This is the list of questions from the thread:
https://absolutewrite.com/forums/sh...uot-How-Well-do-YOU-Know-Your-World-quot-game
roughly sorted by category.
It took me a day to sort, so I thought I'd share it here in case anyone found it to be of use. Some questions could have fit into several categories, and some categories are wider than their name (for example, I've put questions about technology under physics). I've not removed duplicates and I have tried to avoid altering people's spelling or capitalisation.
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### supernatural world
## planes of existence
Does your world have an afterlife (either believed in or real), and if so, what does it look like?
If a regular, everyday inhabitants of your world ever come face to face with your regular, everyday inhabitants of our world (human). What will happen?
If you had the opportunity to visit your world, would you and why?
What lessons about the real world can readers gleam from your fictional world?
What is the biggest difference, or fundamental assumption that seperates your world and the one we know today?
What's the thing in your world that would most horrify an average person from our world?
What's the main thing that makes your world not our world?
## magic
Are there sorcerers in your world? If there are, do they get paid for using their magical skills, and finally, if they are paid, how are they compensated?
If magic exist in your world, how powerful can it be? And what is the cost of a really great power?
Does your world use magic, and if so, is it outside of the known laws of physics, or simple an unknown or forgotten "other side" of the known laws or rules? And what percentage of the population is aware of this fact and can use or manipulate it?
What is a forbidden magic/science in your setting?
What technology or magic would the authorities of your world try their hardest to outlaw?
What limits an individual's maximum potential level of power?
## deities that exist
Are there gods in your world?
What is the deity of your world, and what makes it unique from the modern religions of the real world?
What spirit, god, legend, or other entity avenges injustices when nobody else will?
## creation of the world
What is the creation myth in your story?
Is there a common belief as to how your world began?
What is the end of the world foretold to look like?
### natural world
## physics
How well-understood or well-researched is the most unusual phenomenon in your world (compared to real life)?
What is the technological level of your world? What is the closest comparison you can give?
What new advancement in technology has been introduced to your setting, and how is it changing the way people live?
What's a key field of science, technology, or study in your world? If you have magic, does it compliment, undermine or have no impact on this field?
What piece of technology would your world be lost without?
What is the biggest source of energy in your world? Coal? Solar power? Star dust? Man-power? Etc.
What's the most recent scientific discovery/invention in your world?
## astronomy
Tell me about the moon is your setting? Is is just like ours? Are there any interesting myths or bits of folklore surrounding it?
If I were to look up at the stars, would someone/thing be looking down on me? Spiritual, celestial, extraterrestrial or otherwise?
Tell me about your night sky. What are the constellations like? Any astrology or other such beliefs?
Is anything unique feature about the sky in your world?
What does night look like in your world?
What is your setting's myth concerning the sun and moon?
How many moons does your world have?
## chemistry
Here on earth we have 118 elements. So, any other new element in your world?
Anything interesting about the ground in your world?
What science is the most popular in your world?
## geography
Does your setting have Wonders of the World? Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, that sort of thing. What are they?
Is tourism a thing? Is it developed? Is it dangerous? What are the things or places you must absolutely see before you die?
I wanna live on a mountain! Tell me about a cool one (and asteroids count as mountains, btw).
What is the strongest and most notable feature of your world's environment that would interest the reader?
What lives beyond the edges of your map?
What are some really interesting landscapes from your world? Beautiful, stark, starkly beautiful, just peculiarly pleasant, historically significant or new and strange, your call.
How many cities are in your world and how do they differ from one another?
Describe a palace your world has. Or at least a very nice building.
What unique traits does your world possess? Weather/terrain etc.
What extreme weather is considered the most dangerous. Tornadoes? Hurricanes? Blizzards? Or something else that you made up?
Is the weather controllable by the inhabitants of your world ?
Does your world have any features that would be uncommon on Terra Firma?
What does "no-man's land" look like? a desert full of giant rattlesnakes? A snowy, lonely planet?
Is there anything special about the ocean in your world?
How many locations does your story cover? Is it all in one place, one planet, or scattered around in various spots?
What season is the most beautiful in your world?
How much do oceans feature in your setting? Relevant, not relevant? Underwater races or exploration?
What is the most dangerous place to visit in your world?
How many previously-unknown places are discovered in you story? Or... How many places thought to be just myth and legend turn out to be actual places?
What is the coldest place in your world?
## biology
What plants are unique to your world/culture/kingdom? Do they have particular properties, magical or medicinal or cuisine? How have they shaped the cultures of your world?
Tell me about animals. Any earthlike species? Anything truly bizarre?
What are some deadly monsters/animals in yoru world? Or simply the deadliest, if you prefer.
What is the state of medicine in your world? If magic is involved, I'd love to know how that affects it, but would also be interested in more mundane techniques.
You open up a bestiary of your world to a random page, what is contained in the entry you've opened up?
What kinds of animals does your society use both for work, and companionship? Any interesting livestock for food? Is there anything interesting about the way your society uses or relates to animals?
Describe two unique creatures in your world. One that is good or harmless and another that poses a threat.
Does your world have any plants with strange or magical properties?
What kind of role does Fauna play in your book? Do you have any magical or unique? If so describe them.
What is the most dangerous animal in your world?
What are some cool plants in your world?
Are there any protected animals in your world?
