An epic fantasy writer from RR and Scribble looking for serious discussion

[AdiofBali]

Hello everyone. I arrived here from the web novel communities because I frequently find myself struggling to find in-depth discussions about epic fantasy worldbuilding. While I enjoy those platforms, the focus often stays on tropes or progression mechanics. I prefer to be completely serious about the historical and technical logic of a secondary world.

My current project follows an 80 year old god who maintains the appearance of a 19 year old. He managed to rescue Rome from its historical decline and transform it into the largest empire in his world. I am particularly interested in discussing how he accomplished this through administrative reform and infrastructure rather than just physical power. I was wondering if this is the correct community for that level of detail. I hope to learn from all of you and find people who share an obsession with the microscopic logic of an epic setting.

 

[Genly]

Welcome!

And yes, there are people in this group who might be willing to discuss these issues at that level of detail.

 

[skip.knox]

Welcome. You should consider posting over in the Worldbuilding forum and there put specific questions. You could say what you have so far and where you have particular questions or ideas.

 

[AdiofBali]

Thanks, guys. I'll go talk to them!

 

[ThinkerX]

Welcome!

I suggest the Worldbuilding forum.

Most of my books are set in a tottering quasi-Roman Empire-type nation on another planet.

Have you published any books?

 

[AdiofBali]

Welcome!

I suggest the Worldbuilding forum.

Most of my books are set in a tottering quasi-Roman Empire-type nation on another planet.

Have you published any books?

Yo! I'm doing the same thing, bruh! But mine is strictly epic fantasy in nature, so it's whacko as hell in its worldbuidling.
And yeah, I upload my first volume chapter by chapter on Royal Road and Scribble Hub.
I'm still thinking about what to post tho? Like, with so many options to talk about, I'm kinda paralyzed for choice.

 

[ThinkerX]

I used the old 2E AD&D 'Historical Earth' books as a base. Rome. Ancient Greece. Celts. Dark Ages. Vikings. Others. Mashed together to make a sort of warped (very) late-era Roman Empire.

After a lot of back and forth, 'Magic' mostly became 'enhanced PSI,' genetically imbued into select humans and others by now vanished aliens. (Who also imported humans and others as test subjects and servitors.)

Goblins/hobgoblins are other races imported by the aliens. There are elves and dw arves, but they are 'physically related' to humans (Alin experiments gone weird). Cat-like Raschasa are another race.

Lovecraftian abominations lurk in odd corners. The tales are set in the wake of the 'Demon War' against these entities and their mortal puppets.

A dozen books, plus the omnibus of the main series.

 

[AdiofBali]

I used the old 2E AD&D 'Historical Earth' books as a base. Rome. Ancient Greece. Celts. Dark Ages. Vikings. Others. Mashed together to make a sort of warped (very) late-era Roman Empire.

After a lot of back and forth, 'Magic' mostly became 'enhanced PSI,' genetically imbued into select humans and others by now vanished aliens. (Who also imported humans and others as test subjects and servitors.)

Goblins/hobgoblins are other races imported by the aliens. There are elves and dw arves, but they are 'physically related' to humans (Alin experiments gone weird). Cat-like Raschasa are another race.

Lovecraftian abominations lurk in odd corners. The tales are set in the wake of the 'Demon War' against these entities and their mortal puppets.

A dozen books, plus the omnibus of the main series.

Wow, a dozen books? That's a lot!

It sounds like we are playing in a very similar sandbox, but coming at it from two completely different, fascinating angles. I love the twist of transforming "magic" into genetically imbued alien PSI mechanics, it gives your quasi-Roman empire a really distinct, hard sci-fi backbone. Blending that with Lovecraftian cosmic horror in the wake of a "Demon War" sounds absolutely wild in the best way possible.

My setting, Chronicles of the Savior, leans heavily into a gritty, alternate dark-age fantasy kingdom-building logic rather than sci-fi. Instead of alien genetic engineering, my MC is an actual immortal deity who signed himself into dealing with the absolute nightmare of 6th-century macroeconomics, agricultural collapses, and barbarian mercenary mutinies. I wanted to see what would happen if you took a classical autocrat and forced him to actually solve the systemic, grinding logistical bottlenecks that historically caused the Western Roman Empire to collapse.

 

[pmmg]

Howdy Adiof. Welcome here. Yeah, RR has its own culture and its not the best for many things. Its for publishing and appreciating serials and not for craft or many other topics.

Hope we can help. But… i hate typing on my phone so…

 

[AdiofBali]

Howdy Adiof. Welcome here. Yeah, RR has its own culture and its not the best for many things. Its for publishing and appreciating serials and not for craft or many other topics.

