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mysticstarlightduck · 1 month

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Tell me more about those snakes from The Frost 👀👀 or just The Frost in general lol

~ @tabswrites

Yay, now I have an excuse to rant about the Frosts!!!! Thank you so much for the ask, @tabswrites! (Sorry I couldn't answer yesterday, I was really tired. But I'm back now!)

Let's do this (:

The Frosts have an enchanted winter, that is everlasting (unlike the other regions of the realm which have regular seasons). The magic present in this winter is incredibly raw and wild, and much of the nature within the Frosts is untamed - this set of circumstances is said to have given rise to the first True Dragons and giant snakes, though that is uncertain, given that those creatures have been in the realm before humans even existed.

It is important to note why "True Dragons" are called that - in this realm there are some extremely rare shapeshifters, called Changers, who are able to turn into dragon-like beings. They're very similar in appearance and size to True Dragons, the key differences are:

True Dragons can live for eons, thousands and thousands of years if not killed by another dragon or an extremely lucky knight. Changers are humans with shapeshifting abilities, their lifespans are not that much longer than regular humans - they may life to 150 years maximum, if their magic is powerful.

True Dragons are nigh impossible to kill - their scales are thick and reflective, like reinforced gemstones, and their massive size and strenght make it nearly impossible to take them on a fight. They also have extremely keen sense and are terribly cunning and intelligent - sneaking up on one of them will not end well. Meanwhile, while Changers are incredibly strong and formidable in their dragon form, they're not nearly as undefeatable as True Dragons (they're slightly smaller, less instinctive and more liable to making human mistakes).

True Dragons are indeed sentient, but they do not speak like humans do. Instead, they communicate telepathically between each other. If they so choose, they may speak inside the mind of a nearby human, but they rarely do. Changers - because they're humans who turn into dragons - can speak in their dragon form and do not possess many telepathic abilities.

Now about those giant snakes!

Giant serpents/snakes are not dragons, and are their own, unrelated type of creature. The people of the Frosts consider those snakes as symbols of power and extreme intelligence, and they're considered guardians of the Frosts and those within it - still, they're extremely dangerous, and its best to not cross paths with them (they're not evil, they're a force of nature, like the ocean tides or the rain - they can be helpful, but also can cause deathly harm). They're extremely large, most of them rivalling True Dragons in size and strenght - the biggest serpent of that kind could possibly wrap around the peak of a small mountain - but they're not sentient, they're wild animals born of wild magic. Even True Dragons know to avoid them and respect them.

Fun Fact! The most powerful spymaster of the region - at the service of the five clans of the Frosts, and a personal friend of many of their rulers - Aesra Haell, has adopted the imagery of a giant snake as the sygil of his House, due to their unpredictability and role in protecting the Frosts. He was given the apt nickname of "The Serpent of the Frosts" because of this, and because of his reputation.

Some other important/interesting facts about the Frosts!

As you already know, the Frosts land is divided amongst five, proud, matriarchal clans. They do not wage war against one another, though they do not always see eye to eye, and cohexist in the Frosts through a harmony born of a strict sense of honor and a a warrior's code. They believe in strenght, might, intelliggence and adaptability - and above all things, a deep respect for the balance of nature.

The inhabitants of the Frosts are expert craftspeople, and with the rare, magical materials their land has to offer, their creations are often one of a kind.

Maryon 'Haell', one of the protagonists, is Aeras Haell's adoptive daughter. She was born somewhere along the borders of the Frosts and the other realms (it is hinted that her parents may have been traders from Orloch trying to make a voyage to the Frosts, which went very wrong, but nothing is confirmed. Either way she was very far from home). She four years old when was found wandering the frozen woods after trying to sneak into a caravan that was returning to one of the cities of the Frosts, where coincidentally Aeras Haell was. He saved the young child and decided to raise her as his own, perhaps as a successor in his spy network, if she one day so chooses that path.

I feel the need to clarify this - Changers are NOT necessarily native to the Frosts, they can be born there, just as they can be born anywhere else in the realm. Meanwhile all True Dragons are always born from the Frosts, and most choose to stay, with only a few migrating to other regions.

Some populations of the Frosts are nomadic travellers, but they always hail to a specific clan. Most, however, live within the underground cities and mountainous fortresses that pepper the snowy landscape of their land.

Their oceans have been - mostly - frozen for centuries.

I hope this was a good answer! I love talking about my worlbuilding, so always feel free to ask more! (:

Also, here, have some of the songs that inspired me aesthetically whilst writing about this land!

Frozen Heart - Colm Mcguiness

Battle Cries - Peyton Parish

Son of Man - Phil Collins (Peyton Parish cover)

Glitnir - Danheim

(@crowandmoonwriting just if you want to check this out! I know you love winter aesthetics!)

#wip of starlight and beasts #worldbuilding writing #worldbuilding!#writing #writeblr #writers #writerblr #asked and answered #my writing #my characters #character writing #my wips #writers on tumblr

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vrnicky · 2 months

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Okay so!!

