#Worldbuilding Inspiration

[writerbeemedina]

Don’t get me wrong, werewolves are freakin awesome, but I think what a lot of people don’t realize is that wolves aren’t hostile to their own pack as media makes it seem. There’s no “alpha wolf” ; if there are wolves in charge, they’re usually the parents of the other wolves. In other words, wolf packs are one big happy family.

But HYENAS on the other hand?? Testosterone-fueled female domination. The smaller males are the lowest ranking in the hierarchy and they are stuck like this. They get food that females don’t want. Hyenas eat their prey alive and crunch bones. Cubs often suffocate before they can even be born because they are birthed through the female hyena’s unique clitoris, otherwise known as a pseudo-penis — and yes, giving birth through this is incredibly painful.

Even though spotted hyenas are technically not related to canidae, I still think they should be considered as werecreatures in fiction. Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.

[speculativepages]

I recently started world-building for a new story idea (I know—bad when I'm supposed to be in the middle of revising my current project) and in trying to figure out the level of technology and feeling of my new world I got lost in google searches about the different punk genres.

So I decided to make a master list.

According to Wikipedia (a highly reputable source by all accounts) a punk genre can be described as “a world built on one particular technology that is extrapolated to a highly sophisticated level (this may even be a fantastical or anachronistic technology, akin to retro-futurism) a gritty transreal urban style, or a particular approach to social themes.”

There are so many (so so many) and some people roll their eyes at every new addition but I think the names and distinctions are interesting and fun (I mean, Magicpunk may just be regular fantasy, but it sounds so much cooler). I love the idea of scientific fantasy, and of blurry the lines between the sci-fi and fantasy genres. Who’s to stop you from mixing the culture of the Japanese samurai with an epic space opera in the stars?

This is an incomplete list. I've organized it by time period (loosely, because some overlap or can go anywhere). I've also provided an example of a published work (for those that have them).

Established Fantasy Punk Genres: An Incomplete List

Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk: Fantasy punk genre where the “one particular technology” that the world is build on is magic. You have trains running on lines of sorcerer-fueled energy and ships powered by wind magic and computers running on sub-dimensional energy from the demon realm. Popular examples include The Sleeping Dragon by Jonny Nexus and The War of the Flowers by Tad Williams.

Aetherpunk: Subgenre mix of Magicpunk/Dungeonpunk where the magic source of the technology is specifically the element of Aether. Often, if not always, also has Steampunk elements. The Aeronaut’s Windlass by Jim Butcher is the only example that comes to mind.

Mythpunk: A punk genre that is inspired by or incorporates myths and legends. These aren’t usually a retelling of a popular myth, but rather one that includes elements of the myth, or twists and changes the story around to it’s own ends. Popular examples would be American Gods by Neil Gaiman or Deathless by Catherynne Valente.

Stonepunk: Set in the stone age, this genre is characterized by the use of non-technology as technology, creating pseudo-tech and modern inventions with natural, basic resources like stone, wood, water, fire, clay, and rope. The Flintstones would be the best example.

Sandalpunk: Sandalpunk is on thin ice as a punk genre. Rather than being inspired or defined by a technology, it instead focuses on the period of time of the ancient world before the Middle Ages, often set in Greece or Rome. There aren’t many examples of it. But the name is cool.

Steampunk: Arguably the most popular punk genre (after Cyberpunk) featuring science fantasy stories set in Victorian era, with advanced technology powered by steam engines and clockwork mechanics. Doctor Who perhaps described it best, “The Victorian Age accelerated. Starships and missiles fueled by coal and driven by steam.” There are many examples, both in literature and film, including His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman, Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves and The Parosol Protectorate by Gail Carriger.

Clockpunk: Close-cousin subgenre of Steampunk, characterized by a lot of clocks and inspired by the pre-steam energy period of the Renaissance and Baroque eras. Pasquale’s Angel by Paul J. McAuley is more Clockpunk than Steampunk.

