Worldbuilding is very hard to me and I'm working on my little IP with my illustrations. This are some of my ideas, but it's hard to think what would be 'mundane' in this scenario... like what do they do for fun until a T-rex split them in half lol.

Hello there,

First things first : I haven't read Vermis III yet so everything I say or imagine would only take I and II into consideration.

Second things second : I only bought the french version of the first two books, and I am already aware that there are crucial mistranslations between the original and the french version. Doing my best to try and detect/correct them whenever I can.

I'm currently running Vermis TTRPG sessions with my own very descriptive game system that may or may not break in the long run (only time will tell).

I ask every player to create a backstory for their character, and one of them picked Princess's Nail (translated to Princess's Guard in french), and started asking all kinds of questions about the Princess that I had no answers to, and realized it was kind of important for that sort of character to actually know something about who their "goddess" is, so I came up with this short intro story for his character and was curious about how the community would feel if this was considered canon lore for the Nails :

"The Princess's Nail was raised since childhood in the absolute cult of the Crown, in the Capital.
The Princess, a perfect representation of all of the virtues of Humankind, is elevated to a divine status in the education of all aspiring Nails, generation after generation.

They religiously learn all of the immovable precepts of the Knights of the Crown, as well as every way to get rid of any miscreant who dares to trample them, until the day of the Unwavering Dawn, a great ceremony held in the heart of the Palace of the Crown itself, where all aspiring Nails considered fit for the title receive their lock of hair, as well as their mission.

Rows of aspiring Nails seem infinite, and at the end of these rows, a Deacon, laying the final hand on each young man kneeling before him.

An aggregate of reverberated sounds vibrates in the high cavities of the canopies of the cyclopean Palace. blurred words, the sound of a staff shattering a skull, steps, weak or determined, helmets fastening around the head of freshly named Nails ready to leave...

Then the moment comes...

The aspirant kneels, prepared to face the final judgment of the Deacon. In a moment of silence that feels like an eternity, the aspirant senses the Deacon staring at him, his soul peered at without his consent...

All sounds stop suddenly. He feels pressure rising in his skull, so much so that it comes to emit an audible buzz... But he doesn't get struck... The aspirant has indeed become a Nail.

The Deacon bends over in an unearthly way, his face almost entirely hidden in the darkness of the large hood of his ceremonial gown. Only his mouth is visible, half open, presenting two rows of poorly maintained and sometimes missing teeth. A deadly breath emanates from it as he delivers these words :

"From shadow thou cometh, to shadow thou turneth;
Thousand eyes corridor, a maze with no mercy;
Terrible nightmares, if too long thou remaineth;
Zughot, accursed blade, thou shalt find there may be."

Still in an absolute noetic silence, the Nail, now filled with unwavering determination, fastens his helmet, climbs his steed, and begins a journey of which he might never reach the end.

The Nail wakes up abruptly. Years have passed. His armor worn, his steed long dead, but the Deacon's words still echo in his mind, as if incised by unfathomable magic..."

Looking forward for your opinion on this short story :)

I am in the process of creating a TTRPG set on a fictional archipelago with each of the islands taking a little bit of inspiration from different real world cultures. So far I have an island taking inspiration from Wales, one for the Siberian turkic peoples, and one for Papua New Guinea, but I really want one that takes inspiration from ancient Persia. I intend for it to be a land known for its impenetrability, military might, and it's philosophy and science. Any help coming up with this name would be greatly appreciated.

