Worldbuilding Thread - Comfy Edition
Some worldbuilding resources:
On designing cultures:
http://www.frathwiki.com/Dr._Zahir%27s_Ethnographical_Questionnaire
Random generators:
http://donjon.bin.sh/
Mapmaking tutorials:
http://www.cartographersguild.com/forumdisplay.php?f=48
Free mapmaking toolset:
www.inkarnate.com
Random Magic Resources/Possible Inspiration:
http://www.darkshire.net/jhkim/rpg/magic/antiscience.html
http://www.buddhas-online.com/mudras.html
http://sacred-texts.com/index.htm
Conlanging:
http://www.zompist.com/resources/
Random (but useful) Links:
http://futurewarstories.blogspot.ca/
http://www.projectrho.com/public_html/rocket/
http://military-sf.com/
http://fantasynamegenerators.com/
http://donjon.bin.sh/
http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/index.html
http://kennethjorgensen.com/worldbuilding/resources
https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/europe#wiki_middle_ages
https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding
Questions:
>What are you working on right this moment?
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
>What are you having trouble with?
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
The intro for my novel
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Novel titled Crowned In Lightning, about a socialist matriarchal monarchy fighting against a libertarian state in an art-deco world with schizo tech that's roughly dieselpunk.
>What are you having trouble with?
Actually writing it, damnit
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Maybe six hours, spread through the week.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
Pic related
>>47827457
Wasn't expecting anyone to post this early
>>47827398
Hard Mode Questions:
>First, pick a country, any country (or megacity, star system, planet, whatever). Which country is it?>Fuck that country, now pick another one.
>How are weddings conducted in this country? Describe the ceremony, how long it lasts, and any associated festivities.
>How long is the courtship period? How strict is it? Are marriages usually arranged or does true love (or true freedom, at least) reign?
>Is there divorce? Who has the right to initiate it?
>Is virginity a big deal (for either sex)?
>Is there a bride price paid?
>Describe the manner of wedding attire in these countries.
>>47827573
Dante Must Die mode questions available upon request, of course.
>>47827457
Just gonna dump info about warfare.
As of the year 179, when the novel begins, Skyships are considered by many to be the decisive arm of a military. Their prominence varies, with some countries eschewing them entirely in favor of wet navy ships, others preferring skyships entirely over wet navies, and most in between.
Skyships are similar to but not quite Zeppelins; rather than using hydrogen or helium, Skyships are lifted with hot air, usually heated by nuclear reactors, and propelled by a jet engine which passes air past the nuclear reactor and heats it up to generate thrust. Thanks to the presence of compact, light thorium reactors, these are nowhere near as dangerous as similar real world concepts like Project Pluto.
Since the lack of oil or coal prevents anyone from developing TNT or Picric Acid, the most effective explosives are Poudre B and Dynamite. Dynamite is more powerful, but it's also too temperamental to be fired out of cannons. At the same time, battleship-scale cannons would impart enough energy on a skyship to quite possibly topple it, and even if not that much, the rocking motion from one shot would make getting a later hit all but impossible. Since dynamite can be fired with rockets, and since rockets don't impart nearly as much energy on the firing ship, skyships use rockets as their primary weapons. However, due to the lack of radar or any similar target seeking equipment, rocket trajectories have to be eyeballed(no time to calculate them on the fly in battle) which means that there's always a large percentage of misses. The solution of course is to use banks of rocket pods to put together large broadsides. Since ships can be armored well enough that it takes lots of hits to disable them, actions often consist of broadside based battles that vaguely resemble those of the end of the age of sail, extended into three dimensions.
The four common classes of warship will be detailed in (cont)
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
Working the beginnings of a sci-fantasy setting. The idea is humanity and its incorporated alien species have colonized a planet, only to discover a gigantic, almost planet-spanning alien ruins. Now teams of scientists and mercs are being sent down to treasure hunt.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Warband skirmish game.
>What are you having trouble with?
Setting is extremely barebones right now. Just started working on it recently.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Not a lot, lately. This project is being a kick in the ass to get back into the swing of thing.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
Nope, not yet.
>>47827928
Destroyers: Small, short air time, but with a heavy throw weight for their size. Used as flankers in fleet engagements. Destroyers are considered obsolete by some, especially the Principality of Astaria, which has abandoned them for LCs.
Light Cruisers: Unlike destroyers, these skyships are able to stay airborne for weeks on end. LCs are larger than destroyers, but less capable in a fight since they give so much volume over to provisions. Often used in commerce protection and/or raiding roles
Heavy Cruisers: A crossbreed between the two above, Heavy Cruisers have the throw weight to serve in the wing of battle, while also having the endurance to operate far beyond their home territory
Dreadnoughts: Larger than a heavy cruiser, it devotes less percentage of its volume to provisions, giving it the short operating span of a destroyer. But a Dreadnought is the single most powerful ship in most country's fleets, the center of the wing of battle. Dreadnoughts are the real accepted measure of fleet strength.
The standard formation for skyship combat is the Wing of Battle, essentially three wedges of skyships stacked vertically, with the points facing towards the enemy. Doctrine dictates that the heaviest ships available(Ideally Dreadnoughts) be placed front and center of the wing, to take the initial shock of battle and do the close-range brawling they're designed to do. Heavy Cruisers fill out the sides of the formation, while the edges are filled by destroyers. Flankers are important because as the wedges collide, the more numerous fleet's flankers will wrap around the enemy's wing, cutting off their line of retreat.
>>47827928
>the lack of oil or coal prevents anyone from developing TNT or Picric Acid
What would technological development look like without coal or petroleum? I figure my world is too young to have either.
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
Working on a Solarpunky Fantasy world. Technology-wise, the world could be compared to the late 1980s, but most inventions are radically different as neither steam nor diesel were ever really used as energy sources. That's because people found out how to use the magical solar/lunar energy to power their stuff
Even though Magic is very much a thing in this world, except for few adventurers and spiritual individuals, most people don't believe in it anymore, going as far as to think that their solar energy is a natural thing.
The creation myths they have however are very much true and sun and moon are the creator god's eyes and radiate magical energy.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Started worldbuilding for a One-Shot adventure for my group in which they had to steal a country's declaration of indepence (they had a deal with a Lich who made it his phylactery), but liked it much more than I expected.
I am working on a book now that goes in quite a different direction, namely a boy who wants to become a musician in the world's biggest city. It's more of an coming-of-age kinda story.
>What are you having trouble with?
Getting myself motivated to actually write a story instead of simply just worldbuilding. Feels way tougher somehow
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Dunno, probably about 5 hours
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
Only got a shitty handrawn one, gonna post it when I polished it a little. Have pic related instead, Imperial Boy's art was the thing that inspired me in the first place
>>47828008
How important is elevation? Would there be an arms race to see who can get above the other, or is rocket tech powerful enough that shooting upwards is a surmountable disadvantage?
Are there ships/weapons/tactics specialized for engage from a height advantage?
So I'm having trouble setting up states, namely the racial makeup of them. There's 4 races (humans, elves, fae, and beastmen) with different ethnicities in each race, and I can't figure whats more natural states with lopsided racial makeups, integrated states, or something like large states that are integrated while smaller states/tribes mostly remaining homogenized.
>>47828211
Since rockets follow ballistic trajectories, height is critical and grants a big advantage in combat. But everyone's flight ceilings are about the same.
>>47828173
No plastics, no complex explosives, probably no internal combustion engines, maybe no steam engines. Not that these are impossible, but they all take fossil fuels to be easy, with the possible exception of steam engines.
>>47828489
Let's go back to the beginning, what are the origins of these four distinct species? Do they have a common ancestor between them? Were they magically placed onto the planet/into the realm or did they evolve from some other being? You can really bullet point the thought process for these but it helps me to start from a beginning and works towards and end rather than the other way around when I hit a dead end
>>47828489
I agree with >>47828594
If they weren't magically created, start with how they distributed biologically. Also think about how different ethnicities arose from their distribution across environments. Did the migratory generations strongly prefer certain habitats to settle in? If elves often settled in forests, then national boundaries that include few forests will have a lopsidedly low population of elves.
Habitats change, too. What was once an elf deciduous forest is now an elf scrubland.
"Realism" is a tricky term. You can ask mapmakers in the thread about rivers, and they can tell you all the common mistakes that are made in laying out drainage and waterflow. But then you have things like Lake Ida, which is the only lake in the world to drain into two different oceans. Obviously you don't want to have a ton of exceptions like that, but don't be shy to throw in weird quirks of history if you have a neat idea.
>>47828547
It'd be interesting what would be developed in the place of plastics. Probably Basilisk Ivory or something.
The problem of engines and explosives is solvedthrough magic.
>>47829937
Lack of thermal energy would probably be an issue.
I need to figure out the logistics for anelectric arc furnace powered by magic.
>>47827398
>working on
My medium fantasy setting, in which the dogmatic control over the arcane is challenged by the fledgling scientific method, age old religious organizations are thrown off balance by newer like, more modern faiths, and the balance of political power is on the verge of tipping for the worse.
>What for
Myself, really. I plan on running a game of 5e in it if my current party ever decides they want to try something new.
>having trouble with
Nailing down a consistent feel. I want dismal, rainy darkish fantasy villages and cities nestled in the Pacific Northwest inspired inlet province, but the grand capital is an enormous metropolis with lakeside esplanades where fashionable nobles browse boutiques, and bright and dazzling manor houses. The most distinguished and skilled knights ride raptors, but I also want to see wandering arquebusiers. Don't even get me started on races and cultural influences.
>how much time
Its rare that I'll actually sit down and try to set it all in stone; I tried that for a while last year and ended up having to chuck most of it due to the constantly changing nature of my project.
>do I have a map?
I have a roughish map that needs serious changing, but it's not anywhere I can access.
>>47827573
>Which country is it?
Erath, specifically here I'll talk about the remaining marriage traditions of the largely assimilate Nedelvic culture.
>how are weddings conducted
The entire ceremony lasts for at least a full day and night, but generally until people are too tired to continue or otherwise need to return to ordinary life. In the olden days, this would be when dangerous predators such as tyrannosaurs moved into the area. The actual "marriage" is made official by the "Warrior" helping the "Maker" onto their steed (genders here are flexible; man or woman can be either role). In the rare case where two "Warriors" marry, they instead trade mounts.
>>47827573
Myrkalite and Myrkalian wedding ceremonies are highly formal events, a little bit like our Catholic ceremonies.
The first part is a morning service, in which a sermoner reads from religious texts related to matrimony, then gives a short sermon on love and sacrifice (because their faith views real love as a sacrifice for the good of another). He concludes by encircling the bride and groom in a long red ribbon ant tying them together. The groom then cuts this, and the whole congregation moves into an adjacent room where servants have laid out long tables. Strawberries coated in sugar are served always, with other dishes varying by region and personal preference. The guests usually stay until the early hours drinking and talking, but after dinner the lucky couple are escorted out "in secret" by two friends (one for each) so that they can have some alone time.
Courtship is usually at least a year, and sexual activity is heavily frowned on at this time. Most people can marry for love, but some nobles still arrange marriages. Even here, though, the girl is still permitted to refuse.
Divorce is permitted, but frowned upon as an affront to the Missing God and to the somber goddess of oaths. either can initiate it by leaving a large stick in the other's place in the bed.
Both bride and groom are expected to be virgins at marriage, though honor is not lost if you marry one whom another has raped. Such an act is heavily lauded.
