r/worldbuilding Jan 15 '23

Meta PSA: The "What, and "Why" of Context

751 Upvotes

It's that time of year again!

Despite the several automated and signposted notices and warnings on this issue, it is a constant source of headaches for the mod team. Particularly considering our massive growth this past year, we thought it was about time for another reminder about everyone's favorite part of posting on /r/worldbuilding..... Context


Context is a requirement for almost all non-prompt posts on r/worldbuilding, so it's an important thing to understand... But what is it?

What is context?

Context is information that explains what your post is about, and how it fits into the rest of your/a worldbuilding project.

If your post is about a creature in your world, for example, that might mean telling us about the environment in which it lives, and how it overcomes its challenges. That might mean telling us about how it's been domesticated and what the creature is used for, along with how it fits into the society of the people who use it. That might mean telling us about other creatures or plants that it eats, and why that matters. All of these things give us some information about the creature and how it fits into your world.

Your post may be about a creature, but it may be about a character, a location, an event, an object, or any number of other things. Regardless of what it's about, the basic requirement for context is the same:

  • Tell us about it
  • Tell us something that explains its place within your world.

In general, telling us the Who, What, When, Why, and How of the subject of your post is a good way to meet our requirements.

That said... Think about what you're posting and if you're actually doing these things. Telling us that Jerry killed Fred a century ago doesn't do these things, it gives us two proper nouns, a verb, and an arbitrary length of time. Telling us who Jerry and Fred actually are, why one killed the other, how it was done and why that matters (if it does), and the consequences of that action on the world almost certainly does meet these requirements.

For something like a resource, context is still a requirement and the basic idea remains the same; Tell us what we're looking at and how it's relevant to worldbuilding. "I found this inspirational", is not adequate context, but, "This article talks about the history of several real-world religions, and I think that some events in their past are interesting examples of how fictional belief systems could develop, too." probably is.

If you're still unsure, feel free to send us a modmail about it. Send us a copy of what you'd like to post, and we can let you know if it's okay, or why it's not.

Why is Context Required?

Context is required for several reasons, both for your sake and ours.

  • Context provides some basic information to an audience, so they can understand what you're talking about and how it fits into your world. As a result, if your post interests them they can ask substantive questions instead of having to ask about basic concepts first.

  • If you have a question or would like input, context gives people enough information to understand your goals and vision for your world (or at least an element of it), and provide more useful feedback.

  • On our end, a major purpose is to establish that your post is on-topic. A picture that you've created might be very nice, but unless you can tell us what it is and how it fits into your world, it's just a picture. A character could be very important to your world, but if all you give us is their name and favourite foods then you're not giving us your worldbuilding, you're giving us your character.

Generally, we allow 15 minutes for context to be added to a post on r/worldbuilding so you may want to write it up beforehand. In some cases-- Primarily for newer users-- We may offer reminders and additional time, but this is typically a one-time thing.


As always, if you've got any sort of questions or comments on this topic, feel free to leave them here!


r/worldbuilding 11h ago

Prompt A capital inside a caldera gets one harbor, almost no flat land and nowhere to retreat. Who ends up with the real power?

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1.1k Upvotes

r/worldbuilding 38m ago

Resource My shipdesign tool/game that allows you to take the ships you design for your world and use them commercially is releasing tommorow

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Upvotes

So this is going to require some explaining. I love boats and worldbuilding (airships too) and I love doing that for my own projects, but also creating creative tools and games that allow others to create their own worlds and fantasies. Usually this ends up overlapping in a game that centers around my own universe. But I started making a ship design game and it's all gotten a little bit out of hand.

I love boats, transport is a lush topic for Worldbuilding regardless, it communicates technology, geography and the challenge of a world's environment.

So shipshaper turned into fun hybrid between tool and game where anyone can create the ships needed for their worldbuilding. Its fun and requires no skill other than storytelling. You can even test the ships you design to test their seaworthiness and ground your design in plausible usage.

And the special Kicker I wanted to add. You can export your creation to 3D printer files or gameready 3d Models,, and then you get to use your creation commercially, you own it and you can pull it into a 3D program, make a new game, print minis for your tabletop, I don't care, this is yours to use and sell and adapt..

Anyway it's going live tommorow on Steam, it's called ShipShaper. It features no AI-Gen, it's procedural generaton a la tiny glade but for ships. It's got a full selection of historical and fantasy items all handcrafted by myself and stretchable and adaptable so anyone can make something great.

