Fantasy Dictionar

Chatterbox: Crowd Sorcery

Fantasy Dictionar

Fantasy Dictionary

Writing a fantasy story often involves world-building: creating the setting in which your story takes place. Physical location is an important part of this phase—the house, cavern, mountain, forest, town, ship, island, or any other space your characters inhabit. But it is more than just a place. Building a world may mean thinking about the history, art, music, language, clothing, and customs of the story’s people—how they earn a living, what they do on holidays, and what everyday objects they use.

Of course a writer can’t design every aspect of a culture. If you did that, you’d never get around to writing the story! But here is the key: you want to think carefully enough about these things so that the reader believes your fantasy world goes on beyond the edges of your story. You want this imaginary world to feel real. And you do that with some well-placed, clear, creative details.

So let’s do some world-building! Please come up with objects, places, words ... any ideas for a fantasy story’s world. Tools, animals, types of clothing, dwellings—any of these and more may become necessary elements in our story! You may suggest as many as you like, or even post a strange word and let others suggest meanings. If you want, you can also write a sentence using the word or describing the fantasy place. Here are two examples:

haloris – a lantern that gives off both light and a pleasant scent. It is used by people who live near the swamps to counter the odors of mud and decay.

“Quill’s boots sank into the moss, deeper at each step, and ahead she could see a swamp, moonbeams glittering on pools that lapped around the tree roots. Catching the stench of stagnant water, she pulled the haloris lamp from her pack and set it alight.”

gnawk – a large, black bird with a raucous cry and uneven feathers that always look ruffled and untidy. Gnawks have a fondness for pecking and chewing on rope, and they are notorious for setting free dogs and farm animals tied with ropes. They unmoor boats tied to docks, and have been known to free certain fortunate prisoners.

Can you see how story ideas practically ooze from your Fantasy Dictionary, once you get your imagination going?

submitted by Fred Durbin
(April 23, 2014 - 10:11 am)

Yay, it sounds cool. 

submitted by Jonh F.Q, age 12, England
(April 17, 2015 - 7:30 am)

lewulfred: mythical object told to give three wishes to a person who drinks holy water out of it

Does that sound good? Just asking. 

submitted by Mahpara S., age 10, Limon, CO
(November 16, 2014 - 11:43 am)

Hi! My sister and I are writing a story about a boy and his spirit animal and were wondering if we could use your term Renheart. It would be a really big help. 

Thanks! 

submitted by M.O.U.S.E., age 13, IN.
(July 27, 2016 - 6:51 pm)

Hi! My sister and I are writing a story about a boy and his spirit animal and were wondering if we could use your term Renheart. It would be a really big help. 

Thanks! 

submitted by Raja W., age 13, Indiana
(July 27, 2016 - 6:54 pm)

Earthgard and Skyhide   Earthgard and Skyhide are the two districts of the great northern kingdom of Lenorth, once ruled by the Golden King, but now ruled by the Senatorium (basically a parliament). Earthgard is where things are made with steam and elbow grease, iron is wrought, clockwork is created, and darker magics are woven. The highest role you can have in Earthgard is that of a clockmaker, but whatever role you have, you work hard, every day of your life, to stay alive. Magic is despised, because the honest workers view it as cheating, or the easy way. In Skyhide, however, magic is viewed as "the only right way," and those who live there are proud, rich, and noble people who believe that the hard workers in Earthgard are "beneath them in all things."

skoulhales Basically giant whales that can fly and breathe air instead of water. They have holes on their undersides that push air from their lungs down to keeep them off the ground. Eats clouds and small birds. Lives in Skyhide.

clordeep Sheep that are created by clouds, and can fly. They are hunted greatly for their luxurious, soft-as-a-cloud wool. Doesn't eat anything, lives for the life cycle of an insect, and has all of its nutrients when it is born. Lives in Skyhide.

lumensbug A glowing bug that eats live coals. It doesn't burn up because its skin is as fireproof as iron. Lives in Earthgard.

midlana A sculpture or gargoyle made of mud. Created with dark magic, it will follow its creator's commands and can be used to steal and trap a human's spirit. Woe betide you if a midlanag is your renheart.... Lives in Earthgard. 

 

submitted by John F.Q., age 11, Earthgard
(April 24, 2014 - 5:11 pm)

Oh, one more...

quartari- A mother who has adopted a child.

submitted by Katie M, age 11, Chelsea, MI
(April 25, 2014 - 7:00 am)

WOW ! That is epic ! 

submitted by Christie M., age 1, CA,US
(July 14, 2014 - 6:09 pm)

These ideas are tremendous! All you who have created words and ideas here so far are amazing -- every one of them suggests a story! We're off to a fantastic start!

submitted by Fred D., Pennsylvania
(April 25, 2014 - 4:53 pm)

I got another one for you:

youlden: a dragon's egg laid at midnight of blue moon 

submitted by Maggie H., age 10, UP north
(May 3, 2014 - 2:32 pm)

Cool! Could this dragon have special powers or glow like the blue moon?

submitted by Sarah , age 12, Santa Cruz
(September 7, 2014 - 7:29 pm)

slen -- the aviary of guardian birds used to protect ancient kingdom and queendoms 

vectarso -- a demon that lurks in ponds that possesses you

lunarea -- a magical time of night when everything turns a pale blue white, and you can see particles in the air magnified

braksinf -- a type of plant that is popular in fantasy characters' homes, it is a milkweedish thing that is a vibrant blue

moonlark -- a term used ro describe one that can only survive in the moonlight 

submitted by Edie the Bewildered, age 12, Middle of No Where
(April 25, 2014 - 8:33 pm)

efflorescencier -- something that makes small things bigger 

submitted by Madeline T.
(April 26, 2014 - 8:42 pm)

haha, awesome word!Laughing

submitted by Starr Z. , age 13, The Moor of Reninton
(May 23, 2014 - 2:39 pm)

blamble berry -- a poisonous plant that grows on vines, but sometimes it is mistaken for blue berries and has a fowl taste and only grows in the woods.

Smith was walking walking in the woods. He was starving, he ate the last of his food last night. As Smith was walking around he came across a tree with little berries on it. He picked 1 and put it in his mouth but immediately spit it out due to its taste. He looked at it closer; it was a blamble berry.

drail -- a special place for prisoners in a castle.

Kingzen was found breaking a law and was put in the queen's drail. 

submitted by Danielle T.
(April 27, 2014 - 11:10 am)

Did Smith die of poison eventually?

submitted by SomeonePlusFour
(May 16, 2014 - 6:42 am)