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A World Building
Economy
Government
My Amazon
Shop
Land
Society & Culture Checklist
Magic & Science
I’ve picked out just a
few items on Amazon
When a game master is working on creating a world,
that I love, for one
there are a lot of details to work out. Many a time reason or another. If
I’ve thought I had a handle on a self-created milieu you were going to buy
only to have a player ask for some information I’d one anyway, I’d
appreciate buying it
not even thought to cover (it’s amazing what those
through my link — it
pesky players can be interested in at times!). What I doesn’t cost you any
needed was a general checklist of things so that all more, but I get a few
my bases were covered, so to speak. cents o the purchase
to prop up my
insatiable reading
To that end, I’ve shamelessly stolen this idea. It used
habits.
to be available on its own website, but it’s since gone
o ine. It looks like it might come up eventually again
at www.btot.de, but as of this writing it’s not there
yet. Luckily, I’d saved a copy. Of course, it’s been
modi ed to my own needs, but you’re welcome to
take it, leave it, or adjust it to your own needs as
well.

It is, as ever, a work in progress. Here, at top, is a

brief outline. Each topic links to some questions,
below, to help re ne the topic presented.

Things Worlds Have

I. Economy
II. Government
A. Crime & Legal System
B. Foreign Relations
C. Politics
D. War
III. The Land
A. Physical & Historical Features
B. Climate & Geography
1. Natural Resources
 C. Population
D. Rural Factors
E. Urban Factors
IV. Society & Culture
A. Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation
1. Architecture
B. Calendar
C. Daily Life
D. Diet
Economy
Government
1. Dining Customs
Land E. Education
Society & Culture F. Ethics & Values
Magic & Science G. fashion & Dress
H. History
I. Language
1. Gestures
J. Manners
K. Meeting & Greeting
L. Religion & Philosophy
M. Social Organization
N. Speci c Countries
O. Visits
V. Magic & Science
A. Magic & Magicians
1. Magic & Technology
2. Rules of Magic
3. Wizards
B. Medicine
C. Science & Technology
D. Transportation & Communication

Refining the Topics

Thinking about each topic produces several
questions that might need to be answered.

Economy
What goods are produced and where are they
produced?
What are the major trade goods?
Are there trading centres?
What economic systems are used?
Are there banks?
Do people barter or use money? (example: Ancient
Ægypt)
 If money is used, is it valuable itself or is it at
currency?
If there is at money, who guarantees it?
What are people’s attitudes toward money?
What are people’s attitudes toward poverty?
Are there generally acceptable standards for coins?
How easy and common is counterfeiting?
Economy
Government
Land Government
Society & Culture
Magic & Science What services does the government or head-of-
state provide?
Are schools, wells, courts, and the army paid for by
taxes?
What local or private services are provided by the
government?
What services do people expect from their
government?
What do people owe their government?
Do people pay their government in taxes, in labour,
in crops, in military service?
Who has the right to levy taxes?
For what purposes are taxes (or new taxes) levied?
On what or on whom are taxes levied?
Can taxes be paid in-kind, or do certain things
always require money?
Who provides support services for the head of state
and what are they called (examples: councilors,
ministers, secretaries, viziers)?
Are o ces hereditary, elected, or appointed?
Can a government o ce be a career choice?
Is the relative power of a country or ruler usually
measured by the size of the army, the number and
ability of the wizards, or the amount of money and
trade owing through it?
Who will take over running the government if the
current head-of-state is incapacitated?
How is succession determined?
Is there an heir apparent (either actual or political)?
What happens if the heir is a child?
Who is responsible for protecting the head-of-state?
 What safeguards does the head-of-state have
against assassins, poison, assault, and magical
attack?
Who can give orders (to the military, to the tax
collectors, to the civil servants, to ordinary folks on
the street)?
How are the people with the power to give orders
chosen?

Economy Are any activities licensed or certi ed (driving, dog

Government ownership, being an attorney or a physician)?
Land
Who does the certi cation or licensing?
Society & Culture
Magic & Science Is it merely formal (pay a fee, and get a license), or
are there quali cations to meet?
Can licenses or certi cations be revoked, and if so,
how?

