The Worldbuilding Awards (previously known as Best of World Anvil) are a yearly event that we run to discover the best worldbuilding our community has to offer. The winners have their own showcase page, but here's the full list of nominees!
Contents
Worldbuilding Awards 2026
Best World
Judged by Tracy & Laura Hickman
- Rin Garnett with wow that's a lot of stars
- Mihkel Rand with Lethea
- Qurilion with Araea
- Chris L with World of Wizard's Peak
- Kefkejaco with Niorath
Artist's Most Beautiful World
Judged by Andy & Lindsay Law
- Jon with Oniran
- CoolG with Mytharae
- Daeni with Ink and Ivy Apothecary
- Mochi with A to Zoo
- adam with Mortagan Skal
Most Beautiful World
Judged by Cody Pondsmith
- Imagica with Fate's Misfits
- Blue Fairy 74 with Elaqitan
- Pandora 9 with Crimson Court
- Gurlu with Linguomancy
- Catoblepon with Vaelis Arin
Best Article
Judged by CL Clark
- Annie Stein with Keystone
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Sovosian Magic
- Blue Fairy 74 with Qírīrī - Nest memory
- Lexi Con (WordiGirl) with Pumilla Academy
- Mochi with Yonderhythm
Best Newcomer
Judged by Brian McClellan
- Rose with Eluvemar
- Lou with Mornvahl
- Shuang with The Warring States of Zhou Union
- GeoSinam with The Hawklands
- Jesika Forrest with Descent - Belinha
Cartography Award
- Doug Marshall with Known Space
- Owen Davies with Map of Ossalimar
- Catoblepon with Shattered
- Tillerz with Greenvale
- MadToxin with Human Space
History Award
- Tynen The Mighty with World
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with Shadowfire Epochs
- Rin Garnett with History of Talos
- E.G Bear with Tenth Century Favontille History
- Catoblepon with Timeline of the Shattered
Heart & Minds
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Festival of blooms
- RiverFang with Jade Elf Culture
- Hatwolf with Freedom of Love Festival
- with Every Traveler Their Own Cook: Recipes for the Weary
- Lexi Con (WordiGirl) with Styrax Admission
Rise of Nations
- Callyxtus with Sun Elves
- C. B. Ash with Obsidian Armory
- Owen Davies with Sovmora
- Blue Fairy 74 with Order's Bull of the Wise Flame
- Kefkejaco with Alexandria Ganges
Wondrous Nature
- Mochi with Glassy Trench
- Qurilion with The Hateful Above
- rttuo with Stellar Giant
- with Saltwalkers: Arks of the Wasteland
- Hatwolf with Brindlehounds
Strength & Honor
- Annie Stein with Operation War Dove
- RiverFang with War of the Giant Camellia
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Battle at Quacking Pond
- Kwyn Marie with The Wolf Collaborate
- Barron with Palisade Battalions
Pillars of Progress
- Imagica with Aether Train
- PanthersEye with Train Dragon
- Annie Stein with Crystal
- RiverFang with Academy of the Scroll
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with Bodyservants
Myths & Legends
- NimrodialLibrary with Nobeskhet
- adam with Tales of the Dragon Lord
- Pandora 9 with The Heart & The Crown
- Jaxon Lee Rose with Last Transmission
- Qurilion with The Legend of "The Legend of Yeti"
Worldbuilding Awards 2025
Best World
- Loup Des Bois with Bellyem
- Drew Whitney with Dromaria
- Rin Garnett with wow that's a lot of stars
- Chris L with World of Wizard's Peak
- Deleyna Marr with The Spaceport
Artist's Most Beautiful World
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Ayun Sovos
- Jon with Oniran
- NimrodialLibrary with Ayonerra
- with Starsong
- E. Christopher Clark with E. Christopher Clark: Author & Illustrator
Most Beautiful World
- Zev Chafer with The Field of Stories - Àyrngáer
- Mochi with A to Zoo
- C. B. Ash with Curses by Darklight
- Leijona with Mirintha
- Kefkejaco with Terra Occidentalis
Best Article
- Stormbril with The Relentless Advancement of the Veiled Academy
- Drew Whitney with Chapter Nine: Wildlife
