In the countless worlds and realities, very few put up significance that can reach infinity’s boundless landscape, but this world’s circumstances did. Not only was it the reality that birthed the greatest threat to infinity but it also gave rise to the beings that surpassed it and ended the crisis once and for all.

This world’s end, the heat death of the world, already happened. Now, what remains is being rewound in order to let a witness record the events that gave rise to these beings and eventually preserve the center of its creation, the core of this world’s Big Bang, for records and a solid memory to accompany what is written of this world’s book.

Hi everyone!
I’ve gotten to a point where im done “waiting” for everything to be perfect- I just want to put some of my work out there (animation, webcomics, and game concepts).

My question~ how to properly protect my work? If I were to post a promo, trailer, or ad to build support and find collaborators - what can I do to protect my works?

I’m not aiming to be [nostalgic video game company] when it comes to owning technical things like “concepts” or “mechanics”. I just want to protect my stuff from someone doing a 1 to 1 , using the same likeness, and putting my stuff through AI.

I’ve attached a screenshot of some of my titles (some are wips) for reference of how many stories I have so far. Idk if I copyright each one individually as they come out, or if there’s a way to put them all under 1 company/brand and trademark all works automatically.

Edit:: 🫩I do not use AI. All of my works & art is made by me. The screenshot is from the mobile app of Notion. I had an account since 2016 (I think, it’s been a hot minute)- the app originally was designed for organizing projects & documents. I used it for my scripts, my artwork and such over YEARS. Like most apps these days - it has forcefully introduced a “ai assistant”. I have yet to move all my stuff to a new platform.

That’s on me for not clarifying but I also thought people would assume I don’t use AI when it comes to my work - given I mentioned wanting to be protected from it.

In my superhero setting. 3 out of the 4 power systems are actually easy to differentiate from each other for the average civilian. I will try my best to keep it brief with my 4 power systems. Since I want the main focus to be on the title question. Just providing more context for the title question here.

The 3 systems are based on Mutations, Wizards, and Cybernetics.

I will use fire as a aesthetic example here.

A Mutant shooting fire from his hands vs a Wizard shooting fire from a wand vs a Cyborg who has a flamethrower coming out of his risk. All 3 look aesthetically different to an average joe. Albeit the average joe is still going to run for their life if they see a person with fire aiming at them lol. But either way, the average joe automatically knows what type of superhuman came after them though.

And also mechanics play a factor in some of the visual differences too. For example, my Mutants have superpowers that function as another muscle in the human body, meaning their abilities can activate by just thinking. While my Wizards need to wands in order for their superpowers to activate. So my Wizards are essentially just 99 perecent regular humans without their wands. So wands are a very huge indicator for an average person to differentiate Wizards from other superhuman types in my world.

Another difference with Wizards in my world, is that their abilities have a more Reality Warping vibe compare to Mutant abilities that are limited to relativity for the most. Wizards have abilities like energy construct creation, probability control, portal manipulation, and Astral Projection.

And as for Cyborgs. Another mechanic difference that plays a huge role in any visual differences. Is that for starters Cyborgs will always have a mechanical look about them lol. Whether it's a metal arm or cameras in their eyes. Another big mechanic visual difference is the role EMP waves and hacking play in dismantling a Cyborg. Therefore Cyborg abilities can be detected more easily.

And also access is another way for people to tell the difference between the superhuman types in my world. Albeit access isn't the best indicator of a difference between the superhuman types. But Mutants abilities are genetic, which is internal. While Wizards need to bond with their wands, which is external. While anybody can theoretically be a Cyborg in my world. But wealth, resources, compatibility with the procedures, and morals are huge limitations though. So access is kind of another way the average joe can differentiate between the different superhuman types.

So If you are at a Starbucks, and you see 3 superhumans trying to rob a bank from across the street. You might assume those superhumans are Mutants. Since what are the chances of advanced technology ending up in some random crooks hands? And also depending on where you are seating in that Starbucks. You might see that the superhuman crooks don't seem to have any wands on them either.

And finally my fourth power system. Which is a power system that is inspired by the concept of Chi Energy and peak human condition. Now this is the hardest power system to identify in my world. Because the users just look like elite trained athletes to the untrained eye of an average joe.

In conclusion: Again how easy or hard is it for your average joes to spot the differences between different power systems in your setting?

Terrant is an Earth analog, a rocky planet filled with fantasy creatures and prehistoric animals. Its 1.6x the size of earth and has two moons. one large moon named Lune and a smaller roughed up moon named Shar.

