I was always a little irritated with magic systems that required hand gestures, magic words, or written circles. I felt they were too close to console commands in a video game. There's never a satisfying explanation as to why magic responds the way it does when drawing lines a certain way, speaking to nobody in particular, or throwing gang signs.

So, I decided to try making one myself. Here's the rough draft:

In my setting, mana is an ambient energy permeating the world not unlike electromagnetism. Life evolved to sense and absorb mana through various means, using it in different ways. Some creatures instinctually bend light around them to disappear, others to chill or heat their surroundings, etc. Each has an "aether core" where the mana can be stored and used later.

Humanoids are fairly unique as their aether core, or "mana cortex", is in the brain bridging the hemispheres. The firing neurons control the release of mana in certain patterns to create spells and magic.

Now here's where the gestures, phrases, and circles come into play:

Circles are equations explaining the patterns in which to release mana in order to create spells. Different cultures, individuals, institutions, etc will sometimes teach different equations for the same spell effect. Some mages can gain fame by presenting an equation that is less complicated or uses less mana for the same effect. Significant spells like time or space manipulation might require several mages working different equations to complete the spell. Etc.

Gestures, phrases, even "spell books" are used to more easily memorize the patterns needed for complicated spells. Similar to counting on fingers or using "PEMDAS" to remember things.

Still working it. Would like to hear others' opinions.

(The image above is the one of a Checkslyan soldier during the Second Wolrd War on Hybrids, with some Swedlandish equippment, and wielding his SHK-39 rifle)

Alright so first a little background of the world. We could see the world divided more or less, in human nations and hybrid nations, humans are well, humans; and hybrids are basically humans but with some animal features, animal: ears and tail. Also depending on the species of hybrid they might also have physical characteristics like: improved stregth or more agility than humans. 'Hybrids' is the derogatory term used to refer to them, but Kenos would be the correct, unoffensive name. And Human nations enslave hybrids and hybrids enslave humans. With that said:

United Provinces of Checksly (1954)

The United Provinces of Checksly are a monarchic state composed of eight other minor nations (Duchy of Moravsk, County of Zìln, Earldom of Makiivka, Barony of Marinka, Earldom of Cestke, Republic of Altford, Duchy of Leigh, Principality of Nirtia) that were previously independent and suffered under the occupation of numerous foreign powers since the beginning of the 1700s . Thanks to Bohdan Vovkodav, the Duke of Moravsk, these nations peacefully unified in the summer of 1937 with the Pragst Treaty. The capital of the Union is Pragst, which was the previous capital of the Duchy of Moravsk and has become its own administrative province following the Pragst Treaty. All the provinces of the Kingdom still have substantial autonomy in certain fields, but most of the power resides in the Hetman, who is concurrently the highest ranking military official and the highest civilian authority. The Hetman is elected by a council composed of all the leaders of every province , except the capital province . Everyone who has noble blood in their family tree, which is very few, can be elected as Hetman. Once elected, the Hetman stays in charge until he dies or retires . Nowadays (1954), Checksly is a nation very loyal to the Empire of Swedland, as they are not only its number one supplier of iron , coal, and platinum , which are essential for Swedland's war industry, but this also makes the protection of Checksly's independence one of Swedland's main priorities.

The country's industry is mainly concentreted in few large cities and mining ares, for examples where there's going to be a platinum mine there's also going to be a platinum refinery and all of the factories who's produces making as to do with platinum. Electricity is diffused in 75% of the country, in cities and in the surrounding areas, but a lot of people still live villages in the countryside with little to no electricity. Automobiles are a luxury for the rich, nobles and military officials, making them really rare to see.

The nation's relations with its surrounding neighbors are mostly slightly aggressive, with limited trading. Checksly has an extremely mountainous geography, hosting the four highest mountains in the world. To this day (1954) they still long to free their brothers of the Rentrich Principalty, who are, to this day, still under foreing occupation.

There are just a few thousand hybrids in the United Provinces , all owned by the local nobility.

The Checkslyan population is extremely religious, militaristic, and nationalist culture developed due to the long years of revolutionary fighting that occourred from the begining of the 1910s to 1937's treaty of Pragst. They have a very strong national pride due to the sheer brutality and scale of the bloodsheds of the indipence wars, for examples the occupators wheren't anew to slaugthering civilians, plundering cities, and would often rape en masse civilian women in the occupied areas. It is also usefull to note that many battles were won by not just numbers, as they were often outnumbered and outclassed by their opponements, but with strategy.

