Magic, Fantasy and the Element of Plausibility

In my stories I try to be as close to reality as possible, while adding just enough fiction to make things interesting. I am personally not a fan of sword and sorcery styled fantasy, because so often magic is used as a cheat rather than a tool. There are no consequences to the use of magic and the power it bestows on the user is apparently limitless and conveniently requires no training to use. Granted this is not one hundred percent the rule. Creators like George R. R. Martin, Peter S. Beagle, and to some degree J. R. R. Tolkien are fair at keeping the science in magic.

There it is. The science to magic. It is not this thing that falls into the hero’s hands at just the right time, for all the right reasons, and is his to command for no other reason than he is the hero and it just is. There is a logical explanation for all things in nature and magic is simply the science of the fantasy world.

Magic as a Science

     Alchemy is likely the premiere thought that comes to mind when considering science and magic in the same sentence. It is not the only one, but it is the most tangible to explain. Alchemy is really just chemistry. There are rules to how it works, and a means to an end. Without following the rules you could well not only fail to reach your intended result, but you could very well lose your eyebrows.

     This analogy should be the first thought on any writer’s mind when playing with magic. What are the instructions for use on this tool? Who should use it? What are the dangers? Who makes it? What powers it? What happens when it breaks down or used incorrectly? I am not here to tell you what your “magic” can or cannot do, but I will say, as a reader and viewer of some fantasy, I want to know that you understand what you are messing with. You would not give anyone a drill press without some guidance and proper protection, your magical/ mystical/ god-given epic/ awesome/ all-glorious orb/ rod/ medallion/ crystal of knowing/ being/ controlling/ some-other-power should be no different!

Real Magic

     When I was a creative and lonely teen I admit to snagging a few mystical tomes from the local psychic fairs and Pagan shoppes. As I read all these awesome things that were possible with the use of magic, sympathetic magic mind, a reality began to form. There are a ton of rules to this little game and a lot of things required to make this work! This, I think, is what really formed my need for plausibility. Well, and my overt obsessive-compulsive need to make charts, lists, graphs and notes on everything.

     I recommend grabbing some books on the following subjects to understand magic before writing it into your character’s life; mythology, angelic languages, ancient languages, alchemical symbols, medicine, plants, astronomy, lunar cycles, divination, eastern and western religion. But, goodness steer clear of anything that spells magic with a “k”.   

Practice, practice, practice!

     Magic is an art as much as a science. Your character should not be awesome at it from the get go. Also, and goodness knows I love to play them too, but only in video games are characters allowed to simply level up. I understand that in anything, when it finally clicks it feels like a level up and seems like it happened instantly, but think about the time and effort it really took. It isn’t fair to your reader or your character to win just at the right moment without a bit of struggle first.

     Your character knows he is going to have to fight the big baddie and he knows he needs to sharpen those magic claws on something before that meeting. Give him little moments to work this out. Maybe he should lose his eyebrows once or twice?

The Grand Finally

     Is it luck, genetics, or hard work that gave your character the power in the first place? And, which of these things allowed him to perfect it? How long does it last and what are the consequences? Only when you are willing answer these things can you master the art of plausible fantasy.

     Spend some time trying to memorize and pronounce an ancient language, or drawing the perfect alchemical symbol. Better still, try it while running in circles at night, wearing a moo-moo and house slippers, a necklace of sausage around your neck, fending off your neighbor’s yapping Chihuahua. Yeah, that should make you sympathize with your heroes.

Pirates, Hot Ace, and Mermaid Birthdays

The story of Captain Blackstrap Gennie is full of strong female characters and men, real, hardcore men, willing to accept them. Complete fiction, right? Of course not! Historically as well as presently, there are power females gallivanting about, and they pal around with some pretty tough guys.

Her part in His-story

Some of the most prominent pirates throughout history were of the fairer sex. When I use fair in this case, I mean to say firm, level-headed and enforcers of the pirate code.

Most fans of pirates know the name Jack Rackham, better known as Calico Jack. If you have not heard of him, look him up, he is one of my favorites! By default that makes him one of Blackstrap’s heroes. Calico Jack is in some ways similar to Marrick, Blackstrap’s loyal first mate and best friend. And, if Marrick is anything like Calico Jack, then one must be lead to compare Anne Bonny and Mary Reed’s relationship to that of Maggie Pye and Blackstrap Gennie. The historical trio, as well as the fictional, wrought havoc in the golden age of piracy and did so by breaking the cardinal rule of Western sailors – no women allowed.

Captain Hook…err

Exiling women from ships was not a hard and fast rule in all traditions though, thank goodness (badness) for Ching Shih. Think the idea of Gennie becoming the Korsana of the sultana and training the harem girls to take up the banner of piracy is a bit far-fetched? Well, then do a bit of research on the prostitute turned pirate queen. The men surrounding her learned right quick that Shih had dropped her former profession in pursuit of greater gains. Bedding any woman while on duty was grounds for execution.

