creating a tulpa who looks like a superhero nor superhero's sidekick.

 

Here are some details.

The Buzzard: The protagonist is Flash Audubon, a young adult who is talented in visualization to the point that he can project his imaginary perceptions on others (and how he actually accomplishes this is a little complicated).

Story Role: Protagonist

Motivation: Protection, but with a twist. He seeks to protect the things which have no other protectors nor means of protecting themselves. He protects the thoughtforms of his city; the tulpas, the memory palaces, and even the imaginary friends. Flash doesn't even like humans for the most part. People assume that he is fighting criminals out of justice or protecting the human people, but rescuing a human is merely a means to an end so that he may rescue the thoughtform inside of person's brain.

Origin: public domain Link

 

Cinereous: Cinereous is a particularly powerful tulpa. He appears usually as a large vulture perched nearby. It was Cinereous who planted the idea in Flash's mind of defending other thoughtforms from destruction by violent crime. Although manipulative and ruthless, Cinereous is a true friend and very close to Flash. He also offers tactical support to Flash when they perform vigilante work together. His most important ability (in terms of what is important for the stories) is his ability to recognize and perceive other thoughtforms.

Story Role: The Sidekick and Narrator

Motivation: Punishment, he seeks justice for the thoughtforms

Origin: original character

 

...: The villain and top of the Buzzard's rogue gallery is his Flash's own roommate. The Buzzard caught this guy early in Flash's vigilante career and reformed him (a little). They got along well enough to move in together, but the bad guy keeps relapsing into crime every time Flash turns his back. If Flash were to turn him in, the criminal would likely ID the Buzzard for the police, thus establishing a balance of mutual blackmail between the two. Despite the many relapses, Cinereous is unwilling to completely give up on the guy. It is Cin who sees the villain as a metaphor for humanity and worries that if they destroy this guy, Flash might be breaking the last of his ties to human-kind. Details like the name and gimmicks of this character are top secret at this time.

Story Role: antagonist & ally depending on the circumstances and mood

Motivation: rebellion

Origin: public domain

 

Justin Audabon: The police chief of the city is Flash's father. Justin's wife was killed by an assassin years earlier with a bomb that was meant for Justin. This event drove Justin wage war against organized criminals. This includes apprehending the Buzzard.

Story Role: Antagonist and in a parental way, love interest

Motivation: Justice

Origin: public domain

 

Governor Pelican: Flash's patron who has provided him with resources, access to police information, and gadgetry.

Story Role: mentor

Motivation: Protection (of the people of his state)

Origin: public domain

 

Jezebel Pelican: The daughter has been raised to fight crime from birth, but the persona of the Buzzard was given to Flash instead. At her father's request, she provides skill training and abilities to Flash as he needs them. She lacks his talent for thoughtforms, but she is developing her own wonderland. She pretends to be his girlfriend, but she actually hates his guts.

Story Role: antagonist, mentor

Motivation: pride

Origin: public domain

my thoughtform = Isis

her appearance = stylized rabbit with dark fur and glowing eyes

her developmental stage = imaginary friend

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I Like it so far, keep us updated !

I was wondering, though, are you currently making a real tulpa ? This question is completely unrelated to the topic but I just wanted to know since I don't know much about you...

 

Good luck anyway, I can't wait to read/watch those !

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I thank you both for the interest.

 

Xeare, that is an interesting explanation for the slowed-time experience. I was thinking that I would justify that effect by having the tulpa control adrenaline releases and related bio-chemicals. Your explanation for bullet time works as well, and it might be more in keeping with the themes of the story. Heck, I will use both explanations combined, thus making the effect seem almost feasible for the reader.

 

Kraph, I am (very slowly) developing a tulpa of my own, Isis. You are correct in your conclusion that my tulpa is unrelated to the stories. She is completely unlike any of the characters in the story, and we are still in an early visualization stage together. In fact, she is a character from an old web comic of mine that I decided to upgrade so I could learn more about the process. How about you?