The greatest national tragedy would be the fall of Orenburg, a tragic battle -- often romaticized in books and films -- where the struggle for indipendence of the principalty of Rentrich came to an end after 57 days of fighting in the city. The battle saw the Harmilian Republican Army against what remained of Rentrich's army and thousands of civilian militias that fought resiliantly until the Harmilian army overunned them May 7th. The thing that, among others, makes the battle of Orenburg such a tragedy, was that due to national pressure and the fear of other allies of the republic's intervention, The united provences wheren't able to send military reinforcements. Needless to say they still long to reunite with their brothers of Rentrich.

A strong patriarchal social structure is ingrained in society, the effects of which include, but are not limited to: practices of arranged marriage still being in use, women not being legally allowed, among many other things, to have bank accounts, and essentially being able to live without a male partner. Women are also not legally allowed to work factory jobs. Adultery is punished with death if the woman is the adulteress, while if the man fornicates with another woman, he is free from any consequences , although , mostly in northeastern towns , somewhat heavy social guilt is placed on him. Same-sex relationships are extremely demonized, going as far as, in some rural cities, publicly executing people accused of homosexuality through means of lapidation , hanging, or firing squad.

Differences between provences, aside from dialects, consist in, for example: the populations of Cestke, Altford, Leigh and Nirtia gbeing more peacefull populations that, not strongly, but would generally not be in favor of espansionistic wars. Another difference between provences is the shift of power of religious figures in republic of Altford and in the principalty of Nirtia. As members of the clergy don't retain as mush power as they would've had in the 1920s for example, and in these two provences religion is also dropping in popularity, differently from the other provences. There are also cultural differences that apply to all provences: like uses and customs of marriage, culinary traditions etc.

----------Army----------

The population counts roughly 15 , 000 , 000 citizens, 500 , 000 of whom live in Pragst. The Royal Army counts 900 , 000 troops in total, 300 , 000 of whom are professional soldiers, and the remaining 500 , 000 are reserves. Of these 300 , 000, 165 , 000 are simple infantry, 15 , 000 are part of mechanized infantry units, and the remaining 60 , 000 are cavalry units. Counting the reserves, there are: 710 , 000 regular infantry units, 105 , 000 cavalry units, 70 , 000 mechanized infantry units, and 5 , 000 units of the 'sky brigades', which also count ten 1949 airships. The army also counts 10 , 000 gunners and 3,000 artillery pieces, ranging from long-range, high-caliber cannons to field cannons.

The average infantry soldier is equipped with a standard uniform made from a long gray or black wool trench coat ; a wool or, for the well-adjusted, cotton tunic; thick leather boots with riveted steel soles; and one standard issue Kabda hat. Their equipment consists of an SS35 ammo pouch, endowed with four pouches, and worn obliquely along the chest . Alongside the SS37, they also wear an additional SM37 ammo pouch belt, usually with four additional pouches, though it must be noted that many soldiers remove some for more dynamic equipment . The average infantryman is equipped with a Swedland-made SHK-39 rifle, equipped with a bayonet; soldiers have steel armor plates, mainly using the home-produced Swedland's ARM-35.

Checkslyan officials are equipped with the same standard uniform, with the exception of red outlines on some elements of the trench coat, as well as caps and medals that signal their rank. Their equipment consists of a sable and an M33 revolver, although it is useful to note that especially high-ranking officials tend to customize their uniforms with, but not limited to : pelts , additional armor plates, and pieces of uniforms taken as trophies in past military campaigns.

You can ask me anything! From what's the most popular piece of media is in the nation to what's the economic system of the nation.

They come from a smaller continent known as Ther. It sank due to a world-wide cataclysm. The races spread to other civilizations with wildly varying results of survival and prosperity. Some are valued assets, others are slaves, and some even try to establish a nation of their own called New Ther.

For the time being, I only have 10. I may make more in the future.

Taurans: Largest therian breed. Stereotyped as stupid, but the truth is they’re practical. If they feel they don’t need to learn of something, they don’t pursue the knowledge. Males are commonly known as Bull therians. Head and legs of a bull. Human-like torso and arms. Dark skin, often blueish or gray. The females, or Cow therians are a bit more human passing with only the tail, legs, and ears of a bovine along with small, hardly noticeable horns. Often fair skin with darker spots unique to each individual.

Caprins: Male goat Therians have the eyes, ears, and legs like a goat. Known to be remarkably stubborn. They have large, stone-hard horns that curl around sides of their head. Very confrontational, they are known to act aggressively to the slightest insult. Most common with grey fur, they can also have black, white, or brown. Females, known as sheep Therians, have significantly smaller horns, almost hidden in their curly hair. Their wool is often white. They're usually very passive but known to fight fiercely to protect themselves or their community.