A. Crime & the Legal System

What are considered normal and legal ways

of gathering evidence and determining guilt?
Are torture and magic part of the legal
system?
Are arbitrary judgements by a lord or
landowner allowed, or is there a standard
that they are supposed to follow?
Is there an appeal system?
How high can a case go in the system before
it is nally settled?
Is everyone tried in the same courts or are
there special courts for special classes of
people — for example, are mages tried in
specialized wizard’s court?
Are there separate courts for civil and
criminal matters?
Are there separate courts for magical and
non-magical matters?
Are there separate courts for humans and
non-humans?
Are there separate courts for religious
matters?
what things are considered truly serious
crimes and why (example: a trade-oriented
culture might consider counterfeiting or
bootlegging a death-penalty crime while in a
place where life is cheap murder might be
something that only results in a small ne)?
What are the punishments for serious versus
minor crimes?
 Are there prisons, or are people punished
and released?
Are there degrees of punishment such as
nes, branding, public whippings, removal of
body parts, executions — or do they just
hang everybody regardless of the crime?
Who is responsible for catching criminals?
Who pays the thief takers?
Who pays for prisons and jails?
Economy
Government Who supplies food to prisoners?
Land How are law enforcement o cers organized?
Society & Culture
Are there independent precincts, overlapping
Magic & Science
districts, or separate jurisdictions?
Can law enforcement be hired?
Are there lawyers or advocates?
Who can a ord legal representation?
Who trains the legal experts and are they
certi ed?
Are people guilty until proven innocent,
innocent until proven guilty, or does it
depend on the mood the bench is in when
the case comes in front of it?
Are there assumptions made about how an
accused criminals will be treated?
Are there judges other than the nobles or
gentry?
How are judges paid and by whom?
How often are remote areas likely to see a
judge?
Is mob justice common? Is it legal?
How is mob justice viewed by society?
Are highwaymen, muggers, bandits, or
pirates common or rare?
What sorts of crimes would the average
citizen be likely encounter in their lifetime?
Who can make or repeal laws?
How are alleged criminals treated before
their trials?
How are convicted criminals treated?
Do the police, military, or city guard make a
practise of roughing up suspects?
Are there laws forbidding certain types of
people (peasants, wizards, priests, women)
from carrying arms?
Are there laws requiring certain people to be
skilled with certain weapons?
 Are certain spells (as opposed to magic
generally) illegal?
How would a criminal magician be detected?
Apprehended? Punished?

B. Foreign Relations

Which nations have formal relations with

other countries?
Who can be ambassadors and envoys?
Economy
Are there standing embassies and
Government
consulates, or are envoys sent only when
Land
something speci c comes up?
Society & Culture
Magic & Science How are treaties arranged?
Are there any signi cant ones currently in
force or coming up for signing?
How much do o cial attitudes toward other
countries a ect commerce and trade?
Do merchants pretty much ignore tensions
between governments as long as they can
make a pro t, or will this get them into
trouble?
How much formal spying and intelligence
gathering is normally done by governments?
How much spying is done by the military?
Do merchants (or companies) engage in
espionage?
Who has the best information gathering
system?
Which countries are traditional allies?
Which countries are traditional rivals?
How do these traditional alliances and
rivalries a ect foreign policy?
Which heads-of-state are related by blood or
marriage?
How important are political marriages?
How do ties of blood and marriage a ect
foreign policy?

C. Politics

Does the level of technological advancement

match the level of social and political
advancement?
What are the major political factions at
present?
How long have the current political factions
been around?
 Which factions are allies and which are
enemies?
Are there any potential new forces on the
political scene?
How much in uence do special interest
groups (such as merchants, wizards, or
religious sects) have on politics?
How do interest groups exercise their
in uence?
Economy
What political positions are considered
Government
conservative?
Land
Society & Culture
What political positions are considered
Magic & Science
liberal?
Are there political positions that are
unthinkable?
Are there any shaky political alliances
between disparate groups?
Why were the current alliances formed?
How long before current alliances fall apart,
and, when they do, what will the e ects be?
What ancient rivalries and hatreds still a ect
current attitudes and political positions?

D. War

Which peoples, countries, and races have

been in con ict in the recent past?
what caused recent con icts?
When was the last war and what was it
about?
Who won the last war?
Are there ongoing tensions from the most
recent war?
What major weapons of war are available?
How much has the presence of magic
a ected strategy and tactics?
Do army commanders have to use speci c
formations or techniques to deal with
possible magical attacks?
How can magic be used as part of a battle
plan?
How are armies usually structured?
Are command structures formal and
independent or is everybody o cially under
the command of the lord who brought them
to army?
If there is a formal structure, what are the
various ranks and titles?
 Who can call up an army?
How are the ranks lled in times of need?
Are there professional soldiers and
mercenaries?
Is a career in the army possible, or would one
have to be a mercenary in order to make a
living as a soldier?
Does the army accept volunteers?
Economy How large is a typical army?
Government In an army, what percentage of the soldiers
Land will be trained and what portion will be
Society & Culture untrained recruits?
Magic & Science
Are recruits and conscripts given training, or
are they expected to learn on the battle eld?
How is the army supplied?
Are soldiers allowed to live o the land and
peasantry, or do they pay for what they take?
How are supplies handled during long
campaigns?
How many days worth of supplies can the
army haul along with them?
What are the accepted conventions for
making war (examples: only ght in winter
when nobody is busy with crops; don’t make
war on civilians; only certain kinds of
weapons are used)?
Do the accepted conventions vary by race or
region?
How does the presence of non-humans
a ect strategy, tactics, and battles?
Are special weapons required if an army is
facing certain kinds of non-human armies?
How would non-human soldiers turn their
physical di erences from humans to their
advantage?
Are particular non-human races traditionally
better with certain weapons? If so, why?
Are particular human groups traditionally
better with certain weapons, and if so, why?

The Land

A. Physical & Historical Features

In which geographical areas will the game take

place?
How much ground will the game cover?
 What are the most striking features of
landscape and climate?
If there are non-human inhabitants, are there
any areas or features they particularly claim as
their own?

