Worldbuilding Thread

[Redwing]

This is a thread meant for building and fleshing out fantasy worlds, as indicated by the title. It will be done in question and answer format; I post a question or two from a list, everybody answers that question, I post another question.

 

Most of the questions will be either taken from or inspired by Patricia C. Wrede's Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions list, which is © Patricia C. Wrede, 1996 and the questions belong to her. All answers belong to you.

 

This thread will cover the seven categories from the FWQ list:

 

I. The World

II. Physical and Historical Features

III. Magic and Magicians

IV. Peoples and Customs

V. Social Organization

VI. Commerce, Trade, and Public Life

VII. Daily Life

 

 

 

Rules/Suggestions:

 

1. Unless you want to ditch the thread when it's covering Category III, your fantasy world needs to have a supernatural force in it; something paralleling some sort of magic. (In Star Wars, this is the Force. With Admiral, it is the Futhark. With me, it's, well, Magic. Etc.) This won't be a problem for anyone that I know is joining this thread so far, but I'm pointing this out anyway in case other people join.

 

2. If possible, plan on detailing at least two distinct cultures. (I'll be doing quite a few more.) These cultures should relate to each other in some way.

 

3. Don't worry about whatever you post being final. The point of this thread is to flesh out worlds (or even create them from scratch if you have a basic idea). None of us being gods we will end up making mistakes, or putting something we later want to change. That's perfectly fine.

 

4. Feel free to pose questions that I don't pose, or ask questions about someone else's world. (The last part should be obvious. )

 

 

 

To join, please post:

 

World(s) Name(s): (e.g. "'X' Continent of Agamar", or "Agamar", or "Agamar and Tarsis", or "Agamarian Sector", etc. [apologies to BD ]) Edit: To clarify, those are examples. You could do a continent (or island?) of a single planet, a planet, two planets, a sector of planets, etc.

 

Universe: (e.g. Star Wars AU, Earth AU, etc.)

 

Brief Summary: (Optional.)

 

That's all.

[BattleDog]

Okay: This is what I can give you so far.

 

Geography: The Caranthelan Shield

 

Sectors: 4, including Lahara and Gricho, seperated my the nebula known as the Cowl Crucible.

 

Worlds: 22

 

Named Worlds: Agamar, Tarsis, Arkamon

 

Summery: The Caranthelan shield is a collection of four star sectors which retain some form of nobility as a 25,000 year leftover from the Wars of Consolidation which formed the Old Republic.

 

*Smacks Red for using his planets.*

[Redwing]

*Is smacked*

 

Name: The Aether (Earth's Magic World)

 

Universe: Ours (Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, etc), AU (Alternate Universe)

 

Summary: The Aether is an artificial dimensional plane anchored to the planet Earth. It was created when, far in the past, magic forces and those things affected by them were separated from Earth altogether, and put onto another plane.

 

However, the Aether's connection to Earth was unstable. Thanks to 'breaks' in time between the Aether and Earth (where the Aether spent uncounted years as a free-floating dimensional plane, with time moving incredibly fast in comparison to its parent dimension), in the present the Aether has long evolved and expanded out of all control of its original creators - wherever they are now.

 

The Aether is, simply put, the magic world of Earth.

[Admiral Odin]

Names: Asgard, Vanaheim, Alfheim, Midgard, Nidavelir, Svartalfheim, Jotunheim, Utgard

 

Universe: SW Cantina Verse, and my own

 

Summary: Asgard, Vanaheim, Alfheim, Midgard, Nidavelir, Svartalfheim form the core worlds of the Aesirian Empire n(not sure if I like that title but for now it will due). These planets are also in the same system. Jotunheim and Utgard are the worlds of the Aesir's sworn enemies the Jotuns.

[Deac]

Mrear

 

Universe: A different plane entirely

 

Summary: Mrear was created as all other planes were. It is a world of magical and someday technology. The Planet Mrear has a large ring in the sky, and several moons, although they have not yet reached space.

[Redwing]

Okay, now I can start.

 

A couple last notes:

 

> Some of these questions will be duplicated under different categories. In that case, answer them as they apply to the current topic.

 

> Suggestion: If you can't think of a name for something, but you have an idea for it and want to use it, use a placeholder name in a different language. [Example: I have a race of humanoids with horns, and I can't think of a name for them. Translating "horn" from English to Dutch (random choice), I get "Hoornen". I call them the Hoornen until I can think of a better name for them.]