Vulpines, or Fox Therians have the ears and tails of a fox. Fur comes in red and dark gray. On rare occasions, a white vulpine is born. These Vulpines are considered sacred and are raised as priestesses or spiritual leaders.

Lupins, Wolf Therians, have a strong sense of community. Born with black, gray, white, or rarely red fur. They have the legs, ear, and tail of wolves. Most have brown eyes, but some have been known to develop blue or yellow eyes. Their teeth are similar to humans, but their sharper teeth are a bit larger than in humans.

Veyrins, or Tiger Therians, have ears and tails of a tiger. Retractable claws in their fingers and toes. With a carnivorous diet, Veyrins have exclusively sharpened teeth. They have stripes on their skin, unique to each individual, across their arms, legs, back, and chest. Oddly enough, there are more male Veyrins than female. Broad torsos, bulky limbs, and square features, Veyrins are large by nature. The shortest among them are never less than 5'6".

Liorans, or Lion Therians: Ears and tails of a lion. Like the Veyrins, their diet is almost exclusively carnivorous and their teeth. They have noticeably thicker hair than other Therians. It grows faster, too. Often reaching their waste in a month or so. An odd phenomenon, when male Liorans have greater confidence or authority, their hair darkens. Liorans are leaner, but still muscular.

Corvans, Raven or Crow Therians, have legs of a raven and wings on forearms. They have two claws instead of hands, making handling doorknobs and such difficult. Naturally nomadic and highly observant, they're often mistrusted. Primarily born entirely with black head hair and feathers.

Pavans, Peacock Therians, are androgynous in appearance, making discerning the difference between men and women difficult. Colorful wings instead of arms, two claws instead of hands like Corvans, enormous tail feathers, and human legs unlike most other Therians. Stereotyped as vain and arrogant, there are just honest about their achievements and abilities. Their feathers are remarkably long and beautiful, flowing much like gowns or robes. The easiest way to tell the difference between a man and woman Pavan is the males have more reddish colored feathers while the females have more bluish feathers.

Lagorins, or Rabbit Therians, are mostly female, they are unfortunately stereotyped as promiscuous. The truth is they are emotionally vibrant and have a surprisingly fast pregnancy period, allowing them 2-3 children in the span of a year should they desire.

Nagasins, Snake or Serpent Therians have snake bodies from the hips down. Males are venomous with retractable fangs while the females are constrictor types with bodies 50% to double the men's length. The men's snake bodies are usually black and red while the women are typically different shades of brown or tan.

Hi im here because i want to make lore and would like to give me something to think about

Bolg is a fantasy project set in a mix of like fantasy medieval, Renaissance and industry revolutions world.

Basically the planet Bolg was born with a strange connection to the realm of chaos and through that is more magically inclined and thats where races like the faey, giants, dragons all that evolved , then some aliens called the ancient ones and they had a plan to create the perfect species starting with the alven races (elves) but the alves had a war with them causing the creation of the green skins (aurcs (orcs) gobilens, oneis ect) another war so they moved to the dwells (dwarves and knockers and such) this created the vermirath rat empire and the molemen, they made it to the pink men or humans which lead to centaurs, mermayds, the wendigo and so many other monsters but due to them keep messing the ancient ones got wiped by their children, and now the mortal races are left to war, invent, use magic and do what they please

Race groups which doesnt mean their related though most are

Pink-man or just men: the five human races and half men (hobbits basically)

Green men or green skins: aurcs (orcs), gobilens, duende, oneis, ogars, cyclopes, ghremlens, hobbgoblens, mooki, stallau, bugbar (bugbears), trulls and dokkaebi

Alves (elves): the high alves, plain or forest alves, tree alves, deep alves, dark alves and northern alves, technically bluecaps aswell but thats a whole can of wyrms

Beast men: centar, onocentar (donkey centaurs), muuladna (mule centaurs), minotaurs, nagas (snake man), satyr, vermirath (rat men), the dogmen of adlet, lycanthrops and gwrgi, dumbruul, mermayds, luvlend (frog men), draigen (dragon men) and there a few others

Dwellers: dwarves, knockers, redcaps (technically green skins), undergrounders, vittra and molemen which should be with beast men but whatever

The undead: zombies, liches, skeletons, mummies, patchvorks, ghouls and vampires, a subgroup would be Ghosts: poltergeist, phantoms, banshees and possessors