Bride prices are very rare.
The bride traditionally wears a white or blue kimono, while the groom wears either a black or blue kimono or a military dress uniform (usually consisting of a long black coat with silver epaulets).
Of course, this all only applies to heterosexual couples. There is a far more informal ceremony for homosexuals, which does not involve the church because of strict laws. The couple simple pledges to love and support each other forever in front of a handful of close friends.
>>47827398
What kind of food do orcs eat? What kind of drinks do they have?
They live in the plains, deserts, and coastal areas in my settings and they're omnivores.
Continued
>>47830516
Common festivities include various riding games and mock combats, singing of traditional songs, and the tribe or town's soothsayer or sorcerer performing mystical miracles.
>how long is the courtship period?
Generally as long as it takes for the couple to prove themselves to eachother, either by technical prowess, bravery, or charm. Despite the slightly extended life of the nedelves, they are quick to love and have an uncanny knack for finding "the one" on the first try. Marriages are seldom arranged, as political ties can much more easily be formed by "blood marriage" (in which two parties become of the same family by drinking each other's blood, often entire families will do this to form super alliances).
>Is there divorce?
It is very rare, but on the rare occasion when a couple feels the need to divorce, there is no real set of rules. Tread carefully.
>is virginity a big deal?
Not particularly; even after the establishment of the Kingdom by human migrants, much of the land was dangerous, especially on the wide Plains and forests the nedelves call home. Thus, enjoyment is taken when it can, even now that things are marginally safer. However, elves in general tend to be much less fertile than humans, and accidental children are rare.
>is there a bride price?
No. The fluidity of role and gender in Nedelvic marriages and society are responsible for that.
>Wedding attire
It is tradition for Makers to craft for their Warrior a fine new riding raiment to be worn for the wedding and ever after into battle. This consists of colourful silks, long feathers, and finely cured leathers. In turn, the Warrior presents the Maker with their finest trophy to be worn as a symbol of love. For Warrior-Warrior weddings, they will pay for a new raiment to be made for one another, and the finest trophies will be traded.
>>47830585
I would imagine they would eat much the same kinds of food as humans would, maybe expanded a bit. For example, I could imagine them eating cacti in deserts which have such plants. On the coast, anchovies would probably be big.
>>47830901
Yeah I think so too, I think they'd have more of a preference towards the nastier foods that most humans turn up their nose at.
When it comes to prepared meals though, what do you think? Stews? Roasts?
>>47830585
Subcultures tend to form based on climate, terrain, and resource availability.
Desert orcs are of course nomadic, a herding culture. They cross the wide dunes on the backs of their great lizards, herds of hardy sand-goats in tow. They drink the milk of the goats, eating them only when they die of natural causes or in the most dire of circumstance. They eat pretty much any food they can get their hands on, including all manner of bugs (which they mash into a paste and let dry in the sun). They are known to concoct a bizarre drink from the aged milk of the goat mixed with cactus juice; it has both intoxicating and mildly hallucinogenic properties.
What do Gods actually do in your world? How do they interact with humans?
>>47830981
God's aren't tangibly real (or ridiculously oversaturated) like they are in many high fantasy settings. There do exist wise men and holy warriors capable of supernatural feats, but many skeptics simple chalk it up to an abstracted kind of sorcery, that remains largely unregulated only due to the ubiquity of faith and the already precarious social view of the Arcane Lodge.
Of course, many believe that God or the Graces speak to them directly. A dangerous example of this resulted in a Valtrusian preacher massing a great army via miraculous display and fiery oratory, starting the Saint's War against Erath. This happened a bit less than 3p years ago, and is the cause of much of the current days call for Gracite reformation and resurgence in Erath.
>Pick a country, area, or other group.
>Tell us about their greatest hero, either real or in folklore.
>What did they do? Why are they famous?
>How is their legacy involved in modern life?
>What are some other little tidbits of info?
>>47830981
Gods do exist in the tens of thousands, but most are limited to a single planet, nation, or even city. They vary greatly in power as well, since "god" is just a word which encompasses a wide variety of beings. In general, though, the more total power and importance a deity has, the less they affect things in particular. For example, the universal-level goddess of royalty does almost nothing in most people's eyes. She grants few great miracles, and she never leaves her palace home. Her subtle influences, however, lead many men who do not even know of her to achieve great things. On the other hand, a "living god" such as Soriah Varha, a goddess of technology and connection between people, lives among normal people and interacts with them daily, granting miracles and using her magic to help her followers and expand her faith. However, she pretty much only has power in a small part of one country on a single planet. Furthermore, several of her non-divine associates could probably take her in a fight if they so chose.
>>47831373
The hero of modern Myrkalians is the great general Turrel Kaint. He was a mercenary, treasure hunter, and adventurer in the time of the Interdiction, 6000 years before. In those days, the Ashkelite Empire was the most powerful force in known space. they ruled thousands of worlds with armies of conscripts, slaves, demons, and the undead. They created their own servant species, many of which existed only to satisfy their perverse creators. the Ashkelites were a race of sorcerers, and their leading political party wished to destroy all gods and take their power for themselves.
In time, Turrel Kaint rose in fame as an adventurer and eventually became a general for the Myrkalite Empire. This empire nd another, called the Old Solar Empire, joined forces with each other and a host of lesser powers to defeat the Ashkelites.
It was a terrible war, but in time Kaint's stratagems led the coalition to besiege the Ashkelite's leader, Malachias Grant the Antitheist, in his greatest stronghold. Legends tell that four angels and four gods tore Grant inside out and made him into a star while Kaint and his armies wiped out the rest of the Ashkelites.
Afterwards, Turrel lived a long and prosperous life as a newly anointed noble. Shortly after his death, though, the empire collapsed and a series of successor states followed up to the present time.
>>47827398
>Campy house like that
Only in the 80s
>What are you working on right this moment?
A late medieval setting that on first glance is barely fantasy, but has a trainload of magic and occult going in the background. So while for most of the people it's just life as usual, desolated areas are pretty much run by magical creatures. And they aren't the nicest or prettiest. But they can pact, if they can see some potential in you or your actions.
Fate is set for good and everything is already decided, but only those few gifted with different forms of insight into the future are even remotely close to realising.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Originally this was done for bunch of semi-related short stories, all happening within the same verse, but always with different characters and in different places.
Then I found a co-writer/player and we focused on single character, threading her fall from royal councillor into twisted monster living on a marshland, in part writing in tandem stories about Ulvene, in part writing them as if it was some sort of text-based game, both running the same PC.
>What are you having trouble with?
For me, the biggest problem comes down to character and places names. I'm a Pole. The setting is anything, but Slavic. All names I can think of are Slavic in nature, or I end up with stuff like Bob. The co-writer helps here A LOT. Her problem? The setting is heavily employing grotesque and body horror and she's very inconsistient at times about keeping it that way - sometimes it goes to extremes, sometimes it goes for glamour, but rarely stays in the middle ground of being simply "off".
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Roughtly an hour in work week, unless I will be in touch with the co-writer. Then we usually needs our respective spouses to remind us it's time to get home/sleep/to work, since we keep on working in a continous flow.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
Nope, sorry. Part of the appeal for both of us is lack of any map.
>WHAT WORK ON
Map, once I finalize placement of continent C (the north-west one) I will begin on names of the nations/peoples, the most essential cities then a few other macro things (name of the continents, of religions) before I get to writing. I do not want to fall into the world-building nonstop trap. I need foundational material, then I can get started and work as I go.
>WHAT FOR
Novel.
>WHAT TROUBLE
Need to move continent C closer to A, figure out who inhabits it and who inhabits the far west end of continent B. A is, except for SE coast and pocket in SW filled and figured out. Eastern coast of Continent B is somewhat hashed out to a few options (Western nations). Closer C makes the middle sea into a kind of mediterranean basin for civilization albeit flavor wise more Indian Ocean or South China sea. Could move Makhenai to islands off continent C in order to get them as a potential maritime threat a'la sea people.
Growing partial to the idea of beastfolk (Eastern continent's are more 'civilized' and just look like satyrs) modeled after Indo-Iranian miniatures (Rakshasa) in continent B, maybe C. Not sure where. Possibly Western coast and plateau region, or the Himalaya-like mountains. Have to read into Hindu myth to see if Rakshasa culturally work for me, I'm not big on 100% evil orc all the time.
>WHAT TIME
Do it when I have free time and am bored with nothing else to do.
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
trying to come up with a few fun character concepts for a pirate crew that has a ship capable of "sailing" the desert including an area where the sand actually behaves like an ocean.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
unnamed homebrew setting.
>What are you having trouble with?
organizing everything, timeline, trade/political relations, interesting NPCs, the crushing sense of anxiety that comes from feeling my setting is lame and derivative.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
less than an hour to suddenly spending several hours once in a while.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
i know its not pretty but its not meant to be shown. its more for my own sake as tool.
>>47827457
What's the nature of some of these borders? Is there some mountain range between Aquileon and Shoshkepal? Also, is the border between Astaria and Aquileon a river or straight? because that seems an odd location for one, geologically speaking.
Liking a lot of everything else I'm seeing.
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
More of the geography, figuring out how continents fit together, and where certain countries I've imagined fit in.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
A novel, because isn't everyone writing one of those? It's one-half Depression-era hardboiled mystery, and one-half pulpy high-flying adventure.
>What are you having trouble with?
Keeping all these ideas consistent and logically sound. As well as how I'm going to introduce them to the narrative in an approachable fashion.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Only a few hours, whenever I can.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
WIP pic related. These are the northeastern continents. Not sure what the rest of the globe looks like quite yet; like I said, I'm working on that.
I was rummaging my old documents and found two fleshed out worlds and settings I had put down on paper.
Not sure when I did them. I wonder what I could do with them.
>>47838002
Pnp adventure
Short story
Longer story
Poem
Assassinate the archduke of Austro-Hungary
Use pieces of them to make a new world
>>47838929
>Pnp adventure
No one to play with so kinda pointless.
>Short story
>Longer story
Those work. I should just finish my previous novel first.
>Poem
The world has not suffered enough to endure my poetry.
>Assassinate the archduke of Austro-Hungary
I cant, there's still too much heat from my last mission.
What are the goblins in your settings like?
Planning on making them an not!greek/roman bronze age technology using empire spanning across the western coast of an continent in mine. Complete with phalanxes, hoplites and public baths and so on.
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
Spirits and gods and how they came about in the setting's internal logic. It's going to be a lot of local gods and spirits directly tied to a locale and population similar to pagan/eastern myths and a few organized religions. Most of the existing spirits and gods are man made.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
For reasons.
>What are you having trouble with?
AC. The heat is killing me.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
dunno
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
Still the same old thing that needs to be updated and fixed.
>>47839083
Cursed Orc remnants.Cursed to not taste like pork so the other races stop slaughtering them for food
>>47827573
>Which country is it?
Republic of Farra
>Fuck that country, now pick another one.
Sure, let's pick another one
>How are weddings conducted in this country? Describe the ceremony, how long it lasts, and any associated festivities.
The wedding is a short, formal affair conducted between the new-weds and with heads of their respective families as witnesses. Surrogate "father" must be still present in case of it being impossible to get the real one. Then a celebration for the rest of the day follows
>How long is the courtship period? How strict is it? Are marriages usually arranged or does true love (or true freedom, at least) reign?
