The Channels of Ruaridh
Exercise: Write a story about something horrible. If that’s too vague, you can start with one of these objects: pliers, crust, unsanded lumber, half-moons, bicentennial quarters, candy made of teeth. Anything made of teeth!
This was mostly inspired by some show on the History Channel I watched the other day about the aqueducts of the ancient Roman Empire. I set it in the collaborative fantasy world that a few of us in the writer’s group have put together, though I wouldn’t say this is canon. It was a handy little exercise to characterize certain aspects of the setting. I don’t know that I’ll keep the aqueducts; I’m not sure a people living in a Canada-like country need them, or how feasible they would be.
Elves are interesting and popular fantasy beings, and for some reason I’ve always made my elves to be somewhat villainous. They’re a savage, nomadic people, at odds with the civilizations constantly encroaching on the lands they used to roam so freely. They’re one part Viking and one part American Indian, I suppose. There’s a nobility there, an enviable spirit, but they have a dark streak. I find that generally more interesting than the Tolkien-style beings of pure light and good. Best part of Lord of the Rings? When Galadriel almost takes the Ring. All I’m sayin’. This particular elf is undoubtedly an evil bastard.
Anyway, this is about – yikes, 750 words! Continue reading
