#story crafting

[braveheartstoryteller]

There are no perfect stories. Just stories that affect the hearts they are supposed to.

[gillymugs]

Story crafting with @qyrhan

Please don’t repost anywhere else

mirialan and Sith of belongs to qyrhan

(4th pic pure blood sith made by qyrhan)

[chrissytinat]

I know the video's been up for a bit now, but I still enjoy this one and enjoyed the concept. It's always fun to test yourself with different ways to come up with stories.

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 71

There existed a bond between two individuals. One was a hardened figure, weathered by the trials of time and circumstance. The other, a compassionate soul, whose heart seemed to overflow with empathy for every passing moment.

"You always seem to have a heart for the ones in need," the weathered figure remarked, his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness.

The compassionate soul paused, turning to meet the gaze of his companion. "Isn't that what it means to be human? To feel for others, to share in their joys and sorrows?"

The other scoffed, a cynical edge creeping into his tone. "People die every day, yet you only seem to care when they're dying at my feet."

The words hung heavy in the air, a stark reminder of the divergent paths they had chosen. One, guided by duty and survival, hardened by the harsh realities of life. The other, driven by compassion and empathy, refusing to turn a blind eye to the suffering around him.

[azlecks-world]

Hi! This is my first post and just wanna say that I wanna try posting short stories and my upcoming story here to see if they’ll be good. Or well, entertaining 😅 feel free to follow! I’ll try to post each time I finish a short story or a chapter in my main story. I already got a lot done, but I just gotta sort them out. I’m posting one very soon tho to get started! So..stay tuned.

[markeyverse]

And novels. And lengthy fanfic.

Making long-form webcomics is like

[noodles-and-tea]

Our hextech dream….

[shellyscribbles]

Hmmm...I have reached a point in the prologue that feels like a stopping point, but it isn't quite where I wanted to stop.

I wonder if it would work to do a flashback for the rest or maybe do another prologue from the Princess's perspective that tells the rest of the events.

Oh, that could work. It would help establish her view of him.

Maybe I could just switch POV to Audrey and keep the prologue together... hmm. So many options.

[nerdsandqueens]

Read the old evanuris lore from DAO and some DATV cutscenes last night.

There is something to be said when you have a piece of established lore and mythos that is extremely evocative, only to retcon it later. And the execution of framing all that wonder as "propaganda" leaves A LOT to be desired. (Especially in the context of what originally was portrayed as cultural heritage now being construed as imperial historical revisionism.)

But I will work with it. It is clear to me that what I consider "retcons" were intended by the original writing team before they were let go by Bioware. There are a lot of hints in Inquisition and Trespasser that can't be ignored. And for my interest in Ghilan'nain specifically, the books paint a very clear picture. The writers that remained at Bioware for DATV just weren't capable of seeing it through properly.

[uberguber89]

Maybe new words CAN be created in The Arcane Language, but it only ever happens spontaneously, in response to a new idea/concept/invention being discovered/accepted/invented, and never "on purpose" (what constitutes "on purpose" is its own area of study and debate, inherently risky because understanding it too well makes it less likely to happen). This adds a new axis of tension, between the Wizards scouring the past for untouched corners of knowledge in pursuit of short-term profit magical power, and Sorcerers (or whatever in-world distinction) who forego immediate power in favor of the future sustainability of the climate The Arcane Language.

Spells are a non-renewable resource. One a spell has been cast, it can never be cast again.

But thankfully, what counts as a unique spell is permissive, and very early on in the history of wizardry, wizards found many ways to use the arcane language to specify a similar effect even if the wording was different.

And still, spells were a non-renewable resource.

There are only so many ways to call forth a beam of lancing light, only a limited number of methods of purifying food to make it safe to eat. Soon it became necessary for the wizards to start casting spells that weren't quite what they wanted: a beam of light that arced to the left, a purifying spell that added a bitter taste, some changes cosmetic and others very functional.

And still, spells were a non-renewable resource.

Wizardry was divided into ages by the historiographers. The First Age was the age of plenty, when wizards could make minor tweaks to the spells and cast as much as they liked. The Second Age was the age of modification, when wizards were jumping through hoops and using methods with side effects. But the Third Age was the age of decay, when so many spells had been used that only the oddballs were left. It was impossible to cast anything even remotely resembling a fireball, not even one that hooked to the left and exploded with sharp green shards.