B. Climate & Geography

Have human (or non-human) activities a ected

climate or landscape in various regions?
Economy If so, how were the climate or landscape
Government a ected?
Land
How does the setting (multiple moons, suns,
Society & Culture
&c.) a ect the climate in various areas?
Magic & Science
How much land is in each of the equatorial,
temperate, and polar zones?
Where are the mountain ranges? The rivers
and lakes? The deserts? The forests (tropical
and otherwise)? The grasslands and plains?
If there are mythological animals, how do they
t into the ecology?
How did the mythological beasts come into
being?
What do the mythological creatures eat?
How much and what kind of habitat do these
mythological animals require?
Are there intelligent mythological animals?
How common are these mythological animals?
Are there any endangered species of animals
or plants?
Is anyone concerned about endangered
species?
What geological formations can a ect the
weather or the climate?
What are the natural wonders of the world,
and where are they?
1. Natural Resources
Which areas are the most fertile
farmlands?
Where are mineral resources located?
which animals, birds, sh, and other
wildlife are commonly found in which
areas?
If there are fantastical animals, such as
dragons, where do they live?
Which natural resources, if any, have
been depleted in which areas over time?
 Which resources are particularly
abundant, and in which areas?
Which resources are scarce and where
are they scarce?
Are there places with major deposits
that haven’t been discovered yet, or
where such deposits havenဩt been
fully exploited?
How much con ict has there been or
Economy might eventually be caused by these
Government imbalances in resources?
Land How much active, peaceful trade is
Society & Culture attributed to these resources?
Magic & Science
What water resources are available, and
for what uses?

C. Population

How many people are there in the world?

How many people are there in the various
countries?
What is considered a small town? A large
town? A city?
How diverse is the population?
How many di erent races (human or non-
human), creeds, cultures, and so on normally
live in various cities and towns?
In what percentages do these divisions occur?
Is population shifting from rural to urban?
From south to north? From mountains to
coast?
If populations are shifting, why are they doing
so?
What e ects has migration had on the places
being left behind?
What e ects has migration had on the places
that are gaining population?
Is there much immigration into or out of
various countries? why or why not?
Which geographical areas are most heavily
populated?
Which regions are the least populated? Why?
Are certain regions or types of terrain more
popular areas for non-humans, and, if so, why?
How are roads built?
What state are the roads in?
Who pays for roads?
Who maintains the roads?
 D. Rural Factors

Given the magical and technological level of

this society, what is an appropriate ratio of
farmers to urban residents?
Given the state of the roads and of
transportation, how much food is it possible to
ship to a given location before it spoils?
Are rural areas primarily farms, forests, elds
Economy
for grazing, or wastelands?
Government In outlying areas where there aren’t many
Land people, how many roads are there?
Society & Culture
How reliable is the weather from year to year?
Magic & Science
Is crop production relatively dependable, or do
people have to cope with regular famines due
to drought or oods?
What kinds of catastrophic weather events are
common?
Are there tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards,
waterspouts, dust storms, or sand storms?
How do people cope with adverse weather and
weather-caused disasters?
How are farming areas divided between
humans and non-humans?
What kinds of con icts are likely between
humans and non-humans?
Can common people own their own land, or
does it all belong to a lord or other gure?
What kinds of rights over land, crops, game,
and resources do landowners have?
How are country dwellers viewed by city folk?
How do the country folk feel about city
dwellers?

E. Urban Factors

Does the layout of cities re ect some

philosophy, such as that the “head” of the city
must be at the center or the highest point?
Were layout considerations mainly practical or
did most cities just grow?
Are there public or private parks in any cities?
What kinds of activities take place in parks?
Are cities generally laid out on a square-grid
system of streets or are things more
labyrinthine?
How wide are the streets and alleys normally?
What are the landmarks in each city?
 Where are the interesting neighbourhoods?
What things give each area its special
character?
Where do people go to shop? Where do they
go to eat?
Is there an entertainment district? What kinds
of entertainment are o ered?
Does the city have tourists? What do they
come to do?
Economy
Government Are certain cities known for certain activities or
Land industries?
Society & Culture
Magic & Science
Society & Culture

A. Arts, Entertainment, & Recreation

what is the status of the various arts in society?

How are artists viewed?
Are artists considered to be low or high class?
Who supports the arts?
Are there non-human races who tend to be
naturally talented artists?
How does this a ect the human practitioners
of those arts?
Which arts are most highly valued and why?
Are there permanent theatres or concert halls?
Who owns and runs performance venues?
Are there travelling troupes of performers?
What do people at various levels of society do
for fun?
What sports or pastimes are common?
Which pastimes require skill, money, or ample
leisure time?
What games are commonly known?
What games are common among everyone,
and which are limited to the peasantry or to
the nobility?
Are any games or pastimes illegal?
Are certain countries or cities known for a
passion or expertise for particular games or
pastimes?
Do non-human races have their own games
and leisure pastimes?
How do non-human hobbies and games di er
from human games?
 1. Architecture
What is the most common building
material?
Why is it used?
Foes it have any major drawbacks?
How are buildings normally
ornamented?
How tall a building can be constructed
Economy at a reasonable cost and in a reasonable
Government time?
Land What are the typical oor plans like?
Society & Culture
Can people a ord to waste space on
Magic & Science
hallways or do they just have a series of
rooms opening into other rooms?
Are people’s businesses in their homes?
Are buildings normally built square?
Domed?
How large is a typical house?
How many people usually live in a
typical house?
What are the di erences in materials
and appearance between lower-class,
middle-class, and upper-class housing?
How do city houses di er from those in
rural areas?
How are living quarters arranged?
Are parlours or libraries common?
Are there special rooms for guests?
Are parts of homes restricted to certain
members of the household?
How are houses heated and cooled?

