30 Days of Worldbuilding

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY ONE - WORK

After relaxing with some fun, it's time to pay those bills! Not everyone can be a professional adventurer all the time, not even adventurers. Folks may need to get their hands dirty and make a living, or to just live in the first place if dinner relies on a good crop or hunt in the more isolated locations where folks are located.

When you worked on the economy earlier this month you most likely got a good idea on what folks do and how they exchange wealth and services. It's time to think about those services more in depth now and moreover you may want to start thinking about which services are more in demand, more necessary, which services gain the most prestige, and require the most skill. Maybe so much skill that education is an important factor for if someone can enter a field or not.

While I may have spaced on an education prompt, you can definitely consider education into work. Apprentice & Master systems of education supply hands-on experience but definitely is a narrow skill set. Schools may alternatively cast their nets wide and try to prepare students for whatever they may strive to be. Then there are of course mixes of these systems that you may even see in the real world today in varying levels of effectiveness.

Other interesting things to consider is the rights of workers. We may not think too much about these things but movements to demand safety, fair wages, and protection against exploitation have been hard fought and may demand just as much attention in your world. This could even get into the subject of slave labor for some worlds and would definitely demand any potential plot to address this disgusting behavior and to demonstrate how it erodes the ethics of any society that condones it.

Some worlds look forward though towards potential societies where labor is executed willingly for the betterment of the community rather than out of obligation to live, where the most vulnerable members of society are protected by those with the most power. Media like Star Trek definitely dares to imagine such a world where challenges come from outside sources or by our struggle to explore and discover even further.

This is a lot to chew on, but chewing is what we do well.

Now get to work and…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9429430&postcount=25
My river of thought has run dry

 

[Juno]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9429430&postcount=25
My river of thought has run dry

Will you be writing the instruction manual of Everything for us to read sometime? ;D

Side comment - Too short?

Naah, looks fine! And you could consider it room to improve if you ever want to revisit this topic. :)

DAY TWENTY TWO - THE SKY

What do you see when you look up in your world? A lot of the time we're focused on looking down at topographic maps that we don't think to plant our feet and gaze at the stars.

What color is the sky? How many clouds are there? What do the stars look like? Are there stars? What sorts of constellations does your world trace between points of light? Is there a ring that surrounds the planet? How many moons are there? What are their colors?

Creating a grand painting of your sky, whether in words or an actual painting is a great way to create the 360 degree sensory experience that places someone in your world. This can help them feel at home and connected or feel present in a world that's a bit off or entirely alien.

Heck throw a few floating islands up there maybe.

Reach up and…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

Will you be writing the instruction manual of Everything for us to read sometime? ;D


Naah, looks fine! And you could consider it room to improve if you ever want to revisit this topic. :)

DAY TWENTY TWO - THE SKY

What do you see when you look up in your world? A lot of the time we're focused on looking down at topographic maps that we don't think to plant our feet and gaze at the stars.

What color is the sky? How many clouds are there? What do the stars look like? Are there stars? What sorts of constellations does your world trace between points of light? Is there a ring that surrounds the planet? How many moons are there? What are their colors?

Creating a grand painting of your sky, whether in words or an actual painting is a great way to create the 360 degree sensory experience that places someone in your world. This can help them feel at home and connected or feel present in a world that's a bit off or entirely alien.

Heck throw a few floating islands up there maybe.

Reach up and…

GET BUILDING!​

Actually I do plan on doing that. Should be fun.

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9429430&postcount=26

 

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY THREE - THE FRONTIER

Head West! Or wherever your building desk is. As we dig later into the month we also dig into more obscure concepts, but important nonetheless. Today's prompt is about imagining where the frontier lies in your world.

Sentient species are most likely chomping at the bit to explore. Grasping at the unknown is maybe one of the things that binds us most to a pile of intelligent slime. You must imagine though where the frontier lies. Is it a land across the sea? The depths of the sea itself? Does your species reach for the stars? Or a distant but frustratingly close neighboring star system or galaxy?

Perhaps the frontier lies in somewhere that's not exactly a place but an idea. Maybe it's bio-engineering, the study of strange magic, bringing justice to a place that has long been starved of such a concept, the void, the fresh new beats of the summer, the ultimate ramen recipe, as long as it's something someone strives for something and it requires exploration and maybe some experimentation, then it definitely counts as a brave new frontier!

