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Fantasy Dictionar
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Fantasy Dictionar
Fantasy Dictionary
Writing a fantasy story often involves world-building: creating the setting in which your story takes place. Physical location is an important part of this phase—the house, cavern, mountain, forest, town, ship, island, or any other space your characters inhabit. But it is more than just a place. Building a world may mean thinking about the history, art, music, language, clothing, and customs of the story’s people—how they earn a living, what they do on holidays, and what everyday objects they use.
Of course a writer can’t design every aspect of a culture. If you did that, you’d never get around to writing the story! But here is the key: you want to think carefully enough about these things so that the reader believes your fantasy world goes on beyond the edges of your story. You want this imaginary world to feel real. And you do that with some well-placed, clear, creative details.
So let’s do some world-building! Please come up with objects, places, words ... any ideas for a fantasy story’s world. Tools, animals, types of clothing, dwellings—any of these and more may become necessary elements in our story! You may suggest as many as you like, or even post a strange word and let others suggest meanings. If you want, you can also write a sentence using the word or describing the fantasy place. Here are two examples:
haloris – a lantern that gives off both light and a pleasant scent. It is used by people who live near the swamps to counter the odors of mud and decay.
“Quill’s boots sank into the moss, deeper at each step, and ahead she could see a swamp, moonbeams glittering on pools that lapped around the tree roots. Catching the stench of stagnant water, she pulled the haloris lamp from her pack and set it alight.”
gnawk – a large, black bird with a raucous cry and uneven feathers that always look ruffled and untidy. Gnawks have a fondness for pecking and chewing on rope, and they are notorious for setting free dogs and farm animals tied with ropes. They unmoor boats tied to docks, and have been known to free certain fortunate prisoners.
Can you see how story ideas practically ooze from your Fantasy Dictionary, once you get your imagination going?
submitted by Fred Durbin
(April 23, 2014 - 10:11 am)
(April 23, 2014 - 10:11 am)
Hello! BTW, Thalia, you're named after the Muse of comedy.
Cappie says thkk. Think?
(July 3, 2014 - 4:34 pm)
Leo...
Going to the engine room.
(July 9, 2014 - 11:54 am)
I'm a gonna make some mosters!
Vispüür: A strange air creature that can take a bodily form on every night with a blood red moon. They can only go into the bodies of children and thousands have been stolen to provide the Vispüürs their human forms. The Vispüür must leave the body by the next full moon.
Vænom: A firey creature often covered in soot. It has a snake head and tail with a human torso. It can spit fire.
Daulphin: A kind water creature; like a mermaid with a dolphin tail.
(July 1, 2014 - 10:07 am)
(July 1, 2014 - 2:01 pm)
Snolrakii-a noodle dish with a sauce that is poisonous to every speacies but the elves, who eat it at fancy parties and formal occaisions because to them, it is a delicacy. It is made with flat, foot-long noodles and the sauce is made with snolroot (see below).
Snolroot-A potato that was planted, sprouted and picked during the new moon. If eaten by any speacies, (human or animal) other than elves, it will cause random vomiting through out the following week.
(July 3, 2014 - 3:02 pm)
staciary, [Elven stacia "star"], n., a dewdrop bewitched to flash, as with sunlight, in a pattern, similar to Morse code, that holds a short message. Usually made by sun elves, but possible for any mage to create
Mages of the Pen, [Common mage "arcane magician", pen "writing implement"], n., (group) an order of people whose writing, if done well, can come to life. A Mage of the Pen may or may not be an actual magic user, though many are. They are based out of the Papyrus Tower in Aliphar City, but have centers of operations worldwide.
bazatsu, [Dwarven bazur "bird of prey"], n., (Gymnogyps pinnigrus) a huge condor native to the Dawnforge Mountains. Considered a fine catch if brought down by a hunter, as not only are its sinews incredibly strong, its bones invaluable as arrow shafts, and its meat quite edible, its feathers make some of the finest quill pens known to any race
murdoch, [Dwarven murdoch "dishonorable person, traitor"], 1 n., a person (usually male) who takes dishonorable actions as determined by the user of the word; 2 n., traitor, or other person whose allegiances vary unbecomingly; 3 adj., traitorous, annoying, or bad in some other way
By the way, Cappy says "gaaw." Does that mean it's tired of my posts?