 

How do people feel about the entire angry "I can take or leave humans but I fight to protect the thoughtforms" angle?

my thoughtform = Isis

her appearance = stylized rabbit with dark fur and glowing eyes

her developmental stage = imaginary friend

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How do people feel about the entire angry "I can take or leave humans but I fight to protect the thoughtforms" angle?

 

I was actually going to bring that up myself.

 

Anyway, it seems like a good motivation for him, but will the readers connect with the idea? I can see this being received two different ways:

 

1. They will connect with the idea even if they don't fully understand it; they will find it interesting/unique and will want to know why this motivates the Buzzard.

 

2. They will think that the idea is silly if the value of the thoughtforms is not well established. If the reader doesn't see any value in thoughtforms, then the Buzzard's motivation would look incredibly ridiculous.

My Tulpa

And then it cuts to a scene where you're sitting in a padded cell.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I thank you for the move, Slushie.

 

Imahaxor, I appreciate the feedback.

 

As far as progress on the project goes, I've moved other tasks (like development of Isis) to my proverbial front burner. I need to edit a lot of audio in the near future for my new netcast. I will get back to the Buzzard sometime later this summer.

my thoughtform = Isis

her appearance = stylized rabbit with dark fur and glowing eyes

her developmental stage = imaginary friend

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Here is a related issue. I would like to present a variety of thought forms in these stories. I have started compiling a list of known categories of thoughtforms and some media references for each. What am I missing? #1 Imaginary Friends (Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends), #2 Tulpas (although there isn't a good example yet, I thought that the movies Harvey and Drop Dead Fred came very close), #3 Wonderlands (Suckerpunch), #4 Memory Palaces (Stephen King's Dreamcatcher), #5 Mental Calculators (I cannot think of any examples), #6 Operating Systems (Stranger Than Fiction, & the commentary track for that movie was the origin of the name for this type of heads up display servitor), #7 other servitors (I can't think of any examples). Yes, there is a lot of crossover between these categories. I am still unsure whether to categorize the constructs in John Scalzi's novella Legion as tulpas or servitors. I should mention that I also intend to use this list in an upcoming segment of my netcast (a.k.a. podcast).

my thoughtform = Isis

her appearance = stylized rabbit with dark fur and glowing eyes

her developmental stage = imaginary friend

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here is a sample of the type of stories I am making as a starter project. These are extra-short stories suitable for posts on most social networks. Some will even be tweetable. More elaborate projects will follow later.

 

FLASH FICTION STORY starring The Buzzard! The Origin of Cinereous, Part 1: Neither of us remembers when I was born. Perhaps, I have always been here. I was always there at his bed, perched on the rails while he fell asleep. By the time Flash started school, I had a name, Big Beak. I was not the only imaginary friend in that school, but I did certainly possess the biggest beak.

 

FLASH FICTION STORY starring The Buzzard! Origin of Cinereous Part 2: "Flash was soon spending more of his time on the ice. Actually, he spent most of that time in the penalty box. He always did enjoy a fight. While he was in the box, his eyes were on the ice. I do not remember those days well. If off the ice, he was visualizing his slap shot as his coach taught him. When his mind had something on which to focus, I could not exist. One cannot blame me for not remembering much of what happened when I was nonexistent. I might have been forgotten entirely if not for the explosion."

my thoughtform = Isis

her appearance = stylized rabbit with dark fur and glowing eyes

her developmental stage = imaginary friend

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FLASH FICTION starring the Buzzard! Origin of Cinereous, Part 3: Neither of us remembers the bomb. Flash only remembers waking up in the hospital a day later. His young body was broken, and his young brain was scrambled, but he did survive. Flash is a survivor in every way. His father is also a survivor. His mother was not.

my thoughtform = Isis

her appearance = stylized rabbit with dark fur and glowing eyes

her developmental stage = imaginary friend

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