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Rules of the Game

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Uilos:
This one goes out to the Fantasy Writers, but if you have some imput, I ain't gonna stop you.

I'm working on a novel, I've got all my characters, all my plot points down and I pretty sure I know how the story is going to end (it could go a different direction between now and then)

One of the more major problems I'm having at this moment is establishing a set list of rules for the characters in the world to adhere to.

Let me explain. The story is an urban fantasy set in New York City. The premise is that most of the legends, myths and fables that have been collected over the ages are not just legends and myths and fables. They existed, in one form or another. The story features the decendants and practitioners of those legends, including Mages and Psychics of different flavors, Trolls, theriomorph's, people who are the living embodiment of the natural elements and so on and so forth.

Here's the question that I've been meaning to ask: It's the modern day, what has kept these people from outwardly using their powers and putting the rest of humanity under their boot.

Now I do have a skeleton law, mostly based around the myth of the Furies. That if one of these empowered humans (I refer to them as Alts) kills another person (Whether Alt or Human) using their powers, then they will be struck down dead, through one means or another. This is in effect unless under the terms of a formal challenge or declaration of war between one entity or another.

So I have that skeleton going on, but I want to flesh it out a bit more. Any suggestions or input is greatly appreciated.

- Craig

LizW65:
Maybe the "Alts" have realized that in order to successfully integrate into human society, they need to adhere to certain rules, so they've formed their own loose government body and drawn up a constitution of sorts, regulating how, when, and under what circumstances they are allowed to use their powers openly?  I know, it's not very original, but it's all I can come up with right now. :(

Uilos:
I like it, and that's more or less the gist of what I want at the end.

here's the thing, there are six types of these Alts. Out of these six, only two of them, the Psychics and the Mages, are governed by any uniting body. Most of the others either don't need, want, or believe that they should be united. The Psychics and the Mages detest each other, and without going into too much detail into the story, are practically at war. The only thing that keeps them from turning modern New York into a supernatural 'Nam are the rules.

Also, the Alts have an eversion with integration with the general population. Citing the spanish inquisition, the witch trials and the holocaust as examples of humanities love of "the different". There are also those who believe that they are above humanity, and are completely comfortable in ruling their little kingdoms without the humans being any the wiser.

But you did touch upon several of the overall arcs, the first being uniting the different types, and then uniting them with the humans

OZ:
This rule is nothing new to urban fantasy but the most common rule for most of these types of "supernatural beings living amongst us" is that they can do nothing that would reveal their existence to the world at large. This could be a fear that humanity with their large numbers and modern weapons would be able to overcome even the most powerful supernaturals or it could be enforced by some being or some group with the power to enforce the rules. The "don't reveal our existence rule" is nice because it is a bit flexible and it can be used to cover a great many bad behaviours while allowing others to go on as long as no one notices.

meg_evonne:
I think I'm brain dead.  I'll think on it and get back to you.  :-)

I'm now writing a 3rd/4th or 5th depth level of 'rules' and power definitions for something I'm working on and I think its drained me completely.  Good luck as you work on it though!

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