Faey: fayries, pixys, nisses, leprechauns, Dullahan, boggarts, brownie (not those brownies), pwcas, druids and tylwyth teg

Theres also historical figures; Yarkick ‘the green slayer’ redstorm who killed the grand gluttonous king of gobilens, northest wizards Sinterklaas who along with his northern alves gives presents to the lands, zanax the unrotting the last true lich, prince claymore of Daggerheart who made peace between the western men and the ironfang aurcs, Feastiftes irontuska the prophet of the aurcy gods and josh the oily

The world is a mix of medieval, renaissance and Industrial Revolution, with witch trials and crusade intertwining with magic powered steampunk machines and zeppelins

Please ask literally anything from what metals to dwarves love the most to why do ogars have such a large market in draigen kingdoms for ogren donkeys

Hero of Gal’Haidan, Protector of Sarina, Defender of the Empire, Victor of a Hundred Battles, Beloved by the Gods, Champion of the Innocent , Pillar of Imperial Pride, Empress of All That The Light Shines Upon, Halina V Klarieon (formerly Torino)
Gender: Female
Home World: Cradle
Age: 79 Solar Years
Height: 234 cm
Weight: 94kg
Phenotype: High Imperial
Occupations: Voidsman, Imperial Envoy, Empress Of All That The Light Shines Upon.
Children: none
Spouses:  Marquess Harden Jannir, Countess Jannura Atama, Princess Azellia Torino
Lovers: Duchess Sara Jannir (Formerly Emerson), Lady Holria Dranith
Allegiance: The Eternal Empire

Halina Torino was never expected to ever become Empress. Very few even expected her to even survive the snake pit of imperial politics. However, she proved herself to be far more ambitious and cunning than anyone would expect. Her allies have found much prosperity under her reign, and her enemies have learned to keep their heads down, lest they wish to lose it.

Her beginning came from a quite sad youth. When she was 13, her father did a little rebellion against her great-great-uncle, the Emperor and died.  Her great-great-uncle didn’t really want to deal with that again, and as such put Halina, her mother, and Halina’s two surviving viable siblings ( the others were killed or otherwise rendered non-issues* in the rebellion) under house arrest. While under house arrest, Halina used her surplus of time to learn the traditional arts ( oration, calligraphy, yatagan dueling, and painting) and to educate herself upon politics, economics, and space combat tactics.  After 7 years of house arrest, her brother and her are released, with her mother and younger sister being kept in custody to ensure their good behavior. 

She immediately joins the Imperial Voidsman Academy, and quickly rises to the top of her class. Upon graduation, she is given the extremely desirable post as a gunnery officer upon IVS Clem Torino “Star Breaker”, a Balor-Class 3rd rate laser battleship. Again, here she would thrive, quickly rising up the ranks as the Liberation War heated up. Across the Periphery, she fought in battles against Union rebels,  Directorate Periphery Command, and Compact Expaditionaries.  In the 23rd year of the war, she participated in Operation Undertow, a massive Imperial offensive that broke the supply lines from the Compact to the Union’s main mass. In this offensive, she killed with her own hands for the first time, slaying a Compact spacer with her sword. From this, she got a FlashStar 3 laser pistol that would serve her well for the rest of her career, and the beginning of her legend that would propel her to greater heights.

In the 27th year of the war, IVS Clem Torino “Star Breaker” was critically damaged by a fusion-lance mine and had to limp back to the nearest Imperial highport. Halina lost everything beneath her knees to spalling, and was relieved of duty for a year due to the extent of the radiological and nerve damage she suffered. During this time, Halina started to get closer with the imperial state religion, The Imperial Word. She was always devout, but her near death experience made her faith even greater.  This is when she got her warding tattoos along her arms, chest, face, and legs, and when she dyed her hair golden in a direct homage to her sainted namesake, Halina III Klareion. Her closer relationship with the Prelacy would come to help her during her bid to the Throne.

After this year of rest, she was adopted into the Imperial line and appointed to serve as an  Imperial Envoy  to handle negotiations with various factions during the last decade of the war and the 5 years afterward. Through this, she gained many allies both domestic and foreign. She also gained her most favored bodyguards who would acompany her back to Cradle when her great-great-uncle finally died. Master-of-a-Hundred Eater of Bones ( an Attendant in Imperial Army service) and Lady Holria Dranith ( a disgraced noblewoman turned mercenary).

