This list is
far from complete. It’s not even trying to be complete. It knows better than
that. It just wants to be helpful and provide some inspiration here and there;
you know, offer little suggestions that might lead to bigger ideas. (Especially
by using the words offered as Wikipedia searches!)
Feel free to
make suggestions in the comments! If I like it, I’ll add it to the list! If I
don’t like it, well, hey, maybe someone else will! (I think that’s enough
exclamation marks for now!)
Weather
- Natural: sunlight, rain, snow, hail, fog,
humidity, moonlight, wind, smoke, clouds, shadows, overcast skies, clear
skies, lightning, hurricanes, tornadoes, moon in sky during daytime
- Fantastic: summoned weather, unnatural
coloration (eg. green fog)
Terrain
- Natural: mud, hills, canyons &
ravines, tall grass, thick undergrowth, rocky ground, soft dirt, woods
& forests (tree roots, plant density), caves, lagoons, sand, tide
pools, rivers & streams (fast, slow, soft-bottom, rocky-bottom, deep,
shallow), waterfalls (shallow, tall, wide, narrow), cliffs & cliff
faces, swamps & marshes, beaches & shore fronts, lava fields
- Artificial: shipping yards and
warehouses full of crates and barrels, partially finished buildings (wood
beams, planks & tools), alleyways, cobblestones, rooftops, bridges,
canals
- Fantastic: magic-infused or -antipathy
areas, magically animated features
Changes
- Natural: sunrise, sunset, storms,
seasons, earthquakes, landslides, sinkholes, animal migrations, inside vs.
outside (light adaptation), plagues/famine, weathering, floods, tides,
animal hunting habits & territories, volcanoes, fires
- Artificial: buildings, statues, roads being
built & demolished; political power struggles; invasions/war; kidnappings
- Fantastic: divine will, powerful magic,
gods (dis)appearing
Landmarks
- Natural: stone outcropping, lightening
struck trees, large boulders, waterfalls
- Artificial: lone buildings (eg. towers,
houses, barns), statues, signs/markers, border walls
- Fantastic: large skeletons (eg. dragons,
giants)
After-Effects
of Events
- fire spell scorch-marks, dead
people & monsters, looted treasure caches, monster tracks & other
effects on environment, discarded potion bottles & other equipment
(like roadside trash), abandoned/ruined buildings
Tricks
- poisons, diseases, & traps
- mechanical devices, magic rituals,
& other things needing to be undone/stopped
- misdirections: false alarms,
misinformation, inaccurate rumors
Cultures
- rich vs. poor neighborhoods:
different things available, difference in quality and prices
- social norms: styles of dress and
speech, forms of address, foods, coming-of-age rituals, family units
(monogamous, polygamous), creation myths, religious beliefs (two cultures
can have different views, & practices re: same god), opinion of magic,
matriarchal vs. patriarchal vs. egalitarian (See also.)
Mysticism
- prophecies, good & bad omens
(comets, eclipses, supernovas, etc.), birthmarks, superstitions,
divination, precognition, dreams, visions
Events
Unfolding
- things happening as the
protagonists watch (possibly powerless to act)
- things happening while the
protagonists are busy elsewhere
- unforeseen consequences of actions
Harsh
Situations
- fatigue, hunger, thirst, extreme
temperatures
- enemy territories (invading?
investigating? infiltrating?)
- See more at: http://dailyencounter.net/2011/02/05/themes-things-to-keep-in-mind-when-writing-fantasy-stories-and-adventures/#sthash.YCw8IeOC.dpuf
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