Silkpunk: Silkpunk is another subgenre of Steampunk, one generation removed. While steampunk is defined by it’s Victorian era brass and steam aesthetic, Silkpunk is inspired by East Asian culture during the period of the Silk Road. Examples include The Dandelion Dynasty by Ken Liu and The Tea Master and The Detective by Aliette de Bodard.

Cattlepunk: Yet another subgenre of Steampunk, Cattlepunk is the across-the-ocean-bastard-cousin set in the wild west of early America. Cowboys, bank robberies, and train heists meet robots, warmechs, magic, and super-weapons. The Wild Wild West and Firefly verse are classic movie examples. Book examples would be the Mistborn Era II series by Brandon Sanderson and The Dark Tower series by Stephen King. (And I didn’t realize until I just did all this research but based on examples this is like my favorite punk.)

Dieselpunk: This genre is set in the aesthetic of the 1920s-1950s era and is characterized by the use of diesel-powered technology. Commonly incorporates alternate history elements, as well as themes surrounding the Great Depression and World War II. It’s been called the darker and dirtier version of Steampunk with an emphasis on air travel and combat, dirigibles, and air pirates. Examples include The Iroon Dream by Norman Spinrad, Dreadnough by Cherie Priest, and Pirate Utopia by Bruce Sterling.

Atompunk: A retro-futuristic punk genre set in during the Cold War and characterized by atomic nuclear technology, ray guns, robots, hover cars, and interdimensional travel. Atompunk often deals with the themes of nuclear power gone wrong and alternate versions of the Cold War. The most popular example of this would be the Fallout games by Bethesda.

Capepunk: Capepunk is just superhero fiction set in the modern-era world where people have powers. Example would be any superhero story ever. I just think the name’s cool.

Gothicpunk: Gothicpunk is also usually set in the modern-era, but incorporates The Goth. Generally characterized by an underworld of supernatural creatures lying in wait and secretly controlling the workings of our world where humans are but cattle. This is basically dark Urban Fantasy, but it’s popular enough to get a distinction. Anne Rice’s Interview With a Vampire is an okay example. The movies Priest and Daybreakers are much better ones.

Cyberpunk: Cyberpunk, the grandfather of all of the punk genres. Characterized by dystopian and cynical future world in which technology has brought about cultural nihilism and a crap society. Often combined with Film Noir or detective fiction. (Fantastic Noir is a fantasy version of Cyberpunk). Heroes are most prone to be some form of hacker, rebel, or antihero fight against a totalitarian police state or corporate empire oppressing the people. Examples Neuromancer by William Gibson and the movie Blade Runner.

Post-Cyberpunk: This is Cyberpunks chipper, more optimistic sibling. It has all of the vision of a scientifically advanced cyber-culture without the gritty, dark, and edgy world elements. It still share’s the Cyberpunk elements of analyzing how technology interacts and impacts with society, just without such a grimdark view of humanity. Examples would be Agent G by C.T. Phipps and The Peace War by Vernor Vinge.

Biopunk: Biopunk is Cyberpunks genetically engineered half-sibling. This punk centers around organic technology with a healthy smattering of bio-augmentation and biotechnology. Examples include In the Courts of the Crimson Kings by S.M. Stirling, West of Eden by Harry Harrison, and Wolfish Nature by Vladimir Vasilyev.

Nanopunk: Also a subgenre of Cyberpunk with characterized by the use of nanites and nanotechnology as the predominate form of technology. Examples are Tech Heaven by Linda Nagata and Micro by Michael Crichton.

Solarpunk: Solarpunk is a genre characterized by it’s environmentally friendly technology meshed with African and Asian cultures and an emphasis in community, art, and a bright solar future where humanity has found a balance between technology and nature. Can also include many elements of Biopunk, but with a much more optomistic, for-the-future-of-species-and-environment outlook. Example works include Zahrah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor, Maurai by Poul Anderson, and Songs from the Stars by Norman Spinrad.

Apunkalypse: This genre is defined by the collapse of civilization where society is replaced by lawless bands of roving scavenger gangs or cities collapsing into decay or the rise of punks overthrows the rules of the past. Examples include Mad Max and Mortal Engines by Philip Reeves (which is also Steampunk, so it’s a good example of book incorporating more than one punk genre).

