archivesofwysteria

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reminder to worldbuilders: don't get caught up in things that aren't important to the story you're writing, like plot and characters! instead, try to focus on what readers actually care about: detailed plate tectonics

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One of the ballsiest things Tolkien ever did was write 473k words about some hobbits called frodo, sam, merry, and pippin and then write in the appendices that their names are actually maura, ban, kali, and razal. 

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can we take a moment to just think about how incredibly scary magical healing is in-context?

You get your insides ripped open but your friend waves his hands and your flesh just pulls back together, agony and evisceration pulling back to a ‘kinda hurts’ level of pain and you’re physically whole, with the 100% expectation that you’ll get back up and keep fighting whatever it was that struck you down the first time.

You break your arm after falling somewhere and after you’re healed instead of looking for ‘another way around’ everybody just looks at you and goes “okay try again”.

You’ve been fighting for hours, you’re hungry, thirsty, bleeding, crying from exhaustion, and a hand-wave happens and only two of those things go away. you’re still hungry, you’re still weak from thirst, but the handwave means you have ‘no excuse’ to stop.

You act out aggressively maybe punch a wall or gnash your teeth or hit your head on something and it’s hand-waved because it’s ‘such a small injury you probably can’t even feel it anymore’ but the point was that you felt it at all?

Your pain literally means nothing because as long as you’re not bleeding you’re not injured, right? Here drink this potion and who cares about the emotional exhaustion of that butchered village, why are you so reserved in camp don’t you think it’s fun retelling that time you fell through a burning building and with a hand-wave you got back up again and ran out with those two kids and their dog? 

Older warriors who get a shiver around magic-users not because of the whole ‘fireball’ thing but the ‘I don’t know what a normal pain tolerance is anymore’ effect of too much healing. Permanent paralysis and loss of sensation in limbs is pretty much a given in the later years of any fighter’s life. Did I have a stroke or did the mage just heal too hard and now this side of my face doesn’t work? No i’m not dead from the dragon’s claws but I can’t even bend my torso anymore because of how the scar tissue grew out of me like a vine.

Magical healing is great and keeps casualties down.

But man.

That stuff is scary.

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I know I’m being an insufferable worldbuilding nerd here, but my basic metric for evaluating media with very inhuman protagonists is “how easily can one offer a complete and coherent account of this media’s plot without ever mentioning the fact that the protagonist is, for example, a talking car?”. The harder it is, the higher it scores.

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Player: “well we didn’t die during the night, so that’s nice”

DM: “oh right, I forgot something”

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my notes document of dwarven phrases is ever expanding

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Does the worldbuilding thing have a day prompt list/ image to go with it? :O It's very interesting and I'd like to steal it for my own worldbuilding

I use these two and just choose whichever one I like better

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Political Map of Wysteria

I had free time.

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Sorry if this question has already been asked, but I haven’t seen anything similar anywhere. So I really love world building and characters, and I can spend hours figuring out their intricate details and visualizing them in my head. I would love to start turning them into stories, but that’s where I simply blank and have difficulty coming up with even a basic plot line. How would you recommend coming up with basic plots when you already have worlds and characters thought out?

Making a plot for your world and characters...

I often consider the outline of a story to surround the three pillars of events, environment, and characters. When you are struggling to develop any one of these elements, I find it helpful to examine how the other two are interacting. If you begin (in this instance) with a fairly developed environment and set of characters moving within it, you can analyze the interactions between the two and discern where there might be opportunities for conflict. Approaching plot development this way will primarily put your story in the character-driven category. 

