Author: Joseph Hanna

I want to go back to bed.

World Building Project pt. 6

A part of fantasy writing I’ve always had difficulty understanding, but also have a mild fascination of is the use of magic in warfare. For most fantasy writing magic casters are generally a ranged unit, like a glorified archers. Casting generic ranged spells like fire ball, ice shard, lighting bold, etc. And that’s not a terrible idea, mages casting spells from afar where enemies can’t get to them that is. But I feel like it could be so much more. After all, magic in fiction generally serves to make the impossible possible. 

One of the most effective spells I believe is portal making, mostly because of how extraordinarily versatile they would be in any conflict. You could make a portal above enemy armies to spy on their movements, or even drop explosives from above from a safe distance. You could make a portal in the ocean, or large body of water, and then wash an army away in a massive flood. You could even do what Doctor Strange SHOULD have done in infinity war and put an enemy’s hand, head, or really anything into a portal, and then close it with the appendage still inside. Which would obviously cut said appendage off. There’s also the matter of making supply chains easier to access and such, but that’s boring practical stuff.

But it doesn’t stop there. Illusion magic would be massively effective too. How about you make an illusion of a ridiculously massive army to scare away any would be assailants. Or make a canyon, pit, or hole look as if it were solid ground. And once someone steps on it they fall to their demies. One of the best uses of this in my opinion would likely be to disguise yourself as someone else. Disguise yourself as an army’s general and lead the former hostiles against whoever sent them. 

If we go by DND magic rules then really the sky is the limit. Use a light of foot spell to jump over ramparts. With enough people to cast a mass amount the death cloud spell you could literally have medieval chemical warfare, and Persuasion magic would literally turn an army against itself.

If there is one thing I want to incorporate into this world building project its at least one of these magic warfare ideas. 

 

World Building Project pt. 5: clarification.

 

Well, it would appear that I have royally messed up. For the past several posts I thought I properly uploaded my pictures to go with each blog post. It was only very recently that I learned otherwise, and the photos I’ve been uploading were only visible on my end. And I do apologize. Be sure to check my last post (World Building Project pt. 4) as I did post the image that came with it correctly with a poem to boot.

Ill be re-uploading the images here, properly this time.

The main featured image (the one with the cloaked figure in space) is the image I uploaded on my first world building post where I announced my world building project. It was meant to leave far more questions than answers. 

The second photo (the one with the squid looking thing) was meant to be presented on my second post, where I talked about fantasy races.

The third photo (the map) was of course on my third post, where I mentioned the code I’ve been using for my illustrations.

World Building Project pt.4

“I am forever trapped within the chains of my brain, in the deepest dark where no sense can depart. In a desperate bid to survive I lost all that made me alive, and now am only a husk of what was left behind.   

Though, this hell was not only my doing, but the machines as well.                            To cleanse their minds of their crimes I was locked away for all time, unable to die. Being so alone scales withered to bones, not even able to cream, screech, sleep or make a peep . 

So to any who can hear, lend me your ear. Grant this endlings final desire to join her people in Fensire Mire.

And to the elderly gods whether it be Maw or Kelmee,

please help me.”

World Building Project pt. 3

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By now I think some of you have taken note of the code that’s been on my posts. The Ogham looking lines and symbols. I want to clarify that it is in no way a full on language (lets face it I’m not smart enough for that.) but rather a simple cypher of the English alphabet. A cypher that admittedly isn’t to hard to crack.

I do plan on reveling the key to said sypher in the future, in a kind of ARG style. I would give a hint or riddle that points to a location somewhere on campus. Then, I would hide a key to one or two letters in that location for all of you to find. Thought, I plan to do that far into the future, possibly even next year. 

 

World Building Project pt. 2

I don’t think I actually specified on any of my personal rules for this world building project, as oxymoronic as making rules for a unrestrained creative project may sound. So far, I’ve come up with two main rules.

First, there wont be any humans or Tolkien races, ever. So no elves, orcs, dwarves, etc. I want to make sure that this is new and refreshing to me. As nice as those architypes are I’d rather not incorporate them into this. Not only because those races have become common place and somewhat boring in fantasy, but also because I want to push my creative designs to their limits. Hopefully making something that is completely detached from stereotypical fiction races and creature designs.

Second, I’m going to try my best to make sure there wont be a consistent atmosphere or tone to this. One picture I post might be of a detailed map citing every country and landform on a planet, or intricate lore and diagrams of the local food web, the next might be a photo taken from some soldiers taking a lunch break. Essentially giving you all a lot of lea way when it comes to piecing this all together. 

 

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World building project, yay! :D

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I bet yall thought I wasn’t gonna come back to this blog thing. Not so, although I didn’t have any intention of coming back to blogging this year. A while back I came up with the idea of a making a blog focusing on a worldbuilding project of mine. My plan was to work on this school year, as well as over the summer break. Then when the next school year rolls around I could post pages from that book and not miss a blog deadline. Thought I think I’ve done far to much as of now to keep quiet about it anymore, thus why I’m starting now and not next year.

