Category: Fantasy

Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/22/23: Return to Melniboné

I went to generate a pic of Elric on a Melnibonéan dragon by using the prompt “Albino warrior, black armor, rainbow dragon” and look what I got! But it’s so cool looking I’m going to keep it. A more conventional Elric was generated later and you can see him to the side. I did an …

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Cities a’ Walkin

Mexican philosopher Manuel DeLanda called cities the “mineralization of humanity.” Invertebrates like snails, clams, and nautiluses generate outer coverings of calcium to act as their homes. Now humans have begun to do the same,  “mineralizing again when they developed an urban exoskeleton.” What might happen if those shells developed personalities of their own and began …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/15/23: House of the Dragon (Dragons)

The dragons of House of the Dragon are equivalent to B-52 bombers and almost as large, with unprecedented, literal firepower. They are what the Valyrians used to dominate the continent of Essos in ages past, building up an empire that was Roman-like in its scope. But unlike the jets, Valyrian dragons are sentient, and bonded …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 2/8/23: House of the Dragon (People)

Now that Game of Thrones has wrapped, House of the Dragon has become HBO’s next blockbuster fantasy series. It’s about the history of the Targaryon family who ruled over Westeros two centuries previous to the events of the former series. They are Valyrians, George R. R. Martin’s equivalent of Imperial Romans, with the addition of …

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Rainbowman

Among the more bizarre Japanese tokusatsu hero shows of the 1970s was Warrior of Love: Rainbowman. This sounds contemporary, but the show had nothing to do with LGBTQ people or rights, as it debuted in 1972. Due to the special training he received in India from the yogi Devadatta,  young hero Takeshi Yamato was able …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 1/4/23: Best of Twittersnips 2022 (Magic Items)

My favorite Twittersnip magic items of 2022.   2022 Magic Items Anzha’s Bubble: This glass bubble measures 2” and constantly shifts colors. When held in the palm, it induces memories of the most tranquil place the holder ever visited, inducing in them calm and peace. Bag of the Banshee: This cursed sack screams loudly whenever …

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Worldbuilding Wednesday 12/28/22: Best of Twittersnips 2022 (Spells)

My favorite Twittersnip spells of the year!   2022 Spells Alter Skeletal Alignment: Gives the effect of a visit to the chiropractor on any creature that has bones. Arrow of the Mage: Not a physical arrow, but the dynamics of ‘shooting’ it are the same. Enables one mage to send a spell they know to …

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Masks of the Snow Queen, Part 2

In the opening chapter, prologue really, of The Snow Queen the reader is treated to a humdinger of a setup for the rest of the book. During the planet Tiamat’s masked festival/ball, a couple sneak away to have sex in one of the side rooms, where they fall asleep from drugged wine. Arienrhod, the Winter …

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