Basically, I'm using supernatural creatures in my story but I made it so that most people don't believe in them despite them being all over the place in small groups. They disguise themselves in two ways; One type can change into a physical human form for an allotted amount of time which can be extended and the other can alter the perception of everyone around them. However, the latter can be seen through if the person is a supernatural being too or if they have trained to defend against perception alteration. I want to know if anyone sees any flaws in this disguise system or if there's anything I may want to add?
How do you determine if the person is a supernatural being? Is there a supernatural particle or divine rule that state what creature is supernatural in your story?
Allow Ai-chan to tell you how people can see supernatural creatures in Asian cultures.
In Japanese culture, most people can encounter ghosts, though not many can see them. So the Japanese people are extremely afraid of ghosts, to the point of remodeling entire houses when someone died a violent death inside it. However, only certain spiritually gifted people with strong spiritual focus can see or interact with ghosts or other supernatural creatures, such as Shinto priests. So in this case, the rule here is if your spiritual senses are strong, you can see and interact with supernatural forces.
In Chinese culture, most people can't see ghosts, but everyone can suffer their curses. Therefore, the proper use of feng shui and ancestral blessings are employed to either avoid or reduce the curses from ghosts or supernatural creatures. Feng shui is basically science relating to harmonious balance. While most people can't see ghosts, some can, due to psychological imbalance from trauma or accidents. There are also others who can see ghosts from the day they were born and continued to the end of the lives because of an inauspicious birth. Supposedly (could probably be made up) the rude Chinese ghost hunter Xiao Long was of one such birth. The story goes that he was born on a certain day at a certain time when the balance was whacked and the only reason he's still alive is because his ancestor's spirit continues to protect him. So in this case, the rule here is a lack of yin yang balance.
In Malay culture, most people can't see ghosts, but most people can perceive them somehow. In many cases, the ghosts, djinns or nature guardians appear in the form of animals such as red-eyed grasshopper or red-eyed black cat (pelesit), stag (forest guardian), snakes (djinn). When they do not appear in animal form, most people do not notice them. Why so? Because of a 'wall' called 'hijab', not to be confused with what muslim women wear. When you were young, you would be able to see supernatural creatures because your 'wall' was not fully formed yet. As you grow up and gained 'logic' and 'common sense', you naturally build up this 'wall' that basically 'rejects what is not reality'.
Since there is no evidence of supernatural creatures other than what lunatics say, you have no reason to believe such nonsense, and therefore, your wall is strong. But if you truly believe it, the wall becomes weaker. When your confidence is shaken, the wall gets even thinner. When you expect to see ghosts, the wall gets thinner and thinner. If the wall gets thin enough, you can see supernatural creatures. But there is a catch, when you look at supernatural creatures, they know you can see them, and they harass you, because that's what they do. Therefore, your seniors would tell you to ignore them if you happen to see or encounter them. As long as you ignore them, they can't hurt you and will eventually go away. So the rule here is that if the wall that you build up as you grow up thins, you can see supernatural creatures.
So you need to make a rule. What is the rule? What is governed by the rule? Who are bound by the rules? If you do not address this, you can bet there will be plot holes. There is a Malay movie that has this hijab thing, but Ai-chan can't recall what it is. Ai-chan will ask a movie buff friend to make a video about it on youtube maybe because Ai-chan doesn't have the patience.
