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  1. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    How to describe horns?

    Discussion in 'Setting Development' started by rktho, Aug 4, 2017.

    I'm running into a problem where I can't find a place to describe my dragons' horns. Since horns don't move, I keep neglecting to describe them and can't find a good place to insert any references to them.
     
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  2. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Is it mission critical that you describe them? If it's not occurring naturally then it might not be needed. The only thing worse than unnecessary description is contrived unnecessary description.
     
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  3. Simpson17866

    Simpson17866 Contributor Contributor

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    That depends on the contrivance ;)

    One trick that I picked up on another website is contrast: don't just describe the thing itself, describe how the thing is different from something else.
     
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  4. izzybot

    izzybot (unspecified) Contributor

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    I could see dragons absent-mindedly scratching or rubbing at their horns, the way humans will fidget with their hair.

    That said, if it's not coming up organically, I'm not sure it's that important.
     
  5. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    My readers may wonder if my dragons even have horns, though. Based on my descriptions at the moment they could be hornless.
     
  6. Pinkymcfiddle

    Pinkymcfiddle Banned

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    Then it should become part of the characterisation that a dragon does not have horns; perhaps embarrassment or inferiority? Unless the lack of horns is a positive or a non-issue?
     
  7. GingerCoffee

    GingerCoffee Web Surfer Girl Contributor

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    How do I describe thee, let me count the ways:

    Horns can
    bump into things
    get stuck on things
    get wet in the rain
    be sharper or bigger than the other dragons'
    make a dragon taller in silhouette
    frighten baby dragons
    be the envy of other dragons
    annoy other dragons because of the attention they get
    have one broken tip
    be larger on female dragons ;)
    can be the thing a dragon has always been proud of

    and so on. :)
     
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  8. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Horns are pretty essential to dragons' uniquity and overall dragonness, like firebreathing. I would amiss if I didn't include them. Besides, at least one of my characters has a broken horn. I can figure out how to call attention to that, but I need to establish early on that my dragons have horns and he doesn't appear until the third scene.
     
  9. Pinkymcfiddle

    Pinkymcfiddle Banned

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    Then the horns need to have purpose, and the lack of horns need to have meaning. You can reveal this to your reader subtly. Either your dragon is unable to do something that requires horns, or is able to do something that does not.
     
  10. izzybot

    izzybot (unspecified) Contributor

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    Honestly I think that most people will probably picture a dragon as having horns, and won't be that thrown off if you mention that they have them a little late.

    Hang on, lemme check something. I used to be super into dragons and still have all my stuff. So, 10/12 of my figures/toys/etc have horns (I'm classifying antlers as 'horns'; 2/12 are antlery). Very unscientific, but it's something.

    My main point, though, is that there's not a massive difference between horned and non-horned dragons. Unless you've got detailed descriptions that just weirdly don't mention the horns, it's not a big adjustment.
     
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  11. Enochiel Lucifel

    Enochiel Lucifel New Member

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    There are all sorts of ways that you could incorporate a meaningful 'horn description'. Make sure that, like what others have suggested, that the detailing fits naturally into your story. If, for example, you were giving a simplistic introduction to say, a villain, then you could describe him/her in such a way as this:

    "His countenance was fiery and strength brewed from his very presence. His eyes burned as the sun and from his head stood tall two beams on bone--horns ever ferocious and violent, stained with the gore of already fallen victims."

    For someone heroic:

    "The pride of his heart soared as the loft of heaven---none could measure to the pride of his horns! Many a battle did those ornaments of strength see; and no indication was given in his prideful smile of their ever ceasing from the cause of justice!"

    That's how I'd describe them. Sometimes, being simple can give off a feeling of genuine emotion. Simplifying can be a major plus in the revision process---especially if you find yourself (as I often do) being too verbose or, the other extreme: not being colorful enough.

    I hope this proves helpful! :read:
     
  12. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Since none of those scenarios actually occur in my book, that's not technically helpful, but thanks anyway!
     
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  13. ChickenFreak

    ChickenFreak Contributor Contributor

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    There was hunting. No rule says that the "fallen victims" can't be cattle.
     
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  14. TheNineMagi

    TheNineMagi take a moment to vote

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    The girth of the horns can be like tree rings and determine age, perhaps not the wisdom which usually accompanies age; they
    might also change in color over time.
    Their shape may indicate a destiny,
    patterns in the horn may indicate expected traits

    your research on this could go in the direction of pseudo-sciences like palmistry, eugenics, folk tales, or go into an analysis of stereotyping and profiling based on physical attributes.

