Need Help with 7 Sins Magic Powers

[Luxuria]

I am kind of wanting some brainstorming regarding what one of my character's powers are in my novel I am writing. You all know it, it's Dark Caverns. A seven sins story. I have interesting magic for all of them, but Envy. Now, the magic is based off their punishments in Hell. Like, Lust has fire and Greed can summon boiling oil. But Envy is harder, because the punishment is being drowned in freezing water. I considered Ice water manifestation, breathing underwater, not getting cold and stuff. But none of them seemed right. So, I wanted some ideas or thoughts. Also note that these powers playa minor role in the story, but also have enough impact to change the way the characters live their lives. sometimes in drastic ways.

 

[Louanne Learning]

can you remind us about the other six - the ones you have so far?

 

[Luxuria]

can you remind us about the other six - the ones you have so far?

Yes, of course. So, I decided to go with making powers out of the traditional punishments. (Not the ones created by Dante, even though they are also cool.) However, I have updated the punishments to be more modern, because the Lore demanded it. Which is cool. I love the lore of this story.

Anyway, the other powers in the story are somewhat as follows, because a couple I am still ironing out:

Pride - has unbreakable bones. He could have a skydiving accident and be fine.
Envy - This is the one I don't know!!!
Wrath - Her organs and pieces of herself can function independent of her body. So, for example, she could have her left hand running around the house like Thing from Aaddams Family.
Sloth - Is resistant to natural poisons like spiders, snakes and dangerous plants. "You know you're standing in poison ivy, right?"
Greed - Can turn any of the liquid in his body into leaded gasoline, which will give you cancer if exposed. This one, I am not sure how much control he has over it, or whatever. But Lust will never let him live down the fact he can't kiss anyone.
Gluttony - Is infested with maggots she can control, more or less. Like Greed, her powers are unpredictable. Which is great, when these maggots are the kind that eat living flesh.
Lust - Is resistant to fire and can set himself alight if he wishes. His sister is disappointed however, he can't fly like the Human Torch. "By all logic, you should be able to... I don't get it."

 

[Homer Potvin]

Pride - has unbreakable bones. He could have a skydiving accident and be fine.

Bones might be fine, but the organs would rupture and the blood would no longer be in the body. Just saying.

 

[Seven Crowns]

Envy can have what others have. It gets downloaded into her (is this a her?) like in the Matrix. So she's good at all things as needed. She's also a kleptomaniac.

 

[Louanne Learning]

Wow - a lot of imagination! And it's going to be fun (and a challenge!) trying to get all these characters together into a coherent narrative arc.

So, clearly, you are looking for something outside of the box. Well envy makes me think of green and green makes me think of plants so maybe something to do with plants? The ability to photosynthesize?

 

[Luxuria]

Bones might be fine, but the organs would rupture and the blood would no longer be in the body. Just saying.

Exactly. That is the weakness of his powers. But being able to fist fight with no risk of fracture makes him very dangerous.

 

[Luxuria]

Wow - a lot of imagination! And it's going to be fun (and a challenge!) trying to get all these characters together into a coherent narrative arc.

So, clearly, you are looking for something outside of the box. Well envy makes me think of green and green makes me think of plants so maybe something to do with plants? The ability to photosynthesize?

Thank you! And yes! I have a very fun story arc with them all. And this is just 1/2 of their powers. Because each was also given one of three demonic abilities. But the price is very steep for all this.

And um. I like the theme idea, but Envy’s punishment on hell is being drowned or submerged in freezing water. So, I wanted to do something with that, but can’t think of an idea.

 

[Luxuria]

Envy can have what others have. It gets downloaded into her (is this a her?) like in the Matrix. So she's good at all things as needed. She's also a kleptomaniac.

Haha! This is a good idea, if I wasn’t using powers based on their traditional punishments. It would be fun to have a klepto character.

 

[defaux]

traditional punishments

These sound interesting so far. I'm familiar with Dante, but not with what you are referring to as Traditional Punishments. Perhaps if you could provide a reference source (or elaborate on the concepts from the source you are drawing from) I'd be happy to try to come up with some suggestion/s that may fit within that framework?

 

[Luxuria]

These sound interesting so far. I'm familiar with Dante, but not with what you are referring to as Traditional Punishments. Perhaps if you could provide a reference source (or elaborate on the concepts from the source you are drawing from) I'd be happy to try to come up with some suggestion/s that may fit within that framework?

