The Skellingcorner

[marvellousbee]

[its-a-writer-thing]

Building The Writing “Habit” (October Blog Hop)

[themerrywriter]

Building The Writing “Habit” (October Blog Hop)

One thing I always hear other writers complain about is the fact that they say they “can’t” write at a certain time; they lack motivation, they lack inspiration, they lack the right environment. While its true that all of these things can cause you to slow down and become stuck in a rut, I really don’t believe the should cause you to come to a complete halt.

There are some things we can do in…

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[word-nerds-united]

Spellcasting Combat Narration for D&D

[noblecrumpet-dorkvision]

image credit: Ben Wootten

So I was gonna include this in my other article on narrating combat, but it proved far too lengthy, so I made this into part 2! 

Combat is easy to describe compared to narrating spell attacks. I ran into this problem last session when I was getting into detail telling the barbarian how they tore off an ogre’s head but then the druid just kept using Fire Bolt and I kept defaulting to “you shoot a bolt of fire at his face.” I’m going to try and vary things up with these lists and help everyone else in the process! I am organizing them by energy type.

Mode of Attack

Half of a spell’s attack is how the caster shapes their spell. The same spell can look very different with every casting if you have a creative DM. Feel free to switch it up each time it’s cast, or vary the same spell when cast by different characters of different classes.

Attack Words

Generic shapes and terms that will launch from the caster’s hand.

Helix, Spiral, Beam, Erratic, Mote, Bolt, Stream, Blast, Burst, Blade, Arc, Miasma, Cloud, Eruption, Wave, Cone, Missile, Rune, Glyph

Class-Based Ideas

• Bard
• Energy manifests from thin air a foot in front of their instrument as they play
• Energy is shaped like ribbons of written music that ripples towards enemies
• Several tiny motes of energy appear with each note sung or played. Each point of damage comes from a mote hitting the opponent (rolls a 4 out of a d6, 4 of the 6 note-motes hit)
• Cleric
• Energy falls from the sky or emerges from the ground as the cleric prays
• Beam of energy originates from holy symbol
• Spell attack should highlight that the cleric is granted their powers from a greater power, don’t have the energy come from their hand/finger. Have the energy come TO them, and then be thrown at the enemy.
• Druid
• Energy is shaped like an animal.
• Energy rushes forth from the surrounding wilderness and zooms past the druid and toward the foe.
  
• Much like Cleric, energy shouldn’t come from the caster. It should come from elsewhere before being thrown at the enemy.
• Fighter (Eldritch Knight)
• Energy blasts from their bound weapon pointed at the enemy.
• Energy fires from their mouth as they yell.
• Energy surrounds their weapon and is used in tandem with it (if close enough)
• Monk (Way of Four Elements)
• Literally just watch Avatar: the Last Airbender and do that.
• Paladin
• Most Paladin spells are smite-based, so they usually happen when an attack hits. Otherwise, let the energy come from a higher power like the Cleric.
• Energy bursts forth from within the creature hit
• Energy surrounds weapon right as the strike lands
• Energy falls from the sky or erupts from the ground
• Ranger
• Honestly, most Ranger spells often seem a lot like man-made traps like Cordon of Arrows (arrow traps), Fog Cloud (smoke grenade), or Grasping Vine (slipknot trap). But otherwise, Play it like the Cleric where the energy comes from a higher power.
• Energy takes the form of the Ranger’s animal companion or an animal they associate with.
• Spells seem to cast automatically whenever the Ranger is in a tight spot, almost as if nature itself is protecting them. The Ranger gives an approving nod whenever this happens in thanks.
• Rogue (Arcane Trickster)
• Energy is always accompanied by a shimmer of glitter
• The Rogue plays with the energy over their fingertips as they whistle before casting the spell.
• Energy enchants one of the Rogue’s daggers and casts the spell by tossing the dagger at the intended location or target.
• Sorcerer (Draconic Bloodline)
• Energy takes the shape of a dragon of your bloodline.
• Energy surges forth from your breath
• All energy takes the shape of your bloodline dragon’s energy type, regardless of the actual energy type. For instance, a sorcerer of a blue dragon’s bloodline that casts Burning Hands or Cone of Cold keeps the energy type but shapes the fire and cold damage into the form of a bolt of lightning. 
• Sorcerer (Wild Magic) 
• Energy takes on many random forms, never under the full command of the Sorcerer.
• Energy erupts from random places in the environment when the Sorcerer calls upon them.
• Energy bubbles and fizzes with all energy types (but mostly the one called upon), as if a piece of Limbo was thrown at the enemy.
• Warlock (Archfey)
• Your energy shimmers with iridescent colors and showers enemies with sparks of glitter.
• Warlock (Great Old One)
• Your magic corrupts and twists the flesh of the target of your spell, regardless of the energy type.
• Warlock (Fiend)
• Energy takes the shape of the unholy symbol of your patron.
• Wizard (Abjuration)
• Energy shoots forth from your magical wards, arcing towards your enemies.
• Wizard (Conjuration)
  
