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High Fantasy - Blog Posts
Current read: Call of the Bone Ships by RJ Barker
Book 2 of the Tide Child trilogy
If you grew up reading Ranger’s Apprentice/Brotherband then I highly recommend this series— lots of nautical elements including ship lingo and long voyages. It’s a high fantasy series, so it has Pirates of the Caribbean-esque elements as well. The sea battles are incredibly well-written.
‼️‼️🗣️🗣️ SEA DRAGONS 🗣️🗣️‼️‼️
I’ve seen reviewers classify these books as grimdark, but I disagree with that mainly because of the main character Joron and his captain (shipwife), Lucky Meas. Though hardened by the circumstances of their lives and their tragic pasts, both of these characters, along with many of the side characters, have strong moral compasses and a conviction to do what’s right.
I’m enjoying this series a lot so far and I think it definitely deserves to more well-known. I would love to see the fandom grow too because I haven’t found anyone to talk about it with yet 🥲 (if you have read them pls interact bc I am desperate to scream about Joron with someone)
Made a book. Need thoughts. Tell me what y'all think. Please. (^._.^)ﾉ
Oberon & Titania by Arthur Rackham
Awesome, great to see this! Now that that's settled, who would you want to learn more about first?
@deadandgaysetanta @queen-of-hobgobblers @redkarmakai
@deadandgaysetanta @queen-of-hobgobblers
Taking a soft glance at a new world
Teft woke up. Unfortunately.
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Me too teft, me too
Wolf the icewing. Character for my story and one of minor villains. He is a hunter who uses his weapon to take down his enemies from a distance. Where he got his gun it is one of the mysteries in the story (which will take place some years after books), protagonists going to solve. And they encounter many strange things...
Vol Hang explores old ruins. Which appears to be remains of former city-state Llylgamyn, featured in previous games. After centuries it becomes abandoned. It is where Wizardry 6 begins.
Full disclosure, I've never actually seen Melancholia, but from your video, I arrived at a very different interpretation of Justine's character… it occurred to me that, if someone was used to hearing that the world was doomed, and had both ruined their own life with their actions and come to full acceptance of the fact that they had nobody to blame but themselves for their situation, that discovering that the entire planet genuinely IS doomed, in short order and quite demonstrably… wouldn't that come as a great relief? None of the guilt or crises would matter any more, because the advent of Melancholia would be so much more immediate… and since nobody can do anything about it, there would be no pressure to try, no pressure to be "productive."
It doesn't quite meet the definition of sanity in the ordinary sense, but when inevitable doom is rushing towards the entire planet, I kind of think the definition of "sanity" would shift, as values and priorities shift, because most of what we think matters… would suddenly no longer matter.
On a weirder note, I used cosmic bliss-horror when I put unicorns into my original high-fantasy worldbuilding project. In that world, unicorns are fearsome interdimensional incursions that cannot abide the impurity of the world's setting… Mesmerizingly beautiful, but lethal without exception. But they also contain a Mr. Toots reference, because I simply cannot help myself. Yes, my unicorn's ultimate ability is a discharge of superheated, rainbow-colored plasma (B308), shot out of its ass. But it's magical plasma, and when it burns you right to the bone, you fall under the Ecstasy spell (M139) as an affliction.
Who's afraid of the big bad eldritch horror?
And what happens when you're not? We made a video on it!
One, it's so fun watching villains fall because they think everyone is as power-hungry and/or shallow as they are.
Two, the all Inkings (the group which JRRT was part of) really were more powerful than all the armies of the world. The superweapons of our world brought so much destruction, but the Inklings brought so much hope and reconstruction into the world.
You know, it's kinda funny how much of high fantasy centers around kings and nobility and courtly intrigue considering that the archetypal high fantasy, Lord of the Rings, had the rather explicit moral of "saving the world is up to this backwater hick and his gardener because no politician, least of all inherited nobility, would have the ability to see past their own ambition and throw away a weapon". Oh sure, Aragorn is a great king and all, but there's a reason he's over there running a distraction ring while the hobbits do the real work. Sauron loses because he gets distracted by kings and armies and great battles (i.e. typical high fantasy stuff) letting Frodo and Sam sneak through his back door and blow it all to hell.
Just saying, maybe old Jirt knew what he was saying when he said that the small folk doing their best and holding to each other was more powerful than a dozen alliances and superweapons and we should respect him for it.
Squamigera Lamia
OPUS MAGNUS
This painting is quite small (smaller than A5 I believe) with miniature details, which you see enhanced here. I used tiny brushes to make it and applied the paint in many thin layers. I would have wished to show you the physical piece. Unlike big paintings, you need to hold this close to you and get closer and closer to see each detail. I love that.
I am immensely captivated by early Renaissance landscape art. How they paint each tree and rock, the bizarre architecture, the blue mountains far away, the silence and magic… It just feels like somewhere I know and very real. This is a painting that come about because of those feelings.
Sadly I still lack a name for it. Well, maybe...