What is the most beautiful animal or flower in your world?
What is the most valued medicinal herb on your planet, what does it fetch on the market?
What is the most unique creature/character you have developed?
What breeds of dogs are there in your world?
What breeds of cat do you have in your world?
What creatures in your setting blur the line between animal and plant? Or are there any interesting relationships that exist between creatures and plant in your setting?
# Pets
What's a common pet in your world? Are there any pets that are status symbols?
What are the favorite house pets in your world?
What are the favored pets in your worlds?
What is a common household pet in your world?
### cultural world
## sapient species
How many races of the dominant sentient species inhabit your world?
What is the most important virtue for your MC's people? Strength? Loyalty? Cleverness? Or something else?
Where did civilization begin? What were the ancients like?
What culture does your MC identify with? Name two things your MC loves about their culture and one thing they dislike.
What would another country stereotype your main culture’s people as? (their hat, so to speak)
Who will be in charge if an alien or a creature from another world show up in your world?
What types of sentient beings can be found in your world?
How are humanoid creatures or robots treated in your world?
Where do people in your world think they originated from?
Are there different peoples in your world and how do they differ from one another in terms of appearance and culture?
How many countries are in your world, and how do they differ from one another?
## reproductive cycle
what sexual kink is unique to your universe and why?
What's the role of family in your world? How valued are parents and children and so forth?
Is cheating a social norm, or is it a terrible betrayal? Is it handled differently if a man cheats vs. if a woman cheats? How loose is your society, and what is considered unacceptable relationship?
What does the process of courtship look likein your world, if there is one?cMarriage customs or traditions? WEddings? etc
What are the biases and expectations of men vs. women in your world?
## demographics
What year is it?
What’s the life expectancy?
In your world, how do the people count the seasons? Do they celebrate the end of the year/calendar? If so, how?
How is time measured in your world? What does it mean to be "in existence since the beginning of time"?
Are there unique units of measure in your world? What's the standard measure for time? Distance? Volume? Weight?
What's the most populated spot in your world?
# Language & Names
What's one of the most popular languages in your world, and what are some of its unique grammatical properties?
What is the primary language that your characters speak?
What's the etymology or inspiration behind your world's name?
What are the naming conventions in your world? Tell me some of the popular ones.
What’s the most common name? Boys’, girls’, gender neutral?
## sociology
How much has changed in your main culture between your protagonist's generation and their grandparents'?
are characters in your world able to hold a place of importance even if they are physically disabled?
Are there slaves in your world, and how are they kept in line?
In what ways are social castes divided in your cities, aside from wealth?
How are QUILTBAG/LGBT+ rights?
Does racism exist in your world? How did it get to the point it's at now? If there is no racism, how the heck did your awesome society mange that?!
Tell me about the health care system in your world.
Does your world recognize mental illness? Do they help people who are unstable? Or do they label people with cute names like 'mad hatters', or maybe discard those people altogether?
How is sexual identity handled? Is it a problem? Is it accepted?
If your MC could change one thing in your world, what would they change and why?
Tell me about a rebel army, humanitarian organisation, band of travelling minstrels or any other non-governmental body that exists in your world.
Is pollution a problem in your world?
How are disabilities (mental and physical) handled in your world by the ruling classes (or equivalent)?
Who is credited as having started the anti-slavery movement of your world? If your world never had slavery, how'd they avoid it? If it's still acceptable, why hasn't it been challenged?
What hypocrisy exists within your society that people just turn a blind eye to?
Where in your world is seen as a bad place to be from / to live? Why are people biased against it?
# youth
What do teens do for fun that adults don't approve of?
Do youths in your world have to achieve adulthood through a specific ritual or ordeal? If so, what? Or is it just "You're now 18. Go and have fun adulting!"
How does one become or know they are an adult? Are there any coming-of-age rituals?
When people in your world grow up, what is the most common dream they have? And how does it evolve as they grow up into the adult, real world?
What is a public social service that everyone takes for granted in your world?
How are children educated in your world. Home school, apprenticeships, community day schools, boarding schools? Is school required, forced, punished?
What are the rites of passage in the primary culture (the one you write most in) of your world?
What's your world's education system is like? If there's any.
What is school like for the children of your world, generally speaking? How long do they go? Do they have to go at all?
What are some birthday traditions in your world?
What or who makes innocent children lay awake at night with fear?
What are gift giving occasions, and what sort of gifts do they tend to entail?
Are there any special courses in your schools that students can take? (like magic class or a class just for kids of rulers?
Do teenagers get acne?
What is the literacy rate of your world/country?
# fashion
How common is sericulture (silk-making) in your world, and what is it used for?
Tell me about a group or clique in your world who is considered 'cool'.
What sorts of clothes do people wear?
What are the standards of beauty that dominate the cultures of your world?
What items are used for cosmetics in your world?
What's an interesting outfit or style of clothing? Ritual, celebratory, everyday wear, anything at all!
What are some of your favorite building, crafting or manufacturing materials on your world? They don't have to be special, just special to you.
What are the fashion trends of your world?
What is a current trend in your world?
Tell me about a throne or fancy chair.
## history
What's the war that people still talk about?
What is the most horrible injustice or tragedy that is ongoing or has recently happened in your world?
What natural disaster is most threatening or infamous in your world?
What traditions among the people of your world have been abandoned, either largely or completely?