Now open your sails to the wind and…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9431541&postcount=27
Kind of a hard topic.

 

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY FOUR - THE BACKPACK

Today's prompt is about imagining what characters in your world would carry in their backpack! Or pockets, or dufflebag, or whatever they use to carry what they need to make it through the day/their adventure.

This can of course vary from person to person, but you'll definitely find some common threads that are shared between a lot of folks in your world. Like just imagine how useful of a survival and daily traversal tool your cellphone is. Not only does it keep you in touch with others but it also may provide a map, access to a quick googling, entertainment, a handy light, and many other spiffy functions!

Your world may have certain cellphones of its own. Maybe a crystal that can locate and channel energies and fits in a pocket, or built-in cyber augments to provide the functions of a cellphone without carrying an actual cellphone, or your world just might still have cellphones.

Also it's important to think about the needs of your character and what they may need to bring with them to survive. If they don't have immediate access to food wherever they might go then they may carry some easy to carry food or snacks, possibly even a water bottle/skin/canteen.

Well pack up your bag, bring a towel, and…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9432788&postcount=28

 

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY FIVE - ART

Art is ubiquitous, it's everywhere and everything, it is the aesthetics of the way light bounces off of surfaces, then ultimately ends up in your eye to be processed by your brain via ocular nerves and junk (I'm an artist not a brain surgeon). It is the vibrations of air, the movement of bodies, the feelings we evoke with actions. Very importantly though, it is a reflection of culture in your world.

Sentient beings in your world most likely do things for the sake of expression in your world, and in order to get into their heads you have to really understand their perspective on the world. Just as we learn perspective while learning how to compose a picture, you have to consider the place in the world of an artist. What they see, what they want to see, what they want to talk about and what is too intimate to talk about in words, or even more simply, you have to ask what moves them?

Even beyond that, remember that even architects are artists, armorsmiths, blacksmiths, artisans of many kinds place their personal touches on their work that combines functionality with identity. You'll never just see art hung in a museum or performed on a stage, it is on the streets and is the streets to some.

But speaking of museums, how does your world value art? Is it cherished? Discussed fiercely in some circles? Is life so hard that art can be tossed into a fire for warmth at a moment's notice? How we treat and view art determines how it spreads and how it's preserved. Sometimes art is squelched if the views of the creator are not favorable.

Phew, without getting into the messy tangle that is art history I managed to shoot out a few inspirations for you all hopefully regarding art and your world.

Now wet your brush, mix your paints and….

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9434050&postcount=29
wow general stuff can be hard

 

[Juno]

^ Yup! That was definitely a pretty broad topic.

DAY TWENTY SIX - TRANSPORTATION

Rev those engines builders! Day 26 is about figuring how folks in your world get around!

Transportation can be an incredibly deep and varied subject that decides a ton of factors in your world. The obvious first thought might be about which vehicles or mounts exist in your world. How fast, reliably, and widely these vehicles are used can determine how far someone can travel in a reasonable amount of time, who has access to this utility/convenience, and what sort of issues might arise during these trips. If someone can?t be transported to a hospital a town over then someone who is critically ill/wounded would need to rely on local doctors since they might not be able to even think about surviving the trip. Survival rates plummet despite medicine being able to technically save these people with ease. This also decides how well-traveled folks are, or how far they may wish to disperse from their family and home. There are times in our history where someone was more likely to die a relative stone throw?s away from the place they were born due to lack of transportation available to them. Also remember, cars break down, boats sink, riding animals are lost, and the frequency of these issues popping up vary depending on the conditions, and people in your world may take measures to combat these setbacks.

In more urban settings there?s even the question of public transportation, which can help disperse the availability of jobs and services throughout a wider area. If you?ve ever had to rely on a public bus to get to work you?ll know just how critical a consistent service is and just how limited your options are when you need to trace bus routes. This might be a bit too deep into urban planning than you may want to venture, but if your hero needs to get somewhere across town, hopping on whatever public transport there is with others will help them plant their feet in the city. Of course this extends to trains, raised rail systems, subway systems, canals + Gondolas, teleportation, and many more creative solutions to get large amounts of people around in a predictable amount of time.