I won't post the steam link, because I will await any mod reactions if I am crossing a line here. But I've posted my own world here before and shown this tool also.. But now that it's live it's something else.

But check it out, a quick google for ShipShaper should do you the steampage. And it's super easy to use and its going to be very cheap and give you a brand new tool in your arsenal.. Especially if you are not handy with 3D tools like blender but do want ships to be featured in your world

(cuz ships are awesome to design and mess around with!)


r/worldbuilding 3h ago

Question I’m looking for an ironic “out of touch” name for a giant shield. Ideally, it should be based on literature, mythology or religion. Any ideas?

102 Upvotes

My story takes place on a planet which is habitable, just difficult to live on. Think something like Arrakis. The people live in biodomes that are pretty pleasant, and fear going outside the walls (maybe something like Aeon Flux)

The name of these domes is important though. I need it to have an “ironic” or “out of touch” type of name, and with the vibe of being an engineering codename like you’d see on a tech product

To explain further: the company palantir is named after an all seeing crystal ball in lord of the rings. The irony is that, in the plot of lord of the rings, saruman becomes corrupted and turns into an agent of sauron

Another example: OpenAI named one specific model after Arrakis. This is very strange given that in the Dune novels, one thing they make abundantly clear is that anything like AI is strictly forbidden in this world

Or if you wanna be really blunt, there’s a joke on the internet about companies being like “our company is making the torment nexus from the famous sci fi book ‘for the love of god don’t build the torment nexus’!”, that sort of vibe

I’m looking for a similar name for this biodome shield. I want it to be ironic in reference to how it makes people feel “safe” and “secure”. However, it’s really just the opposite; it doesn’t make people feel safe at all

Two ideas I had were the “Troy defense system”, but that doesn’t sound quite right. I also considered Thermopolae defense system, with the irony being that the Spartans lost that battle. It’s my best match so far, but I’d like some ideas if anyone has any


r/worldbuilding 5h ago

Lore Getting through my character designs so that I can work on other stuff - Vessel biology

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146 Upvotes

"And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them"

Vessels is a classification of immortal entities with human form in my forever war world building. They were once humans from a pre civilization long before recorded history, but chosen as appropriate vessels to preserve fragments of a dead, nameless god against their volitions.

There are currently around 8 vessels, each represents an aspect of the god corpse: heart, brain, eyes, bones, muscles etc.

Although these properties vary between different vessels, they have in common: strength, durability, reflex and speed that surpasses any human. (To put in warhammer terms, they are the primarchs of the setting)

It is not physically possible to kill a vessel, as they possess unnatural regeneration that allows them to recover from all forms of damage. It is best recommended to attempt psychological methods to break their mind, or use alchemical/ abyssal-origin relics to sedate their healing factor (temporarily). Cease all attempts to kill them as you can only try to contain them.

Cursed to forever walk the earth, some chose to embody hope, some embraced psychosis or worship; this one however, embodied war.

Aleski (mc). Vessel of the heart, representing memory and identity, and has the strongest healing factor out of all Vessels

His ‘special’ form involves tapping into his pre-amnesia personality, the ‘mask of self’ slowly grows over his face until fully covered. He wears no mask because a manifestation of war needs no face.


r/worldbuilding 11h ago

Visual Character Concepts for "Djaiko" — (my Sci-Fi Webcomic project)

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372 Upvotes

I've been building the world of Djaiko, my sci-fi webcomic universe, for quite a while, and this time I'd like to share some of the characters who inhabit it.

These are still character concept drawings rather than final comic pages, (execpt for the last entry showing 2 characters in final design on a comic page). They range from military personnel and members of the King's Guard to diplomats, civilians and some of the more unusual inhabitants of the setting.

A few of them have already appeared in previous worldbuilding posts, while others are being introduced here for the first time.

One thing I particularly enjoy about this setting is that I don't want everyone to look like they came from the same military catalogue. Different species, cultures, professions and personalities should all be visible in the designs.

All artwork is hand-drawn traditionally with fineliner and markers.

Who would you be most interested in seeing more of?