What is a period in your setting's history people look back on in shame? Were there any saving graces?
What's a religion people don't practice anymore?
What's the single most important event that has ever happened in your world?
What role does the history of your world play in your story? How do the characters learn of that history?
What is the oldest structure in your setting? What is it's history?
What story or legend does 'everybody' know?
Tell me about your setting's most memorable narcissist.
Tell me about someone's fall from grace. A hapless every-man or a once-great ruler, it doesn't matter which so long as you explain how it all went wrong in the end.
What is one important myth/legend/fable of your world?
Is there a single story, myth, or legend that most people in your world would be familiar with? What is it, and why is it popular?
Tell me about the most famous hero of your world (or heroine, whichever gender.)
## politics
For your longest-running civilisation... what is the secret to their success?
How many different forms of government do you have in your world? Are they all hereditary monarchies? Elective monarchies? Is there a democracy, an oligarchy, a constitutional monarchy, and an autocratic Empire? Is any one form considered to be better in-universe, or do they all have flaws?
Who's considered the greatest historical leader in your setting? Who's considered the worst?
Who is ruling your city/country/kingdom right now? Are they considered a good ruler? Tell us why the commonwealth likes/dislikes their leader.
If your story centers on one country/city/settlement, who is their greatest ally? Who is their enemy?
What qualities (good and bad) are most often found in your world's upper elite (rich, famous, heroes, celebrities, rulers, etc.)
What secrets do your world's governing bodies have from the people? Is there anything that could bring society crashing down if it were revealed?
Think about the "Boss" characters from your work. What music would they have as their personal soundtrack, and why? You don't need to go note by note, but how does the song express the character and the world they live in?
What types of ruler exists? A King/ Queen, a empire, a president, etc.
What colors are a flag in your world. What's the design on it?
What political system is used in your prominent countries, and how do these ideologies rub up against each other?
What was the most influential empire/kingdom in your setting?
Who are the most powerful national leaders that have risen up from historically oppressed peoples in their respective nations? Tell me about them.
Is there a power or faction in your setting that exists to oppose another power or faction?
What is the established hierarchy of your world? What decides where power resides, and why is this the established precedence?
What is your world's biggest government conspiracy, real or imagined?
## laws & outlaws
Who is the most dangerous person on your world?
Does your world have illegal drugs, or consumables which are taboo?
What are the various types of legal punishments for different crimes?
What is the most abused drug in your universe?
Is justice in your world just? How so?
Incarceration. How is it handled? Prisons aren't supposed to be fun, but are there any ways yours are particularly nasty?
Thieves, brigands, pirates and ne'er-do-wells--most worlds have them! What distinguishes your world's renegades, or if you don't have them, is there a story behind that? If not, what's the closest to a conventional blackguard?
Does the dominant society in your world have the death penalty, what is the moral justification for doing so?
How are convicted criminals treated in your world?
What is the worst crime someone can commit?
What's a typical way to solve a dispute in your world?
Talk to me about execution in your world. And/or torture. What are some fun ways criminals and traitors might die?
What facet of modern society which is common place and taken for granted is in your setting a major cultural taboo?
## Warfare
What sort of technology/advancements have your societies invented to protect themselves against an (by real-world standards) unnatural threat to their safety—either some kind of dangerous phenomenon or a monstrous and/or magical enemy?
Do people in your world use any weapons or transport different to that of Earth?
What's the main (or one of the main) styles of warfare on your world? If not full-scale war, the next biggest thing? If not violence per se, then what's the main form of conflict?
Tell us about some fun relics from your world. They don't have to the geometrically-perfect weapons of a disappeared Elder Race--if it's really old and maybe just a little mysterious, that's relic enough!
What's the most advanced weapon your society has? (Yes, magic counts as a weapon...but give us the nasty details of those death spells.)
What's the role of ideology for your world's warriors? Do they have ideologies, as such, and if so how consistent are they about following it?
Has a close encounter or other contact brought some new, devastating disease into your society? How did people cope with it?
What is a way your antagonist victimizes people in your world?
How Bloody or Violent is your world/story?
Tell us about a good ol' fight. It could be a skirmish or the climactic battle of The War For Creation--whatever it is, what made it special? Did any champions make a name or a last stand (it doesn't matter which side they were fighting on as long as they fought well)?
What sort of unusual weapons does your world have or use? ( Actual items, not just magic or special abilities. )
any unique tactics used by armies in your world?
Describe a major fortress in your setting.
Any unusual weapons unique to your world?
Who won the last war?
# Disease
What is a common illness in your world?
What illness has wiped out the most people?
Can people die from diseases in your world ?
## religion & superstition
Give me one belief system that everyone trusts, but may not be true. Maybe people believe in the meaning of dreams or they predict the future by celestial events. What does your world trust in that isn't science and logic?
What place is there for an atheist in your world? How do other people react to them?
What's the strangest (and most incorrect) thing that people in your world believe in? Or vice-versa? What's something that's completely true, that people think is made up?
What major festivals do your characters look forward to?
What are some big ol' rip-roaring celebrations in your world? Or little, charming celebrations, those are good too.
Tell me a famous urban legend. Not a grand myth, but more like a spooky story teens tell.
What "truth" does everyone in your world know to absolutely be true, but isn't?