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Savelan Geography Lesson
- Loup Des Bois with Chrystemis
- NimrodialLibrary with Joaqim
Best Newcomer
- Imagica with Kena'an
- Adam Tingley with Havenguard
- CoolG with Auxul
- RaiosMaster with Raios
- WonderBundle with Degheich
Artist's Cartography Award
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with Shadowfire
- Stormbril with The Veiled Campus
- Kwyn Marie with Greenglimmer
- Mochi with Norrab
- Amy Walter with Map of the Kingdom of Arailia
Cartography Award
- Hatwolf with The Cursed Kingdom of Demenore
- Loup Des Bois with Bellyem
- Tillerz with Alana
- Lexi Con (WordiGirl) with Nellindill Mansion
- Kefkejaco with Golandon
History Award
- Kefkejaco with Roman History
- Lexi Con (WordiGirl) with Full Story
- Callyxtus with History of the Seris people
- Amy Walter with Valthor Timeline
Heart & Minds
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Ringtale Elementary School
- Hatwolf with Morvathian Tea Ceremony
- Tyrdal with Kaharan Bellydancing
- Loup Des Bois with The Shells of Sympruosia
- Barron with The Wanderer Hologuitar
Rise of Nations
- Kefkejaco with Avaronian Empire
- Drew Whitney with Chapter Two: Known History
- Hatwolf with Albs
- Chris L with Silver Slice
- Loup Des Bois with Nausilythe
Wondrous Nature
- Stormbril with God Husks
- Blue Fairy 74 with Mirror Cloud Paths
- Loup Des Bois with Vaults of the Celestial Realm
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Boharin
- Barron with Ecology of the Kajh-Tai Region
Strength & Honor
- Kerry with Eclipse Extermination
- Drew Whitney with Chapter four: Factions & Guilds
- Hatwolf with Arcanum Dona Viperia
- Kefkejaco with Fall of the Selefer
- NimrodialLibrary with Malkisaidek Tsiskari
Pillars of Progress
- Drew Whitney with Klaxon Thresher
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Brightfield Farmer
- Loup Des Bois with Chromatic Garden
- Han with Solilux
- Imagica with Thalassographer
Myths & Legends
- E. Christopher Clark with Bards: Create Your Own Episode
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Incarnates of the New Age
- Loup Des Bois with The Egg of Ascendant Metamorphosis
- NimrodialLibrary with Janoar
- SolomonJack with Corvyn Seinrill
Worldbuilding Awards 2024
Best World
- Mochi with Yonderverse
- Kefkejaco with Niorath
- Jaime Buckley with Wanted Hero
- E. Christopher Clark with E. Christopher Clark
- TJ Trewin with Melior
Most Beautiful World
- C. B. Ash with Hoist the Colors
- Rin Garnett with wow that's a lot of stars
- Tillerz with Alana
- Barron & Ademal with Ethnis
- TJ Trewin with Journals of Yesteryear
Best Newcomer
- Hatwolf with After Silence
- Tyrdal with Aran'sha
- Myth Cross with Arc Sagas
- Lunkin with Mirios
- Koragath with Gokrenxia
Best Article
- Doug Marshall with Alone Together
- Satrium with Greater Deities
- Olarae & Astaroth Arcaine with Arellund
- Kefkejaco with Crystal Casting Armor
- Ninodonlord with Dorralia Marigold
Cartography Award
- Tillerz with Bridgeport
- Kefkejaco with Niorath
- Lunkin with Mirios as of Year 1568
- Mihkel Rand with Enliten
- Mochi with Osao
History Award
- Sergio Lourenço with History of the Free Republic
- Kefkejaco with Terra Occidentalis
- Adcheryl with Terraloga Valonia: Kingdom at the River's End
- Mochi with Yonderverse
- Annie Stein with History of Mercury
Myths & Legends
- Stormbril with Days of Creation
- Kerry with Fey Recipes - Dieter's Cake
- Ninodonlord with The Barrow-Song
- Han with Whispers of Divinity
- Kefkejaco with Graeco-Buddhism
Pillars of Progress
- Kefkejaco with Magic in Niorath
- Stormbril with The Sacred Lab
- C. B. Ash with Ghost Blade
- Ninodonlord with Deepwells
- Doug Marshall with Warp Drive
Strength Honor
- Stormbril with The end of humanity?
