Concept #3 – The Guardian

minecraft_desert_temple_by_algoinde-d7trjdf

Beautiful art by Algoinde


Prompts & Concepts

Context: supernatural/suspense story set in a universe with magic maybe – MC = Main character


MC was imprisoned for years (centuries? immortal?) in some sort of dungeon or labyrinth (in a desert? somewhere very isolated and long forgotten) with something they were supposed to guard. MC is released one day without knowing how, why or by whom, doesn’t know how long it has been at first and doesn’t understand what is going on. The object MC was guarding (or person? or concept? magic?) has been stolen? And MC has been set free to go and retrieve it?

Or someone tried to steal the object and failed because it was hidden too well, with MC and so they left “leaving the door open” for MC to leave. One day he realizes he is not ‘bound’ to that place anymore (the spell has been broken?) and he decides to leave.

The object (or person or concept) he is guarding could be anything (a powerful gem that is actually a person, some knowledge that only he knows about and that the world must never learn but he doesn’t know that he knows nor that the world must not know, or an object that must not be stolen [and that perhaps has not been there for a long time or has never been there]).

The whole point of the story is the search for an explanation as to why they were imprisoned like that and also the quest to find the thief and get back the object or protect it from the thieves.

MC was a completely normal person at first but became something else after having been imprisoned in that place for no real reason (was chosen? against their will? their choice? –> no clear recollection): immortal (each time MC is wounded or dies, their wounds slowly (or quickly?) turn into ashes and disappear, leaving them fully healed), amnesic (doesn’t know why they were imprisoned) and intelligent/wise (centuries old, lots of experience because lots of time to read, learn and experiment) but no practical experience in the real world.

As MC travels the world, they try to find out what was stolen and who stole it. Then, progressively they begin to question why they were imprisoned/chosen as guardian, why they were prisoner/what they were guarding and who did that to them. It’s a little fuzzy because of the time spent in the dungeon/temple/prison. They also try to understand why they are sort of immortal, what has happened to them?

The first part of the story would be the quest to protect/retrieve the object but it would slowly begin to be about himself and what his existence means as it progresses on. Perhaps the beginning of a series of books/stories about this character? The whole mystery of MC being either the guardian or the prisoner or both must remain until late in the story, it’s one of the central parts of the plot. The whole psychological part of doubt MC has inside themselves could be very interesting.


Well here you go, another concept I have had in mind for a while now. I don’t really know where it could lead because it seems fuzzy and not well designed for the moment (and I apologize if it was explained in such a way, I couldn’t really come up with a clear explanation) but I hope you will be at least a little inspires by it.

Feel free to enjoy this gift as you want and to do whatever you feel like doing with it!

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