Courtship doesn't exist in any formalised or traditional way, since there is no such thing like engagement. And the marriages can go both flavours - they are arranged as often as conducted out of feelings. Or they are out of feelings and then both families are making a deal behind it.
>Is there divorce? Who has the right to initiate it?
Both parties have equal right for it.
>Is virginity a big deal (for either sex)?
It's the guy who needs to have a clean reputation, so no bastards will show up with their claims or stakes. But it's about not having illegitimate offspring, not virginity.
>Is there a bride price paid?
What is this? Some tribal questionaire?
>Describe the manner of wedding attire in these countries.
The only mandatory element is a coronet of fresh plants for husband and wife, so for obvious reasons during the dry season, weddings are harder to come by, unless someone really wants to break a tradition during such ceremony.
>>47827398
>>What are you working on right this moment?
Well, it's a medieval fantasy setting
>>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Mostly just for its own sake. Maybe I write something about it one day
>>What are you having trouble with?
I need to make geography make more sense. Also maybe rework naming
>>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
I think of it often, I don't dedicate much specific time
>>Do you have a map? Show it off!
I'm going to junk it and redraw it from scartch with various improvements, but whenever I start I get lazy. So here's how it currently looks like.
>>47839083
Goblins are fairly organized, and prone to occasionally birthing artificers of incredible genius. The race singlehandedly invented guns, and while the more basic designs have been adapted by other races, they are the sole race capable of producing advanced firearms. They tend to build fortresses in hollowed out desert plateaus, and defend them with hails of accurate gunfire. Each plateau contains an entirely self sufficient goblin clan, and other plateaus are essentially other countries. Each plateau is prone to sending well armed raiding parties on looting missions, sometimes extremely far from their home plateaus. Goblins are seen as an incredible menace by most other races, but none are able to effectively assault their plateau fortresses.
Fables, limericks and folk tales anyone?
>There once was a lass,
>From a far northern pass,
>What she did see, she did want, she did take.
>Till caught afloat in a moat,
>With another man's goat,
>So the Alderman cried 'To the stake!'
>Though there in the fire,
>Where the heat was most dire,
>The girl was calm as calm could be.
>For the girl she did stay,
>But her clothes burnt away,
>So they hanged her for indecency.
>So she swung from that tree,
>For an hour, and then three,
>Till the rope frayed and the branches gave way.
>A brave knight ran her through,
>With his sword, and then two,
>She laughed on and yet lived through the day.
>>47827573
>>First, pick a country, any country (or megacity, star system, planet, whatever). Which country is it?
For a certain definition of country, let's go with Ilem
>>How are weddings conducted in this country? Describe the ceremony, how long it lasts, and any associated festivities.
A respected elder and a few young men and women must be present. Elder makes a speech and young people take note so they could testify it all happened (Hence they need to be young, so they live long). After groom and bride confirm that they do in fact want to marry, everyone get drunk
>>How long is the courtship period? How strict is it? Are marriages usually arranged or does true love (or true freedom, at least) reign?
It's individual. Marriages are usually arranged, but it's generally thought that anyone is free to defy any authority above them. Just don't expect any support or hospitality if you do.
>>Is there divorce? Who has the right to initiate it?
Being freedom loving people, Ilemites believe that everyone is free to walk away from anything. Initiating divorce is easy but whoever doesn't want to keep their marriage obligations walks away with nothing
>>Is virginity a big deal (for either sex)?
Not really, but getting pregnant out of wedlock is considering bad form for burdening one's family rather then husband with a child
>>Is there a bride price paid?
No. That would be like treating people like property which is generally a taboo
>>Describe the manner of wedding attire in these countries.
Everyone must put on fanciest clothes they have. Men carry personal weapon if they earned right to own any. Bride wears burrowed items to signify support and trust of the village to the whole affair
>>47831373
>Pick a country, area, or other group.
Ok, so we are in Southern Kerstler
>Tell us about their greatest hero, either real or in folklore.
The person was real (as far as a fictional character from fictional world can be real), got turned into folk version.
An army deserter that unintentionally helped create one of the most important military victories of all times within the country's history and allowed to stop enemy invasion
>What did they do? Why are they famous?
The original story went like this: a roaming band of marauders went AWOL from army when things started to look dire and was busy robbing and stealing. Thing is, the troops from enemy army showed up in the area. By bunch of bad luck and random chance, the marauders ended up being in a hot pursuit, recognised as still active military by enemy forces. Eventually they've reached a bridge over steep ravine, decimated and barely holding together. Their leader, a sergeant going as Old Engelhardt, decided to blow the bridge with their pursuiters getting killed in the process. Thing is, he ended up wounded in the process of preparing charges, so he sent what was left of his outfit, while trying to limp away before the whole thing blows. He didn't make it. The bridge destruction took down a squadroon of enemy cavalry and choked remaining troops on the other side. But most importantly, deserters that escaped from explosion, stumbled directly into their original army. Not thinking much and wanting to get their asses covered, they've spinned a story about their heroic NCO doing a secret spy mission and other shit, while giving positions of enemy troops. With no way to move, the enemy was crushed even while holding significant numerican advantage. Due to the importance of the victory, all the deserters were pardoned
Folk version is basically the original lie on massive steroids, making Engelhardt into a noble captain and father to his troops, paying the highest price for the fatherland.
>TBC
>>47842136
>Continued
>How is their legacy involved in modern life?
Well, Engelhardt became one of the national symbols of Kerstler. An unyielding highlander that will sooner die than step aside. He's a hero of few historical novels, an epic war film (first colour one in Kerstler) and a name-patron of the hunting association, the Engelhardt League, that was a prominent player to the road for independence during Alobozzi rule over the Kerstler. There is also a type of felt hat known as engelhardt, with characteristic leather brim - a thing engineered from a scratch by an artist who created the most famous depiction of the hero, the Bronze Highlander
>What are some other little tidbits of info?
It was always more or less known real Engelhardt was no good. Then Southern Kerstler region was taken over due to succession laws by Alobozzi Kingdom. Then two centuries later the nationalist movement used every single bit they could to create from a scratch a "Kerstlerian consciousness", thus they've picked up Engelhardt, white-washed him to the point of knight in shining armour and ever since the ball started rolling. During last war, poster showing Engelhardt with a line of modern soldiers creating wall behind him and words "WE stand" (with high case WE) was plastered everywhere and is now one of the most memetic images in Kerstler.
How can I make it logical for there to be a Finland-like cold climate on the northern island and indochina-like jungles on the southern island?
I've been thinking that I should just fuck it all and make it a flatworld.
>>47842246
Altitude?
>>47842274
Out of question.
And I'm not sure how altitude would help in placing a jungle.
>>47842246
Southern islands are closer to the sun so they have more tropical enviroment. The finlandland is further away so its cold.
Not too hard unless you want to really struggle with it.
>>47842246
Unless you apply some really bizzare altitude changes combined with favourable sea currents, no way to pull this.
And even if you add all logical reason, it will still be extremely jarring, to just knock it out.
>>47842284
>>47842289
Not sure which of you is dumber - the original anon or the idiot answering him.
Do you even into Geography, you moron? Don't you even know why there is a jungle in Indochina region? Or how high mountains work? I honestly wonder what they teach in schools around the world if people don't understand such basic things like rain condensation or temperature decreasing with altitude
>>47842341
Its also just magic world building. No need to stress it too bad. If you want one island to be ice and one tropics, go for it.
>>47842368
>handwaving geography as "magic"
>>47842388
>getting this butthurt about it
>>47828547
run your engines on woodgas or alcohol.
>>47842246
Northern islands were ready to explode like Krakatoa so they tried to freeze the ground deep below to block it by magic or heat pumps powered from the mainland delivering the heat to the south island.
>>47842368
>>47842436
Please tell me something, you stupid fuck. Why even bother asking your question, if you are going to boil it down to "wizard did this" anyway? Just why? Go and fucking apply magic.
But never expect from anyone anything else than being chewed for being simply stupid, uneducated trash.
>>47842599
He could as well be asking how to apply magic for it to make sense/be interesting.
>>47836447
I know this is late to respond, but looking at the map of tectonic plates makes things a lot more clear.
Aquileon has mountains along its borders with both Astaria and Shoshkepal. This turns Aquileon's southern reaches into a vast desert reminiscent of the Mojave.
>>47842451
While theoretically possible, the invention of an internal combustion engine is much less likely without all this gasoline on hand. Besides, they have perfectly functional power crystals which can be charged with hydroelectric dams, and they have nuclear reactors too.
>What are you working on right this moment?
Trying to combine comfy with high-lethality gameplay. Sucks.
>What are you worldbuilding for?
Campaign.
>What are you having trouble with?
Providing ways to make a post-apocalyptic fantasyland to be livable, when it's basically Zeno Clash except with western fantasy races.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Not much, sadly.
>Pick a country, any country!
Well, the Humans are a race of travelling mercenaries that travel around in caravans, adopt unwanted kids of different races, and try and right wrongs and claim their homeland from-
>Pick another one!
The Elves are a quiet, enigmatic folk that lurk in the forests and possess terrifyingly refined and powerful magic. They are all androgynous, lily white, with throbbing veins all over their form. They speak a foreign, babbling tongue, smile way too often, and occasionally offer strange artifacts to non-elves for laughs. Nobody fucks with the Elves, the Elves fuck with everybody. They live in the deepest of woods, and their nation is either nonexistent, or so well hidden as to be virtually nonexistent.
>How are Weddings conducted in this country?
A woman of another species is taken, silently, into the night.
There seems to be more Elves after such an event, but no one knows for certain.
>How long is the courtship period?
As long as needed in order to figure out when the Elf can get the woman isolated, probably. Some women, before they're kidnapped, receive 'presents' in the form of tiny statues made out of leaves and sticks, poems written on strips of bark, and sometimes very confused looking horses.
>Is there divorce?
The women never show up again, so, presumably not.
>Is virginity a big deal?
Nope. But if the Elf sends you a Unicorn as a gift, and you're not a virgin, you'll probably be gored.
>Is there a bride price paid?
Yes, the bride.
>Describe the manner of wedding attire in this country.
Clothes.
Here I go bois
>What are you working on right this moment?
A WWI era fictional world for a novel I'm writing about immigrants from the enemy country forming their own regiment within the country they are fighting for. Also planning on doing a book series for a D&D campaign me and my friends ran.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
It can be fluid. My current sci fi universe that me and my friend made is currently being run as a Traveller setting and my D&D one is the setting that I run all my campaigns in. Also have a low fantasy setting for a trilogy I'm writing as well as an althist mecha setting that I'm using for an AdEva campaign I have planned.
>What are you having trouble with?
Actually writing the fucker. Have all the military organization and stuff figured out, as well as real life influences for the language and culture. Could use some more fleshing out in terms of political systems and culture though.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
A solid 8 hours.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
I'm a horrible artist so no.
>>47827573
>How are weddings conducted in this country? Describe the ceremony, how long it lasts, and any associated festivities.
Usually a church-sponsored official event. The party afterwards is followed by a night of celebration (drinking, dancing, and the like) that culminates in the husband and wife retiring to their house (usually bought before the marriage) to consummate their new companionship.
>How long is the courtship period? How strict is it? Are marriages usually arranged or does true love (or true freedom, at least) reign?