• You conjure a short-lived elemental of the energy type you need. It soars at the enemy.
• Wizard (Divination)
  
• You weave the glowing threads of fate in the palms of your hands, tweaking reality to cast your spell.
• Wizard (Enchantment)
  
• You enchant an object to exude the energy and toss it at the enemy.
• Wizard (Evocation)
  
• I mean, you just sorta blast them. That’s what this school’s about.
• Wizard (Illusion)
  
• Your spell usually spawns two or three illusory copies. When the attack misses, the enemy simply managed to dodge the right duplicate.
• Wizard (Necromancy)
  
• Your energy takes the shape of a skull screaming as it flies toward the enemy
• Wizard (Transmutation)
  
• You transmute the energy out of the surrounding environment and fire it at the enemy

On-Hit

So if half of a spell’s attack is the shape and travel of the spell, the other half is when the spell hits. I organized this list by energy type, as different energies will do different sorts of things when they hit a creature. This is mostly a collection of interesting effects, colorful language, and examples.

Fire

• Your bolt of fire singes their armor (burning cloth, blackening leather, discoloring metal)
  
• A tiny bead of fire explodes on contact
• Showers them with red sparks
• Your attack leaves behind a billowing trail of smoke
• A fast-travelling meteor of flame soars from the sky towards the enemy.
• Your flames leave blisters and cracked skin in its wake.
• Your fire blackens the enemy’s flesh

Cold

• You freeze the moisture in the air into icy daggers that fall onto your enemy
• You freeze the water in their blood to damage them
• Their skin turns blue and numb
• You literally hurl a snowball at them.
• Your spell leaves them covered in a layer of frost
• A buildup of ice covers where your spell hit. (it’s easily shattered once they move, though)
• A blast of icy wind and rain leaves them shivering.

Thunder

• A crack of thunder pummels your foe
  
• A high-pitched, deafening shriek focuses itself on the target
• A thin trail of blood races from the foe’s ears from a sound no one else can hear
• The enemy falls to their knees cupping their hands over their ears, gritting their teeth
• You buffet the target with waves of thunderous sound
• The ground shakes with the force of your spell. Brittle glass objects nearby shatter.

Lightning

• Lightning comes from the sky to smite your foe
• You all smell the faint odor of ozone before a bright bolt of lightning streaks toward the target of your spell
• Before your enemy can blink they are showered in electrical sparks followed by crippling pain
• The enemy’s back stiffens as the powerful current of lightning surges through them
• Your attack leaves a permanent web of lightning shaped burns all over one side of their body
• Your blast of lightning causes their skin to rupture as it travels through their body

Acid

• Your acid sizzles as it burns a new, unnatural color into their skin
• The attack melts their flesh, leaving them permanently disfigured at the site of the spell
• Your spell’s acid causes blue fire to burn where it hit their skin, and bleaches their armor and belongings
• A rancid smell fills the foe’s nostrils as the acid bubbles on their bare skin, burning through the simple cloth of their shirt.

Poison

• You spew a poisonous cloud from your mouth at your opponent
  
• A spectral viper or insect is flung at the opponent, biting them and filling them with magical venom
• Your index and middle finger each grow a poisonous fang which you sink into your opponent’s arm (melee range spell attacks only)
• The enemy’s mouth fills with a foul tasting liquid which forces its way down their throat

Necrotic

• Your target’s flesh bubbles and boils as a black ichor sputters from the spell’s origin
• The foe’s flesh festers with magical disease as boils and wounds quickly cover the affected area
• A skeletal hand wriggles free from beneath the earth, flying towards the target
• An incorporeal undead shrieks as it flies from your finger toward the enemy to deliver the spell’s effect
• Black energy swirls around your arm before launching towards the enemy as if it had a life of its own
• Your iridescent blue magic enters the target’s body and afflicts their soul, making them momentarily dazed as their eyes glaze over.