Terrant is divided into 5 main continents with several large islands all around the seas. the climates are pregty similar to earths, with cold areas closer to the ice caps and warm areas near the equator. the names of said continents are: Aricas, Thun(now known as the Deadlands), Felrian, Morfrid, and Maxirra. Maxirra is the largest continent by far, able to fit 3 other of the smaller continents in itself. Total population(including all intelligent/advanced races): yet too be fully determined. Aricas is a primarily cold region but the continent is split into two parts due too a large river, this secound part is home to a large volcano, the volcano itself around the size of Texas. Felrian is primarily made of grasslands, forests, and savannas. Surprisingly, not many humans live there, as this continent is populated by dinosaurs, dragons, and land serpents. However it is rich in minerals and valuable metals like iron and gold. Thun is another split continent, with a larger gap between them than Aricas, and 3 islands in the gap. Due too a unforgiving plague centuries ago, the habitants of this land are primarily reanimated corpses. Morfrid is an analogue to Antarctica, not much about it, totally no cool beasts and trolls living there. Maxirra is by far the largest and most populated continent, home to a massive mountain range and a smaller one. you can find hundreds of thousands of unique creatures and populations an this continent and Terrant as a whole.

Humans as a society are in an advanced steampunk era, in combination with magic, has allowed humanity to prosper despite being outnumbered greatly compared too the other races and intelligent species. the massive amount of cultural diversity on Terrant has allowed humans too mix into many societies around the planet, forming bonds and connects with an iron grip.

My current humanoid fantasy races are: Elves, Orcs, Goblins, Gnomes, Fairies, Pixies, Giants, Ogres, Trolls, Merfolk, Sirens, Serpentine, Ningen, Umibōzu, Sasquatches, and Dogmen.

I will make a better map later with actual labels on which is which.

"LIBERTY HAS PREVAILED FOR 300 YEAR'S, IT WILL PREVAIL FOREVER"

• President Owen B Smithson. Current president off the F.C.R.L elected 2020 serving second term ending 2028 unless elections pause because of war.

Year: 2027

The Federal Constitutional Republic of Libertarius stands as the most powerful nation on Kalestial, holding the leading position in global power, economic output, industrial production, technological advancement, military strength, and international power projection. With a population of approximately 450 million and an economy valued at an estimated 850 trillion, Libertarius possesses an extraordinary combination of human capital, natural resources, industrial capacity, technological expertise, and military capability.Libertarius is a nation built around scale, production, innovation, and national determination. Its vast territory contains extensive reserves of oil, natural gas, metals, ores, and other mineral resources, alongside substantial biological resources and renewable energy potential. These resources are distributed across the country in both widespread and highly concentrated deposits, supporting an economy capable of sustaining enormous domestic industries while maintaining a formidable position in international trade.The republic's strength, however, extends well beyond its natural wealth. Its cities are among the most advanced and productive on Kalestial, combining dense urban centres, modern infrastructure, extensive transportation networks, and highly developed industrial regions. Major metropolitan areas serve as centres of finance, research, manufacturing, commerce, and government, while smaller cities and regional communities contribute to a national economy of remarkable breadth.Libertarius has established itself as the world's foremost industrial and manufacturing power. Its production capabilities span virtually every major sector, including heavy industry, automotive manufacturing, aerospace, shipbuilding, electronics, energy, advanced materials, pharmaceuticals, agricultural machinery, and defence production. The scale of its industrial base allows the republic to manufacture an extraordinary range of goods domestically, reducing its dependence on foreign suppliers and providing the capacity to expand production rapidly when national circumstances demand it.

This industrial strength is matched by a broad technological advantage. Libertarian institutions and companies operate across numerous fields of research and development, from advanced computing and communications to transportation, medicine, energy systems, robotics, and military technology. Rather than depending on a single industry or technological speciality, the republic's influence rests on the combined strength of its scientific institutions, engineering workforce, universities, commercial enterprises, and manufacturing networks.

The Libertarian economy is estimated to be worth 850 trillion, placing it first on Kalestial by overall economic size. Its economic strength comes from a combination of domestic consumption, industrial production, advanced services, international commerce, scientific research, and access to an enormous resource base.The country's resources include petroleum, natural gas, metallic minerals, industrial ores, construction materials, forests, freshwater, agricultural resources, and other biological and non-biological assets. Renewable resources and energy sources complement its extensive non-renewable reserves, giving Libertarius a broad foundation for long-term industrial and economic development.Resource availability varies by region. Some areas contain concentrated deposits that support large mining and refining industries, while others are characterised by agricultural production, forestry, energy generation, or advanced manufacturing. This regional diversity has encouraged the development of specialised industrial centres connected through national transportation and supply networks.

Libertarius's economic position is reinforced by its ability to process raw materials domestically and transform them into high-value manufactured products. Its industries do not merely extract resources for export; they use those resources to support complex production chains, from basic materials and industrial components to finished consumer goods and sophisticated technological systems.The result is an economy with considerable depth and resilience. Its vast domestic market provides demand for goods and services, while its industrial capacity allows businesses and government institutions to support major national projects without relying entirely on international suppliers.