If you're new to the project: Rico de Vaellis and Djaiko are at the center of the story, and my previous posts go into more detail about the world and its characters.

world-> https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1vp6gp0/cenex_and_al_fareen_building_a_believable/

moods-> https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1vro4pg/character_worldbuilding_moods_from_the_world_of/

(ground)combat concepts-> https://www.reddit.com/r/worldbuilding/comments/1vxvcpt/ground_combat_in_djaiko_early_concepts_for/


r/worldbuilding 4h ago

Lore The Magic System of my worldbuilding - Damn Wizards

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73 Upvotes

The manipulation of the Astral, when combined with a specific intention and sensation, allows a wizard or witch to perform spells. For example, to cast a healing spell, the caster must genuinely desire for the target to be healed; otherwise, the spell will fail. This process requires control and concentration, and can be facilitated by various aids, most notably the use of Magical Instruments, which refine and optimize the manifestation of the Astral. One of the fundamental principles of magic is the understanding that spells cannot create, only alter, manipulate, and project.

Every spell requires a certain amount of vital energy to be performed. The higher its degree, the greater the effort required for its execution. If a wizard or witch pushes far beyond their capabilities, they may suffer permanent consequences or even die.

Types

Spells are divided into three main types and one unknown:

  • Common Spells — everyday spells intended for practical purposes that are not inherently destructive.
  • Power Spells — spells of a destructive and potentially lethal nature, primarily used against highly dangerous magical threats and subject to strict control by the Magical Chamber.
  • Global Spells — manifestations of extraordinary scale, capable of affecting large regions or even the entire world. Their execution requires the combined efforts of several exceptionally powerful wizards.
  • Astral Spells — still unknown.

Disciplines

Regardless of their type, spells can be classified according to their discipline. The main disciplines are:

  • Manipulations — spells intended to move, control, or directly interact with objects and beings.
  • Restorations — spells used to repair, reconstruct, or restore objects, structures, or beings to their previous state.
  • Transformations — spells capable of altering the form, composition, or properties of objects and beings.
  • Protections — spells intended to protect individuals, objects, or locations from physical or magical threats, creating barriers, shields, and other forms of defense.
  • Enchantments — spells that alter the physical, emotional, or psychological state of an individual or object.
  • Necromancy — spells that interact exclusively with the Supernatural.

Dangers

For a spell to be successfully performed, the wizard or witch must be able to clearly manifest the intention and sensation associated with that spell. The greater the complexity of the magic, the greater the control required to execute it correctly.

If the intention is not properly manifested, the spell may simply fail or produce a result different from what was intended. In more serious situations, its manifestation may turn against the caster.

The consequences of an incorrect casting vary according to the type and degree of the spell. They may result in unwanted effects, injuries to the wizard or witch, or, in extreme cases — especially those involving Power Spells — even death.

Spell Degrees

Each spell has a degree that determines, among other factors, its power and difficulty of execution. There are three degrees:

  • 3rd degree — the lowest.
  • 2nd degree — intermediate.
  • 1st degree — the highest.

The higher the degree, the greater the spell's power and the amount of energy required to perform it tend to be. Its intensity can manifest in different ways, such as greater duration, range, area of effect, or power.

Only 1st-degree spells are capable of producing permanent Enchantments. Lower-degree spells tend to produce temporary effects or remain active for as long as the wizard or witch continues to supply energy to maintain them.

Aids

There are various resources capable of assisting a wizard or witch in the manifestation of a spell. These resources primarily serve to make the intention required for its execution clearer and more precise.

One of the most common aids is incantation, in which the name or formula of the spell is spoken aloud. Another is gestures, which use specific movements to aid concentration and direct the Astral.

These methods are especially used by wizards and witches in training, as they make it easier to understand and correctly execute spells. With experience, a caster can gradually become less dependent on these aids.

Casting Methods

There are two main ways of performing a spell: the Instrumental method and the Natural method:

Instrumental

The Instrumental method is by far the most widely used form of spellcasting in Wizarding Society. In this method, the wizard or witch uses a magical instrument to channel the Astral, allowing the spell to be refined before its manifestation.

This refinement significantly reduces the caster's energetic strain compared to the Natural method, making the use of spells far more practical and efficient in everyday life.

The quality of the instrument also influences the casting. Although a spell cast through a magical instrument can never reach the same level of power as one cast naturally, more sophisticated instruments, or those made from materials with a greater affinity for the Astral, preserve much more of the spell's natural power and further reduce the amount of energy required to perform it.

Among all Magical Instruments, wands are the most widely used. Their flexibility, precision, and portability quickly allowed them to surpass traditional instruments such as staffs, scepters, and rods, making them the primary means of spellcasting in Wizarding Society.

