Title: Skychain: Shards of the Aerolith
Purpose
Design brief for a floating-archipelago RPG writing project paired with Midjourney-ready prompt packs. You’ll build a world bible, a branching questline, NPCs and signature items, and multiple endings. Each section includes evocative, production-ready image prompts to help you visualize scenes as you write.
Tone and Palette
The world should feel wind-burnished and luminous: sun-bleached brass, opaline mist, indigo stormfronts, bioluminescent cyan, patina greens. Textures should creak and breathe—tensioned sailcloth, salt-crusted rope, feathered shadows, crystal hum. Light cuts like wet glass through fog. Gravity is a rumor.
I. Worldbuilding: The Skychain Archipelago
Premise
A braided chain of levitating islands drifts above a bottomless vapor sea. Their buoyancy is anchored by Aerolith shards—singing crystals that hum with barometric memory. Once, the Skychain rang like a bell choir; now its notes go missing. Islands slip. Bridges groan. Something is stealing the song.
Sensory Landscape
- Look: Cliff-bellied islands with root-beards trailing into cloud, cathedrals of stormglass, windmills like moth wings, skywhales and kite-fish carving pale parabolas.
- Sound: Rigging hymn, distant thunder grumbling like an old god, Aeroliths chiming in harmonics you feel in your teeth.
- Smell: Ozone and wet stone, resin, citrus oil on engineer’s gloves, faint iron from high frost.
- Touch: Wool of vapor on skin, sudden cold in shadow, static prickles from over-toned crystals, leather-grit of flight harness.
- Magic/Tech: Aerolith resonance (songsmiths tune buoyancy); sail-rail skycraft; stormglass optics; ink that dries in flight at sub-zero; glider cloaks woven from sky-moth filament.
Cultures and Factions
- The Spire Cartographers: Map-priests who tattoo living charts that ripple with wind. Motif: sextants, prayer-kites, thin blue inks.
- Cinder Guild: Salvage engineers; believe every broken note can be repurposed. Motif: brass braces, rivets, cinder-welded halos.
- Nimbus Choir: Mystic choristers; keep the Lattice Canticle—an oral score said to predate gravity. Motif: bone flutes, veils, throat-sung resonance.
- Gannet Freeholds: Cliff farmers and glider-riders; value sworn oaths and perfect knots. Motif: feather fetishes, oat straw, storm tattoos.
Anchor Locales (with Midjourney prompts)
- Aeollan Bazaar (market island)
- Description: A terrace of sails and awnings, sun through colored canvas like fruit-light, spices streaming in confetti wind.
- Prompt: Sun-struck floating market on a cliff-edged island, layered canvas awnings glowing with jewel-toned light, wind-tossed prayer ribbons, brass astrolabes and stormglass jars on stalls, rope bridges bowing over mist, skywhales drifting beneath, cinematic wide shot, shallow haze, volumetric sunlight, high detail, color-rich but weathered palette —ar 16:9 —v 6 —style raw —s 300 —no watermark text
- The Resonant Spire (crystal cathedral)
- Description: A needle of dark stone stitched with veins of Aerolith, the air around it thrumming like a beehive heartbeat.
- Prompt: Gothic spire island veined with glowing crystal, suspended walkways, choir of robed figures singing, visible sound waves rippling the fog, bioluminescent cyan highlights, wet stone reflections, dramatic low-angle, long lens compression —ar 9:16 —v 6 —style raw —s 400 —chaos 8
- Wreckfall Girders (salvage field)
- Description: An iron orchard of ship bones tangled in cloud, lanterns swinging like low stars.
- Prompt: Graveyard of skyships tangled on a broken island, rusted girders, dangling chains, cinder-welds sparking, oil-smoke ribbons, distant stormwall, cinematic rain, macro textures of wet iron and rope —ar 21:9 —v 6 —style raw —s 350
- Mycorial Canopy (bioluminescent forest)
- Description: Mushrooms like parasols drip blue fire, spores drift like snow in warm breath.
- Prompt: Bioluminescent fungal forest atop a floating isle, giant caps forming umbrella canopy, cyan sporefall, soft ground fog, beetle-shell iridescence, gentle backlight, dreamlike, high macro detail —ar 3:2 —v 6 —style raw —s 500 —chaos 12
Style continuity tip: Generate a master style plate early and reuse via style reference. Example placeholder:
- Add to prompts once you have a look: —sref [URL_to_your_style_image]
II. Core Questline: “The Missing Note”
Overview
A 5-act arc with branching decisions. The player uncovers why Aeroliths are detuning and must choose which song the sky will keep.