 

Translators: Babelfish * English to Latin

 

 

 

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Category I: The World

 

 

A. Basics

 

 

Q: Are the laws of nature and physics actually different in this world, or are they the same as in real life? How does magic, or other supernatural forces, fit in? How do magical creatures fit in?

 

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[Redwing]

(Posting this in a separate post so as to avoid confusion.)

 

A: The laws of nature and physics are the same as real life, with the addition of magic. Magic can alter the laws of nature and physics, different kinds in different ways. Magical creatures are simply creatures altered by magic; some 'naturally', through accelerated and augmented adaptation/evolution, others artificially altered by wizards. More on this later.

[Admiral Odin]

A: Laws of nature and physics apply, to Asgard, Vanaheim ect. as they do in real life. Along with these laws is the Futhark. The futhark can alter the laws sometimes breaking them entirely. Creatures can be imbued with certain aspects of the futhark by placing Runes on them (through branding) this is true for about anything. Drakes are essential to the Futhark, and learning how to use it takes decades. More later...

[BattleDog]

A: The laws of physics apply. The Force does not alter these laws but it can act as a "bridge", allowing things which are not normally possible, i.e. lightsabres.

[Deac]

Magic is part of Mrearan physics. Magic is an organisation of normally infintesimally small probabilities through use of magical energy. It is believed that this energy flows from the divine and infernal deties. Magical creatures have this energy in their blood.

[Redwing]

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Q: Is this generally an earth-like world? Is it an "alternate Earth"? [Yes, I realize the answer is 'no' for everyone but me ]

 

Are there different human races, whether or not there are non-humans like elves or dwarves (or Rodians)? How does the cultural and ethnic diversity of this world compare to the real world?

 

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[Redwing]

A: This is an alternate Earth. However, the Aether is not Earth itself, although it is a generally Earthlike 'world', in the sense that the overall climate is similar, same gravity, one yellow sun, one moon, etc.

 

There are many, many different human races, even species. Humans are not exempt from the acceleration/augmentation of development that magic causes (although magic tends to blur the line between 'race' and 'species'). Elves, dwarves, orcs, and gargoyles are all examples of species close enough to human that they could almost be considered different races of the same species, despite physical differences. That aside, cultural and ethnic diversity amongst 'vanilla' humans exceeds that of Earth due to the sheer size of the Aether.

 

((BD: Lightsabers are possible without the Force, they just can't be effectively used. ))

[BattleDog]

Red, possible to use, not create. The weapons are "forged" using the Force.

[Redwing]

((True.

 

Going to answer the second question? ))

[BattleDog]

A: The Climates of the different planets vary considerably.

 

Agamar is a lush and verdant world, with good soils, thick forests, wide rivers and high mountains. The world has three main continants (Thids may change as I rejig the map.) and a number of smaller islands.

 

Tarsis is a world almost twin to Agamar

 

Nijia is a dryer world with only one land mass, with a central desert.

 

Arkamon is a teperate world, geologically older it has fewer mountains and more plains land. The world has six continants, spread fairly evenly accross the planet.

 

Mycenna is a dryer world than Agamar but it is fertile enough, with plains lands alternating with dry mountain sides, the planet had four main continants and many smaller islands.

 

The other worlds across the four sectors all fall within galactic norms for human habitation.

 

 

The population of the Sectors is predominatly human, however there are several colonies of Wookies spread throughout the sector as well as some Bothans and a sprinkling of other mamalian species.

[Admiral Odin]

A: Asgard is a large planet, havine tweleve continents and decent size oceans. The land is mountainous, with large old growth forests, some very nice beaches, many winding rivers. The world is temperate, has basically the same gravity as Eath. There isn't a moon around Asgard. Instead their is Vanaheim. The two worlds are very close (distance wise) and orbit each other while orbiting the sun. (Think around Jupiters size)

 

Vanaheim is slightly smaller then Asgard with Eight continents and larger oceans. The world has very rugged mountains in the North, The south is dominated by gentler rolling mountianes. Like Asgard the world is temperate and is covered in lush forests, there are many lakes and rivers. Vanaheim's beaches are superior to Asgard's and, and the water is crystal clear.

 

Alfheim is roughly the same as Earth and is the third planet in the Asgard solar system. It has two moons orbiting it, one which can support life the other is a small moon like Earth's moon.

 

Nidavelir: Is larger then Earth but not by much. The world is mainly covered in land with many lakes and rivers dotting the world, but no single body of water that could be called an ocean, but many seas. Nidavelir is generally flat, fertile plains. In the Eastern Hemisphere there are some small mountains but nothing like that on Asgard or Vanaheim. There are 6 moons around the planet all of which can support life. One moon is completely covered in water, another is a desert.

