Just sort of a random thought and this will probably turn into a submission later today as I seem to be in the mood.
I have been looking through Christopher Vogler's "The Writer's Journey" and Joseph Campbell's "The Hero With a Thousand Faces" and figured it was time to crack my knuckles and try writing something. I am also a bit of a fan of the more structured quests as well as when there are specific rules it seems easier to get ideas. Not sure how that works either but, whatever.
So how about a "Create a Mentor" Quest.
“Mentors provide heroes with motivation, inspiration, guidance, training, and gifts for the journey. Every hero is guided by something, and a story without some acknowledgement of this energy is incomplete. Whether expressed as an actual character or as an internalized code of behavior...”
-Vogler
A Mentor basically serves two important functions:
- Teaching/Guiding - Professors, drill instructors, sword masters, sages, grumpy old men or anybody that can help the hero progress in skill, knowledge or motivation. Examples: Yoda, Patches in Dodgeball, Chubbs in Happy Gilmore, Micky in Rocky.
- Gift-Giving - one who will temporarily give aid to the hero with an item of power, something they need, save their life but whatever it is, it needs to be earned. Q in Bond, Whistler in Blade, Lady Galadriel in LOTR.
Mentor Types as described by VoglerDark MentorMislead or lure the hero into danger or serve as a complete opposite of the hero and represents all the hero is not. Does not really help the hero but all advice and actions tend to be an obstacle. May teach the "dark side" or try and lure the hero to commit wrongful acts for selfish reasons. Mostly out to exploit the hero for their own gain.
Fallen MentorCurrent heroes that haven't finished there own journey for reasons of injury, lack of faith/motivation or other reasons that kept them from their final goal. They could be injured warrior, elders that never finished their quest or mages that got burnt out. Sometimes bitter about their own failing yet they still have knowledge and skills of value but they have to overcome their own demons in order to fulfill their role as mentor.
Continuing MentorA contact, boss, butler or any character you can think of that would be in continual contact with the hero. Basically they would be able to continue to give guidance or assignments as needed to keep the hero employed or moving forward in their story or towards their goal.
Mentor as a ShamanOften a healer that can help the hero by offering them a vision to point them on their way to the next segment of the quest. When they seem to be lost this can be a spiritual infusion of motivation through an actual vision or enlightenment.
I skipped multiple mentors and comic mentors just cause but here they are:
Comic MentorUsually a friend or acquaintance that seems to have knowledge but only has poor or ignorant advice that leads the hero down the wrong road and causes more hardship however, at the end through a difficult road, somehow all turns right.
Multiple MentorsWhen one mentor just isn't enough. Basically numerous mentors all of which teach a different skill often fitting into many of the categories above which is why, for our purposes, I thought it unneeded.