Radiant

• A holy light shines from the skies to harm your target, regardless of time of day or obstructions
  
• A halo of radiant energy surrounds your head and blinds the target as they gaze upon it
• Enemies that aren’t of your alignment hear the whispers of your deity moments before being enveloped in a blinding white light
• The foe’s eyes and mouth emit warm light and they howl in pain
• A blade of radiant energy slashes through the victim, leaving a trail of blinking motes of light in its wake
• The enemy’s skin blisters from the raw positive energy surging through them

---

So essentially this whole post was a creative writing assignment for myself, but I hope that it gives you guys new creative ideas for new spells or new ways to describe existing spells! They don’t much affect the mechanics of the spell at all, so most DMs I suspect will be fine with most of these descriptions if you want your character to cast spells a certain way.

[fandonetrash]

Welcome to Japan

[catchymemes]

Where cars are parked orderly and in reverse

Where fruits can be cubes

Where people keep left

And lamps have different brightness for double beds

People queue up in lines

Applies to stickers too

Where what you get is the same as the poster

you get waved goodbye..?

Relieving both mind and body

Yup.

Smooth train operator

No embarrassing knocking or barging into rooms to check out if they are occupied

When you need an extra hand

For the selfiestas

Brolly holders

Because normal manhole covers are too mainstream

Think diagonal

And anytime u need to soak your feet

Where you raise responsible adults, not brats

And luggage is organised in color codes

When you need help after the condom broke

Instant sanitary gratification

Why they are so welcome at football matches

Where water is that clean in the drains

Nuff said

Source: imgur.com

[nonjudgementalme]

When Anyone says it’s not possible to keep big cities clean I’m just show them this. Japan is one of the most densely populated countries don’t gimme that bs

[fandonetrash]

[1000-life-hacks]

More at —> http://1000lifehacks.com

[its-a-writer-thing]

Sick Prompts 1

[anonyony1]

Angry sickies: 

1. “I don’t know what the hell is wrong with me… I was fine this morning.”
2. “Leave me alone.”
3. “Don’t touch me again unless you want me to puke on you.”
4. “Can you shut up? My head is killing me.”
5. “I told you I didn’t feel good, and you made me come here anyway.”
6. “This is ridiculous, how are you not sick and I am?”

Sad Sickies:

7. “Please don’t leave me in here alone.”
8. “It hurts so bad… please make it stop.”
9. “I think I need to throw up…”
10. “Is there any Pepto left?”
11. “Can you just sit with me until it’s over?”
12. “My stomach really hurts, I don’t think I can make it tonight…”

In-Denial Sickies:

13. “I don’t get sick.”
14. “I have a stomach of steel.”
15. “It’s not a fever, I’ve been in the sun…”
16. “I’m not going to throw up, for the last time.”
17. “I don’t think it’s food poisoning. We ate the same thing, and I don’t feel bad at all.”
18. “It’s just allergies.”
19. “I don’t get sick on rides/in the car/on boats (specify)”

Tactile Sickies:

20. “Will you rub my back?”
21. “Can you feel my head to see if I have a fever?”
22. “Will you play with my hair?”
23. “I’m freezin’, can we cuddle?”

Don’t Touch Me Sickies

24. “Don’t touch my stomach right now.”
25 “Please stop touching me… I’m so gross.”
26. “You’re making me hot, I can’t sleep…”
27. “Your hands are freezing, don’t touch me.”

Queasy Sickies

28. “I don’t know what I was thinking… I shouldn’t have ordered that.”
29. “Um… I think I need a bin.”
30. “I think I’m going to be sick soon.”
31. “Something’s messing with my stomach.”
32. “My stomach’s bothering me.”
33. “I don’t feel so hot.”
34. “Ugh, I think I should probably get to a bathroom.”

Sniffly Sickies

35. “Can we get actual tissues instead of these paper towels? My nose hurts.”
36. “I can’t breathe.”
37. “I’m freezing and sweating at the same time…”
38. “Please don’t look at me.”
39. “My head’s killing me…”
40. “My throat hurts so bad I can’t even drink water.”
41. “Do you have a cough drop?”

My Fav Drunk Sickies

42. “Um, I think… I think I had too much.”
43. “What was in that? I don’t feel great…”
44. “I think I need’ta sit.”
45. “I need to get out of here, I’m gonna throw up.”
46. “I just need to eat something and I’ll be ok.”
47. “It’s not fun anymore, I’m dizzy…”

Caretakers!

