#world building guide

[lamaery]

Art for the Stormlight RPG World Guide for Kholinar, the Warcamps and Herdaz.

They kickstarter is going midblowingly well and by now not only the no° 1 RPG kickstarter of all times but maaaaybe it'll even get to be the most successful board games kickstarter... 👀 (this fandom really never ceases to amaze!) 55 Hours still to go. The kickstarter ends on Thursday night (Or Friday morning if you are in Europe). So if you are interested you can still join (and add late pledges later 😉) There is also this lovely chat I had with Argent not too long ago, if you want to listen to us (well mostly me) enthusiastically rant about world building and making art for the Cosmere RPG for way too long. 😅 (But you can see some of the progress that went into some of these pieces here.)

[watercraver]

Two of my friends just read the original HDG in a discord VC.

They seemed to enjoy the world building but were kinda put-off by Elvira and Miss Nele’s dynamic.

They commented on how Elvira was constantly unhappy and how the concept of domestication is sorta framed as a negative, at least if you’re not already into it.

I sent them both Dog of War, since I think it’s just… better than the original, especially when it comes to how it frames and executes being a pet and I think they might enjoy it more, even if it has ‘weirder’ kinks and explicit sex scenes.

They’ve said they won’t be reading it in-call (primarily due to the aforementioned sex scenes) but I think it’s generally a better read.

Yeah so TLDR; I accidentally got my friends interested, even if morbidly, in the HDG setting.

[tiffanyachings]

one of my many tlt costume thoughts is that the sixth house robes should look like scifi-ed academic dress. i am talking stupidly long, pointy hoods. i’m talking 578 different lining / trimming / tassel colour combos in barely distinguishable shades of grey denoting department, title, citation impact etc. do you see my vision

[swordscleric]

I can't stop thinking about the post from a few days ago about how Critical Role has been great at doing personal faith but didn't put the necessary work in to discuss the religious/god angle of c3 in-depth. Like the fact that Cardinal Respa was linked to both the Dawnfather and the Chained Oblivion is, on a personal level, very interesting (fallen/corrupted priest goes hard) but like does that mean that there's a Papacy somewhere in Exandria dedicated to the Dawnfather? If so, are there more cardinals who ordain the bishops of the Dawnfather? Are there Conclave-level intrigues going on in the Dawnfather's Sistine Chapel? Why is the Dawnfather so Christianity-coded in vibes alone if there's no actual outline of his religious organisations? With Downfall the Dawnchild/Dawnfather thing makes the allusions to Christ as Son of God co-existing with the Father textual - was there a Dawnfather Schism around whether the Dawnchild was a separate mortal? Was there a Reformation about how the Dawnfather's Pope kept selling indulgences? Is that why the priest of the Dawnfather Grog & Pike offer a drink to doesn't partake because of a cultural shift between Protestant-Temperance-League-coded and Catholic-coded Dawnfather congregations? Why do I have so many questions about the religious organisation of one of the most important Prime Deities in Exandria and to Critical Role's 3 campaigns? How on earth were the cast (and us as the viewers!) meant to care about the gods if all they had were "really tall kings" instead of interrogating how religious organisations provide both a place of healing and community to a wide range of people and also a place of horrific harm and abuse for a wide range of people?

[doppelneer]

YET ANOTHER HEADCANON.

This time for Bos

I just think that would be cute and cool but also that would be pretty useful I think.

Also been wanting to draw nesting guide since the start of the season.

[jtl-fics]

Fluent Freshman - Part 13

PREVIOUS

“I can’t believe you would go out on Black Friday to grocery shop but I guess thanks for going out on Black Friday to grocery shop.” Aaron greets him with as FF moves over to the table.

Andrew and Captain Neil had apparently went out shopping.

Andrew and Captain Neil had apparently come back and have been in Andrew’s room for the past couple hours.

“Josten probably wanted to go to Excites for some gear. I don’t know what my brother sees in that Exy-obsessed jerk.” Aaron says as he eats his own smiley eggs and bacon. FF hears the sound of a hammer and a drill from Andrew’s room.