    He was short and pudgy with freckled rosy cheeks, his face framed in scraggly curls of sandy blondish hair, but who could ever forget his crystal clear green eyes perfectly set like gems.

    http://www.bryndonovan.com/2015/06/16/master-list-of-physical-descriptions/

    traits and stereotypes of male protagonists
    https://ils.unc.edu/MSpapers/2468.pdf

    how a reader may interpret or get things wrong
    https://betterhumans.coach.me/cognitive-bias-cheat-sheet-55a472476b18

    https://actwritersblog.com/2016/09/19/embodying-character-physical-symbolism-or-lazy-stereotypes/
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2017
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  15. Segow

    Segow Member

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    It might help if you explain to us the significance of the horns in the overall vision of your story. For example, if the elegance and thickness of horns are a form of status for the dragons of your world, you could have dragons responding to the implied social cues. If, you can not explain the significance of the horns to your dragons, then ultimately it isn't as important as you think.

    ~S
     
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  16. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    True. Hm... I can't really picture my dragons goring anything with their horns, though, without having to turn their head in an awkward position. Do you have any suggestions for a way to use their horns in some way as weapons against their prey that wouldn't involve pointing their snout over their shoulder ? It's probably less complicated than I think...
     
  17. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    If spirals indicate age, women would have an advantage because their horns are smooth. ;) Seriously, though, I might use that. If your really old your horn looks more like a twisted screw. Or a bent one, depending on horn type.

    And I could play around with thickness and length, too.
     
  18. izzybot

    izzybot (unspecified) Contributor

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    Most (all?) animals with horns evolved them to fight with. I'd reconsider why your dragons even have horns if they're not evolutionarily advantageous. If they developed for show / attracting mates, then present day dragons probably wouldn't try to fight with them.
     
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  19. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    Point taken. I have a few ideas brewing now...
     
  20. rktho

    rktho Contributor Contributor

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    @TheNineMagi I wrote a passage in which one of my antagonists notices my primary antagonist looks incredibly young despite having ruled as emperor for decades. I employed your age suggestion to draw attention to his horns.


    Kharrin stood, looking Zarakharn in the eye. As the two exchanged a hard stare, Kharrin noticed that even though Zarakharn was a hundred and seventy, he hadn’t looked a day over sixty-five in the last twenty years he’d known him personally. Kharrin was absolutely certain not a single ridge in the emperor’s horns had grown in a hundred years. If anything, they seemed as though Zarakharn had recently filed them down for growing too long.
     
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  21. TheNineMagi

    TheNineMagi take a moment to vote

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    It looks pretty good, for an initial pass.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    here this is taken from a random generator
    http://www.fantasynamegenerators.com/dragon-descriptions.php#.WYY88ojyuUk

    Bright onyx eyes sit gracefully within the creature's long, hard skull, which gave the dragon a terrifying looking appearance.
    Several enormous horns sit atop its head, just above its large, pointy ears. Several rows of small horns run down the sides of each of its jaw lines.
    Its nose is short and has two thin, pointy nostrils, and there are horns on its chin. Two huge teeth poke out from the side of its mouth and give a slight hint at the terror hiding inside.

    A wide neck runs down from its head and into a bulky body. The top covered in radiant skin, and rows of spikes running down its spine.
    Its bottom is covered in smooth skin and is colored lighter than the rest of its body. Four thick limbs carry its body and allow the creature to stand proud and towering. Each limb has six digits, each of which ends in long claws seemingly made of onyx.

    Huge wings start to grow from its shoulders and end at the lower end of its back. The wings are almost angel-like, the inside is almost entirely see-through, especially when viewed from a distance and jagged edges at the bottom almost give it a feathered look.

    Its long tail ends in a single tendril covered in the same radiant skin as its body.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Undaunted and despite Zarakharn terrifying and menacing appearance Kharrin exchanged a hard stare with him. He stood his ground looking into those bright onyx eyes sitting gracefully within the elder dragon's long, hard skull. Emperor Zarakharn had ruled over the empire for well over a century, and in the twenty years Kharrin had known him he hadn’t looked a day over sixty-five, despite his reported age of a hundred and seventy plus years. Kharrin could not help but notice not a single age-ridge in the emperor’s horns had grown an iota if anything it appeared like Zarakharn had his horns filed down recently for growing too long.

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    of course, you will want to play with this, it's only a few first passes in the dark, and has quite a ways to go before being polished to your liking.
     
    Last edited: Aug 5, 2017
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