A more detailed example might look something like this: 

You have an ensemble cast of characters who live in a dystopian society where death has been eradicated during their lifetime. They are all old enough to remember a world before immortality, and society has witnessed cultural conflict in response to this advancement in technology. This could be approached from many angles, such as dissent or advocacy from religious groups, cultural groups with practices related to death, social classes who have lesser access to the technology, political groups who manipulate the issue to their benefit, etc. Each character in your ensemble will have their own personal views and be affected individually by this factor of the environment you’ve put them in, so find the conflict in each of them. Perhaps one of the characters is inheriting a leadership position in a cultural group that advocates against the use of the technology to prolong life as it goes against their beliefs. Maybe another character is of a social class that has limited access to the technology and is going to great lengths to cure a sick family member. 

That is the thought process of development that will make it easier to create a central conflict and plot for your story. 

Identify unique factors of the environment 

Consider your characters’ established place within the environment

Anticipate conflicts between the two

Exploit those conflicts to create tension

Outline the development of all conflicts to find the through line plot of the story

I hope this helps, and as always you can feel free to reach out if you have further questions.

x Kate

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Masterlist

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Mindfire

Mindfire is an affliction that results from corrupted Resonance being taken into the soul. It can appear in both acute and chronic forms, depending on its origin. Acute Mindfire is more obvious, with bright, multicolored flames shooting from the patient's eyes. This form of Mindfire deals large amounts of psychic damage, temporarily lowers mental stats, and can cause short-term memory loss. Chronic Mindfire is less obvious at first, but far more disastrous. Patients can go for years without ever realizing that they are infected, up until the first "flare-up". Chronic Mindfire flare-ups mimic the effects of the acute form, but the results are permanent. Chronic Mindfire, if not cured by a skilled magician, can result in complete destruction of the self as the patient's memories are shaved away with each episode.

Mindfire appears to originate from some sort of outer deity. As a result, those who are magically-gifted can learn to manipulate the corrupted Resonance that enters their soul, using it to cast powerful magic. This form of resonance manipulation can fight off the more permanent effects of Mindfire, but even the most skilled casters will still suffer from acute flare-ups with overuse. Acute Mindfire is usually caused by attacks from those who are utilizing corrupted Resonance to cast spells, while the chronic form appears as a result of curses. Chronic Mindfire can also be contracted from being in proximity to someone who dies from a chronic Mindfire flare-up, scattering corrupted Resonance around them in death.

Mindfire appears as a white-multicolored flame. Those afflicted with chronic Mindfire appear to have some sort of iridescent film over their eyes, like magical cataracts.

Spells that utilize mindfire often mimic acute flare-ups, with flames building in the eyes. Mindfire flare-ups are excruciatingly painful, with victims often describing the sensation as similar to being burned alive. Pain is mostly focused in the head and near the eye sockets, which is why victims are often seen clutching their eyes during flare-ups.

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Xenoresonance

Wysteria is only one of an infinite number of realities, all placed along a flat grid that expands to infinity. Each point on the grid can be imagined as a number, with each integer representing its own universe. The farther one reality is from another, the stranger the two worlds are to each other. The one common factor, the one concept that stays the same in every single reality, is Resonance. Some realities have more of it than others; thus, some realities are more magical than others, but it exists everywhere. It makes up the soul everywhere; therefore, the soul, too, is constant between realities.

Like DNA, each reality’s Resonance has its own code, its own genetic makeup. Resonance that enters another reality is, within that reality, known as Xenoresonance. Among the deities of Wysteria, not much is known about Xenoresonance. The mortals know even less. While standard Resonance can only become toxic in extremely high, unfocused levels, Xenoresonance is always dangerous. It does not affect mortals in the same way standard Resonance Toxicity does; Xenoresonance, when coming into contact with standard Resonance, will do one of two things: usually, the two Resonances will collide, annihilating both. On the rarest of occasions, however, the two Resonances will fuse, resulting in something neither standard nor fully alien.

