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Blooded's Worldbuilding: Races

    • 585 posts
    June 16, 2017 5:44 PM EDT

    Damn, Blooded, this is one helluva read.

    I like that you focussed on Elves, sometimes having every different race can be... boring? Cliche maybe? Making every race similar but with massive distinctions, advantages and disadvantages over each other, it makes the world feel more dangerous and alive. Like there's a dynamic food chain which shifts wherever you are.

    Is there any resentment from the shorter-lived races toward those who live several lifetimes over compared to them? I imagine it would be a point of contention, like a whole race who is nothing but condescending to you.

    Are races allied with other races, or is that on a smaller scale? Are there any races that downright refuse to even talk to others, or does the need for survival outweigh there squabbles?

    • 127 posts
    July 18, 2017 5:10 PM EDT

    So, I'm guessing that all of the della are going to have similar naming practises, at least at a base level, judging by the elven nature and a clear relation by language.  Even years down the line, were can track back how and why we name things in a certain way to ancient times, and the same should hold true in this universe for a grounding in realism.  It is something that people do pick up on, even if they don't realise it.

    Perhaps the differences are impacted by the varied circumstances and values surrounding them, with the Gryndella possibly using names based around the various minerals surrounding them, whereas the Vondella may name their kind based on temperature and sound given their blind nature.  Maybe the Fendella use vegetation as a baseline of naming, and the Morendella use topographical geography to name their children to remember where they've been?

    Just be careful with making up a language - make sure it doesn't strain a reader's mind too much that they need a pronunciation guide to work through the story, and if they do, intersperse it into the story through clarity of dialogue.  Just a list of the words at the back isn't enough if they need to switch between the two to read it properly.  When it comes down to it, have 'patsy' characters who don't know everything get clarification and on what someone else is talking about, stumble over the names/words, and have them corrected.  It doesn't distract heavily, and is a natural thing people do.

    I like the look of it all, especially lacking the usual Elves and Dwarves pitfalls of most amateur fantasy writers.  You don't make it anywhere by retreading the same tired out ideas that have been around for decades.


    This post was edited by J.D. Primrose at July 18, 2017 5:14 PM EDT