Steps to Building a Fantasy World

In any novel, a common writer’s technique is to include one or more characters who ask questions or provide information. These characters serve to force the protagonist to contemplate their actions or answer motivations on behalf of the reader. Alternatively, these characters provide information to propel the plot. A well known example of this is Hermoine in the Harry Potter series. Within the Dragonshadowed series, I employ Boulder to fulfil this important function. He asks questions and the answers he obtains informs the reader. Boulder is an ‘outsider’, even though accepted by the rest of the main characters. He’s the newest and least powerful member of the fellowship. Much of Valdain’s culture and civilization are mysteries to him. Keenly intelligent, Boulder watches and attempts to learn as much as possible while remaining quiet. He speaks only when spoken to, or when he encounters a situation that defies a logical conclusion. While he learns, he does as much as possible to earn his place by aiding his friends. Boulder doesn’t know much of his origin beyond what his human mother mentioned. She never spoke of his non-human father other than to acknowledge that his blue skin color, height, and affinity to the earth are inherited from his sire. He grew up cloistered in a temple dedicated to Namphyl, the lord of absolute Order, where his mother was dedicated as a priestess. He was a loaner and learned to respect others as a servant. His unnatural appearance and abilities chaffed against the priesthood’s expectations of an established norm. Boulder accepted their passive hostility as normal, knowing nothing else. His future changed one afternoon while attending a boring lesson. He drifted to sleep and slipped into the ground. This shocking feat was viewed as an unacceptable demonstration of rebellion, and young Boulder was summoned before the temple elders. The senior priests suggested that it was time that he explore the outer world and find his father. Boulder accepted the mission. As the temple was located in a remote town in Nova Valdain, he determined to travel to the heart of Valdainian civilization and obtain information. Still a loaner at heart, he drifted north, performing odd jobs. He possessed unusual mental abilities. Unable to see clearly, he compensated by sensing the presence of others through vibration in the earth. When he knew where to look, he could concentrate, but his behavior was often interpreted as a hostile stare. He booked passage on a ship, intent on making a short voyage across to Rashaic Sea to a kingdom in Valdain. Once on the water, he became violently sick. His shipmates assumed that he experienced a bad case of sea sickness, but to Boulder the malady felt fatal. He had to be carried from the ship to land at the first port. In Valdain, he survived by performing more odd jobs and living frugally. His needs were few, and he learned to sleep beneath the earth. Interacting with others remained difficult because of his odd appearance. Unfortunately, no one could provide any information regarding his father, aside from suggesting consultations with sages or mages. Both would require copious expenditures of money. He heard stories of the city of Domagaf, and was assured that the benevolent western wizards might help. Travelling west, his resources steadily dwindled, ultimately leaving him in a desperate situation well beyond the borders of Valdain. And no closer to his goal. He stopped at an inn by chance, hoping to find employment, information, or both. By chance, he observed a warrior with an upright sword etched into his shield and breastplate. That device reminded him of similar designs at his home temple, so he decided to speak to the man. That ‘man’ was Areskel. The two developed a rapport, and Boulder was introduced to the other people who would become his friends. Boulder’s life and subsequent adventures unfold in the various novels of the Dragonshadowed series. Here’s my shameless plug for you to plunge into my world of magical, epic high fantasy with your first purchase. Happy reading!