Castle of Alchemists, 2020
Psionic WIP for my Character Design class last semester
Prompt: High Fantasy Skinny Psionic 🎈🎪🤡
Our TA Marissa was a huge help with pushing the psionic abilities and colouring, also thanks Xavier for come great crit on pushing the shape language :)
"Deconstruction" as a term has been overused at this point (at least the way it's used in online fandoms I interact with), but thinking about it does bring to mind this quote by writer Kurt Busiek that I feel has influenced me quite a bit (I've cited Busiek as an influence on my writing in the past):
"It strikes me that the only reason to take apart a pocket watch, or a car engine, aside from the simple delight of disassembly, is to find out how it works. To understand it, so you can put it back together again better than before, or build a new one that goes beyond what the old one could do. We've been taking apart the superhero for ten years or more; it's time to put it back together and wind it up, time to take it out on the road and floor it, see what it'll do."
You can replace "superhero" with any number of things at this point (magical girls, high fantasy, mecha), and I think the general idea of what Busiek's saying still works.
You know, it's kinda funny how much of high fantasy centers around kings and nobility and courtly intrigue considering that the archetypal high fantasy, Lord of the Rings, had the rather explicit moral of "saving the world is up to this backwater hick and his gardener because no politician, least of all inherited nobility, would have the ability to see past their own ambition and throw away a weapon". Oh sure, Aragorn is a great king and all, but there's a reason he's over there running a distraction ring while the hobbits do the real work. Sauron loses because he gets distracted by kings and armies and great battles (i.e. typical high fantasy stuff) letting Frodo and Sam sneak through his back door and blow it all to hell.
Just saying, maybe old Jirt knew what he was saying when he said that the small folk doing their best and holding to each other was more powerful than a dozen alliances and superweapons and we should respect him for it.
Would anyone like to read a high fantasy novel about a side character turned main character?
A fourth born daughter is thrown into the fae realm after her older sister is kidnapped and imprisoned. Only 17 years old she charges into the woods with only the help of her trusty squirrel friend who brings her snacks and books, who may or may not be a fae. She finds her sister deep in the Evil Queen's dungeons and brings her food and medicine whenever she can...until one day she walks in on her making out with the dark Fae prince she's fairly certain is a mind reader and decides that she's not touching that with a ten-foot-stick.
When the lands fall to war, she is simply a foot soldier. Nothing more. She doesn't learn how to fight in a week with days to spare. Though her sister is a general, and the most powerful fae in centuries.
When all settles down, she doesn't fall in love with a king or a general or a warlord or even a bastard. But with a second, or a third son. The foxy one with the long red hair. What if there were no fated mates?
What if she was allowed to comfortably live the rest kf her life out on the fae country side with her new little family?
happy women's day ♀ don't forget your swords today ladies
tip jar • links
The Kingdom of Tulia
Summary: a girl who has been living a normal life is in denial that she is anything more than ordinary, but a sorcerer keeps pestering her into admitting she is like him
word count: 750
Authors notes: I wrote this a while ago, it's all from my brain from what I recall and I have no recollection of where I intended to take this story, but I'm willing to figure it out if you guys want me to. this is a completely original world and characters. high fantasy?
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On Emily’s eighteenth birthday, she notices unexplainable things happening around her. Objects seem to move if she squints at them. Faint, golden sparks seem to shoot from her fingertips. Dreams of a handsome stranger with violet eyes plague her at night. At first, she chalks it all up to her imagination. Still, a week after her birthday, the mysterious stranger from her dreams approaches her and reveals that she is a high-born sorcerer who was hidden in the human world as a baby for his protection. He explained that Emily is now coming into a powerful arsenal of magic and is destined to be the ruler of the kingdom of Tulia, which will fall apart if she continues residing in the human world.
Emily herself had pale skin, jet black hair up in a slightly messy bun, her eyes were a vivid green that almost seemed to shimmer. The mysterious stranger has short blond hair, sun kissed skin, and bright violet eyes with a slight glow.
“Please your highness return to your rightful place in Tulia. Regain the throne from those who wish ill upon your citizens and reign a new era of happiness, peace, and prosperity.” Begged the mysterious stranger, “You do not know me, I am Zaros the right-hand sorcerer to her majesty the queen Amy Gloom.”
“My, I’m pretty honored by your request but my graduation is in a couple of days and then I was going to go to college, also if I have to leave I would have needed to put in my two weeks' notice three weeks ago-” Emily was interrupted
“Please, my darling, please follow me and save our souls”
“Uhhh…” Emily stammered with confusion “you don’t even know my name, how do you know you have the right person?”
“It is clear that you possess the spirit Uisus, all you must do is look in the mirror” Zaros stated, looking deeply within her eyes and examining her hair, as if to double check. “Have you noticed mysterious things happening, things that others might not be able to understand, see, or recreate?”
“Uhhmm. I have to go, I hope you find who you’re looking for” Emily hesitated, with an artificial wish for this mysterious man, she attempted to escape from this conversation
“I’m sorry, this all must be too much information for you. Very shocking, I understand. Let me take you somewhere where we can sit and I will explain it all in great detail, don’t pretend like you don’t see me!” He reasoned while chasing after her. Emily hoped that someone around would acknowledge this strange man harassing her and help her but no one even seemed to notice the fact that he was there, simply seeing through him. All their crazy eyes focused on her, who seemed to be arguing with and running from the wind. “Please listen to me! We need you! You can continue your education in Tulia! I will find a replacement for your job here, they won’t even notice!”
“Please stop, you're not real, you’re just a hallucination of my recurring dream that’s all. You can go away now!” Emily sounded as if she was convincing herself more than her pursuer. Emily stumbled with a yelp, falling into what seemed like the bottomless rabbit hole to wonderland.