Desertpunk: Punk genre characterized by sand. Who doesn't love a good desert planet? Often features roaming tribes, wandering heroes, desert bandits, and sand storms. Can be combined with Cattlepunk, for a Western desert, or Apunkalypse, for an-after-the-end-of-the-world setting. Examples include Dune by Frank Herbert and Railsea by China Mieville.

Oceanpunk: This punk is set on the high seas. Often features floating cities of wood and iron lashed together and mighty nations fighting for dominion of the watery world and may also feature civilizations and cultures below the waves in underwater cities. Sometimes called Pirate Punk, because nothing breed pirate stories like ocean cities and sailing ships. Examples include The Scar by China Mieville, Tranquilium by Andrey Lazarchuk, and Dark Life by Kat Falls.

Did I Miss a Punk? Can you guys think of any other punks to add? Either ones you've thought up, or any you've heard of that I don't have listed. I'd love to keep this list updated. I find it's useful to look through when creating a new world to get the overall feeling of what I'm going for with the story and world-building.

What punk are you writing in for your current WIP?

[amaiguri]

Don't mind me, just admiring all the creature art I've gotten or made over the years 🥺🥺🥺

[redd956]

Do you have any ideas on how to come up with fictional vegetables, resource plants, or livestock? I keep coming up with fruit since I can’t really think of any ways of making a vegetable interesting or unique to a setting. The only resource plants I can think of is one that gives cotton and livestock has me stumped.

(Context: My world is full of rabbit-human hybrids that are omnivorous but mainly eat plant food, meat is usually eaten during special events. I want to focus on a world reliant on different crops for food and resources. There’s different biomes like a wooded area, an almost volcanic area, a snowy area, and a naturally occurring magic area.)

Yes, I do!!!

A lot of fruits and vegetables themselves are very similar in growth and function, the main difference being fruits come from fruiting bodies while vegetables are just part of the plant. That's when we get that weird middle group like corn, tomatoes, and eggplants.

But there's a lot of aspects to vegetables that make them unique, with lots of worldbuilding room

Everything is Edible

Creative juices flowing questions... (I'm also grouping grains and vegetables together btw)

What parts of the plants are primarily consumed? The stalks, leaves, roots, bulbs, flowers, tubers? (carrots are roots? Guess I learn something new everyday)

How is the edible part extracted from the plant? What does the plant look like in a crop field? How do people know when it's ready?

Does the vegetable need to go through a preparation process before being eaten? (Crushed, cleaning, cut open)

Does the plant have edible leaves, bean pods, kernels, nuts, oats? Does it have multiple uses? Does it produce more than one edible factor?

Is it harvest from the ground, water pools, trees? How tall is the plant?

How does it spread/reproduce? (flowers, potato eyes, seeds)

Usage & Flavor

Is the vegetable eating directly, usually added to something else, used as a spice? What does it taste like? (earthy, bitter, tangy, sour)

Is it used to make something else that's edible/used in cooking? (Oils, beers, yeasts, flavorings)

Are there non food related uses? (Medicinal, potion brewing, material)

Gourds (fruits but equally fun)

My family fries/grills the blossoms on pumpkins & zucchinis, and I couldn't stop thinking about that so here's some bonus rounds

How do people break into the hard casings to reach the edible parts? Is anything does with the hard casings? What funky shapes are the gourds?

What's inside? What does it look like? Tastes? Seeds? Other uses?

Does it have any decorative uses? Any holiday relation?

Tea & Coffee

What kind of drinks can be made from plants? What extra benefits and effects does it have? Any magical properties? Any recreational properties?

How is the plant extracted? How is it prepared into a drink?

Anything culturally significant?

What does the brew look like? How strong is the smell?

Environmental Factors

What vegetables survive in dry or unforgiving environments? How important are these two the people who live there? What were to happen if harvest failed?