In novels of epic high fantasy, writers often use human characters to provide the reader with a familiar touchstone. Someone with whom that reader may readily identify as they experience that characters victories and defeats. Someone with whom they can share growth as they reach the story’s resolution or complete an arc through growth to maturity. The Dragonshadowed series provides Tamsin and Gyrfalcon as the central human characters, but this wouldn’t be epic high fantasy without a host of non-human companions as allies, foils, and to provide occasional friction. Dairug the dwarf in one of these characters. The foundation of Dairug’s personality will be familiar to readers of any of the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. Gruff, argumentative, and as solid as the earth in which he makes his home. Aside from ‘Lord of the Rings’, I base Dairug and dwarvish society on the same foundation of Norse and Teutonic legend as Tolkien. Dwarvish society at the time of my novels is a product of tragedy and suspicion. In the far past, the dwarves were gathered in one mighty kingdom that carved it’s way under a string of multiple mountains and delved deep into rocky depths. War and other setbacks forced the dwarves from their home to wander beneath the scorching day star of the surface world. The argumentative dwarves became divided, as much by their own nature as interference from those civilizations they encountered. Fractured bands traveled in different directions, ultimately finding new sources of wealth on which to build a kingdom. Each new kingdom lost communication with the others, becoming more reclusive and unaccepting of all outsiders. Some kingdoms believe they are the only surviving dwarves. Dairug was born into the kingdom of Mafrolmonom, sure that his community was the last dwarven stronghold. As a young dwarf of about forty winters, and before he was considered to be a fully responsible adult, he joined a group of senior dwarves in the mines. He found the long shifts monotonously enjoyable, until a great problem was discovered. Much of the ore beds were disappearing, and the surrounding rock became unstable without warning. The unexpected and unprecedented nature of the danger threatened to force a stop to all mining activity. Disaster threatened every dwarf. Burrowing creatures, even monstrous worms were well known to dwarven miners. When encountered, these were lured away by sonic vibrations into other areas, often opening up new wealth. None of the damage was anything like a worm burrow, but Dairug decided to experiment. His efforts were rewarded when he noticed a pile of rubble move of its own accord. His discovery resulted in capturing the creature he named a ‘crumbler’. The dwarves were saved, and Dairug received honors. He was promoted to work the forges, where he learned smithing and the properties of mundane and enchanted metal. That might have been an end to the story, but war came to the kingdom. The king decreed an alliance with the human kingdom of Chiardim, and together they defeated a great enemy. The near destruction of Mafrolmonom convinced the dwarves that their home couldn’t remain isolated. An ambassador must be sent to the humans. As this would be a lengthy assignment, no dwarf expressed interest. At most, they would consider a brief trading visit. Young Dairug was chosen for the important post. While serving as ambassador, Dairug reached the age of sixty and was recognized as an adult dwarf with two celebrations—one in his home kingdom—and a second among his human friends. He’d learned to reduce his natural bellicose attitude and appreciate different viewpoints. Dairug made a habit of lounging in the king’s solar quaffing ales and trading stories each evening. It was a good place to gather gossip and occasionally provided important information for his folk. This is where the archmage found him chatting with two servants of the healing god, Melqart. The archmage explained he had a mission and needed travelling companions. Dairug thought a brief diversion would be beneficial, and that the opportunity couldn’t be ignored. He joined a diverse group of strangers and was whisked through a transition gate and into a brawl. As he often remarked later, “Nothing brings folks together like a good fight.” And so it was. The fellowship of the Dragonshadowed series was born.

The Dragonshadowed book series presents a number of contrasts. In Valdain, few things are what they seem, and everyone lies. The stalwart characters are meant to provide a contrast to the deceptive culture. This contrast is vividly demonstrated by the difference between Rarnok and the elf, Areskel. It’s a friendship that shouldn’t be possible. Rarnok is bluff and uncomplicated. Areskel is fraught with contradictions and layers of complexities. Both are outsiders. Rarnok is shunned by others, while Areskel chooses anonymity. Early in the first book, Dragon Watch: A Dawn Before the Storm, the fellowship is unwillingly thrust into the thick of duchy politics. They must adapt to the reality of treachery, magic and poison in a very hostile land. Tamsin and Gyrfalcon are able to adapt quickly as native Valdainians. Areskel has the advantage of many years of experience and the wisdom of the dragon, Delgarathon. Rarnok must rely upon his friends to compensate for his misunderstanding of human society, near immunity to all poisons, and luck. As a warrior of mixed goblin and humanoid parentage, Rarnok is