Act I: A Wind That Drops Out
- Hook: During Aeollan’s Windwake festival, the bazaar’s Aerolith drops a semitone. Stalls skid. Bridges scream. Panic.
- Beats: Rescue scene across a bowing rope bridge; a shard-singer of the Nimbus Choir goes missing; Cartographers produce a corrupted map line.
- Choice: Save the market (practical heroics) or chase the vanishing chord (mystic pursuit).
- Key visuals (prompts):
“Rope bridge sagging over a cloud abyss, crowd in mid-stumble, shimmering crystal dimming, protagonist leaping with glider cloak catching gust, festival flags snapping, motion blur —ar 16:9 —v 6 —style raw —s 350 —no text”
“Close-up of Aerolith surface with hairline fractures, sound made visible as cracked concentric rings, fingertips hovering, static sparks —ar 4:3 —v 6 —s 400”
Act II: Cartography of a Falling Sky
- Explore: The Resonant Spire, decode the Lattice Canticle’s missing verse, consult the Spire Cartographers’ living tattoos.
- Conflict: Cinder Guild wants to “retune” with brute resonance engines; Nimbus Choir urges fasting silence to listen deeper.
- Choice: Steal a cartographic skin-map or swear an oath to the Choir.
- Key visuals:
“Monk’s back with animated wind-map tattoo glowing faint lines, candle smoke curling, crystal refracted beams —ar 3:2 —v 6 —s 300”
“Brass resonance engine, bell-hammers and tuning forks, oil-slick shine, heat haze, danger-yellow glyphs —ar 16:10 —v 6 —s 350”
Act III: The Girders and the Hymn
- Dive: Wreckfall Girders to salvage a pre-Collapse tuning fork; Mycorial Canopy to find a fungus that dampens harmful harmonics.
- Encounter: Sky pirates led by a laughing captain with feather epaulets.
- Choice: Parley with a gift (fungal dampener) or duel atop a swaying mast.
- Key visuals:
“Duel on a broken mast above cloud void, sparks against rain, feathered coat whipping, lightning threading the distance —ar 21:9 —v 6 —s 400”
“Close macro of glowing mushroom dampener, condensation beading, soft cyan light in a leather-gloved hand —ar 4:5 —v 6 —s 450”
Act IV: Heart of the Lattice
- Revelation: The Aeroliths sing a memory of gravity’s first bargain; the missing note is being siphoned into a hidden island—the Hush, an anechoic void that floats by un-singing the world.
- Decision: Destroy the Hush, redirect its hunger, or offer it a different song.
- Key visuals:
“The Hush: matte-black island that absorbs light, no echoes, sound-dead fog, silhouettes muted, edges strange, uncanny stillness —ar 16:9 —v 6 —style raw —s 200 —chaos 6”
“Choir circle on cliff rim, throats open in overtone singing, visible harmonics forming a bridge of light —ar 2:1 —v 6 —s 500”
Act V: The Tuning
- Finale site: A skywide amphitheater as the stormwall folds back like theater curtains; all factions present.
- Mechanic: Choose which score to play: Cinder’s engine, the Choir’s canticle, the Cartographer’s corrective mapline, or the Hush’s silence.
III. NPC Roster (with visual hooks and prompts)
Note: After first generation, maintain consistency by adding a character reference image URL. Example: —cref [URL_to_first_render] —cw 80
- Vesper Line-born (Spire Cartographer)
- Voice: Dry wit, compass-steady; ink-stained hands tremble when wind dies.
- Motif: Blue tattoo maps crawl with windlines when she’s near an edge.
- Goal: Repair the Skychain by “correcting” geography.
- Prompt: Wind-tousled map-priest, lean woman with indigo windline tattoos shimmering under skin, brass sextant necklace, salt-stiff cloak, thoughtful gaze, edge of a cliff market in background, soft coastal light —ar 3:4 —v 6 —style raw —s 300
- Master Bramm Cinder (Cinder Guild Foreman)
- Voice: Generous belly laugh, eyes like hot rivets.
- Motif: Bracework exoskeleton of burnished brass; fingers nicked with weld-spark stars.
- Goal: Force-tune the lattice with resonance engines.
- Prompt: Broad-shouldered engineer in brass exoskeletal braces, soot freckles, leather apron, cinder sparks flying, warm tungsten glow, shallow depth of field —ar 3:4 —v 6 —s 300
- Sera of the Nimbus (Shard-Singer)
- Voice: Breath like fog across glass; words come in chords.
