#worldbuilding glossary

[thecourtofindigo]

Melaco Town Pt. I - Natural + Main Areas

MELACO TOWN - MAIN AREA A small, semi-rural town nestled between several large, dense forests and shielded by misty black mountains to its far north. Train tracks run through it, and a freight train runs daily, sometimes at strange late hours.

Melaco Town is an eerie, odd place that becomes darker the deeper one looks at it. It feels quaint, old-fashioned and often abandoned by daylight, but lit up in fluorescent colours, seedy and sinister by night. Many of its citizens are nocturnal and very eccentric, and seem to be hiding dark, unthinkable secrets that they will likely take to their graves.

The weather in Melaco is inconsistent, but always windy and the air bears a chill even in summer. The local soil is of note, being extremely rich, oily and black and sprouting rare flowers that appear nowhere else in the world. Despite its unsettling qualities, the vast stretches of trees and nature around Melaco Town can be quite breathtaking to find oneself in. This quietness and magical aura was part of what drew Alexia and her brother to settle there.

WOODWARD FIELD A huge, grassy, hilly meadow that stretches across eastern Melaco Town to the foothills of the dark mountains surrounding its north side. There are sparse houses, but little else in the field - save for two unusual landmarks.

One is an archway that seems to have once been the gate to something, inscribed with the text "To the land of tomorrow for two - if one again breaks my heart to pieces". Its origin is unknown, but it seems old, is carved of stone and marble, and seems to have once been painted in garish shades of pink, violet, gold and blue.

The second landmark is a marsh spring with deep green water, surrounded by drooping willow trees. Several decayed, moss-laden stone totems jut up from the water. The spring is the haunting ground of two sister nature gods - Tar-Rokka of the Swamp and Tir-Ranna of the Storm.

THE FOREST OF VEILS A mysterious patch of deep woods located a short walk behind St. Martin Street, beyond the train tracks. The trees here have black bark and silver-white leaves and blossoms. The forest floor is also covered with silvery grass and flowers, and no other colour of flora will bloom there.

The forest gets its name from the pearlescent veils and strings of jewels strung up like spiderwebs between the trees - this is a naturally occurring phenomenon. Its treetops are extremely dense, allowing little sunlight in, yet it remains fairly well-lit due to the shimmering plantlife. The forest's sole inhabitant is an ageless, ancient child-eating witch named Wysteria, but there are hints that there was once a native group of beings there - whom Wysteria likely ran off, killed, or ate the last of long ago.

THE DAWNLIGHT BLUSTERS An extremely windy, forested patch of hills on the eastern edge of the town that seem to be perpetually stuck in autumn, painted year-round in bright greens, gold and red. It is a wondrous, beautiful place with an aura of childhood adventure, yet can become quite lonely and wistful, with few houses or people around.

The deepest groves of the Blusters also harbor a sinister place - Jane's Hours Estate - a supposedly cursed Edwardian-era manor that belonged most recently to the Rondo family, all of whom but the youngest member, Robin, met a tragic end there.

Robin Rondo still resides in the Blusters, in a fort of his own design, in the woods on the farthest edge of the Estate. Robin's fort is constructed of wood, scrap metal, bright colourful quilts and miscellaneous "junk", and is surrounded by pinwheels and childlike novelty objects of all kinds.

ABANDONED PARK The abandoned park lies concealed by tall tangles of grass and densely-woven, overgrown trees in a field between Julian's backyard on St. Martin Street and the small barrier of forest behind Goodnight Plaza.

All that remains of the actual "park" are rusted, unusable skeletons of playground equipment and a canopy laced with tiny baby roses. Outwardly, there is nothing special about this area, but upon entering, one can sense a "living force" there, like a massive heart slowly beating just beneath the soil.

Hidden deeply in a thick grove within the park is a disturbing monument of soft, oily scarlet stone that feels like candle wax to the touch. It is made up of a square door in the ground guarded by a statue of a man screaming in great agony, thick blood streaming from his eyes and mouth. Beneath it is the pathway to the Court of Indigo (the Depthless Stair). The monument itself, while worn by time, still serves as a seal to keep the Indigo under their curse - a curse set by a warlock which entails they will die in their natural forms if they touch either sun or moonlight.

One From the Clocks uses this path to stalk the above world for victims to use in his and Kanabiel's experiments (or for cruel pleasure), since he is still part-human and the curse does not affect him.