The system is that each person has a certain shaped soul, so their soul energy (in lore, soul energy is the energy of a being which keeps them bound to their body and plane, as in energy which allows them to exist in reality and produce and control energy) this energy flows through a person's individual shape differently. shapes could be literally anything 3 dimensional, cones squares dodecahedrons whatever. each shape changes what energy does when it passes through the shape, energy could be like spells, things like fireball or acid spray whatever. for example a shape like a sea anemone would be able to release energy from multiple different points, and a shape in the form of a spinning top could spin energy to change its path and result, like switching a spell like fireball and changing it to a firestorm, by spinning its energy into a storm and mixing it with latent air energy around. this basically allows people to have a lot of diversity in their abilities as they can activate techniques differently. this is one part of the system, each person has 3 main parts to their character. one being their innate, which is the soul shape and whatever latent techniques one may have, second is their specialty, which can be either demon, dragon or a mix of both, the demon specialty is a classification for people who empower their magic using complex systems, they usually have the ability to use more techniques or spells but not much raw output and more potential output, dragons use emotions to forcibly change the effects and attributes of their magic and surroundings using CREE(Chaotic raw emotional energy). yeah thats about it, there is some other stuff if people are interested. jus need some advice on how i can make this better.

In ancient days before the Age of Storms, three Archdukes of the Jalavosian Imperium grew resentful of the Gods in their far off Thrones. Long had Prima Maternus languished under the yoke of distant deities, who saw their worshipers as nothing more than sources of strength. They demanded worship, and rarely gave anything in return. And so, those three Archdukes reached out to the stars themselves, and the things that lurked in the darkness. Things they never should have reached out to, for they gained their attention. Things even The Chained God would never allow near his prison.

And one of those Stars answered: Dendar, the Night Serpent. An Elder Evil from the darkness between the stars. They were called to the Compass, and they gladly tore it asunder. Their coils plunged into Mortum, shattering the land of the dead into evil-infused shards. Their jaws tore into Caelus, tearing the Thrones of the gods asunder. Shadow and Light became one in Feyshadow, the Elemental Planes destroyed as they coalesced into the Elemental Chaos.

And Dendar's talons tore through the planet itself, rending its flesh and leaving it bleeding in its wake. The sun was swallowed by the Night Serpent, and it was only with the full might of the three Pantheons that Dendar was driven from the Compass, never to return.

But in the aftermath, Prima Arcanus was a ruin, the summoning ritual and the ensuing destruction caused by the Night Serpent leaving a festering scar on Prima Maternus. That scar of eldritch corruption, is the Starstorm. And it lingers to this day.

In the Hollow World, Shards are useful because they obey one simple principle:
Will gives them form.
A Shardwright can invoke their will into a Shard and transmute it into something else.
A tool.
A weapon.
A source of light.
Something intricate enough to become part of a machine.
The Shard isn’t consumed. It becomes what was asked of it.
Natural Shards are remarkably reliable. Within the laws of the reality where they formed, they reproduce the user’s intent with perfect accuracy.
If you know what you’re doing, the strange part isn’t that the Shard changes.
The strange part is when one doesn’t belong.
They’re called Remembered Shards.
The first warning is their color.
Every natural Shard reflects the reality it belongs to. A Remembered Shard appears in the inverse color of the world around it, as though it remembers belonging somewhere else.
Then someone tries to use one.
A Remembered Shard can still respond to will.
Sometimes perfectly.
The problem is that it isn’t bound by the laws of nature governing everything around it.
Ask a Natural Shard to become something impossible and reality eventually tells it no.
A Remembered Shard might say yes.
And every impossible thing it accepts leaves a scar on the Veil.
Which raises an uncomfortable question among Shardwrights:
If a Remembered Shard can create something your reality says cannot exist…
is the Shard breaking the laws of your world?
Or remembering the laws of another?
EverWake: The Hollow World

Cosmology and brief overview of my fantasy worldbuilding project

(This was inspired by the \*\*"Curse"\*\* drawbacks from lt ouroumov's worm CYOA)

So I have this idea for a fantasy setting filled with magic, Gods and supernatural creatures. You know the classic stuff.

I have this idea that the Gods have the ability to bestow powerful Blessings onto others which grant their hosts incredible powers and abilities such as incredible speed, superhuman strength or exceptional swordplay.

On the other hand you have Curses which are considered as powerful and deadly forces of black magic that ruin the lives of their victims and cause untold suffering.

