Reading Challenge 2021
Selected articles
Corive | Lyraine Alei
A grizzly source of power for weapons within the world of Corive. I really like the unexpected nature of the way the items are created, the subterfuge and potential for common knowledge to be unaware of the true nature of these items. Inspiration for me is that every day items in common use are great ways to show the underlying politics, history and magic within the world.
Outspoken | MaybeStewartArtist
A creation myth based on love and collaboration is refreshing. Its engaging and full of pathos, and a very strong reminder to me that I need to build more positivity in to the lore and mythologies of my own world. It shouldn't all be demons, struggle and calamity!
The World of Wind and Waves | AoLi
A very cool description of this order of knights, with interesting traditions surrounding the, an oppresive reputation and a dark secret at the heart of them. This and the related articles that AoLi has put together about the Empire of his world are an inspiration. My inspiration from this is how deep history and lore can be expressed in concrete ways within the world. I also really like the single column layout as I tend to read on tablet, this really helps maintain the flow. Along with the good use of headings - all makes for an easier and more engaging read.
Niorath | Kefkejaco
Kefkejaco has crafted a nice one-shot adventure involving combat between crews of flying ships. It's a really concise plot, with clear stages to engage the players as crew members during the various stages of approach, boarding and the fight upon the decks. Combined with great use of CSS to show and hide the mechanical aspects as needed, and tying in with the Shipwright Challenge map. I take from this, K's clever use of CSS and BBCODE as narrative devices that focus rather than distract: layering the reveal of information as needed by the reader, and attention is not diverted from the core plot and challenges. Nice work.
Vaalo | Throughthechi
Gruesome parasitic creature that has a complex life cycle complete with gender swapping, and a horrific method of reproduction. My inspiration from this is the conciseness of the species description. The economy of words goes straight to the heart of the matter! Its visceral.
The Sagas | Jester%
A really nice item with a history that comes from an invention for one particular purpose, but that gains traction for other applications. This is a nice level of detail arising from the magic system that really fleshes out the world in a concrete way. I take from this a reminder to think about how the bigger concepts of the world will have interesting expressions at the micro-level.
Omari | DapperCapricorn
Sometimes, the small details of a world give it life. This article on a hearty soup made from glowing mushrooms fills a hole in my belly i didn't know was missing. i must remember to delve into the concrete everyday things, not just the world-shaking concepts.
The Void Between | Dylonishere123
To be fair, I could have chosen any of the Void Between articles for the same reason. The ongoing narrative and story telling used as a device to explore specific elements is something I would love to get into further with my own world building. In this case, the use of black holes to power space flight, but described within the story that combines the exploration of ancient tech, gods, and a central character who acts as our eyes and ears into the revelations within Dylon's universe.
The Spheres of Oblogga | Rumengol
The utter uniqueness of a species of clam that is the world's archive of memory and knowledge is amazing. Apart from that, the way Rumengol has described how the species is depended upon and affects the systems of ecology, knowledge, social interactions and economics is really inspiring. From this, I'm inspired to explore the wider social reach of some of the specifics I write.
Arda Almayed | thechangeling
TC's world-building is fantastic, and this meta-description on magic in the world is really interesting. Not about hard rules, but the three principles around narrative, belief and the ability to change time itself through these is amazing. And through all of that, it casts a new light on the way the gods and religions operate in TC's world. Inspiring to see how these principles are made manifest without needing to codify a complex hard magic system. The wonder of it all is what matters - and what makes it magic. I take from this that it is good to explore some meta around how my magic and some of the rules work in the world, but don't forget the wonder at the heart of the fantastic.
I apreciate the shout out, my friend! Thanks for the kind words and the comment left on the article as well. I'm glad you enjoy the world and I cannot encourage using worldbuilding to tell a story enough. You should definitely give it a shot. I imagine you'd knock it out of the park.