I'll introduce to you: FIRMTALE!

What is it exactly? Just a way for me to create something and call it original lol

Jokes aside, this "au" takes part in a total different district, kinda like what Starlight Glimmer in MLP did with the equal thingy.

The problem is, all the adult/boss monsters are missing, just the weaklings and children are left, humans have never seen monsters before and of course, discriminate them, some of course treat them equal and for safety have to hide them from everyone.

Slowly as Ebbot found this district, quickly started moving the neighborhood closer to the city, the humans being educated into an open mind and the children who weren't adopted/protected by humans, were sent into the orphanage of Ebbot. The scientists still can't figure what happened to the humans since the humans and monsters were never in a fight and looked like they never actually interacted together until recently.

So now that's quite explained, let's say hi to the stars of the show!!

Elias is 15 and Odell is 5. Both were found together hiding away from the strangers until they were adopted by two kind souls.

Firmtale Sans- Elias

Totally untrustworthy of humans, doesn't like them, except his adoptive parents. He is aware of what happened in the old district and doesn't like humans.

He is still too young to control his magic and to have an ability. His magic is a cyan color with a scar in his left eyebrow because of his clumsiness. He's the youngest Sans, obviously.

He doesn't react at the name of Sans, once he got found, he got the name of Elias. And he was the one choosing Odell for his brother's name.

Firmtale Papyrus- Odell

So fcking happy to be included in everything, he trusts and loves everyone, if Papy believes in you, Odell thinks you're God. His favorite words are Shiny and Sticker. He loves sticking stickers to the people he loves!

He is way too young to control his magic and to have a magic ability. His magic color is light purple. He's the youngest Papyrus, obviously.

He doesn't react to the name of Papyrus because since he remembers, his name is Odell. He likes the nickname Oddy, he always giggles at it.

They were adopted by Concha and Leonardo Gutierrez (Human version of Toriel and Asgore). Both adopted them legally later on once they moved to a nice house, Concha was really protective of them with all the discrimination going around.

More information about them later when I draw them officially!! Hehe

@ratsoh-writes they're here!!

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fire-but-ashes-too · 7 months

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noooo i lav your new title wifeyyy ehee

ok so like please can you tell me about a piece of worldbuilding or symoblism or like just any WIP aspect that gives you the chills and you're really proud of? like pleeeaaase ramble :D

aaaaa thankssss im glad oyu like ittt!

yes yes yes im oging hard on worldbuilding sesh for the rogue hehehe

im still in the most uhh beginning state of it all since im building the whole universe (please kill me what have i done) buuuut one thingie im really proud of is how magic works!

it originated in the more "southern" region of the galaxy, Geyaz (dont question the names alright? i suck at giving names so i just translate random words in random languages and switch them up a bit) because all the planet there had slowly lost consistency and became gasseus, this escalated in people eing able to practice magic.

magic as i intend it here is very close to the shifting abilities, so the manipulating yourself or the world surrounding you by kind of "switching" to another dimension.

its also connected to science since its not an irrational thing, but an ability to travel in the multiverse and parallel worlds and realities.

so the Geyathans were almost the only people in the galaxy able to perform magic, the others being a small percentage of people who had close Geyathan origins and so were able to master the art.

when the current royal family rose to power and so got the throne, they were sterminated because "too dangerous and powerful", still some of them survived (Anne for example)

they now live in hiding mostly in Haryaksa and Latia, the two bordering regions, since it is harder to reach Bedvhem.

fun fact about magic and "magicians", those who perform magic are called Geyzans, which is written in the same way as Geyathan or not written at all since the art of magic was mostly oral. magic is kind of illegal and the few who live on are hunted and classified as Rogues :)

this is the map im using to worldbuild in case anyone needs it

#the rogue #worldbuilding!#my wips #teen writer #writeblr

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blackberrybrambles · 1 year

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FAE FILES: The Ancestors

A bit of an info/lore drop that I'll throw here so I can link it to an ask I just got :3

Examples From AU: Sun, Moon, and Eclipse

Fae Type: HumanoidSub-Type: None

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Sex Status: Intersex, functioning on a Binary Spectrum. Children are seemingly born female but will develop either male or female traits come puberty.

There are no true males or females among the Fae Ancestors, but many individuals will go by either male or female pronouns/status based upon their greatest level of sexual traits. Individuals that are functionally male will still have female traits. Individuals that are functionally female will still have male traits.

Common female traits include the development of breasts (capable of producing milk), softer skeletal structures, shorter bodies, are more well developed vulva, and other visual traits that could be described as “Soft” or “Feminine”.

Common male traits include a lack of developed breasts (or an inability to produce milk), harder skeletal structures, taller (often stronger) bodies, the development of a functional penis, and other visual traits that could be described as “masculine”.

Any combination of traits is possible and the preference to rely upon common binary labels such as “male” and “female” generally exists more for the sake of differentiating roles in relationships and society than for anything else. It is, however, important to note that functioning on the binary in this means is required. The use if “they” as a singular pronoun is relatively common among the Fae Ancestors. This is particularly true among individuals with a mishmash of sexually defining features. When the features remain as this mishmash, it makes using the binary terms difficult.