- Motif: Bone flute at throat; veil moves before the wind does.
- Goal: Hear the true missing note no one else will listen for.
- Prompt: Ethereal chorister with bone flute talisman, translucent veil, bioluminescent cyan accents on robes, eyes closed in song, sound waves faintly visible, moonlit mist —ar 3:4 —v 6 —s 400
- Captain Kestrel “Bluefeather”
- Voice: Mockingbird charm, knife-smile.
- Motif: Feather epaulets dyed storm-indigo; boots magnetized for hull-dancing.
- Goal: Steal the Hush and sell it to kings.
- Prompt: Sky pirate captain on a swaying mast, storm-indigo feathered coat, magnet boots sparking on metal, grin under rain, cinematic rim light —ar 9:16 —v 6 —s 350
- Old Mother Linn (Gannet Freehold Matriarch)
- Voice: Rope and honey; oaths weigh in her mouth.
- Motif: Bracelet of knots, each a vow.
- Goal: Keep her cliff-farms anchored—no matter the song.
- Prompt: Weathered cliff-farmer elder with knot-bracelets, wind-chapped cheeks, hawk perched on arm, patchwork glider cloak, golden hour —ar 3:4 —v 6 —s 250
- The Hush (Personified)
- Voice: Silence that eats footfalls; intentions written in subtraction.
- Motif: Negative space where sound should be; drifting black pollen.
- Goal: Return the sky to stillness.
- Prompt: Anthropomorphic silhouette of absence, edges eating light, subtle deformation of air, floating black pollen, void-aesthetic minimalism —ar 4:5 —v 6 —s 150 —chaos 10
IV. Signature Items and Props (with prompts)
-
Aerolith Tuning Fork (pre-Collapse)
Uses: Restores or ruins harmonic balance depending on note.
Prompt: Ancient tuning fork of stormglass and brass, faint cyan resonance halo, inscriptions weathered by wind, placed on rough slate —ar 4:3 —v 6 —s 350
-
Glider Cloak “Gannet’s Mercy”
Uses: Controlled fall even in dead air.
Prompt: Feather-textured glider cloak unfurled, hand-stitched seams, salt crust, wind catching, cliff-edge shot —ar 16:9 —v 6 —s 300
-
Fungal Dampener “Blue Sleep”
Uses: Soaks discordant resonance; addictive if inhaled.
Prompt: Stoppered vial of glowing blue spores, condensation beads, leather cord, dark wood backdrop —ar 3:2 —v 6 —s 350
-
Cartographer’s Skin-Map
Uses: Predicts drift lines in near-real time if fed a drop of blood.
Prompt: Rolled parchment with faint moving ink lines, a drop of blood blooming into paths, cool diffuse light —ar 3:2 —v 6 —s 300
-
Resonance Engine Core
Uses: Amplifies any note to island-shaking magnitude.
Prompt: Humming core sphere in a brass cradle, magnet lines visible, hot-cold color contrast, workshop shadows —ar 16:10 —v 6 —s 400
-
Oath-Knot Bracelet
Uses: Tightens when vow is tested; breaks to save a life once.
Prompt: Close macro of braided cord with seaworn beads, tension visible in fibers, shallow DOF —ar 4:5 —v 6 —s 350
V. Branching Endings (choose your song)
- The Engine’s Anthem (Cinder Victory)
- Outcome: The Skychain holds—loudly. Islands stabilize, but all songs become standardized. Beauty traded for certainty.
- Epilogue image prompt: Brass towers ringing in timed unison across islands, disciplined light beams syncing, crowds relieved but uniform, minimal improvisation, triumphant yet stern —ar 21:9 —v 6 —s 250
- The Choir’s Lullaby (Nimbus Victory)
- Outcome: Sky drifts slower; nights bloom with auroral harmonics. Some bridges loosen; people learn to listen or fall.
- Epilogue image prompt: Auroral ribbons over quiet islands, figures singing at cliff edges, bioluminescent gardens thriving, soft dreamlike glow —ar 16:9 —v 6 —s 400
- The Map Rewritten (Spire Victory)
- Outcome: Cartographers redraw the world; a few islands move to new lanes, old alliances snap, new trade winds open.
- Epilogue image prompt: Ink lines re-threading through sky like living filaments, islands gently gliding into new positions, cartographic motifs in the clouds —ar 2:1 —v 6 —s 350
- Hush Ascendant (Void Pact)
- Outcome: Silence devours discord and more; the Skychain is fewer, but those who remain feel weightless peace. A terrible, beautiful quiet.