It depends on the social class. In the outlying farmlands and among commonfolk in those areas, the courtship period can last any time from a year (in younger couples) to upwards of ten (in more conservative areas and families). However, in the city courtship is a strict affair that lasts a year at most for those of the noble class or those belonging to the church, and six months for commoners and craftsmen/traders. The majority of marriages in the city are arranged and this holds true for about 80% of the population in the countryside, but more lenient communities allow for free marriage.
>Is there divorce? Who has the right to initiate it?
Only the owner of the land (be that husband, wife, or lord) have the ability to divorce, and this action must be sanctioned by the local church.
>Is virginity a big deal (for either sex)?
Yes. Keeping one's sexual innocence is not only important for males, but for females as well.
>Is there a bride price paid?
No, but the husband is expected to give a substantial gift to the bride for her hand in marriage.
>Describe the manner of wedding attire in these countries.
White robes for the male and black for the female, to represent the joining of the forces of the God of Death and the God of Life in their religion. After their vows are taken, husband and wife shed their robes to reveal earth-green clothes, symbolic of the Goddess of the Earth who gave birth to both the gods.
>>47842388
>>47842368
There are certain circumstances where you can go full magical geography without breaking versimilitude.
A personal favorite is continent-shattering war as an excuse to scatter glassed wastelands and strange blast crater lakes.
Stuff like forest growth and the like isn't so easily handwaved.
>Pick a country, area, or other group.
The Mage-Cities of Deia
>Tell us about their greatest hero, either real or in folklore.
Malkath III, the legendary mage-king that unitied the cities and tried to unite the kingdoms of Devia and the Kingdom of Rha'Zhir.
>What did they do? Why are they famous?
They amassed a huge army of both mages and the massive infantry of the dwarves as well as the cavalry of the humans to the north and marched south with his great host powerful mages, wielding a powerful magical artifact, the Shards of the Astari.
>How is their legacy involved in modern life?
While Malkath III's story is mostly forgotten, it was his actions that spurred the mage-cities into their broken state as well as proved to the world the strength of the Kingdom of Rha'Zhir. Now Rha'Zhir controls the entirety of the spice and mining trade in the West.
>What are some other little tidbits of info?
The Shards are keys to not only interplanar travel but also ascention to godhood, a feat Malkath was close to accomplishing before he fell from grace.
>>47830981
There are three types of gods in my setting: the Old Gods, the True God, and the Forgotten Gods.
Before the time that the Church rose to power and united the kingdom, the gods of nature that resided in sacred places across the land walked among mortals, visiting those they deemed worthy and giving them artifacts imbued with their godly power. This age lasted for several thousand years before a sect of the God of the Sun rose to power and started conquering the realm. Over the next fifty years, they would sack cities and destroy the old artifacts that were held by old and prestigious families. When the kingdom was founded three hundred years ago and the church was established as the main religion of the nation, these old and powerful gods (dubbed the Old Gods) started to fade from existence as belief in them waned, until they faded from existence all together, leaving only a few artifacts after the Inquisition War fifty years after the unification of the kingdom. Of all the gods before the True God of Life (previously the God of the Sun) only the Forgotten Gods remain, minor gods who inhabit small holy places that only the most dedicated of followers can find. They are cursed to wander the earth where they are not needed or worshiped forever, eternally weakened by the new church.
>>47827457
>What are you working on right this moment?
In between a TES fanfiction and my world-building project. I love history and historical fantasy, but I have difficulty making a properly believable world.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Game. I've always wanted to DM.
>What are you having trouble with?
For one, any semblance of plot. For all my thinking on politics and economics and drawing parallels between actual events and fictional parallels, I have basically no actual plot to involve player characters in, though I have twenty members of the political congress fleshed out.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Basically none, at this point. I get neat ideas sometimes.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
Picture related.
>Linking to reddit in OP
>>47842640
By not doing so.
There is nothing worse in world building than "wizard did this" and you know it.
>>47844185
Then replace magic with alternate physics or whatever.
>>47844229
>Replace Shitty Excuse 1 with Shitty Excuse 2
You are not listening, are you?
>>47844262
Consider that not every world is gritty realistic or low fantasy.
>>47844277
And that changes what exactly? No, really, explain me how the fact world not being gritty or low fantasy (apparently non-fantasy worlds aren't even a thing for you) means you can get away with just plainly bad world-building, cheap cop-outs and poorly handled reasoning.
What? Magic defeats logic?
>>47843856
why don't you head back to /b/, or another board that actually cares about le site wars
>>47844277
>You can have shit world if you just allow magic run rampant in it!
>Imagine all the possibilities for different fuck-up!
>All those lazy excuses instead of quality work!
>>47844379
Not him, but posting reddit is pretty much a flame fuel and a bait, so how about you learn how to operate on 4chan?
>>47844411
but it's not, dumbass, those links have been the exact same for like 30 threads now. it's also not flame fuel or bait for people that aren't immature babies, like you.
>>47844450
>Not flame fuel
>Actually using it as an argument during pointless quarrel about reddit
Irony is strong in you, son
>>47844495
nope, i'm actually done after this post. I don't waste significant amounts of my time arguing with idiots, I have better things to do.
>y u on 4chan din lol
>>47843757Is this map based off the Sunshine Coast?
>>47827398
>>What are you working on right this moment?
The roles and relationships between the main races of a setting. I don't like having too many different races or monsters without having a good reason or explanation for them. As such, there are only about three with notable civilizations, most of whom favor different environments. Humans live where humans do, Elves favor deeper wilderness and more isolated regions, while the Goblins live below.
Dark Elves, Orcs, and Dwarves are all the same race as the Goblins, though those labels could be associated with certain cultural divisions and nationalities. Their priesthood is female dominated, military forces are almost entirely male, and there's a human-friendly nation of stockier Goblins who wear long beards. They tend to be technically adept and excellent craftsmen, being one of the more advanced races, and value duty and diligence above all else. Women are a rare sight on the surface, as it's considered more their role to manage properly civilized affairs in the underground rather than contend with savages. Religion plays a major role in their society, believing themselves to be the chosen people, and they view Elves and Fae as unholy and corrupt creatures.
As for Elves, that name kind of generalizes them too much. "High Elves" are properly otherworldly and supernatural beings, not one of the mortal races they often appear to be idealized versions of. Their kind actually mimic a number of creatures, as they see little difference between man and beast, but only the humanoid ones are known as "Elves". Whatever their form, they possess a supernatural grace and charm which even plants and wildlife find irresistible. Those in their vicinity become enamored with them, seeking to serve and please them, their forms changing to better suit this purpose and taking on more Elvish qualities as they're exposed to their power. "Low Elves" were born from such enchanted humans, and they see themselves as blessed.
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
A setting inspired by Asia in the 5th and 6th centuries. The main focus are the steppe clans and the Chinese-inspired kingdoms, but there are kingdoms based off India, Korea and even Sassanid Persia.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
A game, but also short stories and, most importantly, for fun.
>What are you having trouble with?
The "Indiand" kingdoms. I want them to have distinc cultural divisions, and it's being a bit more difficult coming up with reasonable ideas for some of them. For exaple, there is this city-state in the coast, once a military power, now a merchant oligarchy. However, the military caste hasn't gone away, becoming duelist instead, and their military ethos has become a sort of duel etiquette.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Practically if I'm not doing anything else, I'm worldbuilding in my head.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
I don't, but I'm learning to make maps, so maybe in the future.
>>47843856
>implying reddit is bad
It sure is 2012 in here
>>47845239
>Sunshine Coast
What makes you sat that?
I guess I'll post this here because there's no real story/plot help thread
--
it's been a long time since I hosted or wrote a game, but I'm looking to get back into it with the first RPG I ever played, Cyberpunk 2020, 6 years ago now. I've been playing D&D 3.5 throughout these years but I haven't hosted in over 2.
Anyway, I'm learning Cyberpunk 2020 right now and I'm looking for a story thread to begin the campaign. In our first D&D session we began with the old "You're all friends in a tavern and ____ happens...", but I want something a bit more complex here.
The main idea I had which I think would be really cool was to have our first session be a street race, all 4 players in the same race (or series of races) competing for a prize of some sort, and then towards the end of the session, end with the players working for either a rebel group or a private company as mercenaries or henchmen. I just need a few plot thread ideas to tie it together; Why are the players racing? Could something else happen to provoke some combat (I had thought of maybe having the race be fixed, but how do the players find that out?), what events lead to the players being recruited, who are the major players (I don't know much about the Cyberpunk universe, I'm not sure if I should set it in Night City, or my own setting, I was considering setting it in the UK or New York City).
Any and all ideas are appreciated
P.S: If you could recommend me any resources to help me with this, as well as universe stuff like: Vehicles, Weapons, Clothing, Settings and Maps - that would be really cool
>>47846005
Placement of inlets/lakes/coastlines. It's a stretch, but it's sort of reminiscent.
>>47846112
I can definitely see the parallel, but the basic idea was Mediterranean, with geographic features and ecology copped from the Arabian peninsula, Baja California... et cetera.
>>47845549
Cool ideas, man. I love late antiquity, and you've got a good selection of concepts. How are you planning the steppe tribes? Historical, or more fantasy barbarian?
>>47846217
A mix of the two, actually. For the most part, they are realistic. Most of them are nomadic herders, with their assigned territories that they can use around the year. Some of the tribes settled down near rivers, and have become trade hubs (and raiding destination) for the nomads. There are several "nations", as in tribes with a common language and specific culture, each one with their own governing bodies, like clan assemblies, or councils to which only the clan elders or leaders can attend. A bit like the germanic tribes, in fact: They all share general details, like religion, a common proto-language that branched off to become different languages and dialects, etc. From time to time, a clan manages to unify the others in its particular region and starts a campaign to subjugate the rest of the steppe, failing for the most part.
And here comes the fantasy part: The steppe is huge. For the most part, its unforested grassland, but from time to time you can find mountains, hills, lakes, rivers, etc. Some parts are almost like a desert, if you go far enough in certain directions. In the steppes you can never be sure of anything, and strange creatures roam the plains. Ruins of ancient cities, temples and monasteries also appear sometimes, and such places are to be avoided, for the ghost of the old people inhabit them and may or may not be hostile. And then there's the forgotten land to the south of the western steppes, a hostile and dangerous place twisted by the gods in times long past. The steppe tribes are superstitious when it comes to these places, and despise magic in all forms, because they think the bad places of the world are caused by misuse of magic, and magic is always misused in their eyes. Fortunately, magic is very rare these days.
It's not very original and far from perfect, but I think they are good enough for now.
Hey all, quick question, hoping to make a low fantasy setting and a big theme is about how peace is fleeting among different cultures and I'm not sure if it should be like, different races like Orcs and the such, my own OC races, or just different races of humans, like brown skinned, black skinned and the like
I'm leaning towards the last because I'm unsure if people could really sympathize for a different species
>>47845336
Low Elves can be purged of their enchantment, but this results in a nasty withdrawal process. They lose the joy and beauty they had as Elves and many go mad in the process, while others just become miserable and deformed creatures. Many are desperate to go back, or to find any kind of substitute or reason to keep on living. Plants and animals similarly separated from Elven power will usually wither away and die.
The Goblins are derived from such pathetic creatures who turned away or were cast out from that paradise and found sanctuary underground from which to stage their rebellion, and the surface of their homeland has yet to recover from their crusade against the Elves. Only descendants of the hardier lifeforms, or those that escaped Elven influence, and strange things from the underworld live there now.