Heart in his throat he forces himself not to think about what Andrew and Captain Neil COULD be building.

(A guillotine, an iron maiden, that weird wedge thing that splits people in half at the groin, He should NOT have taken that Spanish history class. Oh god it’s probably a fence so he can’t escape whatever hunting ground Andrew is going to drag him to if he can’t buy his continued existence via baked good.)

“Shut up, they’re actually really sweet to one another.” Nicky chastises before turning to FF, “Because of that your final serving goes to Smithy. He deserves it more than you.” Nicky says and slides the final plate of eggs and bacon.

“He’s just as bothered by it as I am!” Aaron scowls.

“By what?” FF asks because there are a lot of things that bother him so Aaron is going to have to be more specific.

“By those two being all close. I’ve seen the way you turn and walk away.” Aaron reaches across the table for his bacon but FF just pushes the plate closer to him. The two plates he had already eaten were more than enough, especially after the full dinner that they’d had the night before. “You’re grossed out by it too right?” He asks as he goes to stab the bacon.

FF slides the plate away and Aaron stabs the table.

FF is NOT HOMOPHOBIC.

His gran raised him better than that.

“I don’t agree with you.” He says because he doesn’t but can’t bring himself to say anymore. He’s in Aaron’s house, he stole Aaron’s keys that morning to lock up the house.

(it was so rude but what if someone broke in because he left the house unlocked? What if someone got hurt just because he wanted to ensure his own survival? Isn’t it better that he just borrowed Aaron’s keys to make sure that no one in the house got hurt? Does FF still believe with every fiber of his being that Andrew Minyard is trying to murder him in this exact house? Yes. Can these concerns coexist peacefully? Also yes.)

If anything he finds Captain Neil and Andrew to be an incredibly nice couple. They talk about things together, they make plans about their future, their PDA was actually pretty minimal (especially in comparison to Aaron), and he had figured out the weird code Andrew talked in so he was pretty sure that Andrew and Neil loved one another.

The only issue he has with the couple is that they are out at a store probably buying supplies to torture and then kill FF.

Otherwise they were perfectly fine.

Aaron scowls, “You can’t be serious. You walk away faster than you run on the court when you see the two of them getting all gross.” He points with his fork and tries to grab the bacon again.

FF frowns deeper.

“I walk away even faster from you and your girlfriend.” He returns because Aaron and Katelyn are the couple who have been the MOST guilty of initiating something in front of him when he was in ‘Visible only when the sunlight strikes him at the exact right angle on the summer solstice’ mode.

 He had tried to clear his throat to get them to quit quite a few times but…well…he has heard Katelyn mention that one of her and Aaron’s favorite ‘hang out’ spots might be haunted….so he hadn’t been overly successful.

“PDA makes me uncomfortable in general. Captain Neil and Andrew are a very nice couple who you shouldn’t talk bad about.” He defends as one of the only people who would know exactly how thoughtful the two were to one another.

He hopes his Gran is proud of him for saying something.

Aaron looks at him with a twisted mouth for a while before relenting, “Fine they’re not that bad. It’s just a big brother thing.” Aaron rolls his eyes.

FF swallows down some acid in his throat and pushes the smiling eggs and bacon over to Aaron who smiles back at the breakfast and proceeds to eat it.

A big brother thing.

FF gets up and heads over to the final bag that Andrew had left out on the counter. FF had bought some additional offerings for his mortal soul to tide Andrew over while he made the brownies. It’s also where the incense and his latest two five hour energies should still be.

He finds the incense, wonders if he hallucinated the five hour energies (very possible), and hands Nicky a box of sour patch kids to distract him when he comes over.

