#cftd rambles

[creatuesfromthedeep]

The long awaited sequel to tips for introducing more conflict into your Flight Rising lore, types of antagonists for your Flight Rising lore that aren't just Evil Murder Hobo

Corrupt Authorities. Maybe your clan leader is secretly evil, or the Dragon Cops are cruel, or maybe there's some larger authority outside of your clan that's evil (ex: your clan is a town in a larger kingdom). Tip: Most people aren't evil for the sake of being evil, think of what your antagonist/s are GAINING from being corrupt. Is it money? Influence? Power? Is there something else they want? Cults, countries, companies; all of these fall under this category.

False Prophets and Conmen. These are dragons who are lying (intentionally or unintentionally) to gain power in your clan, or to try to make some specific outcome that benefits them happen. A dragon who pretends to see the future, a dragon who is lying about some dangerous creature to sell defenses against it, these all fall under this category. Tip: Not all antagonists THINK they're malicious; a dragon who sincerely thinks they were commanded by the Icewarden to burn down the local inn doesn't think they're being evil!

Counter-Culture. Some dragons are going to go against the popular culture, for a variety of reasons (maybe they disagree, maybe they want to stand out, maybe they feel outcasted already, etc). A large counter-culture scene can provide an antagonistic force for the primary culture of the clan. Tip: Just because they're "antagonists" doesn't mean they're EVIL or VILLAINOUS. They're just, well, a contrary force.

Force of Nature. This is a dragon (or, well, any kind of creature) that represents a force of nature more than a typical personality. They are both restrained by their nature, and emboldened by it; a dragon who is the incarnation of Death may seek to kill, a dragon who is the incarnation of Storms may create storms without realizing or caring about the consequences, etc. Tip: You can get really esoteric with this, just be careful to not place them in a protagonist role! Forces of Nature are antagonists because they're powerful and constrained by odd rules; when you put them in a protagonist's role, you'll end up losing narrative tension.

Overwhelmed by Curiosity. These are your mad scientists, your cackling inventors, your dwarves digging too deep; they aren't evil in the traditional sense, they're just driven by a sense of curiosity that leads them to do horrible things to find answers. Tip: Pick an obsession for them, and run with it! Think of the most malicious ways they can find answers, and figure out why they're convinced these methods are the ONLY way.

Wild Animals / Instinctual Hostility. This is for your non-dragon antagonists and monsters, who are hostile towards your dragons for innate, instinctual reasons and are impossible to negotiate with. Tip: If you want a more black-and-white evil vs. good scenario, having a bunch of these guys as minions provides good tension without adding too many moral quandaries.

Parasites / Mind Control / Possession. Need a convenient reason for a protagonist to turn into an antagonist? Some form of mind control or parasite that takes control of a character's mind is a great excuse. Is it taking over one dragon, or multiple? Is it sentient, or just acting on instinct? Is there a mastermind controlling it, or does it trigger some latent hostility in its host? Tip: This is a great antagonist if you don't want any of your dragons to be evil, just make sure to establish strict rules on how the mind control happens, and how it ends.

This is a non-exhaustive list (there are plenty of other kinds of antagonists you can add), but hopefully provides some ideas for people who are stuck on wanting more conflict, but struggling to think of a unique antagonist.

[creatuesfromthedeep]

Fenrir (Possessing Skald)

[creatuesfromthedeep]

Tips for introducing more conflict into your Flight Rising lore (that aren't just "get a generic villain character")

Your dragons should be wrong sometimes. It doesn't have to be all the time, but they should misunderstand things, lie (intentionally or unintentionally), lash out when they're stressed, or just flatout dislike someone for no reason. Everybody will make bad decisions, and it's an easy way to introduce conflict without needing a specific antagonist character.

The world should be dangerous in some way. Think about your clan, and think about where your dragons would reasonably encounter some kind of danger. Is there a lot of crime in your clan? Is there a portion of your clan's territory that has a lot of hostile fauna? Is your clan currently clashing with another clan? Who knows, maybe the biggest danger is getting humiliated at the PTA bake sale, but try to think deeply on this. Once you know what places are dangerous, you can start thinking of how your clan deals with that danger.

A 100% approval rating government doesn't exist. The larger your clan, the more likely that there's dragons who disagree in some way, shape, or form with how the clan's being run. Maybe you've got an Anarcho-Capitalist Lightning clan with a small sect of Eco-Socialists that dislike the current rulers. Maybe you've got a tight-knit family unit but there's a dragon who doesn't agree with how chores are being divvied up. Maybe you've got a monarchy but, oops, you've got one dragon who REALLY disagrees with the concept of a monarchy!

