My main character’s home city, Heredo, is situated on the banks of Lake Shiniren. Since I, too, currently live in a thriving city on the banks of a huge lake, I figured drawing from my own life would be efficient.
I took this picture a few weeks ago when walking on the shore of Lake Michigan at sunset. I thought the juxtaposition of the color in the sky against the blue of the water was just magnificent. Claudya sees similar sunsets every day where she lives in Heredo – she lives close to the water, further from the city center, where lone beaches like this one are common.
I haven’t quite decided on a magic system yet in this steampunk/fantasy world, but I’m leaning toward a traditional elemental setup with some quirks. Claudya, most likely, will be drawn to an affinity for the water element, something that has been convenient as she grew up so close to a huge body of the stuff. However, I’m envisioning that the further she gets from the lake during her adventure, the more trouble she will have physically/mentally, because she’s connected to the lake itself.
What does “some quirks” mean, you ask? I’m still working on that. But I want to focus on the less obvious aspects of the traditional elemental magic system. For instance, sure, water puts out fire and is associated with healing, blahblah. But Claudya also could have an uncanny memory, to the point where it interferes with her everyday life. What that exactly means . . . will remain to be seen.
More to come!
Liz Makes Stuff 