30 Days of World-Building - Day 21 - Flora & Fauna

Exercise 21 - Spend fifteen minutes or so sketching out some of the animals and plants your characters might encounter in the world. If you want to add a little fun, toss around some plot hook ideas while you're at it.

While the flora and fauna will be similar to what you would find in a typical temperate deciduous forest, there might be options for rather different creatures.

Due to the spreading effects of the taint, and the ancient legends of the Gem-scale Dragons, anybody venturing into the darker regions of Cordaire may find themselves face-to-face with frightening, shadow-infected creatures. They might also come across long-lost creatures created by the Gem-scales themselves, which were initially created to serve as minions, but now wander aimlessly, still charged to protect their masters with their very lives.

The flora, especially in the North-Western Region, would be severely affected by the taint. The closer to the mountain one goes, the more twisted the trees become, the grass begins to fade to brown, the din of the birds dies out, and one feels as if they are being watched. And odds are, they are.

Just a few ideas. Nothing too crazy, but then again, nothing too boring. Should be enough to keep me entertained.

30 Days of World-Building - Day 20 - Plot Hooks II

Exercise 20 - What questions are you asking in your novel? What is the primary message you are trying communicate through your novel? What is the overall question that should be answered by the end of your novel? Are you setting up a major conflict between your hero and the villain? Or is your question as simple as "who will win?"

Throughout the novel, the conflict between sorcerers and the Shadow Realm remains a major turning point. Both of the main protagonists, as well as a couple sub-protagonists, are all connected to the Shadow Realm via the taint, and are therefore victim of the degenerative effects of the taint. The broad question is simple: "How do people living under such a heavy burden manage to live life to it's fullest potential? Are they carefree because of this? Or do they hide themselves away, fearing the inevitable?"

While there is no distinguished "villain" in my novel (aside from the King of Shadows himself), the numerous servants of the Shadow Realm serve to detract Hadrian from his path of understanding. Some of the people he meets even go so far as to blackmail him, saying that the taint isn't worth the repercussions in the future.

30 Days of World-Building - Day 19 - Character

Exercise 19 - Today, we're going to apply our "What if?" wondering to the characters. You can use any character-building exercises you like, but the questions below should help you fit your characters into your novel. A person is always a product of where they came from; don't neglect your hero's background when you determine who he is and what he does. Additionally, do the same exercises for your protagonist(s), additional primary characters, antagonist(s), and any love interests in the story.

(Questions are provided in link above, answered respectfully)

• Hadrian is a young thirteen-year old boy who lives in the village of Coppervale with his grandparents. He shoulders are broad, but his short stature overpowers this fact. He is physically strong for a young boy, and he possess some survival skills, but when it comes to his lessons, he is easily distracted. He typically speaks in short sentences with simple words, but his speech pattern is oddly illuminated with a few larger words that he picked up from Tomas. This may make him seem off-balance and strange to somebody unfamiliar with his personality. 
• They would notice that he seems rather disorganized and rather odd. At a moments glance, Hadrian seems like just another boy who doesn't realize his true potential, and instead wastes away his days toying with childish fantasies.
• After spending time with Hadrian, one would learn that he truly means well, and that he never intentionally causes problems. They would learn that he is a kind person, who may be a little brash, but always means well. He may not be focused when it comes to his lessons, but he truly tries his best to pay attention. The call of nature and adventure can prove to be quite the buffer against the more structured forms of learning.
• Hadrian's parents are currently living in the village of Kern, twenty miles east of Coppervale. Hadrian was sent to live with his grandparents after a plague soiled the crops surrounding Kern. They promised him a better life, without worries. It has been eight years since he has seen them. and any questions about them are quickly deflected by his grandparents.
• If Hadrian were to return and bury the hatchet (if they are dead) with his parents, he would feel sad and almost angry towards them. But inwardly, he would achieve a sense of fulfillment and closure, and be able to focus entirely on the mission ahead. 
• Hadrian spent his early years in Kern, but grew up primarily in the trade-village of Coppervale. Raised by his grandparents, by his parents request, he spends his free time wandering the surrounding forests, seeking adventure in any way he can. 
• If Hadrian wasn't born there, he might have become aware of the taint in his blood sooner in life, and he would have been trained to better use it to full capacity.
• Hadrian's biggest heroes are those who have stood up to insurmountable odds and lived to tell the tale. While he could care less for the events themselves, he holds the people who were brave enough to put their life on the line in high regards. If he met one of these heroes, he would attempt to treat them as best as he could, without getting side-tracked, or becoming over-eager.
• If Hadrian were to meet his nemesis in a neutral public place, he would probably pass him by, unless provoked. Then, his brash personality would get the better of him, and drag him into problems he wouldn't be able to easily escape.
• Hadrian has never had a very stable family, but he believes that if he did, he would treat them with respect and provide for them however he could. He doesn't think about the details, but instead focuses on the familial aspect of things. He secretly longs for a secure family, as he has never had one.
• Hadrian bears the taint, which was born down to him from his mother and father. They had kept the taint a secret, hoping that it would disappear if it was never exploited. Hadrian believes in magic, having seen it performed by Tomas, but never thought that he would be able to manipulate the same forces by himself. 
• If Hadrian encountered something outside the realms of his understanding, he would be strangely accepting of it. While he hasn't seen many things outside of Coppervale or Kern, he would love to see and believe in the many wondrous things that ignorance would prevent him from witnessing. However, this attitude often makes him gullible, and he often gets his hopes up for little pay-off.
• Hadrian's primary secret (?) is that he longs for a secure family in the future. He doesn't want any of his future children to have to go through what he has. He also possess the secret that his parents were also bearers of the taint, a secret that could be used against him if the wrong people knew. 
• Like stated above, he is holding an unknown secret that his parents were also bearers of the taint. Once he learned of this, he would attempt to wrap his mind around the fact, but he would still possess doubts.
• If Hadrian left home, it would be to explore the world and see the many wonders that lie outside the world of Coppervale and Kern.

