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
The nights grow longer, the trees are slowly losing their leaves and the birds are losing their lust for singing songs of summer warmth. The Oak King makes way for the Holly King, for autumn has graced the Northern hemisphere. More than a year ago I introduced you to my homeland of Limburg and its … Read more
November is National Novel Writing Month – also known as NaNoWriMo, or just NaNo. It’s a writing challenge that takes place during the month of November, and the goal is to write a 50,000 word novel in a month. That’s right. An entire novel – Fifty Thousand Words – in one month. You can read … Read more
This article is by Zaivy Luke-Aleman, and is presented by Worldbuilding Magazine. Transportation can reveal the quality of life, stage of development, and interconnection between cultures in your setting. Like all things in worldbuilding, small details can reveal a lot of information. For something so incredibly common in everyday life, transportation has many opportunities to … Read more
In a previous article — called Worldbuilding on the Crossroads — I wrote about a technique writers can use to quickly create cultures for their worlds. For a background group this might be sufficient, but what if instead of a mere outline of a culture, you want to create an in-depth culture? A culture filled … Read more
Sometimes magic systems fail. Instead of wonder they cause confusion. Instead of building conflict they create plot holes. And instead of deepening our characters’ struggles they enable the dreaded deus ex machina. But we can avoid these issues by turning to a classic, well defined system. It’s a trope to streamline spells. Let’s reboot Elemental … Read more
This article is by Seán Gray, and is presented by Worldbuilding Magazine. Revolutions and secret societies have long shared a connection. Whether through military action or fostering divergent thought, these organizations have played key roles in several revolutions around the world. This article aims to help you create truly interesting and compelling revolutionary groups—a valuable … Read more
Carpentry probably doesn’t sound like a subject with much potential for writing fantasy, and I’ll admit the scope is restricted. But sometimes authors want a modest touch for effect, to add depth to the great epic they’ve undertaken. Five types of woodworking industries can be named, from the late Middle Ages: sawyers, carvers, turners, carpenters, … Read more