This article is by Toni Šušnjar. In Antiquity and early the Middle Ages, the main weapon was the spear. Only a few exceptions appeared: Roman legions, which used javelins instead, and Macedonian pike phalanx with its sarissa. In the later Middle Ages, the main weapon could be a pike or a polearm (such as polehammer, … Read more
This article is by Toni Šušnjar. Recruitment and Numbers The most basic style of recruitment is that of a local militia – rural or urban – where a portion or all of the free men take up arms. Militiamen are usually not highly trained, but they make up for lack of training with motivation: fleeing … Read more
This article is by Toni Šušnjar. Strategy and Enemies The structure of an army will depend on the strategy, as strategy will determine the army’s role and tasks. A state which carries out expansion through outright territorial conquest will have large numbers of heavy infantry, combat engineers and artillery, and possibly some heavy cavalry as … Read more
This article is by Toni Šušnjar. Warfare and military are an integral part of much of ancient and medieval fantasy. This is no surprise: warfare was a key element in development of society and of history, and much of mythology is also about it. As such, it is difficult for fantasy writers and readers alike … Read more
This article is by Lynea Youmans. Faith-based fantasy. A sub-genre of its greater counterpart. There are many books that align with this genre, but do we ever hear of them or clear out the figurative shelves when they go on sale? Perhaps this is the first you’ve ever heard of it, how a fantasy tale … Read more
Stuck with a bad case of writer’s block? Ready to quit on your story after getting harsh feedback you sense deep down is true? Caught in a cycle of rewriting early chapters instead of producing new ones? If anxiety is hijacking your writing time, distracting you and leading to negative self-talk and procrastination, it might … Read more
This article is by Toni Šušnjar. Monarchy is the most usual governing system found in fantasy. While this is often presented as problematic by democrats, it is actually a) very logical, b) practical and c) much less problematic than presented. In other words, monarchy makes much more sense in a fantasy setting than any other … Read more
This article continues the topic of medieval miners and mining. Here’s a link to part 1, which talks about medieval theories of how gold and other metals are formed. Mining Once a vein has been discovered, the challenge is to get the stuff out of the ground. From earliest times, people have done both open-pit … Read more
We fantasy fans know this much: mines = dwarves. Short, stocky types with their picks, delving deep beneath the earth. And … er, well, things get a bit fuzzy after that. There’s a ton of details about mining, though, that provide a rich … um … vein to … ah … mine. Yeesh. Where do … Read more
This article is by Eleanor Konik, and is presented by Worldbuilding Magazine. The earliest human civilizations arose in conditions that were favorable for agriculture. Ancient river valley cultures gave rise to some of history’s longest-lasting and most powerful civilizations, including the Egyptians and the Chinese. This does not, however, mean that civilization arises exclusively in … Read more