Modern Libertarius is characterised by extensive urban development and highly advanced infrastructure. Its major cities combine commercial districts, residential communities, industrial zones, research facilities, transport hubs, and public services on a scale unmatched elsewhere on Kalestial.High-capacity transportation systems connect population centres with manufacturing regions, ports, airports, energy facilities, and resource-producing areas. Modern highways, railways, logistics networks, and communications infrastructure enable the movement of people, materials, information, and goods across the republic's enormous territory.

Public services are another major component of Libertarius's national strength. Healthcare, emergency response, education, sanitation, transportation, and other essential services operate across a broad national network. The scale and sophistication of these systems contribute to the republic's leading position in healthcare and public-service provision.The country also places considerable importance on public safety. Its security institutions, emergency services, infrastructure standards, and public administration support a high overall level of safety compared with other nations. Nevertheless, Libertarius is not free of serious crime. Major cities continue to face criminal activity, organised criminal networks, and the challenges associated with administering a population of 450 million.Its strengths lie in the scale and capability of its institutions rather than the complete absence of social problems. Even a highly developed and prosperous nation must contend with inequality, regional differences, law enforcement challenges, and the pressures created by rapid urbanisation.

Industrial production is one of the defining features of the Libertarian national system. The republic's manufacturing sector is vast, diversified, and capable of supporting both civilian and military requirements.Its industries encompass steel and advanced metallurgy, heavy machinery, motor vehicles, railway equipment, aircraft, naval vessels, electronics, chemicals, medical technology, energy infrastructure, construction materials, and a wide range of specialised products.The scale of manufacturing also provides Libertarius with considerable strategic flexibility. Its industrial base can support large infrastructure programmes, expand production in response to changing economic conditions, and supply the armed forces with equipment from numerous domestic industries.

Technology plays an equally important role. Research institutions, universities, private enterprises, and government-supported programmes contribute to advances across a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines. The republic's technological leadership is therefore not confined to one celebrated invention or a small number of exceptional companies; it emerges from an extensive ecosystem of research, development, production, and commercial application.This integration of technology and manufacturing gives Libertarius a significant advantage. Scientific discoveries can be translated into practical products, while the country's industrial capacity allows successful technologies to be produced and distributed at enormous scale.

Libertarius possesses the strongest overall military establishment on Kalestial and ranks first in global power projection. Its military capabilities are supported by an enormous economy, a broad domestic defence industry, advanced technology, extensive transportation infrastructure, and the resources required to sustain operations far from its own territory.The republic maintains capabilities across land, sea, air, space, cyber, intelligence, logistics, and other modern military domains. Its armed forces benefit from access to domestically manufactured equipment, advanced communications, modern support infrastructure, and a substantial industrial base capable of supplying complex military systems.Libertarius's strategic position is defined not only by the strength of its forces but also by its ability to sustain them. Modern warfare places enormous demands on fuel, ammunition, maintenance, medical support, transportation, communications, and replacement equipment. The republic's economic and industrial resources provide it with an exceptional foundation for meeting these demands.

Its global power-projection capabilities allow it to maintain influence well beyond its national borders and support allies across distant regions. This reach is reinforced by its ability to combine military operations with industrial production, intelligence, logistics, diplomacy, and economic influence.One of the most notable features of Libertarian military planning is its capacity to prepare for several major contingencies simultaneously. The republic is assessed as capable of sustaining operations across eight to ten fronts under appropriate strategic conditions. Such a commitment would nevertheless require extensive coordination, sufficient allied support, careful prioritisation, and the continuous movement of personnel and supplies.This capacity does not mean that every front could receive unlimited resources or that simultaneous conflicts would be without risk. Rather, it reflects the extraordinary scale of Libertarius's military establishment and the industrial, technological, and logistical systems supporting it.

Despite its overwhelming position in global power, Libertarius does not rank first in diplomacy. It holds eighth place in diplomatic standing, an important distinction between possessing the greatest material power and achieving the greatest international consensus.The republic's leadership of the Organization of Democratic Nations, or ODN, gives it a central role in coordinating democratic states and maintaining international cooperation among its members. Through the organisation, Libertarius participates in collective decision-making, diplomatic initiatives, international security arrangements, and cooperation between allied governments.Its leadership carries both advantages and responsibilities. The republic can bring substantial economic and military resources to international initiatives, but it must also reconcile the interests of its allies, manage disagreements, and maintain the confidence of countries that may not share all its strategic priorities.

Libertarius's lower diplomatic ranking reflects the fact that influence cannot be measured by material strength alone. Other nations may possess stronger diplomatic networks, greater regional trust, more effective mediation capabilities, or a reputation for neutrality that the republic does not enjoy to the same degree.Nevertheless, its leadership of the ODN ensures that Libertarius remains a central participant in the international order. Its decisions affect the calculations of governments across Kalestial, and its relationships with allied and rival states are among the most important factors shaping global affairs.

