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)

Ocso -- a wise old person

"Traer traveled to the Ocso to have his questions answered." 

submitted by Arden C., age 13, Lynn, MA
(May 1, 2014 - 4:59 pm)

More words :3 yay!

umbelixs -- a type of phone that only fairies have. They are little flowers that can turn into watches in the mortal world. It also allows fairies to activate portals to Leafiana from the mortal world. The bad part is the portal stays open till any one that enters exits.

starlinters- - a humane creature that resembles a human. They have a tail that is red and orange and ears that are yellow. They can turn into Startintlings.

startintlings -- Small creatures that are orange and red with yellow ears. They look like cats except they have long claws and teeth. 

thumilin -- a collar that burns and electrocutes someone if they try to leave a certain area. They are very dangerous if set to the freeze setting because it will freeze the person for 5 minutes.

opinder -- meaning the last of their kind.

linderlump -- when a elf gets a bump, its bump turns into hard wood which they can saw of. 

Yay I may add more later :3 yessss 

submitted by Ashleigh
(May 1, 2014 - 5:38 pm)

lavintine -- a drink made of lava. It has spices and cucumbers in it. It can only be drunken by fairies and pixies.

sundeto -- a fruit that grows on trees. It tastes like mangos, watermelons, limes, and papayas all in one. If mixed with cucumber it is a fancy drink that is very expensive. They can only be grown in caverns and hollow trees.

hitserdup -- a type of baked good. It has sundetos and carrots in it. They are made by wood elves and only wood elves.

kihteyump -- a beast that is part wolf and part pegasus. They are normaly coffee colored with white wings.

jolsintermp -- a type of music. It is a mix of ballet, rock, and jazz music. Most wood elves hate the sound of it.

      I LOVE MAKING THINGS UP :3

 

submitted by Ashleigh
(May 1, 2014 - 6:13 pm)

frizzles: when you are so scared you get goosebumps and your teeth chatter.

fluspat: a ball of spit which explodes into fire as soon as it hits the enemy.

blacksidian: a color darker than both black and obsidian.

sweezeterometer: a device that tells you your exact location, the enemy's location, and gives you a snack.

 

submitted by Aparajita, J, age 13, Sacramento, CA
(May 1, 2014 - 11:48 pm)

Frizzles:when you are so scared you get goosebumps and your teeth chatter.

Fluspat: a ball of spit which explodes into fire as soon as it hits the enemy.

Blacksidian:a color darker than both black and obsidian.

sweezeterometer:a device that tells you your exact location, the enemy's location and gives you a snack.

 

submitted by Aparajita,J, age 13, Sacramento,CA
(May 1, 2014 - 11:50 pm)

I'm making MORE words!!!!:3 so fun

pinterduml -- a weapon that is like a quiver but holds knives. If you have a bow you can launch the knives at foes.

tierer -- a person who can control people and give them a tier in a village. They can force them to be builders, bakers or slaves. They turn into beasts if defied.

abnoteler -- a beast that tierers turn into when defied.They look like pitch black dragons but have 8 wings and 4 heads that breathe fire, water, ice and poison.

icetimbles -- a tiger made of frost and ice. They grow ten-feet high when in danger and will stomp on you.

   I think thats it for now: 3 whoop  

submitted by Ashleigh
(May 2, 2014 - 3:00 pm)

kebbening -- A pot used only for making fremmers

 fremmers -- A type of pancake that only can be made wen using a kebbening.

submitted by Ruth B., age 10, Providence, RI
(May 2, 2014 - 4:27 pm)

pakyonne, [Dwarven pakr "strong, tough" + yonne "beast"], n., a type of hardy, blue-furred mountain goat favored by the dwarves as beasts of burden

confustle, [Common confuse "to muddle or mix up", coined by halflings], vb. (slang), to confuse so thoroughly that the confused person is easily duped or tricked

Ishantrian, 1 [Elven ishan "to speak"<=Draconic aesh "mouth"], n. (archaic), the language of magic, that all living beings can understand in some way. Fell out of use after the Mages' War, when Emperor Chronar outlawed it; 2 [Common Ishantri "northern province known for mages," adj. form], adj. (archaic), like, of, or pertaining to the province of Ishantri. Rarely heard since Ishantri was destroyed by Emperor Chronar

thralky, [Orc thralk "zombie"], adj., disgusting, unnatural, repugnant

 

 

 

submitted by A Crowd Sorcerer, age 13, New Hampshire
(May 3, 2014 - 5:29 pm)

Sorry I forgot the sentences! Here they are.

pakyonne: "It took a significant amount of effort to coax the laden pakyonne over such unstable terrain, but Durok managed it."

confustle: "Verity laughed. 'Boy, did I confustle that Duke tonight! One moment he was talking to a halfling lady, and the next his purse was gone!'"

Ishantrian: (meaning 1) "'But be careful,' he cautioned. 'Most who dabble in Ishantrian around these parts end up dead within a few months.'" (meaning 2) "The girl's accent was funny, strangely lilting and musical. It sounded almost like...was she Ishantrian? But that couldn't be!"

thralky: "Semira resisted the urge to retch. "It's...it's just thralky. Not meant to exist. I can't find any other word for it."

