The lands were riven by catastrophic war, but the forces of evil were eventually crushed with the help of the great guardian dragon, Lord Dogoran… though he was grievously poisoned. He survived but his time grows short now and his health fails daily, soon there will be no one left ...
The Struggle for Reality
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Nov. 21, 2020
What is real, really?
Can we trust our senses that what information they are giving us is objective? There are many thinkers and philosophers that posit we cannot. That as long as the messages get to our brains, it feels real even if it isn't.
If we can't ...
Horror in Pieces
Banes at 12:00AM, Oct. 1, 2020
Now that's a little TOO scary!
Horror is perfect for metaphor and allegory. In fact, a horror story is often allegorical by default, what with its bizarre landscapes and freaky beasties.
Here are some categories of horror and some thoughts on what they symbolize:
Reality Bites
psycho killer! Qu ...
Character Design Brainstorm: The Man (or Woman) of the Cloth
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, Aug. 29, 2020
There are many tropes and many archetypes that we use for character designs. I had a couple of years go (have I really been at it this long!?) done a series of articles on the standard character type/functionality archetypes.
I'm thinking it's high time to explore archetypes ...
The Fool Triumphant
Banes at 12:00AM, July 30, 2020
Many stories feature some kind of underdog in the beginning. This is a standard approach to a Protagonist. They may be very capable and bright, but have a lower status or disadvantage of some kind. This helps make them relatable and helps people root for them to win. Most mainstream ...
A Character's Free Will
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, June 20, 2020
Whether we have free will or not is a philosophical, existential and psychological conundrum that will forever tease and challenge us. While I can't speak for philosophers, I can for psychologists:
Behaviorists will tell you it doesn't exist (look up Skinner); Cognitive behaviorists will tell you it's ...
The Genre Defines the Lines
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, May 9, 2020
We grin and support John Wick as he ploughs through dozens of people per minute in his revenge quest over his murdered dog and ruined car, but we gasp with shock when the Wicked Witch of the East pursues a single person to take revenge for killing her sister with ...
Religion As Mythology
Tantz_Aerine at 12:00AM, April 11, 2020
It's all fine and exciting when using lore and myth to create new stories. Especially when it comes to modern genres like urban fantasy, it can yield pretty alluring and impressive results! From ancient Greek mythology to all kinds of Asian myths and legends, to Norse mythology and Egyptian ...