Author Appleton

Writing. Fantasy. Sci-fi. Mystery

imagination

The New Fantasy Beast

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Innovative fantasy creatures are born from strange ideas. In my writing experience it is easy to invent creatures. But it is not enough to create new creatures, they must be memorable in their uniqueness. They must be believable in their physical and behavioral traits. …Such a creature is the Cat Beast.

Some of the creatures I created for The Sword of the Dragon series were more successful than others. The most popular so far have been the Megatraths. Six-legged monsters of an ancient lineage that has been lost to legend. Offspring introduced these beasts with a cruel Megatrath whose consideration of humanoids was that they were little more than playthings for his cruel amusement. Then we trekked into the desert homeland of the creatures and met Vectra, matriarch of the Megatraths. The Megatraths are neither cruel nor thoughtless. Cunning, yes. Of great physical strength, definitely. Breathing fire, exhaling poisonous vapors.

In the Neverqueen Saga I wanted to introduce a new beast that would hold us with a similar fascination as the megatraths. This may be same storyworld as the primary books in The Sword of the Dragon series, but here I wanted something that would personify the different sort of stories these books will tell. Neverqueen is more about finesse and beauty that hides souls in pain. It may sound a bit strange, but Hey! let me apologize. This is the writer’s mind.

What creature is more subtle than a cat? More resilient than a mountain ram? What sort of beast would rival a dragon in a fight even if it possessed no scales and could not breath fire?

The Cat Beasts are rarely seen. Possessing the strength of a dragon and near a dragon’s size, but often rivaling a dragon’s intelligence. They seem to be all but extinct. A couple are known to remain of the species… until the events of Neverqueen2. But there is one more truth that could determine our perception of them: they serve the wizard, Turser.

Such beautiful creatures. Yet such a pallor of uncertainty and fear surrounds them.

Q: What type of beast most fascinates you?

How to create original fantasy creatures

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Among the interesting questions I have received from fantasy readers is the one regarding my process for creating and naming original fantasy creatures. Here is my little how-to on the process:

Take fascinating creatures from the real world and dissect them. Ask yourself: What do I find fascinating about these creatures? What abilities do they possess that inspire my imagination? Do their scales or their colors make them memorable? What parts of their bodies are interesting or unique?

Mash together elements from the creatures you’ve considered. You might do what I did by pulling in the head of an alligator, the feet of a dragon, the tail of a dinosaur, and then make six legs instead of four. The result was my first version of a Megatrath (so far my most popular creature). I felt that the head of the alligator gave the Megatrath a vicious demeanor, the length of its body allowed it to react with the speed of a snake, and the scales on its body armed it like a dragon. This was a creature I envisioned as a powerful adversary and a valuable ally.

Name the creature’s species. In the case of the Megatrath I wanted the name to convey brute strength, patience, arid terrain, and the largeness of its body. Mega for the size and strength, and trath combined trek (like a long journey) and wrath.

This is a simple system but it has worked very well in creating my fantasy worlds. Originality is key to producing a fantasy world that readers will remember, and one answer to that need is to craft original creatures. If you like dragons, gryphons, serpents, and the phoenix, then use them as well. But put them in a world populated by creatures new and strange.

Question: Does this process give you ideas for how to create your own fantasy creatures?