In this episode, we look at the roll of the dice and the whim of a tyrant to explore the terrifying force of the unpredictable.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Whim as Law: Using the model of the Absolute Monarch to create a conflict where merit doesn't matter and the rules change with the King’s mood.

• The Terror of the Random: Analyzing the "Anton Chigurh" effect, why removing logic from a conflict through an arbitrary coin flip is the ultimate test of a protagonist’s resolve.

In your current project, is every outcome earned through cause and effect, or are you brave enough to let the coin land on its edge and force your characters to survive the arbitrary?

Subscribe for more episodes as we continue to map the "blueprints" of humanity!

In this episode, we look at the power of the unadorned. We explore the Austere archetype and why stripping away the noise often reveals the most unyielding truths of a character.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Medieval Model: Using the "Architecture of Silence" found in Cistercian monks to create characters who cannot be bribed or tempted.

• The Weight of Less: How the "Precedent" of an austere character's silence ensures that when they finally speak, every other character in the room is forced to listen.

In your current draft, are you hiding a character’s weakness, or have you stripped the room bare to see what they are actually made of when the fire goes out?

Subscribe for more episodes!

In this episode, we go back to Renaissance Italy to meet the "Prince of Florence" and explore the cold, calculating heart of power.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Architect and the Arsonist: Comparing Thomas Cromwell to Littlefinger to see how manipulation moves a plot.

• The Historical Backbone: How anchoring your worldbuilding in the cynical realities of real-world politics like the War of the Roses makes even the most fantastical elements feel plausible and grounded.

In your current draft, are your leaders defined by their morality, or are they treating your characters like variables in a Machiavellian equation where the only result that matters is power?

Subscribe for more episodes as we continue to map the "blueprints" of humanity!