(July 1, 2014 - 8:12 pm)
staciary: "A staciary, blinking as it hung innocently from a moon-lily vine, caught Iyan'xai's attention. Intrigued, she went to have a closer look. Could this be the message that Mionr was talking about?"
Mages of the Pen: "'Who is THAT?!' he asked incredulously, jabbing his thumb in the direction of an ostentatiously dressed stranger talking to Rillon the Merchant. Tari shrugged. 'Don't know. He came to town last night. Says he's a Mage of the Pen, but I say that's all a bunch of poppycock.'"
bazatsu: "Ralcoss set his sights on a bazatsu circling high above, and drew his bow. If he brought it down, not only would he pass his test and be allowed to stay aboveground, but it would be enough to supply a feast for his entire village!"
murdoch: "From the door to the kitchen emanated the distinctive sound of Brunhelda kicking the old potbellied stove. 'Ye murdoch of a thing as ever came of Gunbjorn's hammer! Why can't ye work for mama, just this one leetle time?!'"
Cappy says "hccp," which leads me to believe that it has hiccups. :D
(July 2, 2014 - 12:55 pm)
fleymice: bat/human shape-shifters. Mistreated and shunned.
dreykloms: small bags that can hold much more than they seem to.
cleykings: the 10 cleybats worth coin
cleyponk: the 5 cleybats coin
cleyjest: the 2 cleybats coin
cleybat: the lowest coin in the land, worth about 1 dollar
snicknife: dagger
baltoid: the robe of the fleymice.
(July 2, 2014 - 5:53 pm)
Corae--coffee minus the caffiene. Usually made by people who can't afford real coffee, but preferred by some rich folks who don't like being hyper/jittery.
Etu--diminutive. For example, if you were talking to someone younger of lower rank than you, you would call them Etu if you wanted to.
Qrtae--mother or wife (that could get kind of confusing, I admit), used in an affectionate way.
Oro--father or husband, used in an affectionate way.
akere (a-keer)--teacher, like sensei.
(July 2, 2014 - 6:26 pm)
Are etu, qrtae, and oro honorifics, to be placed after a person's name? If so, here are some TENTATIVE example sentences. Feel free to reply back if you feel that I've misused any word.
etu: "'You will do nothing of the kind, Azdi-etu. Get back to your seat NOW,' the teacher said coldly. 'I will not be held responsible for another of your troublemaking escapades.'"
qrtae: "'Alina-qrtae?' 'Yes, dear heart?' she called down the stairs. 'Make ready our finest rooms, if you would, because (and you're not going to believe this) the King is stopping here, at this inn, on his tour of the provinces!!'"
oro: "I rapped thrice on the oaken door of Papa's study, then held my breath as I heard footsteps cross the room inside. I had to get every word right, not a toe out of place, or I'd be locked in my room for an hour or more. The door swung open, but before a glowering Papa could say anything, I said sweetly, 'Papa-oro? I'm truly sorry to interrupt your work, but there is a matter at hand which I simply must speak to you about!'"
(July 4, 2014 - 8:33 am)
Ectomorph
(July 3, 2014 - 12:06 pm)
Darkberries- poisonous berries that can kill if not treated and the only known antidote is vomiting, which still doesn't always work. The berries are black flecked with red.
Snakepearl- special pearls that allow living things that are in physical contact with them to become invisible for as long as they are in physical contact with the Snakepearl. Snakepearls look exactly like regular pearls but with a green glow.
(July 3, 2014 - 12:32 pm)
Why are they called Snakeperals? Are they from snakes ?
Snakeperals are cool!
(July 4, 2014 - 3:14 pm)
Mei-little puffballs that chirp. They form a strong bond with their owners. They are intelligent beings.
(July 3, 2014 - 2:04 pm)
Aww, that's so cute !
(July 3, 2014 - 5:59 pm)