What religions (if any) are prevalent in your culture, and if there is more than one, do they get along?
Do people in your world believe in paranormal things (outside of religion)? Do some people believe their legends or tall-tales are true? (ghosts, bigfoot, etc.)
You sit around a common setting with some of the everyday folk of your world, what sort of legends or fairy tales make up their oral traditions?
When a person of importance dies, what are the rituals and ceremonies surrounding the death? How is that different than the death of a citizen?
What are some of the ongoing 'unsolved mysteries' or your world. Like, the Bermuda Triangle or Bigfoot. Things that may just be rumors, or have lurid urban legends surrounding them, even if the answer might be something mundane.
I love evil cults. Tell me about a nasty one.
Tell me a story of what happens when people anger gods. Are there gods? Or merely the powerful who pretend to be?
How are the dead interred and honored in your setting?
What commonly-held truth about the universe (about the supernatural, gods, technology, physics, etc.) is in fact completely wrong?
Are pilgrimmages common in your setting? For what common reasons do people embark on pilgrimmages?
What is considered a lucky charm (wearing a certain color, a rabbit's foot, etc.)
What is one superstition that most people believe in your world, and how did it come to be?
## economics
What is the most valuable substance in your world?
How does an interesting culture in your world finance itself?
How does sanitation work in your world?
In your world, what is/are the most valuable thing(s) to trade in?
Are there utilities like electricity, heat, running water in your world, and if so - who or what produces them?
What does poverty and wealth look like in your society, respectively?
What is the exchange rate for your local currencies?
What is a unique job or jobs in your world?
What are the major trading hubs within your world?
Tell me about some rare or valued imports. What do the wealthy folk indulge in?
Does your world have any forms of instant or near instant long distance communication?
What unique industries are there in your world and how are they regulated?
How important are merchants in your world? Do they have true power and status, or do they make up a wealthy but socially scorned class (as in medieval Japan)?
# Transport
What is the primary mode of transportation in your world, and how do people "pimp their rides"?
What is the most useful method of transportation in your story?
What's the main form of transportation in your world?
What is the primary mode of long distance (defined by the size of your world) transportation?
How do people travel in your world, and how accessible is travel over social classes?
# Ideas
How is information and knowledge in your world spread and acquired?
Is there any fake news or other false information spreading through your world?
How do those in traveling professions—bards, traders, diplomats, etc.—serve as conveyers of ideas across different cultures in your world?
What's the fastest form of communication in your world? Instantaneous telepathy or messengers running miles a day?
Are there philosophies in your world? Competing ideologies?
Do the peoples in your world aspire to better themselves, to advance their civilization?
How is news spread in your world?
## daily living
What is the absolute worst, most embarrassing faux pas an upstanding citizen could possibly commit? What social sin do people of good taste have nightmares about in your world?
If a character is frustrated, what's an exclamation they might shout? Are there are words/phrases that are socially uncomfortable, but people use anyway?
tell me an in-universe joke.
Out of curiosity, what happens to the boys who kill not-so-glamorous prey animals, like, say, squirrels?
What is a way (unique to your world) to win the Darwin Awards?
What is the weirdest or most interesting lifestyle on your world? A priesthood with especially bizarre rituals? Merchants who strive to avoid either profits or deficit?
What is a day in the life of a member of the lower classes?
What’s a rude gesture?
What is the significance of dreams in the cultures of your world?
What world/region specific curses or phrases are commonly used?
Describe a day in the life of an ordinary, working-class person in your setting. No one heroic or interesting.
What are the methods people use to wash themselves in your world?
Name one thing you should NEVER do in your world.
# Food
In your world, what do people eat while on the road?
What kind of non food items might get you into trouble in your world if accidentally consumed?
What is a typical meal like for your people?
Tell us about your award winning sweets. What's a treat a mother might give her children for being extra good?
What is the/a national dish?
Where to people purchase or obtain their food? If it's from shops, is there a leading shop brand?
How does the technology/supernatural aspects of your setting play into farming? How does science/magic aid in growing and/or harvesting crops?
What is the most common staple food in your world?
Everyone has an equivalent of alcohol/coffee/vice beverages. What are yours in your world?
## arts & sport
What is the most popular form of entertainment in your setting? What are people just dying to do when then get off of work?
Name me a popular in-universe piece of literature.
What does popular music sound like?
There was a question about music styles, but what's that one song in your world guaranteed to give its listener earworm, whether they want it or not? Is it culturally beloved or hated or both? Where did it come from?
What kind of art is prevalent in your world? Does it have famous artists? Is any of it banned or taboo?
What is universally regarded as the best wine & cheese combo in your setting?
Does your world have sports? Are they the same as ours or different? Is there a world championship?
What extreme sports are in your world?
Who is the most well known individual (or perhaps group of people) in your world? Why?
What are some of the biggest social fouls in your world's cultures? You know, those things that you just don't do?
Let's go meta! What's the role of literature in your world? Does it even have one? Go as big or small with this as you like--one author's works or the overarching literary themes of the entire planet.
Do people read books in your world, and what kind of books are they? Printed? E-books? Oral traditions?
Do people dance in your world?
What is a big sport in your world?
Do you reality tv shows or equivalent (eg, gladitorial combat if a low tech world)? What is your public entertainment look like?