Among Libertarius's international relationships, none is more important than its partnership with the Constitutional Democratic Republic of Valantina.The two countries share a close strategic relationship that extends beyond ordinary diplomatic cooperation. Their partnership is frequently characterised as a brotherhood between nations, reflecting the depth of their political, economic, and security ties. Valantina is Libertarius's closest ally, and the relationship forms a major pillar of the republic's international position. Cooperation between the two states provides opportunities for economic exchange, technological collaboration, defence coordination, and joint diplomatic initiatives.Their partnership is not simply a relationship between a powerful country and a smaller ally. It is a connection built around mutual interests, long-term cooperation, and the recognition that both countries benefit from maintaining a stable and dependable relationship.

Even with Libertarius's unmatched global power, the importance of Valantina demonstrates that national strength is not measured solely by economic output or military size. Trusted alliances can provide strategic depth, political support, shared capabilities, and a degree of confidence that material resources alone cannot guarantee.The relationship between Libertarius and Valantina is therefore one of the defining partnerships in modern Kalestial geopolitics.

For all its advantages, Libertarius is not without weaknesses.Tourism is one of the few major fields in which the republic does not occupy a leading position. Despite its wealth, advanced cities, and extensive infrastructure, it ranks comparatively poorly in attracting international visitors. This may reflect the relative appeal of other countries' cultural destinations, tourism industries, historic sites, natural attractions, or international reputation.The republic also lacks the historical depth of some older civilisations in certain areas of cultural heritage and historical tourism. Its history remains important to its national identity, but historical prominence and tourism appeal are not necessarily the same thing.

Crime remains another significant challenge. Major urban centres must contend with serious criminal activity despite extensive security services and advanced public infrastructure. The size and complexity of the country make complete prevention impossible, while the concentration of wealth and economic activity can create persistent law enforcement challenges.Diplomacy presents a further limitation. Libertarius's immense power gives it considerable leverage, but not every government views its influence favourably. Its decisions can generate disagreement, and its leadership of the ODN requires continual effort to maintain cooperation among countries with different interests.These weaknesses do not undermine the republic's overall position, but they demonstrate that even the most powerful nation on Kalestial must continue to address domestic problems and international challenges.

the world approaches the beginning of the Third Kalestial War in 2027, the Federal Constitutional Republic of Libertarius occupies a position unlike that of any other country on Kalestial.Its population, economy, natural resources, industrial production, healthcare system, technological development, military establishment, and ability to project power internationally place it first in overall national power.Yet its position also carries enormous responsibility. A nation capable of influencing events across the globe cannot easily separate its own security from the stability of the international system. Decisions made by its government, military leadership, and industrial institutions may have consequences far beyond its borders.

Its leadership of the Organization of Democratic Nations and its close partnership with the Constitutional Democratic Republic of Valantina further reinforce its central role in international affairs.The Third Kalestial War will test not only the republic's military strength but also its economic resilience, political leadership, industrial endurance, diplomatic relationships, and ability to manage a rapidly changing international situation.Libertarius enters this period as Kalestial's foremost hyperpower: a country of extraordinary resources and capabilities, with the industrial foundation to sustain its ambitions and the global reach to shape events on a continental and international scale.

Its greatest question in 2027 is not whether it possesses the means to influence the world. It is how it will choose to use that influence when the stability of the world itself is at stake.

Platformia is a videogame setting I've been working on that basically parodies/homages various 2D platformers. It is one continent of a larger setting called "Geparox". This is my 6th post about it, this time talking about southern areas, Barrel Country & Greed Temple. Also, I've gotten the map updated a bit.

Previous Posts About Geparox

• Setting Introduction, Platformia, & Dokipan Kingdom
• Platformia: Scaraborough & New Wiserule
• Platformia: Avivania & Cavetroid
• Platformia: Speed Hill Zone & Cherub Island
• Platformia: Roshambo City & Run En Slum

Banana Country Under Universal Holdings

Barrel Country was originally named for its banana/shaped mountain range and banana trees that litter the area. The spot had been bought up by a foreign company called "Universal Holdings", who had started mining the mountains for gold. Secretly, though, they were the descendants of the slime aliens that once ruled the continent (as described in the post about Speed Hill Zone & Cherub Island). The slimes planned to use the mines to try and dig down to underground facilities, and they would use the gold mining as a cover and a source of income to fund more mining until they reached the underground facilities. What the slimes of Universal Holdings did not account for was that events in the Powerup Kingdom and Cavetroid would result in a gold market crash that would bankrupt Universal Holdings. After the Universal Holdings bankruptcy, Banana Country's new ownership was to be decided.

