Quick Six: Rebirth & Renewal
This week, Haly's serving up a fresh order of worldbuilding prompts focused around rebirth, renewal, and other refreshed states. Get creative, be inspired, and write in new directions!
Quick Six 1/18/2025: Rebirth
Ted Lasso says that fairy tales never start or end in the dark forest. And he’s right. So if, like me, you find yourself right now in a dark forest, remember: “…It may not work out how you think it will or how you hope it does. But believe me, it will all work out.”
Thanks, Coach.
Somewhere in your world, describe…
Who:
…someone responsible for the process of renewing public art.
It might be someone responsible for removing oxidation from cast metal statues, or repairing the time- and weather-worn faces of old barn adverts. Perhaps they refresh the color-changing bulbs that paint the sky clouds? Or even someone who observes doings in the park as they scrub bird drops off the lion in the fountain.
What:
…something known for being easily worn down and just as easily repaired.
Pencils are an excellent example of this; they start sharp and functional, wear down, and either need sharpened if they’re wood or clicked to release more lead if they’re mechanical. Easy wear-down, easy repair. What is the thing? How does it wear? How is it repaired?
When:
…a holiday or celebration focused on the cycle of decay and rebirth.
A spring festival might focus on celebrating winter’s decay giving over to spring’s rebirth. An autumn holiday might highlight edible fungi as an important sign of regrowth. Focus on the cyclic nature of the natural world and the universe, and how it affects the people in your world.
Where:
…a run-down place that is being restored to its former glory, or recycled into something new.
Old castles, haunted houses, warehouses repurposed as living space, schools converted into shopping centers. Abandoned buildings are a reflection of how society’s needs change over time. When castles are no longer needed for defense, they can become tourist destinations. Or, they can be torn down and their stones repurposed for walls, roads, houses, and more.
Why:
…a recycling project has been hidden from those in charge.
I have to be honest, I don’t know where this one came from but I’m excited to see what y’all do with it! Is it reclamation of expensive and rare material for black market resale? Is it a rebel action against a tyrannical oligarchy? Might it be a social statement against the conspicuous waste of a vicious cult? Who knows! You tell me!!
How:
…a species known for its regenerative powers became endangered or extinct.
The mythical phoenix is an excellent example, as are trolls according to D&D rules. This might be a real species or something from myth, legend, or folklore. It could be a rare plant that heals people but not itself. Or think of our contemporary superstitions about the healing properties of elephant tusks and rhinoceros horns.
Share, Share, Share!
Y’all, I always love reading what this imaginative and sparling community creates with these little ideas I throw out. You can drop a link in the comments…OR, if you like, drop a link as a thread in the Rhapsody by Moonlight group chat!
And as always, if you had fun with these prompts then share them with a friend! Restack this post or, if you’re reading it as an email, forward it to a friend! Everyone needs a creative pick-me-up now and then!
Coming This Weekend:
Sunday’s Weekly Digest