“Smithy, why the hell are you lighting incense?” Nicky asks because the sour patch kids were NEVER going to be enough to distract Nicky. That would take something on the level of Swedish Fish but he’d been more focused on avoiding the candy thrown by an irate woman towards a member of Target staff because the grocery department couldn’t get her the redemption coupon for one of the flat screens in the Electronic department so he had FAILED to procure them. He’d even seen a box sail through the air is bullet time because his brain was too hopped up on Five Hour Energy but he’d let it go believing he could just grab a box at check out. THEN HE ZONED OUT IN THE CHECK OUT LINE AS HE STARED AT BOTH THE FUTURE AND THE PAST AND FORGOT HE WAS IN THE PRESENT WHERE HE HADN’T GOTTEN THE DAMN SWEDISH FISH.

“I’m going to make my Great Grandma’s brownies.” He says in response, “I’m hoping to channel her so I don’t mess up.” He says.

“Oh! More grandma baking goodies?! I can be your assistant baker! What do you need?” Nicky says visibly vibrating with excitement at the prospect. “We can listen to Mariah and I can lick the spoon!”

There is a noise of revulsion from the kitchen table.

“Don’t let him lick the spoon Smiths! He gets WEIRD about it.”

“That sounds like what someone who wants to lick the spoon would say.”

“Oh shut up!”

“That’s not a NO!”

The cousins continue to argue about spoon licking rights as FF gets started checking to make sure that the kitchen has all the necessary equipment to even make his brownies. He’d been so tired (last night? This morning?) that he hadn’t thought about even checking that the cousins would have things like a glass bowl, an baking dish, pie tin, etc.

Thankfully FOR ONCE luck is on his side and FF does not have to walk back to the Target.

So he finishes pulling out everything he’ll need, getting the oven pre-heated, and pulling out the ingredients for the brownies from the fridge.

He lights some incense with the stove top burners sends a quick prayer up and wonders if maybe a ouija board would have been better but if the Home Goods section had been a dangerous spot then the toy section would have been like walking into an active war zone. There are no laws as far as parents are concerned when it comes to getting the ‘it’ toy for their kids. FF has watched the highs and lows of humanity in the Barbie aisle more than once.

So he melts chocolate, he sifts flour and sugar, he separates eggs, and he uses every muscle that Kevin’s insane work out regiment had given his arms to whip those egg whites into stiff peaks. He knows his great gran is with him when Nicky and Aaron continue to argue (they are now talking about the ethics of licking the spoon vs. licking the bowl? He doesn’t quite get how they got there but alright) so Nicky doesn’t hear him say “Stiff Peaks Acquired” to himself because he knows Nicky well enough to know that he would have NEVER heard the end of it.

He uses all of the delicacy his gran had ever tried to teach him to fold those egg whites into the chocolate and then to fold in the flour and sugar. There are more steps, more ingredients, but unless you are family then those are CLASSIFIED.

Great Gran had always been the suspicious sort.

The oven beeps to let him know it’s done pre-heating as he’s carefully transferring his great gran’s life’s work into the baking dish.

He was so focused that he hadn’t even realized that Andrew was back until he turned to do the dishes and found Andrew holding the bowl and running his fingers through the scant remaining mix and shoving it into his mouth.

He is surprise that the scream remains in his head. He’s even more surprised that he stays upright. Maybe the nap did him some good even if it let Andrew and Captain Neil build whatever torture device they were intending to use on him.

He really needs to drink some pepto. He doesn’t think that Andrew will pause their ‘The Most Dangerous Game’ recreation to let FF manage his ulcers. Andrew is staring straight at him.

Andrew offers him the spoon.

FF declines. Raw eggs, sugar, and chocolate? With THIS stomach? He’d almost prefer to be chased through whatever enclosure Andrew is going to drag him to.

“When did you wake up?” Andrew asks.

“Hour ago.” He answers.

“Hm.”

“I’ll make the pie tomorrow.” he ventures trying to extend his life by another day.

Andrew shoves the spoon into his own mouth after that and walks out into the dining room. FF hears both Aaron and Nicky’s cries of anguish.