B. Calendar

Is there a single, generally accepted calendar

or do di erent countries, peoples, or races
have di erent methods of measuring time?
How is the day divided into smaller time units?
What are the divisions of time?
Are the names of the time divisions relevant to
anything?
Is the length of an hour xed, or does it vary
depending on changes in the length of the day
as the seasons change?
What are the names of the months, and how
many days are there in each?
How many days in a week? Months in a year?
 Are there leap years?
Who keeps track of the calendar?
Who could make adjustments to the calendary,
if necessary?
Which days are holidays or festival times?
What do the holidays and festivals celebrate?
Are there holidays that are only celebrated in
particular countries, cities, or regions?
Economy What events do people use to date years?
Government
Land
Are these events single occurrences (the
creation of the world, the end a war, the
Society & Culture
uni cation of the nation)?
Magic & Science
Are events dated based on arbitrary things
such as a king’s reign, or a dynasty’s years in
power)?
How do people tell what time it is?
Are there any days that are considered to be
“outside the year”?
How did these days originate?

C. Daily Life

How do people feel about foreigners?

How do people feel about non-humans?
How ready are people to accept di erent
ideas?
How cosmopolitan is the average person?
How much social mobility is there?
What would it take for a person born in the
lower class to advance to the middle class or
beyond?
How much resistance is there to social
mobility?
What things are considered luxuries?
What do people in general look like?
who would stand out in a crowd?
What is furniture like?
What is furniture commonly made of?
Are certain things reserved for high-status
individuals?
In what ways does furniture design re ect the
customs of people?
What are plumbing and sanitary systems like?
Who builds and maintains the sanitary systems
and how reliable are they?
Who do you call when the drains back up?
 How do people cope with various disasters —
re, ood, volcanic eruption, plague?
How common are such disasters?
How early do people get up in the morning in
the city? In the country?
What kinds of people are likely to face
prejudice?
Is this discrimination institutionalized or is it
mostly a matter of public attitude?
Economy
Government D. Diet
Land
Society & Culture What foods are staples and commonly eaten
Magic & Science every day?
What foods are considered peasant food?
What foods are rare?
What foods are normally cooked and which
are eaten raw?
What is the food like?
What dishes are considered to be holiday
food?
what foods and drinks are associated with
particular holidays and events or times of the
year?
When a guest arrives, is food or drink o ered
immediately, after an interval, or only on
request?
Is there a particular food or drink that it is
customary to o er a newly arrived guest?
Is there a traditional food or drink given to a
guest who is departing?
How many meals are considered normal in a
day?
When are meals served?
Which meals are substantial, and which are
light?
Are certain foods reserved mainly for a
particular meal?
What dishes would be considered typical of
the various areas?
What wines or beers are thought of as typical
for various regions?
Is there a safe supply of drinking water?
Do people (including children) drink ale or beer
exclusively?
Which herbs and spices are readily available,
and which must be imported?
 How common and expensive are imported
foods and spices?
Do people tend to like highly spiced food?
How is food preserved for use during the o -
season — smoking, freezing, canning, salting,
pickling, drying?
How reliable are the food preservation
methods used?
How often do preserved foods spoil?
Economy
Government When food is limited in supply, who gets rst
Land dibs?
Society & Culture What things are never eaten? Why?
Magic & Science
What foods do non-humans like, and how do
these di er from those favoured by humans?
Are some foods poisonous or distasteful to
one species that are delicacies or necessary to
another?
Are any classes of society limited in what foods
they may eat?
Do special circumstances (such as pregnancy)
ever restrict diet?
Do religions have any beliefs about food and
diet?
1. Dining Customs
Who dines together and who always
dines separately?
Do men and women, parents and
children, servants and masters eat
together?
How is social status displayed at the
table?
Are special dining customs observed on
certain holidays or for certain events?
What distinguishes a formal or high-
court dinner from an ordinary meal,
besides quantity and variety of food?
How do formal manners di er from
everyday ones?
What eating utensils are used, if any?
Have utensils developed in the culture
or been imported?
What is the order of a typical upper-
class meal?
What shape are tables and eating areas?
Where is the place of honour for a
guest?
 Where do important members of the
household sit?
Are special arrangements necessary for
entertaining guests of di erent races or
species?
How do the eating customs of di erent
races re ect their cultures and biology?

E. Education
Economy How much does it cost to get various levels of
Government education?
Land
What education is available, and where?
Society & Culture
Magic & Science Are there schoolhouses in every town, or do
ordinary people have to travel if they want to
be educated?
Are there universities? Private tutors?
What is the literacy level in the general
population?
Is literacy considered a useful or necessary skill
for nobility, or something only scribes, clerks,
or servants need?
What areas are considered absolutely
necessary knowledge for a courtier?
Which areas of education are nice but not
necessary?
What areas of knowledge would be slightly
embarrassing if anyone found out about
them?
How respected are teachers and scholars?
Who supports educators?
Are there anti-intellectual groups?
Is education legally restricted in any way?
Are there people for whom education is illegal?

F. Ethics & Values

what will people swear a binding oath by?