Any diseases or bugs that affect produce? How do farmers protect their crops these? Any animals or technology help in the harvesting process?

How does temperature and rain effect the produce? Anything grow underneath the snow? Soil? Water? Underground? (Huge fan of snowy plants in worldbuilding)

How does the vegetable itself try to protect itself? (cactus needles, thorns, caffeine, poison)

[marxism-lenninism-schwabism]

Honestly the thing about the whole potato worldbuilding debate that the people who go "oh, it's a fantasy setting, it's not *actually* europe it's just identical to it in every other way other than the potatoes- they just happened to be growing there instead of in the andes" is that potatoes- they're not natural. Potatoes are not a natural plant, they did not evolve fully formed in the natural world for the Andeans to stumble across.

Here's a bunch of wild potatoes.

Notice anything? Hint: it's the size. They're absolutely tiny, especially compared to the monsterous mass of the potatoes we eat today. It isn't just size, though- wild potatoes are also intensely bitter, sometimes even poisonous (on account of the whole nightshade thing).

(just a reminder as to the size of the kind of potato we eat now, in case you somehow forgot)

Potatoes are domesticated- they are a piece of biotechnology developed over thousands of years of selective breeding. And the thing about that is that it means that if your fantasy setting has potatoes, somebody made them- there is a culture out there that spent generations perfecting the art of tuber cultivation, that bred these potatoes into existence.

The thing about that is that the potatoes we eat now, the ones we know? They're not even a fraction of the diversity of the potato the Andeans bred into existence.

For instance, here's a bunch of Mashua, another kind of edible tuber in an entirely different botanical family from the Potatoes. This is hardly all- there's Arracacha, Ulluco, Yacon, as well as many others.

What this says, I think is that A: the peoples of the Andes are biotechnological geniuses whose botanical prowess we don't pay nearly enough respect to but also that B: A culture that breeds potatoes is not going to only breed potatoes. If you're good enough at domesticating tubers to make a potato in the first place you're going to invent a ton of other ones as well.

So, just something to keep in mind. If your fantasy setting really does have the potato, it implies that somewhere out there there's a culture that domesticated it. And if as you say the potatoes are an indigenous crop- they're something that the peoples of your setting, or rather the region of that setting you're focusing on did invent, it's something native, then that means they're good enough to have invented other kinds of tubers as well- and if it is that region, then that's where they'll be.

So, in conclusion, if you want to pull a tolkien and have potatoes in your fantasy setting you really need to either slot some fantasy Andeans somewhere else in the world or if they really do originate from the region you're focusing on you need to realize that that means there will be a ton of other different kinds of tubers there as well. Sure, you can have hobbits with potatoes- nothing wrong with that- but be prepared to also have hobbits with Ahipa and Mauka.

[tildeathiwillwrite]

Happy Worldbuilding Wednesday! What inspired your world? A culture that we have here, a type of planet or mythical location, or maybe a novel?

Happy WBW!

I draw inspiration from a lot of different sources for the settings for my WIPs. So much I probably did some of it subconsciously and can't tell you where a particular concept came from, or I just forgot.

Trials of the Six's world, Rymn, takes some heavy inspiration from Avatar: the Last Airbender, especially with the element and geography-based magic system. I was also at the beginning of my Death Gate Cycle and Dragonlance (by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman) obsession, and I drew a fair amount of character inspiration from both of those books. I think now it's evolved past its roots, but whenever I describe the world I usually default to comparing it to A:tla.

Somnia, where The Legend of Orian Goldeneye takes place, is a bit of a different story. The magic system was inspired by Tel'aran'rhiod in The Wheel of Time (by Robert Jordon), which is the name for a separate dream world and a subclass of the book's magic system. I took the main concept and made it into dreamshaping. The world sort of sprung up around that, in how non-dreamshapers dealt with life and whatnot. An abundance of black glass to keep dreamshapers out is one example.

