You kneel down and brush away the sand. Is that a carved stone? Your fingers run across the intricate pattern. Is it part of something larger? Let see… You start digging.

Coming across a mysterious object is a great way to launch a story. A glowing crystal jewel, a broken mirror, a box that won’t open, or a photo where the sky seems to move – all compel the main character to try to discover more. Artifacts can be as tiny as a ring or huge as a pyramid. In our story context, the artifact is likely to be alien. Does it have scripts or symbols on it? What material is it made of? Where did you find it? What are you trying to find out about it?

What stories do you know where the inciting incident was the discovery of an artifact?

What kind of artifact could be found on your planet?