[zal-cryptid]

Toyfolk Glossary Masterpost

Collected in this masterpost is a glossary of terms concerning the worldbuilding of my series Misfits in Toyland.

Toyland - A phantom island of games and toys inhabited by the toyfolk. Also known as the Land of Toys, Island of Misfit Toys, the Doll Kingdom, and Merryland. Although autonomously ruled and governed by a monarch, it belongs to its creator, Krampus. It exists in a parallel plane of existence that dances in tandem with the mortal realm known as the Otherworld.

Toyfolk - People who’ve been transformed into living toys and sent to Toyland as punishment for their misdeeds by Krampus. This punishment is reserved only for adults. They don't possess any vital functions and thus have no need to eat, drink, or breathe.

Rule of Play - the magic that allows toyfolk to interact with toys as if they were real simply by playing pretend with them. For example, toyfolk can move their bodies simply by pretending that they can, despite not having muscles, a nervous system, or any of the necessary organs. Same goes to their ability to speak and sense the world around them. Externally, they can make any toy real for them by interacting with it as if it were real - such as pretending to eat toy food in order to mimic the sensation of eating. There are, of course, limitations to the Rule of Play. For example, it cannot be used to create life (playing with a normal doll or a toy animal won’t cause it to come to life) or cause death (playing dead won’t cause suicide). Toyfolk roleplaying with each other can even temporarily alter their perception.

Phantom Nervous System - named after Phantom Limb Pain, the Phantom Nervous System is what allows the toyfolk to move without muscles, see without eyes, hear without ears, taste without tongues, think without brains, and even feel (temperature, texture, pain, erogenous stimulation, etc.,), all without possessing any organs or nerves. Toyfolk are essentially undead - the mind and soul bound to a lifeless object and animated by magic.

Toy Fugue - Named after Dissociative Fugue (although the two should not be conflated), Toy Fugue is an altered mental state where Toyfolk lose their memories and sense of identity. Their minds are subsumed by their Toy Brain and form a new identity based around the type of toy they are. Toy Fugue is a mental escape triggered by traumatic events and emotionally distressing experiences. It’s often the end result of those who fail to find a way to cope with an existential crisis. Unlike dissociative fugue, Toy Fugue isn’t temporary, nor does it cause one to wander. While some have been able to snap out of it, others may be doomed to remain that way for the rest of their lives.

Toy Brain - also known as Play Brain, refers to the “programming” that all toyfolk have that gives them a collection of instinctive urges to play the part of whatever type of toy they are. Many struggle to find a balance between these urges and their own personalities, and it's a great source of discomfort for many of the toyfolk. Much like a Chinese Finger Trap, attempts to resist these urges will only cause them to intensify and worsen. If toyfolk fail to control their urges, their urges will ultimately end up controlling them and descend into Toy Fugue. These urges can range from specific (such as tea parties) to more broad (such as animal behaviours).

Magic - Magic works differently in the Mundane World than it does in the Otherworld. One can be forgiven in thinking magic doesnt exist in our world, but the truth is exists in its most fundamental and purest form - imagination. In its passive form, it manifests as thoughts, ideas, creativity, emotions, and problem-solving. In its most active form, it can manifest as psionics (also known as psychic powers and ESP). Long-term exposure to another plane will cause an entity to slowly acclimatize to the laws of that reality.

Wind-Up Keys - Wind-up keys have the ability to temporarily influence a wind-up toyfolk's personality and behaviour. Each key contains toy brain traits of the wind-up toy it came from. For example, a toy soldier wound up with a music box key would suddenly start to act more feminine and want to dance like a ballerina.

Voice Boxes - While most toyfolk are able to speak through the Rule of Play, those with voice boxes are bound to the rules of the voice box. Those with pull-strings, for example, cannot speak unless their pull-string is pulled. The voice box isn't just an analog for the larynx, but also functions as the speech center of the brain (particularily the Broca's Area). It contains their voice, vocabulary, speech patterns, accent, language, everything. Damage to this aparatus may cause something akin to aphasia, dysphasia, or dysarthria.

Playing Dress-Up - For dress-up dolls, costumes and outfits can influence their behaviour and personality. For example, a business suit could make them feel and act confident, a girly dress could make them feel and act girly, a maid uniform could make them feel and act like a maid, a collar could make them feel like a pet, so on and so forth. The affects are temporary, only lasting as long as they're wearing the outfit, but their original outfit they ever wore as a toyfolk gets imprinted into their toy brain, making it their default trait.