Natural

The Natural method consists of performing a spell without the aid of any magical instrument, using only one's own body to channel and manifest the Astral.

Because it does not undergo the refinement provided by an instrument, this manifestation is considered the purest and most raw form of a spell. As a consequence, its power tends to be greater, but its energy consumption is also significantly higher.

Although any wizard can attempt to perform a spell naturally, few possess the vigor and control necessary to do so efficiently. Even fewer are capable of using it consistently.

Throughout history, only a handful of wizards and witches have been documented as being capable of completely abandoning Magical Instruments, performing their spells exclusively through the Natural method. Reaching such a level of mastery may require many decades of practice, experience, and refinement of one's connection to the Astral.


r/worldbuilding 7h ago

Visual [monolitheon] The Snailperson

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89 Upvotes

r/worldbuilding 1h ago

Question What Should New York City be known in everyday language in my roughly medieval post-post Appocalypse?

Upvotes

The city would control most of the tri-state area and some of the Hudson Valley, sharing a permeable border with the Phillidelphian sphere of influence and the less urbanized New English Communities. My explorer writing a travelogue will be from Utah so he also wont be able to fully understand them. My top thoughts are currently.

New York

New York City

The Five Burroughs

The City

Dasiti

Any other thoughts?


r/worldbuilding 7h ago

Question When you think Pirate themed Fantasy Race/Species, what comes to mind?

61 Upvotes

For me it's:

  • Orcs (Because of Warcraft 2 and Warhammer 40k's Freebootaz)
  • Parrot/Bird Race (Feels like a solid one)
  • Merfolk

What about you all?


r/worldbuilding 21h ago

Visual A planet simulator that runs in your browser

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634 Upvotes

I've been working on a planet simulator that runs in the browser. It procedurally generates planets with plate tectonics, climate and weather, hydrology, erosion, and biomes.

My goal was to allow a seamless transition from orbit to surface level standing height, though there are still noticeable artifacts in places. I plan to continue filling out the surface details, replacing placeholders, and allowing you to orbit/explore the moon(s). The universe is quite large, so there's still a lot to do.

I also added the ability to create planets from Wonderdraft files. I made a post showing that process here on r/wonderdraft.

A few tips to get oriented:

  • Alternate between orbit cam and fly cam via the sidebar (or press C)
  • Press the sidebar compass for a tour of your planet (or press T)
  • Hide clouds via the sidebar (or press K)
  • Scrub time forward/back by dragging the yellow indicator around the clock's play/pause button

You can make your own at https://play.dharby.com/x/terrella if you're interested. I hope you enjoy it.


r/worldbuilding 5h ago

Lore Lazy Days in Lumeria - The Arched Path

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34 Upvotes
  • Lumeria is a portion of a 300km wide band-like zone (also called a Goldilocks zone), circling a tidally locked planet, trapped between its forever sunlit half and its other dark half, buried in eternal night. The zone is called The Strip.
  • The corridor of life wobbles sometimes due to tectonic activity and as a side effect, towns and living areas are swallowed either by scorching heat or unbearable frost, making the border zone unstable.
  • “Humans “ live in the middle zone. They are the mutated descendants of ancient colonists forced to crash-land on this planet

They say you are safe once you manage to escape the perilous roads bordering the Sacrificed Lake ,once you reach The Arched path. The path follows the endless River for some time. beneath the soft and translucent arches.

Caravans and parties use it to catch their breath till the next step of the journey and by some unwritten rule, the violence is forbidden. It seems that the unwritten rule was rather enforced trough trial and error.

No perilous animals can come near this place and if you ignore the sudden circles of light popping into random places and aerials that cloud the sky, the place is rather romantic.


r/worldbuilding 1d ago

Meta This subreddit is not what I was expecting

1.9k Upvotes

I really joined this subreddit assuming that it was going to be about talking about the world building as a craft, techniques, debate, discussion, tools, etc. But it feels like 90% of the time it's just people sharing this setting or talking about writing a book... or bragging about their setting while framing it as a discussion.

Does anyone know why it's like this? Or does anyone else feel the same way, or do you know of a place like what I'm looking for?