Enforcing the rules in the ranks of her 400 ships was not this little “lady’s” only claim to fame. Ching Shih was also a top notch strategist and general. Maybe Shih and Gennie should set down to a game of chess?

Today

Still think that having a broad aboard, if not leading the battle, is beyond reality? How about this one? Most of the stories and characters in Blackstrap’s Ecstasy are based on actual events and people. Czep has a fair number of smart, strong, stunning female cohorts at her side and, while these women can hold their own in a confrontation they do have a few good men willing to come to their aid.

Visit the crew of The DREAD Fleet to see the inspiration in action! This Saturday, July 14^th, they make port at Hot Ace Comics (Mesa) from 11:00AM – 3:00PM and then the Phoenix Zoo for Moon Mermaid’s Birthday from 6:00PM – 9:00PM.

Captain’s orders, mate!

bint Hazine: A Tale of Ecstasy

Bint Hazine: A Tale of Ecstasy

J.J.M. Czep

512 BC.

The great King of Wu tested Master Sun Tzu, commanding him to train the royal harem of 180 concubines as soldiers. Sun Tzu, a man of great honor and military prowess, divided the tittering females in two companies and appointed the king’s favorites as commanders. The concubines giggled at Sun Tzu’s order. Sun Tzu told the king that his position as general was to ensure the soldiers understood the order.

Upon reiteration of the command, the harem giggled once more. Sun Tzu ordered the execution of the favored concubines. Of course, the king protested! Sun Tzu however, explained, it was the position of these appointed officers to enforce soldiers’ compliance to the general. Once appointed, it was a general’s duty to carry out his mission, even against royal protest. Following this test of character, and the execution of the king’s favorite girls, both harem companies performed their maneuvers flawlessly under the rule of newly appointed officers.

1690’s AD.

“Un! Deux! Trois! Quatre! Cinq! Six! Sept! Huit! Neuf!” Gennie’s voice carried over the deck as the tip of her blade glinted in the midday sun.

Gennie shook her head as she watched the disheveled attempt at synchronicity before her. “You are dancers, are you not?”

“Only some, Korsana.” The front most woman in veils and silks rotated her shoulder as she allowed the sword in her delicate hand to droop.

“Do you really think this is going to work?” Blaze’s sarcasm was an unwelcome tone in Gennie’s ear as the man sidled up beside her. “You aren’t very good at the sword, what makes you think you can teach them?”

She sighed as she scanned the clutch of harem hens that had opted to join Ecstasy as escape from cloistered captivity under the Sultana’s rule.

“Non.” Gennie jammed the cup of the sword into Blaze’s chest. “Voila.”

Short-lived relief spread across the collective weary brows of the harem girls.

“Non, non, non!” Gennie marched toward the closest woman and grabbed her sword hand.

The woman pulled away and crossed her delicate arms wrapping the silk veil over her soft shoulders, leaving Gennie holding the weapon.

Gennie’s eyes caught the flash of gems covering the woman’s breasts. “Mais, possible.” She tore the veil from the woman’s shoulders. “This only restricts your movement.”

“Ay!” The woman grabbed at the veil, “Emshi!”

Gennie forced the weapon into the harem girl’s open arms. The veil, she held away. It was the glint in Gennie’s eye though that struck the woman. “Do you think you are still in your cozy harem?” Gennie’s gaze fell upon each of the dozen or so pretty faces arrayed on the deck. “You are on my ship, my Ecstasy. I was not slave to your Sultana par ce que I was willing to fight.”

“We fought.” The interruption was swallowed back as it hung in the air. “We did.” The speaker looked about at her harem sisters for support.

“C’est vrai,” Gennie swept the veil around her head and shoulders. “dans the palace, against a few eunuchs.” Gennie gestured crudely at her own crotch, “Practically women, aussi. Mais, you must continue to fight out here, against even the likes of assassins!” Gennie’s finger swept in Blaze’s direction.

The harem girls looked at one another.

“You are on my ship. You will earn your way.” Blaze staggered back as Gennie snatched the sword from the his hands.

“Korsana, dit.” Gennie’s lips formed each word carefully. “Beddek hada?” She shook the veil.

The attention of all harem girls were on Gennie and this one of theirs that stood defiant before the one who freed them..

The woman’s eyes darkened, determination crossed her jaw; her delicate hands gripped the sword.

“Na'am – Aaywa” She took the stance that Gennie trained, but she did not count as the pirate woman.

She looked over her shoulder and nodded to her harem sisters. An unspoken command, one Gennie knew well the power of, was given.

“Wahid!” She swung the scimitar high over her head and drew it through the space between her and the Korsana.

Gennie did not flinch, though she saw the sudden shift of the shadow behind her and allowed a smirk to dance across her face.

“Ithnan!” She drew the upturned blade to project from the point just at the waist of her sheer black harem pants.

