Your Fantasy Worlds

Has anyone else created fantasy worlds for any purpose? Either an alternate Earth, or a totally new planet? For a story, for a game, just for fun...

I have created so many throughout the years of both alternate history and complete fantasy, each accompanied by maps (because I love cartography). The first ones weren't terribly detailed and were out of boredom. Eventually I started creating in depth worlds that could be used for stories, movies, or whatever I felt like. I even tried to import one of my worlds in EU3 as a total conversion mod (but I got lazy and it was too hard).

The latest world I have created is called EIR - which means Land, or Earth, in the language of the Mahafarsi (the place of origin of the major religions, like what Latin is to Christianity, Arabic to Islam...). I have created languages, cultures, religions, and politics for the world. Right now I'm working on a revamped map to accompany this world, similar to one I may have posted in the gallery before.

I'm creating a whole timeline for the world, from the rise of Cormaya to the New Empire (about 800 years). The time of focus is the Time of the Twin Empires, which is when the world gets almost divided in half into two competing "empires", eventually resulting in a massive devastating world war that cripples the Cormaya states and enables the rise of "heathen" powers, leading to a so-called dark age of over 200 years.

It starts out medieval-ish, but develops into a 1700-ish world with gunpowder and democracy some time after the dark age. Although by then much of the world still has not been discovered because the states are too damn busy fighting each other to put their wealth to more adventurous pursuits. Well, the Heathen states have traveled the world, but there's essentially an information wall between them and the Cormaya due to backwards theocratic policies on the latter's part...

Well, me and one of my friends did a long fantasy storyline; combined his fantasy story and one we had created earlier into one long plot. We like to write a lot, and mostly do it for fun. But we are in the process of getting his fantasy story published.

But the story we've done a lot of detail into is a sci-fi story (sci-fi is a subset of fantasy, IIRC), which we're still heavily working on; the main story takes place from the 6260's to the 6340's, but it has a long and complex backstory extending all the way to the 1990's. We've written one novella for it and made loads of accompanying fluff and technical drawings. In addition to 3 home movies relating to the pre-backstory story.
In the main story, the Milky Way Galaxy has recently been unified as a humanocentric totalitarian dictatorial "republic", called the Central Galactic Union. In 6288, it begins a bloody 24-year war against an alien empire, the Zaaroft Imperium; secretly, they plan to kill all the Zaaroft in line with the state ideology of human supremacy, which has already been implemented within Union space in the form of alien slavery. The main character is just a young soldier, Alexander Strobol, who enlists at age 18 and gradually becomes a General officer in the war; during which he struggles with his own insecurities, traumatic past, and lack of confidence in his ability to lead. He spends his entire adult life serving in the war, and dies in the last battle to take the Zaaroft home planet.
Of course, the story doesn't end there; it continues for another thirty or so years as the CGU struggles to hunt down the Zaaroft remnants and destroy other alien civilizations that get in its way. The overall plan of the Union's ruler, Dictator Maximilian, is to exterminate every non-human organic (sapient alien civilisations) in order to secure mankind's place in the sun(s).
And don't get me wrong; the CGU is the villain of the series. I just think villains make better protagonists.

I've always fiddled w/ ideas and thoughts but usually abandon them when I cant find anyone to give an opinion...

My latest idea for a 'fantasy world' is a land known as Asuro (A play on Eurasia, except I switched it around somewhat)... I have all sorts of ideas concerning alliances, religion, uniquiness... The setting is based in a time somewhat of a transition between Medieval and Industrial Era. The world is developed to an industrial setting but military seems somewhat under developed, firearms being either poor quality or in small supplies, though the ones available are somewhat advanced but unreliably (one character, Hayao Nakaki uses a drum fed tommy gun or something along those lines)

I want to keep a somewhat realistic idea but, being the young anime fan I am I have sorta curved towards those lines, however my inspiration is varied (One of my main inspiration is the film Spirited Away) notable locations I've come up with are Yuzhno-Karafuto (If you can discover the reference made here I give rep! Hint. It has to do with Russian and Japanese history), the city of Yuzhno-Karafuto is known as the City of Deluge for the constant downpour. Other cities and locations are being contemplated.

Religion is still in the works, largely influenced by Christianity and Islamic influences (Yet I'm an Atheist ><) along with other ideals. There is only one truly dominant religion is the Islamic inspired religion based in the deserts of the Southern regions of the map (which I'm working on) but the common religion practices is based around diety worships, with dieties to each reason.

But perhaps the biggest aspect to the land is the influence of the Yin-Yang Symbol: the land is even split between shadow and light (sigh* too cliche?) where one goes through a normal cycle of day and night while the other is always shrowded in darkness. Despite the conflicts between the two, one thing I have not done is try to represent either side as good or evil... I'm writing a story set in this land and I hope to have some short stories done (eventually...)