I honestly just do not care about these random setting or sharing what is in the setting... but the hobby and craft itself.


r/worldbuilding 4h ago

Visual Character for a horror survival story that I’m working on

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26 Upvotes

A desperate farmer is forced into an invading army after his home is destroyed. Sent into forgotten ruins under the promise of a simple reconnaissance mission, he discovers a living nightmare beneath the earth—and records his struggle to survive in the pages of his wife’s final gift.


r/worldbuilding 5h ago

Question How do I build?

24 Upvotes

I know about the whole "a true worldbuilder procrastinates all day" joke but how do you guys actually make something?
I'm kinda lost on how this whole process works. Like where do you put the lore? This question may sound dumb but the longer I thought about it the more I’m confused. I have disconnected ideas and concepts that seem interesting on their own but it just feels like there's no right way to glue them together into one coherent world. It's like laying the groundwork for a city but the architects can't even decide where to place the first brick. They're too uncertain whether the frame would interfere or block potential future buildings or if the core structure is solid enough to withstand the rest. Because if you commit to one idea as groundwork, you establish some baseline. Does there have to be a theme across your entire world? Is it bad if you try to shoehorn a theme to a bunch of superglued ideas? Should you avoid supergluing? I've written drafts and little segments of concepts but none of them ever feel like the real thing, just disjointed experiments. Sorry if this sounds silly but this is an honest problem I have. I've got ideas but I just can't make them. How do y’all escape this cycle (if you do)?


r/worldbuilding 5h ago

Lore The Rise and Fall of the Uoppeniosntra Empire (324–433): From Conquests to the Great Ash

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17 Upvotes

The Collapse of the Old Order and the Rise of Ehzism (390–402)

  • Year 390. The continent is dominated by the colossal Pendics Empire. At the absolute zenith of its military might, it expands its borders northward, aggressively invading the sovereign lands of Kepets Dihasia.
  • Year 394. A massive domestic rebellion erupts within the overextended empire. Seizing the chaos, the rebellious northern province of Vi breaks away and declares independence.
  • Year 401. The revolutionaries completely dismantle the remnants of the old imperial regime. On the shores of Uop Bay, a new sovereign nation named Uopp is born. However, the young country finds itself immediately encircled by hostile neighbors.
  • Year 402. A radical, ruthless leader named Hitpo seizes absolute control. He establishes a totalitarian ideology known as Ehzism (Ехизм), centered around the core dogma of the absolute supremacy of Uopp rights over all foreign peoples.
    • The Kochev System (Housing Totalitarianism): Hitpo divides the nation into autonomous housing sectors. The populace is given an illusion of choice—they can decide which building or commune to live in. However, each housing unit is strictly ruled by a powerful state official called a Kochev, who unilaterally dictates harsh rules, micro-laws, and exorbitant taxes.
    • The Name Purge: To cement his rule, Hitpo systematically renames all captured and rebuilt cities using words derived from the root "hipp" (such as the southern city of Hippe).

The Age of Iron Campaigns (404–407)

  • Year 404 — The First & Second Cepets-Uopp Wars. Hitpo launches a devastating blitzkrieg to the north. To secure his southern flank, he deliberately provokes Giurzotaq Dihasia. Driven by a radical military doctrine and a total restructuring of the army, Uopp forces strike with blinding speed. In the First War, Kepets loses half its territory; in the Second War, it is entirely liquidated and annexed into Uopp.
  • Year 406 — The Sioukol Warson. Turning his gaze to the previously provoked Giurzotaq Dihasia, Hitpo delivers a crushing blow, tearing away an immense portion of their northern and central territories. Simultaneously, the regime initiates the rapid construction of strategic port cities along the coast of the Urkuda Sea.
  • Year 407 — The Foken Rovn Incident. Hitpo attempts a highly cynical diplomatic gamble with the southern superpower, Egsists. He sells prisoners of war into captivity in exchange for their northern borderlands, aiming to secure and shorten the Uopp coastline. Egsists takes the prisoners but betrays the deal, refusing to hand over the land. Hitpo weaponizes this through furious state propaganda ("They have stolen our nationalists and our historic lands!") and declares war. However, the exhausted Uopp military suffers its first devastating defeat. Hitpo is forced to sign a humiliating non-aggression pact.