considered a ‘hurk’. All hurks are outcasts in both human and goblin cultures unless they can prove their worth. This usually requires conflict, and it’s fortunate that most hurks are natural fighters. Hurks are relatively rare, as few humans will mate with a goblin. Most offspring are killed at birth. Those allowed to live are usually from communities that need people, or for whom there is reasonable doubt of a goblin parent. Young hurks may resemble humans but their true heritage is always revealed by puberty. A hurk has some advantages over humans. Unlike goblins that are partially blind under sunlight, they possess normal sight and see reasonably well in light and dark. They see heat as a type of infravision. However, they have bad tempers and are easily provoked into fighting. Those surviving past puberty often die quickly. Rarnok is described as a hulking warrior of about 300 pounds wearing black armor beneath a blacker hellhound cloak. He fights left-handed and can match the strength of a fully-grown troll. The years and Areskel’s friendship have aided him to hold his temper that still explodes in a fight. Those familiar with role playing games would recognize him as a ‘tank’ when he wades into every opponent. He causes as much damage as possible while relying on luck, armor and Tamsin’s healing power to keep him alive. He has a fatalistic attitude and expects to die on a hill of slain enemies. No one is more surprised than Rarnok that he has lived so long. Rarnok began life as a typical ‘human’ child, to a single mother in a human tribe dwelling on the north slope of the Dragonspine mountains. He never knew his father but was told he was killed in a goblin raid. The northern tribes live in walled compounds, subsisting on rudimentary crops, animal herding, and by trading ironwood, silversword and other exotic plants with merchants. He learned to work hard, was taught to fight, forage and hunt, and become a productive member of his community. The Dragonspine mountains are goblin territory, so human settlements on the border are always alert for trouble. Good fighters have a high status as scouts and protectors of the village. Rarnok wasn’t adept at sneaking, but he was recognized as a warrior at a young age. He fought at every opportunity, challenging bigger and bigger opponents. He didn’t care if he won or lost, as long as he could fight. He killed three goblins in his first real battle. The village elders decided the best place for Rarnok was to serve as a lookout while watching flocks. There, he might practice useful foraging skills while unable to pick fights with the other boys or men. The fight found him. One night, two goblin scouts approached the village, unaware that they were observed. Rarnok attacked, killed one and wounded the other. The rest of the goblin band arrived and overwhelmed the youngster. Under other circumstances, a captive would have been killed and eaten immediately. But the goblins had full bellies. The goblin leader decided to bind the boy for a later feast. He would be devoured slowly while alive. They wanted to enjoy their prisoner’s screams that would otherwise alert the village before their raid. A goblin runt was left to guard Rarnok while the rest prepared to attack. The runt tormented the boy. Rarnok broke his bonds and killed the runt. Gathering a few weapons, he ran to the village. Rarnok came upon the attack as the goblins were about to breach the village wall. He did what he always did. Charged the rear of the goblins and howled, determined to kill as many as possible before death claimed him. Wolves answered from the surrounding hills. The goblins routed and the survivors were hunted by the wolves. Rarnok was celebrated as a great hero and provided with a wolf talisman. The boy knew he had failed to provide warning, and that truth was suspected by some of the elders. That summer, his eyes darkened to dead black and pronounced lower fangs protruded from his jaw. These were the unmistakable traits of a ‘hurk’. Rarnok couldn’t be allowed to stay in the village, but his feats made the tribe reluctant to exile or kill him. The arrival of trading merchants offered a solution. He was enticed to join their caravan as a guard. A chance to fight easily convinced Rarnok to leave village boredom. Unfortunately for the hurk, almost all of the members of the caravan were human. He fought among the men and made enemies. The only non-human was an odd ‘elf’, Areskel. Areskel was able to fight the hurk without danger of harm. They became friends despite their evident differences. The new friends wandered the trade routes of the western human lands, drifting from group to group, occasionally gaining another stalwart companion. In the course of traveling, Rarnok was bitten by an ice dragon. The venom should have killed him, but his constitution, luck, and the aid of a mage and cleric enabled his survival. As a result, the ice dragon’s venom still runs in his veins, making him immune to most poisons. The band set off to visit the kingdoms of the east, passing through Dragonhold, Valdain, and eventually fighting their way to become lords in the kingdom of Chiardim. The veteran hurk became champion of the High King’s bodyguard. One evening, Rarnok found himself summoned with Areskel and others to join the greet archmage, Edossaril, for an urgent mission. He accepted, and a new fellowship was formed to become the friends of the Dragonshadowed series . Order Your Copy Now!