FF looks at the brownies in the oven at the incense burning on the counter and wonders if that was Andrew’s way of confirming his stay of execution.

MASTERPOST FOR ALL PARTS OF FLUENT FRESHMAN AU

NEXT

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As stated before if you’re up here and I spelled it right but you didn’t  get a notification there might be something switched around in your  settings that won’t let me tag you properly?

[spider-with-a-pencil]

I've been wanting to talk quite a bit about my AU's world building for a while, so I'll probably be making a couple of post where I talk about those ideas for the coming time.

Soo... yeah. I wanna start out with a little idea that's been stuck in my head for a (long) while now about berries and seeds. I've had this idea of certain seeds coming from certain berries. Like blast seeds coming from Tomato berries for example. (That and i just find it fun to come up with an in-universe explanation for how berries work) -^

This will be the first part of my berry field guide, containing medicinal berries. Also enjoy a little prologue I came up with ^

Feel free to use this as inspiration or to use it in any projects of your own! I'd love to see people use my work!

Drug Warning: while this post does not directly contain drug usage, it might sometimes imply or hint towards it. There are also a lot of mentions about medicinal applications of berries and seeds, so the line between them might be blurry. If you are easily put of by it, then I do not recommend this.

Amp crawled up the stairs, into the musky, dimly lit room. A study room by the looks of it.

He walked up to the blinds and opened them to let the sunlight flow in through the tall windows.

He searched throughout the room.

A desk, a big central table, a bookshelf contain various books, even a big map on the wall, yet no signs of a sleeping quarters.

It must probably be the floor above.

Though, he couldn't shake off a sense of curiosity. "They wouldn't mind if looked a bit around this room, right?". "To familiarize myself" he told himself.

He walked up to the map, the landmasses seemed familiar, yet different in a way. There was a name on it: Tide Buizel Shoredelver.

"Is that how they name themselves, with the species as the middle name?"

He pushed away the thought when the bookshelf caught his attention once more.

He carefully climbed up the bookshelf to inspect the books.

It contained sever books ranging from newly pressed to well worn. One named "Time Travel & Multiverse Theory" looked to have a thick layer of dust on it.

One peeked his interest however: "Berry Field Guide, Recognition & applications for common berries".

He grabbed it with a string shot and lowered it onto the ground, where he proceeded to open it.

The Berry Field Guide

Part One: Medicinal berries

The Oran berry:

Appearance: The color ranges from light to dark blue, with small dimples speckled across it. The darkness usually depicts the ripeness It is rather round in shape.

Texture and flavor: Its soft and fluffy in texture, the riper it is, the softer it is. It has a balanced flavor, though riper berries tend more towards the sweeter side. It's seeds are mostly flavorless.

Applications: The berry itself has some medicinal properties. It boosts cellular growth, which accelerates tissue growth and regeneration, whilst also serving as a mild analgesic, numbing the pain of any received injuries. While ingestion does work, the best way to extract its medicinal effects is to turn it into a balm and apply it directly onto the wound.

While most of it's seeds are plain, there is a rare chance one might contain a especially nutritious seed. This variation has similar medicinal effects as the Oran berry, though due to it's higher nutrient density, it is far more potent than the berry.

Besides it's usual analgesic effects, it also invokes sense of euphoria and/or mellowness, thus giving it the nickname "joy seed". For these reasons, it is highly sought after by doctors and healers alike.

Because of the balanced taste and medicinal properties the Oran berry has, it has become a popular snack or cooking ingredient for many Pokemon.

Side effects and harmful properties: The berries themself have not shown to cause any harmful side effects, even in excessive amounts. However, there is a rare chance for an Oran berry to contain a harmful mutation. This mutation can cause painful blisters to appear on the skin and around wounds. It is speculated that it is caused by incomplete cell replication. However, due to the mutation's rare nature, there have not been many studies on this topic yet.

Due to the euphoric response that Joy seeds cause, frequent use of them can lead to addiction. For these reasons it is often outlawed to further extract or distill Joy seed outside of medicinal applications in most areas.

The special seeds from a mutated Oran berry are also affected by the mutation. While there have only been a few recorded instances of a pokemon ingesting a mutated Joy seed, all patients had developed a severe rash and inflammation around the wounds. Reasons for these symptoms are still unknown.

The Pecha berry:

Appearance: It is a deep pink fading more towards light pink near the bottom, with white patches dotted across it. The deeper the pink is, the riper the berry. It is shaped like a hart.

Texture and flavor: It has a rather hard, but smooth texture, though it softens near the end of ripening. It has a sweet taste, however it's seed taste awfully bitter. It's leaves create a sweet fragrance when damaged.

Applications: The Pecha berry is already a very potent anti-toxin by itself, being able to cure most poisons by ingestion. It's potency can be further improved by extracting the berry in hot water and distilling the extraction further. This extraction can then be processed in supplements or taken directly.

The seed, most commonly known as a "heal seed", contains many kinds of vitamins and immune boosters, which helps against most afflictions. Due to it's broad healing capabilities, it is used as a base in most medicine.

Pecha leaves are often extracted together with the berry, creating a soothing Pecha tea. Pecha tea is well liked beverage by most Pokemon due to it's sweet flavor and it's mild healing properties. It's often given to those who are sick, as an simple remedy.

Side effects and harmful properties: There have not been any recorded harmful side effects on the use of Pecha berries and heal seeds, however excessive use might lead to a natural tolerance towards them. Continuous use for extended periods is therefore disincentivized.

The Sitrus Berry:

Appearance: Bright yellow in color and is covered in small dimples. The yellow color deepens when ripe. The berry has a round base with a conical extrusion at the bottom.

Texture and flavor: it has a rather balanced taste, though it leans more towards the sour side. It's inner texture resembles that of an Oran berry. It's seeds taste slightly dry. The seeds taste rather plain.

Applications: It is believed that the sitrus berry was originally a mutation of the Oran berry that has been selectively bred to increase it's regenerative properties, as it inhabits every similar properties as Oran berries. It possesses the same regenerative effects, though they are far stronger and leave long lasting health benefits, as do the seeds.

It is still not fully understood exactly what in the seed causes these benefits. However, it has been proven that they help slowdown the rate at which cells degrade upon replication, in turn increasing one's longevity. This has earned it the name "Life seed". These seeds can often be found as the main ingredient for vitamins that increase ones longevity.

Much like the Oran berry, there is a rare chance that a Sitrus berry can contain an extra potent seed. These seeds contain exorbitant amounts of nutrients. It is seen as a wonder medicine by most, having enough nutrients to instantly get any pokemon back on their feet. It's intense smell alone is enough to wake most unconscious pokemon. For these reasons this variation has been called the "Reviver seed". However, due to it's scarcity, it is usually reserved for life or death scenarios where traditional medicine would not be effective. Due to it's instantaneous effect, it is a popular item under explorers and bounty hunters alike.

Side effects and harmful properties: Sitrus berries have a similar mutation to Oran berries, showing the same symptoms as its Oran counterpart.

However, the mutation effects the seeds somewhat differently. The regular seeds seem to lose their regenerative properties, but have no immediate side effects. Long lasting side effects are still unknown.

There has been one recorded case of someone ingesting a mutated reviver seed. Surprisingly, it seemed that the mutation has increased the seed's potency even further, as the patient immediately woke up upon ingestion. Unfortunately, the amount of nutrients in the seed had reached toxic levels, knocking out the patient shortly after he woke up. The patient reportedly felt very hysterical.

The Cheri Berry

Appearance: It's color ranges from orange to red, the redness depicting it's ripeness. It is round and rather small in size.

Texture and flavor: While the pulp of the Cheri berry is rather tough, it becomes softer when it is cooked. The berry has a very savory taste, while the seed taste rather dry. Its seeds are a mix of savory and sweet.