Who is the most famous artist (of any bend) of your world, and what are they most famous for?
https://absolutewrite.com/forums/sh...uot-How-Well-do-YOU-Know-Your-World-quot-game
roughly sorted by category.
It took me a day to sort, so I thought I'd share it here in case anyone found it to be of use. Some questions could have fit into several categories, and some categories are wider than their name (for example, I've put questions about technology under physics). I've not removed duplicates and I have tried to avoid altering people's spelling or capitalisation.
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### supernatural world
## planes of existence
Does your world have an afterlife (either believed in or real), and if so, what does it look like?
If a regular, everyday inhabitants of your world ever come face to face with your regular, everyday inhabitants of our world (human). What will happen?
If you had the opportunity to visit your world, would you and why?
What lessons about the real world can readers gleam from your fictional world?
What is the biggest difference, or fundamental assumption that seperates your world and the one we know today?
What's the thing in your world that would most horrify an average person from our world?
What's the main thing that makes your world not our world?
## magic
Are there sorcerers in your world? If there are, do they get paid for using their magical skills, and finally, if they are paid, how are they compensated?
If magic exist in your world, how powerful can it be? And what is the cost of a really great power?
Does your world use magic, and if so, is it outside of the known laws of physics, or simple an unknown or forgotten "other side" of the known laws or rules? And what percentage of the population is aware of this fact and can use or manipulate it?
What is a forbidden magic/science in your setting?
What technology or magic would the authorities of your world try their hardest to outlaw?
What limits an individual's maximum potential level of power?
## deities that exist
Are there gods in your world?
What is the deity of your world, and what makes it unique from the modern religions of the real world?
What spirit, god, legend, or other entity avenges injustices when nobody else will?
## creation of the world
What is the creation myth in your story?
Is there a common belief as to how your world began?
What is the end of the world foretold to look like?
### natural world
## physics
How well-understood or well-researched is the most unusual phenomenon in your world (compared to real life)?
What is the technological level of your world? What is the closest comparison you can give?
What new advancement in technology has been introduced to your setting, and how is it changing the way people live?
What's a key field of science, technology, or study in your world? If you have magic, does it compliment, undermine or have no impact on this field?
What piece of technology would your world be lost without?
What is the biggest source of energy in your world? Coal? Solar power? Star dust? Man-power? Etc.
What's the most recent scientific discovery/invention in your world?
## astronomy
Tell me about the moon is your setting? Is is just like ours? Are there any interesting myths or bits of folklore surrounding it?
If I were to look up at the stars, would someone/thing be looking down on me? Spiritual, celestial, extraterrestrial or otherwise?
Tell me about your night sky. What are the constellations like? Any astrology or other such beliefs?
Is anything unique feature about the sky in your world?
What does night look like in your world?
What is your setting's myth concerning the sun and moon?
How many moons does your world have?
## chemistry
Here on earth we have 118 elements. So, any other new element in your world?
Anything interesting about the ground in your world?
What science is the most popular in your world?
## geography
Does your setting have Wonders of the World? Taj Mahal, Angkor Wat, that sort of thing. What are they?
Is tourism a thing? Is it developed? Is it dangerous? What are the things or places you must absolutely see before you die?
I wanna live on a mountain! Tell me about a cool one (and asteroids count as mountains, btw).
What is the strongest and most notable feature of your world's environment that would interest the reader?
What lives beyond the edges of your map?
What are some really interesting landscapes from your world? Beautiful, stark, starkly beautiful, just peculiarly pleasant, historically significant or new and strange, your call.
How many cities are in your world and how do they differ from one another?
Describe a palace your world has. Or at least a very nice building.
What unique traits does your world possess? Weather/terrain etc.
What extreme weather is considered the most dangerous. Tornadoes? Hurricanes? Blizzards? Or something else that you made up?
Is the weather controllable by the inhabitants of your world ?
Does your world have any features that would be uncommon on Terra Firma?
What does "no-man's land" look like? a desert full of giant rattlesnakes? A snowy, lonely planet?
Is there anything special about the ocean in your world?
How many locations does your story cover? Is it all in one place, one planet, or scattered around in various spots?
What season is the most beautiful in your world?
How much do oceans feature in your setting? Relevant, not relevant? Underwater races or exploration?
What is the most dangerous place to visit in your world?
How many previously-unknown places are discovered in you story? Or... How many places thought to be just myth and legend turn out to be actual places?
What is the coldest place in your world?
## biology
What plants are unique to your world/culture/kingdom? Do they have particular properties, magical or medicinal or cuisine? How have they shaped the cultures of your world?
Tell me about animals. Any earthlike species? Anything truly bizarre?
What are some deadly monsters/animals in yoru world? Or simply the deadliest, if you prefer.
What is the state of medicine in your world? If magic is involved, I'd love to know how that affects it, but would also be interested in more mundane techniques.
You open up a bestiary of your world to a random page, what is contained in the entry you've opened up?
What kinds of animals does your society use both for work, and companionship? Any interesting livestock for food? Is there anything interesting about the way your society uses or relates to animals?
Describe two unique creatures in your world. One that is good or harmless and another that poses a threat.
Does your world have any plants with strange or magical properties?
What kind of role does Fauna play in your book? Do you have any magical or unique? If so describe them.
What is the most dangerous animal in your world?
What are some cool plants in your world?
Are there any protected animals in your world?