Tales from Valaria started out as a D&D fic I wrote about my and my younger brother's characters just for funsies. I was reading Ranger's Apprentice (by John Flanagan) at the time and I drew inspiration from the rangers in crafting my character's backstory. I never finished the fic, but it later became the groundwork for what is now The Watcher and the Thief. The rangers became Watchers, and my D&D character became the villain :3. The Hunter, the Myth and the Cure takes place on the same world, so it uses the same magic system (inspired loosely by the Patryn Death Gate Cycle magic system), but it focuses more on werewolves and the subspecies (shapeshifters and a dragonborn-esque race), both of which take inspiration from D&D and my own twists.

Forsaken: The Doomed City wasn't intentionally inspired by Renegades (by Marissa Meyer), but it was kind of inspired by Renegades. It's basically morally gray superhero meets quarantine meets hero/villain whump meets the Hunger Games (by Suzanne Collins). The worldbuilding is the least developed out of all my WIPs because it takes place in one isolated city so idk what else to tell you.

[sheiruki-takes-photos]

Cascate delle Marmore, near Terni, Umbria, 2023

Posting this here because it doesn't fit on my main, methinks. At 165 metres over 3 plateaus, the Cascate delle Marmore are the biggest man-made waterfall in the world. Yes, man-made and no, they're not some modern tourist attraction. The river was redirected and led over the edge by the Romans to accelerate the river Velino in fucking 271 A.C.

Today, the river's water is diverted to a power plant but (usually) 2x a day, the floodgates are opened and the water comes rushing in. It's a spectacle to behold.

Also, be prepared to get very, very wet on the lower plateaus 😉

[prompt-heaven]

a list of 100+ buildings to put in your fantasy town

academy

adventurer's guild

alchemist

apiary

apothecary

aquarium

armory

art gallery

bakery

bank

barber

barracks

bathhouse

blacksmith

boathouse

book store

bookbinder

botanical garden

brothel

butcher

carpenter

cartographer

casino

castle

cobbler

coffee shop

council chamber

court house

crypt for the noble family

dentist

distillery

docks

dovecot

dyer

embassy

farmer's market

fighting pit

fishmonger

fortune teller

gallows

gatehouse

general store

graveyard

greenhouses

guard post

guildhall

gymnasium

haberdashery

haunted house

hedge maze

herbalist

hospice

hospital

house for sale

inn

jail

jeweller

kindergarten

leatherworker

library

locksmith

mail courier

manor house

market

mayor's house

monastery

morgue

museum

music shop

observatory

orchard

orphanage

outhouse

paper maker

pawnshop

pet shop

potion shop

potter

printmaker

quest board

residence

restricted zone

sawmill

school

scribe

sewer entrance

sheriff's office

shrine

silversmith

spa

speakeasy

spice merchant

sports stadium

stables

street market

tailor

tannery

tavern

tax collector

tea house

temple

textile shop

theatre

thieves guild

thrift store

tinker's workshop

town crier post

town square

townhall

toy store

trinket shop

warehouse

watchtower

water mill

weaver

well

windmill

wishing well

wizard tower

[nyonyia]

i think "no arab loves the desert" might be my solution to the medieval* stasis problem. but i won't explain how

[theplotmage]

