Tracery script inspired by Shan Hai Jing
Shan Hai Jing, or The Classic of Mountains and Seas, is a very strange ancient Chinese book, a sort of geography textbook with a scattering of mythological creatures and folk-tales. It includes some beautiful passages, ranging from short and simple descriptions of chimeric beasts to whole stories. I've had a fascination with the book for many years, and my name "Sprite Guard" is taken from one of its stories.
This year's NaPoGenMo seemed like a great opportunity to combine my love of the book with my interest in generative text. The book's writing style is so simple and formulaic that it seemed like a great model for my first non-trivial Tracery project.
90 miles southwest is a mountain called Mount Fly-Sleeping. Near the base can be found Scour-Dull dogs. On this mountain can be found Shyopen blossoms, which look like a fir but with flowers like a pea flower and broad leaves. The roots can be eaten to cure stomach pains. The mountain is presided over by the deity Fly-Stone. The river Hidden rises here and flows southeast.
10 leagues northwest is a mountain called Mount Leopard-Pale. Around the peak there are Sleepingdivine birds. On its sides there are uncountably many Give-Petal vines, which look like a fir but with flowers like a rose. They will treat vertigo. The river Flower-Younger rises here and flows west.
30 miles south is a mountain called Mount Bounty-Ship. At its peak are found hundreds of Flower-Blue crows. At its peak there are uncountably many lovelyvines. The river Save-Blessed rises here and flows northeast. On its banks are found Show-Fragrance ducks.
85 miles southwest is a mountain called Mount Stone-Dragon. On its slopes are found Singe-Spirit ducks and Metal-Dog cats. Their meat can cure chills. On its sides are found a handful of Joy-Fragrance bushes, which look like a cedar with spiky leaves. The stems can be used to treat chills. The river Magic rises here and flows west. Deposits rich with beryl are found there.
270 leagues west is a mountain called Mount Breaking-Sparrow. Here there are Sleeping-Child fowl. On its slopes are found innumerable waningbushes. The mountain is presided over by the deity Eat-Waning. The river Food-Ant rises here and flows west.
95 miles southeast is a mountain called Mount Burn-Blessed. At its peak there are many Eat-Day shrubs, which look like a hemlock but with flowers like a daffodil and spade-shaped leaves. They are good for toothaches. On its sides can be found deposits rich with yellow-dull. The river Dull rises here and flows northeast. Deposits of gold are found there.