I have a passion for worldbuilding and spend quite a bit of my time looking up stuff to help me build it up, filling in templates, and coming up with character scenarios that'll develop parts of it more. But I ran into a very big problem: whenever I try to summarise my world into a few paragraphs I fail, and I realised that the world I spent lots of time building is generic as shit.
It's fairly hard for me to make a medieval fantasy world not be bland, Tokien-esque in nature, or just plain feel like it was written for an MMO in two weeks by a three man team, but it's for sure possible. I've seen it happen very often, but I can't pull it off myself despite really wanting to. It feels like this generic medieval world with some background lore, but nothing really is alive in it and nothing feels as open and vast to me as some other well written fantasy worlds do. For reference, stuff about it can be found here, but I'm asking this question in general, not applied to my own world.
So I'd like to ask you lots! What do you think makes a medieval fantasy world feel unique? How does it stand out from all the other ones out there? Which elements are a definite requirement and what sort of execution do you expect from them in order to result in a fun, unique, and vast fantasy world that feels alive? What am I missing here that I couldn't capture in previous attempts? Those are a few guideline questions, but feel free to let me know any advice or thoughts you have about the topic!
It's fairly hard for me to make a medieval fantasy world not be bland, Tokien-esque in nature, or just plain feel like it was written for an MMO in two weeks by a three man team, but it's for sure possible. I've seen it happen very often, but I can't pull it off myself despite really wanting to. It feels like this generic medieval world with some background lore, but nothing really is alive in it and nothing feels as open and vast to me as some other well written fantasy worlds do. For reference, stuff about it can be found here, but I'm asking this question in general, not applied to my own world.
So I'd like to ask you lots! What do you think makes a medieval fantasy world feel unique? How does it stand out from all the other ones out there? Which elements are a definite requirement and what sort of execution do you expect from them in order to result in a fun, unique, and vast fantasy world that feels alive? What am I missing here that I couldn't capture in previous attempts? Those are a few guideline questions, but feel free to let me know any advice or thoughts you have about the topic!
I think the fantasy theme draws inspiration from our own world. Most of it is based on existing myths, concepts, religion and so forth. That means that a majority of fantasy centered worlds have common themes that make them look alike in many aspects. There are only so many ways you can revise the inner workings of magic before you run into already done mechanisms, and even then we draw upon our knowledge of science and cause>effect to make it happen.
What makes one world stand out from the other, for me, are the details and continuity, as well as the characters within. A little twist on shapeshifting can transform the entire dynamics in a world. How common something is has a massive influence on how people work their daily jobs. Continuity wise, it's important that events have a long-lasting effect that can be experienced for generations, however small or big they might be. A wealthy family who got lucky 200 years ago by stumbling upon a magic dragon's nest, enslaved the dragon and has been leeching off it ever since to sustain their wealth and power position. Free or kill the dragon, and a whole empire crumbles. Or a small trinket that has been passed down through the generations has a history that is very dear to the owner and plays a minor role in the story of the world.
This is something I enjoy about Stephen King's books a lot. Events from certain books cross over into the continuity of The Dark Tower series, linking not just stories but whole dimensions together, forming a complex story and world dynamic that makes it really stand out from other genres of its kind to me. Mercedes Lackey has a 'generic' magic based fantasy world spread across... I don't know, 30-50 books, but some of her main characters and their legacies become a massive influence in other characters' stories even though they never meet, because they are now part of that world.
This is what makes fictional worlds feel alive and breathing to me. They have characters and events who impact and change the world as the story progresses, they have long lasting effects on other characters, a thousand years down the line without ever having met, and they are never static.
When I have to summary King's and Lackey's worlds, the summaries all sound very standard, basic, boring even. 'Just another generic something something world'. But it's not the summary that defines them as being fantastically unique to me, it's the big and the little details that you need to experience first hand from being engaged in the story that makes it so special.
What makes one world stand out from the other, for me, are the details and continuity, as well as the characters within. A little twist on shapeshifting can transform the entire dynamics in a world. How common something is has a massive influence on how people work their daily jobs. Continuity wise, it's important that events have a long-lasting effect that can be experienced for generations, however small or big they might be. A wealthy family who got lucky 200 years ago by stumbling upon a magic dragon's nest, enslaved the dragon and has been leeching off it ever since to sustain their wealth and power position. Free or kill the dragon, and a whole empire crumbles. Or a small trinket that has been passed down through the generations has a history that is very dear to the owner and plays a minor role in the story of the world.
