Fantasy World: Your Truths
Choose one of the options from each section. These are Your Truths about your fantasy world.
Far in the past, the Gods created the universe, walked the land and communed with men. But something happened a long time ago, and now they are gone. Or dormant. People still believe in their existence, but their influence is not obvious or manifest in the day to day life.
The creators of everything are still very much alive and influencing the lives of the people. They might be high up in their mount olympus or walking among men. They are definitely present and no one can deny it. Most have a first or second hand anecdote of an encounter with the Gods. They direct our lives through scheming, trickery or commandment, and we are mere pawns in their long games.
It’s unclear on how the universe was created. Some believe it’s a conjunction of energies or a coincidence of the flux of extraplanar forces. What is certain is that there are no gods per sé; the forces at work are not sentient and there is no intelligent design behind anything.
Some fantastical ancestries
Early on in the history of the world, different races interacted and forged a culture of their own. Now they mostly keep to themselves, but you can see the occasional traveller or adventurer of a fantastical ancestry if you look in the right places.
Lots of fantastical species
The world is teeming with different cultures and fantastical races. The diversity of species makes it impossible for anyone to be able to claim that they’ve seen every member of every culture that exists. Every new one can surprise you with their magical abilities or traits.
Only humans with different cultures
There are no fantastical species that coexist with the kingdoms of men. There are several diverse cultures of humans, of course, but their differences are not physical or magical: They have the same capabilities no matter their origin or ascendancy.
Civilization is scattered across the land. Most people rarely have contact with anyone outside their own small steading or village, and strangers are viewed with deep suspicion. Each outpost is a dim point of light, surrounded by grim dangers.
Smaller villages and towns are connected to keeps or hamlets, owned by lords or barons. Regular people give their allegiance and surplus to them in exchange of protection. Some traders or travelling caravans roam the routes between these bastions of civilization.
Great city-states dominate whole regions or swaths of land. People live mostly inside these citadels, or in the periphery as farming and cattle providers for the enormous population that dwell inside the great walls. Trade routes are constantly occupied by caravans and travellers of all sorts.
There’s a King that rules over all the known lands. The regions are divided in Duchies and Baronies, and each pays tribute to the crown, levying taxes from the people. If you live on their lands, you are their vassal, and owe part of your life and production to them, who in turn provide security… some times. The kingdom might be waging war against an specific enemy, but it is probably an outsider culture or external force.
There are several noble houses or clans. Their leaders and high-classes are mostly family based or connected by marriage; But no single personality rules over the others. Politics and favors play a huge role in civilization. Small wars are waged constantly between those in which diplomacy has failed. Alliances form as fast as they break, and back-stabbing has a whole different meaning. Common people are not tied to the higher classes and can move freely among their lands, as long as they don’t fall into slavery for different reasons.
Leadership is as varied as the people. Some communities are governed by the head of a powerful family. Or, they have a council of elders who make decisions and settle disputes. In others, the priests hold sway. For some, it is duels in the circle that decide. Others designate a Seneschal or Major to take the decisions for a town or settlement.
Magic is extremely rare. Adventurers know it exists since they often come in contact with its manifestations, but your heroes won’t be able to harness any sort of mystical forces.
Magic is wondrous, but not everyone has access to it. People might know about it but treat it with suspicion or even fear. Those who harness magic do so by either studying arcane arts or by channeling a mystical inner calling that’s passed by blood or by the gift of the gods.
Most people even benefit indirectly from it in their day to day lives. The government hires wizards to get advantages in war or defense, or even to improve their life as a stand-in for advanced technology. Your heroes able in sorcery are one of the many that exploit it to get an edge, and might even be part of an organization or guild that regulates its use. Magic can be like any other commodity, available for hire or as services used by those who can pay.
A few still make signs or mumble prayers out of habit or tradition, but most believe the gods either never existed or long abandoned us. If there are believers out there, they are fanatics or cultists that mistake occultism for adoration.
many religions and pantheons
The people believe and follow different religions and adore many gods. Not one manages to step over the others, even when many of their believers try to impose their beliefs over others. Common people are used to pray to different gods, old and new, for what each can provide or is most known to govern.
A single religion rules over all others. Those that don’t follow the strict dogmas of their beliefs are hunted and silenced in gruesome ways. it’s not certain if these zealots are right or wrong, but they do have the power necessary to afford the crusades that submit other faiths and rule the minds of their subjects through violence and fear.
The beasts of old are nothing but legend. A few who travel into the deep forests and high mountains return with wild tales of monstrous creatures, but they are obviously delusional. No such things exist. Or at least you’ve never seen one.
Great beasts far from civilization
Beasts of all sorts roam the known lands. They dwell primarily in the reaches, but range into the settled lands to hunt. There, they often prey on cattle, but attacks on travelers, caravans, or even settlements are not uncommon.
Fantastical beasts everywhere
Beasts of every size and color are common in most territories. The regular people have learnt to live with them, with organized hunting parties, fortifications designed for each type of habitat and domestication of those that can be used as beasts of burden. The most insidious of these creatures have also learnt to stay away from the lands of men. Some are known to be sentient and cunning, making them much more dangerous than the average wild animal.
Nothing but stories to frighten children. The occasional traveller will talk about an unspeakable thing, but they surely are delusional.
Common people are wary of dark forests and deep waterways, for monsters lurk in those places. In the depths of the long-night, when all is wreathed in darkness, only fools venture beyond their homes.
Horrors are a constant threat
The dead do not rest in these lands. At night we light torches, scatter salt, and post sentries at the gate. It is not enough. They are coming.
The Lord of the Rings: Gods are long gone; Some fantastical ancestries; Duchies and baronies; Kingdom; Magic is rare; Many religions and pantheons; Great beasts far from civilization; No supernatural horrors.
A Song of Ice and Fire: Gods are long gone; Only humans with different cultures; Duchies and baronies; Noble houses; Almost no magic; Many religions and pantheons; Great beasts far from civilization; Horrors are a constant threat (North of the Wall ;)).
Savage stories of Conan: Gods are long gone; Only humans with different cultures; City-states; Various leadership types; Almost no magic; Many religions and pantheons; Fantastical beasts everywhere; Horrors in the darkness.
Ars Magica: Gods are long gone; Only humans with different cultures; Duchies and baronies; Kingdom; Magic is rare; Single ruling religion; No great beasts; No supernatural horrors.
Norse Mythology: Gods are active; Some fantastical ancestries; Points of light; Various leadership types; Magic is rare; Many religions and pantheons; Fantastical beasts everywhere; Horrors in the darkness.
