I'm a writer of just about any genre out there but reality and Westerns (the first is boring; the second I've just never gotten). I've been looking for a place like this for YEARS. Frequently, I know KINDA what I want, but not HOW to ask, making my usual mad Google skills worthless. I've got a lot of questions, but I'll start simple and get into the weird things latter.
My Long-Works list is after the question, with medium and genre, to let you get an idea of the variety in my head.
Question:
In one of my fantasy settings, I'm trying to get a feel for the sword fighting style of the main hero. Character wise, he's acrobatic, favoring dodging over the use of a shield or parrying. I'd prefer a lighter, one-handed sword that lets him keep his speed as high as possible, but also enable relatively strong strength-based hits (slashing more than stabbing). He's not afraid of getting in close to his enemy (primarily animal-intelligent monsters, but he'll also go up against human fighters of varying styles), and fights alone.
For the sword, I like the design of the kopis [ en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kopis ] , particularly the slender blade illustrated on Wikipeida. Since I don't know a THING about this, however, and character trumps appearance, suggestions for better blades for the style I'm looking for will be greatly appreciated.
I don't have ANY background in fighting, so information will have to start basic, although the more detail I can eventually draw from and use for my own later searches, the better.
Thanks in advance!
Long Works:
- Phoenix Flair, Dragon Descent (Fantasy, Oriental Inspired, Six novels + 9 short stories + however many appendixes, will need help in Geography and related for world creation [set in an original universe with modified physics and magic, long story...] )
- Legends of Regnum [Title likely changing] (Western Fantasy, episodic with planned ending [currently unknown how long], most likely written although animated could work, setting for above question, will also need linguistic help)
- [Ninja Story, currently working on title] (Original setting loosely based on historic Japan, episodic, animated [preferably 3-D due to detail], needs more information on the 5 oriental elements)
- Vampyre Hymn (Modern day supernatural drama, tv series, currently 3 seasons planned, needs modern research)
- VH: SCI (Alternate Universe of Vampyre Hymn, supernatural forensic drama, also tv series, currently have material for 2 seasonal arcs, mostly just needs primary universe character development)
- [cyborg sports anime, currently no good title] (focuses on a sport that's somewhere between figure skating and roller derby, episodic animated, needs a LOT of research into prosthetics, cybernetics, sports regulartions, and civil rights movements)
- Roseblood (Modern Day High School / Alternate Universe High Fantasy, episodic graphic novels with planned ending, needs modern day research and artist)
- Falling Angels (Superhero Comic deconstruction/homage, comic book series, no set ending, needs research into telekinetic theory and dissociative personality disorder)
- In Time Things Come (Hard Sci-Fi, novella, needs research on parasitic and symbiotic viruses and similar)
- Sirens Song (Fantasy, console RPG, needs help DEVELOPING an RPG, as well as research into multiple world mythologies and "fairie tales")