It's not quite clear what the Goblins found below the earth but they rose from it as fanatics. They revere darkness, fire, and metal for their roles in fighting the Elven blight, and such things are prominent symbols in their religion. Their priestesses sing to the shadows and darkness that shelter them while their warriors purify the world with holy fire. Their Paladins are quite the sight, though they're rarely recognized for what they are by other races who don't share the same views on fire and darkness.
Goblins see other races as beneath them and have little regard for their lives or well-being. If humans are in the way of their goals, they'll trample right over them. Some are even known to abduct humans for experiments, leaving them with a frightening reputation and above average medical knowledge. If it helps save the lives of their own or fulfill their objectives, most don't really care who else has to suffer.
The relationship is a bit different when there's an alliance with a human nation, as the Goblins don't want to complicate things, but even then most humans don't lower their guard or extend any friendship to non-allied Goblins.
>>47847793
>low fantasy
>light-skinned humans, dark-skinned humans, and darker-skinned humans hate eachother
That's not really fantasy, anon.
>>47848179
It can be, actually. Just insert magic and non-sapient monsters et voilà, fantasy. Or ancient ruins from a race long gone, or strange places that doesn't work according to the normal laws of the Universe, and it's still fantasy.
>>47848451
Oh wait, jokes about racism usually go over my head. Nevermind then.
>>47848179
Hence the low fantasy, in a fake enough world but still logical enough for people to act within the realm of reason
Which is part of the reason I'm on the fence about having sentient, sapient non-human species when us Humans are the only ones on this planet
>>47827398
>Questions:
Why would I answer when I know nobody will care?
>>47848486
The issue you seem to be having is making your humans "Humans".
I've explained Beastmen races in my setting by having Dwarves, Halflings, and Humans all be Beastman races themselves.
So there's a corporation in my world that's doing something really shitty but I don't what to make it. Anyone have any ideas? I don't want something overdone or cliche, I need it to be a little deeper than that. Anyways, I appreciate any help.
>>47849112
Describe what's exploitable about your setting.
Is Necromancy a thing? Could a "Thanatos Corp" raise Undead slaves to perform menial labor, like how we currently use third worlders/china
>>47849112
Privatize the police
Control the world's water supply
Monopolize the news
Sterilize "undesirables" in the general population
Promote boy bands and J-pop
how to make a good villain, what are the steps to follow
>>47849276
1) Read a well-regarded Skakespare play.
2) Copy and paste the villain.
3) ????
4) Profit
>>47849276
>"Machiavellian"
>>47827398
Does anyone have ideas for the name of a setting I'm working on?
It is built around rough fantasy analogues of Warring States China; late-Sengoku Jiadi Japan; Mongolia under the line of world-conquering Khans; India, ranging from their Classical to Medieval period; the various Polynesian cultures of Kamehameha's Hawai'ian kingdom, the Maori, and Samoa; the various pre-contact cultures of the PNG; kingdoms based on the Mamluk Sultanates; and the greater kingdoms of Africa like the Zulu, Zande, and Maasai.
>>47850302
Kill yourself.
>>47850302
Charmed.
>>47850302
>>47850169
>my setting's empire is early 'Murrika
>other people keep using exotic cultures
>>47849276
You need villain with comprehensible agenda, that is ultimately proven wrong.
Remember, "You had a shitty childhood so what you believe is not true" is not an actual rebuttal.
>>47849276
See pic related on >>47850945, actually.
>>47850169
Saxanka Jikada
>>47851763
Okay, that was pretty funny.
Anyone have any guides on doing geography specifically? I've checked the links in the OP and there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of collected information about this. Cartographers mostly have tutorials on software.
Stuff like pic related, regardless of the accuracy of pic related.
Posting some guides
>>47849276
Do evil shit. Something unforgivable, to make the person a villain, rather then just another character in the story.
They also have to be powerful. I don't mean 90 ST and 200 HP, I mean they have to be able to seriously challenge and threaten the characters.
Depending on your story that could just be an abusive stepfather their mother won't leave or believe them about.
Last, think of something the villian would want then put them in a situation where they can get it. This can drive the story, or at least establish it. it gives your villian an 'arc' and something to do other then wait on their Dark Throne for the characters to arrive.
>>47852039
>>47852053
>>47852058
>>47852053
>>47852058
These are the same book?
>>47852102
The second is an excerpt of the first, I think.
>>47842388
My brother, Sarithus, made this map! Good to see it randomly on /tg/.
>>47843757
You inspired me to make this using your map as a base. Thanks! I needed some more inspiration to work on my setting. Hope yours is going well!
>>47848179
Anon, not sure if you are naive, stupid or both
>>47849257
>Not overdone or cliche
>Lists overdone cliches
>>47849276
A businessmen on the wrong side of the law. Which mean normal, competent, reasonable guy who is in it for massive profit and has no problem cutting entire operations when they are no longer profitable or safe. No special shtick, no elaborate lair, no other bullshit. And let him mostly talk via couriers. Couriers that are always there, always finding people they should find.
If used for tabletop, this is a villain your players will remember for a loooong time, unlike generic shit that is evil, because it has written one of the evil alignments in the sheet.
>>47849313
>>47849445
>>47851562
>>47851611
>>47852047
>How to create cliche, cartoonish villain that is so evil he kicks puppies on regular basis
Seriously?
>>47852003
I've got one.
It's called high school education. You should really try it
>>47849276
Make them believable. Everything else is flavoring.
>>47850169
Orienas. Orienar. Orientilles. Oren.
>>47852520
I guess that's a fair point. I really wish I still had my books from high school. They had balling illustrations in them.
![[Laughter Stops].png](https://i.imgur.com/AtqiLCO.png "[Laughter Stops].png")
Does anybody else have a problem with worldbuilding high fantasy and high fantasy alone?
I don't mean not liking the high fantasy aesthetic, far from it, but I just can't hammer or decide anything about my high fantasy setting without changing it again or reflavoring it in a few weeks or even days sometimes.
>Have 4+ 'completed' settings
>WW1 dieselpunk with demon magic, fine
>Tribal fantasy, native americans with immortal emperors, great
>Low fantasy gritty medieval simulators with really low power magicians running around starting shit, fantastic
>1920s styled lost city set in another dimension with mobsters and scrap-metal guns; fucking amazing
>High fantasy
>Nothing
http://www.worlddreambank.org/S/SEAPOLE.HTM
Don't know if you guys have seen this, but it's a thought experiment about moving the poles of the Earth into the seas and see what happens. Very interesting read.
I have beer and wine and holidays, so I can just sit in the sun and read about hypothetical earths for weeks. What a life, senpaitachi.
>>47850326
>>47850334
>>47850650
What was it?
>>47852579
>Tribal fantasy, native americans with immortal emperors, great
>Low fantasy gritty medieval simulators with really low power magicians running around starting shit, fantastic
>1920s styled lost city set in another dimension with mobsters and scrap-metal guns; fucking amazing
These sound great desu. Real world setting with a little supernatural twist. I can feel my stomach tickling just thinking about it.
>>47852607
Guy making fun of first poster for ODing on "exotic non-white" cultures, saying it's not a substitute for good writing.
>>47852607
>Maybe something like "I think "exotic" non-white locales are a substitute for good writing"?
Copy-pasted, because apparently it's still visible on my screen? But yeah. Apparently if you have a setting that's not finding its base in typical European fantasy, you're taking advantage of "exotic," cultures because you don't know how to write?
>>47852579
I designed my high fantasy setting with the expectation it'll support magitech sci fi.
>>47852613
I appreciate the compliment, but don't get your hopes up on that last one. It's very much meant to be 'high' urban fantasy; psychics, alien races, animal people, etc. The point is that it's a super multicultural melting pot where everyone has to play nice because it's literally the only known habituated place in that dimension, and once you are there you are stuck.
Also it's always Night Time and everyone is scared of THE panther. Enjoy.
>>47852579
High fantasy is really an overrated genre.
For the record, I think that dieselpunk one sounds really dope. Do you have any kind of documents on it? I'd like to look deeper into it.I'm sure it will look back.
>>47827398
Working on a stone-age fantasy world. Pretty pumped. Stuck on one question, though. Do you guys think I should add dinosaurs, or should it just be megafauna and creatures that existed as of the Paleolithic and Neolithic eras?
>>47852510
That isn't even an antagonist, much less a villain, without other factors. Without conflict, there is no story.
>Cartoonish evil.
Yeah, Lady Macbeth is just a puppy kicking evil bastard isn't she?
>>47852941
>Lady Macbeth is just a puppy kicking evil bastard isn't she?
Not him, but well, duh - she is.
And if you seriously believe in "no conflict = no story", I've got a clue for you - stop being American. Or indoctrinated with their bullshit.
>>47852941
>Without conflict, there is no story
>Oh look at me, I heard about McKee once
I recommend making an effort and acquire some fucking taste
>>47852941
>Histerical woman that goes mental under slightest of pressure
>Good villain
Pick one. If anything, Lady Macbeth is a deconstruction of evil female schemer
>>47852941
>Without conflict, there is no story
Someone here is quite bitter it seems.
How to make sun work in a flatworld? I decided climate and weather will be controlled by spirits who only rougly fit the real world climate distribution.
>>47853460
Alderson disk is the only way you can have flatworld. Anything else just won't work.
>>47853460
Sun is the spirit. It hangs in the sky and glows. When it gets tired, it dims and night comes. He rests, starts glowing again.
>>47853472
This
>>47853460
Go read "Missile Gap". It'a a great novel, but most importantly, it takes place on an Alderson disk, discussing all effect of it and how it renders certain technologies useless or highly unwieldy
>>47852941
>without conflict, there is no story
>>47853490
>how it renders certain technologies useless or highly unwieldy
Such as?
>>47853460
Why does a sun have to "work" when spirits are doing it?
>>47853502
What is this, viking disapproval for ants?
>>47853472
>>47853490
Unfortunately I don't want a hole in the middle of my disk, and Alderson disk has too little habitable space for my taste
>>47853532
Because I want shadows and a proper day-night cycle but I don't know how to implement it.
>>47853478
This is a good idea but I still don't know how to have moon cycles and shadows that aren't permamently fixed in place.
Then again...
Permament shadows might not be a bad idea.
>>47853562
>Because I want shadows and a proper day-night cycle but I don't know how to implement it.
Easy. Go get the night and day spirits and tell them to stop goofing around and do their jobs. Also they shouldn't neglect their poor child, the spirit of shadows.
>>47831373
> The Greatest Hero
Disputably, it is:
Answin von Rabenmund the Usurper to the Imperial Throne. He had the valid claim that the Imperial Family was not true Heirs anymore (which was true on a technicality) and usurped the throne thrice. Every time, the great Noblehouses threw him down and he was forced into exile, until the third time: This is when he died to the Impostor-Imperator ( who was a Woman and not able to Inherit the Throne ).
He is however in many parts of the Realm revered as a Saviour and has even been declared Holy by the most important Church of the Sun God Praios: He has been known to keep the Realm together in Times of dire Need and has an impressive track-record of defeating the Empires Enemies within and without. Infact, he has been a more benevolent ruler to the people, militarily, politically and economically more succesfull than the Imperial house. Many a city prays to him in thanks for him saving them, and many of the Higher Ups Military still revere him.
> How is their legacy involved in modern life?
His family remains one of the most influental, powerfull and wide-spread families of the realm, albeit every quench of rebellion has been purged from their ranks. Current Head of the Family is his Great-Niece, who does not hold claim to inherit the Imperial Throne.