 

submitted by A Crowd Sorcerer, age 13, New Hampshire
(May 12, 2014 - 6:33 pm)

It's awesome how you put in roots! It makes it feel so much more real!

submitted by Arianne, age 12, California
(July 6, 2014 - 1:29 pm)

glow globe -- a small, hand-held light source. About as big as a fist, and is spherical.

spelltech -- the combination of technology and magic. Many people don't trust it, and stick to pure technology or magic. This divides the world into three parts -- those who like magic, those who like technology, and those who like spelltech.

herac -- a fizzy drink that temporarily bestows the drinker with a magical power. Different flavors lend to different powers. Usually quite expensive, but many taverns sell "cheap" (small powers, like the ability to levitate coins) variations.

Rivenal -- a small town that produces high-quality spelltech. Is often attacked by technology or magic purists.

Threshander -- a large city situated in a forest. Most of its inhabitants specialize in earth-related magic. Where most of Noria's lumber comes from.

Weldona -- the main technology purist city. Highly guarded against magic users, the city is forged from steel. Built into the side of a mountain rich in metals. Most mining operations are done by robots. Many things in Weldona are automated.

submitted by Elise L., age 14, Washington
(May 4, 2014 - 10:01 pm)

Kowinkidink- A very interesting coincidence, so interesting that it may actually not be a coincidence!

Earthgard- The land below Skyhide and in between the elve's and faerie's realms, it is a land of marshes and swamps, and other than a few of the larger trading cities, the only things you will see are the occassional small village of thatched houses and a few farming fields. Its capital, Lenroberg, is a place of steam and iron, bustling trade, hot forges, and small yet stately residences for the local elite, the Clockmakers Guild. Everyone in Earthgard is relatively poor, but the ones who live in Lenroberg or the other few trading cities are slightly better off than those who try to farm the unforgiving land. The sky is constantly blotted out by dark billowing clouds of smoke that rise from the forges and factories of the cities.

Sky Ships- Long ago, when Earthgard and Skyhide were flourishing in equality, and Earthgard was fertile with grain and other crops, a great invention, the ship that flies through the air, was created. Run by pulleys, lvers, and clockwork, as well as a massive amount of sailcloth, skyships are the only way to pass between Earthgard and Skyhide without taking the Rainbow Bridge. Piloted by the greatest explorers of the times, skyships are traders and merchant vessels, taking the creations of Earthgard up to Skyhide so that the palaces and great museums in the clouds can be kept in wealth. As there are always innocent merchant traders, there are also pirates, and the Sky Pirates have patrolled the skies above Earthgard ever since the Skyships were invented. In the Golden Days, they stole from the traders. The trading ships going down to Earthgard carried the luscious meat of the animals that roamed Skyhide freely, as well as magic and new spells, for back then Earthgarders were not so wary of magic as they are now. Those trading ships going up to Skyhide carried technology and new inventions of clockwork, as well as grains and the food that grew in plenty back in the Golden Days. And the Sky Pirates stole from them all.

Skyhide- A land of clouds and blue skies, it was created by magic, the main output of Skyhide in the great days of the Golden King, and is kept aloft over Earthgard with a perpetual magic that hardens the clouds into a smoky thick glass over which all the great theaters, museums, and palaces were built. Elidundia is the capital of Skyhide, and the seat of the Senatorium nowadays. It was also the home of the Golden King during the great days of his reign. When he was in Skyhide, that is, for the Golden King roamed equally in both of his lands, until he mysteriously disappeared, around the same time that the elves and faeries started fighting each other over the disappearances of their own rulers.....

submitted by John F.Q.
(May 6, 2014 - 8:42 am)

senwilke -- a warm drink which gives whoever sips it the power to fly.

 

submitted by The Chocabookholic , age 11
(May 6, 2014 - 2:45 pm)

This is so cool!  I would totally drink it. :)

submitted by HarryPotterfan, age 12
(October 2, 2014 - 6:33 pm)

Miradel -- A place of peace to reflect on the choices made in your life. Those who wonder if they made a good choice go to Miradel to seek consolation from the spirits of the heavens.

adriem -- The element of magic that lies deep in your soul. Your adriem determines what kind of wizard you are and what type of magic you use. For example, someone with a water adriem might use water magic or be able to breathe underwater.

bidriem -- A wizard who has more than one adriem and can therefore use different kinds of magic. It is said that the more adriem a wizard has, the more blessed he/she has been by the heavenly spirits. If a bidriem wizard misuses his/her power, the consequences are much harsher than those of an ordinary wizard.

omnidriem -- A wizard who can use the power of every adriem. There have only been two known examples of this phenomenon and both were attempts to create a hero/heroine to right the wrongs of the spirit world. If an omnidriem wizard misuses their power in any way, the wizard will die a cruel death and will not become a spirit.

Kikiri-The spirit world. When a person dies, they will rise to Kikiri to be judged by the spirit council to determine their rank as a spirit. 

submitted by Heather M, age 13, Canada
(May 6, 2014 - 2:52 pm)