What is the most beautiful animal or flower in your world?
What is the most valued medicinal herb on your planet, what does it fetch on the market?
What is the most unique creature/character you have developed?
What breeds of dogs are there in your world?
What breeds of cat do you have in your world?
What creatures in your setting blur the line between animal and plant? Or are there any interesting relationships that exist between creatures and plant in your setting?
# Pets
What's a common pet in your world? Are there any pets that are status symbols?
What are the favorite house pets in your world?
What are the favored pets in your worlds?
What is a common household pet in your world?
### cultural world
## sapient species
How many races of the dominant sentient species inhabit your world?
What is the most important virtue for your MC's people? Strength? Loyalty? Cleverness? Or something else?
Where did civilization begin? What were the ancients like?
What culture does your MC identify with? Name two things your MC loves about their culture and one thing they dislike.
What would another country stereotype your main culture’s people as? (their hat, so to speak)
Who will be in charge if an alien or a creature from another world show up in your world?
What types of sentient beings can be found in your world?
How are humanoid creatures or robots treated in your world?
Where do people in your world think they originated from?
Are there different peoples in your world and how do they differ from one another in terms of appearance and culture?
How many countries are in your world, and how do they differ from one another?
## reproductive cycle
what sexual kink is unique to your universe and why?
What's the role of family in your world? How valued are parents and children and so forth?
Is cheating a social norm, or is it a terrible betrayal? Is it handled differently if a man cheats vs. if a woman cheats? How loose is your society, and what is considered unacceptable relationship?
What does the process of courtship look likein your world, if there is one?cMarriage customs or traditions? WEddings? etc
What are the biases and expectations of men vs. women in your world?
## demographics
What year is it?
What’s the life expectancy?
In your world, how do the people count the seasons? Do they celebrate the end of the year/calendar? If so, how?
How is time measured in your world? What does it mean to be "in existence since the beginning of time"?
Are there unique units of measure in your world? What's the standard measure for time? Distance? Volume? Weight?
What's the most populated spot in your world?
# Language & Names
What's one of the most popular languages in your world, and what are some of its unique grammatical properties?
What is the primary language that your characters speak?
What's the etymology or inspiration behind your world's name?
What are the naming conventions in your world? Tell me some of the popular ones.
What’s the most common name? Boys’, girls’, gender neutral?
## sociology
How much has changed in your main culture between your protagonist's generation and their grandparents'?
are characters in your world able to hold a place of importance even if they are physically disabled?
Are there slaves in your world, and how are they kept in line?
In what ways are social castes divided in your cities, aside from wealth?
How are QUILTBAG/LGBT+ rights?
Does racism exist in your world? How did it get to the point it's at now? If there is no racism, how the heck did your awesome society mange that?!
Tell me about the health care system in your world.
Does your world recognize mental illness? Do they help people who are unstable? Or do they label people with cute names like 'mad hatters', or maybe discard those people altogether?
How is sexual identity handled? Is it a problem? Is it accepted?
If your MC could change one thing in your world, what would they change and why?
Tell me about a rebel army, humanitarian organisation, band of travelling minstrels or any other non-governmental body that exists in your world.
Is pollution a problem in your world?
How are disabilities (mental and physical) handled in your world by the ruling classes (or equivalent)?
Who is credited as having started the anti-slavery movement of your world? If your world never had slavery, how'd they avoid it? If it's still acceptable, why hasn't it been challenged?
What hypocrisy exists within your society that people just turn a blind eye to?
Where in your world is seen as a bad place to be from / to live? Why are people biased against it?
# youth
What do teens do for fun that adults don't approve of?
Do youths in your world have to achieve adulthood through a specific ritual or ordeal? If so, what? Or is it just "You're now 18. Go and have fun adulting!"
How does one become or know they are an adult? Are there any coming-of-age rituals?
When people in your world grow up, what is the most common dream they have? And how does it evolve as they grow up into the adult, real world?
What is a public social service that everyone takes for granted in your world?
How are children educated in your world. Home school, apprenticeships, community day schools, boarding schools? Is school required, forced, punished?
What are the rites of passage in the primary culture (the one you write most in) of your world?
What's your world's education system is like? If there's any.
What is school like for the children of your world, generally speaking? How long do they go? Do they have to go at all?
What are some birthday traditions in your world?
What or who makes innocent children lay awake at night with fear?
What are gift giving occasions, and what sort of gifts do they tend to entail?
Are there any special courses in your schools that students can take? (like magic class or a class just for kids of rulers?
Do teenagers get acne?
What is the literacy rate of your world/country?
# fashion
How common is sericulture (silk-making) in your world, and what is it used for?
Tell me about a group or clique in your world who is considered 'cool'.
What sorts of clothes do people wear?
What are the standards of beauty that dominate the cultures of your world?
What items are used for cosmetics in your world?
What's an interesting outfit or style of clothing? Ritual, celebratory, everyday wear, anything at all!
What are some of your favorite building, crafting or manufacturing materials on your world? They don't have to be special, just special to you.
What are the fashion trends of your world?
What is a current trend in your world?
Tell me about a throne or fancy chair.
## history
What's the war that people still talk about?
What is the most horrible injustice or tragedy that is ongoing or has recently happened in your world?
What natural disaster is most threatening or infamous in your world?
What traditions among the people of your world have been abandoned, either largely or completely?