- Epilogue image prompt: Wide sky with missing pieces, black petals of silence where islands once were, people floating calmly, no birds, soft desaturated palette —ar 21:9 —v 6 —s 200
VI. Writer’s Task Deliverables
-
World Bible (2000–3000 words)
Include cosmology, Aerolith theory, factions, cultural rituals, everyday tech, fauna, lexicon. Sensory-first prose; embed metaphors drawn from wind, rope, and song.
-
Questline Script (1500–2500 words)
Five acts with beats, choices, fail states, and consequence maps. Include at least 2 optional detours (Wreckfall, Mycorial Canopy).
-
NPC Dossier (6 profiles, 300–500 words each)
Voice samples (3–4 lines), secrets, tells, personal items, relationship web to other NPCs. Provide a signature gesture.
-
Item Compendium (6 entries, 150–300 words each)
Origin rumor, true function, misuse consequence, sensory handling notes.
-
Ending Epilogues (4 variants, 300–500 words each)
Frame in present-tense cinematic snapshots. Show cost and relief in the same breath.
-
Visual Boards
For each act, pick 2–3 Midjourney frames from the prompt list or your own variations to anchor tone. Keep consistent palette.
VII. Midjourney Prompting Guide for Consistency
- Start neutral: —v 6 —style raw to keep language-driven precision. Add —s 300–450 to taste; higher stylize for dreamlike moments (fungal forest), lower for technical shots (engine room).
- Aspect ratios: —ar 16:9 for vistas, 3:4 or 4:5 for character portraits, 21:9 for set-piece action, 9:16 for towering verticals (spires, masts).
- Negative prompt: —no text, logos, watermark to avoid artifacts.
- Style reference: After you lock a look, append —sref [URL] to all prompts. Use a single cohesive style plate image for palette and finish.
- Character reference: After first character portrait, append —cref [URL] for that character; balance with —cw 60–90 to hold identity while allowing outfit/environment changes.
- Seeds: When you want iterative variations later, record the seed and reuse: —seed 12345.
- Lens and lighting: Use specific cues (volumetric sunlight, tungsten workshop glow, moonlit mist) rather than generic “dramatic lighting.”
- Language: Lead with subject; place composition and mood early; cap with parameters. Keep adjectives concrete and sensory; avoid overstuffing.
VIII. Scene Boards (quick-prompt set for each act)
Act I
- “Festival of Windwake at Aeollan Bazaar, colored awnings glowing, confetti wind, Aerolith shrine dimming, crowd pivoting from joy to alarm —ar 16:9 —v 6 —style raw —s 320”
- “Hero sprint with glider cloak unfurling, edge of platform, cloud abyss below, breath vapor, motion blur —ar 9:16 —v 6 —s 280”
Act II
- “Resonant Spire interior, crystal ribs, choir silhouettes, visible harmonics crossing like stained glass shadows —ar 16:9 —v 6 —s 380”
- “Cartographer cell with moving ink maps, blue candlelight, needles, salt-dusted desk —ar 3:2 —v 6 —s 300”
Act III
- “Wreckfall lantern line swaying, rain, riveted metal ribs, oil rainbows in puddles —ar 21:9 —v 6 —s 320”
- “Mycorial canopy trail with spores like snow, warm breath clouds, boots sinking in velvet moss —ar 3:2 —v 6 —s 420”
Act IV
- “The Hush eclipsing a chorus, sound swallowed, edges soft, muted palette with black heart —ar 16:9 —v 6 —s 180”
- “Negotiation on a narrow bridge over fog, pirate flags limp in dead air, eye contact electric —ar 2:1 —v 6 —s 300”
Act V
- “Skywide amphitheater, stormwall parting, factions arrayed, resonance engine and choir in tense symmetry, electricity in the air —ar 21:9 —v 6 —s 350”
Optional Mechanics for Writers
- Harmonic Checks: Replace “dice” with described resonances; success sounds like a tuned fifth, failure like glass grit. Textualize it.
- Weather as Clock: Each scene advances the stormwall; note how light and pressure change behavior.
- Oaths as Currency: The more oaths you carry, the heavier your climbs; language literally weighs.
Closing Note
Let your prose ride thermals: updrafts of lyricism, then tuck in tight as you knife through steel-and-sinew action. Use the prompts to keep your eyes honest—let the images blow salt into your sentences. The Skychain doesn’t just need saving; it needs a song you can believe in.
