Tolkien Is Seen As This Great Inventory Of Worldbuilding, And My Man Was Literally Just Taking Mythology

writing sprint #1: Don't Go

goal: write without stopping for 10 minutes world: Atelis

Cori ran through the hall, ignoring his father's shout behind him, and sprinted towards the front door. Surely he had misheard or not understood. Memories flashed through his mind, each tender spent with Geod slipping through his fingers as sand on the shore. Without thinking, he shifted. Leaping into the air, Cori landed on his paws with his tail swishing to keep his balance. The front door was being slowly closed by a servant, but he managed to skirt through the servant's feet. She shrieked but Cori kept running.

He had to catch Geod. How could he leave without saying goodbye? Surely Geod wouldn't leave him, not without saying anything. Cori's heart beat rapidly in his chest, his eyes stinging with tears even though he knew they wouldn't fall in this form. His paws slapped against the paved ground as he took off down the driveway.

There. Just in view, Cori could see the large figure of Geod slowly walking into the countryside, a small pack in his hand. Cori yipped and ran faster, tripping over his paws as he tried to catch up. He must have made enough noise, however, because Geod paused and his ear twitched.

Cori shifted again, stumbling as he adjusted from running with four feet to two. "Geod! Geod, wait!"

Geod hadn't moved, and the closer Cori got, the more he could see the sadness etched in his face. Cori inhaled sharply before skidding to a stop. Gasping for breath, he leaned over and tried to slow his breathing.

"You--you were going to leave," he gasped, tears finally spilling out of his eyes. "Father said--said you--Geod, you can't--"

Large arms wrapped around him and Cori clung to Geod's shirt, loud sobs finally escaping him. He always wondered when his father would snap. His father threatened more than he did anything else, and Cori knew it was only a matter of time until the other shoe dropped. But on Geod? His Geod? His world was crumbling underneath him.

"What am I supposed to do without you?" he sobbed.

Geod gently patted his back, rubbing in a circular motion. "The same thing you did with me," he said slowly. "I think we both knew this wouldn't last forever."

Cori only shook his head. Maybe if he refused the truth, it would disappear. "I--I can convince him! Just come back, please. I can get--get him to take you back, and--"

Stepping back, Geod placed his large hands on Cori's shoulders. He smiled sadly. "No, Zen. Nothing you say will change his mind."

And wasn't that the horrible truth of it all? With all his power and influence, it didn't matter under the thumb of Cori's father.

I watch where the moon soars across the sky and kiss the trails it leaves behind.

thoughts on watching

the peaceful wind of nature - Collab with @anasabdin - thank you so much for animation and for turning this art into life - it was a great experience to work together with you! ✨

Create a fantasy language, they said. It'll be fun, they said

Searcher 007 - The Raven by Calder Moore

Let’s talk about Katniss’s mother, shall we?

She’s grown up living in fear of being reaped for so long, gets married, has kids, then loses the one thing that brought her joy: her husband. How long had she gone without losing anyone to the Games? But it doesn’t matter, because life is cruel and her loved one was still taken from her.

Katniss is so much like her father that even looking at her brings Katniss’s mother to a different time, a different place. Prim is so much like herself—it’s easier to be with her—but Katniss? She sings and works just like her late husband and Katniss’s mother can’t stand that. She can’t stand the songs, she can’t stand the reality of her world. So she dissociates.

She doesn’t try to repair their bond, doesn’t try to reach out. She barely asks where Katniss goes in Mockingjay and she only does that because it reminds her of her husband—leaving and then never coming back. 12 took so much from her, and she can’t go back.

Then Prim dies and the last of Katniss’s mother does too.

Prim is her hope, her new life. If Prim can keep going, then so can she. But with Prim gone, she has nothing but the constant reminder of her husband, Katniss. And she can’t stand to look at her anymore.

She can’t go back to 12. She can’t look at Katniss. So she doesn’t. She gives into the monotony of life and fades from the story.

This is why Haymitch is so important to Katniss and her story. If Katniss is her dad, then she needed someone like him to come alongside her and show her things. He has the same mindset as her father: be present and aware of what reality is. Katniss’s mother couldn’t do that.

And yet, Katniss is her mother. She dissociates just the same, but she had one difference—she had Peeta.

The Large Magellanic Cloud // Jon Woodhead

Tuesday June 3rd 2025 8:02 p.m.

Worldbuilding has my brain ping-ponging around with ideas. I've gone from space pirates, to monarchies, to fleet creation. 14-year-old me would be so proud.

The Heart Nebula (Sh2-190, right) and the Soul Nebula (Sh2-199, left) // giuseppiallegro