48. “Just relax, you’re going to be fine…”
49. “Calm down, you’re going to make it worse.”
50. “Well, just take care of yourself then, if you don’t want me touching you.”
51. “Do you think you can stomach some water?”
52. “We need to get this fever down.”
53. “Do you want me to rub your back/stomach?”
54. “Don’t cry. Where do you hurt?”
55. “Keep your head in the trashcan until you’re done.”
56. “If you don’t stop soon, we’re going to the ER.” 

[writerswritecompany]

writerswrite.co.za

The Top 10 Writing Posts From October 2018 - Writers Write

These were your 10 favourite Writers Write posts in October 2018.

These were the new Writers Write posts you enjoyed most in October 2018:

1. 15 (or so) Fabulous Publishers For Debut Authors
2. Dear Writer: Advice For Beginner Authors
3. 5 Storytelling Tips For Speech Writers To Remember
4. Elmore Leonard’s 11 Rules For Writing Fiction
5. A Writing Secret Everyone Forgets
6. My Writing Journey – You’re Never Too Old!
7. 12 Newspaper Archive Resources For Journalists & Writers
8. The Starter Block: Getting Ready For NaNoWriMo
9. The A-Z Of Blogging
10. The Blog Economy – And Why We Need More Daves

Previous Posts

• The Top 10 Writing Posts From September 2018
• The Top 10 Writing Posts From August 2018
• The Top 10 Writing Posts From July 2018

[sweetlittlevampire]

Ignore the mess in the background -

@skellingcrow wanted to see the scarf I finished crocheting yesterday evening. It’s made out of the remnants of a blanket I didn’t have the patience to finish. Was planning on wearing it today but switched to another one after realising that it was actually too warm for today’s weather. And that’s saying someting.

[marvellousbee]

[cryptids-of-the-world]

A Mermaid is a creature with the upper half of a beautiful woman and the lower half of a fish. Mermaids are one of the most famous creatures associated with the oceans and seas. Mermaids are sometimes very nice and helpful creatures while other times they are evil luring men into the water with their beauty they would then drown and eat the men. Mermaids appear in all parts of the world in Africa their is a Mermaid called Mami Water  who is worshiped and respected and usually drown men. in China we have the Shanhaijing who loves humans. In Hinduism there is Suvannamaccha who is a Mermaid goddess. In Europe we have the Rusalkas in Russia who are spirits of drowned women and in Greece we have the Sirens who are mermaids that sing songs and cause sailors to crash their ships. The most famous Mermaid hoax was the Fiji Mermaid a monkey sewed to the lower half of a fish owned by P.T. Barnum. Animal Planet even aired a fake documentary called Mermaid’s the Body Found where they had actors portraying members of NOAA and tried to make it as convincing as possible. However the most famous Mermaid is Ariel from the Disney classic The Little Mermaid which was based off of the book by the same written by Hans Christian Andersen,  

[sweetlittlevampire]

Hot water bottle update (mind you, I’ve never used one, so I’m excited) :

I’ve taken my bottle under the shower with me to fill it, and it worked out perfectly. I have it right next to my sore leg right now, and it already feels better after five minutes. Could be a tiiiiny bit warmer though; I think next time I’ll boil the water with the kettle, let it cool for about half an hour, and then fill the bottle. I can always put it aside when I realise it’s too hot and let it cool further.

(Be safe, dearies - never use boiling water in a hot water bottle and put it directly onto your body without letting it cool first.)

Also, I’m wearing a Primark Harry Potter pj and it’s the softest, snuggliest thing ever. Definetely will be worn for Christmas!

[sweetlittlevampire]

What do you do when you want the merch but can’t afford the merch? You DIY the merch!

I’ve always had a thing for those little objects and trinkets that make fictional worlds feel ever so slightly more real. And since I’m a huge Harry Potter fan (and an actual child in the body of a seemingly responsible adult), I’ve always wanted a Hogwarts ID card. I came across Muggle Magic’s Youtube channel and video on how to make one - plus templates because, let’s be real: sometimes we don’t feel like designing all of the DIY stuff ourselves. Since I’m too old to actually attend Hogwarts, I turned my card into an Alumnus Club member card - I’m convinced Hogwarts has one. I’ve also laminated my card since I’m infamous for spilling things on my stuff. The card holder itself would make a pretty cool business card holder, or even a nice gift envelope for a dainty necklace or something of the like.

(The tiny Time Turner is by Primark.)