- Annie Stein with Scorching of Mercury
- Ninodonlord with Struggles against the Church of Order
- Doug Marshall with Ares Program
- Kefkejaco with First Macedonian Civil War
Wondrous Nature
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Leylines
- Kefkejaco with Mizarin Nightlight
- Doug Marshall with Earth
- Han with Vivopage
- Ninodonlord with The Whisper Dells
Rise of Nations
- Olarae & Astaroth Arcaine with Ejderhakan
- Kefkejaco with Isshani
- C. B. Ash with Shadow Council
- Ninodonlord with Witches
- Han with Nobility of Galasthin
Hearts & Minds
- Han with Seabirth
- Kefkejaco with Elias Sevaski "Soundwave"
- Myth Cross with Year-Ender Festival
- Olarae & Astaroth Arcaine with Dral-azie
- Ninodonlord with Buring Lord Træsh
Worldbuilding Awards 2022
Hearts & Minds Award
- Stormbril with Togae, He Who Sings Death
- RiverFang with Brachyur Culture
- TJ Trewin with Korbasan
- Darkseid with Mykaran Soul Cages
- Chris L with Journeys of a Momma Bunny
Rise of Nations Award
- Emily Armstrong with Cotton Candy Dwarves
- Chris L with Talino
- TJ Trewin with River Cáruc
- Darkseid with Anastasia Romanov
- Stormbril with Altruistic Concilium of Sacred Architecture
Wondrous Nature Award
- TC with Anhruul Sea
- Stormbril with River Artazia
- Icarus Crow with Prati Godsent
- Fall with Issvatn River
Strength and Honor
- Qurilion with Plague of Dreams
- Mihkel Rand with Battle of Netter
- Chris L with Tridenser Host
- Naelin with Irates
- Stormbril with Ash Barklow
Pillars of Progress
- Jester% with Laws of Magic
- Kefkejaco with Blaze Cart
- Lee Stepp with Physical Manifestations
- Ninodonlord with The Hammers of Jadira
- BCGR_Wurth with Manifold Reckoner
Myths and Legends
- Emily Armstrong with The Extinction event
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with The City with a Million Limbs
- Chrispy_0 with Hatred of the Colorless Girl
- Naelin with Regicielo, the Chemistry
- mirescosmo with Spectra's Birdbath
Time and Space
- TJ Trewin with History of Anvil
- Callyxtus with History of the Davidovian peoples
- Chrispy_0 with chronicle of the Silver Age
- Kefkejaco with Niorath Global History
- mirescosmo with History of the Globe
History Award
- TJ Trewin with Rise of the Nurbotu Scarfolk
- Nathalia Books with History of the Mirror world
- EleKTriiK with Civilization timeline
- Naelin with History of the Societarians in the Archipelago
- David Worton with History of the Fey
Cartography Award
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Ink-Stained Map of Malkora
- Amanda McRoberts with Milleadh
- TJ Trewin with Anvil
- Tillerz with Temple City
- Stormbril with World Map of Cathedris
Best Worldbuilding Article
- Gabrielle Decker with Archivist's Introduction
- Qurilion with Patala, the Descent
- Lyraine Alei with Adrakians
- Kwyn Marie with Merdia
- Ninodonlord with Ksrizka
Most groundbreaking new world
- Catoblepon with Shattered
- Emily Armstrong with Beckettville
- Revyera with When Darkness Craves
- DM_Dango with Arbor
- with Artemisia Emergent
Most Beautiful New World
- Annie Stein with Solaris
- Grace Gittel Lewis with The Many Dreams of Ca'eam
- Revyera with When Darkness Craves
- Amélie I. S. Debruyne with Dark Lord Seduction Plan
- K.S. Bishoff with Hypnosium
Most beautiful world
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with Shadowfire
- Polina "Line" Arteev with Malkora
- Morgan Biscup with Vazdimet
- TC with Arda Almayad
- Zimo with Numidius
Best World
- Stormbril with Cathedris
- Naelin with Symbols of Power
- Chris L with World of Wizard's Peak
- Jaime Buckley with Wanted Hero
- Qurilion with Araea
Best New World
- Emily Armstrong with Culinarypunk
- JRR Jara with Krap Inc.
- K.S. Bishoff with Hypnosium
- Amélie I. S. Debruyne with Dark Lord Seduction Plan
- Annie Stein with Solaris
Best of World Anvil 2021
Best Article
- Stormbril with The Comprilith
- Ellysium with The Night's Sun Festival
- M.J. Tremblay with Wormhole Rush
- Matthieu A. with Flood Divers
- Jon with Knights
Most Creative World
- Stormbril with Cathedris
- arty with The Hummelverse
- BCGR_Wurth with Manifold Sky
- Ademal with Ethnis
- Chris L with World of Wizard's Peak
Best World Introduction
- Ademal with Introduction to Ethnis
- TJ Trewin with Introduction to Melior
- with Comprehensive Guide to CotC
- arty with Introduction to the Hummelverse
- Grace Gittel Lewis with Introduction to Qet
Most Well-Organized World
- ninne124 with Dark-Fall
- with CD10