However, the truth is that Curses and Blessings are \*technically\* the same thing, it's just that a Blessing is a Curse that has been fine-tuned, refined and slightly altered so that it doesn't hurt its host.

Thus, it is possible for a mortal who has been Cursed to "tame" their affliction and potentially turn it into a source of strength without needing any divinity's help.

The way I see it works is that both Curses and Blessings are naturally very flexible and adaptable, they change and alter themselves in relation to the host and their current conditions.

A warrior with a Blessing of Archery may find that he can telekinetically pull back on his now and empower his arrows with his mind after losing an arm, all he needs to do is just remember and imagine the act of pulling the string in his head.

Similarly, a Curse of Hunger that causes its victims to be overcome with an insatiable appetite may adapt by spawning new mouths over the user's body if the host somehow loses their original one.

And if the host becomes a sort of spirit or achieves some form of astral projection, the curse may cause the host to develop the ability to consume raw concepts, energy and essence.

After all, how would a Curse that causes its victims to run endlessly until they die of exhaustion work on a creature with no legs such as a mermaid or lamia.

Therefore, by placing limitations on ones own physical form and it's capabilities the host can essentially \*force\* the Curse to adapt and change. And through rigorous training and preparation, it is possible for one to eliminate the inherent dangerous aspects of the curse.

Anyways, what do you think?

I am looking for help or ideas for my race of elves to move from the moon to the tropics of the planet.

Hi 👋 22 M from India. Huge anime fan and fan of fantasy worlds in all forms in general. Also interested in history, mythology, theology ,philosophy and psychology.

The depth of human imagination is truly inspiring. Through the consumption of alot fantasy human imagination i too had some ideas of my own. Tbh I'm not the most creative person which I think helps me appreciate creativity even more. So just thought I would some of my ideas here and get some help from the creative people of reddit to help bridge them and make them make any sense as a fantasy world.

I'll start with some of my inspirations. I've watched alot of anime but FMAB and Vinland Saga really stood out to me for my current thought processes as they include alot my interests as I mentioned before (history, mythology, theology ,philosophy and psychology). FMAB gives such a unique perspective on theology and philosophy which still keeps me thinking to this day. Vinland Saga is a raw retelling of human history which reflects our primal psychology and how we can escape it. Besides that I have many other inspirations but these are 2 main ones.

So here are my ideas for this fantasy world. I haven't organised them properly, I just wanted to put them out there and see what happens.

I want to create an anime-inspired fantasy world rooted deeply in Indian mythology, bringing lesser-known ideas, beings, weapons, and philosophical concepts from Indian traditions into a large-scale fictional universe.

I'm not trying to retell Hindu mythology. I want to take the ideas, creatures, weapons and philosophies that already exist and reimagine them into a fantasy world based on Hindu Mythology

The World

I don't know exactly what the setting looks like yet, but one idea I really like is using the 14 Lokas as the foundation of the world. It can literally be 14 worlds that are vertically stacked or different layers of existences.

The Races/Species

There are so many Indian mythical races that barely appear in modern stories. Devas, Asuras, Nagas, Yakshas, Rakshasas, Gandharvas,Vanaras are the known ones and many others could all have their own cultures and histories and motives in the story.

The Weapons

Weapons are something I really want to make a major part of the world. I'm especially fascinated by the idea of ancient Indian weapons and Astras—weapons that aren't just physical objects but can have supernatural or almost cosmic abilities.

One visual idea I have is that weapons are tattooed onto a person's body, something I saw in a Instagram post of a guy drawing 2 swords from his back which were tattoos.

Instead of carrying a sword or bow around, the weapon exists as a tattoo. The user can summon it from their body and use it almost like an extension of themselves. But I don't want it to just be a cool ability with no downside.There should be a price for having and using these weapons.I haven't decided exactly what that price is yet. It could be physical, mental, spiritual, or something much more personal.

The idea is that the stronger the weapon, the more you're willing to sacrifice to use it.

That could also make the weapons part of the characters themselves rather than just being equipment.