Quick conflict is easy, prolonged plot is interesting. A conflict that can be resolved in 2 hours has a lot less narrative weight (typically) compared to a plot that takes 2 weeks to resolve. Err on the side of letting things fester and intensify if you want the juiciest conflict.

Your dragons should have wants just like anyone else, and those wants should conflict. A highly ambitious dragon joining a clan with well-established authorities is going to feel stifled by their inability to rise through the ranks. What happens when multiple dragons are courting the same dragon? What happens when multiple dragons want the same den location? Two dragons with deeply opposed desires can be the cornerstone of a lot of great lore.

Sometimes bad things happen for no reason. Natural disasters, plagues, sudden global conflicts (ex: Luminax), all of these things can be introduced quickly to churn up some conflict. Be careful to rely too heavily on this though, as it can erode away at your dragons narrative agency and make things feel grimdark (unless that's what you're going for)

Sometimes dragons are just jerks. People in real life are occasionally just mean, and there's no reason to say that your dragons can't just be a bit mean too. Schoolyard bullies, prissy Karens, workplace lunch-thieves, people who cut in line, etc. Don't be afraid to make some of your dragons just a bit mean, or annoying, or frustrating! In fact, I'd argue most dragons should have at least one trait that could potentially drive another dragon up the wall.

[creatuesfromthedeep]

This is your sign to get a Snapper and make them one of the hottest dragons in your clan's lore.

[creatuesfromthedeep]

I've been informed it's Worldbuilding Wednesday so rb this if you want an oddly niche lore question in your inbox today.

[creatuesfromthedeep]

Tips for describing affection between your Flight Rising dragons (and other animal characters) that are based on actual animal behavior.

Hugs, cuddles, pressing flanks together, laying next to/on top of eachother, putting a head underneath someone's chin, licking someone's face/grooming, etc? All of these are free game for quadrupeds, and specifically come from dog/wolf behavior.

Carrying offspring in their mouth (crocodilians and certain types of fish) or carrying offspring by the scruff (think cats) are common ways of moving children that quadrupeds do naturally.

For your feathered friends, consider preening as an affectionate option! If they've got feathers, then they molt and regrow those feathers, and preening can be a great activity to show closeness between your dragons.

Another option straight from bird behavior; dancing! Many species of bird dance both to impress a new mate, and reaffirm the bond later on. This dancing oftentimes comes with singing, so consider adding some singing to your dragon's dance as well.

Play! Playing is a core component of many social animals, such as canids and orcas, and even solitary animals which are raised with siblings, like mountain lions and bears. Have your dragons playfully chase eachother, play tug-of-war, play-hunt smaller animals (yes, it's cruel, and yes, many predatory species do this), headbutt eachother, playfight/wrestle, etc. Quadruped animals do a ton of playing!

Sharing food is a way that many animals try to establish or reaffirm bonds, especially predatory species. Why not have your Mirrors share their hunt's spoils with their loved ones?

Wings, wings, wings. Use wings as a shield, as a blanket, to draw someone closer or knock them away; birds and bats use their wings for many more things than just flight, why shouldn't your dragons?

Sniffing, and scents in general. Despite it sounding weird, many animals treat scent as a priority; wolves prefer to smell similarly to their packs, and many animals use scent to determine if a child is theirs. So yeah, feel free to go full fanfic author describing smells, since this is something your dragons would likely know and keep track of for their loved ones.

I'll caution against using kissing and handholding as your main signifiers of affection -- these things are very much human forms of affection, which usually occur in monkeys and apes. That's not to say you CAN'T use them, but try to consider if your dragons would even physiologically enjoy these activities. A Snapper might not really care about holding hands (nor would they be able to do it while walking around!) and a Ridgeback might be cautiously reluctant to kiss someone.

Also consider that many animals just... Aren't affectionate like we expect them to be, as humans. The affection of a crocodilian mother tends to involve protecting her nest, and her hatchlings, but there's very little snuggling or bonding involved. Don't be afraid to have a dragon who shows affection in a way that you wouldn't expect, as a human!

Remember, since dragons are fictional creatures, none of these are hard rules! However, if you're looking to incorporate a wider range of behaviors, consider some of the behaviors the natural world provides!

[creatuesfromthedeep]

Reblog with a short summary of your FR lore (5 sentences max) + if you're open to getting questions about it!

[creatuesfromthedeep]

Taurus and Damascus