> Other Tidbits of Info
Answins Son, Grandson and Brothers all became Enemies of the Empire. After the last great Crisis it took almost 20 years to pacify his family and the large Domain they lay claim to as theirs. However, at the same time, his son, Grandson and Brothers had all been instrumental in these 20 years in Defense of the Realm against outside Incursions, Demon Worshippers, Orcs and worse. Still, now they have all been either killed, exiled or imprisoned. With the notable exception of his Grandson, who has delusions of Grandeur but ultimately amounts to nothing, being a failure alltogether.
>>47830981
The First One created the universe, gods and the Life Power. Greater Gods are quite benevolent, full of love and used the Life Power to create the primordial species, which evolved into the species that populate the many worlds today. Greater gods keep the universe and the natural laws intact (that's me being lazy so I don't have to bother with geology, tectonics etc on an autistic level). Lesser Gods are basically spirits of a place, natural occurrence or some sort of concept, they never hold absolute control of their domain, but they have great powers. The more worshipers a Lesser God has, the more powerful they will become(sort of like the Terry Pratchett gods).
>>47834449
I like the map, the transparent coloring is really nice.
>>47853562
>I want to have flat Earth
>But I want all the round things going on
You can't. Deal with it.
>>47853460
Will the exact mechanics of how the sun works ever, EVER impact your PCs or your protagonist's struggles? No? Then it's not worth worrying about.
I don't care how annoying or repetitive this point is. I'm going to keep saying it until you clowns have it memorised.
>>47853872
It might, and I want to be prepared.
>>47853885
>It might
Not him, but might how exactly?
Seriously, people, get a grip of yourselves. Players don't care about tertiary world-building elements as long ad they don't affect them in the slightest.
>>47852971
>>47852996
>>47853432
>>47853502
A story where the main character has no goal would go nowhere.
A story where the main character achieved their goal with no effort or struggle would be boring.
Learn some fucking storytelling, you clowns.
>>47853996
Since when "no conflict" means "no goal", you stupid shit?
Seriously, I know that Americans are absolutely incapable of anything else than action-packed bullshit, but get a hold of yourself.
>>47853885
Here's an idea: instead of spending absurd amounts of man-hours trying to cover every possible hypothetical situation your players/protagonists might get into, why don't just you decide the scope and scale of your campaign/story beforehand, and only work on those elements that actually matter?
You could even talk to your players beforehand about what kind of game they want to play, or story they want to tell, to get a better idea of what to focus on. If you really want, you can even lay down some rules as to things you're not interested in GMing. If the game's to be set within a single country, and you don't want to design anything outside that country, you could just ask your players to please not go gallivanting off into foreign lands where your notes don't extend.
All this means that you won't end up spending stupid amounts of effort on information that will probably never actually matter, while still being able to paint a vivid and compelling picture of the parts of the world that your players/protagonists will actually see.
>>47853996
>>47854068
I think if you two reconciled your separate meanings of "conflict", you might start getting somewhere.
>>47853996
>Talking from the position of authority
>Confusing "no goal" with "no conflict"
>>47852053
>>47852039
These are pretty neat, thanks
>>47853562
Sun doesn't hang in the same spot all day, but circle around the sky. Moon is a shapeshifter. She's already associated with Werewolves, so she just likes changing shapes.
I'm kinda curious on what irregular day and night circle could change in the world.
>>47854068
>>47854189
I don't know where you two are getting that reading from, because it's absolutely not what I said.
For conflict, all you need is a character, with a goal, and something getting in the way of that goal. The goal can be anything, and the obstacle can be anything. If a character has no goal, they won't do anything. If the character has no obstacle, they'll get what they wanted immediately and the story will be fucking boring.
Nowhere in that model of conflict is there any demand for "action", other than in the broadest terms of "characters doing things".
Also, tangential to this argument, but if you think you can't tell a story through "action scenes", then you know absolutely nothing about storytelling. Protip: there is absolutely no difference between "action scenes" and "normal scenes". In dramatic terms, there is no difference between a high-octane car-chase gunfight, and a tense board-room negotiation. It's still just characters, goals, and obstacles. Good storytellers know this, and use their action scenes to serve the larger purpose of their narrative. Bad storytellers just shove action scenes into their stories for the sake of having an action scene.
>>47850169
the enriching of detroit
>>47850169
Do you need a name for the setting as a whole? Just make names for the individual nations then figure the setting for the whole world out later.
>>47854747
Honestly, more like a "project name," to put on the file because I hate having my project files go without names. So a theoretical world name, I guess?
No worries, though. Got something figured out. Thanks to the thread for all the funny options, though. The one that was some African dialect for "Kitchen Sink," was particularly clever.
>>47853742
>The world of Marduart, tangled around the slumbering god Gjolf, the roots of the world are filled with the Life Power and thoughts of a Greater God, so forth springs life, colourful flowers, great trees, black clawed beasts and greatest of all, Serpents.
Lads what's a good reason for all the sentient races to migrate to another world trough magical portals. I though of magical apocalypse, but I couldn't really make it work.
>>47854797
I usually use a genre name for the setting or just make it a title as if it was the title of a book (note: this isn't the world name, just the name I use for all the folders on my computer)
>>47854873
That's basically what I did.
Tried a new way to make maps. What do you think, /wbg/? It's not-arabia a la 2000bce.
>>47855113
I can't quite figure out direction of rivers in the North.
>>47855152
Really? I don't understand. They flow towards the ocean.
>>47855113
>>47855152
Which direction would they flow in except from higher to lower and into the sea?
And what do the colors mean, altitude or vegetation?
>>47855207
A little of both, but mostly vegetation. But that it's a question is a problem all by itself.
>>47853742
Thanks, I was starting to think the rainbow colors were a bit garish but I'll come up with better and fancier means of making borders when I finalize stuff.
On that topic I recommend if people are having trouble (And are doing a map in photoshop) - write your brainstorming stream of consciousness on the map. Doing so helped me out a lot rather than going from pad to photoshop or from photoshop to my imagination). Since I am self conscious rambling here I might go ahead and switch over to that again to solve some issues I'm facing.
Suffice to say it's the struggle between not wanting a world that is simply an echo of ours (the way Hyboria or Warhammer Fantasy is) but also naturally being driven in that direction. In this case realizing I was going to put my India (albeit possibly Indo-Chinese with a India Rajput neighbor) much much further away, even a continent away, from the Iranian inspired Raoxshanids. And while it's not like language or myth will necessary exist in such a way that I need the India inspired folks to live near the Iranians...but it feels weird for me.
I'm wondering about Inebket being removed and the river there made to be Indus like rather than Nile like. But that begins to challenge the Iberian/Maghrebi/East african feel south of Inebket.
There's also no need to -must- have Egypt, as I have to admit militarily Egypt feels a little underwhelming - they were a great power but they don't have anything that pops the way legionaries, hoplites, elephants, cataphracts do. Chariots, yeah, but I was having to think of a reason for chariots to exist when your nemesis up north are fielding Nisean-steed grade fuck you knights.
>>47850169
>>47854797
"Erythraea", or "Erythros" if you think the former is too close to Eritrea, after the Greco-Roman name for the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean
>>47852699
That makes it sound even cooler to me
>Think of setting premise
>Think of all sorts of relatively mundane ( for them ) stories that stem from the premise that are still interesting ( to us )
Some background: "Magic" event happens in stone age human tribes. It acts like an infectious virus that alters perception according conscious will or the collective conscious of the surrounding infected humans. It "can do anything", but it doesn't really as it can only alter perception.
I haven't decided on if it only applies to humans or if it can apply to all life.
Things the magic system can do:
>Illusions
>Scrying
>Astral Projection
>Telepathy
>Brainwashing
>Inflict insanity/death from sheer overstimulation
>"time travel"
>"immortality"
>mental imprinting on mundane objects
I like it because it lets casters be powerful but at the end of the day you still need martial if you want to make permanent changes
I want to write short stories to flesh out the setting. What sounds the most interesting/should I write about first?
>Guy marries a trap who he thinks is a woman because the trap has a permanent illusion making himself look like a woman
>Lewd fashion trends such as illusory clothing that reveals more the less sexual desire you have and reveals less with more
>Guy who achieves pseudo immortality by mindwiping victims then implanting his memories in their bodies, effectively cloning his mind
>That same guy conquering and building a kingdom
>Commoners entertaining themselves by astral projecting then essentially role playing in an illusory world
>Using mental imprinting essentially bypassing the need for a writing system and bringing about an extremely early information age
>A group of autists so good at communicating with magic that they forget how to talk and think and communicate via models of reality/illusions
>Guy who creates the worlds first waifu and wants to permanently imprint her on the collective conscious so she can be real
>>47855975
Don't ever start writing a story from the premise of "I want to set it in the world I'm developing."
Even for settings people already love, just the existence of the Star Wars or Forgotten Realms novels makes most people wanna vomit.
Let your world come out of your stories; you're doing things backwards.
>>47830585
My Orcs live in the mountains, having been banned from their ancestral, larger range by humans.
They eat barley, blood sausage, pine nuts and loads of cheese. Their cows are cold resistant and have higher fat and protein milk than normal cows, a bit like Yakutian cows.
They hunt chamois and ibex, but mainly rely on farming and herding.
>>47827398
>What are you working on right this moment?
A map, and some lore. I've got a bunch of lore on Old Dagonn/Kamyenn Provinces, but not that much on the Serenelands/The Pale Tribes.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
A webcomic, a political intrigue with some 'superhero/cape' themes.
>What are you having trouble with?
Motivation, as always.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
Around six hours, on a good week.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
WIP. I know some of the text is hard to read, still deciding what to do with it.
>>47854498
>Not what I said
>>47857856
He said:
>A story where the main character has no goal would go nowhere.
>A story where the main character achieved their goal with no effort or struggle would be boring.
You said:
>Since when "no conflict" means "no goal", you stupid shit?
Nowhere in the original statement did he claim no conflict means no goal. In fact, he implied the contrary by listing them out separately.
What you seem to not understand is that the word "conflict" doesn't mean "fight sequence".
Conflict:
1. fight, battle, war.
2. a) competitive or opposing action of incompatibles; antagonistic state or action (as of divergent ideas, interests, or persons)
b) mental struggle resulting from incompatible or opposing needs, drives, wishes, or external or internal demands
3. the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction
The definitions we're most interested here are 2b and 3. While a fight can be the conflict in a story, a person's self doubt, a test (both physical and intellectual), or a friendly rivalry can serve this role equally well.
tl;dr: learn your fucking English.
>>47858685
>Nowhere in the original statement did he claim no conflict means no goal.
He did say that a story needs an antagonist to have conflict, when he disagreed with the idea of the reasonable businessman who's willing to break the law.
>>47852941
>That isn't even an antagonist, much less a villain, without other factors. Without conflict, there is no story.
That's where the whole discussion started. You side equated villains with conflict.
I disagree with him, the businessman would be a great character who could drive a story.
>>47858923
Not "my" side.
"Every story needs conflict" and "Conflict doesn't need to be actual fights" are the only two points that I'm married to. Anyone saying anything that conflicts with either of those two statements is either retarded or needs more English lessons.
>>47858685
If you would read more than single post, you would know the original context was this >>47852941
>That isn't even an antagonist, much less a villain, without other factors. Without conflict, there is no story.