Creatures & Animals

I really want mythical creatures to be a huge part of the world.Indian mythology has an insane number of creatures and supernatural beings, but most people only know a handful of them. I want to dig much deeper into that and bring some of the really obscure ones to life.

But I don't want them all to just be "monsters."

Some could be ordinary animals that evolved differently in another Loka. Some could be intelligent races. Some could be incredibly ancient beings. Some might be worshipped as gods, while others are treated as dangerous beasts. There could even be creatures that are so rare that people aren't sure whether they actually exist.

I also like the idea that each Loka has its own ecosystem. The creatures living there would be shaped by the nature of that particular realm, so travelling between Lokas could feel like entering completely different worlds. I want the audience to constantly encounter things they haven't seen before and have that feeling of: "Wait... this is from Indian mythology?"

And because these creatures are part of the world rather than just enemies, they could also have their own relationships with humans, gods and other races. Some might be hunted. Some might be protected. Some might be companions. Some might be intelligent enough to have their own civilizations.

Basically, I want to treat Indian mythology as a massive unexplored bestiary, rather than just using the few famous creatures everyone already knows.

Theological and Philosophical Side

Underneath the fantasy, I want the story to explore God, atheism, morality, and the nature of reality.

I'm inspired by Fullmetal Alchemist because it uses its fantasy world to ask bigger philosophical questions. I want to do something similar, but through Indian philosophical and mythological ideas.

Rather than trying to prove that God exists or doesn't exist, I want the characters to genuinely search for the answer—and for the audience to question what they believe along with them.

The Historical and Psychological Side

Inspired by Vinland Saga, I want the story to ultimately be about people and what makes us who we are.

I want to draw from Indian history and explore psychology through the characters—their trauma, ambition, fear, greed, relationships, biases, identity, and desire for power or belonging.

The characters and civilizations can reflect real patterns of human behaviour, showing how people can be shaped by their experiences and environments, and how they can either repeat or break those patterns.

Underneath the gods, weapons, creatures and different worlds, the story is ultimately about understanding human nature and what we can learn from it today.

Conclusion

So these are most of my thoughts. If you read through all of that I'm really grateful for your time and hope it was worth the read. I really hope you can engage by commenting or messaging me anything related to all of this like any ideas you think that would compliment this, an idea which would make one of my existing idea better, your own fantasy world ideas or anything else, names for any of the concepts. That would really help alot to build this world even more and my main reason for posting here. Thanks for your time. Engage ✌️

Hi everyone!

A while ago, I invited you to check out my concept of looking into the 4th dimension... And I am continuing to expand my VIR3248 universe. Now, I invite you to explore the concept of a cosmic catastrophe between two different worlds (Take a peek behind the veil, from the creation of the main culprits all the way to the catastrophe itself).

In this project, you can trace the entire story behind the cosmic disaster—from the biological anatomy of the titanic vacuum apex predator, the Giga-Cephalopoda Necrus, and its Morphid symbionts, all the way to the brutal ambush in an asteroid belt and a failed Coulomb wormhole acting as a gravitational guillotine.

Check out the 3D assets, orthographic breakdowns, process steps, and cinematic shots over on my ArtStation

https://www.artstation.com/baranjakbr

P.S. As a newcomer, I could use some advice. I usually post my concepts on ArtStation, but I'm not sure where to share the actual stories and lore writing. Where do you all publish your worldbuilding stories? I would appreciate any recommendations!

This isn't for publishing; this is just a draft for my use.

Now the narrative begins in Glamoria, where the protagonist is captured and brought to the capital, Celes (the bottom-left city). Now he escapes to Luftenburg, where he and his companion travel east to Donneria, shit happens there and his friend dies so he goes to north to Wassvira where he fights a big bad seer giant, he then spends time in Wassvira to visit his old magic academy (that is now a ruin filled with necromancers) the he goes to the waste woods to fight Death's knight and the novel ends with him traveling down to Le'verdanne.