Currency - The official currency of Toyland is the Standard 52-card deck of French-suited playing cards. Playing cards were chosen over play money on account of the fact they couldn't decide on which nation's or board game's play money to use. They ended up turning to Quebecois history for inspiration. Playing-card money was a type of paper money used periodically in New France from 1685 to the British Conquest in 1763.

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

sometimes i like to imagine a future where i write that (y/a or adult targeted) dragon book series i desperately want to, but i know that i wouldn't be able to do it without including art in the book. every time a new important character is introduced the next page would have to be a reference / art of them to Show What They Look Like

[betweenheroesandvillains]

i keep forgetting that most booktubers are dumb as rocks so every time i venture outside my ONE fun booktuber i'm completely overwhelmed by how incapable of following a mildly complex non-stringent plot they are. reading wolf hall or the silm would probably literally kill them.

[empyrean-thrones]

The worldbuilding in this god forsaken series makes me so fucking mad. I'm actually fuming. Whenever I think about the potential cultural values/beliefs and distinctions between the different provinces, I want to tear this book to shreds.

You have Violet go to a festival celebrating the unification of Navarre and not describe the cultural dresses or various cuisine there. She goes to Poromiel and barely explores the country. The gryphon fliers are the exact same as the dragon riders except they don't have signets and actually mourn the loss of their loved ones.

THERE ARE NO CONLANGS DESPITE IRON FLAME MAKING A BIG DEAL OUT OF LOST FANTASY LANGUAGES.

[enstarsurbanfantasy]

Glossary

[Note: This glossary applies to this blog's AU only. It should not be used as reference to real-life mythological creatures and events. In fact, I have taken quite a few creative liberties in changing them to my liking.]

Artificer: A magic-user specializing in the creation and manipulation of enchanted objects. Notable subcategories include Alchemists.

Clear-Sight: The capability to see into the spiritual world. More powerful variations will allow a person to see magic, ghosts, and other purely spiritual entities.

Kamuy: A spirit or divine being of Ainu belief. They reside in all natural objects.

Magic: A source of energy that, when harnessed, can be used to set otherworldly events into motion. It is inherent in every living thing, though there are variations in type and amount.

Magician's Assembly: The governing body for human magic-users.

Melusine: A European magical creature. They are spirits of fresh water, with the upper body of a human and the lower body of a snake, though they can use a fully human or snake form at will.

Takeminakata: A Shinto god of wind, water, and agriculture. They are the patron god of the Suwa Clan from which Aira is descended.

Vampire: A European magical creature. They survive off of the blood of the living and are locked into the age of majority (if naturally born) or the age at which they are turned.

Zashiki-Warashi: Yōkai living in parlors and storage rooms that like to play pranks. They are rumored to bring good luck to those they favor.

[shehili]

SHURIMAN GLOSSARY

Phrases I intend to use in RP, sorted by origin.

SHURIMAN • source is @voidsought on Tumblr & the official companion book which I own.

MISCELLANEOUS water and shade to you – universal greeting; binsikhi – little explorer, daughter (possibly); bibi – grandmother; Maza – respected elderly woman (possibly); echnebi – foreigners, a group of people (possibly); (the) Great Sai – a grand desert separating north from south; Sai Faraj – desert region in southern Shurima, located west of the Sun Disc; Sai Kahleek – desert region in southern Shurima, located east of the Sun Disc, called "the Bone Sea" in northern dialects; shayatin – the Beasts of the Last Infinity i.e. the Voidborn. Also referred to as "outerbeasts" by Shurimans.

TITLES Hagyett Sadja of Nashramae; Hagya Ta'Fik of Tereshni; Hagyos Valif & Hazir Ima'Sai of Bel'zhun. NOTE: I don't have the lorebook on me right now, but IIRC Valif & Ima'Sai were co-rulers. Distinction is unclear.

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN • in-verse, these all originate from Ancient Shuriman and occur in all dialects. Take it and everything else down below with a grain of salt.

COMMON WORDS nek – swearword in the spirit of "shit" or "fuck"; neket iadet – piece of shit; sen – brother (affectionate nickname for one's companion); seni – my brother (possibly); senet – sister; ??? – my sister. likely "seneti"; khered – child; mes-en – born of; hereret – flower; felucca – small boat; stela – stone slab bearing inscriptions or paintings; where? – tjen?

