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With the coast behind him, the traveler turned his attention to what stood in front of him. To go forward, he would have to go up. It meant he had to scale the tall rocky object if he wanted to keep going. The man rolled up his sleeve and got to work. What he was about to climb was none other than one of many fantasy cliffs.
As an environment, cliffs are known for their notoriety. They are one of the most dangerous places; one simple misstep could prove fatal. While there are many different sizes, they all have one thing in common: they’re made out of rock.
Fantasy cliffs are cold and inhospitable; there’s nothing about them that conveys warmth. And yet, they are an essential part of the world. Appearing in many different forms, whether it be the mountainside or seaside, they heighten the danger in these places.
They have a forbidding presence, a presence that makes people’s hair stick straight out. Everyone instinctively acknowledges that cliffs are not to be trifled with easily; they recognize that they must tread carefully.
While all cliffs are composed of rock, the rock used varies. The color of the rock used dictates the color the cliff will take. The color variety gives cliffs their own unique appearance. With how many different-colored rocks there are, the potential to craft cliffs out of unusual colors exists. This gives creators a great opportunity to make truly memorable ones that people will love.
How do cliffs impact the story? What’s their role there? They truly serve only one purpose: to act as a physical barrier that the hero must overcome. You see this in nearly every work in the genre. Scaling the cliff is part of the hero’s journey, and he discovers something within himself as he climbs his way up.
This is the fifteenth in a series looking at the different kinds of fantasy environments. If you’d like to read more, you can find them on our blog. Surely there’ll be something that catches your eye!
So grab some boots or shoes — whichever you like — and let’s begin the long climb to the top. Along the way, we’ll learn all about fantasy cliffs!
Fantasy cliffs are portrayed as inhospitable environments where only the tough can survive. Their rock-like appearance signals that those with strength can truly conquer them. They are to be taken seriously; they do not suffer fools.
Cliffs tower over the average person, making them feel small in comparison. If someone looks up from the bottom, he sees that it seems to reach into the heavens. Looking at it causes
fear to take hold in his heart. It being made solely of rock only amplifies the fear.
They have a domineering presence that can cause even the bravest person to take a step back. Only those who possess unbreakable inner strength or an ironclad determination to press on can truly conquer them.
Climbing a cliff is like being locked in a battle of wills. The climber must contend with everything the cliff will throw at him, from the wild, vicious animals that live on it to the rockslides that can easily knock him off. The cliff is wrestling with someone who wants to reach the top and declare himself the victor. Only the one who’s more determined will prevail.
Dangerous animals call fantasy cliffs home. Most of the animals that live in these places are capable of flight, for not very many land creatures are found there. You have mighty birds like eagles and falcons and smaller ones like seagulls or pigeons. The reason they live there is because they can safely nest without the fear of predators stealing their eggs.
In fantasy, the birds are largely territorial, attacking those that get a tad too close for comfort. These beasts can furiously peck a climber constantly until he loses his grip and falls off the rock face. This only compounds the dangers of scaling the cliffs.
Everyone knows fantasy cliffs are comprised of rock but where can you find them? They’re commonly seen in mountainous areas, right next to the ocean, lake, or river. Other areas include canyons, caves, and underwater. They make these places more treacherous to navigate which means that people traveling through must keep their eyes alert for any sharp changes in height.
The color a cliff takes is based off on the rock used to make it. Most cliffs have either a brownish, grayish, or blackish appearance and that’s due to to rocks such as sandstone, granite, or basalt. There are numerous examples of these colors on Earth.
They’re treated a bit differently in fantasy. While you see many cliffs with the colors mentioned in the previous paragraph, there’s a fair number of ones that use colors that clearly indicate they were made only for fantasy. If you see a blue, red, or white colored cliff using fantasy rocks or real-world ones like marble or quartz, you can tell it was created specifically for that world. Doing this helps make a world stand out, since people will associate that cliff color with that world.
While rocks come in many colors, there’s a whole variety of textures. They range from smooth to jagged. Adding one to a cliff personalizes its appearance and gives it its own character. This can make them feel more alive.
The goal with creating fantasy cliffs, just like everything else, is to create an environment that makes your audience fully immersed in your world. You want your audience to feel like the cliffs that you design feel like they fit right in. Creating a seamless transition between the cliffs and nearby areas help make the world feel more connected.
Fantasy cliffs have only one primary function in the story and it’s to impede the hero’s journey. He is then forced to find a way up in order to continue on his path. Due to their great height, cliffs serve as an excellent physical obstacle the hero must confront.
The hero making his way through cliffs is a popular trope, appearing in many works. Why do you see it in so many places? While cliffs act as a physical barrier, in truth they’re meant to help the hero grow.
Before he makes the climb up, the hero is operating on the mistaken belief that getting to his final destination will be easy and quick. While he may have had a bit of difficulties beforehand, solving them didn’t take up much time and he was able to proceed.
When he reaches the cliffs, he is then put in a dilemma. He can turn back and call it a day or he can find a way forward. Naturally he’ll choose the former — otherwise the story would be over and it can’t end like that — but here’s the kicker: how can he find his way forward?
The hero can choose to go around but that’ll eat up precious time that he’ll never get back. He could also see if there’s a path up but it might cost him a bit of time. Or he could just go with the simplest option: climb it.
Usually the hero is in a party with other members and they debate on how best to proceed. Once they reach a consensus, they move on, aware of the dangers that cliffs pose. After fending off wild animals, escaping rockslides, surviving the cold wind and snow, he and the others reach the summit and move onto the next leg of the journey.
Scaling the cliffs makes the hero learn two invaluable lessons: you must face your fears and expect the unexpected. In the end, the hero is better for it, as he’s become a bit stronger and more prepared to face anything, especially the big bad waiting for him at the end of his journey.
Fantasy cliffs are one of the toughest environments in the genre. However, they help people achieve personal growth when they successfully reach the summit, enduring everything cliffs throw at them alongside the way.
Cliffs are formidable places; they inspire fear in people. Appearing in many parts of the world, they are an important part of the world. Just as there’s places that evoke warmth, there too are places that fill people with dread.
Just because cliffs are inhospitable places doesn’t mean they’re all bad. Quite the opposite. They serve as fantastic trials for people to confront their inner fears and emerge triumph on the other end. Only by summoning the courage within your heart will you prevail.
This is why fantasy cliffs are great in the role they play in the story. They strip away the idea that things will go swimmingly and force the hero to recognize that things beyond his control will happen and he has to deal with it. He learns how to manage in such a tough environment, which will pay dividends throughout the rest of the story.
In conclusion, don’t shy away from incorporating fantasy cliffs in your world. In fact, be eager! Even though they’re an important part of worldbuilding, they’re even more in the story, as they help the hero grow and become the leader he was always fated to be.
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