World Building Formats

Formats
When I write up a country or state, these are the questions I ask myself. These questions are more aimed at me as a writer than for specific game use. For example, I have no need of specific population levels, because for fiction it is enough to know that an area is heavily inhabited, unihabited, or whatever the point-of-view general impressions will be. Nobody goes to a town and says “it feels like 12,000 people live here, with 24 inhabitants density per acre.” Instead, the general impression is more likely to be expressed in terms of busy, empty, crowded, sleepy, whatever.

Countries

Country Name

Title—Eagle of North, etc.

Root of Name—Etymology of name

Natives Called—What they call themselves

Adjective—Country used as adjective

Pejorative—What other people call them to belittle them

Root Kingdom—Country that preceded this one

Parent State—Overlord state

Client States—Additional properties, regions, or protectorates

Ally States

Rival States

Political Stability—Low, Medium, etc.

Analogue—Real world analog state (England, Mongolia, none-at-all, etc.)

Geographic Region—Continent, proximity to ocean or sea, neighbor states

Population Level—Low, Medium, etc.

Technology Level—Dark Ages, Medieval, Renaissance, etc.

Ethnic Mix

Appearance—Traditional versus actual appearance and impression they give

Fashion

Male

Female

Notes

Religion

Patron Saint

Religious Houses

Universities

Chivalric Orders

Languages—Dialect too, if known

Native Classes—Regional professions

Native Traits/Talents—Second Sight, Battle Sense, etc.

Native Specialty Skills

Native Produce/Industry—Resources, exports, etc.

Clan/Tribe Divisions

Sovereignty

State Name

Definition—Etymology

Rank—Kingdom, Duchy, Principality, etc.

Holder—Current seated leader

Office—Regional offices he holds (Sheriff, Marshall, etc.)

City, Town, Village—Habitations within states

Fiefs—Smaller divisions not shown on map

Military

Country

Motiffe—Double Eagle, etc.

Martial Arts Traditions

Cultural Weapons—Weapon associated with state

Other Common Weapons

Martial Arts

National Feats—Military skills and maneuvers

Kit—May have different listings for elite vs. Common troops

Armor

Shield

Helmet

Military Reputation

Military Hierarchy—Captain, lieutenant, etc.

Discipline—Morale, usually low, medium, or high

Troop Levels

Infantry—Light or heavy, plus weapons

Mounted Infantry—Ride to battle fight on foot

Cavalry—Light or Heavy, plus weapons

Skirmishers

Archers—All types of ballistic troops, light or heavy

Mounted Archers

Navy

Type of Ships

Number of Ships

Crew per Ship

Marines per Ship

Armaments—Arbalests, Greek Fire, etc.

Home Port

Siege Capabilities

Pioneers—Artillerists

Siege Engineers—Sap castles, mine castles

Scouts

Mercenaries—Companies hired as additional protection

Favored Tactics—Schiltron, Massed Cavalry Charge, etc.

Special Troops

Military Orders—Native orders of knights

Commanders

Books they study

Horses

Size—In hands

Color—Dun, Roan, etc.

Conformation—Physical characteristics

Temperament

Traits

Flavor, Fable, & Folklore

Recurring Theme, Lore, or Symbolism

Local Creatures

Heroes & Monsters of Myth and Folklore

Historical Sites

Magic on the Landscape—Magic mazes, Faerie circles, etc.

Odd Competitions or Traditions—Gurning, etc.

City or Town

City Name—Include etymology if known

Titles & Nicknames

Founded—Year or historical period

Water Class—Port? Rivers? Canals?

Land Class—Agriculture?

Political Location

Physical Location—Plain, Highland, Mountain, etc.

Physical Layout/Characteristics

Streets & Roads—Named highways that connect city/town

Connections—Other cities and towns

River Connections—Other cities and towns

Canal Connections—Other cities and towns

Citizen Character—Reclusive, welcoming, etc.

Crafts/Industry—Noteworthy local produce and exports

University—Does the city/town have a university

Forest Law—Does city/town fall under royal Forest Law regime

Crest—Town heraldry

Notes—Lore and unique qualities

City Wards/Neighborhoods

- Ward Name

Ward Nickname

Location—Ward placement in city or town, neighboring wards

Reputation

Infrastructure—Gates, walls, ditch, moat, underground river, etc.

Residents—Social class, wealth, specific guilds, etc.

Industry

Churches—Abbies, Shrines, Basilicas, Friaries, Commanderies, etc.

Notable Inns

Notable Streets

Bathhouses—Named stews

Whorehouses

Notable Places—Theaters, graveyards, and so forth

Lore

Dynastic Family

- Called/Nicknames

Offices—Sherrif, or Game Warden, or Marshall, etc.

Rank—baronial, ducal, royal principality, royal monarchy, etc.

Primary Holding—Main or richest power base

Secondary Holdings—Other properties the family may own

Patron—Dynastic house or ruler the family pays allegiance

Heraldry

Color—Purple, royal red, etc.

Motto

Mythic Progeniture—Faerie, Sea Serpent, Dragon, etc.

Reputation

Patronage—Learning, crusade, etc.

Regalia—Crowns, sceptors, etc.

Parent House

Cadet Houses Landed

Cadet Houses Unlanded

Generations—Heads of house and regnal dates in order

Lore—Powers, unusual characteristic, etc.

Clerical Orders

Order’s Name

Called—Red belts, black friars, etc.

Type—Priest, Canon, Friar, Monk, Militant Monk, Lay Order, etc.

Charism—This order’s mission

Parent Order

Government—Ruling hierarchy in order

Gender—Does the order have a female branch, or is it men only?

Habit—Varies by order

Tonsure—Varies by order and gender

Accommodations—Cathedral, monastery, friary, parish, etc.

Popularity—How widespread is the order

Rule—What rule or regulation defines the order

Vows—These vary by order

Discipline—Some orders are super strict, some lazy, some hard working, some lecherous, etc.

Regular Tertiaries—Is there a lower order or organization for lay involvement

Lay Tertiaries—Is there an organization for lay members of community

Saint

Nickname

Holy Day

Gender

Guild Patronage—What guild does the saint represent

Charism—Travel, war, etc.

Period Lived

Country—What country claims the saint as patron

Dynastic Weapon

Weapon Name—Equity, Bitter Song, etc.

Origin/Maker/Time Period

Famous Owners

Noteworthy Feats

Ceremonial Functions—Used for knighting, or choosing king, whatever

Form/Geometry—Longsword, spatha, lance, etc.

Materials—Iron, steel, burlami steel, etc.

Condition—Should reflect the item’s age

Reputed Powers

Spirit Attachment? If so, who haunts it?

Curse/Reputation—Varies

Dynasts

Regnal Name, Regnal Number, Dynastic House—Henry II of House Plantagenet, for ex.

Nickname—The Just, the Unready, etc.

Morganatic Name—Used in “left handed” morganatic marriages

Birthdate, and where born

Regnal dates

Death Date, and where died, and cause if known.

Where Buried

Dates for Deposition, Interregnums, Retirement, etc.

Spouse and Title

Spouse Birthdate, and where born

Spouse Marriage Date

Spouse Death Date, and where Buried

Legitimate Children, their Title, Birthdate, Marriage Date, Death Date, Spouse

Personal Badge

Miscellaneous

Concubines? Children?

Morganatic Spouses?

Official Mistress?

Unofficial Mistress?

Favorite—Like Robert DeVere, the Despensers, etc.

Note

Regnal name is adopted when crowned.

Morganatic Name—Civilian name used for non-state purposes

Morganitic Families—Unequal marriage where one spouse is civilian, and the children are not in line to inherit but still are considered legitimate

Mistress—Varies culture by culture, but the children are illegitimate. May be a formal arrangement, or unnofficial.

Illegitimate Children can be unrecognized, and have no rights, or be recognized and raised with some rights and recognition. A FitzRoy would be the illigitimate son of a king, and could even hold important offices, but he would not be in a position to inherit.

Dynast’s Household

A sampling of positions in a household, although the list would be changed often by period and country. I focus on naming the functionaries that actually interract with the ruler in a meaninful way. If a consort or heir is powerful enough and old enough, they may well have a household of their own as well.

Alchemist

Astrologer

Captain of the Yeoman o.t.g.

Chamberlain

Champion

Confessor

Steward

Falconer

King of Arms/Herald

Fool

Marshall

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