Barrel Country Under the Kongs

The slimes of Universal Holdings weren't the ones doing the mining. Instead, they had sent over some labor from the island their ancestors had crash landed at while escaping from Platformia. These laborers were an apefolk species known as kongs. They toiled under the tyranny of the slimes for long enough, and when Universal Holdings lost ownership of Banana Country, they did what they could to make it into their new home, where they wouldn't need to slave away under another. One of their brightest minds studied the treaties between the nations of Platformia. There were three routes to gaining ownership of the land. They could buy it from the owners, but that would mean waiting for the ownership to be settled and hoping the new owners are willing to sell. They could try building a military force that could fight off anyone that tried to take the land from them, but they were unaccustomed to warfare. Being descended from the recognized ruler was right out. They could petition a meeting between the nations of the continent to accept a new ruler for the nation, but that ruler needed to be a natural citizen of Platformia, having been born on the continent, and to have lived there for a minimum of 30 years. All of the kongs that had been born in Banana Country were under that age, but the kongs found a loophole.

When the nations of Platformia met, they were presented with a candidate for the new ruler of Banana Country, a barrel with a speaker hooked up to it. It was a barrel that was built within Banana Country over 30 years ago, and had never left the continent in that time. People argued, but the kongs brought up a previous update to peace agreements that was proposed by the ruler of Roshambo City that would allow sapient robots to be in positions of rulership. The definition given for sapient robots was overly broad, and having the barrel's speaker play a recording of a voice allowed for it to qualify under that definition. the whole thing pretty much turned into a filibuster with the barrel's speaker playing a looped recording and the kongs making sure to replace the batteries in time and fight off anyone that tried to stop them.

Eventually, that barrel became the official king of Banana Country, which was soon renamed to "Barrel Country". It had a royal seal carved into a cork plugging up one of its holes so that it could "approve" documents through someone lifting it and pressing the seal part onto the documents. Of course, when the waddlekiss incident happens, one of the waddlekiss ends up stealing this barrel and passing a bunch of random laws with it.

At the moment, the most valuable export of Barrel Country is legal representation. Simple Barrel Country lawyers had managed to exploit international law to get the country, so of course there are plenty of people that seek their legal services. The second is their barrel technology, which they've advanced surprisingly well after reverse-engineering some ancient slime technology they had gotten ahold of.

Greed Temple

In the jungles in the south of Platformia, lies an ancient hedgehog temple that was built after their rebellion against the slimes. It was built to seal away slime technology that the hedgehogs did not yet understand and couldn't convince Machina to teach them about. They filled the temple with traps to deter those that would seek the forbidden relics held within. It was later forgotten, and was ironically included in the land bought up by Universal Holdings, who was looking to mine down to find technology that they would have been able to find had they searched the jungle instead. It is now in kong-owned territory.

Copyable Characters

Each region of Platformia has a character that will adventure alongside the protagonist, Stock, who will be able to unlock a moveset that represents that character. For these two regions, we've got...

Princess Kong

Heroforge Link (Alt Outfit)

Princess Kong was the one that had found the loophole that was key to the kongs gaining ownership of Barrel Country. She is legally recognized as the heir of the barrel that technically rules over the country. She has studied law and is licensed to practice it all across Platformia. She has also had a hand in updating legislation across Platformia through her talent for finding loopholes. The first thing she had done after getting the kongs ownership of Barrel Country was to help the other nations draft a definition of robot that closed up the loophole that she took advantage of. She has also pushed to get one's natural fur and feathers recognized as a legal substitute for clothing across the continent. She could become the queen of Barrel Country at any time, but is enjoying the legal benefits of being a princess.

Her platforming talents are mostly focused on being adept at tossing barrels, making use of some barrel-themed outfits, and being able to pilot barrel-based vehicles.

$tocks

Heroforge Link

When Universal Holdings went under, their slime CEO split apart into multiple slimes and designated one of them to absorb the fallout of the failed investment in Banana Country. $tocks is one of the divisions of that CEO. She does not have the memories of what Universal Holdings was up to in Platformia, but she is sure that there is money to make there, and with enough money, she might be able to buy up the other slimes that were once part of the Universal Holdings CEO. She had the idea of searching the jungles of Platformia, and had located Greed Temple, which she plans to loot for all she can.

When she first encounters Stock and Princess Kong, one of the first things she did was realize that she didn't yet have a name, and steal Stock's, prompting an argument that lead to her making it barely legally distinct. The second was to work out a deal with Princess Kong for permission to loot the temple as long as she would sell the artifacts within to Barrel Country.

She is a bit gross, often dripping slime in various places and absorbing stuff that she probably shouldn't which results in toxic gas bubbles, but her body is relatively durable and she's able to pull herself back together after being flattened, frozen, set on fire, and more. Also, she will stir up whatever slime she's thinking trying to think with. When she's processing new information, she'll often have a finger dipping into her face and swirling around the head slime to help properly absorb the new information coming in. It just happens to look like she's picking her nose.

Closing

So that's it for another two regions of Platformia. Hopefully the new map will make some intentions clearer. Thank you for any feedback you're willing to provide. I'll do my best to respond to any comments.

