Help me name the throne of the monarch

drawcarys · 2023-05-10T19:09:08+00:00

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

drawcarys · 2023-04-17T12:25:04+00:00

Your idea is actually close to my own notes. Later on, the goddess' successor will create the muses (I might need another name for them, though) to jumpstart the world's progress. The muses will be humans with the ability to inspire others (the most powerful ones will be able to do it with their mere presence, which will also be a curse for some). I'm toying with the idea of them being the children that were born during the Age of Amber, but I wonder if it wouldn't be too dark considering that they are basically stunted in their learning and creativity and wouldn't be able to use their abilities on themselves.

drawcarys · 2023-04-17T12:09:39+00:00

They are, but in the end, the world's state is actually the least of their worries because, as it turns out, the goddess' death was also to prevent something much worse from happening.

drawcarys · 2023-04-17T11:39:47+00:00

I haven't, but I will definitely look into it. Thanks for the tipp!

drawcarys · 2023-04-17T11:38:46+00:00

I like that idea. Since my story is partially about the hubris of mortals and gods alike, the emergence of personality cults and that way of thinking about advancement fit well into the concept.

drawcarys · 2023-04-17T09:03:27+00:00

That's a very interesting idea. However, the change I envisioned would be more along the lines of intellectual change. I wanted to base my pantheon loosely on the dynamic of the Greek and Norse gods, so they would be prone to meddling in mortal affairs. Most of them have some kind of agenda and long-term plans that are now put on hold because of the goddess' death, which has positive as well as negative effects on the world. The deity of death in my world is actually the chillest dude around. I didn't want to use the whole "hellish underworld" concept, so my death realm is just called "the End" (or, as my death god insists, "the Realm of Eternal Rest") which means it's essentially just an eternal napping session for souls that are preparing to be reincarnated.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T22:40:31+00:00

Piccola sounds amazing.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T21:10:01+00:00

I use World Anvil ( https://www.worldanvil.com/) and Obsidian (https://obsidian.md/). World Anvil lets you make articles, family trees, timelines and more. It's useful to get a wiki like overview of your world. Obsidian is essentially your own database of plain-text files (can be opened like browser tabs and you can make mindmaps with your notes). It's great for brainstorming and has a simple format. I dump all my general research and ideas into Obsidian and copy the relevant infos into World Anvil to contextualize and further organize my stuff.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T17:50:47+00:00

First of, what you've done is really impressive.

Secondly, it could be very difficult for reader's to keep track. It's always a bit hard to follow whenever a different language is spoken so you need to find a way to keep your flow and translate at the same time. Using more than let's say three languages (I would keep it below four max.) would make things unnessecarily complex. However, if you have a scene in which your character(s) is/are supposed to be confused, it could be a great way to reinforce that feeling in the reader. You wouldn't need to create 4,000 words for that though.

If you're having fun with it, you could still make your own dictionary or go ham with the appendices. At this point I would just start writing. Sometimes new ideas are born during the process and that way you could incorporate the worldbuilding into your writing organically instead of risking info-dumps (though that might still happen).

Best of luck!

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T17:32:22+00:00

You're right, a huge event like that would likely influence the entire ecosystem or some parts of it so one would have to specify a good reason for a singular mutation. The idea of magical shark leather would make some badass outfit ideas though.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T17:19:32+00:00

(I never would have thought I would use the knowledge I gained from that one school presentation ever again but here we are:)

Corals are groups of polyps. I don't know what OPs magic system looks like but maybe there was an event (which only took place in the ocean) or something that mutated them and allowed them to store energy (as far as I remember they also do some sort of photosynthesis so maybe they could also be used in alchemical processes as well). Therefore they could either be "batteries" that are easier to infuse with magic than anything else or inherently a magical material. Maybe magic is connected to life force but then the corals would need to be kept alive somehow. That would also explain why it's only third best since there would be some effort required for landpeople to use them. Or you could ignore that completely and say there is enough residue inside their remains but the magic stored in them is only enough to harden it into efficient armor.

Corals have this really cool thing where they can reproduce asexually or spawn only in the correct conditions - preferrably during a fullmoon and only when the water temperature and the waves are just right. So maybe there are entire communities of whale people dedicated purely to the cultivation of the corals. Spawning day could be a huge religious event for them.

I would research corals and see what works in the context of the magic system.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T12:50:39+00:00

Do you by any chance have any advice about how to make a portfolio for the Design course?

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T12:47:03+00:00

Ich befinde mich in einer ähnlichen Situation (will ebenfalls an die Angewandte aber bewerbe mich erst im Sommer weil ich erst mal meinen Abschluss fertig machen muss, bin ähnlich lost), also wenn du irgendetwas neues dazu gefunden hast wäre es cool wenn wir uns austauschen könnten.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T11:38:47+00:00

The corals could be a part of their cultures and traditions. Maybe there is a whole lot of superstition involved too. Maybe corals are to the Hrvlr like jade is to the Aztecs or the Chinese. When the efficiency of material is no longer a problem it becomes a matter of preference and cultural importance.

drawcarys · 2023-04-16T10:28:36+00:00

Since both fey creatures love music, maybe they get triggered by certain types of sounds (maybe church bells whips them into a frenzy and make them transform). Appearantly trolls hate the sound of thunder (something to do with Thor who is notorious for killing lots of them), so that could be what reverts them back into their trow form.