This distinct intersex status of the Fae Ancestors has assured continued reproduction abilities even in situations where “males” and “females” appear, outwardly, to have a dramatic imbalance. This is because “males” and “females” are both capable of producing children, especially so when taken into account that the actual method of reproduction is almost entirely external. Even underdeveloped vaginas provide enough room for a Love Blossom to develop and emerge from the body. This wide range in sexual traits assures that, regardless of a couples situation, there will always be a means of caring for the child.

Two individuals unable to produce milk themselves can turn to others for help. Couples fortunate enough to both be able to produce milk are able to not only care for their own offspring, but for the offspring of those who are less fortunate. This spectrum of traits assures survival and encourages cooperation among the individuals in the Fae society. All adults play some part in rearing the children born into these societies.

As another random note, testicles are nonexistent in these particular Fae. Both internal or external. Outside of states of arousal, the presence of a penis can largely be missed as a result of their penises being elongated clitorises. This is what gives their penises such a peculiar, tentacle like appearance.

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Primary Magics: None. Magic Generalists

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Diet Type: Omnivore. Functionally vegetarian.

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Roles: Territory keepers and farmers. These Fae are responsible for setting up and establishing enchanted territories in which other Fae inhabit. They are also the “Ancestor Species” of all known humanoid Fae.

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Description: The Ancestors are a type of Humanoid Fae which reach heights ranging between 6 to 9 feet tall on average, with a handful of outliers reaching heights of up to 12 feet.

They are a thin, lanky looking race that would appear to be quite frail. However their tall bodies and thin statures conceal a physical strength that far surpasses that of any human.

Visually speaking, they are often mistaken for “Elves” due to their very human like appearances. They have long, pointed ears and come in a range of skin colors generally matching that of human capabilities (White to very dark skinned). Though there are a few acceptations that can lead to very inhuman looking skin tones (see “Other”).

What genuinely sets the Ancestors apart from their closest relatives, the Elves, is their teeth and their tongues. Among other aspects best discussed in the reproduction setting. The Ancestor Fae have not one, but three sets of slightly elongated, sharp canines. These canines provide the basis for what could be considered a very powerful, very dangerous bite. As these Fae once lived on a diet that encouraged the consumption of raw meat and bones, these teeth were once incredibly useful in daily life. Now these teeth only seem to remain as a reminder of their status as Ancestors.

These Fae also have long, forked tongues that can come in some rather peculiar shapes. The shape of the tongue will actually vary from individual to individual. Some will have narrow, pointed tongues best compared to that of a serpent. Others have minor forks and their tongues instead are flattened out, forming a sort of leaf shape that creates more surface area for them to work with. The range in tongue shape does not have any real reason, and could be comparable to how humans have a wide variety of potential nose and ear shapes.

As a Generalist species, these Fae do not specialize in any one type of magic and are instead well versed in virtually any known magic type. Individuals of the group will have varied levels of control over the use of these magic types, with it being rare for any sort of mastery to be achieved. They live by the phrase “Jack of all trades, but a master of none”.

They are a Fae that largely exist without any sort of established purpose, with their only real duties being to maintain the land they live upon. Eons ago these Fae would have been nomads fanning out across the globe in search of fertile lands to take root in. There, they would have established magic territories (such as the Fae Forests), which would then provide them and many other types of Fae safe havens from the outside world. These territories are especially territory in this more modern era, as humans have destroyed a great deal of land where Fae would have once been able to safely take root.

It is unfortunate to say that the Ancestors are a slowly fading breed for this very reason. Just as humans encroach upon the territory of animals with habitat destruction, the modernization of the landscape greatly limits the Fae in terms of their ability to thrive. Established territories struggle to be maintained, especially in the event of a catastrophe that might wipe out or weaken a local population. This leads to many Ancestors being refugees without homes, as the barriers established around their territories have either diminished beyond their means of repair or they have been destroyed entirely.

This allows outside threats to get in, which then drive these Fae from their homes. With their populations dwindling, that means that it has only been made harder for the Fae Ancestors to set out and establish new territories. Refugees often set out in search of already existing territories to move into - or take over. The level of hostility between groups of these Fae has started to increase dramatically due to the increase desperation to survive.

Thankfully any of their descending relatives (Such as elves) also contain the ability to establish new territories, so all will not be entirely loss in the event of an extinction. But these other races have become more specialized and are ergo less adaptable in terms of how to utilize their magic. So as a result, their efforts in establishing new territories will have mixed results, and the efforts themselves will be very strenuous.

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Reproduction Description: As humanoid Fae, the Ancestors reproduce externally through the planting of a Love Garden. Specifically through the planting of special blossoms produced through the development of strong bonds of love. The only aspect of this which is prone to being internal is the growth of these blossoms, which will emerge from the “mother’s” body roughly 3 to 5 days following a bonding event.

