Don't Forget This in Your Fantasy Setting!

Are centaurs scared of elephants? How about camels? The ramifications are staggering.

Language Battle

A necromancer, a corpusvaticinator, and a lich-seer walk into a bar, except they call it three different things. The important thing is that the first is common, the third could see use, and nobody will ever use the second, proving that Latin is the least ominous language except when chanted. Even then, maybe other languages are scarier but don't get chanted as much.

Fantasy Puncline Corner

"I said hedge end, not legend!"

Sly Insertion

How do we integrate optional bosses, something unquestionably popular in games, into fantasy and science fiction books? Invisible ink is the obvious answer, but impractical. Maybe a QR code. Do companies still try to get people to use those?

The City Majestic in Flight

The astrologers issued their report. In consequence, the gates closed, the citizens took their positions in reinforced halls, and the city rose as thaumaturgical engineers oversaw the abstruse processes which enabled the migration.
The people of Invarn thrived to such a degree that they no longer accepted seasons as something merely to be endured bur rather as a problem which must admit a solution provided they bent themselves to finding it. They had not misjudged their capacity. The city floated with practiced ease and had already accomplished three landings. What could prevent a fourth?
The dastards of Rellen-Bollat! Their agents had stolen the knowledge, nor did the king blush to imitate his rival in every particular. The two cities spotted each other and raced to the ideal position, above which they bumped against each other over and over till both were forced to land in order to effect repairs. The nomads of Tutsuna arrived in the meantime to claim the spot, though the Kauneggi tribe, displaced from its homeland, arrived to contest that pretension.
Seeing that, Invarn rose again, but nowhere was there unclaimed land. The population had grown too great. The city's sages started to plan.
Finis

Speaking of Names

Spring is the worst-named season, right? That word means too many things. Fall has the same problem, but we can fall back on autumn there. Ver isn't as effective since it may not be registered as a word when we try to popularize it. I think we're gonna have to go French on this one, fellas.

Addendum

Though the fact that all three of those are last names might contribute. Reginald Ashton Smith, Ashton Reginald Smith, Smith Ashton Reginald . . . nope, still carries the same feeling.

Name Recognition

If, tomorrow, you were to awake in a world in which Clark Ashton Smith's name had become Smith Ashton Clark, would you even notice? How about Ashton Clark Smith? Ash Clarkton Smith? But if somebody claimed his favorite science fiction author was Asimov Isaac, you'd grab the nearest gun and start shooting. Here we see the particular properties of triple names as opposed to double.

Addender

Of course what we all really want is one of those Inspector Gadget books. How did a little girl and a dog get that anyway? Theft? Misappropriation of funds? Aliens? The Greatest American Hero aliens?

Addendum

Most enticingly, instead of a blurb about the book bought from some author whose name has never before crossed your desk, you can get coverplates with blurbs about you, the reader. ". . . immaculate taste . . ." is one example, or how about, "If you have to be read by one person this year, make it this one?"