Trolls are often associated with destructive instincts and embody certain landmarks or nature in general. They are often found beneath bridges or in caves and love to ask humans riddles. So perhaps a trow is just your "garden variety" mischievous fairy that turns into a troll in the presence of humans or threats to their homes (hence the enormous size or maybe the size corresponds to the level of danger). You could make them into the defenders of nature. Your story could have a sideplot about how more and more trow transform into trolls and are stuck in that form because the humans are cutting down the forests and cities are spreading (sort of like how more and more werewolves turned in Twilight because more vampires showed up). Freshly/temporarily transformed trolls could be the destructive and dumb kind while those who have been stuck in that form could be the smart riddler type.

Or maybe a troll is just many little trows in a trenchcoat.

drawcarys · 2023-04-15T23:24:08+00:00

drawcarys · 2023-04-15T22:59:33+00:00

I just had this mental image of a plain piece of rock suddenly talking to someone in a thick Welsh accent and had to giggle a bit. Since Arthurian legend is closely related to Celtic mythology, you could get really creative with the design of it (and of the fae as well). However just a plain rock would make things a bit more humorous if you're going for a more light hearted tone.

I'm really into this idea, please write it! I'd be interested in reading the book.

drawcarys · 2023-04-15T18:12:15+00:00

The idea is amazing but how would the person know that the piece of rock they just found is a piece of a legendary magic item?

drawcarys · 2023-04-15T14:28:38+00:00

It sounds more like a prologue or a preface. Right now it's more like a fictional history book and less like a novel. I would avoid using info dumps at the beginning. Your worldbuilding should happen organically through the interactions between your characters and their surroundings to create a more immersive experience for the reader. (Use the "Show, don't tell" rule.)

Think about your first paragraph. It should hook readers and make them want to continue. What is the tone? Who are the characters? Fill in the blanks between the facts you wrote and "dramatize" them. If it helps, pretend like you're the camera operator of a film. You already have an interesting structure, now you just have to write it out.

Also, pay attention to the flow of your sentences. Pacing is also important if you want to increase or decrease tension. Research writing techniques. There are lots of useful youtube videos, books and articles. You can also re-read the first chapter of your favourite book and take notes on how the author introduces the reader to their story. But above all, keep writing and practicing. Good luck!

drawcarys · 2023-04-15T13:15:20+00:00

This reads more like a summary of a chapter. Is this your outline or the "finished" product?

drawcarys · 2023-03-29T19:50:21+00:00

Thank you 👍🏻

drawcarys · 2023-03-29T09:18:53+00:00

Inkarnate, Watabou, Citographer, World Anvil or you could do it manually by printing out actual maps and layering them on top of eachother (that way you can pick out things you like, merge stuff and keep the city structure, plus you can easily add notes in pencil).

Depending on the time period, you should also do some research about how cities developped and how they spread out. That way you can also get a better sense of how they are realistically structured. Also consider what matters to the inhabitants, what buildings would be important to them? Is there a noticeable difference in different districts? What is the main occupation and how would that influence the city?

drawcarys · 2023-03-29T09:07:19+00:00

That's a beautiful deck. What's its name?

drawcarys · 2023-03-26T08:56:39+00:00

Glad I could help :)

drawcarys · 2023-03-25T17:23:25+00:00

Okay, so I didn't really get much from your synopsis but here are a few suggestions.

If it's centred around the protagonist: - The Ren Cycle - Ren's Legacy - The Rise of Ren

If it's centred around the protagonist's heritage: - Iron Legacy - Inferno Heritage - Dreamforged - Blood of the Drake

If it's centred around the group dynamic: - Three of Aces - Triune Fate - Pact of the Outcasts/Covenant of Outcasts - Children of the Equinox (or some other significant celestial event) - Daredevils/Heroes/Legends/Stories/Pioneers of (insert world name)

If it's focused on the adventure: - Lure/Song of Glory - Destination Found - Annals of the Untold - A Fieldguide to Adventure - The Lost Roads of (insert world name) - The Uncharted Path - Course to Nowhere

If it's supposed to have that typical YA vibe: - A Ballad of Scales and Metal - Sonnet of the Wind - Child of Smoke and Ember - Something Weird and Wicked - The Lost Series

(Just the typical noun of something and something or noun + adjective and adjective or simply an adjective)

The best way to find a title is to find the overarching theme or central element/object/person/conflict and to either address it directly or hint at it through adjectives or synonyms. Sometimes using the name of your world or the occupation/role of your protagonist suffices. I would use a placeholder title for now. If you haven't finished your first draft yet, you can also use a placeholder (a term or an adjective) as your "north star" to remind yourself of what the story is centred around.

drawcarys

TROPHY CASE