Sieges and Siegecraft – Part Two: Defenders
Aaron Miles
Shore up the defences, man the walls and get those supplies inside! Last time, we looked at siegecraft from the attackers’ side; this time, we’re on the defensive. There are…
setting
Is Winter In Fantasy Always Evil?
Nicola Alter
Winter is often seen as the dark and unwelcome season, and understandably so—if you live far enough from the equator it can mean longer nights, cold temperatures, icy conditions, grey…
Society in Story
There are a number of elements fantasy writers focus on during worldbuilding, traditionally they pour over decisions like mapping locations, designing a magic system and setting empires/species against one another…
Exploring Rural Landscape
Adrian Faulkner
The quest is a hallmark of great fantasy fiction and some of the best quests see our heroes traverse a variety of locations before reaching their goal. When done well,…
A Question Of Technology
When people think of the fantasy genre the concept of technology isn’t usually at the forefront of their minds. They’ll be thinking of the magic, the monsters, the castles and…
Havens And Hells In Fantasy
When we talk about how we feel when reading we often refer to characters or plot. We vent about a villain we hate or gush about a hero we love.…
Two Characters Walk into a Bar…
Nicole Singer
What is it about bars, pubs and taverns that makes them so darn fun to read about in fantasy? I don’t know about you, but I get a gleeful little…
Setting as a Character
Ryan Howse
One of the joys of writing second-world fantasy is the ability to create your own world. You can set up spectacular vistas, ancient empires, mysterious ruins, or whatever else you’d…
Symbols: A Vital Worldbuilding Tool
B. Pine
A few days before writing this post, an old acquaintance reached out to me by text to wish me a happy new year. I texted her back, asking how her…
Underground Fantasy – Part Three: Tunnels and Secret Passageways
Steff Humm
So far in this series we’ve wandered through caves, dungeons, tombs and enclosed mazes to find out what makes underground fantasy settings so atmospheric and alluring. In the third and…
The Start Of All New Things
With the New Year not long gone in our rear-view mirrors, it’s a perfect time to ponder “fresh starts” in fantasy. Usually, they signal a momentous turning point in the…
Underground Fantasy – Part Two: Dungeons, Tombs and Mazes
The first part of this series on underground fantasy looked at caverns as settings and pathways to worlds below. Next we will explore dungeons, tombs and underground mazes to ascertain…