30 Days of World-Building - Day 18 - Spec and Society

Exercise 18 - Revise your cultural write-up you've developed in the past two weeks to include your speculative element, and to answer the above question. As a bonus, you can get back to your character sketch and figure out where your protagonist and supporting cast fit into your speculative elements and society.

South-Eastern Region - After the events that transpired during the Shadow War, the common people of this region are generally dismissive about magic. They know it exists, and they understand what is capable of, but they wish to have no part in it. Some more zealous citizens even go so far as to denounce Brel as a breeding ground for the dark creatures that plague Kasova. The citizens of Brel, on the other hand, come face-to-face with magic everyday. To them, it is commonplace, and almost essential.

North-Eastern Region - To these traditional people, magic and the resulting aftershocks of its' power are viewed as dangerous and violent. Feared and despised by most, those born with the taint are often shunned by their peers. In the more tribal societies, people born with the taint are sacrificed, in attempts to rid the forests of the cruel magic that wracked the region decades ago.

Middle Region - While pure magic and sorcerers are not as prevalent in this region, the trade of the magically-infused gemstones plays a major impact on the upper-society. Nobles commonly bid against each other for a chance to acquire the best gemstones on the market. Merchants who can acquire these rare gemstones can become major players in the market, and can easily bend the scales in their favor.

South-Western Region - This region is one of the rare places on the mortal realm that hasn't been affected by the taint of the Shadow Realm. While the many tribal societies depend on ritual leaders and chiefs for their religious ceremonies, none possess the true taint of the Shadow Realm - which could be both good and bad. However, they are fascinated by the power of the rare gemstones, and some tribes deep in the jungles revere the ancient group of dragons referred to as "Gem-Scales".

North and North-Western Regions - Magic is as widespread as the numerous traditions that preside in this region. Some families are afflicted with the taint, and others are not affected at all. The oldest of these families claim that their family history can be traced back to the Gem-Scales and the first men born from the dragons.

Southern Islands Region - Even in this tropical island setting, the taint exists and grows among the people. Most that possess magical talents are seen as gifted, and are sought after for various reasons. Many seafarers seek those with magical talent to serve aboard their ships, and are willing to pay a pretty sum in order to one-up their opponents. These seafaring sorcerers perform tasks ranging from tying and maintaining ropes in dangerous situations, to magically propelling the ship through control of the currents or the winds.

Mountainous Regions - Among most societies living here, magic is seen as weak and cowardly. These rugged people prefer the bulk of a sword or a hammer to the flightiness of a sorcerer's spells. Anybody born with the taint are often ostracized, ridiculed, and (in the worst cases) killed by those who fear the taint and anybody associated with it. These people also separate themselves from the Gem Trade, as the objects are seen as instruments of dark association. They openly mock Brel, Valthiem, and pretty much any other city that has "given in to relying on the whims of forces they can not understand".

30 Days of World-Building - Day 17 - Mood II

Exercise 17 - Pull out the list of adjectives you wrote down that set the mood for your novel. You used this list for figuring out your setting climate, and a bit for refining your names. Read them out loud, Then, take out your notes on your speculative element. Read your rules out loud. Try describing how your speculative element works in your novel. How do you feel when you describe it? Also look at what you decided to name your speculative element. How you name your speculative element has a huge impact on how your reader will feel about it. Say the name out loud and decide if you feel the way you want to feel when you read your novel. Rename and rework your speculative element and their rules if you need too.

After rewording, I feel that my speculative element about magic, gemstones, and the connection with the Shadow Realm, fits perfectly with the mood. The element is both intriguing and mysterious, and any encounters with the monsters of the Shadow Realm would certainly make the hero run (that is, until he learns how to fight them). Fulfillment would settle in after stopping the creatures, and by extension, saving the mortal world.