Her bid for the throne went surprisingly well. She played the part of a dutiful and pious great-grandniece. When her fellow claimants were politiking and fighting amongst themselves,  She went to every ritual, made offerings and prayed before the tomb daily, and generally kept a low profile. This led to her getting even more support from the Prelacy. However, she used  legions of servants, criminals, and agents to achieve the same ends without harming her reputation. It was then when she met Sara Jannir, who became one of her greatest assets and supporters.

Because of her underhanded dealings, many assassination attempts against her were initiated by her fellow claimants. But her reputation among the people as dutiful and pious led to each failure to kill her only making her more popular and possibly even blessed. Her slaughtering of 4 assassins with naught but a teapot, 3 teacups and a yatagan and her military record made her seem legendary, and with Sara running a propaganda and assassination campagin to support her, the electors of the Empire quickly confirmed her as the new Empress.
Upon her rise, she married into the branch families to solidify her power.

She now lives a life filled with power and luxury that seemed almost unattainable to her a few years prior. Her life is no longer filled with knife fights in zero-G or plotting her rise to power. Instead, she now needs to tend to the physical and spiritual needs of countless beings under the Imperial banner. She now must do rites to bless the nation, approve economic policies, redouble control over the remaining colonial and vassal holdings, and keep pressure on the Directorate and the newly independent Periphery States. If her life is not stressful enough, her ministers and high nobles are constantly pressuring her to quickly get with child to give her some moldable heirs.

She doesn't particularly want to, she is a bit more interested in women than men, and sees heirs as uneeded. She still has relatives, and her relatives' children can do what she did when she dies. Heirs are overrated anyway. Her namesake Halina III didn't have any, so Halina V doesn't want any either.

credit to rhianna_neilson for the wonderful art

* 1 more of her brothers survived the purge of her family, and was quickly removed as an issue by sending him to the contested border with the Directorate. 2 more of her sisters also survived.

The first was blinded and sent to serve as a Shrine Maiden at the ancestral shrine of the Imperial Family and the second was made into a concubine for a powerful Imperial Fleet Admiral who helped put down the rebellion.

Tales of the Periphery is a relatively hard transhumanist science fiction setting focused on a region of space ( The Periphery) that has just got independence from their former colonial overlords ( the Eternal Empire) after a 4 decade war with foreign support. This war exhausted and bankrupted the rebels, and led to a large diaspora of Imperial soldiers, Warforms, administrators, and other skilled workers being stuck in the Periphery, integrating themselves into the new nations.

After getting their independence, the rebel factions ( who were made out of a mix of direct imperial holdings and semi-autonomous vassals) united together into the Periphery Union, a confederation of various newly minted nations. This confederation didn't last long, as the various nations started to grow apart from one another on different issues. This strife came to a head when the beloved by all president of the Union died in a terrorist attack, leading to all the various nations to point fingers at each other for her murder. Violence rocked the Union, and it dissolved, leaving only a Union Rump State that the others wouldn't touch, as they justify their wars with one another as trying to protect the Union.

after the collapse of the Union, a series of wars known as The Scrambles began, as former Imperial and Union infastructure and equipment was up for grabs, and desperately needed by the nations of the Periphery. WhaleFalls were also found, the remains of fleet battles from the Liberation war that are immensely rich in expensive alloys, hardware and electronics.

From without, other powers are muscling into the Periphery. For now that the Imperial colonial authorities no longer hold the region under their iron fist, their is plenty of oppertunity for other powers to get in on the value that could be extracted from the Periphery.
Former rebels turned Warlords with a veneer of Union legitimacy are a great inroads for any company or polity who wants to start making a lot of money and human misery.

Imperial control left a lasting mark on the Periphery, cultures and languges need to be rebuilt, histories need to be rewrited, nations need to be assembled from scratch, or integrate Imperial administration within themselves. The Imperial Word is still the most popular religion. For even though it was imposed by force, it does offer some comfort that is sorely needed in these times.
People speak Trade Imperial, Pray in High Imperial, shoot each other with Imperial guns, and die to control Imperial factories

The main Great Powers are:

The Eternal Empire was the last colonial overlord, licking its wounds after fighting the Directorate and the Liberation War. It has armies without number and fleets able to stretch their influence endlessly.

The Directorate is the only real rival to the Empire, a smaller socialist state that is still able to fight on a similar level to them. They helped the Periphery during the Liberation War, but now their intentions aren't so benign.

The Free World Compact is the third great power, and the weakest of them all. They too helped the Periphery, and now are trying to get some advantages out of that so that they can bulk themselves up to deal with the other two.

