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Happy WBW! What Are Superstitions Like In Your Wip(s)? Are Any Of Your Characters Particularly Superstitious
happy WBW! what are superstitions like in your wip(s)? are any of your characters particularly superstitious or particularly skeptical?
Thank you for the ask, @ashen-crest!
I'll answer this one for my medieval dark fantasy WIP, Realms of Loss!
What are superstitions like in your WIP(s)?
There certainly is a lot of superstition in the world of Realms of Loss, the continent of Helvastte, especially since it is basically a land torn by an ages-old war and a dangerous ever-spreading curse brought by the death of the Old Gods, where the survivors battle for power. In a world like that, there are bound to be a lot of myths and stories that get twisted up through time and turn into popular superstitions - some that are true, others that are just myths born out of fear and lack of information.
For example, in the Outer Cities of the citadel of Avillore (one of the main kingdoms bound in the neverending war that tears the land apart), it is a common children's superstition that leaving a window open at night invites evil spirits that will snatch their souls away to eat them.
There are many dangers in the Outer Cities, (which are the abandoned outskirts of villages beyond the protective walls of the Citadels) - the blood plague, hungry beasts from the winter forests, and actual black market merchants dubbed the Soul Traders - so this superstition about closing windows at night was likely born as a cautionary tale told by parents or older siblings wanting to keep the children safe.
Another example of superstition in Helvastte belongs to the people of Sarythea, who believe that, on the eve of the Solstice, one must knock three times on the doorframe of a new house one's been invited to and invoke the names of their Celestial Court of choice, as a way to wish protection upon oneself and the owners of the house for another prosperous year.
While the Celestial Courts and magic do exist in the realms, it is unclear whether following this superstition actually changes anything. It is likely a harmless superstition meant to keep people at ease, and it isn't clear where this habit actually started or why.
Are any of your characters particularly superstitious or particularly skeptical?
Most Superstitious - Viktoras Aeravi, the bastard son of the Watcher Lord of the Far Reach, is one of the most superstitious characters in Realms of Loss, but not in an obsessive way, rather just because tradition is everything to him and one of the pillars where he finds his personal worth. He believes strongly in the power of one's will and that following superstition is a harmless, but important, way to show he belongs in the culture he was born into (a sense of home he feels he lacks due to his bastard birth).
Particularly Skeptical - Gwain Vytris, a thief of the Guild and Adaria Vytris' older brother, has been through many hardships in the Outer Cities and spent most of his life ensuring the continued survival of his younger siblings - but going through all of this at a very young age changed him into a rather jaded, fatalistic and pragmatic person. He believes that both royalty and the Celestial Courts have abandoned them, and that being superstitious is just another way to sugarcoat this fact.
More Posts from Mysticstarlightduck
Worldle-Building Wednesday Tag!
Thanks for the tag, @oh-no-another-idea! I've never heard of this Wordle before, but I hope I was able play this game right!
Rules: using this Wordle maker, come up with a relevant word for your WIP, and share the link! Then, below a cut, share why the word relates to your current project.
Explanation below the cut! (:
The word ARISE, is very relevant to my WIPs - mainly Realms of Loss and Enchanted Illusions. For Realms of Loss, arise means to rise from the ashes of what their world once was to build a better future, like a phoenix. For Enchanted Illusions, it means to rise in favor of justice and freedom for all, despite the corruption of their peers.
Happy STS, Claire!
What is easier for you in a first draft of a WIP: expressing the emotions/feelings of your characters or describing the setting's details?
Happy STS and thanks for the ask!
So the answer is actually a secret third thing: dialogue. Generally, my Draft Zero reads like a screenplay. Every draft after that sketches more of what is happening around that dialogue. This is partially because just enjoy writing dialogue, but I think it's also because I tend toward hyperphantasia, so I can see where the characters are, what they look like, and every other visual thing around them in my head to be able to write what they're saying. That means that for my own purposes, I don't necessarily need it to be spelled out on the page at that point. (Obviously, the reader does, though!)
Of the two you mentioned, emotions and feelings would definitely come first, or second after dialogue. Descriptions of settings and other details are usually the last thing that gets added (not surprisingly, it's also what I enjoy writing the least). 😂
my first play through and also trying to keep everyone from becoming their worst selves is going well why do you ask
can we all agree that pressing foreheads together is an underrated act of affection??
OC in 3 Tag
Tagged by @kaiusvnoir here!
Gently tagging: @mysticstarlightduck @writingmaidenwarrior @acertainmoshke
Three pics that represent Adrin, because he’s making me sad today:
He was the first character I created for ToL and I made this long before I understood him. It still fits. (He has problems with bears).