COMMANDS shem – go; ab – stop; mesneh – turn backwards, reverse; kheti – retreat; wesef – be idle; hi-i or hi'i – strike, beat; seseh – smash, destroy; seki – perish, destroy; aha – stand, arise; sheni – surround; mes – bring (imperative).

TITLES sefetjew, seftew – butcher; tepey (m, n), tepet (f) – chief, head; seshem – lead, guide; neb – sir, also used when the addressee's gender is unknown; nebet – lady; Nebetah – lady of the palace/house; Henuttaneb – mistress of all lands. Used for the empress, nowadays attached to Mariam mostly by highborn sycophants. Va-Nox terms are used to denote military rank in so far as northern dialects are concerned.

MISC • in-verse, these belong to the tribes that have populated Shurima's northern banks since before the empire's fall. Phrases marked with * are shared between all northern tribes. Unmarked entries are specific to the Tereshan dialect.

Teresh, -an*; Bel'zhun, -ite*; Urzeris, -rite*; Void take you – Mariam's invention and her favorite curseword; sheeplover – swearword, substitute the animal as needed; aslema – hello; bislema – goodbye; marhaba* – welcome; shokran* – thank you; yaishek – a tenderer way of expressing thanks ("life to you"); azizty – dear one; hbibty – my love (can be platonic; alternatively: habibi* or habibti*); hobi – my love (romantic; alternatively: hubbi* or hubbee*); sokar* – sugar, used for children.

ARABIC HEART-MELTERS • pure self-indulgence.

NOTE: placing "habib" in front results in love of my… albi* – my heart; hayati* – my life; rouhi* – my soul; wahashtini* – I miss you.

[noro-noro-noro]

i missed this stupidass

[paracosmspring]

Out of Character

Behind the Scenes or Out of Character

Out of Character Definition: someone is not keeping to their usual pattern of behavior and motives.

~*~

In the roleplay world (and thus in the conceptual realm) it is a change from character to writer’s voice. Usually a writer goes Out of Character to say something to another writer or player, and whatever they say has no bearing on the story or game they are writing.

The same thing happens in the conceptual realm. There are events that happens out of character that have no bearing on the story that is seen in the real world. It is akin to what happens when the camera is not rolling or when the actors or backstage.

Examples of Out of Character behavior is whenever a character encounters something of the real world (like an author being). If they know about the real world, like in the case of Domain Leaders, they often play it off to other characters as a joke or gloss over it. Most keep it hidden from the other characters.

Sometimes there’s a few characters that know about the real world, and keep going as if it doesn’t exist. They do this in order to protect their domain and not draw too much attention to it. Many harmful things can happen to a domain if there’s a lot of outside attention paid to it, usually because of an intruder.

So who knows about the real world in a domain?

Usually it is the domain leader or leaders—the main character. They have the choice to tell others that their domain is a fictional world or keep it a secret. They can have many reasons to do either.

What happens when a character find out?

If a character that is not the domain leader finds out that their world is a fictional world, many things can happen. First of course is a freakout. Most characters are shocked and upset to know they aren’t what they thought they are. Most eventually make peace with it.

A domain leader might ask an author to “reset” the character, and take away the memory that they know. This is usually done if the character can not make peace with the knowledge. Other times it is for simplicity sake, and the domain leader just wants to keep the status quo. More serious domains take this route.

The domain leader might choose to take that character into his confidence, to better help protect the domain. This is the usual route. Older domains have more characters aware of the real world, and often interact with it (including seeing all the incriminating fanart!)

Why do we not see them out of character?

That’s the nature of out of character. This is the characters’ private time, or even when the story has completed (or the show is canceled). Story characters don’t die in the traditional sense. Their stories are told and retold, but it doesn’t mean they are in a forever loop. Unless their creator told the story out of character, you’re never going to see this side of them outside the conceptual realm.

What happens when characters encounter Author Beings?

That’s the question. The events of Variant show one possibility, but most of the time its just shenanigans. Interacting with author beings automatically makes the character go into an out of character state. The events taht come out of it won’t reflect in their media in the real world, no matter how much power is used.