What do people use as curse words?
When and why are curse words used?
What are the most desired and most valuable
things in this society?
Why is the most valued item so desired?
Do di erent races value di erent things?
Is there a race or culture for whom non-
material things (information, time, spiritual
enlightenment) are the valuable things?
 If a people values immaterial things, how did
they get that way?
What things are considered to be normal and
acceptable in this society that might be
considered abnormal or unacceptable by ours?
What things are considered shocking in this
society?
What are the reactions of ordinary people
when someone does one of these shocking
Economy things?
Government
What are the acceptable limits to honour or
Land honesty in society?
Society & Culture
Magic & Science
Is it possible to get out of a binding oath?
Are white lies socially acceptable?
What are the attitudes toward ownership?
What constitutes theft, and what can be stolen
with few repercussions?
Are thieves organized in a guild, licensed by
law, or freelance?
Who is considered to be a citizen, with the
rights and privileges thereof?
What are the rights and privileges of citizens?
What responsibilities do citizens bear?
Can citizenship be revoked?
Are there certain groups of people who have
fewer legal rights or less recourse than full
citizens?
Why do those people have fewer rights than
others?
What are the most controversial subjects in
this culture?
What things can you easily start a friendly
argument about in any bar?
What things will automatically start an
unfriendly argument?
What are the social taboos?
What things are simply “not done”?
What things are never talked about?
What would happen if someone did something
socially unacceptable?
How do social taboos vary for di erent races
and groups of people?
What are the biggest social faux pas?
What are considered to be faux pas?
What subjects or actions cause
embarrassment or discomfort?
 What are the society’s mores regarding
courtship, marriage, and family?
Is marriage primarily a civil or a religious
institution?
Why are people usually married?
What are the standards of beauty for people?
What are the standards of beauty for paintings
and sculpture?
Economy What are the standards of beauty for clothes
Government and furniture?
Land What kind of ideal life do people aspire to?
Society & Culture
What kinds of people are the rebels, outcasts,
Magic & Science
and mis ts of this society?
How does society deal with them?
Who are the arbiters of ethics (as opposed to
law)?
How did they become the arbiters?

G. Fashion & Dress

What do people wear?

How expensive is clothing?
Can the material be produced locally, or must
some or all of it be imported?
Are certain clothes customary for certain
occupations?
How much variation is allowed?
Is it quality or style which is most important?
How frequently does style and fashion change?
Who sets the trends?
Are the dyes for certain colours rare, making
cloth of that colour more expensive or
reserved for high-status people?
Are there sumptuary laws de ning who may
wear what?
What are the penalties for dressing above or
below one’s station?
Who decides when changes are needed to
such sumptuary laws?
How often are sumptuary laws adjusted?
How many changes of clothes can a normal
person a ord? A noble person?
How often do people change their clothes?
How often do people wash their clothes?
What are the current fashions in clothes? In
hats? Jewelry? Shoes?
 Do fashions di er for humans and non-
humans?
Do they di er from country to country or from
ethnicity to ethnicity?
What materials are appropriate for the
climate?
What cloth must be imported, and is therefore
used only for expensive clothing?
What styles are considered tacky and vulgar?
Economy
Government What types of decorations and accessories are
Land common?
Society & Culture What colours and combinations of colours are
Magic & Science thought to look good together, or to clash?
Do opinions on colours vary from race to race?
What physical features and characteristics are
currently fashionable?
How do trends in physical beauty vary for non-
humans?

H. History

How far back are there records or tales of

historical events?
How widely known are these stories?
Do average people believe the old tales, or do
they dismiss some that have a basis in fact?
How long have there been people on this
world?
Did they evolve, were they created by the gods,
or did they migrate from somewhere else?
If there are non-humans, how long have they
been around and where did they come from?
Where did the civilizations begin?
What directions did they spread?
How was development a ected by the
presence of working magic?
How was development a ected by the
existence of non-human races?
How have the actions of gods a ected
civilization’s development?
Which peoples, countries, ethnicities, and
races have fought, been allies, traded, or
traditionally been rivals?
Where are such old events still important or
still causing hard feelings?
Which peoples, countries, ethnicities, and
races have been in con ict or have allied in the
recent past and why?
 Which people are considered the most and
least civilized?
Which people are the most and least
technologically advanced?
Which people are the most and least magically
advanced?

I. Language

Is there a trade language that facilitates

Economy commerce between countries that don’t speak
Government the same tongue?
Land
Is there a universal language spoken by
Society & Culture
educated or noble persons?
Magic & Science
Is there a liturgical tongue?
What language are religious documents kept
in?
Are some or all people bilingual?
Is there a common second language many
people know?
Are there secret languages or codes known
only by priests, soldiers, guild members?
If there are secret languages, why were they
developed?
Are secret languages fully functional (they can
express anything one could normally express
in language) or are they limited to a certain
scope?
What are the variations in speech patterns,
syntax, and slang from one social class to
another?
Are there variations in speech patterns from
one occupation to another?
Are there regional variations in speech?
From what areas do local slang phrases come?
What kinds of colourful turns of phrase do
people use?
For what things would a local language have
many speci c words to indicate ne
di erences?
What do the people in this culture consider
important enough to name?
What do people use as curse words?
How many languages are there?
Which languages are related and why?
Which languages borrow words or phrases
from other languages?
Which languages are the most widely spoken?
 Are there di erent languages for di erent
races?
Is there a special language needed in order to
talk with dragons or other beasts?
Do wizards have a special language that is
used for magic?
If magic is its own language, where do
practitioners learn it?
Is it safe to chat in the language of magic?
Economy
Government How close do people stand to one another
Land when speaking?
Society & Culture Does personal space di er from place to
Magic & Science place?
How do people with di erent ideas of personal
space react to one another?
1. Gestures
Are gestures and body language in this
society generally subtle?
Do people talk with their hands, or is
that considered vulgar?
What gestures are insulting?
What do the insulting gestures mean?
Do some gestures di er in meaning
depending on the culture or time?
How do overall gestures and body
language di er between countries?
Are there things that don’t matter in one
area that are mortal insults in another?
What are the di erent ways of showing
respect to another?
To whom is one expected to show
respect?

