Steven Savage – Page 404

Way With Worlds: It Comes Apart – People And Conflict

December 26, 2014 by Steven Savage

shattered face statue

(Way With Worlds is a weekly column on the art of worldbuilding published at Seventh Sanctum, Muse Hack, and Ongoing Worlds)

For the next few columns I’m going to be exploring the dysfunctions and conflicts in the worlds we create. Not conflicts brought about by our mistakes as worldbuilders (though those can become fuel for deeper worldbuilding as noted), but what happens when things break down? Sure we’re all busy building our world, but things go wrong inside the worlds as part of good worldbuilding, and we have to figure out the implications of the crises we create.

In fact, as repeated several times, conflict is actually part of the process of making a world accessible and interesting. People want to hear stories and play games about things that happen, and that often involves conflict. Not always of course, but often enough it warrants its own section here in a series of columns by a slightly-mad-scientist of randomizing ideas.

Now everyday conflicts are one thing; arguing over a tab, not being able to find dragon dung at the alchemist’s shop, and so on. Let’s talk about the big ones, the ones that are epic and horrible, the ones we write about – and the ones that in real life make us wonder why the hell they happened.

So let’s go and find out just how things break down and go wrong. We’ll start with how it stays together in the first place – well, how our cast of characters and people keep it together. After all, they’ll be the ones you’re writing about or your players are playing.

Also they’re probably the ones causing the problems . . .

Recipe: Curried Green Peas and Yams

December 23, 2014 by Steven Savage

My latest creation – a curried meal of green peas and yams. it came out nice and tasty, though I think I need to slightly reduce the curry poweder, and I may add soy sauce for more depth of taste, and/or a tomato for depth of taste and a thicker sauce.

You can also scale this recipe – at it’s core each serving is one cup of peas, one cup of diced yams, a little under 2 tsp of curry powder, a dash of cayenne pepper, a dash of black pepper, and 1/8 tsp of salt.

Ingredients:

4 cups of green peas (frozen or thawed)
4 cups of diced yams (depending on the yams available, this could take 2 or take 4-5).
2 tbsp curry powder
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper, ground.
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
½ tsp salt
2 tbsp lime juice
Clinatro to garnish

Directions

Dice the yam and place them in a lidded pot with a thin layer of water on the bottom. Bring to boil and simmer with lid cover, stirring and adding water as needed to keep the bottom fully covered. There should be enough to really steam the yams as opposed to boil them.
When the yams start to soften (about 5-7 minutes) add everything else. Mix thoroughly, adding water if needed to mix the spiced. Blend so everything is coated – heat through.
Serve with cilantro.

– Steven Savage

Steven Savage is a Geek 2.0 writer, speaker, blogger, and job coach. He blogs on careers at http://www.musehack.com/, publishes books on career and culture at http://www.informotron.com/, and does a site of creative tools at http://www.seventhsanctum.com/. He can be reached at https://www.stevensavage.com/.