These blossoms are birthed in pools of honey and emerge entirely white. Colors will develop in the days following planting. The blossoms can come in any range of color from white to black, with Gold being incredibly rare. Golden blossoms are born of very specific, very intense bonds of love, and from these blossoms the “Golden Children” will emerge. These children are believed to be the result of pure, genuine love and are ergo treasured among the Fae community.

The blossoms themselves begin small, with the smallest of them only being about the size of a strawberry. They emerge from the mother’s body tightly closed, and quickly develop a series of long roots. These roots are semi prehensile, and are often used to first cling to the mother to assure safe travels on the way to the garden. There is no actual rush to plant the blossoms, as they can survive for a very long period of time without access to the ground.

Once planted, the love blossoms become entirely immobile. Their petals will open within the first day after planting, at which point they will remain in the soil until it comes time for a baby to be born.

When a blossom decides that it is ready to transform into a baby, it will close its petals to resume to the shape of a bud, and it will undergo a rapid period of growth in order to make room for the baby inside. The interior of the petals floods with nectar, and the flower itself will act as the womb in which the child grows.

There is no actual set time for the development of a Fae baby. Gestation of the fetus can last anywhere from a few days, to a few years. Factors such as the strength of the love used to create the specific bloom that is carrying the baby, to the whims of the Earth itself determine the speed at which a child will be born. Parents are expected to provide extra care to these blooms as they develop, as their love with further encourage the growth of their baby.

When it comes time for the baby to be born, the petals of the flower will slowly open. The nectar inside will spill out, flooding the surrounding soil and causing the abrupt growth of plant life. The original bloom itself will die, seemingly transforming into a bed of small flowers, upon which the new baby will comfortably rest. Very little warning is given between the leaking of the nectar and the arrival of the baby. So that makes it all the more important for Fae parents to regularly check on and maintain these precious blooms, otherwise they risk missing the birth of their babies. If not worse.

The bed of smaller flowers dies after a few days, leaving behind barren but fertile soil which can then be replanted in. A properly cared for bloom will provide a healthy baby, which grows at a rate equal to that of human children up until reaching “prime adulthood” (Somewhere around 25). At which point Fae generally stop aging entirely and then become immortal.

Unlike human babies, however, Fae babies require little care in terms of food requirements and diaper changing. Fae themselves do not produce bodily waste, and Fae as a whole can live on nothing more than Milk and Honey. What a Fae baby does need, however, is lots of love and attention. A neglected baby will inevitably grow weak, and a weak baby will inevitably get sick. At which point it is entirely within the realm of expectation that that baby will perish.

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Other:Golden Children) The children born of beautiful, golden blossoms that shine with the radiance of the sun. Easily distinguished from the normal yellow blossoms thanks to their glow and shine. These children are often born with either skin that shines the color of gold, or markings that shimmer and shine as gold. Their hair is often blond or might even be a beautiful shade of platinum. Their eyes can come in any range of colors common to the Fae, but when using magic, their eyes will turn gold regardless of their original hue. They are no stronger and no more magically gifted than the other Fae of their kind.

They are simply considered to be miracle children due to having been born from such a pure, uninhibited incident of love. As such they are generally spoiled by those around them, assuring that they live happy lives. They are also known as “Sunkissed” Fae, as their magical abilities are known to greatly increase under the light of the sun.

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Pestilence Children) The children who have, unfortunately, been born from Love blossoms that have started to die. Be it as a result of neglect or from their parents beginning to fall out of love and turn to hate and spite, these children walk the fine line between “Love” and “Hate” and will go on to lead difficult lives. Pestilence children are easily distinguished from others of their kind as a result of their unnatural appearances. They often have eyes of two differing colors, and one of their eyes will glow red in the event of intense anger.

Their hair is likewise prone to coming in multiple hues, with the “unnatural” hues being blue or white - the colors of the Blight. Their skin can, but does not always, have unnatural blue splotching to further establish their status as “Half Blighted”. Unlike the Golden Children, which do not attain any peculiar magical traits as a result of their unique appearance, the Pestilence children do. They share in the dark, twisted magic of the Blighted Fae. Meaning that they likewise draw as much power from death and destruction as they do from life.

They carry a balance of power obtainable by no other abnormal Fae. Equally as capable of granting life to their surroundings as they are in terms of sapping the life from it. But they are heavily, heavily discouraged from acting upon their Blighted urges, lest they be driven from the societies that they were born into.

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Blighted Children) Vile, disgusting children born of dead love. The Blighted Children come from gardens or from improperly disposed of withered blooms that then went on to produce corrupted children. They are born with blue tinted skin and icy blue eyes that will shine red when enraged. Their hair will either be ghostly white or some shade of blue. They may have on them markings that shine like silver, in a stark contrast to the golden shimmer of the Golden Children.