Hope we can help. But… i hate typing on my phone so…

I'll try to think of something to post!

 

[pmmg]

Well...forums do thrive on questions.

If you want to look around at things we have to offer, you could start here:

Goldie's list of cool threads.

and

While I am not really an enthusiast of world builidng,

Golides Guide to World Building

 

[AdiofBali]

Well...forums do thrive on questions.

If you want to look around at things we have to offer, you could start here:

Goldie's list of cool threads.

and

While I am not really an enthusiast of world builidng,

Golides Guide to World Building

I'll look through them, thanks!

 

[pmmg]

While I enjoy those platforms, the focus often stays on tropes or progression mechanics

Tropes are not worth spending any energy on, progression is just a preference. On RR, its kind of their thing, but thats not true in many other places.

There are some here who do like to get down into the weeds of such things (Rome's rise through administrative reforms). I am no expert, I just run things through the machine of what seems likely and true to me.)

 

[AdiofBali]

Tropes are not worth spending any energy on, progression is just a preference. On RR, its kind of their thing, but thats not true in many other places.

There are some here who to like to get down into the weeds of such things (Rome's rise through administrative reforms. I am no expert, I just run things through the machine of what seems likely and true to me.)

Jesus dude. Your worldbuilding guide is A GOLD MINE!
I'ma binge it during my free time.

 

[pmmg]

Heh...thought it was the bees knees when I wrote it, but...I've seen some since that made me question its direction, which is more to say...I just have bullet points pointing to how to make a map, I've seen others that went much deeper into things beyond that. But, I like things that get to it and say it quick. The world is not alive until you put people and stories into it. I cannot account for that. I can just tell you your rivers are wrong.

I am more proud of Goldie's Guide to Ships <--I've been wanting something and to the point on that for a long time.

 

[AdiofBali]

Heh...thought it was the bees knees when I wrote it, but...I've seen some since that made me question its direction, which is more to say...I just have bullet points pointing to how to make a map, I've seen others that went much deeper into things beyond that. But, I like things that get to it and say it quick. The world is not alive until you put people and stories into it. I cannot account for that. I can just tell you your rivers are wrong.

It's still better than trying to make a world with no direction. You did quite well with the river stuff, I think. Idk much but it looks like it make sense.

 

[ThinkerX]

Wow, a dozen books? That's a lot!

It sounds like we are playing in a very similar sandbox, but coming at it from two completely different, fascinating angles. I love the twist of transforming "magic" into genetically imbued alien PSI mechanics, it gives your quasi-Roman empire a really distinct, hard sci-fi backbone. Blending that with Lovecraftian cosmic horror in the wake of a "Demon War" sounds absolutely wild in the best way possible.

My setting, Chronicles of the Savior, leans heavily into a gritty, alternate dark-age fantasy kingdom-building logic rather than sci-fi. Instead of alien genetic engineering, my MC is an actual immortal deity who signed himself into dealing with the absolute nightmare of 6th-century macroeconomics, agricultural collapses, and barbarian mercenary mutinies. I wanted to see what would happen if you took a classical autocrat and forced him to actually solve the systemic, grinding logistical bottlenecks that historically caused the Western Roman Empire to collapse.

The quasi-Roman Empire is monotheistic. However, there are a lot of Saints and Angels, some of whom wander in and out of the stories. Mostly, these are entirely spiritual beings who merge or occasionally possess voluntary hosts ('filled with the spirit'). The Church claims authority over all wizards, subjecting them to regular moral interviews. A large minority of the Church sees wizards as 'thieves of divine power,' insisting that they either join the church or be exterminated. Summoning supernatural entities or using harmful magic carries the death penalty.

There are also Lovecraftian entities and others who occasionally impersonate or establish themselves as pagan gods.

 

[AdiofBali]

The quasi-Roman Empire is monotheistic. However, there are a lot of Saints and Angels, some of whom wander in and out of the stories. Mostly, these are entirely spiritual beings who merge or occasionally possess voluntary hosts ('filled with the spirit'). The Church claims authority over all wizards, subjecting them to regular moral interviews. A large minority of the Church sees wizards as 'thieves of divine power,' insisting that they either join the church or be exterminated. Summoning supernatural entities or using harmful magic carries the death penalty.

There are also Lovecraftian entities and others who occasionally impersonate or establish themselves as pagan gods.

So, the Christians rule over the place there and they're dealing amogus Cthulhus? Sounds awesome!