 

Svartalfheim: Around the size of Saturn, Svartalfheim also like Saturn has rings around the planet. It has nine moons, four of which can be inhabited. One of these moons is covered in snow. There are six continents on the planet, and the Yggdrasil trees grow on this planet, these trees are semisentient and grow to be very tall.

 

*The above planets are all in the same system, Midgard is in a seperate system. The Asgard system (not happy with that name but will due for now) is in a brillant blue nebulae

 

Midgard: Is twice the size of Earth, and has four moons. One can support life on it's own. The world has 5 large contintents and three very large oceans. Midgard is temperate, with High majestic mountains, lush forests, expansive plains, and many beautiful waterfalls. Lakes, and rivers dot the landscape.

 

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Jotunheim: A harsh world litte smaller then Saturn. In the North there are tall rigid mountains that are constantly covered in snow. In the south are many active volcanoes, and has a greyish look to everything. Jotunheim has 4 continenets overall and orbits a yellow sun

 

Utgard: An ice planet around the size of Earth, otherwise it is very similar to Jotunheim.

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Races: Aesir, Vanir, Drakes, Jotun (Frost and Fire). The first three inhabit the top six plants, the Jotuns live on the bottom two.

[Redwing]

((I really should've posted those two questions separately. I didn't realize "Is this generally an earth-like world?" would engender such detailed responses. Oops. ))

[Deac]

Mrear is different to earth, but in principle, the same. It is a spherical world...although they may not yet know it.

 

The predominant race is human, although there are various other species among the population, each with several kingdoms of their own.

[Redwing]

((Sorry for the delay.))

 

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Q: How long have there been people (sentient beings) on this world? Did they evolve, were they created, did they migrate from somewhere/when else?

 

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[Admiral Odin]

A: This is a little difficult to put down an exact number of years. However, there where sentient beings on Asgard at least for millions of years (the Drakes). The other races the exact time is rather muddy and unknown. Much like it is here on Earth. The Aesir have been around for a long long time.

[Redwing]

A: Sentient beings - at least humans and minor human variants - have lived in the Aether as long as it has existed, because they were the ones who created it. The base population of the Aether migrated to it from Earth.

 

As for actual length of time, that is more up for debate. Thanks to disasters disrupting the recording of history and multiple breaks in time between the Aether and the Earth, the Aether may or may not be thousands or millions of years older than the Earth, despite being chronologically younger.

 

Due to substantial loss of records [i.e. I'm not sure yet], it is not publicly known exactly when the Aether was created, but a guess would be around 2500-2000 BCE. Will go into more detail on this later.

[BattleDog]

The human Population of Agamar and the other planets in the Shield are decended from settlers who arrived via pre-hyperspace colony ships. The tenative date for their arrival is set between 35-30,000 BBY.

 

The exact number of ships in the caravan is unknown but the original number of settlers is estimated at 12-24,000. What is known is that Agamar was not the intended destination of these settlers. Various therories as to how an early pre-hyperspace ship, without shields or any of the other equipment needed for a long haul intergalactic voyage, could have survived the trip have been put foward but it seems likely that the caravan fell through some form of wormhole or other phenomonon.

 

The scant records show that the ships arrived heavily damaged and barely managed planet fall. THe convoy was apparently not eqipped to establish a totally new convoy and it became apparent to the survivors that their technology would not last beyond a few years. What followed was one of the most pragmatic solutions in the history of galactic colonisation.

 

A massive project was undertaked to transfer as much of the digital information as possible to durrable hard-copies. At the same time an effort was made to survey as much of the planet as possible, to establish a sustainable, if primative, economy and to identify such nessecities as medicinal plants and metal ores.

 

This project is known about in detail because it is recorded as the responsibility of a man named Relnar Flacken. This man is claimed as an ancestor by all the old families of Agamar and is historical;y connected to both housesa Flax and Rellinion.

 

(Went a bit overboard there but I had a burst of inspiration.)

[Redwing]

((*Twiddles thumbs, waiting for Deac* ))

[Deac]

*Gets dragged in by Red's hired Goons*

 

A: No one is quite sure where humans came from. Most of the sentient races where children of their patron gods, the dwarfs being the children of the earth, Elves of the wood etc. No single god has taken the credit/blame for humanity. No one is quite sure which race came first, but ruins have been found which seem to predate all other civilisations.

[Redwing]

((WOO! Finally ))

 

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Q: How many people are there in this country (or these countries)? How does this compare with world population? What is considered a small town/large town/city in terms of number of people?

 

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