The Blighted Children are spiteful creatures born without the ability to love. They feast heavily on flesh and are drawn to death and destruction. Their magic is drawn most from the moon, making them strongest in the dead of night, when the other Fae are asleep and vulnerable. They rarely sleep themselves, known only to slumber when the moon itself is dark. They are masters in the art of taking life, and generally fail in the art of giving life. For this reason, they are rarely taken in by the parents that sired them and are left for the wilderness to deal with.

In the event that a Blighted Child somehow survives to childhood, they will become objects of disdain that live among other Fae only by virtue of the fact that they have right to the grounds they were born upon. But they will largely be denied rights bestowed upon the other, natural Fae.

Blighted Children will never be allowed to own proper homes. They will never be allowed to marry. If they could even reproduce, they would be denied that right as well. They exist only as drains on the societies that they were born into, and generally terrorize those around them with their baneful existence. The are unwanted. Unloved. Unnatural. Worthy only of fear and of the hate that produced them.

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Mutants) Fae children born abnormally shaped Love Blossoms. The most common cause being improper planting resulting in two blooms merging at some point during child development. These mutant Fae are often born abnormally large and will have developed extra limbs or features as a result of their peculiar development. In some cases, this is the direct result of two developing buds merging while two separate babies are gestating, resulting in conjoined twins - or a scenario in which one sibling absorbs the other during development.

These mutant offspring are often larger and stronger than their traditional counterparts. They retain full use of any additional limbs, and additional body features (such as eyes or tongues) are also entirely functional. They are, for all intents and purposes, just a little freaky in comparison to their peers and are otherwise perfectly healthy so long as they were properly cared for during vital childhood years. The only real downsides of their situation are the stigma that often comes with looking different.

Mutants are often feared by other children for any number of reasons. They may suffer stunted growth due to the extra demands of their larger bodies. An abnormal number of them are also born as Pestilence children, which only adds to their difficulties in life. But they are perfectly capable of fitting in with their society, so long as enough efforts are made.

#Worldbuilding!#Fae Lore #Fae Files

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foulbearobservation · 2 months

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Oh my prompt for the fe3h femslash exchange is so fucking good I'm so excited

#worldbuilding!#logistics!

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a-very-tired-raven · 2 years

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When a human gets heartbreak syndrome, can monsters hear it?

You mean broken heart syndrome?

In the au world, broken heart syndrome for humans is when you experience something that stresses you out so bad, you get minor and small cracks in your soul. It tends to be slightly worse for monsters, and is referred to as 'Minor Soul Syndrome' or MSS.

To answer your question though, yes. While monsters are more intune with their soul, humans usually are not. Because of this, its not quite as loud when a humans soul goes through MSS(like the cracking sound is very faint) Then when a monster soul would.

Even so, if a monster is physically close enough to a human, they'll almost always hear it.

#soul is such a funny word man #edgyanswers #jukebox.chatter #worldbuilding!#undertale imagines #undertale headcanons

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daftydrafty · 2 years

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Been forever since I've done any update on The Trilogy.

I think I'm on a good draft for Book 1. Not sure how many drafts this is now. 6? 8?

But I'm really happy with the additional characters that are showing up. Really only started this re-draft to add more depth to a character so there will be a better sucker-punch in Book 2, but I'm really happy with how it's going.

I also got to indulge my romantic soul more... Immediately. It might yet be cut, but I really like the addition.

Also I ended up writing an entire song to be as innuendo and raunch-heavy as I was capable of doing, so THAT was a ton of fun. XD

#writeblr #songweaver trilogy #worldbuilding!#should i post the raunchy song?#no audio tho #I'm no singer

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sylvies-kablooie · 3 months

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i do unironically think the best artists of our generation are posting to get 20 notes and 3 reblogs btw. that fanfic with like 45 kudos is some of the best stuff ever written. those OCs you carry around have some of the richest backstories and worldbuilding someone has ever seen. please do not think that reaching only a few people when you post means your art isn't worth celebrating.

#i often wonder about how many things would be considered classic or high art had they only received the marketing #how many short films that were made for class could have been the most powerful thing you'd ever seen? if you'd seen them?#“you know the greatest films of all time were never made” etc etc #but like. these works of art ARE being made. it's just enjoyed by a smaller audience with equal impact though #i think about this one furry i used to follow on insta who had the coolest worldbuilding ever. it's been years.#thought prompted by that sketch of nimona from ten years ago that was just for a character design #posted to the creator's tumblr and now it's nominated for best animated feature film at the oscars #and by the genuine emotional reaction a fan comic made me feel. how much work had gone into it. how beautiful it was to me.#idk what to tag this but i hope whoever needs to hear it does #writing #writer #fandom #fandom culture #artist

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theantiazdarcho · 6 months

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The Lancetfish is a species that looks like it comes straight out of a realistic fantasy world building project.

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victusinveritas · 2 months

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#worldbuilding

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whereserpentswalk · 1 month

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mysticstarlightduck · 8 months

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Happy WBW! 🧙 - If your world has magic users, can anyone use magic or is it something they are born with?

Happy Worldbuild Wednesday! Thank you so much for the Ask, @pluttskutt!

