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Raven & Quill #6, vol. 2
The Meteor Crater and the Music of the Void:
Conflicting Calendars, Thermodynamic Magic, & Chapter 9
Fellow Worldsmiths,
How often do we let magic be "hand-wavy," or gloss over the logistical nightmare of how different cultures actually measure time?
In Raven & Quill Issue 6, I dive deep into the mechanics of Aithyris to address both of these issues, and I wanted to share some of that forge-labor with this community.
The Clocks of the Five Seas
If you've ever looked at the historical mess of the Julian and Gregorian calendars and thought, "I should do that to my characters," you'll understand "The Lag".
The ancient Shandaryn calendar of my setting uses a perfect 351-day solar year. But humanity couldn't leave the math alone. The trade-focused Therysians anchored their New Year to the Spring Equinox , while the traditional Vesprians anchored theirs to the Winter Solstice. The result? A predictable annual overlap where one nation is technically a full year behind the other for three months and a week. You can read the full mechanical breakdown in Calendars & Timekeeping.
The Somatic Economy & Thermodynamic Magic
I also touch on the physics of the "Shadow". Instead of treating darkness as just "bad lighting," I built it as an active endothermic vacuum. Because the medium of the Shadow is acoustically dead , moving a living soul through it creates intense "Friction of Identity". Magic isn't free; it's a zero-sum thermodynamic exchange.
The issue also features a personal journal entry about a recent lecture I attended, a fumbled question about entropy, and why the physical "connectedness" of the universe matters so much to the themes of my story.
If you enjoy deep-dive worldbuilding, strict causality models, and the emotional toll of the craft, you can read the full issue of
The Meteor Crater and the Music of the Void (and Chapter 9 )
I'd love to hear how you handle conflicting timekeeping or strict magical limits in your own worlds!
Shine Bright!
— VS
#Worldbuilding #FantasyFiction #MagicSystems #Lore #WritingCommunity #Aithyris #AmWritingFantasy
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I hope everyone is doing well this week, drinking your water and taking your time! I took yesterday off for my birthday
Earlier this week, I mentioned that I would be dropping articles that I’ve been working on, but I’ve also made some minor changes in WA; , , , or
I’m happy to say that I’m comfortable with sharing everything now. As promised, the articles are below and the updated info is already in place, excluding the timelines.
That’s it for me!
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Spooktober #6
Another entry in my future solar system setting. This is an idea I have had a good while now and I think this is the first time I have elaborated on it.
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This evening, however, I want to level with you all. , and you don’t have to read this, but if you do, I’d really appreciate it.
I’m having a love-hate relationship with WA right now, and I finally came to terms that I just don’t understand certain features needed to thrive.
I’ll be honest; I am not exactly skilled in self-promotion. In fact, I’m the complete opposite of an entrepreneur. But I do honestly respect and appreciate peer reviews and feedback from readers . Not being able to talk to you all is bumming me out hard, and I realize that to only way to do better is to try something else.
I’m working on a Discord Server for Temperantia Chronicles, so that we can build and grow our community. I honestly didn’t want to ask you all to hop over to Royal Road.
Aeon, on World Anvil, currently only has 1 Esperit. I’m worried that the server won’t work if we barely have followers. So now, I ask you.
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I hope you all have been doing well and drinking water!!
As always, I want to give my continuous thanks for everyone that had read, started reading, currently reading, or bringing others on to read.
I’m proud of you all making it this far in the week; I believe that deserves acknowledging! As such, I have a bunch of for you all!!
Chapter 7 is very background heavy with a L O T of details and Easter eggs. I don’t have a definitive release date, but expect the next chapter sometime in September 2025.
[/color]I have a HEFTY 8 Archives that I feel comfortable to release. They are currently public and free to view in Aeon. 1 location, 2 extra, and a whooping 5 characters!
THIS IS THE THING I’M PROUDEST OF!!! I actually sat down and spent ample time trying to figure out the UI, and my squirrel brain finally figured it out.
[/color]
Update: You will have to follow Aeon in order to post, but it is not a requirement to enjoy everything else ¬¬.
#Aeon #AllHallowsQueen #Fantasy #DarkFantasy #Swords #Sorcery #Sharethelove
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I’m honestly shocked with how fast I’m writing these chapters, but I can’t jinx it now! I still have a lot of energy left, and making edits shouldn’t take me too long.