It came to be that few wizards could produce a spell on their first attempt. They would try, only to discover that someone else had already taken their idea and the spell does not work. They would try again, only to discover that their second idea had also been taken. Wizard battles, which had once been glorious light shows, were reduced to two wizards standing in a field trying to be the first one to stumble upon a spell that had never been cast before.

~~~~

Here are some plot hooks:

Wizards jealously guard their knowledge, fearful that someone will learn of a "seam" of untapped spells, but they also write down every spell they know to have been cast, to reduce their search space. Obviously this trove of knowledge is highly valuable.

The existence of spell "seams", which are really just collections of spells that work off the same cluster of discrete variations, mean that wizards tend to be very specialized. The Sheep Wizard knows eight hundred ways of turning someone into a sheep, because he's studied that area of the arcane language extensively, as well as historical precedents that have been ruled out. The natural enemy of a Sheep Wizard is, of course, another Sheep Wizard.

During the Second Age, a group of wizards get together to deliberately reduce the spell-space, largely in the hopes of reducing the capacity of wizard-kind for making war. Their work largely consists of sitting around casting as many fireballs as they can, depleting all options for everyone else.

During the Third Age, a group of wizards gets together and in the spirit of mutual cooperation begins to define "spell blocks", a collection of spells that a single wizard is entitled to and all other wizards agree not to use. When you become a wizard, you're given a thousand spells which are thought to still be valid, and will lose your license to practice wizardry if you cast any spells that are outside your block. This is difficult to enforce, rife with accusations and suspicion, but is thought to be better than nothing.

During the Fourth Age, a group of "wizards" (none of whom have ever actually cast a spell) are working on the arcane language in the hopes of a revival. As the age of hoarded knowledge has mostly passed, they're able to get their hands on many books that weren't previously available. One day, they invent a new form of specification that allows hundreds of thousands of new spells, re-igniting wizardry.

[joncronshawauthor]

📚 Intense Writing Week & Family TV Time | Author Diary - April 5, 2024 - The Knight and the Rebel 🐉✨

[louisbxne]

black vampires + witches

akasha, queen of the damned (2002)

louis & claudia, interview with the vampire (2022-)

tara thorton, true blood (2008-2014)

blade, blade (1998)

marcel gerard, the originals (2013-2018)

sarah fox, my babysitter's a vampire (2011-2012)

alex & camryn, twitches (2005)

rochelle zimmerman, the craft (1996)

bonnie bennett, the vampire diaries (2009-2017)

vincent griffith, the originals (2013-2018)

marie laveau, american horror story (2011-)

macy vaughn, charmed (2018-2022)

[cyndavilachase]

[enchantingepics]

Story Prompt 40

In a dimly lit room with the soft hum of music in the background, she sat at her vanity, her mascara wand poised for action. The night had started with a blink, but it was the push she received earlier that fueled her fiery determination. Her eyeliner was a chaotic swirl, a reflection of her emotions.

As she whipped away the makeup mishap, her mind raced, concocting a revenge plan like a mad scientist brewing an elixir. She had to teach the pusher a lesson they wouldn't forget. A sly grin crept across her face as the perfect scheme unfolded in her thoughts.

The next day, she found herself at a local cafe, strategically seated near a bulletin board cluttered with event flyers. A devious sparkle in her eyes, she "accidentally" bumped into the unsuspecting pusher, sending them sprawling. Seizing the opportunity, she deftly slipped a fake event flyer into their bag.

A few days later, the pusher excitedly arrived at the address on the flyer, expecting to attend a grand masquerade ball. To their bewilderment, they found themselves in the middle of a quirky costume party for pets. Amidst dogs dressed as superheroes and cats in tutus, the pusher stood, a picture of confusion.

[mollykflood]

I remember this old song and dance.

Animation is under attack! My union, the Animation Guild, is in the middle of negotiations with the AMPTP to gain a new contract for animation. We’re fighting against being exploited, against AI taking jobs, and the future of this industry!

Please please be loud in your support of animation and its workers by using the #StandWithAnimation and stay informed HERE HERE AND HERE