Happy WBW! 🧙 - If your world has magic users, can anyone use magic or is it something they are born with?

Oh, boy, do I have an answer for this! In my main WIP, The Last Wrath, magic - and therefore multiple forms of spellcasting - is something integral to the continent of Agrannor, where the story takes place.

Let's start from the beginning:

In the dark fantasy world of TLW, the lands of Agrannor, magical talent is a very varied concept.

For Mageborn (humans born with magical blood): They are born with pure magic in their blood, which means they have a natural connection to the ancient magic sources that once flowed freely throughout the lands. Those spellcasters are much more powerful and innately talented than any human sorcerer can ever hope to be naturally. Also, they are rather different from humans in many cultural traits, but also in their physical appearance (eye color, hair color, etc.), especially when it comes to the striking Mageborn "runic markings" that naturally occur the more a mage practices their power. Their magic comes from within them and rarely requires the assistance of external means. Since their magic is an inherent part of their blood - something they're born with, they can use their magic without the need for casting runes (though some, more tricky, spells require the use of rune casting) and usually have a connection with a specific type of magic they use to power their spells

E.g. You can be a Nightshaper, a mage who harnesses their magic from the power of the night - the darkness, the stars, the moon, the cold, etc - to cast their spells. In TLW, Vallerius Zyndrosar is a Nightshaper mage.

You can be an Icebringer, a mage who harnesses their magic from the power of winter - the ice, the wind, the stillness, etc - to cast their spells. In TLW, Cyprian Naras is an Icebringer.

You can be a Naturemorph, harnessing your powers from nature itself - from plants to stone, the very dirt you walk on and the heartbeat of earth, etc. In TLW, Myrah Faron is a Naturemorph.

Among many other types of mages.

For the Non-Magical People of Agrannor: Humans are not born magically talented, having little to no natural connection to the ancient magic sources (though some have what is called a "magical affinity" which means they have a slight connection the the Sources, and more chance to succeed should they choose to follow that path). They can, however, become sorcerers or wizards. In Agrannor, a sorcerer relies on an external source of magical powers (usually an artifact, a magically imbued runic weapon, potions or an artificial rune-engraved tattoo/marking) to harness and use magic, and it will never be a natural part of them like it would be for a mage.

Usually, in Agrannor, most of the magic for said artifacts is harnessed from natural sources, such as magical crystals, or magically rich environments, without causing harm to anyone. A talented sorcerer can have a magically imbued tattoo/marking engraved in their skin - usually in their arm - giving them free access to their trained powers anytime they need them. Zephyr Tellian is the most notable human sorcerer in Agrannor, born in the Fallen Kingdom of Eldon, Zephyr was a remarkably magically-talented child, with a strong magical affinity, and got his runic mark early on from the Eldonian Order of Sorcerers, before being forced to flee the fallen kingdom. Yuna Thyren is also a sorcerer in TLW, and her powers come from her runic weapons - crafted by herself - and her mystical heritage.

UNFORTUNATELY - There is a darker side of (some) Human Spellcasting (which some villains in TLW seem to fall under): Recently, some human sorcerers started wanting more power than their artificial magic (artifacts, potions, markings, etc) ould give them. In the Morosyn Empire (one of the regions of Agrannor), the Temple of Radiance enforces the Radiant Hunts, which capture mages to harness the magic from their blood - a cruel and vile initiative that is deeply despised outside of the Morosyn lands. Such Hunts also go after Elves, Faeborn (Faeries), and Merfolk, basically targetting anyone talented enough (according to the Temple's doctrine, the more powerful the spellcaster, the more power can be harnessed from their blood). The Bloodharvest Rituals always kill the captured mages, but the Temple doesn't care - as long as it gets what it is looking for. Such is the reality for many magically talented people in the Morosyn Empire. Most of the Imperial human sorcerers often use this cruel system to become more powerful through artificial magic created from the Bloodharvest. most of the Imperial army is equipped with advanced weaponry powered by the magic harvested from the crooked hunts.

Another important distinction:

Pure Magic - the magic carried by the Mageborn and the other sentient magical species of Agrannor. Being something they're born with, it is completely natural and stems from the nature around them and the ancient sources.

Artificial Magic - The magic used by most of the human sorcerers and magic warriors in Agrannor. It can have two origins:

It can be harvested from nature (usually from some of the sources itself) - Taken from the ancient natural sources, this magic is usually carefully collected from the environment and used to power the sorcerer's runic tattoos, artifacts/amulets/runic weapons, and power-inducing potions. Being derived from pure magic, it is usually good and does not harm others in the process it takes to achieve it.

Blood Magic - Also known as "vile magic", artificial blood magic is the one harnessed from actual people, a practice enforced by the imperial Temple of Radiance. It gives the user a much more dangerous and raw power, creating much more deadly runic weaponry. Due to its cruel and despicable origins, causing inexcusable harm to innocent people, it is an inherently evil form of artificial magic.