So when he refutted everyone calling it bullshit with this
>A story where the main character has no goal would go nowhere.
>A story where the main character achieved their goal with no effort or struggle would be boring.
He basically made "conflict" and "goal" equal.
Reading comprehension really isn't that hard, but you need to fucking read everything to graps the whole picture.
>>47858923
>a story needs an antagonist to have conflict
How about "Gravity"?
There is no conflict in the story, not to mention antagonist. Does it make it boring? Of course not!
And even if you stretch it to the limit and call their survival a "conflict" (the same way Cast Away has "conflict"), there is still no antagonist.
In fact, same with Cast Away.Yes, I'm perfectly aware you have no problems with no conflict, but your post is a perfect moment to add this reference.
>>47858990
I guess you are seriously underexposured to gag comedies and love stories. Not romances, not romantic comedies, but love stories.
You can have a perfectly fine story without any conflict whatsoever, not to mention antagonised forces or people.
>>47859426
>love stories
>not romances
Nigga, name one that isn't both.
Romeo and Juliet? The conflict is the fact that the houses are feuding and all the drama that feud brings with it.
>gag comedies
What exactly are you referring to by gag comedy? I've never read nor watched a comedy that did not have a plot. Plots have conflict.
Unless you're talking about comedy skits and stand up. Which don't necessarily need plot because they aren't telling a story, they're trying to make you laugh.
>>47859382
>"Gravity"
>no conflict
Nigga you what? Gravity is loaded with conflict. Gravity itself, the race against time, the death of the partner, all of these are examples of conflict in Gravity.
Conflict is any hurdle that must be overcome.
>>47859426
Love stories? I guess I didn't see many either, but somehow I doubt there's many non-conflicted love stories outside of porn.
There's going to be conflicting suitors and shit. Maybe internal conflict will be, but still a conflict or the story would be three sentences long.
>>47859558
>If I never experienced it, it doesn't exist
Not him, but for sure you are underexposured
>>47859614
Please name an example of a GAG COMEDY that is telling a STORY.
Stories have conflict.
>>47859604
>There's going to be conflicting suitors and shit
Don't have to be
>internal conflict will be
Don't have to be either
Seriously, can you for a SECOND not operate with Hollywood cliches? Where there is no "third act break-up" or "rich-poor suitor" fighting for a girl. I know burgers are obsessed with competition, but it's not needed.
>>47859630
>Stories have conflict
Or they don't.
Here, let's try one that don't. There is Johnny. For entire duration of the plot Johnny walks from point A to B. During so, he meets few friends, he buys bottle of water, he gets to point B.
Where is the conflict? Nowhere.
Did the story happend? Yup.
Slice of life is the term for this type of story I guess
>>47859558
>name one that isn't both.
>Intentionally brings in one of the best known conflicts in romance
Eristics: 101 - don't do this shit. It's too obvious.
>>47827398
Bump, will post when I get more time
The iyashikei genre of Japanese storytelling usually has no conflict. Aria, for example, is a slice-of-life manga that takes place on a Martian city built to resemble Venice, the characters have goals that they achieve easily over the story, and the story has supernatural events but no conflict.
Related methods of storytelling are "mono no aware" - born from Zen Buddhism - which takes a melancholic view on events, and "kishotenketsu", a Chinese and Japanese narrative structure that has no conflict, but a philosophical twist or paradigm shift that makes you think of the story in a new light.
>>47859992
Except "conflict" is sort of encoded even within every day life. In a slice of life type thing:
>Character is at home watching TV
>character wants a bag of chips
>there are no chips in the house
That's conflict. Not particularly exciting in the regular course of things, but it's a difference between what exists and what is wanted.
>>47859721
If we wanted to be really anal one could contend the conflict is the space between point a and point b, the fact that Johnny isn't at point B when he wants to be there, so he has to walk there.
That is to say if Johnny is standing by the fridge and wants a drink, there's no story - he reaches in and grabs a drink, that's an action. But if Johnny is upstairs and wants a drink and has to go downstairs to get it, then it's a story because there is more than one action.
Conflict being what prevents the protagonist from achieving their objective or goal without some kind of action(s). Obviously one could go super anal and say "even if Johnny is standing at the fridge he has to open it so opening it is the conflict". But that just illustrates that a good story or a good conflict is made increasingly multiples in complexity, detail and length. But you can also reach a point where the conflict and rising action is so vast that it becomes a problem.
>>47859630
A story is literally the telling of a sequence of events. They do not need conflict, its just that without some, its boring.
>What are you working on right this moment?
Wizards and magic, specifically how all the complicated bits I’ve created fit together.
>What are you worldbuilding for? A novel, a game, a movie?
Fun. This is what I do when I’m not working or schooling.
>What are you having trouble with?
Fitting together all of these slightly-not-fitting systems and descriptions and applications of magic.
>How much time do you spend worldbuilding in an average week?
The only time I’m not thinking about it on some level is when I’m sleeping, solving a difficult puzzle, or in an important conversation.
>Do you have a map? Show it off!
I have many maps, all of which are on paper. On my desk are 9 maps; 5 of which are dedicated to the primary human community. Three of these maps are ‘tax maps’ to show the landowners, one of them is a political map showing the various sub-states of the community, and one is a physical map showing the rivers. Of the 4 other maps on my desk, one is a map displaying the nobility of a province of the secondary human community much further to the south, one is a rough map of an unimportant village in the north of the aforementioned province, and the remaining two are maps of the other states. These maps are respectively of the various division of the tribal lands the north of the secondary human community divided amongst smaller, but much stronger, races such as beastmen (in the sense of animals that walk on two legs, and have a simple structure of civilization, but are otherwise bestial) and western “bulwark” states that divide the eastern side of the continent from the central area, which is a type of Hell-on-Earth.
I have a box of maps somewhere, but those are for my other projects.
>>47860152
My current issue, in more detail, is thus:
I’ve devised a complicated system of how magic works in the various parts of the human communities, how humans can use magic, why they don’t just use it in place of normal labor, what limits them from exceeding the much physically stronger beastmen (et al.), how they exceed the normal limitations through various methods that may or may not end up costing them more in the long run, the philosophical divisions between the three largest faction of the largest order of wizards, how the wizards and other magic casters fit into daily life and how they’re thrown out of certain communities for certain reasons, the insidious plotting of one of the aforementioned largest factions to overthrow the other two and turn the eastern part of the continent into a type of Hell-on-Earth, the difference between the various orders, how new mages are trained, how the other races use magic, how magic is scaled and graded, and about thirty other things, and I can’t cohesively put them all together because I’ve got my notes scattered over three rooms in two buildings and some things on this computer, not to mention the stuff that isn’t even written down.
>>47860102
Meant to add:
Johnny want drink and is standing by fridge < Johnny want drink and is upstairs < Johnny want drink and has none in house and his tap is shit so he has to go to the store < Johnny want drink but it's Ramadan and he's a Muslim so he can't drink water until the sun goes down or Muhammad will appear and kick him in the ass < Johnny want drink as he is wandering through the deserts of North Africa seeking that oasis he saw before his plane fell after his Breguet 14 is shot down by Rif tribesmen during the Zaian War of 1914-1921, and he is struggling to survive because of the petite-amie back home in Marseilles he left behind yet doesn't know that Rachel Mercier is struggling to make ends meet as a maid at l'hotel du cacharel while fending off the predations of Madame Clement's cowardly bullish son Philippe who managed to skirt the responsibilities of serving in the war in order to chase tail. Johnny doesn't know that the rif tribesmen chasing him include his long-lost brother Antoine whom he thought died in the slaughter of Verdun but it turns out had deserted and enlisted in the French Foreign Legion under a pseudonym and was sent to Morocco to help garrison it during the war but because of the brutalities and mistreatments of his commanding officer he went and joined the Rif Berbers in their uprising.
And johnny wants a drink of water.
>>47860102
So now, instead of a story needing an antagonist to cause conflict, which was the original claim that caused this argument that lasted like a hundred posts, our final conclusion is that having to breathe technically qualifies as conflict, because you would die otherwise before you can grab a pack of potato chips?
Wow, that sure was one slippery slope. Also, you're now breathing manually, and your back feels slightly itchy.
>>47860102
>EVERYTHING is conflict
Jesus...
>>47860188
I'm working on a magic system too. My hangup is how to make it work for players, because, when it comes to a game, simpler=better for the most part. How does your shit work?
My general idea is that:
>Each god in my setting has different schools of magic
>Each god in my setting has a different month associated with them, when their planet is closest to the settings world
>Each god has allied gods and enemy gods
>Magic associated with whatever god works best in their month, okay in their allied gods month, and horrible/not at all in their enemy gods month
>Magic requires components to cast
>Earning the favor of gods by doing shit they like, that appeals to their domains, let's you do more magic with the same components
>Earning the favor of the gods eventually turns you into a pure representation of what your respective god stands for
>>47860102
Not the original anon or any of the anons that joined the fry, but you sir are retarded. Instead of realising that not all stories need conflict, you instit on cramming a conflit into something that is running without one.
What for, aside trying to "prove" how conflicts are essential? You are literally the biggest enemy of your own argument, by showing how redundand conflict can be.
How about you grow the fuck up and stop reading self-helpbooks for aspiring writers, that give you a recipe for - surprise surprise - plot that is easy to create when you are a talentless hack.
>>47831373
>The Lagrtrolls of the red coast
>Fisheyes of Skjil
>The only known lagrtroll to ever successfully convince a Gamaltroll to help a Lagr band, Fisheyes managed to get a massive Gamaltroll to crack open the gate of a human settlement for the Lagrs to rush in an raid
>The Lagrs were quite easily slaughtered and the Gamal had gotten tired by the time combat was actually joined and wandered off but still it was quite impressive.
>Fisheyes had a saga about him but is shortened to merely a poem and then an expression "Make them die fight like fisheye!" The memory of Lagrtrolls is less than impressive.
>His eyes were actually totally normal
>>47860591
To put it briefly, this is a small part of what I have typed up at the moment.
How Humans use Magic:
Humans have a limited amount of innate life-force to draw on that is consumed when casting magic. This is one of the primary limitations on their magical strength. The other limitation is that a human can’t channel an extreme amount of energy. If they do, they’ll suffer from a type of ‘burn-out’, and lose the ability to cast magic all together.
How Humans Exceed these Limitations:
The easiest limitation to exceed is the life-force limit. This is the primary difference between the orders; they all have various ways of gaining life-force. There are, of course, many other differences too, but this is the most obvious.
For example, the largest order uses small spells to assist the general populace in exchange for a greater amount of life-force as payment. A different order, funded by the government of one of the “bulwark” states, is the state religion, and uses the various religious ceremonies to sap a small amount of life-force from the flock.
Another way to exceed these limitations is to form a pact with a spirit, god, or similar entity. These generally have a physical cost attached. For example, most spirits will take one of the eyes of a human in exchange for a small part their power. There are other reasons for spirits to make pacts with humans, but that’s an entirely different topic.
Yet another way is to simply stop being human. Perform some ghastly ritual, or sell your soul to a lich, or something like that and naturally exceed humanity.
>>47828187
>Trolleyboat
Where has this been all my life?
>>47830516
>>47830872
What exactly are the roles of Warriors and Makers? And why can't Makers marry other Makers?
>>47859630
Different anon, but The Six Bullerbyn Children comes to mind, a mandatory book in elementry.