One major influence is the creation of characters set with ideas of the seaven deadly sins and seven heavenly virtues... However, unlike other representations of the sins through characters, mine (though representing a sin) is not truly an evil character. The sins are guardians of the shadows and the virtues the guardians of light... The idea again revolves back to the idea of Yin-Yang and that for somewhat to be a guardian they must be a balanced individual, though they may have commited the sin it doesn't completly make them an evil person... just as someone representing the virtues also have some darker characteristics.... The main conflict comes when this balanced is threatened.

The art I draw (which I may post if theres any interest) seems to have a large anime influence but holds cartoonish features in part (not overly so though)

If anyone has any opinions or interest, pls tell me, I would love some critism and some chances to talk more about my work.

I meddle with fantasy worlds and alt history worlds. Mostly used in conjunction with White Wolf or Wizards of the Coast RPG products.

I created a world infact somtime in the near future I shall write a book on it may even post in on twc....

I'm creating an interplanetary Sci-Fi scenario since a handful of years now. The snapshot in time is in ca. 750 years. There's no warp drive, no aliens or any such bollocks. I want it to be a scenario as believable as possible.
Interestingly, one of the biggest challenges there isn't thinking up technology. That's easy. But society, that's where the pitfalls are. So far, I've two nations on Mars and one on Europa (the moon) fleshed out pretty well. The main challenge in the beginning was to think up reasons for the colonisation of other planets in our system in the first place. Because no, resources are not a viable reason; there will never be colonisation of Mars or any other planet for the sake of resources - no resource could ever economically warrant the investment into colonisation. Ever. So I'm mainly looking at social reasons. One major twist in that scenario is, that none of the people in the colonies are biologically able to survive on Earth, because of gravity. Have some generations of people living on Mars, and they'll not be able to step on Earth and survive. So they are finding other ways to find out why radio contact is so scarce, if taking place at all. Transhumanism is also a big topic in this scenario.
The main principle hovering over the whole thing is: Humans are their very own aliens among each other.
So far I can't even tell you what may one day become of this. A book? A space opera? A comic? A tv series or movie script (if it's that, I won't know where to send it...)?
During the past few years this has been mainly a playground for my own philosophical and sociological thoughts on mankind and it's fate.

Thanks to my lack of motivation this probably won't ever reach completion, anyway.

When I was a teenager and read heaps of Fantasy and DM'd AD&D campaigns with my mates I created scores of worlds, continents, civilizations, cultures etc. In fact I only once or twice used a purchased module. Most of it came from my own head. Then for some years after that when I was bored I used to draw intricate maps of various worlds down to a scale of 10 miles, huge worlds from arctic polar regions all the way through the temperate and equatorial zones to the antarctic regions. I've got a suitcase full of them somewhere. I used to formulate the various cultures as I drew them, but never actually put an entire world history down on paper. So the answer would be yes to the OP's question.

I like to doodle vaguely looking Middle-earth maps sometimes.

I'm working on a large map of my Eria Munda right now to accompany the story I've started.

This is the draft, before I add effects and post it on deviant art.



Its certainly shaping up to be my best map ever... though you can only tell by seeing the large version. At this size it looks blurry and cluttered.

A alternative reality.



Zombie - Welcome to the Apocalypse
Contagious 3 (-3 points)
Death's Voice (-1 point)
Special Attack - Bite, Haymaker Undead Strengthx1 (-3 points)
Tough (-1 point)

Hunger (+1 point)
Vulnerability to brain (+1 point)

More than 1000 zombies (6 points)
Power: 2
Finesse: 1
Resilience: 2
Health: 7
Intiative: 1
Physical Integrity: 10
Size: 5
Speed: 1

The zombies last 20 days before decomp eliminates them.

Bite Attack Pool: 5 dice (Attack spreads the contagion)
Punch Attack Pool: 5 dice (Attack spreads the contagion)

Population of Toledo Ohio: 295,029 in the greater metro area. 5% have not been infected. 14,751 remain in the metro area uninfected. There are 280,278 zombies in the metro area.

Thankfully you are in Maumee Ohio. There are 15,237 people in Maumee. 14,475 of whom are infected. 762 are uninfected. You are among those that are not infected. There are 1,456 zombies in each square mile of Maumee. Maumee is 10 square miles. The largest group of zombies are located at Anderson's, Meijer's, Arrowhead Park, UPS, Fallen Timbers, Uptown, and Maumee 18: Cinema de Lux. 65% of the zombies (9,409) are divided into roughly groups of around 1,344 zombies in those general areas, in addition to the average per square mile ratio, drawing some from all the other regions.