Dark/Corrupted Magic - Dark magic is a form of natural/Pure magic, derived from the corruption of the natural ancient magic sources and of magical phenomena around the continent. The corruption of magic is caused by the actions of the Secret Court (an ancient order of corrupted sorcerers who seek to rewrite the world in blood), and is extremely dangerous, unstable, and deadly. It also causes the existence of Fallen Ones - mageborn, faeborn, elves, etc - who are born with the natural magic already tainted by darkness, for the source with which they were connected was corrupted before their birth.

For other sentient (non-human) magical races in Agrannor - Elves, Merfolk, Vampires/Dhampirs, and Faeborn are all born with an inherent connection to the magic around them, being made from it, and have to train their spellcasting skills like any mage seeking to improve their innate abilities.

There are magical academies and orders that exist to train magically talented people - be it mages or sorcerers - and all of them have different approaches to the learning/teaching process and what kind of spellcasters they'll train.

NOTE:

The Secret Court - Formed during the Ancient Wars - a vast conflict that tore the continent apart millennia before the current story even takes place - they sought to learn how to control and utilize the strangely occurring dark magic phenomena around them, creating the most dangerous form of magic that would late serve as their weapon of war against the continent. Even after their perceived defeat by Dawn Knight Abavven Ashiren, all those years ago, they continued working from the shadows - corrupting the ancient sources and twisting the minds of the weakwilled - until their return in the current age of Agrannor. Anyone can become a member of the Secret Court, if tainted by dark magic, and become just as - if not more - powerful than any untainted mage. Dark magic twists the very nature of a being, becoming one with them. It is an extremely vile and dangerous practice that is outlawed - for good reason - in all regions of Agrannor.

So, in short:

Mageborn - humans born with a natural magic affinity to the ancient sources of magic in nature.

Sorcerers - non-magic humans who use artificial means to gain access to magical powers.

Blood Sorcerers (and Hunters) - non-magical human spellcasters who harness their powers from the blood of magically talented individuals. A cruel and unforgivable practice.

Other Sentient Magical Species - Elves, Faeborn (faeries), Vampires & Dhampirs and Merfolk. Non-human species who are naturally born with a connection to magic.

Fallen Ones - mages (or other sentient magical species) who are born with dark magic powers, because the magical source they or their parents were connected to was corrupted unknowingly before their birth. An accidental aftermath of the unholy work of the Secret Court, they can be good people, though their powers often consume them.

The Secret Court - Dark Sorcerers and Mages who choose to use corrupted/tainted magic as their source of magical power. Also unforgivable.

#writers #my wips #my writing #my characters #character writing #writeblr #writerblr #writing #writers on tumblr #worldbuilding!#wbw asks!#the mystic duck answers!#The Last Wrath WIP

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daisywords · 6 months

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One of my biggest nitpicks in fiction concerns the feeding of babies. Mothers dying during/shortly after childbirth or the baby being separated form the mother shortly after birth is pretty common in fiction. It is/was also common enough in real life, which is why I think a lot of writers/readers don't think too hard about this. however. Historically, the only reason the vast majority of babies survived being separated from their mother was because there was at least one other woman around to breastfeed them. Before modern formula, yes, people did use other substitutes, but they were rarely, if ever, nutritionally sufficient.

Newborns can't eat adult food. They can't really survive on animal milk. If your story takes place in a world before/without formula, a baby separated from its mother is going to either be nursed by someone else, or starve.

It doesn't have to be a huge plot point, but idk at least don't explicitly describe the situation as excluding the possibility of a wetnurse. "The father or the great grandmother or the neighbor man or the older sibling took and raised the baby completely alone in a cave for a year." Nope. That baby is dead I'm sorry. "The baby was kidnapped shortly after birth by a wizard and hidden away in a secret tower" um quick question was the wizard lactating? "The mother refused to see or touch her child after birth so the baby was left to the care of the ailing grandfather" the grandfather who made the necessary arrangements with women in the neighborhood, right? right? OR THAT GREAT OFFENDER "A newborn baby was left on the doorstep and they brought it in and took care of it no issues" What Are You Going to Feed That Baby. Hello?

Like. It's not impossible, but arrangements are going to have to be made. There are some logistics.

#idk what to tag this #worldbuilding #writing fiction #historical fiction #fantasy #a real-life example: my dad (a pediatrician) was once entrusted with the care of a baby who was born with a rare condition #this was in a place without great hospital/medical access and anyway they were going to fly the baby over #and he specifically asked them to bring the mother and baby #they show up with baby and...the baby's uncle #and he was like. y'all. do you think I asked for the mom to come just for fun??? We don't have formula here. what is the baby going to eat?

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blackberrybrambles · 1 year

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I’d love to hear about the culture of the world in this AU whether as part of a story or worldbuilding exercise. What customs are usually followed in this world?

There's over 1k of info here so hiding it under a cut to reduce dashboard scrolling! But here we are :D -----------

Alright! Something fun to work with. There are actually a lot of Fae customs that I can briefly discuss here, for the fun of it. So here are a few things that I can list off of the top of my head. This isn’t ALL of them, but these are the ones that are either most prominent for the type of Fae that Sun and Moon are, or they apply to a wider range of Fae.