What is a period in your setting's history people look back on in shame? Were there any saving graces?
What's a religion people don't practice anymore?
What's the single most important event that has ever happened in your world?
What role does the history of your world play in your story? How do the characters learn of that history?
What is the oldest structure in your setting? What is it's history?
What story or legend does 'everybody' know?
Tell me about your setting's most memorable narcissist.
Tell me about someone's fall from grace. A hapless every-man or a once-great ruler, it doesn't matter which so long as you explain how it all went wrong in the end.
What is one important myth/legend/fable of your world?
Is there a single story, myth, or legend that most people in your world would be familiar with? What is it, and why is it popular?
Tell me about the most famous hero of your world (or heroine, whichever gender.)
## politics
For your longest-running civilisation... what is the secret to their success?
How many different forms of government do you have in your world? Are they all hereditary monarchies? Elective monarchies? Is there a democracy, an oligarchy, a constitutional monarchy, and an autocratic Empire? Is any one form considered to be better in-universe, or do they all have flaws?
Who's considered the greatest historical leader in your setting? Who's considered the worst?
Who is ruling your city/country/kingdom right now? Are they considered a good ruler? Tell us why the commonwealth likes/dislikes their leader.
If your story centers on one country/city/settlement, who is their greatest ally? Who is their enemy?
What qualities (good and bad) are most often found in your world's upper elite (rich, famous, heroes, celebrities, rulers, etc.)
What secrets do your world's governing bodies have from the people? Is there anything that could bring society crashing down if it were revealed?
Think about the "Boss" characters from your work. What music would they have as their personal soundtrack, and why? You don't need to go note by note, but how does the song express the character and the world they live in?
What types of ruler exists? A King/ Queen, a empire, a president, etc.
What colors are a flag in your world. What's the design on it?
What political system is used in your prominent countries, and how do these ideologies rub up against each other?
What was the most influential empire/kingdom in your setting?
Who are the most powerful national leaders that have risen up from historically oppressed peoples in their respective nations? Tell me about them.
Is there a power or faction in your setting that exists to oppose another power or faction?
What is the established hierarchy of your world? What decides where power resides, and why is this the established precedence?
What is your world's biggest government conspiracy, real or imagined?
## laws & outlaws
Who is the most dangerous person on your world?
Does your world have illegal drugs, or consumables which are taboo?
What are the various types of legal punishments for different crimes?
What is the most abused drug in your universe?
Is justice in your world just? How so?
Incarceration. How is it handled? Prisons aren't supposed to be fun, but are there any ways yours are particularly nasty?
Thieves, brigands, pirates and ne'er-do-wells--most worlds have them! What distinguishes your world's renegades, or if you don't have them, is there a story behind that? If not, what's the closest to a conventional blackguard?
Does the dominant society in your world have the death penalty, what is the moral justification for doing so?
How are convicted criminals treated in your world?
What is the worst crime someone can commit?
What's a typical way to solve a dispute in your world?
Talk to me about execution in your world. And/or torture. What are some fun ways criminals and traitors might die?
What facet of modern society which is common place and taken for granted is in your setting a major cultural taboo?
## Warfare
What sort of technology/advancements have your societies invented to protect themselves against an (by real-world standards) unnatural threat to their safety—either some kind of dangerous phenomenon or a monstrous and/or magical enemy?
Do people in your world use any weapons or transport different to that of Earth?
What's the main (or one of the main) styles of warfare on your world? If not full-scale war, the next biggest thing? If not violence per se, then what's the main form of conflict?
Tell us about some fun relics from your world. They don't have to the geometrically-perfect weapons of a disappeared Elder Race--if it's really old and maybe just a little mysterious, that's relic enough!
What's the most advanced weapon your society has? (Yes, magic counts as a weapon...but give us the nasty details of those death spells.)
What's the role of ideology for your world's warriors? Do they have ideologies, as such, and if so how consistent are they about following it?
Has a close encounter or other contact brought some new, devastating disease into your society? How did people cope with it?
What is a way your antagonist victimizes people in your world?
How Bloody or Violent is your world/story?
Tell us about a good ol' fight. It could be a skirmish or the climactic battle of The War For Creation--whatever it is, what made it special? Did any champions make a name or a last stand (it doesn't matter which side they were fighting on as long as they fought well)?
What sort of unusual weapons does your world have or use? ( Actual items, not just magic or special abilities. )
any unique tactics used by armies in your world?
Describe a major fortress in your setting.
Any unusual weapons unique to your world?
Who won the last war?
# Disease
What is a common illness in your world?
What illness has wiped out the most people?
Can people die from diseases in your world ?
## religion & superstition
Give me one belief system that everyone trusts, but may not be true. Maybe people believe in the meaning of dreams or they predict the future by celestial events. What does your world trust in that isn't science and logic?
What place is there for an atheist in your world? How do other people react to them?
What's the strangest (and most incorrect) thing that people in your world believe in? Or vice-versa? What's something that's completely true, that people think is made up?
What major festivals do your characters look forward to?
What are some big ol' rip-roaring celebrations in your world? Or little, charming celebrations, those are good too.
Tell me a famous urban legend. Not a grand myth, but more like a spooky story teens tell.
What "truth" does everyone in your world know to absolutely be true, but isn't?