The barriers between realities are guarded well, so the manifestation of Xenoresonance is extremely rare, if even possible. Once inside another world, inert Xenoresonance (not belonging to a soul) will linger, slowly deteriorating. If a soul never comes into contact with it, it will eventually destabilize, leading to local reality corruption. This corruption is often minor, exhibiting strange deviations from standard reality. If Xenoresonance comes into contact with a soul, however, it will shoot towards the soul, colliding with it. Usually, this results in damage to the soul, which leads to magical mutations. If the Xenoresonance is not annihilated, however, it will instead fuse with the soul and incorporate itself into the greater mass. This leads to the soul gaining the ability to read Resonance, seeing the inner writings of reality, and learning to alter them. Few survive this form of “enlightenment”, however, as the reading of Resonance tends to drive the mortal mind insane. Those who can withstand it, however, can become extremely powerful spellcasters known as Realiturgists - those who can directly alter reality to their benefit.

When a soul enters another reality, a struggle between the Xenoresonance around them and the Resonance within their soul presents itself. Both forces attract each other, and two scenarios may occur. The first scenario occurs if the Xenoresonance around them wins the struggle. This leads to the mortal soul being ripped apart and scattered across that reality; this form of soul destruction leads to an absolute death, from which resurrection is impossible. When the soul is destroyed in another reality, that soul is erased from existence. Any proof of the mortal’s existence within their own reality is wiped, and history restructured to account for their absence. If the soul’s own Resonance wins, then it will absorb a massive amount of Xenoresonance from its surroundings. When this occurs, the soul is forced back into their own reality. The Xenoresonance they had absorbed becomes a part of their self and increases the soul’s magical potency tenfold. The mortal is often left dazed and confused, but if they survive for long enough to understand their newfound realiturgic abilities, they can become some of the most powerful beings in existence.

The Gods of Wysteria do not take kindly to the presence of Xenoresonance, often entirely abandoning those whose souls are affected by it. They do not trust what they cannot control.

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I can’t I fucking can’t I made a single typo on my worldbuilding post I need to commit seppuku and regain my honor NOW

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Resonance

The driving force behind magic within Wysteria is a substance known as Resonance. In large concentrations, it takes the form of a wispy, iridescent vapor; however, such dense Resonance levels do not occur naturally. Resonance seems to have a sort of magnetic pull towards sentient creatures, creating magical auras around them. Resonance is the material that makes up a soul; therefore, the greatest concentrations of Resonance are found within soul-possessing creatures.

This Resonance aura that exists around most creatures is what allows people to perform magic. Resonance is the force that upholds the laws of reality, and through manipulation of Resonance, one can learn to manipulate reality. As one grows in power, their pull on the Resonance around them will grow, allowing them to perform more complex feats of magic. Due to the natural variability of souls, some creatures are born with greater magical pulls than others. Sorcerers, for example, often have highly abnormal Resonance concentrations around them from birth, granting them a natural affinity to magic.

Resonance can be manipulated in a variety of ways, resulting in the creation of three distinct classes of magic: Primal Magic, Classical Magic, and Second Magic. Primal magic is the most base form of Resonance manipulation, often used by fae, sorcerers, and druids. It is notably more chaotic than the other classes of magic, often being far harder to control. Primal magic is the origin of most curses, being heavily affected by the phases of Lunis, the moon. This is because Lunis’ arrival on Wysteria led to the discovery of magic, as Lunis is the single most Resonance-dense being in this reality. Primal magic is far more likely to destabilize and cause Resonance Toxicity than other forms of magic, which is why Wild Magic Sorcerers often experience this destabilization firsthand. Classical magic is often used by demons, celestials, and their followers. It is a more refined form of magic, often taking on the “themes” of the creatures who cast it. This is why worshippers of different entities who cast the same spells will often end up creating different effects. Finally, Second Magic was a humanoid invention, being used by Wizards, Artificers, and other scholars. Second Magic is the calculated manipulation of Resonance to achieve highly specific effects. This makes it the most stable form of Resonance manipulation, but also the hardest to learn.