Post-Truth and Extermination (410–417)

  • Year 410 — The Treaty of Paim. Realizing he cannot defeat Egsists by force, Hitpo secretly travels to the capital of the southern ruler, Jess (centered around Jessp). Hitpo literally drops to his knees, begging for the northern lands in exchange for paying massive, permanent taxes (tribute) to Egsists. Jess accepts the highly lucrative terms. Upon returning home, Hitpo's propaganda machine completely flips the truth, announcing that the ruler of Egsists wept and begged Hitpo to take the lands. State historians are forced to officially record this grand lie into the annals.
  • Years 412–417 — The Five Years War. Uopp launches a grueling, five-year war of attrition against the heavily weakened Giurzotaq Dihasia. In 417, Dihasia finally capitulates, surrendering another massive expanse of land on the western front.
  • Year 415 — The Expedition of Kost (The Derhit Genocide). Desperate to solve a severe domestic famine, Hitpo forcibly deports thousands of farmers to the fertile eastern coastlines. Within twenty-four hours, the indigenous, primitive tribes—the Derhits—brutally slaughter the new colonists. In retaliation, Hitpo deploys regular army legions for a total pacification campaign.
    • The Grim Ritual: Uopp soldiers act with extreme cruelty, destroying villages and enslaving survivors. They practice a terrifying tradition: gouging out the eyes of defeated enemies with sharp objects so they can never fight back. Hitpo eventually bans this practice out of sheer pragmatism—blind slaves are useless for the heavy labor desperately needed by the wartime economy. By the end of the year, the remaining Derhits are driven into exile, the famine is resolved, and the event is permanently branded in history as the genocide known as "Kost".

The Great Western March and the Ultimate Betrayal (421–427)

  • Years 421–422 — The Fenrzias Sea Enter. Driven by a manic thirst for glory, Hitpo personally leads a 5,000-strong expeditionary force into the uncharted west, promising his troops they will find another sea, though he had no proof. The march begins disastrously through boiling, barren deserts, but the tyrant refuses to retreat. In 422, they finally break through to the Fenrzias Sea. Uopp builds a fleet, but due to the suffocating heat and the nightmarish logistics of crossing the desert, the region remains economically inactive for trade, serving only as an isolated military outpost.
  • Years 426–427 — The Coastal Campaign & Egsists-Uopp War. Uopp armies march along the southern coastline, inadvertently breaching the borders of Egsists. Terrified of a full-scale war, Hitpo once again drops to his knees before Jess, begging for forgiveness and pledging total vassalage. Jess pardons him. Hitpo, however, was only buying time. Later that same year, learning that Egsists has suddenly fractured due to severe internal instability, Hitpo tears up the contract, stabs his neighbor in the back, and seizes a massive piece of their southeastern territory.
    • The Huta Standoff: While Uopp technically gains access to the Huta Sea, Egsists imposes a ruthless naval blockade. The waters remain unusable for
    • Uopp, save for a few daring smugglers who are quickly driven back.
  • Year 324 — Unification of North Uopp / The annexation of Iouk. Hitpo initiates the northern expansion, targeting a recently formed mountainous nation called Iouk. Suffering from a catastrophic famine and shortage of provisions, the leadership of Iouk agrees to a diplomatic annexation after Hitpo promises to supply them with all necessary resources and food. However, Hitpo completely breaks his promise, leaving the region starving. To prevent a rebellion, the regime establishes a heavy military presence, constantly threatening the local population with brutal suppression if they dare to revolt.

Sparks of Truth and the Ash of Empire (430–433)

  • Year 430. At the absolute peak of his territorial empire, ruler Hitpo unexpectedly dies from an incurable disease. The heavily brainwashed nation plunges into deep mourning, terrified of an uncertain future without a designated successor.
  • Year 431 — The Retribution of Hejjis. An authoritative historian named Hejjis, who previously documented the kings of Egsists, migrates into Uopp. Traveling through the cities, he is stunned by the sheer scale of state deception. Hejjis openly tells the citizens the truth: "Your great god Hitpo crawled on his knees and paid tribute to our king." When the fanatical public demands proof, Hejjis presents stolen, highly classified state documents bearing Hitpo's own personal signature. Completely shattered by the revelation, an enraged mob storms Hitpo’s grand mausoleum, digs up his corpse, and publicly burns it to ashes.
  • Year 433 — The Great Fire of Deuinklo Dol and the Collapse of Ehzism. The sparks from the tyrant's burning corpse ignite a catastrophic fire. The flames spread wildly, consuming homes and massive government structures. Because of the insane restrictions of the Ehzist regime, fire had been completely banned or heavily restricted in daily civilian life. Consequently, the people of Uopp had never learned how to put out fires. The empire possessed zero firefighting tools, knowledge, or organizations. The citizens could only watch in terror as their premier southern metropolis, Deuinklo Dol, burned entirely to the ground.
  • The Aftermath: Confronted with the absolute ruin brought upon them by a dictatorship built on lies, the people completely overthrow the Kochev system and permanently abandon the ideology of Ehzism. From the literal ashes of the old empire, a softer, significantly more humane, and open government is established.
  • If you enjoyed this lore, feel free to check out my profile for more maps, country histories like Empiren juq, and more events!

r/worldbuilding 14h ago

Prompt What are some running themes in your worlds?