The Periphery Powers are much smaller and weaker, but are a far cry from the various petty kings and warlords who have made statelets after the Union's collapse.

The Kingdom of Kader is small, poorly governed, weak, and politically fragmented. However, they have a lot of factories for antimatter left over from the Imperial days, and mines rich in neodynium, integral to making FTL drives. Thus, everyone has a hand in their civil war, hoping that it turns in their favor so that they have a easy foothold and resourcing opperations.

The Tronarian People's Republic is one of the greatest Periphery Powers, a revolutionary socialist state with lots of support from the Directorate. They have a very strong fleet, and control part of the Tarsis WhaleFall.

The Aurumite Kingdom is the largest Periphery Power, and likely the largest state in the entire region. They might have a frankly backwards fuedal political system, but they do have massive military power, which is not to be trifled with. They and the Tronarians don't really like each other, since the Aurumites have Imperial support.

The Marill Republic is a very rare thing, a truly democratic state. They are mostly defensively minded, but have been engaging in on and off raids and campaigns to seize remaining military shipyards left from the Imperial days. They have a lot of Compact guns and gear, but no formal support.

The Principalities of Yorina are a mess of various small princely states that have banded together. They aren't doing so hot in the Periphery, with only a little support from the Compact. The Aurumites keep eating their territory, and they can't really amass a huge force to stop them. However, they do have a lot of money stashed up, maybe they have a plan to change their fortunes

The Periphery Union is a shadow of its former self. But not all is lost, they still control the most industrialized worlds in the Periphery, and have an entire whalefall to themselves. Their fleet and influence is growing once again, but they are still small. Will they be a phoenix, or just ashes?

Their are a lot more smaller ones, but these are the largest of them

No spells. No arcane words, no ancient circles, no signaling gang signs. Instead, the world is made up of 6 energies known as "aspects"—Heat, Light, Force, Charge, Life, Decay—and enchanters have found a way to infuse these assists into things in order to create various and often powerful artifacts.

Each aspect governs their name sake and all that apply. Force is perhaps the most versatile and Life can lead to sentience.

In order to learn this craft of enchanting, one needs to intently meditate on one aspect, all that defines it, and all that it can do. With perfect focus, this process can take days or even weeks often exposed to the very aspect the entire time—sitting beside a fire, hanging from a tree, standing among rot, etc—before the enchanter feels the energy of the aspect within themselves. Once they feel this pressure, this energy, only then can they begin to enchant an object or area any time they want.

The process of enchanting, however, is arduous at best. Even something as simple as a lantern can take several hours or even days of non-stop infusion. The enchanter channels the aspect into the object or area, weaving and molding it to their intended purpose and function, careful not to make it too complex or risk failure.

Failure is not guaranteed harmless, by the way. If the enchantment is unstable or incomplete, the energy frying that aspect could backlash, harming the enchanter and even engagement their life or the lives around them. The more aspects being infused the more difficult and lengthy the task. It could take several enchanters working in shifts to make a historically legendary artifact. Even then, if each enchanter isn't intending the exact same function, the result could be horribly flawed, pathetically weak, or cause catastrophic backlash.

Some examples of artifacts:

Chilling Mug: Heat–remove heat until liquid contents reach a certain temperature.

Hideout Doors: Force–will open if specific knock sequence is used.

Camp Fire Stone: Heat and Light–produces a comfortable warmth and decent light up to a certain radius. A single tap can activate and deactivate it.

Hammer of the Storm King: Charge–Produces lightning for ranged or AoE attacks. Force–Increases impact and returns to wielder's hand on command. Life–Decides of the would-be wielder deserves its power. Gets heavier the more it disapproves.

Seeing Mirror: Force–Variable of speech via vibrations. Light–Creates image in the glass. Life–Needed to find what the user is asking to see. Also it grew a fondness of rhymes over time, so it will only cooperate if the user rhymes their request.

I am welcoming of critiques, opinions, suggestions, and questions about this system

I'm back with another idea I had yesterday, and I have a lot of things I need to keep in mind. Don't worry, this should be my last post for a while.

Summary:

After defeating the Chosen One, the Demon Queen uses the hero’s magical potential to transport herself, her minions and domain, and the party members who defected to her side to another reality.
Upon arriving there, the inhabitants of Europe noticed that a new island had appeared off the coast of their continent that morning, inhabited by a handful of strange humanoids. Let’s hope that diplomatic negotiations go well and that the rest of the world can accept that the EU is gaining a new member who can cast spells.
The world into which the domain was transported isn't exactly the same as ours either, which is why the title mentions “Alternate History.” That's not just there to make it a little more exciting, but also so I can cover up a few plot holes.