Discover the story of Areskel the Elf in the Dragon Shadowed series. Dive into the thrilling adventure and uncover secrets of this enigmatic character. Read more now!

Dive into the backstory of Gyrfalcon, a temple warrior and knight in the Dragonshadowed series. Discover his journey, motivations, and the events that shaped his quest for justice and fellowship.

Who are the ‘Main Cast’ of the Dragonshadowed Series? What are their backstories? What makes them ‘tick’? Every story, novel, or series needs one or more characters to engage the reader, drive the plot, and provide a touchstone from the familiar to the world of imagination. Poor, one-dimensional characters are acceptable only for those incidental persons who form part of the background like a store clerk or a baker. The main characters interact in a natural fashion and go their way. These background characters are no different than the physical description of the immediate surroundings. Their contribution may be summarized in a word or two. Main characters, such as the protagonist and antagonist, must be complex individuals. They need a back story, hopes, fears, and motivation to be interesting and compel some level of understanding, and even encourage identification in order to engage the reader. I endeavor to provide a ‘thumbnail sketch’ of various characters at the beginning of each of my books to provide the reader with a handy reference. Aside from the main cast, this includes important minor characters—the supporting cast. Fortunately, the budding writer or author can refer to a myriad of articles and books for guidance. I recommend the books by K. M. Welland. Before discussing the specifics of Tamsin Satori or the other five main characters, it’s important to understand her placement in the overall culture of Valdain. She’s a product of a Dark Ages/Medieval mindset which is very different from our 21st century environment. She and her companions readily accept the reality that the ‘gods’ manifest real intervention in the mortal world. Justice is a vague concept, decided by the authority of a sword. Life is often messy, brutal and short. They view combat, or even death as an everyday event, although the same situation would be a traumatic incident for us. It’s also a magical world, so simple spells are common place to ease mundane workloads. Powerful magic is possible only for the most adept, such as archmages. The human folk of Valdain know their world is populated by other races such as dwarves, gnomes and goblins with whom they may trade, fight and coexist. Monsters are real. As a final note, readers should be aware that each novel takes place within a short period of time. As a result, the characters don’t change much from book to book. Real change as in a ‘character arc’ doesn’t happen in a few days, even if a character experiences a traumatic event. This is also true of the characters of the Dragonshadowed series. I’ll discuss the other main characters in later blogs. Tamsin Satori Tamsin is a child of nobility, benefiting from a high social standing in the human lands of Valdain. As she is politically astute, she often assumes leadership and is able to influence most interactions in her favor. She is the most educated character as she has been tutored through her childhood as the senior daughter of a count. Later, she received instruction from the clerics of the great temple of Melqart in Eboracum. She is proficient in many languages and has a grasp of history, geography, natural and magical phenomena, and philosophy. Although the god, Melqart, is responsible for wisdom, healing and warfare, Tamsin struggles with the aspect of wisdom and is prone to making serious mistakes when she is rushed. Her early childhood was spent with the children of the small folk of her castle, until she wandered into the forbidden dungeon on a dare. She was disciplined and required to associate only with others of comparable status. This humiliation restricted her playmates to the company of her siblings and the occasional visit from the families of vassal nobles. In practice, she endured the rebukes of her cruel elder brothers, or spent periods of boredom with her mother and younger sister as they practised embroidery and music in the solar. She enjoyed the company of her tutor, or reading books as her father worked in his study. Although Tamsin’s early life seemed idyllic, betrayal marred most of her life. Aside from the childhood spite of her brothers, she was informed at age twelve that she was betrothed to a foreign duke. She knew nothing of this man, other than he was ‘old’. She felt her parents had betrayed her in the worst possible way. She might have given into despair, but decided to rebel and escape. She ran to the only boy who had shown her kindness, the second son of a loyal baron. Eathen agreed to help, and the pair disappeared into exile. Hiding within the kingdom of Powys was too dangerous, so they travelled to the opposing kingdom of Rhydychen, and eventually made their way to the great city of Eboracum. Exhausted and destitute, they petitioned the temple of Melqart for aid, and were admitted as a novice cleric and holy warrior. Years passed, and they attracted a small circle of friends. This group was given missions of increasing importance by the temple elders. Disaster struck when their emotions were manipulated so that a mission failed badly. Some friends were killed, other permanently maimed. Tamsin and Gyrfalcon vowed revenge, but were sent on a mission to the far land of Chiardim before they could act. Betrayed again. It was much later before Tamsin realized that exile had saved their lives. This disaster had one other, long-term effect. Tamsin had grown close to Gyrfalcon. They vowed that they would never allow another to use their feelings against them and lead them to destruction. They would be comrades and stifle future romance. For Tamsin, only Eathen, or Gyrfalcon as he came to be called, was her only constant companion.  Later in her travels, she was joined by a winged cat in the elven kingdom of Telphyne. Shadowcatcher has white fur and pale blue wings, and is able to camouflage herself in flight to become almost invisible. Initially, the cat seemed no more than an exotic pet. Readers will come to understand that she is much more as her role expands. In later books, Tamsin’s pride becomes an issue, and leads her to inadvertently abuse her friends. Repentance comes hard, and she and her friends gain a new appreciation of the subtle practitioners of the pantheon of Diversity. Valdain is a dangerous world.