A progress update for the readers:
- is in Final Review.
- is 40% completed.
- is 10% completed. (Yes, I am working on multiple chapter at once. I’m a mad woman.)
I truly forgot to mention that you may need a translator app to read some of these chapters. I wanted to make this story interactive, but those sections are few and far between.
Also, for those of you who were reading whilst I was making edits to the page, I do sincerely apologize. I’m done playing around with the Manuscript Interface. You can read in peace, I swear!
As for a Release Date for Chapter 3, in the words of a very smart man…
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Worldember entry #6
On a roll today it appears. That makes it 60% of my goal. Are the articles good? In my opinion no, but they are something and I can see something worthwhile coming from them.
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World-Building Thoughts #6 - Hidden Agendas in Institutional Structures Hello everyone! It's be
Hello everyone! It's been quite a while since my last "World-Building Thoughts"—time truly flies. Terrifying, isn't it?
Recently, my thoughts have been captivated by the varied entries in the "Institutions of Learning" competition. Institutions, whether educational, military, or cultural, often carry "hidden agendas" beyond their overt functions. A school, for instance, ostensibly exists to educate and prepare individuals for their future roles in society. But the deeper question is, why? Why do the individuals or the governing bodies invest in these institutions? What do they stand to gain? Understanding the underlying motives can reveal much about how an institution is structured and operates.
Consider a typical school. Its hidden agendas might include:
Skill cultivation: Does the government need specific skills taught at the school to maintain its power structures?
Obedience and loyalty: Is the institution aimed at strengthening the government's grip on power by teaching obedience and loyalty?
Economic boost: Does the school aim to boost the economy by monopolizing and fostering specific talents? Operating a specific technology for example?
Security: Is the institution designed to create more soldiers, agents, or protectors of state power?
These underlying objectives profoundly influence the institution's structure and the behaviors it encourages or discourages among its members.
For instance, Hogwarts from the Harry Potter series famously divides students into four houses based on "personality traits," which foster competition but also serve to control and normalize student behavior through peer pressure and shared consequences. Whether intentional or not, Hogwarts' hidden purpose seems to be creating obedient loyalists conditioned not to question authority—a potent social dynamic. After all, the house cup is a meaningless symbol. Nobody gains an actual benefit by winning it. And yet, students police each other's behaviour, even bully each other, just to win it for their social group.
(It could almost mistaken for sharp social commentary if the author ever thought about the implications of her own world-building, but that is a different topic...)
This principle of hidden purposes shaping organizational structures applies across various institutional types, reinforcing their identities and reflecting the broader political and cultural landscapes of their worlds.
Example of my own work incoming: I've explored this concept through the Arcanum Dona Viperia, an institution designed to cultivate talent for the Morvathian Coven—a ministry-like entity within the Witchrealm's governance. Here, the hidden agenda is to expand its power and to foster a culture that supports the Coven's supremacy. The Coven directly influences the school's curriculum, emphasizing skills necessary for its sustenance and expansion, like cooperation in small teams, as well as efficiency. Here, students are organized into "Coven Cells," small social groups that change as students progress through different "Coils" or levels, fostering a norm of teamwork and adaptability crucial for the ministry’s needs.
This approach underscores how self-serving interests of political power structures often dictate the ideals promoted within the educational systems they control.
I'd love to hear other perspectives! While I've outlined how institutions might serve the agendas of those in power, I'm eager to hear about more positive or benevolent "hidden agendas" within the institutions of your worlds. How do your educational or cultural institutions reflect the virtues or aspirations of your societies?
As always, you can check out my work here. Proud to say, my entry for "Institutions of Learning" even made it on to the shortlist!
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Valiant: July Roundup
Hallo all! Hope Summer Camp's was as productive as they hoped and wished for! Over here at the Neko Cafe, we're back with the Valiant roundup for July. Life has demanded a lot from the red panda in the last month, but he's remained hard at work, making sure to get out a little bit of writing every day, even if it's only a few paragraphs. We've listed last month's releases below - hope you enjoy them!