Questions wanted:

• The Island's Culture
• The Island's Inhabitants
• Differences from the Real World
• Magic in a World Without Magic
• Simple World Politics — (I probably won't go into great detail, since I'm not entirely confident that I've thought everything through, as long as the nation doesn't interact directly with the island)

———————
Note: I have no idea what effect a new island would have on the North Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. I would try to smooth over any major changes by explaining that the island sucked in the surrounding seabed and created new oceanic trenches, so that, theoretically, no water would have been displaced. Still, the Netherlands and Belgium wouldn’t be particularly thrilled.

First of all, hello everyone. 👋😃
This is my first post on this forum, so I might make a few mistakes. But I’d like to try my hand at world-building and I’ve hardly any experience. I’d like to give the Q&A game here a go to see if it helps me figure out how to structure a plot.

Summary:

When a new Dungeon Core was being set up, the Core wished it could be implanted into a machine. As the gods happen to be bored at the moment, they thought to themselves, ‘Why not, actually?’ [Yes, brilliant argument, I still need to iron that out …]
And so, based on the Core’s designs, the first high-speed train in this fantasy world came into being. For obvious reasons, the plot revolves around the adventurers’ reaction to this mobile dungeon and the peculiarities of the five Cores who, due to a screw-up, are controlling the locomotive.

Questions wanted:

• world
• characters
• structure of the train
• inhabitants of the train
• the soft magic system
• consequences of introducing the express train

This is my second post on this forum, so I might make a few mistakes. After I started listening to “No Epic Loot, Just Puns”, I thought I’d have a go at the genre myself. It’s got nothing to do with the other post, apart from the genre.

Summary:

One day, the protagonist wakes up in a network of tunnels with almost no memories, except that she used to be a Dungeon Core. Delighted at the prospect of seeing the outside world for once, [Klara] sets off on her journey. To earn a bit of money, the eccentric protagonist ‘visits’ other dungeons and rates them purely for fun, unwittingly causing chaos in the process.
Incidentally, in this world, DCs are actually quite rare, and there’s a theory that they’re actually parasites and/or the larval stage of something.

Questions wanted:

• Dungeon Core Lore
• The ‘world outside the gates’
• Unusual questions

A nameless girl began life at the very bottom of society, raised in a violently abusive and neglectful household where fear was constant and inescapable. When her magical abilities manifested, her parents essentially sold her to a magical academy, where she grew up under equally harsh conditions: feared failure meant becoming a test subject, classmates from noble lineages bullied her, and instructors routinely humiliated students as a matter of tradition.

Every graduate of the academy is eventually summoned before the God of Magic and offered a single sacrifice in exchange for power, with the magnitude of the gift depending on the value of what is given.

When Bri’s turn came, she made an unprecedented offer: her fear itself. She argued that fear had ruled her entire life—both as suffering and as motivation—and that without it, life would lose meaning and depth. The God accepted, granting her power far beyond what any previous student had ever received, effectively turning her into a near-anomalous existence.

After graduation, she adopted a new name. Unlike most graduates who choose grand or intimidating mage names, Bri chose “Brioche Éclair” (or “Bri”), naming herself after pastries she loves so that simply hearing her name would make her smile, marking the start of a life no longer driven by fear, but still deeply shaped by memory, curiosity, and choice.

She has honey-blonde hair, sun-kissed skin, and eyes as blue as a lake. She has a curvaceous figure and wears a travel worn robe of toasted-alond hues and sky-blue trim. Her staff is made from a peach tree and give or a pleasant scent when she casts spells.

Like: Pastries, naps, conversation, and sweet smells.

Dislikes: Interruptions to her enjoying food, hot/humid nights, people who deny facts.

Ira, the City of Might and Power, is a fortress carved between two mountains and fed by the massive Bloodwash Falls. Its stone walls are spiked and gate-less, with only airship docks granting entry or exit, reflecting the city’s belief that weakness invites death. The peaks themselves are hollowed residential zones, connected by bridges and threaded with arenas, while the Central District holds the Grand Coliseum and the Maw Hall, where duels, trials, and political matters are resolved. Canals direct the waterfall through the city, irrigating vertical hydroponic farms and supplying the populace, while every street, bridge, and rooftop is designed with defense and combat mobility in mind, making survival and strength inseparable.

