A Guide to High Fantasy Worldbuilding
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One of the first things you need to establish in your story is the subgenre of the high fantasy story you'll be writing. But Azura, high fantasy is already a subgenre?? Yes, it is, but what type of high fantasy?
Different types of high fantasy will require different types of worldbuilding. For instance, dark fantasy needs horror elements and an eerie setting, while steampunk fantasy will have complex machinaries instead.
Here are some examples of high fantasy subgenres :
Most high fantasy stories will have a magic system, so if you're planning to include one, you'll need to do loads of planning.
Who can or cannot use magic, and why is that? Is it inherited, learned, or both? Are there any taboos in using magic? Are magic users praised or feared? What's the limit of using magic? Are there any incantations or magical tools involved? There are countless questions to tackle while coming up with a magic system, so make sure you plot it in detail.
Where there's people, there's culture. Although it won't be too frequently mentioned, having certain cultures in your world will make your worldbuilding more realistic.
Are there religions? Do people worship God(s)? When are the holidays? Are there any unique traditions? What gestures are considered impolite? It's little things like these that bring your story to life.
Naturally, your world will have a government system. Decide what yours will be. Republic? Monarchy? Democracy? Theocracy?
Your government should also reflect your time and location setting - maybe using an emperor or empress to reflect a more medieval timeline, and using a president for a more modern setting. If your world is going through a war, you can use a system governed by the military. I have a post about writing a fictional government, you can refer to it for more info!
What language do the people in your WIP speak? Is it fictional or not? If your setting is in a single region, they'll probably have the same language, but if it's set in different parts of the world, it's only natural to have more than one language.
Different languages can also be used to indicate diversity. If you're wondering how to incorporate multiple languages in a single language book, try reading Six of Crows as a reference - it shows the contrast of people speaking in different languages perfectly, even though the book is only in English.
Having a history of your world will help you understand it better. Has there been any previous wars between nations or disputes between the government and civilians? Or has the land always been peaceful, for some reason?
A great way to record your world's history is to make a timeline of main events that affected the plot. I also suggest creating a history for your magic system - how magic was discovered and normalized.
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