J. Manners

What are the rules of precedence?

Who gets to go through doors rst? Who gets
introduced rst in a social setting?
Do these rules di er in a formal setting?
Is there a distinction between formal good
manners and informal, everyday manners?
When and where are people expected to be on
their best behaviour?
How important are good manners in this
society?
How do good manners di er from race to
race?
 How to people react when someone has just
been, by their standards, rude?
Are people shocked when an outsider learns
their manners? Are they patronizing,
condescending, or supportive?

K. Meeting & Greeting

How do people greet one another and how did

this greeting originate?
Economy Is there a special i-am-not-armed gesture for
Government wizards or others with dangerous abilities?
Land
Is there a di erence between the greeting
Society & Culture
o ered to an equal and that o ered to a
Magic & Science
superior or inferior?
Are there di erent greetings o ered to men or
women? Humans and a non-human?
Is there a way of changing a greeting gesture
to make it insulting?
When meeting someone for the rst time, how
are they greeted?
Does this greeting di er if one already knows
the person?
If you see someone you know on the far side
of the street, how do you acknowledge them?
How are two people who have not met before
introduced to one another?
What is the order of precedence when there
are several people of di ering sex, social
status, or race present who must all be
introduced to one another?
Are there people or beings who are never
introduced to one another?
Are true names signi cant, and if so, under
what circumstances would a person be told
another’s true name?
Are there customs involving the way in which
someone is named when being introduced

L. Religion & Philosophy

Are there actual gods or god-like beings?

If so, do they take an active role in the religions
that worship them?
Do they take an active role in the lives of
everyday people? If so, why?
How many gods are there, and is there a
hierarchy among them?
Which gods are good or evil, or is this
meaningless when speaking of gods?
 How do various religions view non-believers?
How do the various religions view foreigners?
Non-humans?
Which religions support the government, and
which are more interested in ordinary people?
Is there a di erence between miracles and
magic?
If there is a di erence, how are they
distinguished?
Economy
Government Is there tension, rivalry, or outright hostility
Land between any of the gods?
Society & Culture How do the relationships between the gods
Magic & Science a ect church politics?
Do the relationships between the gods a ect
people’s everyday lives?
Where does religion t into this society?
Is there a state church?
Is freedom of religion normal?
Do people generally think of the temples and
churches as parasites, or as useful parts of
society?
If there are actual, demonstrable gods, what
part does faith play in their worship?
Why do the gods wnat want worship?
What are the various religious rites like, and
why?
What o erings are considered good?
Are people supposed to pick one or more gods
to worship and ignore the others, or do most
people pray to whomever is most likely to
grant results in their situation?
How do people decide which god to worship or
which temple to be a liated with?
What part do the various religions and
philosophies play in public and private life?
Are philosophers and theologians considered
academics?
How much in uence do the theories of
philosophers and theologians have on the way
people actually behave?
Are priests or philosophers full-time
occupations, or do they need day jobs?
If they are full-time, who supports them?
Why are the gods interested in people?
Are they more human-like or are they
transcendent and incomprehensible?
 Do the gods have limits to what they can do?
Are there limits to what the gods will do?
Can the gods make mistakes?
How do the various temples and philosophies
explain the classic problem of evil?

M. Social Organization

What are the easiest and most common ways

Economy
to advance in status?
Government Can one attain higher status by amassing more
Land money, marrying well, getting the ruler’s
Society & Culture favour?
Magic & Science
How much resistance is there to someone
advancing in social status?
What are the various ranks and titles and
proper forms of address for the aristocracy
and nobility?
What is the proper means to addressing peers,
social betters, or social inferiors?
Which occupations are the most respected?
Why?
Which professions are the most looked down
upon? Why?
How many levels are there in this society?
How rm are the divisions between the levels
of society?
Is it possible to move between the levels of
society?
How di cult is it to rise or fall from one social
level to another?
How much social mobility is there?
How much social mobility do people think
there is?