Large concentrations of Resonance can be found permeating highly magical areas. The Feywild, for example, is so magically-dense that one can actually see Resonance throughout it. These Resonance-dense areas allow for people to cats magic more freely. Having so much unfocused Resonance in one place, however, is exceedingly dangerous. Too much ambient primal magic can form a corrupting influence on nearby souls, making subtle alterations to their very being. These alterations can add up, eventually leading to an entirely different creature.

Case 1 of Resonance Toxicity: Aeris Veridia (Original name: Tavis Veridhalt)

Situation: Only child of the Veridhalt family, Aeris was a brass Dragonborn who, at 6 years old, became lost in the feywild for 8 years.

Alterations: Lost all non-essential memories before the age of 6, including his birth name. Extreme physical alteration, becoming the first example of a “Faerie Dragonborn”. Physical changes include major decrease in height, growing wings similar to that of a fairy, smoothing of scales, major changes to chemical structure of the fundamentum, resulting in the ability to create a gaseous, psychoactive substance known as Euphoria Gas, two pairs of three tentacle-like appendages around the sides of the head, and a pink and blue coloration that, unlike that of actual faerie dragons, does not vary with age. Subject also exhibited behavioral changes, taking on a more “chaotic” personality. Subject is notably more energetic than usual, demonstrating a lack of foresight or focus.

At 21 years of age, Aeris Veridia is currently captain of the Bluetide Coastal Guard. Despite major amnesia, subject is content with their current life. His parents, Vesuvius Veridhalt and Artemis Veridhalt, haven’t seen their son since he disappeared, and likely never will.

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Map of Wysteria

As this is a map being actively used in a D&D Campaign, it will change over time to reflect newly-discovered areas. It may also simply change because I feel like adding things to the map.

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Vampirism and Gargoyles

Vampirism is one of the few curse forms that are not a result of primal magic, being directly created by Lilith, a powerful demonic entity and the god of bloodshed. As such, it does not follow the "1 Curse Rule" that most primal curses follow, meaning it can infect those already afflicted by a separate curse. Certain types of primal curses, however, will make their hosts resistant to vampirism. A famous example of such is Therianthropy, with only three total recorded cases of a creature being afflicted with both Therianthropy and Vampirism simultaneously.

Vampirism, due to its origin as a "purposed curse," is far more complex than the average primal affliction. Vampires are split into a plethora of subspecies, such as the Darkwing, the Hide, the Prime Gargoyle, etc. While gargoyles are often associated with vampirism, the original sculptures were actually created by a religious group as a method of warding of demonic influences. This is why many inert gargoyles can be found in old religious grounds. Vampiric gargoyles come in two varieties, the Prime and the Thrall.

The Prime Gargoyle is a vampiric subspecies, and is responsible for the creation of thralls. Thrall gargoyles are humanoids enthralled by a Prime Gargoyle. Those enthralled by a Prime Gargoyle undergo an excruciating transformation, resulting in a creature who looks nothing like the original humanoid who was transformed. While some small traits of the original creature may remain, such as temperament, general size, etc, they are no longer the same person. Thrall gargoyles are most commonly found guarding areas of significance to vampires.

The most famous trait of the thrall gargoyle is the fact that they are rendered immobile when being directly viewed by a non-vampire. In exchange for this immobility, the average thrall is capable of moving up to triple the speed of an average human, appearing as though time around them is accelerated. They are also capable of petrifying humanoids through sustained contact. This is usually done to capture humanoids for the Prime Gargoyle they serve to either feed on or turn into more thralls. Thralls are capable of turning people on their own, but the process is time-consuming and risky; if their victim is able to look at them during the process, it can be halted near-indefinitely. This ability is relatively weak, however, as the petrification process is long and swiftly reversed if contact is broken. If a thrall gargoyle is sufficiently damaged, it may enter a berserked state, breaking free of its magical restraints and brutally mauling those who have angered it. In this state, they lose their accelerated speed and will remain enraged until it is either subdued or has eliminated all nearby threats.