The genre of epic high fantasy requires any designer to sketch the background of their world. A significant consideration should be how—or if—dragons fit into that worldview. Ultimately your decisions will have an expanding impact upon how your game campaign or novel(s) will unfold. The simplest approach is to ‘just go with’ whatever is commercially available through products such as Dungeons & Dragons © or Pathfinder ©. It’s easy, but your world creation will be much more predictable, and ultimately less interesting. You might also consider making dragons just another (very powerful) monster. This approach is prevalent in modern literature. The novels and dramatic productions of J. K. Rowling in the Harry Potter series, and George R. R. Martin’s ‘Game of Thrones are well known examples. Martin goes so far as to remove the forelegs of his dragons, making them much less powerful. The other approach is to base your dragons on the books of J. R. R. Tolkien, who in turn bases his descriptions on the myths and legends of Nordic and Teutonic culture. These are mighty creatures possessing intelligence and insight far beyond the abilities of his heroes. Glaurung, Ancalagon and Smaug are much more terrifying adversaries as a result. For the world of Valdain, I have opted to take Tolkien’s approach and make my dragons terrifying creatures of absolute destruction. They are alpha-predators capable of eliminating the most powerful and determined heroes if annoyed. So why haven’t these dragons wiped out everything in Valdain? Let’s explore that question as I endeavor to entertain you with ‘my take’ on dragons, and hopefully provide grist for your own creations. If dragons destroy at will, it’s a boring world or novel. Even the most powerful predators have checks. It could be argued humans are the alpha-predators of our mundane world, in which case we are held in check by other humans. This is also true of dragons. In Valdain, dragons are a ‘race’ of beings, in the same manner as humans, elves, dwarves, gnomes, goblins and other assorted races. They’re different because of their power, but are also immortal reptiles rather than mortal mammals. This basic understanding shapes the way a dragon interacts with the rest of their world. When a dragon hatches, that dragon and their clutch-mates are relatively helpless. They remain weak for the first fifty to one hundred years of their lives. Depending on their parents, they may be protected, fed, and educated; or ignored to fend for themselves. This is the period in which most dragons are killed by accident, misadventure, or other dragons. If a young dragon is lucky enough to hatch into an established dragon clan, they may grow and join that clan as part of a family. Most clans are no larger than twenty individuals of various ages. A clan is ruled by the largest and most aged dragon, or sometimes a mated pair. Young, especially new born dragons hatch hungry. If left without a food supply, they will turn against and devour their clutch-mates until the lone survivor is forced to emerge from the lair in search of more food. Dragons are cannibalistic as is the case of most reptiles. I don’t emphasize this aspect in my books as I want to maintain a ‘G’ rating. So, aside from other dragons, what does a dragon eat? The simple answer regarding a dragon’s diet is they’ll devour just about anything. But if a large number of hungry alpha-predators ravaged a world, that world would quickly become barren. Prey meat can’t be the whole answer. As my dragons live in a magical world, and most become spell casters, these same dragons subsist upon a lot of magical energy. They still require a certain amount of physical sustenance, but not what would be required to feed hundreds of multi-ton flying monsters with flesh. This approach to a dragon’s diet also provides an answer to why there is relatively little magical equipment made from enchanted dragon parts available to the average adventurer. The dragon either eats any dragon they defeat (a preferred meal), or disposes of the remains if not hungry. After all, an intelligent being won’t leave the instruments of their future demise lying about. Let the heroes earn their own kill! About those pesky heroes. Why don’t dragons interfere and terrorize the general population? My reason is best answered with another question: ‘Why don’t humans knock over every ant hill?’ The answer is ants are unimportant and beneath us, unless they become pests. That’s how adult dragons see insignificant ground dwellers. They’re literally beneath a soaring dragon, and far too stupid to be a real threat. Young dragons, like children, see humans and other ground beings differently. They will ‘muck about on an ant hill’ only to gather treasure, as treasure enhances their status in the estimation of other dragons. Of course, the risk to a young dragon is their victims may choose to fight, increasing their mortality rate. Adult dragons should be treated much differently than a predictable immature dragon. They’ve had a century or more to learn and develop many successful survival strategies. The destructive power of fangs and claws is obvious. Combined with overwhelming strength, dragons easily destroy walls and carve caverns in stone. One blow from a dragon should be more than enough to pulverize any foes not protected by considerable magic. Most dragons prefer to attack well beyond the reach of adversaries using their breath weapon, but can also create great gusts of wind with their wings. The resulting gale lifts blinding clouds of grit and dust, or potentially knocks down smaller targets. Temporary blindness can allow the dragon to strike from an unexpected direction using their tail. As dragons are enchanted monsters, they are adept at using a variety of spells to gather information, defend, and attack. Older dragons will combine spells with their breath weapons in unexpected combinations, such as embedding boulders in fire, or lightning within acid. Many will change their breath weapon, so that a red-scaled dragon may breathe cold, acid, lightning, or any number of unusual energy types rather than the fire most people associate with the ‘red’ color. This brings me to another, important point. The color of a dragon’s scales are not a reliable guide to determining their breath weapon or vulnerabilities. Most dragons, especially as they age, will display a variety of scale colors. While a specific ‘clan’ of dragons may exhibit the same general color scheme, this is no different than might be expected of a racial group on our Earth. Finally, dragons don’t rely only upon their own considerable physical and magical powers. This is especially true when protecting their lairs. Aside from establishing multiple enchanted alarms, they will ensorcel local rodents and birds to act as their eyes and ears to provide warning of approaching adversaries. The alerted dragon will have plenty of time to wake, observe, and prepare for the invaders. Even if adversaries are protected from scrying, these small creatures can observe naturally and relay information. A typical outer lair is saturated with a magic aura, so that it is impossible to determine a controlled minion or enchanted trap from anything else. Stronger minions, whether coerced or invited to serve are also valuable. No dragon expects these lesser creatures to stop or kill invaders, but they can serve to weaken attackers and force those attackers to expose their abilities and tactics. The dragon can decide who is most dangerous and how to destroy them, or if the attackers withdraw, plan an ambush when they’re weakest. Dragons will include any number of tricks and traps in their lairs, both magic and mechanical. They will include one or more areas designed to maximize their breath weapon, so that invaders have no place to dodge (no saves). A long corridor to contain lightning—and allow for bounce-back, or a tight cone to contain fire are excellent examples.  No dragon will permit direct access to their treasure and sleeping chamber. Rather, all important passages will be sealed. Open passages will lead to one or more alternate treasure chambers or hazardous areas. The first treasures will include a little real gold and many trapped or cursed items. Perhaps include one magic item of moderate value that offers no threat to the dragon if utilized by the treasure seekers. Many items will be marked so that the dragon can find those items easily. Done properly, attacking a dragon or a dragon’s lair should fill the attackers with a sense of fatalistic doom. ‘We’re all gonna die—even if we succeed and escape.’ I have a lot more to say on the subject of dragons, so here’s my shameless plug: Buy my novella ‘Dragon Flight’ and prepare to be amazed as you learn more about the dragons of Valdain. All that, and you get an action-adventure yarn too!