Worldbuilding Day 2/30
Day 2 begins! This one's pretty simple. The guidelines are here.
Directions:
What role do you anticipate weather playing in your story? Do you have a lot of travel that you want to complicate with bad storms? Are you going to snow in your mighty heroes? Will there be a mighty battle, determined by sudden flooding? You actually don't need to know right now. Your exercise for today is to jot down ten plot devices that relate to weather, and what you think they do to the story (for example: a snow-in can turn the mood very claustrophobic... or very intimate).
1) tornado or other powerful wind strikes
Can injure or kill characters when they or objects are picked up and hurled around. Can destroy homes and buildings, such as the characters' hometown, or anywhere else they travel. Very frightening, potential for great destruction and loss. On the other hand, for anyone capable with wind-based magic, it could be a great inspiration or boon.
2) early, extreme frost sets in
Can ruin crops that the characters need to survive, make people ill if the change is too rapid/they are unprepared. Depressing but may make people stronger if they can survive it.
3) heat wave lingers
Can kill characters via heat stroke or dehydration, or otherwise make them very incapable of progress. Extreme sun exposure can ruin characters' appearance via burn and peeling. Feelings of hopelessness and lethargy, particularly for characters unused to heat.
4) sandstorm
Can make characters lose their way if they are in the desert. Potential for loss/injury if proper precautions are not taken. In extreme dune shifting, can bury landmarks or even whole cities, if there are no walls to protect them.
5) earthquake
Great potential for loss of both life and property, depending on the location. If characters are in a cave, could cause cave-in, trapping or killing them, or otherwise injure them with falling rocks. Would have little to no effect to characters in the middle of nowhere, other than surprising them, which could be a problem if they are having an intimate moment or doing something that requires immense concentration.
6) blizzard
Could delay characters' travel and put them off schedule, perhaps make them miss some important deadline or other event. As per the example, could get characters snowed in a cave or such, which would be dangerous (hypothermia), but could also be a chance for relationship growth or tension, being stuck in such close quarters under such harsh conditions. The cold can also make people ill, even killing some, such as an important leader (see William Henry Harrison). Could be beneficial to characters harnessing ice or water-based magic.
7) wildfire
Potential for great destruction and/or loss of life and property. Possibly devastating, though may also help in the manner of forest-clearing. Could root out something harmful in a forest, allowing passage. Could be beneficial to characters harnessing fire-based magic.
8) flash flood/heavy rain
Could wash away dirt roads and fences, making passage difficult. Mud can be slippery and would cause injury. Hard for vehicles and pack animals. Crops that appreciate flooding would thrive, others could be washed away. Can ruin property. Could be beneficial to characters harnessing water-based magic.
9) fog
If it occurred in the middle of a battle, it would be very bad. On the other hand, if the characters were running from someone or something, it could be very useful. Gives the story a very dreary, damp feeling. Good for spooky or dramatic moments.
10) balmy sun
Last but not least, something relatively positive. Can give characters hope after harsh weather, or unpleasant events. Unless something about their nature makes them dislike the sun, which could drive them into hiding and delay whatever they were trying to do.
...My so that took much more than 15 minutes. Then again I am easily distracted.
Directions:
What role do you anticipate weather playing in your story? Do you have a lot of travel that you want to complicate with bad storms? Are you going to snow in your mighty heroes? Will there be a mighty battle, determined by sudden flooding? You actually don't need to know right now. Your exercise for today is to jot down ten plot devices that relate to weather, and what you think they do to the story (for example: a snow-in can turn the mood very claustrophobic... or very intimate).
1) tornado or other powerful wind strikes
Can injure or kill characters when they or objects are picked up and hurled around. Can destroy homes and buildings, such as the characters' hometown, or anywhere else they travel. Very frightening, potential for great destruction and loss. On the other hand, for anyone capable with wind-based magic, it could be a great inspiration or boon.
2) early, extreme frost sets in
Can ruin crops that the characters need to survive, make people ill if the change is too rapid/they are unprepared. Depressing but may make people stronger if they can survive it.
3) heat wave lingers
Can kill characters via heat stroke or dehydration, or otherwise make them very incapable of progress. Extreme sun exposure can ruin characters' appearance via burn and peeling. Feelings of hopelessness and lethargy, particularly for characters unused to heat.
4) sandstorm
Can make characters lose their way if they are in the desert. Potential for loss/injury if proper precautions are not taken. In extreme dune shifting, can bury landmarks or even whole cities, if there are no walls to protect them.
5) earthquake
Great potential for loss of both life and property, depending on the location. If characters are in a cave, could cause cave-in, trapping or killing them, or otherwise injure them with falling rocks. Would have little to no effect to characters in the middle of nowhere, other than surprising them, which could be a problem if they are having an intimate moment or doing something that requires immense concentration.
6) blizzard
Could delay characters' travel and put them off schedule, perhaps make them miss some important deadline or other event. As per the example, could get characters snowed in a cave or such, which would be dangerous (hypothermia), but could also be a chance for relationship growth or tension, being stuck in such close quarters under such harsh conditions. The cold can also make people ill, even killing some, such as an important leader (see William Henry Harrison). Could be beneficial to characters harnessing ice or water-based magic.
7) wildfire
Potential for great destruction and/or loss of life and property. Possibly devastating, though may also help in the manner of forest-clearing. Could root out something harmful in a forest, allowing passage. Could be beneficial to characters harnessing fire-based magic.
8) flash flood/heavy rain
Could wash away dirt roads and fences, making passage difficult. Mud can be slippery and would cause injury. Hard for vehicles and pack animals. Crops that appreciate flooding would thrive, others could be washed away. Can ruin property. Could be beneficial to characters harnessing water-based magic.
9) fog
If it occurred in the middle of a battle, it would be very bad. On the other hand, if the characters were running from someone or something, it could be very useful. Gives the story a very dreary, damp feeling. Good for spooky or dramatic moments.
10) balmy sun
Last but not least, something relatively positive. Can give characters hope after harsh weather, or unpleasant events. Unless something about their nature makes them dislike the sun, which could drive them into hiding and delay whatever they were trying to do.
...My so that took much more than 15 minutes. Then again I am easily distracted.