This is something I enjoy about Stephen King's books a lot. Events from certain books cross over into the continuity of The Dark Tower series, linking not just stories but whole dimensions together, forming a complex story and world dynamic that makes it really stand out from other genres of its kind to me. Mercedes Lackey has a 'generic' magic based fantasy world spread across... I don't know, 30-50 books, but some of her main characters and their legacies become a massive influence in other characters' stories even though they never meet, because they are now part of that world.
This is what makes fictional worlds feel alive and breathing to me. They have characters and events who impact and change the world as the story progresses, they have long lasting effects on other characters, a thousand years down the line without ever having met, and they are never static.
When I have to summary King's and Lackey's worlds, the summaries all sound very standard, basic, boring even. 'Just another generic something something world'. But it's not the summary that defines them as being fantastically unique to me, it's the big and the little details that you need to experience first hand from being engaged in the story that makes it so special.
Sanne hits a lot of great points! I agree with them, so I won't rehash, I'll try and add my own thoughts here.
To be unique, a fantasy world doesn't necessarily have to be completely original. Looking at things from a different point of view can make all the difference. To use a video game example, part of what makes the Dark Souls worlds so cool is the Japanese perspective on medieval Europe. Remember that art is about form as well as content, and so the context of your world (YOUR individual and cultural voice) can have as much or more impact than the actual details of the world.
My advice is start small, don't start big. Worlds, settings, and stories are made real and approachable by the characters within them. Think about one place. Think about how you can give that place something unique. Like a unique government, or resource, or group of people. Take a regular person from that place and think about their life.
Remember that you have a LOT of history to draw from, even if you limit yourself to the medieval period. Don't limit yourself to Kings and Queens. There have been empires, senates, kahnates, dynasties, republics, theocracies...
Where do magic and technology mix? If there is magic in the world, how has it changed social class, warfare, politics, etc? Warfare underwent massive changes when people started using gunpowder to break down walls. It ended sieges as people knew them, and caused sweeping changes in all areas of life including the way cities were built. How does magic fit in to that process?
What about the reformation, when Martin Luther decided that the bible should be translated into German so that regular people could read and understand it? How would that have occured if instead of the bible, it was magical texts and treatises being dispersed to the common people?
What about 1215 in England, when the English lords forced the royal family to sign the Magna Carta which limited the power of the crown, expanded the influence of the church, and set down the basis for the modern concept of "the rule of law"? How would a struggle for power between barons and kings play out in your world?
You want to create a living, breathing, unique medieval world? Read history. Then extrapolate.
To be unique, a fantasy world doesn't necessarily have to be completely original. Looking at things from a different point of view can make all the difference. To use a video game example, part of what makes the Dark Souls worlds so cool is the Japanese perspective on medieval Europe. Remember that art is about form as well as content, and so the context of your world (YOUR individual and cultural voice) can have as much or more impact than the actual details of the world.
My advice is start small, don't start big. Worlds, settings, and stories are made real and approachable by the characters within them. Think about one place. Think about how you can give that place something unique. Like a unique government, or resource, or group of people. Take a regular person from that place and think about their life.
Remember that you have a LOT of history to draw from, even if you limit yourself to the medieval period. Don't limit yourself to Kings and Queens. There have been empires, senates, kahnates, dynasties, republics, theocracies...
Where do magic and technology mix? If there is magic in the world, how has it changed social class, warfare, politics, etc? Warfare underwent massive changes when people started using gunpowder to break down walls. It ended sieges as people knew them, and caused sweeping changes in all areas of life including the way cities were built. How does magic fit in to that process?
What about the reformation, when Martin Luther decided that the bible should be translated into German so that regular people could read and understand it? How would that have occured if instead of the bible, it was magical texts and treatises being dispersed to the common people?
What about 1215 in England, when the English lords forced the royal family to sign the Magna Carta which limited the power of the crown, expanded the influence of the church, and set down the basis for the modern concept of "the rule of law"? How would a struggle for power between barons and kings play out in your world?
You want to create a living, breathing, unique medieval world? Read history. Then extrapolate.
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