Also don?t forget the many uses that transportation is a solution for! Shipping, hauling, utliity, entertainment, sports, combat. You can find these classifications of vehicles in many times and settings. Just look at the different breeds of horse that have been raised into these niches! horses with the muscle and stamina to pull wagons and carriages, monsterously beefy horses that can move an entire felled tree, show horses who excel in pageantry, speed, and jumping, and fearless warhorses that can reliably carry a rider into the din of battle. Have fun and think about every aspect of life that can be made easier with the forms of transportation available and figure out how people further specialized their methods to realize that goal!

Well hopefully you have some ideas flowing now.

Giddyup lil? builders and?

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9436120&postcount=30
Ugh the last few seem to be the hardest.

 

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY SEVEN - MAJOR FIGURES AND IMPORTANT FIGURES

History is often told through the experiences and tales of great people! It's a useful lens to write history as often these folks we focus on are the voices who drive great change or embody the factions and ideals they cherish. These people may be royalty, philosophers, generals, spiritual leaders, social movement leaders, orators, writers, and little people who have become big based on the circumstances around them.

We're not strictly writing a history book here however, so you can also take a moment to introduce protagonists of a tale you wish to tell, even if their accomplishments may ultimately be forgotten by history either by unfortunate circumstances or due to their achievements not being the sort of things bards sing about.

Also do not forget the more villainous members of your world who are more notorious than anything. Always remember that they may be drafting their own history books in case they win, so you might want to wonder "What sort of favorable view does this person give themselves?" Despite how malicious someone is, they would still most likely be remembered for their ideals. If that's hard to imagine just remember the American holiday of Thanksgiving and the amount of sense it makes when you really think about it.

Write this prompt as you please! I know I speak a lot about this sounding like a history book entry for these folks but you can go at describing them as you please. Maybe with a short description, a self-introduction, or short story that exemplifies who they are.

The eyes of history are on you builders! So…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9438565&postcount=31

 

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY EIGHT - COMMUNICATION

Communication breakdown, it's always the same! I'm having a building breakdown! Builders it's time to think about communication! The first thought your mind might wander to is the wonder of telephones! Talking from one person across the country to another! Amazing sci-fi stuff right? But when you get down to it, communication is a much more simple element of the world, the exchange of information!

To this end, the beginning of communication in your world doesn't start with the invention of electricity but rather the invention of language. Stone tablets etched with written language, riders carrying messages, the trade of books and scrolls. These all are mediums with which information spreads and will determine how fast even something as simple as news can spread.

Fast forward to the ages of technology, the internet allows information to not only spread in the blink of an eye but also to massive amounts of people in that time. While a delay in information can cause conflict in your world, the speed of information can equally be a boon or a curse as it echoes just as fast despite its accuracy.

Fast forward even further and you have the obstacle of distance between the edges of galaxies where civilizations spread to. With all the advancement of the space-fairing age will communication slow down to speed of olden times due to limits of technology or will your worlds find a way to even break the limits of the speed of light to pass along something as simple and vital as information?

Put those calls on hold, it's time to…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Juno]

DAY TWENTY NINE - WEATHER

It's raining, it's pouring, the world builds are soaring! Today we're taking a look up at the sky again to figure out what sort of weather your world experiences!

There are many factors that can have an effect on how weather turns up. temperature, air currents, geography, the ocean, it's a whole big system! Very complicated, but you can probably get a read on which areas are more hit by frequent rainstorms, and which areas are hit by droughts more often than not. This can impact many other factors of your world such as food production, travel ease, and what shelters are necessary to survive in an area for an extended amount of time.

Some settings even get more interesting storms such as radiation storms, and things that fall from the clouds that are a bit less innocuous as water and snow. Even when you travel to space you have to deal with solar wind, geomagnetic storms, and asteroid belts that are like hail's hellish cousin if you're in a space vessel going moderately fast.

As with all prompts, I definitely suggest looking up information on weather and its sources, but definitely let yourself get carried away in atmospheric phenomenons. Dig deep within wikipedia till you're checking out ELVES, sun dogs, and St. Elmo's Fire. which can help you get a grasp on the many strange things that happen in the sky.

Rain, rain, go away, come again some other day so we can…

GET BUILDING!​

 

[Desert Stream~]

Oops forgot to post here yesterday!
https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9440257&postcount=32
https://www.pokecommunity.com/showpost.php?p=9440257&postcount=33

 

[Adam Levine]

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LAST DAY.

What do we do after that?

 

[Desert Stream~]

CAN'T WAIT FOR THE LAST DAY.

What do we do after that?

Go back and improve each post I guess. Or do something else, like the weekly reddit challenges?