It tells a story of titular six from titular village. It doesn't have any conflict at all. It's just bunch of mundane adventures and daily life of six children. And yet it's highly entertaining and has all the elements to qualify as gag comedy.
>>47859640
>>47860148
>>47859721
>>47859992
>>47860382
>>47860597
>>47861191
>Conflict:
>3. the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction
By definition the ANYTHING AT ALL that keeps a character from realizing their goal IMMEDIATELY is literary conflict.
Conflict does not need an antagonist (and the anon that made that claim is retarded), conflict does not need to be a fight or a war, conflict does not need to come from an outside source. Conflict is the little piece of a story that makes it a story, i.e. a sequence of events rather than a singular event.
Conflict is BY DEFINITION a part of every story. This is not hard. Learn your English. Semantics always matter.
>>47861531
Only in very few literary works does walking to the fridge give rise to any kind of dramatic action. Therefore it's usually not conflict.
>>47861531
>3. the opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the dramatic action in a drama or fiction
>dramatic action
Do you even reading comprehension, you dumb motherfucker?
>Conflict is BY DEFINITION a part of every story
What definition?
>>47861636
And only in very small minds is walking to a fridge a story.
>>47861531
>At this very moment there are people that fucking stupid on this very board
>>47861680
Only a very small mind consider conflict a necesity.
There is such marvelous genre, known as "slice of life". It can work perfectly fine, while being about walking to a fridge and making a story out of it.
But for a small mind like yours, the only stories in existence are epic adventure. After all, we are having this discussion on /tg/, so expecting someone NOT being indoctrinated into conflict-based situations that are easy to game is just asking for too much.
>>47861531
I'm out, this just has to be bait. Nobody would be this tier retarded
>>47861680
>Unironically talking about small minds
>Obsessed with having a conflict-driven story
Irony is strong in you
>>47861636
I'm not that anon >>47861531 or >>47861760 but rather the fridge one, the point I was making is to the extreme of "conflict does not have to be some incredibly dangerous or insurmountable challenge that threatens life, limb or mental well being". Conflict in a story can be as simple as a barrier to achieving whatever your goal is. Whether that is to save the kingdom from a dragon, keep your marriage together, keep your job, discover who stole the cubic zirconium diamond from the springfield museum, find the source of the nile river, or taken to the extreme yes satisfy your craving for a meal or drink.
Of course that latter story is going to pale in comparison to any kind of story with even a modicum more of conflict or even just a greater series of events than a single action. But something as mundane as having to run an errand can be a story. "Let me tell you about my day".
>>47852996
Name any story without conflict.
>>47861947
Already listed in this thread by somebody else, in the same time fulfilling also a role of gag comedy with a plot: >>47861191
So get rekt.
>>47861878
>EVERYTHING IS A CONFLICT
>Because I was told on the literary course for dummies you must insert conflict
>So even if there is none, I will still insist they is some
>>47861947
Isn't that the entire "Slice of Life" genre, or am I mistaken in my memory?
>>47861760
Slice of life stories are driven by conflict too.
Hey, ASSHOLES
We are having worldbuilding thread here. And your pointless argument is the very reason why /lit/ is cancer. How about you all go there and leave this thread for world-building ideas? Nobody gives a fuck about your literature theory.
>>47862040
They don't have to, that's the entire fucking point, you dumb motherfucker. You are confusing "can" with "must". What? Basic semantics are beyond you?
>>47862040
They might be, iyashikei usually isn't.
>>47862020
Nah I'm not basing this from some snobbish literary course. If I ever took them in the past I don't remember jack shit from it. It's just that for the purpose of the story the conflict is whatever is keeping the protagonist from achieving their goal. Conflict in Hatchet is the guy trying to keep his goal of survival and escape alive. Conflict in Dune is Muad'dib trying to avenge the murder of his father by the Harkonnen/Empire conspiracy and then his prescience of the golden path and such. Conflict in a story of you going to the store to buy some milk is either your lack of milk or traffic or the distance between you and your milk.
Also there is some (are some?), not 'they is some'.
>>47861987
The person you quoted is incorrect. The Noisey Village dose cover basic conflict with the simple adventures the children have. They always overcome these conflicts, generally fairly simply, but they do exist.
>>47862073
>>47862074
Naw, you are just wrong and don't understand basic dramatic structure. Even gag comedy, the straw you are grasping at, is driven by conflict.
Nobody's given an example of a story without conflict yet.
>>47862036
You are mistaken. Slice of life stories turn on simple, every day conflicts, but do have them.
>>47861061
"Warrior" and "Maker" are terms that don't perfectly translate to common.
A "Warrior" is one who supports their self, their dependents, and their community through strength, speed, or other bodily prowess. The most common example are the Windriders, master cavaliers who devote their lives to perfecting the art of mounted combat and raising raptors. Other examples include hunters, animals handlers, foragers, farmers, etc.
Makers are those who support the community through more technical skill. These would include clothiers, leatherworkers, toolmakers, and potters, among others. Warriors are also marked out by always having some sort of steed.
There is overlap, of course. All members of traditional Nedelvic communities both fight and work, but whether you are a Maker or a Warrior is usually clear from a very young age. Neither role is seen as more useful, masculine or feminine (sexual dimorphism is much less pronounced than in humans), they are two interlocking halves of the same circle that rely equally upon eachother.
Makers can marry eachother, I just haven't figured it out yet.
Warrior/warrior and maker/maker marriage is incredibly rare.
>>47862183
Ah, pardon my mistake then
>>47862152
>literary course for dummies
>snobbish literary course
Jesus fuck, I'm with stupid.
>It's just that for the purpose of the story the conflict is whatever is keeping the protagonist from achieving their goal
How about this - the protagonist goes for the goal. Hurray! No conflict, story happend.
And your examples are shit for a simple reason. Just like different anon noted, you are only capable of thinking in epic adventures and great action sequences.
>Conflict in a story of you going to the store to buy some milk is either your lack of milk or traffic or the distance between you and your milk.
You just MADE a conflict into a conflict-less story. Is that really so fucking hard to undestand you can tell a story about a guy going to shop, getting milk, paying for it and leaving? Bam, story happend, without ANY need for conflict. Your inability to grasp somethig so basic is just insutling to human intellect. You don't need to have a conflict or force one. You can just tell a story.
It's like you never heard about newspapers and features.
>>47862183
>Everyone is wrong
>I'm right
>Because I say so
And learn finally the difference between "can have" and "must have", because it's not funny anymore
>>47862183
>Nobody's given an example of a story without conflict yet.
Maybe because you keep repeating "this doesn't count" or cram a conflit into a story that has none just to prove that it's "better" this way or how the conflict always existed, but the poster "forget" to mention it.
Seriously, go back to /lit/.
>>47862183
Funny, because the ONLY thing you undestand is the most basic dramatic set-up and anything that goes beyond it fries your circuits.
As an exercise, why doesn't someone right here post a story that doesn't have a conflict.
>>47862183
Here, a story without conflict.
Bob went to shop. He bought a bottle of beer, paid for it and left the shop. Then he head back to his home, opened the beer, drink it and watched football for the rest of the day.
The end.
Story without a conflict. Things happend, no conflict happend. If you will add a conflict to it, that will be just it - adding a conflict to a story that has none.
>>47862334
I'd argue that most comic strips are without conflict.
So, /wbg/, what's the most alien, incomprehensible, and inhuman faction in your world? What is their end goal? Do they even have an end goal? What do they look like?
I'm working on my own Eldritch creatures, which is why I'm asking. They sleep beneath the sea, and their breath causes waves. Their backs, tails, exposed calves, tentacles, form islands, continents, archipelagos. The god of time, water, wind, and gravity controls them, and occasionally wakes them up when a threat to any of his domains arise. Smaller ones occasionally wake up, and rise from the deep in a variety of shapes and sizes in order to slay mages that could pose a potential threat. Bigger ones would only wake up in a super fucked up scenario.
Large, featureless humanoids, covered in barnacles and seaweed, Krakens with hundreds of grasping hands instead of suckers, Icebergs puttering along the ground on hundreds of unthawed feet, dripping ice revealing something terrifying trapped in there, hundreds of naked, floating humanoids that all speak as one and flatten the earth with an immense gravitational force...
I dunno, what do you guys do for your unspeakable horrors?
>>47862512
What do you mean by alien? Oddest looking, with the weirdest culture and unpredictable goals?
>>47862512
The Vagues
Nobody knows anything about them for sure
Anon, if you want something to be incomprehensible, unknown, unfamiliar and simply off, the worst thing you can do is start describing it. You are going to ruin everything with explaination.
So unspeakable horror is simply this - unspeakable horror. No definitions, no explainations, nothing.
>>47862572
Like, most far removed from humanity in terms of goals and morality. The least 'human' faction.
>>47862605
Fair enough, but, I don't want to have players really fight something they can't understand. Maybe I'll just go House of Leaves on the narration, mess up the formatting, and sub out certain words when they see it, replace the usual ambient music I play with really quiet white noise, dog whistle tones, the sound of tinnitus...
Generally make them understand that they fucked up by picking a fight with them, while still arguably giving them some control and understanding. "YOU CANNOT GRASP THE TRUE FORM" only goes so far.
>>47862512
There is an ancient vampire conspiracy that has immense importance but their motivations aren't too incomprehensible, they just want to bring back the old days where man was subjugated.
The strongest contender is ironically the Okul, the goblin/orc counterpart as a race that is generally aggressive to humans and known for piracy. Okul aren't very smart nor particularly strong either, but their importance lies in their origin. The Okul first arrived in the tricontinental realm thousands of years ago when vampire rule disintegrated, and they established colonies that eventually came to seem like it was their homeland, and most people mistakenly believe that it is. But the Okul still have some degree of contact with their leaders, even though they don't know who their leaders are. The setting takes place on an Alderson Disk, but only the Okul know this (and tricontinental Okul usually wouldn't know).
Most humans believe that there are edges to the world (in the habitable zone) and thus avoid sailing beyond certain landmarks. They aren't terribly wrong to believe this, the closest piece of land from the tricontinental realm is half an Earth away. Okul ships occasionally come to their colony from beyond the "edge of the world" in some attempt to maintain contact. No one knows how big the Okul homeland is or was, if it still stands, or if they could defeat humanity if they focused on one goal. And no one cares, either, even if they should.
>>47862512
>>47862961
By that definition, I have two things that could fit:
The first faction is that of the primordial spirit called the Storm God.
This is the worst cliché in my world so far. Indeed, I'm currently reworking it entirely. Sometimes I wear my inspirations on my sleeve, and this is one of the worst cases.
The end goal of the Storm God is to be unleashed once more. It was sealed away before the men came about by powers unknown, and the warden is long dead. In an attempt to continue the existence of life on the planet, humans maintain a useless vigil over its prison.
Nobody knows what it physically looks like. Sometimes it appears in dreams and visions to tempt and warp people into freeing it. It has been said to take the form of something close to the target. An elderly family member, a close friend, or a beloved pet, etc. Its voice is demonic, and causes panic and terror in the listener.
The few attempts that have been successful in warping an individual without driving them insane have caused the target to go on long journey to lands unknown and best forgotten in search of mysterious knowledge and eldritch items. The most successful of these attempts ended with the burning of a cultist village by a powerful religious institution, because the members of the village were warping into vile monstrosities. Think Shadow Over Innsmouth.