Your goal is to survive, escape or outlast. You have 20 days to survive. The city loses electricity. You have enough food to last 4 days. However the water supply is contaminated. You will have to move soon.

You are at Cam's house. 517 Orchard View. You have basic household supplies. Your friend AJ and his family are out of town. You know he has a rifle and ammo (50 rounds.) There is a cop in the neighborhood, her house has 2 light pistols and ammo (102 rounds, in 6 magazines.)

I will run this at some point. My players are going to play themselves.

Originally Posted by DarkProphet

I'm working on a large map of my Eria Munda right now to accompany the story I've started.

This is the draft, before I add effects and post it on deviant art.



Its certainly shaping up to be my best map ever... though you can only tell by seeing the large version. At this size it looks blurry and cluttered.

Pretty cool map Dark. I always like High Fantasy, especially when you give us a in depth political history.

Oh and Vizi, Zombie RPG are awesome.

Originally Posted by boofhead

When I was a teenager and read heaps of Fantasy and DM'd AD&D campaigns with my mates I created scores of worlds, continents, civilizations, cultures etc. In fact I only once or twice used a purchased module. Most of it came from my own head. Then for some years after that when I was bored I used to draw intricate maps of various worlds down to a scale of 10 miles, huge worlds from arctic polar regions all the way through the temperate and equatorial zones to the antarctic regions. I've got a suitcase full of them somewhere. I used to formulate the various cultures as I drew them, but never actually put an entire world history down on paper. So the answer would be yes to the OP's question.

other than the using them part, I've done basically what you have, but went so deep as to draw the tectonic plates under the world. I've got a hundred and twenty thousand years of history so far.(they are obviously very vague and very specific in parts to reflect the rise of civilizations and by my own limit as a human to not have the patience to write thousands of years of existance in intricate detail)

My story is being written in a... unique style.

The story is done in a series of short chapters, chronological, following different characters, getting back to each character every few chapters, although some characters only last one chapter because they become unimportant or dead. I have each chapter following one particular person, each one a noble House Leader, general, or other powerful person. The chapters only cover important parts of their days - I don't write about their ass scratching, eating, sleeping, sex, or family quarrels unless its directly relevant to the plot.

Its mostly a story covering the politics of the world; the struggles between the noble houses of each country, the battles and decisions that shaped history, while giving moments to philosophies and history, done through the thoughts of the characters.

By doing this, I show many perspectives, while giving the reader great insight into what is happening, and the ability to guess what problems may arise.

Its like actual history turned into a creative novel. There are no mysterious bad guys that get discovered only at the end, nor are there heroes in shining armour - and I do not rely on piles of cliffhangers like other writers. However, there certainly are people you could classify as villains and heroes.

One man fighting to save a city from a siege, another to murder every House Leader in the province, for example.

Hmm, where's Lord Felorics Ambassador on this one?

Zombies can be loads of fun. They will be classic zombies. I hate fast zombies. They ignore all the cultural implications that zombies represent. Call me a zombie purist but dammit! Give me shambler hordes or give me death!

Originally Posted by Unorthodoxt

Zombies can be loads of fun. They will be classic zombies. I hate fast zombies. They ignore all the cultural implications that zombies represent. Call me a zombie purist but dammit! Give me shambler hordes or give me death!

So I'm guessing you are a big George Romero fan then.

I enjoy George Romero.

That isn't fantasy. That is reality.

I remember creating a fantasy world based off of the movie Robot Jox when I was 10 years old. I don't remember much of the details other than I made most of it in graph paper and using six sided dice.

I think it was based upon alternate future Earth (like the movie) with the five key players being U.S.A, U.S.S.R, China, France and United Kingdom. You built robots from various parts(legs, head, torso, arms) that had a base armour rating to them. You could upgrade with difference platings of various strengths, which was based upon the hardness of the metal (copper, brass, titanium, etc). Most of the weapons were based upon those in the movies (laser torch, chainsaw, missile launchers, gatling guns) that had a damage rating.

I think I had the rules you fight in squads of a dozen or so in an arena in which you make a base amount of money depending on how well you perform. Of course, it cost you to repair and rearm your robot to fight again.

That's all that I remember as that was 20 years ago when I did make that PnP game. It was all rather childish (of course!) with the names and the reasoning, but I had a fun time designing it. Too bad no one like PnP games when I was growing up.

I created a fantasy world when I was about 9, and I still elaborate on it.

It originally revolved around the geography in my backyard, as I'd build things out of left over bricks, sticks, and rocks. Eventualy I actually wrote alot of it down. And while it's probably incomprehensible to anybody besides me, I'm glad to know that my imagination can conjure such a thing.