Applications: Cheri berries contain proteins that help with restoring damaged muscles and can cure many cases of paralysis. They are often processed into creams to help against muscle aches and cramps.

The seeds are packed with many kinds of proteins that help with blood flow, muscle growth and increases metabolism. They are often used by move-tutors and dojo trainers to aid their trainees with work outs and learning moves. It is often refereed to as a "Trainer" seed for these reasons.

Cheri berries have become a popular meat replacement due to their savoury flavor and high protein value. For these reasons it can be found in all kinds of recipes. Cheri berries can also be dried without losing most of their beneficial effects. This makes it easy to store for long periods of time without spoiling, ideal for long distance travels. It is usually stored in the form of vitamins or whole dried, though these are usually very tough in texture.

Side effects and harmful properties: Cheri berries can inhabit a rather common, but harmful mutation. The mutation only effects the seeds. Seeds with this mutation causes muscles to seize up, which can lead to cramps and temporary paralysis. However, this can easily be cured by consuming the Cheri berry itself.

The Rawst Berry

Appearance: It ranges from light blue to cyan. It is covered in small dimples, which contain the seeds. The berry is thinker near its calyx and tapers off near the bottom.

Texture and flavor: The inside is rather soft and fluffy. It has a refreshing taste. The leaves of the calyx taste minty, as do its seeds.

Applications: The Rawst berry significantly cools the body down upon ingestion. It does this by releasing certain chemicals that promote body heat dissipation. It is often used to help against hyperthermia or inflections caused by intense heat.

The seeds release dopamine upon ingestion, helping the user stay focused and alert, even in the face of danger. For these reasons that they commonly refereed to as "Focus" seeds. However, the seeds on a single Rawst berry are not enough to cause any noticeable effect. Therefor, the seeds from multiple berries are usually packed together.

Exposing the seeds to the open air causes them to slowly undergo an endothermic reaction. For this reason, ground up Rawst seeds are often mixed with the calyx and ground into a cooling balm to help cool any burns one might have sustained.

Due to their minty flavor and cooling properties of the Rawst berry, seeds and calyx, it is often used in deserts and cold drinks. Grounded Rawst seeds can also be used to create vitamins that help increase focus and mental fortitude.

Side effects and harmful properties: Due to the endothermic reaction caused by the seeds, it is not advised to ingest multiple Rawst seeds portions in quick succession. This may lead to internal cooling of the stomach, which can lead to cramps and stomach aches and in sever cases, internal freezing.

The Aspear Berry

Appearance: It is colored a bright yellow and is covered in ring-like patterns similar to that of a Liepard. The color of these rings can range from turquoise to dark green. The greener the rings are, the riper the berry is. It is somewhat egg shaped.

Texture and flavor: It ranges from sweet to sour and somewhat bitter and it slightly burns in your throat upon ingestion. The sour- and bitterness increases with ripeness. The berry starts out rather hard but becomes significantly softer near the end of its ripening. Its seed is dry.

Applications: Unlike most berries, Aspear berries start fermenting as soon as they start growing. It is still unsure why these berries do this, but it seems to be part of its ripening process. The fermentation process turns sugars supplied by the plant into acids and alcohol, thus giving it's distinct flavor.

A Aspear berry usually contains about 4 to 5% alcohol near the end of its ripening, after which it is dropped by the plant, or it begins to spoil. When the berries are detached from the plant, sugars are no longer supplied and the fermentation slowly stops.

The alcohol in the berry causes the body to expand it's blood vessels. Together with other chemicals in the berry that promote metabolism and hart rate, it results in the body flaring up for a short period of time. This can help against immediate cold and freezing, making it a good remedy for hypothermia and frostbite.

The seeds within the Aspear berry contains chemicals that triggers the user fight or flight response, which turns the users moves for more violent and stronger than they would normally be capable of. These violent outbursts have earned the seed the name of "violent" seed.

Because of the Aspear berry's natural tendency to ferment, it makes it a excellent starter for most alcohols and popular ingredient amongst brewers. The natural alcohol in the berry also makes it easy to turn it's juice into cider, as well as disinfectant if purified or distilled.

