• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

Recent content by studentofrhythm

  1. The world of Koth

    Lightness (part 3)

    Soon after coming out of the Narrows, they reached the fields around Parmeshvi, and about a mile from town a farmer came out of a nearby house and asked if they’d like a lift into town. When Irla echoed Zholeg’s thanks the farmer looked more closely at him and grinned. “Where are you from?” he...
  2. The world of Koth

    Lightness (part 2)

    After about two more hours, Kossiekh came into view at the base of the eastern range. Irla fixed his eyes on it as it slowly drew nearer. He could almost imagine it was a mirage, forever floating out of reach. And then: “Ah! Our welcoming committee.” Five figures were running towards them...
  3. The world of Koth

    Lightness (part 1)

    They had gone at least three miles before Irla realized Taka was missing. Irla thought he must have misplaced him in the camel’s luggage, but a surreptitious pat-down failed to find him. Taka had not been his usual chatty self this morning, but Irla had assumed that was either because Zholeg...
  4. The world of Koth

    The world of Koth

    I have been working on this world for many years: an alternate world in which some societies have reached levels of technology roughly comparable to the 18th century AD/CE in our own world. The name "Koth" is simply the word for "world" in one of the languages spoken in it. The focal point for...
  5. studentofrhythm

    My bleeping problem with bleeping profanity

    I can't believe nobody's mentioned Firefly's creative cussing: "go ram it," "rutting," "we're humped" etc. Not to mention all the Chinese. But they can lay that on a bit thick too. I'm reading The Stormlight Archive now and getting mighty tired of the frequency with which all the characters...
  6. studentofrhythm

    ancient language?

    Why not Sumerian or Akkadian?
  7. studentofrhythm

    Writing poverty

    Your description of your story reminds me of Halldor Laxness' Independent People about a crofter in northern Iceland about a hundred years ago. Though the setting is rural and not urban, I'd recommend it to the OP, along with Upton Singlair's The Jungle, which takes place in Chicago at about...
  8. studentofrhythm

    Basing Your Fantasy Culture on Real Ones....?

    I would say that it's more important for you to research the geography and the ecology of the area you want to evoke - because pre-industrial cultures are shaped so much by their physical environments. Are you going to have the action take place in a rainforest, a savanna, a desert? Are your...
  9. studentofrhythm

    Craft Questions #2: Setting

    1. What kind of settings do you like to read about? Any setting that is well-described can pull me in and win me over, I think. But I'll always enjoy settings that provide for a lot of outdoor and wilderness scenes. Descriptions of landscape, terrain, vegetation, animals and weather always...
  10. studentofrhythm

    Craft Questions #1: Character

    1. What kind of characters do you like reading about? Ones that are pretty normal I think. They have the sorts of human problems that people might not want to talk about very much. Also, bookish types (gee I wonder why). 2. What kind of characters do you like writing about? Besides the...
  11. studentofrhythm

    Describing things?

    Kerouac wrote: "don't think of words when you stop but to see picture better." I've read that the biggest challenge to drawing, too, isn't so much technique as clearly seeing what you're going to draw. I often close my eyes and imagine myself in a place, seeing, hearing, smelling, doing...
  12. studentofrhythm

    Best music for writing fantasy?

    Anyone here listen to Sigur Rós? Their special EP of Saeglópur is very evocative. I think (), Takk and Valtari would set nice fantasy moods too. Also, go on youtube and search for Jordi Savall. This guy has been playing renaissance and baroque music in several ensembles for years and you...
  13. studentofrhythm

    Food in your world...

    Queshire, that's nifty. A cupcake that not only heals but has no calories? Dang, where do I get one of those? And I love the chain of fantasy fast food restaurants! Also, I can't help but recall Peter Gabriel's "Moribund the Burgermeister" from his first solo album -- delightful song about...
  14. studentofrhythm

    At what point does naming countries, cities, places become too clichéd/cheesy?

    @delaitha, No problem!
  15. studentofrhythm

    At what point does naming countries, cities, places become too clichéd/cheesy?

    I love geography. You misunderstand my point and attempt to put words in my mouth. The place names you cited all are English names from Greek, or coined in English using that old suffix borrowed from Greek. Some of them share the same or a similar name in their national languages, others...
See more
Top