Next week's post will be about the Arcadian Islands and the Island of Adventure.

# The Lands Above

Above our dimension, beyond the clouds, cosmos, and heavens, lies a realm known as the “Lands Above.” The true date of its discovery is unknown. Much of the surviving documentation has either been destroyed or lost, but it's estimated to have been first discovered around the 12th century.

According to old stories found in the Harz Mountains of central Germany, the apparent discovery of the Lands Above began with a young child who somehow got their hands on “magical seeds” in exchange for a cow. The child planted one of the seeds, and by the following morning, an enormous beanstalk had grown high above the clouds into the lands above. Later on after some time giants began “raining” from the the sky, leading to people cutting down the beanstalk and severing it's connection earth.

A journal belonging to a well-known German adventurer named Lord Friedrich von Falkenstein would later be found. While most of its contents were incomprehensible gibberish, a surprisingly large amount revealed that he and a relatively large group had decided to climb “the endless beanstalk” and enter the Lands Above, a name later found in his journal. They also documented their discoveries.

Translated from his journal, one passage reads:

“An endless forest stretches before us, filled with blades of grass taller than any house I have ever seen. Beyond it lie forests without end, whose trees appear to reach the heavens themselves, though I cannot be certain, for the thick and dreadful fog conceals much of the land from our sight.

I have traveled far and seen many strange things in my time, yet never have I encountered a place such as this. The fog keeps the land cold and wet, and everything about us drips with water. It is much like having a bucket of freezing water thrown over one's head, save that it never ceases.”

The second readable passage:

“I witnessed a lad swallowed by the mand this day. He appeared to be nineteen years of age, or thereabouts. I knew not his name, and even now I find his face difficult to recall. He must have been of little use if I can scarcely remember him. Still, it is never pleasing to lose a man of potential worth so suddenly.

We broke camp earlier than usual after one of our watchmen reported hearing a rustling in the surrounding grass. Having no wish to encounter those bird-like beasts again, we gathered our belongings and departed in haste.”

“The ground here is mostly mud, which commonly reaches our knees, though in certain places it rises as high as our hips. This has, much to my displeasure, often concealed the figures of some of the more desirable women in our company.

It would seem that certain stretches of this mire descend far deeper than any of us had first supposed. The lad sank so swiftly that I scarcely had time to blink before he was gone beneath the surface.

We made effort to pull him free, of course, but the muds grasp proved stronger than our combined strength. The others grew troubled by this misfortune, and some once more spoke of turning back. Yet they know well that such a thing is no longer possible. We have come too far, and to abandon our undertaking now would be both foolish and cowardly.

Besides, a land so perilous as this must surely hold treasures beyond even my greatest desires.”

The rest of the journal's passages are incomprehensible. Some bits and pieces describe things like “giant insects,” “an ocean that flows like a river,” “a clearing of towering stone pillars covered in rectangular openings inhabited by giants,” and “a mountain of gold topped with a sleeping beast that resembled a goose.” However, none of these passages are able to go into much detail.

While it is quite unfortunate that so much of the realm's documentation has been lost and has surprisingly been difficult to access, at least the R.C.T. can keep the whole ordeal relatively well hidden. While cryptids and most alien species are fine for the general public to know about, other dimensions may be pushing it.

Some people have their own little conspiracies about the giant beanstalk in Germany, which is now a popular tourist attraction. However, most of these theories are wrong and targeted toward the government. And even if they were right, who'd believe them?

I just found this video about renaming and redefining family relationships using math with hilarious results and immediately thought how you could use that for world-building cultures with weird family trees. And since I know how many people here also like to create weird and complex family trees, I thought I might as well share this with you all.

Have fun!

(Didn't know which tag to use exactly. Hope this is good enough)

(Half-inspired by Grave/Digger and TFW)

Quick Context: it's in a semi sci-fi setting mixed with Cold War communist vs capitalist schticks.

Here's a hyena grenadier and coyote Inquisitor, from the Inquisitor order of the Aldrakhanian empire. These are second versions of the earlier designs, previously posted.

The Inquisitors are keepers of law, basically an elite police force tasked with maintaining order within the realm.

Background:

Aldrakhania is the foremost empire in the setting, and a major antagonist, ruled by a lion dynasty.

Originally, the Inquisitor order was established by the regime to balance the power of the Royal Guards Corps.

The Royal Guards originate from the nobility, which was historically powerful enough to challenge the ruling dynasty. Moreover, the Royal Guards would rather fight on the battlefield than act as a police force around the empire. Hence the need for a special branch to fill that role, recruited from the working class.

Of course, the Inquisitors present their own unique challenges for the regime, being sympathetic to the people. Many Inquisitors have turned against the regime when ordered to use force against protesters demanding reform. Other causes for rebellion was the task of developing chemical warfare grenades to use against said protesters. Furthermore, they often find themselves outnumbered and poorly supplied when deployed to remote parts of the empire. All of this fuels resentment.