So Ill be posting a picture of my work on this work weekly as my blog, thought this comes with one catch. It will be your job to interpret what’s going on in those pictures, as I will be giving little to no context.

Also keep in mind most of this is subject to change, and to leave any ideas, suggestions, or explanations as to what’s going on in each drawing.

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Erwin Sanders, a real life fairy hunter.

Erwin Sanders is probably one of the most notable youtubers I’ve seen in recent memory.  His channel mainly focuses on him exploring the forests and plains of the UK in search of fairy’s and a handful of other mythological creatures.

Despite the seeming childlike subject matter, his videos always maintain a modicum of realism. An example of this is the fact that he doesn’t see a mythological creature every video. Sometimes its just an old man wandering around some beautiful scenery while giving grandfather like advice and stories.

Is it real? Nah, I wish was. But I don’t think it really matters. Even if you don’t enjoy the mythical aspect of his content, I think you would still enjoy his videos. There’s just something about a grey bearded old man talking about pixies like David Attenborough talks about animals that’s very…   soothing? I doubt I’m actually doing a good job of explaining the appeal of any of his channel, so go ahead and check him out yourself.

 

Irish mythology is insanely underrated.

I never really understood why everyone likes the Norse and Greek pantheon so much. The vast majority of the gods are arrogant, and the myths have been retold so many times that practically everyone knows the end to every story. 

May I introduce to you, Irish mythology. And no, I don’t mean Catholic Christianity, although they do play a big part in this religion. You see, when Catholics rolled around in Ireland and started Christianizing anything they deemed pagan, they kind of messed with a lot of the books documenting the Irish mythology, which unfortunately means that many of the things we currently know about the original Irish religion is incredibly tinted with Christian influences. Despite all of that, the things we do know about the Irish mythology are very unique and interesting. 

For example, the Irish “apocalypses” myth. Unlike most of end of the world myths, the Irish end of the world myth doesn’t have a climactic clash between good and evil, and arguably doesn’t even end the world. The world just gets a lot worse. Something causes all the humans everywhere to lose all their morals. Lawlessness, incest, wrath, and all that bad stuff becomes common place. The world doesn’t technically end, and neither does humanity. Its just not a world anyone would want to live in. 

There’s also the Tuatha De Danann, the fairy god pantheon. to give a quick summary of the mythology we know about them, the fairy gods found Ireland and made a truce with the humans who already lived there to share the island in peace. Then the Fomorians (sea fairy’s) invaded, and the Tuatha de Danann and humans kicked them off the island. After that another human kingdom invaded and tricked the Tuatha De Danann into living under Ireland in the hills of Ireland, where they supposedly are to this day.

Of course, there are also the beings depicted in Irish mythology that are fascinating, and could provide some pretty cool plot devices. Sprigans, who steal human children and replace then with one of their own. The hero Cuchulain, who becomes a giant monster by turning himself inside out. Banshees, who are supposedly the souls of women who died in labor. Dulihans who are essentially headless horsemen.  My personal favorite is the Dagda. The patriarch of the Irish pantheon, radiates cool dad energy, and is all around just a genuinely nice guy.

All of this stuff is nice and all, but the main reason I like Irish mythology so much is because of how open ended it is. There are so many unknown bits that we could fill with modern stories of our own. I’ll give a few nice prompts to fill below:

What caused humans to go crazy during the end of the world? What would the fairies do about it?

What happened to the humans who teamed up with the Tuatha De Danann? Did they move underwound with the furies? Do the Tuatha De Danann hold a grudge on them because their humans?

What would happen if a fairy woman died during labor? Would they turn into a banshee? 

What do sprigans do with the human children they steal?

What happened to the remaining Famorians after the Tuatha De Danann defeated them?

This little essay has left out about 99.999% of the mythology, so I suggest you do your own research. I just wanted to make this blog about Irish mythology because I think one of the best stories humans have ever told are told through the apparatus of mythology, and it would be a criminal waist to not tell them through this ancient pagan religion.

My admiration for ants

Ants, even on the surface level they are extremely satisfying to look at. Orderly lines flowing on the pavement and grass, its almost hypnotic. even so, I find how the uphold themselves to be the most interesting. Their work ethic and devotion to something larger than the single individual, and becoming massive super organisms only seconded by humans. Not to mention, they are among the only insects that seem to see me. not as a piece of  meat, or a weird looking tree, but as a living being

Now, I’m not going to sit here and say that ants are sentient by any means. I don’t think I have the qualifications to say something like that. However, I can confidently say they have feelings. The mourning of a queen after her clutch of eggs don’t make it, the excitement of workers after finding a spilled Coca-Cola can.

Maybe I’m just doing what humans are good at and anthropomorphizing things I consider cute, and seeing emotions where there are none. I’m not sure where I was going with this, I just needed something for this blog thing so I picked one of my favorite subjects. that being the study, fascination, and admiration for ants.