Thanks! And yeah, that man made two different types of punishments for Hell and Purgatory. I am happy to elaborate on the Traditional Punishments:
Pride - Broken on the wheel (which isn't actually being run over by a wheel, it's a specific execution punishments where the limbs are broken and threaded THROUGH a wooden wheel and then displayed).
Envy - Submerged in freezing water (some sources use drowned, not submerged, if I recall).
Wrath - Dismembered alive.
Sloth - Thrown in a pit of (specifically) vipers.
Greed - Boiled in oil (does not specify type of oil. Possibly perfume oil?)
Gluttony - Force fed rats and toads (I think I also saw snakes on some lists. Debatable if animals are alive.)
Lust - Raked though (or across) burning coals.

Also, I just ended up talking to a friend about this issue and we collectively brain stormed the idea that Envy has a Midas touch, but instead of gold, contact with her skin can freeze things. I like the idea, but I am debating about if it's only living things, or all items? Because what then do I do about clothes? Any thoughts?

 

[defaux]

brain stormed the idea that Envy has a Midas touch, but instead of gold, contact with her skin can freeze things. I like the idea, but I am debating about if it's only living things, or all items? Because what then do I do about clothes?

Yes, that makes sense. Clothes don't have to freeze, or at least not freeze solid - or maybe it does but they are thin enough that they crack just enough to enable movement. It depends, I guess, how much control you want to give her over her power. Can she choose to freeze or does it just happen? Does it affect her own skin as well, gradually freezing more and more of herself from the fingertips up?

Just random thoughts: Maybe something a little more super-hero-y like Iceman/Frozone, she could "make" ice from the moisture in the air.

Something more passive; maybe she just lowers the ambient temperature, drawing all heat energy out of the environment around her. Staying put long enough means the entire room freezes. Could be metered by her ability to control it, and puts her in conflict with Lust's fire abilities.

Or, is it a water thing, rather than ice. Maybe she can control water (think waterbender, Avatar fans) or maybe her body produces water like amplified sweat glands or something, the antithesis of Lust's power, at will or uncontrollably?

 

[Luxuria]

Yes, that makes sense. Clothes don't have to freeze, or at least not freeze solid - or maybe it does but they are thin enough that they crack just enough to enable movement. It depends, I guess, how much control you want to give her over her power. Can she choose to freeze or does it just happen? Does it affect her own skin as well, gradually freezing more and more of herself from the fingertips up?

Thanks! I think it has to be living things, so that clothes are possible. But does it affect leather and other things that were living? I don't think so? It's possible the clothes could crack, but that would make it hard for her to keep them on all day. Because layer after layer would just fall to pieces. I think she has a decent amount of control over her powers. I think they all do, with a couple of lore exceptions. Yes, it can. I think she can freeze herself or turn parts of herself to ice and any part of her skin can freeze something. Not just her fingertips. Because her modern punishment is inspired by the Titanic. The section of Hell slowly fills with freezing water.

Just random thoughts: Maybe something a little more super-hero-y like Iceman/Frozone, she could "make" ice from the moisture in the air.

It's possible, but I already am trying to differentiate her powers from another character I have with ice powers. He can do just that. Haha. But that's the trouble of having too many stories.

Something more passive; maybe she just lowers the ambient temperature, drawing all heat energy out of the environment around her. Staying put long enough means the entire room freezes. Could be metered by her ability to control it, and puts her in conflict with Lust's fire abilities.

I would say this could work, but the reason for these powers is so the 7 can fight one another to the death. So, her powers need to be competitive. Sadly though, the book isn't about that. But I might have to write a prequel about a battle like this.

Or, is it a water thing, rather than ice. Maybe she can control water (think waterbender, Avatar fans) or maybe her body produces water like amplified sweat glands or something, the antithesis of Lust's power, at will or uncontrollably?

I thought about this, but I think ice works best.

 

[CatrionaGrace]

Envy could lower her body temperature until thermal imaging can't locate her and pit vipers can't detect her with those amazing pits. Maybe she could radiate killer cold at will. Super low body temperature would also make her invulnerble to things like being boiled in oil or covered in hot coals because she'd congeal the oil and freeze the coals when they touch her.

Early Christians must've been a real jolly bunch.

 

[Luxuria]

Envy could lower her body temperature until thermal imaging can't locate her and pit vipers can't detect her with those amazing pits. Maybe she could radiate killer cold at will. Super low body temperature would also make her invulnerble to things like being boiled in oil or covered in hot coals because she'd congeal the oil and freeze the coals when they touch her.

Early Christians must've been a real jolly bunch.

Those sound like good ideas, too. Thanks!