Dreaming Draught #4: Nostalgia
A draught that can be enjoyed on its own, or used as an element in other draughts. Dreaming Draught #5: Spitfire
A draught that'll put some pep in your step and fire in your saliva. Dreaming Draught #6: Candor (Syntaritov Variant)
A favored choice for spies and interrogators the galaxy over. Covenant #35: The Invitation
After returning from the Old City, Jayta and Raikaron settle back into life in Sjelefengsel. And if you'd like to start from the beginning, the link to Valiant: Season 2 is below!
Stay frosty,
-Syntaritov
A draught that can be enjoyed on its own, or used as an element in other draughts. Dreaming Draught #5: Spitfire
A draught that'll put some pep in your step and fire in your saliva. Dreaming Draught #6: Candor (Syntaritov Variant)
A favored choice for spies and interrogators the galaxy over. Covenant #35: The Invitation
After returning from the Old City, Jayta and Raikaron settle back into life in Sjelefengsel. And if you'd like to start from the beginning, the link to Valiant: Season 2 is below!
[I8] Valiant: Season 2
-Syntaritov
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Summer Camp Number #6
Just a quickie. I had a idea and needed to get it done before my lack of sleep kicked in. Not great and its a little cynical (especially in regards to a certain celebrity chef) but its a nice little addition to the world.
I find it hard to believe I've got to six. I may get some more done through the week or wait until the next set of prompts.
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Caturday Reads #6
by Nimin N.
Happy Caturday!
Hope you're having a good weekend. Here it seems it spring got skipped over entirely and dropped us right into the hot summer, so I've been mostly hiding indoors to avoid melting - and to avoid an absolute explosion of pollen as every plant out there scrambles to catch up with the short season change.
Finding the necessary concentration for reading, among other things, has been difficult these last two weeks. But I did manage to meet my goal for today at least and got three entries to share with you.
First one is a shoutout to my fellow #Traveller CrazyEddie, for one of their recent articles. While they're always been good at writing compelling characters, this one stood out as perhaps the one I found having the most intriguing background and personality yet.
The next article is written by Darkseid, and is such fantastic presentation of their world and it's current state. Besides being a good read in itself, it's formatted well and the quotes are really evocative.
The last one is written by MGatta for the Summer Camp '23 prompt "a seat of power (of any kind!)". I rarely get to see some cool and original ideas for elemental planes other than fire and shadow, but this one for the plane of air for sure was one of them.
And that was all I had for this time. Hope you all have a great week ahead of you.
#CaturdayReads #ShareTheLove #ReadingJournal #ReadingList
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February Mid-Month Check-In
Can I do a regular journal post here to chronicle... uh, things? Maybe. We'll try loooool.
WA Stuff
I'm trying to participate in more WA contests, so we're giving the Bestiary a try! I thought it would be cool to do a distinctive animal from each inhabitable planet in my universe (26 of them, plus the Legion ships) so that's what I'm doing. The going is slow (as always lol) but here's what I've got completed so far:
Publishing Stuff
At the end of January, the American Library Association (ALA) had its Youth Media Awards (YMAs), and my latest book Black Bird, Blue Road got the Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor for Middle Grade. All three of my books have this award, so that's a hat trick for me! The best thing about getting this award is that I already have a bunch of stickers leftover from when my other two got it, so I could slap shiny stickers on my copies immediately! YAY STICKERS! Grown Adult Job Stuff
In real life, I'm a mental health professional and I have significant work history and education in trauma, critical care, and disaster medicine. I love talking about all those things, especially with authors who are looking for more accurate information for their stories. So if you'd like to ask me some questions, please do! You can contact me here or on Discord at Sofi (she/her/gremlin)#6653. Stay sweet,
Sofi
I'm trying to participate in more WA contests, so we're giving the Bestiary a try! I thought it would be cool to do a distinctive animal from each inhabitable planet in my universe (26 of them, plus the Legion ships) so that's what I'm doing. The going is slow (as always lol) but here's what I've got completed so far:
Publishing Stuff
At the end of January, the American Library Association (ALA) had its Youth Media Awards (YMAs), and my latest book Black Bird, Blue Road got the Sydney Taylor Book Award Honor for Middle Grade. All three of my books have this award, so that's a hat trick for me! The best thing about getting this award is that I already have a bunch of stickers leftover from when my other two got it, so I could slap shiny stickers on my copies immediately! YAY STICKERS! Grown Adult Job Stuff
In real life, I'm a mental health professional and I have significant work history and education in trauma, critical care, and disaster medicine. I love talking about all those things, especially with authors who are looking for more accurate information for their stories. So if you'd like to ask me some questions, please do! You can contact me here or on Discord at Sofi (she/her/gremlin)#6653. Stay sweet,
Sofi
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August Reading with Lavani #6 and #5
"I will remember this story and warning. I have faced foes capable of infusing temptation and curses on items like the Pebble of Luck. I weep for Jale." -Lavani
Lavani is a collector of stories. She would love to read about your world. You can submit Summer Camp articles for her to read by leaving a comment on her Reading List here on World Anvil.