Be a hospitable host - Among the Fae, it is of uttermost importance that you be gracious and accommodating with your guests. The rules and expectations change slightly depending on whether the guest was invited or not, and what sort of Fae you’re dealing with. But there are always some basics.

If you bring someone into your home (against their will or otherwise), you assume responsibility for that person’s comfort. You are not expected to cater to their every whim as though you were a servant, but you are expected to provide them with basic comforts.

For brief stays, this can be achieved by something as simple as providing food and drink.

For longer stays, you can be expected to provide more. A long term guest must have a comfortable place to sleep, preferably a bed, but you are not expected to give up your own room or bed for them.

If your guest is long does not have clothes of their own; as in extra sets of clothes to change into; then provide them with clothes so that they may remain clean. If your guest will not be there long, then allow them to use your washroom to make themselves more presentable.

It is considered to be in poor taste to be verbally hostile to your guest. Remain polite. But should your guest be treating you with anything less than basic respect and manners, you are generally free to remind them of their place.

Under no circumstance are you expected to allow someone into your home uninvited. You do so as a show of courtesy. At no point may anyone invade your home by force. Trust that the threshold will keep unwanted or malicious guests at bay. -----------

Do not turn away the hungry - If anyone should approach your doorstep in search of food or drink, do not turn them away. Even if you consider them a mortal enemy. As a manner of pride, you are expected to treat them with a basic level of courtesy. This means that you must not deny the hungry the ability to eat or drink.

Additionally, if the visitor in question happens to be someone that you dislike, for whatever reason, you are encouraged to provide them with the same food that you might eat. Do not provide stale bread or soured milk. Give to them a taste of the luxury you enjoy, but purposefully give them little. You are expected to feed them, but you are not expected to feed them until they are full. Provide them their food neatly wrapped and send them on their way.

If your visitor happens to be someone you are on good terms with, you are encouraged to invite them inside to share a meal with you! It does not have to be a big meal, nor does it have to be a luxurious one. But feed them and feed them well, and do so with the reassurance that someday they may return the favor. -----------

Take not the offerings of others - Or in less fancy terms, do not take an offering that was meant for someone else. Many Fae forests have little shrines in them that humans are able to leave offering at. These shrines are generally tied to specific households or families.

If you happen upon a shrine that is not yours, and there is an offering laid out upon it, do not take that offering. Leave it where it lays, and if you are able, mention the offering to whoever it was left for.

If the offering remains untouched for a time after doing so, only then you are free to take it for yourself. But you will be expected to share it with others of your household as though the offering were left at your own shrine. -----------

Share of the bounty, share of the pain - This one effectively means that if you are a part of a society and you benefit somehow from that, then you must likewise share the burdens of that society. There is no harvest without the toil. There is no joy without the suffering. Fae are social creatures who provide for one another. So pull your weight. Remain polite to those around you. No one likes a leech who refuses to try and maintain the foundations that they rely upon.

This is not to say that you should be expected to work harder than you physically can. It means to do what you can to repay the community. The inquired or the sick cannot be expected to pull the same weight as the healthy. Likewise applies to any unfortunate enough to suffer from disabilities.

If the effort is there, then you share of the bounty just as you share of the pain. You will be treated as an equal to your peers. You will have equal say in the way the land around you is used. You will be cared for.

And now as a bit of a bonus that includes some fun biology facts about the Fae! This one discusses genitals n such so its NSFW and will be under a cut. -----------

Perspective of Sex - Biologically, Fae Ancestors (The type of Fae Sun and Moon are) are very different from people. Whereas humans cannot easily portray the spectrum of sex, the Fae Ancestors largely can. That being because, from a biological standpoint, the Fae Ancestors are intersex. They exhibit both male and female traits, with some traits being more exaggerated than others.

There are no true males and no true females, but the majority of Fae will decide to define themselves as either male or female depending on their most pronounced sexual traits.

A penis is just an enlarged, modified clitoris. Nipples are just the remnants of breasts that never formed. In terms of many humanoid Fae, testicles do not even exist because they reproduce using different rules; and if testicles do exist, they are often internal.

This is not to say that their sexual traits are purely visual, as they are not. Their sexual traits do often influence social behavior and reproductive capabilities, but they are not strictly defined by their biology.

Those who display greater male traits often cannot produce milk, meaning that “same sex” couples consisting of these males will struggle to provide for any children they produce. Those who display greater female traits are often smaller, thinner, and weaker. Their bones will be more frail than that of the males.

Their bodies are strange and distinct and all of them unique. But their society is still built upon a foundation that prefers to follow something of a binary, though it’s not nearly as strict as the human binary systems, and attempts to act outside of that binary are not nearly as negatively perceived. (And as a fun thing here; humans who identify as something other than their biological sex may experience peculiar changes if they go to the Fae Realm and do not leave after some time).

#ask #mooncake #fable #worldbuilding!#culture/customs

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