Worldbuilding Power: Elementals Use primordial creatures in your worldbuilding, character development, and storytelling! Elementals are the embodiment of the four classical elements, air, earth, fire, and water. The modern conception dates back to ancient Greece, but similar ideas existed in Babylonia, India, and Japan. The notion was that everything in the world was comprised of […]
Worldbuilding Power: Fey Use faerie folk in character development, worldbuilding, and adventures! The fey, also called faerie folk or fairies, originate in European folklore. In pre-Christian traditions they were often cast as minor deities, household spirits, or even the souls of the dead. Some tales saw them as demoted (rather than fallen) angels, or even […]
Worldbuilding Power: Evocation Use energy-harnessing magic in character development, worldbuilding, and adventures! To evoke is to call forth and manipulate various types of energies and forces. These include fire, electricity, heat and cold, light and darkness, and even eldritch energy itself. It is the magic of raw power. Unlike other categories of magic, evocation comes […]
Worldbuilding Power: Enchantment Use mind-affecting magic in character development, worldbuilding, and adventures! Enchantment, also known as charm spells, is magic the affects the mind of the target. A talented enchanter can alter attitudes and emotions, convince them to change their opinions and behaviors, and even compel them to do things they normally would not do. […]
Worldbuilding Power: Enchantment Use transmutation magic in character development, worldbuilding, and adventures! The magnum opus, or Great Work, of alchemy is the transmutation of base metals like lead into precious metals like gold. This is arguably the foundation of alteration and transmutation magic in fantasy roleplaying. The ability to turn one thing into another, even temporarily, […]
Use artificial creatures for character development, worldbuilding, an adventure design! Constructs are artificially created creatures. Typically mindless, they are programmed to obey their creator. Because they are technically not living, they lack the weaknesses of hired henchmen and mortal monsters. They are unfeeling, relentless, and can be virtually unstoppable. That’s what makes constructs such terrifying […]
This is the weekly Dancing Lights Press Newsletter for 17 March 2019. This will be published every Sunday around 1pm EST. It will be simultaneously sent to subscribers and posted on the website. New This Week Worldbuilding Power: Forests – In the real world forests are the dominant ecosystem, covering around 30% of the Earth’s […]
Use the woodlands in character development, worldbuilding, and adventures! In the real world forests are the dominant ecosystem, covering around 30% of the Earth’s landmass. They hold most of the species of plant life, and can exist across a broad range of climates and habitats. There are boreal forests, or “snow forests”, near the poles […]
Everything we publish has to be useful or fun. Ideally, it should be a combination of both. Not everything that is useful can be fun. A tool has finite entertainment value. Allow it to be what it is, and don’t try to force it to be something it isn’t. Not everything that is fun is […]
A quick update, directly to the point: I am ill. This isn’t a plea for sympathy, just a statement of fact. You may have noticed the lack of blog posts this week. You won’t see a new release on Friday either. I am on bed rest and have been sleeping 90% of the time, which […]