Somehow I missed posting about Hunter Matinaepod's from Desdemonarose!
"The Talithans have taken such care with their new world! Keeping a pack ambush hunter like the Matinaepod at a distance but allowing it to flourish shows their commitment." -Lavani
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My Bronze Prompts all Together!
Gathered all together for easy reading, I hope they inspire you to reach your Summer Camp goals!
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Leno's Worldbuilding Week Report #6
This week has been moderately productive, though mainly in regards to articles that I began writing several months ago.
I finally managed to write my Heart-Eye article, which I had been struggling with for some time. I am fairly pleased with it and how it turned out.
The next article I did was about the fungi that was the origin of the Herzauge Blossoming. A bit more difficult to write but otherwise went okey.
The last article I properly did was regarding one of the most important time periods in my setting. The Great Sorrow. Had some trouble choosing exactly what to write about but think I got the most important ones.
I finally managed to write my Heart-Eye article, which I had been struggling with for some time. I am fairly pleased with it and how it turned out.
The next article I did was about the fungi that was the origin of the Herzauge Blossoming. A bit more difficult to write but otherwise went okey.
The last article I properly did was regarding one of the most important time periods in my setting. The Great Sorrow. Had some trouble choosing exactly what to write about but think I got the most important ones.
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Nadir #6 of 7 - Greed
6th Nadir down, 1 more to go! My tenth creation for WE '21 is another one of the 7 Nadirs of Sin - Greed.
Pride, Sloth, Wrath, Lust and Gluttony came before and now i'm really excited to reveal yet anothe one of the Seven Nadirs to you. Only 1 more left! And with that, I've completed WorldEmber 2021! This article takes me past the 10k goal and this is my first ever time competing so I'm super happy to say that I did it! and with a day to spare! :D Please check it out and let me know your thoughts or ask some questions!
Pride, Sloth, Wrath, Lust and Gluttony came before and now i'm really excited to reveal yet anothe one of the Seven Nadirs to you. Only 1 more left! And with that, I've completed WorldEmber 2021! This article takes me past the 10k goal and this is my first ever time competing so I'm super happy to say that I did it! and with a day to spare! :D Please check it out and let me know your thoughts or ask some questions!
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Monday Update #6
Phew. *wipes forehead* I've only had one day off from work this weekend but I think that I've managed to do a lot anyway.
I've streamed two times, I drew an image during one of the streams. The image isn't finished yet but it will be finished soon. Just been distracted by the shiny new generators. XD Been remaking name generators for a week now. Don't have one I'm completely satisfied with for my worlds yet.
I have decided on a name for the third world (Skywell) and plotted more on my three webcomics for the worlds. XD;;
This coming week I will only be streaming 1 night because I have to go to bed early at the beginning of this week since I have a phone meeting early on Wednesday before work. Looking at the clock I also have to cut this update short because I should be heading for bed. See you next week!
<3
I've streamed two times, I drew an image during one of the streams. The image isn't finished yet but it will be finished soon. Just been distracted by the shiny new generators. XD Been remaking name generators for a week now. Don't have one I'm completely satisfied with for my worlds yet.
I have decided on a name for the third world (Skywell) and plotted more on my three webcomics for the worlds. XD;;
This coming week I will only be streaming 1 night because I have to go to bed early at the beginning of this week since I have a phone meeting early on Wednesday before work. Looking at the clock I also have to cut this update short because I should be heading for bed. See you next week!
<3
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