Help Build My Homebrewed World!!!

[SMac8988]

Hello all. I hope this thread finds you well. As my players continue to quest around and explore the deeper reaches of my imagination, I am funding myself running short in ideas for towns, temples, barbarian horde and the like. And I know, "there are plenty of resources online tk pick and chose from."

But I felt this could be a more interest and honestly fun way to go about it.

What I am asking is, as the title says, help me build the world!

Post ideas for towns you've loved in your game, or ancient temples worshiping lost gods that hold secrets that should be lost forever. Ideas of cultures, that though strange and frightening are also interesting and welcoming.

I am honestly reaching out for help, because I want to pick up the number of sessions a month my players have and want to make sure it's as open of a world as I can make it.

Thanks all!!! Love ya :)

[Pr6i6e6st]

ive been using stuff like donjon.bin.sh and seventhsanctum.com when I've run low on imagination fuel. Sometimes it helps when you draw out the city/town too. You start thinking of why buildings are placed where, and how this river effects the community or reinforce their walls because they get attacked by a nearby goblin warband or something.

I'd toss you some of my thoughts but I'm just checking stuff on my down time at work. Maybe if I go work on my campaign tonight, I'll try to think of this thread.

[Sabeta]

Might be best to take this to the Worldbuilding Forum. Anyway, it's hard to suggest new things without knowing what you've already got.

[MadBear]

ive been using stuff like donjon.bin.sh and seventhsanctum.com when I've run low on imagination fuel. Sometimes it helps when you draw out the city/town too. You start thinking of why buildings are placed where, and how this river effects the community or reinforce their walls because they get attacked by a nearby goblin warband or something.

I'd toss you some of my thoughts but I'm just checking stuff on my down time at work. Maybe if I go work on my campaign tonight, I'll try to think of this thread.

Holy Cow! that donjon site is amazing. I've been trying to find something similar to it forever.

[SMac8988]

Might be best to take this to the Worldbuilding Forum. Anyway, it's hard to suggest new things without knowing what you've already got.

Currently, without dropping another huge post.

I've set them up with two main continents, with a smaller below one and a thin land line below the other.

The major city they are heading to now is nicknamed the city of Iron. It is a massive capital city, that is built with massive iron walls surrounding it. Fire giants have been enslaved here for many years, and are used to maintain the walls. The city is richer and more maintained along the other walls with four roads heading towards the center that elevated several hundred feet off the ground. This under area is the slums, prison and where the fire giants are stored. The upper area is where the castle is and the royal family lives.

Besides that. I have a savage kingdom to the south of tthere which is 4 barbarian clans forced together under one mad king whom is threatening the iron king with war.

There is a grand library which is defended by a buddist style monk.

The sound land line has several small port cities, one in a swamp harassed by hags.

Um, a dwarven city to the far north in a snow covered mountain range.

Small horse farming town to the east, and that's about it....

I had then on an island for a bit so now they are hitting landfall I want to make it a big deal.

[Honest Tiefling]

The major city they are heading to now is nicknamed the city of Iron. It is a massive capital city, that is built with massive iron walls surrounding it.

Alright. So think of where the iron is coming from, and how merchants would be getting that iron to the city. Is it mined by slaves or freed miners? What sort of environment are the iron mines in? Who controls the mines, and who controls the trade of iron?

Most iron-working isn't set up by the iron mines, but the fuel. What is fueling it? Wood? Charcoal? Coke? Magical fire?


Fire giants have been enslaved here for many years, and are used to maintain the walls.

How does one maintain fire giant slaves and keep them under control? How are they treated as slaves, and how is slavery viewed by the local religion? Can they ever get out of slavery legally? Is anyone trying to free them? What are the excuses the soceity has come up to morally enslave them?


The city is richer and more maintained along the other walls with four roads heading towards the center that elevated several hundred feet off the ground. This under area is the slums, prison and where the fire giants are stored. The upper area is where the castle is and the royal family lives.

Is the royal family matrilineal or patrilineal? What is expected of them? What rights and powers do they wield? Who makes up their court?


Besides that. I have a savage kingdom to the south of tthere which is 4 barbarian clans forced together under one mad king whom is threatening the iron king with war.

How did this Barbarian King force these people to work together? What race are they? Do they share a culture or racial history? Why is he attacking the heavily fortified city? Or is he attacking the caravans instead? How does the Barbarian king treat and view his enemy?


There is a grand library which is defended by a buddist style monk.

How did this library come to be? Stone buildings and books/scrolls are very expensive, and require a massive amount of work to copy without industrial style printing. Where did they acquire such massive amount of wealth? What purpose does the library serve? How does it obtain new knowledge or books/scrolls? Does it force travelers to give over any books they have, or does it barter for them?

[JAL_1138]

Holy Cow! that donjon site is amazing. I've been trying to find something similar to it forever.

I suggest taking a gander at Medieval Demographics Made Easy (http://www222.pair.com/sjohn/blueroom/demog.htm), which the donjon site drew from for its demographics (https://donjon.bin.sh/fantasy/demographics/) tools. It gives you a bit of the reasoning behind the numbers they use in it.

[chase0351]

I like my version of athkatla from forgotten realms. It's supposed to be a merchant city but... I'm portraying it like a wealthy town of organized crime. Everybody gets stolen from and taken advantage of there. Slavery is common. Only rogues thrive. Wizards are outlawed and hunted. (Except if you pay ALOT) Fighters are whipped bodyguards. Commoners work on slave wages. Merchants work like devils trying to out sabotage each other. The rogues have it the best. They die young and free or die rich and well connected. Call it, idk, Cut purse city. Of Larcen. It reminds me of an episode of adventure time. Anyway. I hope that helped.

[Arkhios]

@OP: Might want to check out this Homebrewing Sub-forum: World Building (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?57-World-Building).

[SMac8988]

Alright. So think of where the iron is coming from, and how merchants would be getting that iron to the city. Is it mined by slaves or freed miners? What sort of environment are the iron mines in? Who controls the mines, and who controls the trade of iron?

Most iron-working isn't set up by the iron mines, but the fuel. What is fueling it? Wood? Charcoal? Coke? Magical fire?



How does one maintain fire giant slaves and keep them under control? How are they treated as slaves, and how is slavery viewed by the local religion? Can they ever get out of slavery legally? Is anyone trying to free them? What are the excuses the soceity has come up to morally enslave them?



Is the royal family matrilineal or patrilineal? What is expected of them? What rights and powers do they wield? Who makes up their court?



How did this Barbarian King force these people to work together? What race are they? Do they share a culture or racial history? Why is he attacking the heavily fortified city? Or is he attacking the caravans instead? How does the Barbarian king treat and view his enemy?



How did this library come to be? Stone buildings and books/scrolls are very expensive, and require a massive amount of work to copy without industrial style printing. Where did they acquire such massive amount of wealth? What purpose does the library serve? How does it obtain new knowledge or books/scrolls? Does it force travelers to give over any books they have, or does it barter for them?

This is amazing. I'm literally going to print put these questions and answer them to add a lot of detail. Thank you so much!!!