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads

Ethera Grave

multiverse space opera

end of the trilogy

Caiden and Leta have finally reunited, and teamed up with their enemy to defeat his sister who’s trying to collapse the multiverse into one

but the only way to become powerful enough to defeat her might cause him to lose himself

sentient spaceships, lots of alien species, monster pets, bodyswapping, found family

[thecourtofindigo]

Melaco Town Concept Map

Melaco Town is the main 'hub' area of 'Good Night, Tortureland', where 80% of the story occurs. A simple map I made to give readers a better idea of where everything is located. This is not the *entire* town, just the main northeast corner that's relevant to the plot. Click to see in clearer detail.

The protagonist, Alexia Corai and her brother, Cantrell, live in a caravan trailer on St. Martin Street. The plant keys indicate natural or forest areas, and the rose key marks the (hidden) gate to the Court of Indigo, which tunnels underground.

[writers-potion]

MASTERPOST (PT. 2)

If you like my blog, buy me a coffee☕ and find me on instagram! 📸

For romance writing prompts, plotting tips & more, check out: MASTERPOST PT. 1

⭐Dialogue

Writing Dialogue 101

Crying-Yelling Dialogue Prompts

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⛰️Words to Use Instead Of...

Synonyms for "Walk"

Synonyms for “feeling like”

Words To Use Instead of "Look"

Words to Use Instead Of...(beautiful, interesting, good, awesome, cute, shy)

Said is dead

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🔠Vocab Lists

Nervous Tension Vocab

Kiss Scene Vocab

Fight Scene Vocab

Haunted House Inspo & Vocab

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👁️‍🗨️Setting & Description

Common Scenery Description Tips

2012 School Setting Vibes - follower question

Describing Food in Writing

Describing Cuts, Bruises and Scrapes

Using Description and Setting Meaningfully

How Different Types of Death Feel

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🗡️Weapons & Fighting Series:

Writing Swords

Writing knives and daggers

Writing Weapons (3): Staffs, Spears and Polearms

Writing Weapons (4): Clubs, Maces, Axes, Slings and Arrows

Writing Weapons (5): Improvised Weapons

Writing Weapons (6): Magical Weapons and Warfare

Writing Weapons (7): Unarmed Combat

Writing Female Fighters

Writing Male Fighters

Writing Armour

Writing Group Fights

Writing Battles At Sea

Erotic Tension in Fight Scenes

Pacing for Fight Scenes

Writing a Siege Warfare

Different Genres, Different Fight Scenes.

Making Fight Scenes Sound Nicer

Fight Scenes For Disabled Characters

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🌎Worldbuilding

Constructing a Fictional Economy

Homosexuality in Historical Fiction

Writing Nine Circles of Hell

Writing Seven Levels of Heaven

Master List of Superpowers

Magic System Ideas 

A Guide to Writing Cozy Fantasy

Dark Fantasy How-To

Dark Fantasy Writing Prompts

Dark, Twisted Fairytale Prompts

Fantasy World Cultural Quirks 

Fantasy Nobel Ranks: A List

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🌠Symbolism in Writing

Plant Symbolisms 

Weather Symbolisms

Symbols of Death

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🪄Writing Magic

Writing Magicians - the basics

Writing Magic Systems

Magical Training Options for Your Characters

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📋Other!

List of Fantasy Subgenres

Beauty is Terror: A List

The Pirate's Glossary

Storyediting Questions to Ask

Writing Multiple WIPs Simultaneously

Idea Generation Exercises for the Writer

Book Title Ideas

Picking the Right Story For You

What If God Dies in Your Story 

International Slang, Slang, Slang!

10 Great Love Opening Lines 

How to Insult Like Shakespeare

Serial Killer Escape Manual

Best Picrew Character Generators for Your Characters!

How to Write Faster

[nanistar]

SERPENTINE PROMISE | Hidden in Plain Sight.

Serpentine Promise is a 16+ literate Horror / Slasher Warriors RP set on the coast of Belize in the heart of a meteor crater called the Cardinal. This RP takes heavy inspiration from the beautiful indigenous Mayan cultures of Belize for its worldbuilding.

You are part of three groups known as Arrows. You live in relative peace, guided by your Celestial Leaders in the skies above - the Jade Tiger, the Red Tiger, and the Gold Tiger. Centuries prior, these three leaders created the Arrows, but in doing so created something worse. The North Serpent wanted the crater for itself, and would only be satisfied when it ate the sun. The three tigers fought together against the serpent to the death.

In modern times, these Celestial Leaders are growing increasingly distraught, until they disappear one night and leave you with nothing but an omen … Cats around you begin to drop dead soon after. Your objective? Survive. Keep one eye open. Figure out which one of you is slaughtering cats by the dozen, or die trying.

