by writtenbyjkgomes

Castles, knights, and swords. Oh, my.

Medieval fantasy is one of the most popular subgenres as well as highly influential on the Fantasy genre as a whole.

By embracing the Middle Ages as its setting, medieval fantasy stories often feature a society and culture that resemble that of Medieval Europe.
Because medieval fantasy is predominantly defined by its medieval setting rather than historical accuracy, it is not strange to magical and mythological aspects throughout the stories such as fire-breathing dragons in its skies or even witches and wizards preparing a powerful potion.
As you can imagine, the array of possibilities when developing characters is enormous. They will likely find themselves on a quest or a war-driven plot, though that is not always the case, every now and then there is a knight saving a damsel in distress or shadow-babies killing kings... for the night is dark and full of terrors.

With that said, how can we not love medieval fantasy?
Personally, I have loved medieval fantasy in all shapes. From plays to novels, from tv shows to movies, from games to anime, medieval fantasy is everywhere. Here is a very short list for you to check out:

TV Shows, Games, Animes, and Movies:

● Game of Thrones
● Legend of the Seeker
● Lord of the Rings Trilogy
● The Adventures of Robin Hood
● Mount and Blade
● Age of Chivalry
● Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
● Dark Souls
● Dragon Age
● Guin Saga
● Arslan Senki
● Kingdom

Novels:

● A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R. R. Martin
● The Sword of Truth Series by Terry Goodkind
● The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss
● The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien
● Once and Future King Series by  T.H. White
● Avalon Series by Marion Zimmer Bradley
● Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
● Farseer Trilogy by Robin Hobb
● Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
● The Broken Empire Series by Mark Lawrence

And many, many, more.

Now, when it comes to writing medieval fantasy (and consuming it as well) I find myself walking on a tight-rope and here is why; I am a lover of history (and of course historical fiction) but I do understand that when it comes to fantasy itself some liberties will be taken.

Some novels have so few medieval characteristics but are still classified as medieval even though the overall portrayal of the culture is not at all precise. For that reason, I have given myself a rule; RESEARCH. And I do mean research actual history not simply read other historical works and here is why; I want to give the medieval period a just and respectful portrayal. Not to mention that by doing so, I also respect my characters and my world, with a far more accurate portrayal, clothes, weapons, castles, food, armor, and day-to-day life.

Is it easy? Not always.
Do I have it down perfectly? Not yet.
But I believe it is important to keep it in mind and try to do so, that way my story will not be a beacon for those that develop incorrect ideas of the medieval era because of inaccuracy. In all fairness, the research is part of the fun. It is a wonderful learning journey that helps the story, characters, and world to develop themselves.

If you plan on writing medieval fiction here are some things I would keep in mind;

Dialogue — it is just odd to see a knight, a lady, or a king using modern language in a medieval story. It is not believable.
Food — just as above, you will likely not want to have your knight chew on some burgers at that feast.
Clothes and accessories — no, sire, your snapback has not yet been invented. Nor has your watch.
Time, travel, and currency — ask yourself how will they tell time, how will they travel, and what currency will they use. Believe it or not it is another very common downfall for many stories out there.
Culture — when you establish your society, whether it is accurate or not so much, you need to stick with it.
Armour, weapons, and battles — RESEARCH.

Whether your character is slaying a dragon or riding one, I hope they are amazing at it and I do wish you the best of luck.

Example of Medieval Fantasy on Wattpad:
Sins of the Father by writtenbyjkgomes

Synopsis:

Nobles say blood is thicker than water, but commoners know it is also harder to clean up.

For hundreds of years, the Darwicks and Zahebs battled until their house became one. But the blood they shared did not compare to the blood they shed.
Political, religious and sexual intrigue is pervasive through both realms as the two royal houses continue to restlessly seek each other's destruction beneath a peace banner.
A new age has come, and tension between the great houses rise with each breath.

Excerpt:

"Anyroad, I don't fear beasts," added Sir Garret with a forced laugh, "there's only one beast my steel can't cut down."

The whims of kings, Sir Garret had told him a hundred times before.
"If you don't fear beasts, what do you fear, Sir Garret?" he asked anyway.

The knight scratched the back of his head but if Sir Garret thought about his misgivings, he did not care to share his true feelings with a native boy.
"I fear," Sir Garret said at last, "I will have to cut off your tongue to keep you from asking questions."

"Ma said," Kintor went on despite his master's warning, "she said it was to keep him from shooting a bow or holding a spear. So they cut it off, his and every man from our tribe, grown and small." The boy moved his own fingers and thanked the stars for still having them.

"Ah," Sir Garret scoffed lightly, "t'king's justice."

"Why do they call it that? Is taking a man's way to defend himself, his home, his family, justice?"

"Did they survive?"

"Aye, but —"

"A wolf still bites even if it has no claws," explained Sir Garret. "I'm no scholar, nor king, to blabber about justice. But I tell you this, boy, better no thumbs than no head."

Inspirations:

Setting

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Characters

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Music

https://youtu.be/9HoiDhS-sSI