Happy Thursday, everyone! Let's get started. And warning. This is a topic that I'd list under "Pet Peeve" when it comes to writing and reading.
With that in mind, let me be honest. One thing that drives me absolutely insane in fantasy stories is horses. Not only horses, but birds. Fish. Cats. Dogs. Basically, Earth animals set in a foreign world, drive me mad. Unless that alien planet has had some connection with Earth (and has for quite some time), these animals do not belong on an alien world. And... let me be honest, most fantasy books take place on alien planets. Now, let me be clear: the inclusion of Earth species doesn't mean a book is bad, it just means I'm less likely to be intrigued or drawn into the world. Simply because I prefer not to have Earth species be native to Inrugia doesn't mean that you can't have horses or dogs or cats on your fantasy world. I just ask that you truly consider why those animals are present. For example, horses make sense in J. R. R. Tolkien's work, because it takes place on Middle Earth, which is essentially Earth. I have a tougher time believing that they belong in J. R. R. Martin's work, though, because the various lands are not intended to be an early lore for any part of Earth.
Due to Earth's role in my series, Inrugia posed a large problem to me for a long time. I wanted the ecosystem to make sense, but I also wanted to make sure that Earth's own ecosystem didn't end up taking over the unique flavor of Inrugia. I wanted to draw from reality (Earth) and create a fictional world where animals and plants are at peace with their habitat. Thus began the long process of creating various species that exist on Inrugia.
During the early phase of creation, I often asked myself what sort of theme I could rely on. What, for my world, made the most sense when developing creatures? Brandon Sanderson's The Way of Kings and Words of Radiance are, for the most part, grand examples of how to create an ecosystem that fits with the world. Note that he does have horses, chickens, dogs, etc., which to me is beyond strange, since he created amazing creatures like axhounds and other carapace-covered animals. He drew from the sea to inspire his new ecosystem, which, awesome. Love it. Hate the horses and chickens, love everything else. I adore the rockbuds and the shalebark and the massive greatshells. I'll always cringe when someone rides a horse, but I suppose that's all right. Note that if he had filled the niche of a horse with a carapace-covered creature, that would have made a lot more sense, even if he had decided in the end to call it a horse.
So, Sanderson's idea of pulling from the ocean gave me a great launching point. The three deities created life on Inrugia (at least according to lore), and the deity given the most credit is Batrisk, who is associated with bone (Matrisk with flesh and Katrisk with blood). Because of this, I decided to give the majority of life on Inrugia bony armor (especially life associated with the ground or water). Not carapace, mind you, but something thicker, heavier, and more reminiscent of Devonian period ocean fauna. Fish all have bony plates, same with beasts of burden, and recbrether (literally bone-armored tree). Insects are a little different, but most anything larger than them are covered in some form of bone, and if they aren't, boils and pock marks are the norm, along with mutated feathers or other consistent mutations. I also worked with the other two deities. Birds have mutated flesh (Matrisk) and various carnivores have blood-related alterations that have changed their physical appearance quite a bit (Katrisk). I strove to make everything as alien as I could while still touching upon familiar themes, especially in early books in the Chronicles.
While working out the kinks of Inrugian life, I kept in mind how life on Inrugia has changed, who changed it, why, and what those changes meant for species other than denrana, ekra, and amüli. For example, ekra are created from the bones and flesh of deceased creatures; does that mean an ekrim can create a zombie animal, or does it turn into an ekrim as well? The answer: it turns into an ekrim. What about denrana? Do they hold any power over their environment? Turns out, they do, but mostly in the way of eating the souls of other living creatures. And amüli? How do they impact their world? That one was a little trickier, but I think I managed to find a balance. The answers to those questions shaped the ecosystem of Inrugia and the creatures who wander her surface.
"But what about the crows? You're totally obsessed with crows!" you might shout, especially if you've read The Soulbound Curse.
Okay, yes, I am a bit... over-the-top when it comes to crows, but the very first thing I made sure to mention about the crows on Inrugia is that they are an invasive species brought to the planet by a High House. A few mating pairs escaped captivity, because crows are freaking smart, and then bred and bred and bred until they overwhelmed the local ecosystem. Crows play a significant role in my story and aren't simply mentioned for the sake of being mentioned. The same goes for cats or dogs, which there are very few of, because they're expensive to import from Earth and care for. I'd argue that any Earth species on Inrugia is invasive and, in my opinion, makes sense. Someone brought them there and their presence becomes a rather clear mistake.
While not every fantasy story needs its own creatures, I do feel that even Earth-based fantasy should have some sort of reasoning behind creatures such as horses, dogs, etc. being part of that world. Make the ecosystem work with the world and the strangeness you seek to build, not against it. The more you create, the more original the creatures and flora, the more likely you'll immerse readers in your world.
How do you construct your ecosystems? What do you do to make something unique and playful without losing sight of the reality needed to structure your fantasy planet? Share in the comments below!
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