Principles and Laws of Magic for Fantasy Writers

Fundamental Laws

1. Law of Conservation of Magic- Magic cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

3. Law of Equivalent Exchange- To gain something, an equal value must be given.

5. Law of Magical Exhaustion- Using magic drains the user’s energy or life force.

Interaction and Interference

4. Law of Magical Interference- Magic can interfere with other magical effects.

6. Law of Magical Contamination- Magic can have unintended side effects.

8. Law of Magical Inertia- Magical effects continue until stopped by an equal or greater force.

Resonance and Conditions

7. Law of Magical Resonance- Magic resonates with certain materials, places, or times.

9. Law of Magical Secrecy- Magic must be kept secret from the non-magical world.

11. Law of Magical Hierarchy- Different types of magic have different levels of power and difficulty.

Balance and Consequences

10. Law of Magical Balance- Every positive magical effect has a negative consequence.

12. Law of Magical Limitation- Magic has limits and cannot solve every problem.

14. Law of Magical Rebound- Misused magic can backfire on the user.

Special Conditions

13. Law of Magical Conduits- Certain objects or beings can channel magic more effectively.

15. Law of Magical Cycles- Magic may be stronger or weaker depending on cycles (e.g., lunar phases).

17. Law of Magical Awareness- Some beings are more attuned to magic and can sense its presence.

Ethical and Moral Laws

16. Law of Magical Ethics- Magic should be used responsibly and ethically.

18. Law of Magical Consent- Magic should not be used on others without their consent.

20. Law of Magical Oaths- Magical promises or oaths are binding and have severe consequences if broken.

Advanced and Rare Laws

19. Law of Magical Evolution- Magic can evolve and change over time.

20. Law of Magical Singularities- Unique, one-of-a-kind magical phenomena exist and are unpredictable.

Unique and Imaginative Magical Laws

- Law of Temporal Magic- Magic can manipulate time, but with severe consequences. Altering the past can create paradoxes, and using time magic ages the caster rapidly.

- Law of Emotional Resonance- Magic is amplified or diminished by the caster’s emotions. Strong emotions like love or anger can make spells more powerful but harder to control.

- Law of Elemental Harmony- Magic is tied to natural elements (fire, water, earth, air). Using one element excessively can disrupt the balance and cause natural disasters.

- Law of Dream Magic- Magic can be accessed through dreams. Dreamwalkers can enter others’ dreams, but they risk getting trapped in the dream world.

- Law of Ancestral Magic- Magic is inherited through bloodlines. The strength and type of magic depend on the caster’s ancestry, and ancient family feuds can influence magical abilities.

- Law of Symbiotic Magic- Magic requires a symbiotic relationship with magical creatures. The caster and creature share power, but harming one affects the other.

- Law of Forgotten Magic- Ancient spells and rituals are lost to time. Discovering and using forgotten magic can yield great power but also unknown dangers.

- Law of Magical Echoes- Spells leave behind echoes that can be sensed or traced. Powerful spells create stronger echoes that linger longer.

- Law of Arcane Geometry- Magic follows geometric patterns. Spells must be cast within specific shapes or alignments to work correctly.

- Law of Celestial Magic- Magic is influenced by celestial bodies. Spells are stronger during certain astronomical events like eclipses or planetary alignments.

- Law of Sentient Magic- Magic has a will of its own. It can choose to aid or hinder the caster based on its own mysterious motives.

- Law of Shadow Magic- Magic can manipulate shadows and darkness. Shadowcasters can travel through shadows but are vulnerable to light.

- Law of Sympathetic Magic- Magic works through connections. A spell cast on a representation of a person (like a doll or portrait) affects the actual person.

- Law of Magical Artifacts- Certain objects hold immense magical power. These artifacts can only be used by those deemed worthy or who possess specific traits.

- Law of Arcane Paradoxes- Some spells create paradoxes that defy logic. These paradoxes can have unpredictable and often dangerous outcomes.

- Law of Elemental Fusion- Combining different elemental magics creates new, hybrid spells with unique properties and effects.

- Law of Ethereal Magic- Magic can interact with the spirit world. Ethereal mages can communicate with spirits, but prolonged contact can blur the line between life and death.

- Law of Arcane Symbiosis- Magic can bond with technology, creating magical machines or enchanted devices with extraordinary capabilities.

- Law of Dimensional Magic- Magic can open portals to other dimensions. Dimensional travelers can explore alternate realities but risk getting lost or encountering hostile beings.

- Law of Arcane Sacrifice- Powerful spells require a sacrifice, such as a cherished memory, a personal item, or even a part of the caster’s soul.

---

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[bixels]

Quick worldbuilding comic about magical items.