𓆙 ━─┈

🌊THE EAST WAVES Living on the sandy coasts of the Cardinal, the cats of the East Waves are weathered, brave, regal, and know their way around the barrier reef, and the raging seas. 🌴THE SOUTH RAINS Nestled in the dense, lush rainforest of the crater, the cats of the South Rains are intelligent, agile, gifted and flighty. They know how to traverse the land without ever placing a paw on the dangerous jungle floor.

⛰️THE WEST PEAKS Settled in the mountains along the edge of the crater, living within caverns and along cliff faces, cats in the West Peaks are hardy, strong, tough and independent, battling the biggest threats of all — Harpy eagles, amongst other dangerous raptors. 𓆙 ━─┈ WHAT WE OFFER🐍

A safe, secure environment for all with safety nets in place for any incident that would otherwise occur in a large space.

A server open to writers of any experience.

An extremely large expanse of lore and world-building including a glossary of brand new terms, in-depth lore and history inspired by Mayan cultures, unique ranks and roles to each Arrow, and an entirely new herb and medicine system created entirely for the RP, amongst a dozen other additions!

A server run by BIPOC and LGBT+ moderators, including a Belizean admin and consultant.

High Ranks and Roles open for application for writers of any experience and skill level!

RP affiliation / partnership — advertise your RP server in ours!

EXPLORE THE WORLD & APPLY NOW! >> https://serpentinepromise.carrd.co/ << =

(please note that i, nanistar, am NOT the host of this RP. i am merely a moderator and the tumblr liaison. i can answer some basic questions, but for anything more in-depth else please contact BADMIRACLE on tumblr. he is an amazing rp host and has spent months bringing this together and developing this rp.)

[etirabys]

I find it hard to suspend my disbelief about how many different substances you can make with protons neutrons and electrons. That's just three things. I'm in a bath right now and there's water and fiberglass for the tub, stainless steel for the faucet which has completely different properties, some sort of tile which you can round off as a kind of fiberglass, but then mortar in between those tiles which is a secret fourth thing also a kind of fiberglass if you squint, cotton towels which are mostly cellulose, the wooden door which is also a lot of cellulose but Different and With Lignin, toilet paper which is also cellulose... and then candle wax, which is neither fiberglass nor cellulose, which traps all sorts of nice-smelling ketones and esters. It seems lazy from a worldbuilding perspective is all. You want to eat your cake (a complex setting like a bathroom) and have it too (only three glossary entries about world composition for the reader)

[deception-united]

hey hey~

you may have encountered this question before, but what advice would you give to avoid 'info dumping' in world building?

I feel like there's a thin line between stopping the narrative to educate readers on sth happening and overwhelming them with information mid-narrative. Any tips?

Hi, thanks for asking!

Managing the flow of information in worldbuilding can be tricky but crucial for maintaining reader engagement. Here are some tips to avoid info dumping:

Integrate information naturally: Rather than stopping the narrative to explain details about your world, try to weave them seamlessly into the story. Show rather than tell whenever possible. For example, instead of describing the history of a city, have characters interact with elements of that history, or have a character bring it up in dialogue.

Focus on relevant details: Only include information that is essential to the plot or character development. Ask yourself whether the detail you're providing is necessary for the reader to understand the current scene or advance the story. If not, consider leaving it out or finding a more subtle way to introduce it later.

Drip-feed information: Instead of dumping large amounts of information all at once, sprinkle details throughout the narrative. This keeps readers engaged and curious, as they gradually piece together the world without feeling overwhelmed.

Use dialogue & interaction: Characters can be great vehicles for delivering information about the world in a natural way. Through dialogue, you can reveal aspects of the world while also developing character relationships and dynamics.

Show, don’t tell: Redundant as this piece of advice is, it's important to keep in mind. Rather than explaining the intricacies of your world directly to the reader, demonstrate them through action, dialogue, and description. Let readers experience the world alongside your characters.

Start small: Begin with small details and gradually expand the world as the story progresses. This prevents overwhelming readers with too much information upfront and allows them to become familiar with the world at a comfortable pace.

Trust your readers: Readers can infer information from context clues (sometimes information that the author themself didn't actually think about). Trust them to pick up on subtle hints and nuances without needing everything spelled out explicitly.

Use back matter: Consider including supplementary material at the end of your book, such as a glossary or appendix, for readers who want to delve deeper into the world without interrupting the narrative flow.