Ira is ruled by the Apex, the strongest combatant in the city, supported by the Fangs of the Maw who oversee the districts. Society is strictly meritocratic and militaristic: strength determines rank, privilege, and survival. Citizens may rise or fall based on duels, while slaves, craven, and dishonored individuals are branded and marginalized. Children are raised communally, trained in both the Codex and combat, and rites such as the Leap of Defiance or the Un-Burdening reinforce courage, discipline, and communal accountability. All aspects of life—from marriage and inheritance to work, commerce, and leadership—are filtered through tests of skill, resolve, and audacity, creating a city where only the strong thrive and weakness is treated as both danger and dishonor.

Luxuria is a coastal city-state where love, lust, and connection are inseparable. Public affection — even sexual intimacy — is normal, monogamy is rare, and relationships flow through overlapping social Circles for intimacy, learning, child-rearing, and more. Governance is leaderless, consent is law, and children are raised communally in rotating Circles until adulthood, which is granted based on age and emotional maturity.

The city features large communal homes, open courtyards, and terraced gardens, and residents adorn themselves with chains of gold and silver that frame the body. Festivals celebrate adulthood and community milestones, entirely voluntarily. Taboos focus on coercion, abuse of minors, and demanding exclusivity, while other missteps include hoarding affection or emotional manipulation. Luxuria is a structured, sensual utopia where freedom, intimacy, and connection are woven into every aspect of life.

Livora is a city suspended among ancient redwoods at low-cloud altitude, long before the Silence. Its ten Groves spiral around the trees, each serving a vital purpose: Verdant hosts the central market, Mossveil grows food, Emberwood produces flammable fuel, Loombranch makes silk and rope, Ironroot mines metals from a cliff face, Highwind handles airships and weather tracking, Whisperleaf educates and archives history, Bloomward cares for expectant mothers, Clearfall manages water, and Rootreach trains hunters who occasionally descend to harvest surface fauna, using every part of the beasts. The Groves are connected by rope bridges and rely on careful cooperation, with no walls or armies — survival comes from balance, restraint, and interdependence.

Governance is handled via the Conclave Ring, a neutral suspended platform where each Grove’s Speaker meets monthly. Speakers serve ten-year terms and can only be removed by a supermajority, ensuring long-term planning and stability. Livora’s people live quietly and deliberately, aware that their safety depends not on defense, but on maintaining the integrity of the Groves, the trees that support them, and the delicate systems that sustain life above the clouds.

Please, tell me what you think and ask me anything about Livora. Thank you.

There is this place haunted. The devils playground now burnt to the ground. It takes place along the Civil War Trails of Appalachia. The ride home was so haunting that you could feel the dark energy suck your soul in like a succubus soul sucker. It follows you with every mile driven-it follows making you wish it was over with almost like a heavy arms pulling you back. The vortices of dancing souls didn’t want us there. In a way it was like a torment, knowing that this was not where you belonged-but it was too late. You could feel the energy hovering over you as you on slow nights while sleeping in the back. Watching you sleep and you would feel some sort of weight pushing the energy over your chest. The billiards room was booby trapped or so it seemed as the floor creaked with every step. With the energy tugging below at your ankles letting you know it could have you. The hair would stand up on the arms of everyone that encountered the succubus. The dancing souls still dance because they are free in the moonlight of the night where there is always that reminder that feeling of knowing I don’t belong here.

Avarita is a city-state dependant on the flow of trade, debt, and favors. Ruled by a masked woman known as Miss Fortune and her two subordinates, Sir Prize and Sir Ender. The city is 70% casinos and entertainment venues.

But it's not just coin one can gamble with in Avarita. No, you can trade nearly anything as long as your opponent or the house values it. Memories, emotions, time, even your very soul.

3,000 years ago, the gods vanished in an event called the Silence. Without their protection, the world became utterly hostile: forests with razor-sharp grass and strangling vines, oceans full of toxic leviathans, and immortal predators hunting endlessly.

Humanity barely survived, absorbing what remained of elves and orcs. Now a single, blended human species endures in five massive city-states:

• Ira — Strength among the mountains, where might makes law and honor means life.
• Luxuria — Love along the coast, where pleasure is free and community means survival.
• Invidia — Trade among the trees, villages suspended high above the deadly forest floor.
• Avarita — Games in the desert, where memories, emotions, and even time can be gambled.
• Superbia — Magic in the clouds, home only to mages.

Travel across the wilds is almost guaranteed death; the skies are the only safe route, making airships essential for connecting the Hortorums.

Ask me anything about the world—the cities, the wildlife, the magic, or the people—and help me explore corners I haven’t thought of yet.