What religions (if any) are prevalent in your culture, and if there is more than one, do they get along?
Do people in your world believe in paranormal things (outside of religion)? Do some people believe their legends or tall-tales are true? (ghosts, bigfoot, etc.)
You sit around a common setting with some of the everyday folk of your world, what sort of legends or fairy tales make up their oral traditions?
When a person of importance dies, what are the rituals and ceremonies surrounding the death? How is that different than the death of a citizen?
What are some of the ongoing 'unsolved mysteries' or your world. Like, the Bermuda Triangle or Bigfoot. Things that may just be rumors, or have lurid urban legends surrounding them, even if the answer might be something mundane.
I love evil cults. Tell me about a nasty one.
Tell me a story of what happens when people anger gods. Are there gods? Or merely the powerful who pretend to be?
How are the dead interred and honored in your setting?
What commonly-held truth about the universe (about the supernatural, gods, technology, physics, etc.) is in fact completely wrong?
Are pilgrimmages common in your setting? For what common reasons do people embark on pilgrimmages?
What is considered a lucky charm (wearing a certain color, a rabbit's foot, etc.)
What is one superstition that most people believe in your world, and how did it come to be?
## economics
What is the most valuable substance in your world?
How does an interesting culture in your world finance itself?
How does sanitation work in your world?
In your world, what is/are the most valuable thing(s) to trade in?
Are there utilities like electricity, heat, running water in your world, and if so - who or what produces them?
What does poverty and wealth look like in your society, respectively?
What is the exchange rate for your local currencies?
What is a unique job or jobs in your world?
What are the major trading hubs within your world?
Tell me about some rare or valued imports. What do the wealthy folk indulge in?
Does your world have any forms of instant or near instant long distance communication?
What unique industries are there in your world and how are they regulated?
How important are merchants in your world? Do they have true power and status, or do they make up a wealthy but socially scorned class (as in medieval Japan)?
# Transport
What is the primary mode of transportation in your world, and how do people "pimp their rides"?
What is the most useful method of transportation in your story?
What's the main form of transportation in your world?
What is the primary mode of long distance (defined by the size of your world) transportation?
How do people travel in your world, and how accessible is travel over social classes?
# Ideas
How is information and knowledge in your world spread and acquired?
Is there any fake news or other false information spreading through your world?
How do those in traveling professions—bards, traders, diplomats, etc.—serve as conveyers of ideas across different cultures in your world?
What's the fastest form of communication in your world? Instantaneous telepathy or messengers running miles a day?
Are there philosophies in your world? Competing ideologies?
Do the peoples in your world aspire to better themselves, to advance their civilization?
How is news spread in your world?
## daily living
What is the absolute worst, most embarrassing faux pas an upstanding citizen could possibly commit? What social sin do people of good taste have nightmares about in your world?
If a character is frustrated, what's an exclamation they might shout? Are there are words/phrases that are socially uncomfortable, but people use anyway?
tell me an in-universe joke.
Out of curiosity, what happens to the boys who kill not-so-glamorous prey animals, like, say, squirrels?
What is a way (unique to your world) to win the Darwin Awards?
What is the weirdest or most interesting lifestyle on your world? A priesthood with especially bizarre rituals? Merchants who strive to avoid either profits or deficit?
What is a day in the life of a member of the lower classes?
What’s a rude gesture?
What is the significance of dreams in the cultures of your world?
What world/region specific curses or phrases are commonly used?
Describe a day in the life of an ordinary, working-class person in your setting. No one heroic or interesting.
What are the methods people use to wash themselves in your world?
Name one thing you should NEVER do in your world.
# Food
In your world, what do people eat while on the road?
What kind of non food items might get you into trouble in your world if accidentally consumed?
What is a typical meal like for your people?
Tell us about your award winning sweets. What's a treat a mother might give her children for being extra good?
What is the/a national dish?
Where to people purchase or obtain their food? If it's from shops, is there a leading shop brand?
How does the technology/supernatural aspects of your setting play into farming? How does science/magic aid in growing and/or harvesting crops?
What is the most common staple food in your world?
Everyone has an equivalent of alcohol/coffee/vice beverages. What are yours in your world?
## arts & sport
What is the most popular form of entertainment in your setting? What are people just dying to do when then get off of work?
Name me a popular in-universe piece of literature.
What does popular music sound like?
There was a question about music styles, but what's that one song in your world guaranteed to give its listener earworm, whether they want it or not? Is it culturally beloved or hated or both? Where did it come from?
What kind of art is prevalent in your world? Does it have famous artists? Is any of it banned or taboo?
What is universally regarded as the best wine & cheese combo in your setting?
Does your world have sports? Are they the same as ours or different? Is there a world championship?
What extreme sports are in your world?
Who is the most well known individual (or perhaps group of people) in your world? Why?
What are some of the biggest social fouls in your world's cultures? You know, those things that you just don't do?
Let's go meta! What's the role of literature in your world? Does it even have one? Go as big or small with this as you like--one author's works or the overarching literary themes of the entire planet.
Do people read books in your world, and what kind of books are they? Printed? E-books? Oral traditions?
Do people dance in your world?
What is a big sport in your world?
Do you reality tv shows or equivalent (eg, gladitorial combat if a low tech world)? What is your public entertainment look like?
Who is the most famous artist (of any bend) of your world, and what are they most famous for?