Remember, worldbuilding should enhance the story, not overshadow it. Hope this was helpful ❤

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[ringtownrangerlark]

I couldn't agree more! The more I learn about the league, the more glad I am that there is no league branch in Fiore, and the more protective I feel about keeping it that way. I'm not purely against Pokemon battles as a sport but the current league is wildly irresponsible in it's messaging and practices.

Pokeballs vs. Capture Stylers

As a ranger, it is my deeply held belief, based on observation and experience, that Pokeballs are an under-estimated danger to pokemon and the environment. They can cause harm even when used properly and with good intentions. When used by someone with criminal or otherwise nefarious intent, they make causing harm ludicrously easy. Let's do a little comparison, shall we?

How do you get it? Pokeballs can be bought for money in Pokemarts, and are often handed out for free at promotional events. Capture stylers are given only to certified rangers.

What about more advanced versions? Some types of Pokeball require a certain number of League badges to purchase. Others are gated only by cost alone. Capture stylers have built-in limits that can be gradually removed by senior rangers once a ranger has proven experience and risen in rank.

Who regulates it? Pokeballs are produced by the Silph and Devon corporations. While they have some cooperation with the Pokemon League, and are regulated by government, their fundamental motivation is profit. Capture Stylers are regulared by the Ranger Union. Even if one could mass-capture using a styler, it would not benefit the Union to do so.

How many pokemon can you catch? While league battles allow only a fighting team of six, a person can buy and own as many pokeballs as they can carry. Even for the highest-ranked rangers, the maximum number of friend Pokemon is 7.

Can you take pokemon somewhere unsafe for them/the environment? Capture stylers prevent taking a pokemon out of it's native habitat, a limitation removed only for Top Rangers. A brand-new trainer could catch a magikarp and then immediately release it into the desert if they wanted.

What happens if you capture a wild pokemon? With a pokeball, the pokemon is now permanently registered as captured by the trainer. It can be released. Depending on the training experience, it may or may not be safe/appropriate to release back into the wild, even in its native habitat. With a capture styler, the pokemon remains wild. It can temporarily assist a ranger, and then return immediately to its natural environment and behaviors.

What if you try to catch someone else's pokemon? A pokeball prevents re-capture of an already registered pokemon. A capture styler can be used to capture an owned pokemon (this is often done to return lost pokemon, or soothe agitated or injured ones) but it does not change the ownership of the Pokemon.

Is there skill involved? There is strategy in Pokeball capturing, especially via battle. But theoretically, one could still bombard even a legendary pokemon with enough pokeballs and capture it by sheer statistical chance. Proper use of a capture styler requires education and training. Even if someone stole a capture styler, they would not automatically be able to use it.

What if someone "bad" tries to catch a pokemon? Anyone can buy and use a pokeball regardless of intentions. A capture styler conveys the intentions of the ranger. No matter how skilled/experienced, a person could not capture a pokemon they wished to harm in an unmodified/unhacked styler.

What about evil teams? Criminal organizations where pokeballs are readily available (Johto, Kanto, Hoenn, etc.) have simply used regular pokeballs for purposes of robbery, poaching, etc. Evil teams in regions where capture stylers are popular (Fiore, Almia, and Oblivia) have either heavily modified an experimental styler (Super Stylers) or needed to invent and produce an entirely new capture system (Gigaremo, Capture Gauntlet). This vastly limited available supply to team members, and speed of plans. I'm going to repeat that bit. Without access to pokeballs, evil teams found it easier to make, manufacture and distribute their own inventions than to use capture stylers for crime.

What happens if you defeat a criminal using a pokemon? Defeating a criminal (such as an evil team member) in a trainer battle may lead to an arrest, but they may also run away and keep the pokemon they own. When using a styler to capture pokemon controlled by other means (e.g. gigaremo units) the pokemon return to the wild.

You see why I think it's insane that of these two methods, one is meticulously regulated, and the other can be bought for pocket change at a corner store? In case anyone lacks reading comprehension, I'm not saying pokeballs make people evil. But it is a hell of a lot easier to commit crimes like mass trafficking with pokeballs than with stylers. And even well meaning, perfectly nice people can do things like drastically alter local pokemon populations by catching many in a short time span, or releasing them inappropriately. Pokeballs are insane and I'm so tired of people thinking I'm the weird one for saying so.