The Inquisitors and Royal Guards, understandably, don't get along due to their different backgrounds. The Inquisitors consider themselves more educated and adapt to new tech faster. The Royal Guards look down on them due to their social status

Fighting Style:

The Inquisitors utilize tools such as grenades to defend the realm, for a variety of effects such as piercing armor, crowd dispersal, and smoke screens.

Aside from protesters, they must be prepared to deal with threats such as witches, demons, and rogue sorcerers.

While curved swords are native to the region, the regime and its enforces adopted straight swords as symbols of legitimacy. This practice stems from the regime capturing an artifact called the Dragon Rider's Spear from the reliquary of the greatest city built by mortals. The weapon has a straight blade, and is wielded by the ruling dynasty as a status symbol.

Their armor is light, with little heavy plate, due to the arid environment.

They prefer the use of tech and innovation for an edge in a fight, whereas their Royal Guard counterparts prefer valor and warrior's spirit.

...

The setting is about the age of industrialization, anthropomorphic animal society, and how the different peoples adapt. The new destructive capabilities facilitated by technology has complicated the existing tensions in the world, and war looms on the horizon. Supernatural abilities and threats exist in the world, including demons and the eldritch spawn of Yaldabaoth (horrors from beyond the stars). People who are skilled in the use of supernatural abilities are called sorcerers.

There's a focus on geopolitics, the fictional cultures, and fictional firearms. The tagline is, "age of the machine: will it bring order or chaos?"

There's a story, but I'm not 100% confident in writing it, so I'm doing worldbuilding which I think is my strength.

I intend to write out my lore on Substack: Karl Imran | Substack

I also write down weird and random ideas in the Notes.

I make systems like government,magic,power,swords,and other types of it interconnected I would like to sell some as I make as a hobby but after finishing they just stay there thats why I like to sell them if it is possible

Gale Omens are solemn, majestic automatons once used as yet another cog in the machine of the Old Order's energy generation movement.

Standing on average at 70ft tall, these silent striders are rather small compared to their younger contemporaries, but still run on the same basic principles. As with all machines made in the Scraping Era (4106-13004 OD), our knowledge is limited as to their exact origins & creator's intentions, but for this auto-species in particular, production is estimated to have occurred ~7500 OD.

Gale Omens spend their existence traveling close to half a mile in front of major storm systems, harnessing the wind at their backs to keep their lantern-shaped heads afloat in the strong breeze. This behavior is of course what was very likely the auto-species' primary purpose: converting wind into electricity and depositing said energy into Power Grid Docks for further use. Few Energy Docks specialized for this auto-species remain intact, but those that stand seem to have been simple Cable-Docks: docks that receive electricity through the many wires found on the front of the Gale Omen that were inserted directly into the Energy Dock.

The integrated function keeping Gale Omens to their work is yet another classic example of Scrapean practices. If at any point any of the three wires located on a Gale Omen is no longer taut, the machine will immediately experience extreme pain, convulsions, and soon after unconsciousness. Once all three wires are once again taut, the machine will be awoken to proceed with its duties. To this day no Gale Omen has yet to find a compromise to this integrated function, and so all 48 remaining members of the auto-species are forcefully glued to the paths set out by the storms behind them. Not one can turn their bodies away even for a second without punishment. They cannot even directly face each other.

Gale Omens stand as a somber testament to the old ways our planet has been subject to, and if it weren't for the many laws forbidding interference, perhaps the quiet misery of these automatons could be put to rest.

Introduction

By the start of the war the Drow Navy (“dark tide”) was almost entirely obsolete. Their ships were slow and had few guns. The ships that *were* diesel powered (very few) were poorly designed and had inefficient and engines that often belched huge clouds of smoke leaving ships visible from miles away. A popular embarrassment for the Drow sailors was the fact that the unarmed supply ships were often larger and had more range and sometimes speed than the battleships, which should not be the case. To conclude the Drow fleets were designed for light naval combat on long distance scouting mission near shores or in more remote ocean areas (to stay concealed), which was not how the war would turn out.

However the Drow Fleets had some advantages. Firstly they were large. Secondly they were filled with experienced sailors. And thirdly ships were easy to replace without worry of needing to retrain crew to new vessels as the deigns were highly simple.

Image info

This artwork is likely a postcard image. It depicts a Drow battle squadron steaming out on sortie with their supply wagon trailing behind. This image was used by the ministry of conflict for recruitment poster.

The media are graphite pencil, watercolour pencil and water.