- Wendy Vlemings (Rynn19) with Ealdwyll
- Morgan Biscup with Fillimet
- Tim de Roos with Sea of Starlight
Most Beautiful World Homepage
- ninne124 with Dark-Fall
- Stormbril with Cathedris
- TJ Trewin with Melior
- Zimo with Numidius
- Pimenefusarund with Mithra
Best World Homepage
- Stormbril with Cathedris
- TJ Trewin with Melior
- Endrise with The Fabulae Anthology
- Zimo with Numidius
- Pimenefusarund with Mithra
Best Timeline
- TJ Trewin with Dynasties of the Empire
- Olarae & Astaroth Arcaine with The First Age
- Grace Gittel Lewis with History of Noktyoul
- RiverFang with The History of Isekai
- Neil wioth History of the Known World
Most Informative Map
- TJ Trewin with Melior
- Zimo
- Chris L with Sovranty of Lozar
- Steve 'twg' with Ellara, "The Mainland"
- Tillerz with Airship Queen Eleanor
Most Beautiful Map
- Stormbril with Blueprints for the Coastal City-State of Russin
- Steve 'twg' with Theria World Map
- Mihkel Rand with Pekkola
- wing1gg with Faelon
- Christopher Hopper with Settled Space
Best Character
- Qurilion with Amelia Korp
- Kefkejaco with Saiki 'Boltwing'
- Christopher Dravus with Potato Bjornson
- Matthieu A. with Kestar Skrill Geree Morknar
- Naelin with Ararak
Best Ethnicity/Culture
- C. B. Ash with Seskyalii
- Dani with The Steel Lungs
- M.J. Tremblay with Eisenhowerians
- Stormbril with The Resourceful People of Soom Shida
- Jan Kaltenecker with Undead
Best Geographic Location
- Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull with The Teeth
- RiverFang with Voreios
- Ademal with Jhoutai
- Pimenefusarund with A Travel Guide to the Cairnice Isles
- Grace Gittel Lewis with Roog'alhiik: The Hole in the World
Best Item
- Tim de Roos with Regalia of the Pearl Guard
- Naelin with Admiration Medley
- Ademal with Grimoire
- Matthieu A. with Wish Holders
- Jaime Buckley with Magoweave
Best Landmark/Building
- Stormbril with The Comprilith
- TC with Nadjima Caves
- Amélie I. S. Debruyne with Medical Buildings in France
- Qurilion with Heartbreak Hotel
- Matthieu A. with Spire of Science
Best Material
- Tim de Roos with Amniteum
- Zimo with Verilium
- ninne124 with Myristicin
- with Cyberweave
- Stormbril with Ichor
Best Myth
- TC with Epic of the Lovers
- Naelin with The Silent Ones
- Qurilion with The Metaspiracy
- with Leviathans of the Tet Herumopet Cluster
- Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull with The Spider Queen
Best Settlement
- Zimo with Caeris
- Neil with Scald
- Ademal with Planet Sigv
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with Camp Thrifty
- Raveneye with Menione, Atbrook
Best Species
- Stormbril with Sonosap Willow
- Cat with Kayu
- Naelin with Lyraik
- Jon with Knights
- Tim de Roos with Brunnian Gardener's Goose
Best Technology
- RiverFang with Physi
- with Cybernetics
- Grace Gittel Lewis with Coil Drives
- Amy Winters-Voss with Bacterial Blood Leeching
- M.J. Tremblay with Wormholes
Best Tradition
- Diane Morrison with Shellback Tattoo
- BCGR_Wurth with Vyozha
- Tim Day (Ononomad) with Moontide Trials
- Naelin with Sung Duels
- Dr Emily Vair-Turnbull with The Giving
Best Vehicle
- Tillerz with Airship Queen Eleanor
- SierraKomodo with S/A-7 Talon Star Attacker
- Rumengol with Anhvall
- Kefkejaco with The Thunderstrike
- Chris L with Changeling Skyship Blackjack
Best of World Anvil 2020
Best World Homepage
- Qurilion with Araea
- TJ Trewin with Melior
- Damion with Ravare
- Stormbril with Cathedris
- ninne124 with Dark Fall
Best Fantasy Article
- Stormbril with Qur
- Matthieu A. with Dlintiarnas
- ninne124 with Fae Mark
- Damion with Bastion
Best Science Fiction Article
- Ademal with Parisan
- Mihkel Rand with Hesi Blues
- with Cybernetics
- Qurilion with Corper
- R. Dylon Elder with Where is Michael
Best Map
- Mihkel Rand with Pekkola
- ninne124 with Alahon
- TJ Trewin with Melior Polar Centric
Best Timeline
- Damion with The Timeline of Everything
- TJ Trewin with History of the Jolundrian Empire
- Lorenzo Battilani with History of the colonization
Best Character
- Matthieu A. with Fenris Glen Aigleran
- Han with Lukas Falkenrath
- Stormbril with Dimiti
Best Location
- Qurilion with The Sahara Natural Reserve
- Ademal with Surface of Jhoutai
- Damion with Haven
Best Organization
- ninne124 with High Fae Court
- Mihkel Rand with The Empire of Le Zhea
- Matthieu A. with The Spire of Science
Best Family Tree
- Tris (necromancertris) with Familica
- Jacob Billings with Andyra Quelemic
- Morgan Biscup with Skyroot Family