[willtheweaver]

Some locations and structures to include in your forest

Abandoned shrine

Alchemist’s lab

Ancient ruins

Army encampment

Battlefield memorial

Boathouse

Bridge, log

Bridge, stone arch

Bridge, suspension

Bridge, wooden beam

Causeway

Cablin

Cable car station

Cairns- grave markers

Cairns- trail marker

Cave system

Caved-in tunnel

Cemetery

Clearing

Campsite

Castle (robber baron or otherwise)

Collapsed building

Dam

Dirt track

Ditch, defensive

Ditch, henge monument

Dock

Dragon’s lair

Elven settlement

Fairy ring

Farm

Ferry landing

Ford

Fort, earthen

Fort, stone

Fort, wooden

Game trail

Ghost town

Guardhouse

Haunted ruins

Hermit’s hut

Hollow hill

Hunting lodge

Hunter’s hide

Inn

Logging camp

Manor house

Mine

Monastery

Outlaw’s hideout

Overgrown ruins

Potholes

Paved road

Portal

Quarry

Railroad

Rail station

Raised platform

Roadside grave

Sacred grove

Sawmill

Sky burial platform

Signpost

Stone circle

Summoning ring

Switchback

Temple

Tollbooth

Treehouse

Troll cave

Tunnel entrance

Turnpike

Village

Waterwheel

Watchtower, stone

Watchtower, wooden

Witches’ cottage

Wizard’s tower

Zip line

[thecrazyworldbuilder]

Oh this makes up for such a cool otherworldly setting really.

[eskiinox]

THE SILT VERSES!!! never drawn them before so the designs will probably change BUT CARPENTER AND FAULKNER!!!!!!! currently on chapter 34 Wish Me Luck

[redd956]

Worldbuilding questions to get the creative juices flowing 28

Happy Valentine’s Day !!!

Theme: Love & Relationships & Romance

What are the everyday signs of affection? How do couples let others they’re in love? What are riskier signs of affection? (Kissing vs. Making Out)

Is there an immediate teller to who is a couple? (Engagement rings, magical tattoos, traditional sashes) Is there immediate tellers to who is single? Is there immediate tellers to other sexualities, celibacy, etc.?

How are various sexualities and identities treated? Does one have privilege above the rest? If so why? If identities are treated equally is anything happening to cause change?

Is there marriage? If so, how does marriage work? Are weddings celebrations, parties, or goodbye ceremonies? If weddings are an event what are those like? What do the members wear? Is it gender based? 

(Do men get wedding capes, tell me they get wedding capes, it’s so unfair that women get majestic dresses, while men get tuxes, they already wear tuxes to other things, tell the wedding capes are beautiful)

Are people commonly affectionate? How is romance and sex viewed in culture? What is taboo? What isn’t? What is viewed inappropriate for non-couples?

What are symbols of love? How did those become the symbols? Does love have any link to religion (or law)?

Any obstacles for love? (Gay marriage illegal, arranged marriages, primarily men in the online dating sphere, primarily one gender a heterosexual population)

Do people give each other anything in the name of love? What activities are done between lovers? How is intimacy viewed? 

How do people propose relationships? Is getting a partner difficult, easy, frustrating? And why? (Animalistic feminine approach, high standards, depressed society)

Do love or romanced based activities change across different sexualities or identities? If so how and why did that become the norm?

[psalidodont]

A close relative of the Hellbender, the Marrowjaw (or Canyon salamander) is considered a force to be reckon with. Not only they are stockier than their crypt/dungeon dwelling cousins, but shorter and faster. Its hard to make the Marrowjaw trip on its own body when their hunting grounds consist of vast canyons and underground crevaces. They pretend to be a pile of unappealing bones, waiting for something to pick them up or pass by and thus fall into their vicious maws! Using a velcro-like surface on their scutes, these desert dwelling malformed lizards roll over bones and rearrange them as head ornaments or body armor. Marrowjaws perform little queues waiting to pick up already used bones by other individuals as they shed their skin, they have their own little preferences too! with most seen to be using serrated saw-like skulls... which definitely will use in combat to slice you into bits if you're not careful enough. Marrowjaws like to live in company. Sometimes, they can be found in dens with millions of them. They hate fire though! (not so fireproof for a dragon after all), having a torch around is quite handy to scare them away when spelunking.