Side effects and harmful properties: Because the berry contains slight amounts of alcohol, it also comes with its side effects, such as disorientation, nausea and increased hart rate. It is disincentivized to use Aspear berries when in a persisting cold climate, as the body will undergo rapid cooling after the heatwave wears of.

When someone if under the influence of a violent seed, it is disincentivized to agitate them. They are more likely to respond irrationally and are more likely to lash out. Frequent use of violent seeds might lead to addiction.

The Hopo Berry

Appearance: Its color ranges from a pale to bright yellow. The yellowness indicates the ripeness. The berry has a layered structure, it somewhat resembles layered scales.

Texture and flavor: The hopo berry is rather bitter and dry but releases many interesting flavors when cooked. Its texture is rather hard and tough. The seed numbs the tongue and cheek when eaten, so the taste is hard to perceive.

Applications: Hopo berries are often used as sleeping aid, as it has sedative properties. On top of that, it has also been proven to have anti-inflammatory effect as well as help stabilize the immune system. It is often used to help against insomnia and is believed by some to aid with longevity.

Hopo seeds, or more commonly knows as "sleep" seeds, are far more potent sedatives than the berry it self, having enough potency to bring nearly any pokemon into a state of narcosis. They are often given to patients before undergoing surgery.

Besides their medicinal application, hopo berries are often used in the creation of alcohol as a preservative and flavoring agent. This gives it a very distinct flavor and bitterness. They can also be used while cooking to add those same flavors to a dish.

Side effects and harmful properties: Over consumption of the berry might lead to breathing problems and drowsiness. Consuming multiple Hopo seeds at once can lead to permanent health issues and can be fatal in high enough doses.

[deoidesign]

Can you make a tutorial on how you world build and make ocs? I can't seem to make any people in my brain, but then when I try to come up with environments jobs, beliefs and little details to slowly come up with someone, I think: well I don't really know how people have influenced the world- it's a weird loop

To be honest, I don't think I can! Writing is an extremely personal process. The way I write is directly related to how I process things, what I find important in stories, years of my own analysis of my and other's writing, etc... The way you write will be unique to you, as well. But I can explain how I personally think of it.

The short answer:

Write. Write anything and everything, it's a tool to explore your ideas. Analyze your own writing, and write more. Then, as you discover which ideas you want to develop, write more to explore them more. You won't know what you want otherwise!

The long answer:

I think this kind of loop is common. It's easy to feel like everything needs to be done "at once," because our job as writers is to make elements logically fit with each other for our readers. But as you've discovered, developing multiple elements simultaneously isn't really possible, or at least is extremely difficult.

Personally, when I think of writing, I break it into three major elements; characters, world, and plot. As much as possible every scene explores one or more of these, and as much as possible these three things tie back into what I personally consider most important: theme.

Everything I do is in service of the themes I want to present. Without them my events feel aimless. It can take a while to discover them, but they're the core of my work. You will have to discover what you feel is the core of yours. Analyzing other media helps with this too.

Concepts in your brain exist in a state of infinite potential. But when you start writing you have to start making choices, which removes potential as you move forward... But you have to move forward anyways. If there's ideas you want to explore later, you can always explore them later.

What this ends up meaning, to answer your question, is that I don't think of my characters as "people in my brain" or my worlds as something people have influenced... Not at their core, at least. They are tools that I use to represent specific ideas. Obviously they're also my blorbos, but mostly they're serving a specific narrative purpose.

So above all else... Write. Write, and discover what you're writing about, and then start over and write with that in mind. Keep doing this. But you have to write!

[olis-inkwell-symposium]

Oli’s Inkwell Pinned Post

Welcome to Oli’s Inkwell Symposium!

Here, we help stories take shape, worlds come alive, and characters leap off the page. Whether you’re here for writing advice, world-building tips, or to dive deeper into character development, you’ve come to the right place.

