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 This is a continuation of my blogging here at WdC |
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This will be a blog for my writing, maybe with (too much) personal thrown in. I am hoping it will be a little more interactive, with me answering questions, helping out and whatnot. If it falls this year (2024), then I may stop the whole blogging thing, but that's all a "wait and see" scenario. An index of topics can be found here: "Writing Blog No.2 Index"  Feel free to comment and interact. |
| World-building - Rivers We looked at mountains, now let’s look at rivers. Rivers are lines of water that flow from a high point to a low point. The majority of rivers start in a mountain range and terminate at a sea, ocean or large lake. Basically, you cannot have a river without a mountain. Rivers are formed by rain or melting snow forming creeks and smaller waterways, which eventually combine and come together to form a river that gravity draws downwards. It is said that some rivers come from natural wells, but this is not really supported, and is more a piece of folklore. Part of the issue is: how does water come out of the ground? There would have to be some sort of upwards pressure, and that would mean the area is very unstable geophysically. Yes, there are lowland freshwater sites – oases and billabongs, for example – which are fed from underground aquifers, but these are still bodies of water, not flowing rivers. Now, rivers are vital. The first communities were all established around freshwater rivers or freshwater lakes fed by rivers. The water was important, and it drew animals to them for food, and enabled them to have crops. Rivers were also the first freeways. A horse can go on land and go places where others couldn’t, but rivers were how large goods were transported. No early cultures with a permanent site of habitation built this site away from water. When world-building, this is important because a land with cities needs a supply of water, especially when being established. Having a city in the middle of a desert with only a small oasis makes no sense at all. Stars Wars were shocking in this regard – I know they had dew farms, but where on Tatooine was the water to support life before a civilisation developed? The canyons show clear signs of water erosion, but where is it all? Where does the dew even come from? That planet makes no sense whatsoever. As can be seen, rules of physics make no difference to many world-builders, but if you want your world to be accepted as at least plausible, then maybe look at the water supplies. |
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