N. Specific Countries

What is the basic form of government in this

country?
What forms of government are used in
neighbouring countries, and why are they the
same or di erent?
Who are the rivals or enemies of this country?
How close are they physically, and how
powerful are they?
Who are the heroes and villains of each
country’s history?
Why are these people heroes, and what does
this say about the country and people?
 How accessible is this area?
What natural features mark the country’s
borders?
Who are the neighbouring countries and
people and what are they like?
Why did people settle in this area in the rst
place?
Is the country in a strategic location, on a trade
route, in a good place for a harbour, rich in
Economy
minerals, good for farming?
Government
Land Have things changed much since people
Society & Culture
entered the area, or do people still depend on
Magic & Science
whatever brought them there in the rst
place?
How do the weapons of this country compare
with those of surrounding nations?
Have there been recent innovations that may
upset the balance of power?
How diverse is the population of this country?
Are people immigrating to or emigrating from
the country? Why?
Is magic legal there?
Do laws governing magic vary widely from city
to city, or are attitudes generally similar?
What does this country import? Export?
How important is trade to the economy?
How is currency exchange handled, and by
whom?
What is monetary system used, if any, and who
mints it?
How much of this country is farmland? Forest?
Desert? Mountains? Plains? Swamp?
How much of this country is arable?
What are the primary crops?
which crops are any grown mainly for export
or for trade?
What crops can not be grown here because of
the soil or climate?
What water resources are available here, and
for what uses?
What wild animals live in this area? Are any of
them potentially useful or dangerous to the
population?
Which animals are commonly domesticated in
this area?

O. Visits
 Are there questions that must be asked or
avoided when visiting someone?
Are there topics that can only be raised by the
host? By the guest?
How seriously does the culture take the
responsibilities of host and guest?
What rules de ne when someone becomes a
host or guest?
What things are considered courteous to o er
Economy
a guest: food, reading material, personal
Government
guards, attendants, music, entertainment?
Land
Society & Culture
What is considered a courteous response to a
Magic & Science
host’s o er?
Are there things o ered that it is considered
rude to accept? Rude to refuse? Rude to ask
for?
When a guest arrives, is food or drink o ered
immediately, after an interval, or only on
request?
How do the di erent customs of various
countries and races interact and con ict?

Magic & Science

A. Magic & Magicians

How do various religions view magic?

Do any religions forbid magic or require it?
And if so, what’s their reasoning?
Do any require or forbid priests to practise
magic?
How has the presence of magic and magicians
a ected law and government?
Are wizards barred from certain kinds of
government posts
Do some positions require that their holder be
a wizard?
Are the laws of nature and physics actually
di erent in this world or are they the same as
in real life?
If the laws of nature and physics are the same,
then how does magic t in?
Which peoples, races, cultures, countries, or
ethnicities are most magically advanced?
Is magic legal?
Is all magic legal, or only some types?
 Do laws about magic vary widely from country
to country, or is the attitude generally similar?
Are there magical artifacts?
If so, who made them and how?
Are magical e ects permanent, or does the
magic wear o after a while?
What e ect has magic had on law? On art? On
technology? On entertainment?
Economy Where is magical research done?
Government Are magicians a force in politics?
Land
Are there national politics that revolve around
Society & Culture
magic or wizards?
Magic & Science
How much as the presence of magic a ected
military strategy and tactics in general?
Is healing usually a magical process?
If so, how does the magical healing talent or
spell work?
Does a magical healer have to consciously
direct the healing process, or does magical
healing simply speed up the normal healing
process in the patient?
Is there more than one kind of magical healer
and if so are they rivals or simply di erent
specialities?
Is forensic magic possible?
Can forensic magic be used to investigate only
certain types of crimes (and if so, which)?
Are the results of forensic spells admissible in
court as evidence?
Can magic be used in the arts, and if so, how?
How do “normal” artists feel about artists who
use magic?
How do magicians feel about non-magical
people?
Is there a speci c name for those who cannot
do magic?
Are spells fast enough to be useful in hand-to-
hand combat, or is magic useful only for long,
slow things?
1. Magic & Technology
Are there magical means of
transportation?
How does magical transportation
compare in speed, safety, and expense
to non-magical means?
Are magical weapons available?
 Can magic be used in warfare? In what
ways?
How has the presence of magic a ected
weapons technology?
Do you have to do anything special to
armour, weapons, walls, &c. to make
them better able to resist spells?
Can ordinary objects be enchanted to
make them extremely lethal or will this
Economy work properly only on things that are
Government already weapons?
Land Can ordinary objects be enchanted to
Society & Culture make them (or their user) much, much
Magic & Science better at whatever they do?
How common and useful are such
enchanted objects?
To what degree do magical objects and
the presence of wizards and spells
replace or duplicate technology?
2. Rules of Magic
What things can magic not do?
what are the limits of magical power?
Where does magic power come from?
What is its source?
Is magic an exhaustible resource?
What does one need to do to cast a
spell?
How long does it take to cast a spell?
Can spells be stored for later, instant
use?
Do spells take lots of long ritual, or is
magic a point-and-shoot kind of thing?
Can two or more wizards combine their
power to cast a stronger spell?
What makes one wizard more powerful
than another?
Does practising magic have any
detrimental e ect on the magician?
If the e ects can be detrimental, is there
any way to prevent these them?
Are detrimental e ects inevitable in all
magicians, or do they a ect only those
with some sort of predisposition?
Do the e ects progress at the same rate
in everyone?
How much is actually known in the
world about the laws of magic?