A second veil filled Gennie’s hands as another, in a shimmering green bra, took up the blade she had carried from the Sultana’s treasury.

“Thalatha!” More voices and more blades cut the horizon with unnerving synchronicity.

Gennie took a step back, to close the space between her and the assassin, she smiled and tipped her head back to look up at the man.

“Arba’a!” They sliced the horizon a second turn.

Veils lay in pools at the feet of the women in only glittering bras and sheer flowing black pants. Gennie nodded, her eyes glinting like the bosoms of her new army.

“Khamsa!” A wave of soft, graceful shoulders jutted to the fore as blades struck the boards of the ship like a roll of thunder.

“Sitta! Sab’a!” Gennie smirked at Blaze’s flinch from the imagined score to the back of one knee then the other.

“I cannot wait to show the boys.” Gennie imagined the response this display might draw from de Xavier, or better still, in Gennie’s mind, the sword master himself, Theodorick.

“Thamaniya!” The harem’s dance thrust their other shoulder forward.

It was the glittering final thrust that drew Gennie’s hands in applause.

“Tis’a!” Every perfectly pampered arm leveled at the heart of their invisible adversaries.

The beauty of this closing pose was worth the afternoon of shade-less repetition of the maneuvers.

“Tu voit.” Gennie slapped her hand against Blaze’s arm and snatched the blade from his grasp. “Je sais. Cette la, mes femmes des treasure.” Gennie paused. “Non, my bint Hazine.” She slapped the blade against the side of her leg and shoved the veils into Blaze’s arms.

“Allez! Encore!” She smiled directly at the first concubine, the one she unveiled. “Mais, in your tongue.”

The woman’s eyes lowered a moment in obedience. “As you say, Korsana.”

“Voila.” Gennie tapped the back of her hand against the assassin’s chest. “What do you say now, mon ami?”

Blaze did not immediately respond as his eyes were dazzled by the glistening bodies clothed in glittering attire as the sun glinted off the shifting edges of synchronized scimitars.

Gennie continued her saunter to her cabin, leaving Blaze to look from bint Hazine to the haughty captain. A moment more of contemplation was all he needed before following.

Blaze paced to the small window of the main deck cabin, leaving Gennie to bow over her logs and pages.

“And now that you’ve trained them,” Blaze stared in wonder at the stunning killing machine Gennie had forged, “Your shimmering Spartans,” he quipped, “what will you do with them?”

Gennie did not look from her task of jotting notes of the day and the tally in the number out on the deck. “As I see, I will have my very own personal guard.” She lifted her eyes to check if Blaze had his face turned to her. “Do you not think it suitable?”

Blaze turned, his expression one of pre-assumed annoyance as Gennie hoped. “I am pretty sure no matter how well you train them, they’ll still just be harem girls who’ve only ever won a battle with a lot of crying and pouting.”

It was again Gennie’s quiet smirk that made Blaze realize how dangerous these women really were.

“They really are very distracting in all those jewels.” Gennie sighed and wistfully turned the feathered quill against her cheek.

“Mesmerizing.” Blaze gripped the slot in the door with whitening fingertips and flipped the latch.

“I will allow you to borrow them,” Gennie rested her chin on threaded fingers. Blaze’s pale eyes turned only slightly from the dancers.

“Only on occasion, should you have need.”

His eyes were again on bint Hazine, his consideration of the offer turning in his mind. “Just so long as I get to keep my gun.” He grumbled.

“Oh of course,” Gennie’s eyes were in her books again. “I would not dream of taking it when you are out with the ladies.” She made certain to catch the assassin’s eye. “And you would not dream of leaving a ship that has become just ever so much more interesting.”

The music of bint Hazine singing out the numbers in the tongue of the Sultana floated in as Blaze pushed open the door of the cabin.

“Non, non,” Gennie waggled the feather at Blaze before he could close the door. “Please, leave it open, mon ami, I do like a bit of music while I work.”

Blaze rolled his eyes and marched away, leaving the door open wide.

There be seven deadly sins,

Sure as there’s as many seas,

But never, in all history,

Have murderous beauties such as these,

Trained in dance and arts, grace and fair

By rulers unfair, cruel and without care,

Glittering treasures from shores of every sea,

Freed by one marked a devil’s queen,

To live as free women,

Shimmering beauties

Re-schooled in arts most deadly,

These are bint Hazine.

Meet the inspiration for this story and watch them dance at Phoenix Comic Con 2012! Joining with The DREAD Fleet, bellydance troupe bint Hazine take the stage in Check, Mate! an original script by: J.J.M. Czep. The story of Ecstasy and her fellow ships of The DREAD Fleet continues in the live, hour long performance at the Phoenix Convention Center, May 27th and 28th. For more information see the Phoenix Comic Con site.

Copyright: The DREAD Fleet and J.J.M. Czep