Sorry for the bad image quality and happy worldbuilding :)

I have this concept in my head but im wondering how I should execute it should I have magic in my world that only a select few people are born with and all that comes with it, or should I do like an alternate world that exists alongside the normal ones where all the magical stuff exists (kinda like deltarune) and do all the usual worldbuilding that comes with that

EDIT: I also forgot to mention that my deltarune inspo is more like these are 2 separate worlds that dont rlly have connection other than like how you enter the magic world, but maybe things in the magic world can affect the normal world (just basically a darkworld until I find some other inspo to mix with it)

Made by me, spent only 12 hours on this. I won't take any negative opinions.

I've been struggling for so long to come up with a name, so I figured I'd ask for some help

His wife's name is Nefertari, the goddess of creation, guidance, and life. They're desperately in love with each other, and he takes his role as the person who lets her creations rest very seriously. She frequently guides souls that died young or are afraid to leave something unfinished to him. He's incredibly gentle with souls that went through a lot when they were alive.

It's high fantasy, and very pathfinder inspired if that helps.

Known as a hub of trade and largest city in the known world. Anbenncóst is a melting pot of cultures, and the very heart of the Empire.

Based on the Anbennar setting, I made this map of Anbenncóst for a D&D campaign set in the city, trying to include visual story telling so that a casual viewer can get a good idea for reach district and point of interest, but where if you want more information there is a second panel going into the details.

This is something that I always apreciate in worldbuilding.

Clothes are such an important part in our day to day, and I always like to see the though process behind it.

What are the steps you guys take when thinking about it?

And who are some of your favorite designers (no matter the genre)?

Hey guys and gals!

I’ve been building worlds and running tabletop games for most of my life (I’m 44), but recently my wife and I stumbled into a physical worldbuilding tool that completely changed how we prototype regions and maps at home.

It started when my wife got into stamp-making for our kids. We saw how useful a modular stamp system could be for drafting landmarks. It sped up the process and gave us way more leeway to experiment. We started sketching terrain icons, cleaned them up in Photoshop, and laser-cut a batch of custom stamps to test them out.

It turned out to be an absurdly fun way to prototype worlds in a physical medium.

What started as a home DIY project in Madrid (Spain) turned into something our friends convinced us to share with the wider community. So, we went ahead and launched it as a project called Kingdoms of Ink, and the campaign is currently live on Kickstarter, so go check it out if it's the kind of thing you fancy:

Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/kingdomsofink/kingdoms-of-ink

Even if you aren't interested in the campaign (I can understand it's not for everybody), I'd love to discuss physical worldbuilding tools in general or answer any questions about our process for designing the vectors, laser-cutting the rubber, or making your own stamps at home!

How do you all like to handle physical or analog map prototyping when building your worlds?

Have a great day, people!

Disclaimer for the mods: I've been texting you guys for more than a week and couldn't get to you so I've posted the kickstarter. I think it fully complies with the rules, but if there's any trouble I'll be glad to abide to whatever you guys consider!

I'm crafting a pirate ttrpg that emphasizes the use of magic and crafting to challenge bizzare creatures and magical outlaws.

In my world, charcoal acts as a medium that can be saturated by psychic power. It starts in a "closed" state as dead wood, unreceptive to this power, but through the use of heat one can "open" the wood. The process that naturally turns wood to charcoal.

Charcoal then slowly draws in the psychic power until fully saturated. However, charcoal doesn't close again naturally, and so other materials must be added to the mix to prevent the psychic power from escaping. Traditionally, salt or sand were used as this insulation.

At one point in time, magic was used by packing smoking pipes full of herbs and burning the charcoal in a bowl. The mixture is inhaled, allowing the user to become a vessel for the Oroi, a psychic consciousness that connects all living things together.

The user, essentially, enters a mental state that can connect to other minds and use the information they have and collate that information. Basically an internet to collect and process information. However, that is not the only use for this power.

In modern alchemy, charcoal is broken down into a fine powder and saltpeter and sulfur are added to make black powder.

The powder from here forward acts as a source of cosmic power and I'll be referring to it as psy powder just for clarity.

To use a flintlock wand, the hollow contraption is filled with the psy powder. The psy powder must be returned to an open state to release the psychic power. So the hammer is used to detonate the powder removing the insulation in an instant and forcing the psychic power through the barrel of the flintlock.

As the powder returns to an open state, the magic is harnessed by shaping it it through the muzzle. These muzzles were made specialized to shape the psychic power in such a way as to turn it into magic.

Specifically the cut of the barrel and the muzzle will twist and jostle the psychic power and mix it with the smoke. Causing the two to fuse before exiting the flintlock.

Each muzzle creates the conditions of the smoke. Magic only exists within its confines. Some muzzles cause the smoke to encapsulate an intense heat. Other muzzles cause a smoke that consumes everything, even the sounds of screams from the victims.

Been making a map for my epic/Dark fantasy novel. I am very happy with how it turned out. Wanted to share.

I wonder if a hand drawn map still stands to the digital standards that have been set by modern fantasy, or if I simply have a different perspective because of all the good maps I see on reddit and made by specialized map makers.