69 Upvotes

I realized that a running theme in my world is people turning their curse into their source of power. What about you? Do your works have running themes? And were they deliberate or accidental?


r/worldbuilding 7h ago

Discussion What happens in your world when a place officially stops existing, but people keep living there?

16 Upvotes

I’ve been working on a region in my setting where the government redrew provincial borders after a war and quietly removed several tiny settlements from official maps.

One of them, Ravelin, still has around 600 people living there.

The road signs were taken down. The nearest administration insists their addresses technically belong to another town 40 km away. Mail arrives only because the same postal worker has been doing the route for years. Birth certificates use the neighboring municipality. Utility crews still know where to go, but new employees occasionally show up convinced the village doesn’t exist.

The residents have leaned into it. Businesses print “Ravelin” on receipts even though that name has no legal status. Locals repaint an old roadside sign every time somebody removes it. Teenagers joke that crimes committed there don’t count because “you can’t arrest someone in a place that isn’t real.”

Obviously that last part isn’t true, but the attitude is becoming part of the town’s identity.

It made me curious about worlds where geography and bureaucracy disagree.

Do you have settlements, districts, borders or entire regions that officially disappeared while people simply carried on living there?


r/worldbuilding 5h ago

Discussion What is main form of magic in your world?

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10 Upvotes

r/worldbuilding 15m ago

Discussion Is it bad to use art found on Google Images or Pintrest for your hobby?

Upvotes

I'm just a little out of the loop, and would love to hear the general consensus.

Obviously AI art really shouldn't be getting used, but for those perfectionists out there who lack a single artistic bone in their body- drawing your own characters or ideas as stick figures really isn't too appealing.

And while I DO want to hire an artist... at the end of the day this is a hobby, and professional artists are incredibly expensive- far too expensive for a 23 yr old.

SO, with all that mind-

If I went online and just found a cool creature design, regional map, or city/kingdom image- should I be reaching out to those artists to ask if I can use it for my small time hobby? What if I can't find the artist?

If I wanted to share my writing here, and I attached a picture found through that, what would the feedback be? I can assume it'd be bad, but I'm just looking for engagement and feedback, and typically thats more common when a picture reference involved.

(Before someone says- "You should just make your own art! Learn to draw! Take some classes! Who cares if its bad?" Sadly, i do. Plus its just not enjoyable for me. I love to write and worldbuild, but anytime I've tried to draw my imagination, I've just lost interest over the final product. Just a bit of a perfectionist.)

(Also 100000% would never try to pass off any art as something done by me. Of course id keep their signature or reference them somewhere.)


r/worldbuilding 13h ago

Lore I’m building a brand new sci-fi world known as Age of the Titan.

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33 Upvotes

(I am reposting this in accordance to the mods request that I do more world building so anyone can understand this post. I’ve built a massive world so I cannot possibly fit every idea in here, but I’ve added substantially more and I’m happy to answer questions about the world)

I wanted to share my latest world building project. It’s a brand new science fiction universe in the great genre and I want to explain how it works:

The context is that this is a world set 1000 years in the future and humanity is on the run. Specifically, a branch of our species has found a hidden planet, a world called Tertullia, where they believe they are safe from the alien clan that is hunting them, the Vogrom. Humans on planet Tertullia have built a new culture based on pride, the stars, and the all important black line—the thread of fate that controls destiny and works in ways humanity has yet to come to understand. They have an annual festival dedicated to worship of the black line and this void has chosen members of the Tertullians (but I can get into that later).

All of this takes place in the Milky Way galaxy. Humanity has colonized many planets and is separated from one another. There are also alien clans that reside in our galaxy, one is known as the Barbum, who look human other than their very long arms. They have their own religion, which is largely rooted in ancient scripture which speaks of the end times. The Barbum consist of all males, except for one female survivor, as their clan was fractured by a civil war where the insurgents murdered every female member of the species and only left one alive but sterilized as an act of rebellion. They are a warrior clan, and have also battled the primary antagonist, the Vogrom for many centuries. Both clans are to be feared for they both are formidable and dangerous foes in war.

