ideas for urban fantasy stories

A great idea is a city where time behaves erratically in certain areas due to a magical catastrophe in the past. Some parts of the city are stuck in different historical periods, and the main character has to find a way to restore normal time flow while dealing with the various challenges each time - locked area presents, like different forms of magic and different social norms.

One idea could be a city where magic is hidden in plain sight. There are underground magic markets where wizards and witches trade potions and spells. The protagonist could be a normal person who accidentally discovers this world and has to navigate through the power struggles between different magical factions.

An urban fantasy story could revolve around a group of witches who run a trendy coffee shop during the day, but at night, they use their powers to protect the city from dark magic forces. Or, there could be a story about a young artist who unknowingly paints portals to other magical dimensions in his graffiti. People start disappearing into these portals, and he has to figure out how to close them.

Read a lot of urban fantasy works. This will expose you to different concepts and ideas that you can build on or twist in your own way. You can also take elements from different mythologies and blend them into an urban setting. For example, take the concept of Norse Valkyries and make them motorcycle-riding warriors in a modern city. And don't be afraid to play with the rules of magic. Maybe in your story, magic is powered by recycled materials.

A story about a dragon rider and a princess. The dragon rider is from a far - off land and is considered a barbarian by the princess's people. But when the princess is kidnapped by an evil force, the dragon rider comes to her rescue. During their journey back to the princess's kingdom, they start to develop feelings for each other. They face many obstacles like the prejudice of the court and the threats from the remaining forces of the kidnapper.

Imagine a story where a fairy princess is cursed to live in the human world. There, she meets a poor but kind-hearted artist. He sees the beauty in her even though she has lost her fairy powers. They start to fall in love as he helps her adapt to the human world. But the curse can only be broken if she finds true love in the human world and gets a kiss from her true love. However, an evil sorcerer also has his eyes on the fairy princess and tries to stop their love from blossoming.

One idea could be a world where magic is tied to emotions. For example, when a person is extremely happy, they can create beautiful, floating lights. A young girl discovers she has an unusual ability to control negative emotions like anger and turn them into a powerful force to fight against dark creatures that thrive on despair. She has to learn to balance her emotions to use this power effectively.

Dragonheart's Legacy. Dragons are a staple in fantasy. This title could be about a character who inherits the power or knowledge related to a dragon's heart. Maybe it gives them special abilities, or they have to protect it from those who would use it for evil.

The Realm of the Shadow Beasts. It creates an image of a dangerous and otherworldly place filled with menacing creatures, which can draw in readers who like a bit of darkness and danger in their fantasy.

The Dresden Files series by Jim Butcher is also among the best. Harry Dresden, a wizard detective in modern - day Chicago, has to deal with all kinds of supernatural threats while also navigating the normal world. It combines mystery, magic, and action in a really engaging way.