É
 How much of that which is “knownÉD; is
actually incorrect?
What general varieties of magic are
practised?
Do any varieties of magic work better
than others?
3. Wizards
Is there a numerical limit to the number of
wizards in the world? Why?
Economy
Government Are di erent races good at di erent kinds
Land
of magic?
Society & Culture Is a magician’s lifetime normally longer or
Magic & Science shorter than average? Why?
How are illegal magicians apprehended
and punished?
Is the apprehension of illegal practitioners
the responsibility of the magician’s guild,
or do ordinary law enforcement agencies
have to deal with it?
How does a magician tap magical power?
Does becoming a magician require some
rite of passage or does it just happen
naturally?
Is magic a result of study or just part of
growing up?
Are there things (such as magical staves,
wands, familiars, and crystal balls) that are
necessary or useful to have before casting
spells?
Where and how do wizards get these
things?
Are certain kinds of magic practised solely
or chie y by one sex or another? By one
race or culture or another?
Does a magician’s magical ability or power
change over time?
Can a magician use up all of their magic,
thus ceasing to be a magician?
What do an ex-magicians do with
themselves?
Can the ability to do magic be lost? How?
Can the ability to do magic be forcibly
taken away? How and by whom?
What is the price magicians pay in order to
be magicians?
Is magic a profession, an art, or just a job?
What is the status accorded to magicians
in society?

B. Medicine
 At what level is medicine?
Who are the healers?
Do you have to have a talent to heal?
Who trains healers, herbalists, apothecaries,
surgeons, magical and non-magical?
What customs surround death and burial?
Is there a special class of people (doctors,
priests, funeral directors, untouchables) who
Economy deal with dead bodies?
Government How accurate is the diagnostic process?
Land
Do healers have ways of telling two diseases
Society & Culture
apart if they have similar symptoms?
Magic & Science
Do healers depend on standard physical
medical tests (re exes, temperature, dilated
pupils) or do they normally use spells for
diagnosis?
How expensive are healers?
How available are such services to ordinary
people?
How much is known about anatomy,
physiology, pathology, psychology, and so on?
Are treatments based on purely practical
experience, or do healers understand at least
some of what they are doing?
Are there stories (true or false) about why
certain remedies work or fail?
How much training does a healer normally get?
Is healing generally a magical process?
Is there a reliable method of birth control?
Who normally handles births?
What is the maternal mortality rate> The infant
mortality rate?
Who can become a healer?
Are there various kinds of healers (herbalists,
wise-women, pharmacists, apothecaries,
surgeons, doctors, nurses, witchdoctors)?
If there are di erent kinds of healers, why are
the distinctions made?
What kinds of treatments are available and
how e ective are they?
Is it possible to resurrect or resuscitate
someone who has died?
If revival is possible, how long is it before it
becomes impossible, or before serious brain
damage sets in?
How is insanity treated?
 Are there asylums or treatment centres?
How e ective are treatments for insanity?
How much do the physical di erences
between human and non-human races a ect
their medical treatment?
Are there some diseases that only a ect non-
humans, or only humans?
Are some treatments lethal to one species but
e ective in another?
Economy
Government Do physicians have to specialize in non-human
Land medicine in order to do a good job of it?
Society & Culture
C. Science & Technology
Magic & Science

Is the level of technology in this society

comparable to that of ancient Rome, the
Middle Ages, the Renaissance, the Industrial
Revolution?
What important inventions or advances have
been made (the wheel, stirrups, gunpowder,
printing, ush toilets)?
Have any of them been produced in quantities
su cient to a ect the daily lives of the average
person, or are they a luxury for nobles only?
What inventions or advances have not been
made that one would expect to see at this
stage of technological development? Why
haven’t they eventuated?
what advancers are about to be made?
How much is known about the laws of nature,
physics, and magic?
How much of what is commonly known is
factually wrong?
Where is scienti c research done? Universities,
private labs, under the auspices of the
government?
In what areas might magic replace technology,
and thus suppress its development?
In what areas might magic cause more rapid
technological or scienti c development?
How do the technology levels and scienti c
knowledge of non-human races compare to
those of humans?

D. Transportation & Communication

What are the common domesticated animals

used for transportation at various levels of
society?
Are there magical means of transportation?
 For travelling short distances within a city,
what are the alternatives?
How are messages sent when necessary?
Is there a public or private postal system, or
does everyone of importance have to send
messengers?
How fast can news get from one point to
another?
Are there magical means of communication?
Economy
How common and reliable are they? How
Government
expensive?
Land
Society & Culture
How available is water transportation?
Magic & Science How common is travel (for any reason)?
Does the concept of travelling just “to see the
world” or for fun even exist?
How dangerous is travel?
How large a group is considered safe for
travelling?
How much tra c is there inside and outside
the main cities?
Which areas are the best and worst for travel?
What is the fastest means of travelling long
distances over land? Over water?
What are the safest means of travel?
What is transportation like?
Are there good roads? Who builds them?
Are there tolls?
Are roads guarded or patrolled?
Where would a traveller stay at night?
Are there enough travellers to support inns, or
do people have to stay at monasteries or
others’ homes?
Are some classes of people (slaves, peasants)
who are not expected to travel at all?
Are some (heralds, messengers) expected to
travel constantly?
How do people nd out what is happening in
the world?
How slanted is the news they get this way, and
in what direction?
Is there freedom of the press? If not, who
controls or censors it, by what means, and for
what purpose?
How are books produced?
Are books common or are they valuable hand-
written objects?
 Where are the great libraries and collections?
Are the great libraries open to scholars,
wizards, and/or the general public?
Who supports the libraries?

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