The Vogrom are even more fanatical than the Barbum. They consist of an insect alien species with four arms and hardened carapace. They belong to a polytheistic religion called Shael’dok. Their primary god of war and victory is named Shaelix. Their scripture orders them to annihilate the disbelievers and so with their mighty armada, they make war upon all other star systems. They originate from planet Daju, a desert planet with massive oceans and rivers. Their greatest companions in the worldly realm are the flameflies as seen in the dark-themed sequel cover. Much like how dogs are to humans, the same goes for flameflies for Daju aliens.

All of this world building is designed so that each faction has reason to clash with the others. Humanity is weaker, but they are developing a superweapon founded upon the strange power of the void, the same black line they worship. It’s called Project Phoenix. It isn’t ready, but it’s getting close to completion. The problem is that the Vogrom is closing in on planet Tertullia, and time is running short.

The orange-themed image is the first book drawn by a digital artist. It features Sergeant Louis Wolffe at its center with another character, a kind of enchantress named Bellona, standing by his side. The alien in the foreground is Supreme Commander Kaelith Sothrak, the Daju leader of the Vogrom clan. Then the machine monster arms belong to the monster of the void, the Tornak, yet another antagonist who appears in the book. They are all on planet Tertullia in the image and the mountain ranges of the planet are behind them.

The dark-themed image is the sequel cover drawn by the same digital artist. It features the main character Sovereign Kaelith Sothrak kneeling before the elders of a rival clan, the Mezrathi.
These elders do not accept his presence on planet Jugong, for they view his rule over the Vogrom clan to be unearned and false. Kaelith kneels before the Mezrathi elders, asking for their blessing, before he will go to climb the mountains of his dreams as seen in the background.
The journey he must go on is perilous, as he traverses ranges that are far more hazardous than the Himalayas. Along the way he will encounter the void, and he will forever be changed by his encounter with it.

Link to the first book:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0GWTD71HG

By the way, 0% Al slop involved in the covers. You can check out the artist's work on Fiverr, his name is Unos and he's got a vast portfolio. He deserves more business.


r/worldbuilding 30m ago

Visual D.I.A.R. Are Your Friends

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Upvotes

r/worldbuilding 12h ago

Lore Empire of War WW1 tank design [refined version]

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27 Upvotes

Land Cruiser type-1:

Front armor:15mm

Side armor:12mm

Rear armor: 8mm

Engine: HVK 125 engine/125 HP engine

Crew: 10

Crew types: 1 driver,2 MG turret gunner's,2 gunners, 2 loaders, 2 MG loaders, 1 radio operator

Weapon: 4.7cm L/15 cannon or 47mm L/15 cannon, .50cal MG

Design: half rhomboid design, reason to put 2 MG turrets to remove blind spots and the bogie suspension system was covered by the side skirts, and has -6.1° and +18° btw it means gun depression and elevation

Edeltraud FT-1:

Front armor:13mm slope at 58°

Side armor:9mm

Rear armor:6mm

Engine: HVK 90 engine/90 HP engine

Crew: 4

Crew types: 1 driver, 1 gunner/MG gunner, 1 loader, 1 radio operator

Weapon: 3.7cm L/12 cannon or 37mm cannon, .50cal MG

Design : 1 turret and has 5 crew and has the bogie suspension system was covered by the side skirts, engine located at the rear turtle at the middle and the driver is located at the front and has -6.9° and +19° btw it means gun depression and elevation


r/worldbuilding 13h ago

Question Do you incorporate your culture in your conworld?

28 Upvotes

In my conworld I incorporate our culture specially our own folklore. I replaced elf, goblin, giant, dwarf, ogre and nature spirit with engkanto, dwende, higante, enano, busaw and diwata respectively. I also used weapons that are found in our culture like kali sticks and ginunting (scissor swords) from arnis or eskrima; kampilan (a kind of bolo) and kalasag (a kind of shield), keris (wavy dagger) and kalis (wavy sword) from Moro people; baslay (fishing trident) for fishing; sibat (throwing spear) and sulpot (blowpipe) for hunting.


r/worldbuilding 1d ago

Visual The gift that is Glitter

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345 Upvotes