My goal is to help you harness your creativity and bring your ideas to life, regardless of your writing journey. From crafting complex relationships to building immersive settings, I’m here to guide you through every storytelling aspect.

For a glimpse of my writing in action, head over to @oliolioxenfreewrites.

If you have a preference on the topic you’d like me to write about next, please submit an ask with the emoji next to the question!

[puppypalice]

Big things are happening

[hallowshumour]

☄️🦠AXITOPE GUIDE🦠☄️

An intro to the galaxies strangest little guys.

💫Axis are an open freeform og species of slimey space germs.

💫Join the th world, for info and a f2u base.

[fallow-foot]

The Leader and the Guide

Been playing a niche randomized blind genetics challenge recently and got this brother and sister pair! Meet Flamii and Bearee!

[amaiguri]

Yssaia World Guide (p44-66)

[honeyed-pines]

PART 1 of my project on mapping out regional variations in the people of Shili, also known as the togruta!

For even more detail, read below!

Shili is home to a variety of coastal communities, ranging from freshwater, to wetlands, to oceans, to small islands whose populations have remained more genetically isolated. Many of the traits seen in individuals of these regions were developed to help them become the best fishermen and swimmers of the planet.

Their most defining features are the larger, smooth markings across their bodies that can be broken down into thin stripes, much like some of the aquatic life they hunt. Combined with their often more horizontal montrals and shorter lekku, it is hard to mistake someone who hails from these communities.

The one shown in this example is wearing a traditional loin piece that has been worn by his people for generations and is based on the Maro and similar Polynesian styles.

Often host to people from all over their planet or other planets in nearby systems, the ocean regions have begun to develop a bit of a tourism industry. Of course, many of the communities who have lived and fished those waters for centuries are now pushing back on the change in local culture. Many of the oldest villages on Shili are found on these coasts and still hold their traditions very close to their hearts.

This design mainly based off of small physiological adaptations that different groups would develop over periods of time in certain climates and ecosystems. Many modern togruta may have a combination of traits from different regions in their appearance and this is related to the gradual globalization of the planet and its cultures.

Hope you enjoyed and keep an eye out for more variations!!

[falloutoz]

Wasteland Field Guide: Wastelanders

Like many other creatures, humans too have undergone rapid evolution due to ambient radiation and the environmental pressures of surviving in the wasteland, leaving the average wastelander distinctly different from prewar or vault dwelling humans.

Many wastelanders have distinct, sharp canines and incisors, a change in dentition pointing to the changes in diet—rather than the typical hunter-gatherer omnivorous diet of pre-war man, rich in plants, sugars, and processed foods, wastelanders lean towards a more scavenger-omnivore diet, with meat taking up a much larger percentage. Teeth are not the only change to accommodate the change in available food sources, however; wastelanders are also more able to digest raw meat, and on a general level have heightened immunity to food-borne contagion. Many things that would be toxic to prewar humans find a regular place on the dinner plate.

Vision, too, has changed, with keener night vision taking precedence over detailed color; a trait that served ancient hunter-gatherers well when identifying ripe fruit was important, but now awareness of the dangers that lurk in the dark takes precedence.

A strengthened immune system developed as a response to 'superbugs' created by ambient radiation, leaving vault dwellers at a distinct disadvantage during cold and flu season. Genetic mutations are common, however there also seems to be a greater resistance to typical radiation effects, including cancer.

Overall, the average wastelander is a hardy creature, well adapted for the difficulties of post-war survival in the harsh environment of the wasteland, but no less human for it, as our legacy is one of adaptability.

[nyoaeuikhoudu]

are all the white haired ocs a species? Or are they related in some way?

I'm so glad you asked! They're a subspecies of superhuman called shifters. I need to update their species sheet but in short they're just people with white hair and horns who can turn into animals, objects, other people, etc.

About 30%ish of them have digitigrade hooves instead of a normal leg shape. The two mains in the story who have this feature are Nyo and Ahro.