The Witcher, Dark Souls, and 50 random ideas

I found this and thought it looks like a fun idea. While my new setting has been taking a pretty clear shape now in my head, I’m not sure how well I’ve been able to communicate it so far. This list might help with that.

The Witcher has clearly been the greatest influence on how things look and feel in the mundane world and the tone of how the various big actors are interacting with it. Dark Souls is perhaps the main inspiration for how characters will experience the magical world where things appear magnificent and horrifying and are barely understood or explained.

Other important influences are Morrowind for the organization of society and the aesthetics for the Southlands (for which I am drawing on Byzantine visuals), Hellboy for it’s representation of spirits, Thief, and I am still chasing after recapturing the atmosphere of The Empire Strikes Back.

  1. Cities carved into the sides of mountains.
  2. A giant tree casting a whole glade in shadows while illuminating it with the glow of bright blue veins running through its bark.
  3. A ruined city of massive square towers rising from a swamp.
  4. Giant stone bridges with tunnels running inside them, large enough to hold entire towns.
  5. Giant volcanic spires rising high above a sea of trees with castles carved inside of them.
  6. A large stone castle, eternally on fire.
  7. A cave large enough for dragons to soar in circles, with tunnels stretching deep into the mountains forever.
  8. Large stairs circling down into the Earth, with tunnels branching off to the sides and the bottom of the shaft hidden by dark water.
  9. Ancient wooden walkways leading through mist covered bogs for miles.*
  10. A ruined city with vast underground tunnels filled with a poisonous mist that clears out every few years for a couple of weeks, the bones of men and beasts still undisturbed by scavengers.
  11. Heavily armored knights wearing the colors of the Moon Mystics, each with an entourage of men at arms.*
  12. Nomadic clans, whose warriors ride across the land hunting for both food and silver for their families.*
  13. Witches who rule the barbarians of the barren and swampy lands of the fog covered north.
  14. Merchants so rich they own their own ports.*
  15. Pirates from all the lands crewing fast small ships that roam the seas of the north and the south.*
  16. Societies of war widdows, orphan girls, and freed slaves who form highly influential crafts guilds.*
  17. Northern mercenaries serving as elite cavalry for the cities of the south.*
  18. Deceiving, treacherous, and pacifistic Priestesses of Life.
  19. Noble families of a southern city who all have many sorcerers among their highest ranks.
  20. A network of wealthy criminals who use bribery and assassination to break the power of the great merchant lord guild.
  21. Polished iron helmets reaching down to the nose, with the rest of the head covered by a mail collar.*
  22. Scale lamelar over mail hauberks for the fully armored warrior.
  23. War paint in bright blue, red, yellow, and black for those not fighting in heavy armor.
  24. Forests of spears and walls of round wooden shields.*
  25. Straight backed knives for every adult.*
  26. Towns and whole forts made from solid wooden logs.
  27. Carved amulets of wood or bone or cast in silver or iron to be carried for protection against spirits.
  28. Pelts of giant beasts with stark patterns to wear as cloaks or decorate wealthy homes.*
  29. Tricorns!
  30. Four Winds Hats. The most stylish way to keep your head warm in winter.*
  31. Stocky, short-antlered deer used as steeds.
  32. Large, bulky cargo ships transporting pelts, cod, and timber across the northern sea.*
  33. Long and sleek galleys and shooners with red and green sails racing across the southern sea.
  34. Camel-sized, herbivorous reptiles carrying heavy loads through the forests.
  35. Huge goats carrying packs and riders over the rough mountain passes.
  36. Winter storms.*
  37. The grim and unforgiving cold of winter.*
  38. Bottomless pools that never release what has disapeared into their black depths.*
  39. Thick, persisting mists that make wanderers endlessly walk in circles.
  40. Lands of Death that drain the life from all living things that stay for too long.
  41. Markers of sticks and bones on the border of the lands of some spirits and witches.
  42. The collected heads of slain enemies.*
  43. Wooden poles carved with the faces of spirits to mark their holy places.
  44. Magic horns.
  45. Magic skulls of powerful sorcerers, witches, and spirits.
  46. Amber decorations.*
  47. Iron nails to ward against spirits.
  48. Powdered black petals of a southern flower that cause a painless dilirium.
  49. Coins with holes in them to lace them together into bars with a knotted cord.*
  50. A great fireplace in the center of every great hall.*

* These are all things taken directly or inspired by medieval culture of northeast Europe.

One thought on “The Witcher, Dark Souls, and 50 random ideas”

Leave a Reply to Kyani Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *