A few questions for you

[Barstar]

Sorry for the ambiguous title (I hate those so much) but I really couldn't think of a better way to title what is essentially a list of questions.

Let me get right to it:

What is the origin and source of power and how is that reflected in a low/mid fantasy world/society?: To expand, I am curious as to what actually constitutes power in a world dominated by sword wielding warriors and low magic. Why do certain people rule while others follow? How do kingdoms dominate their people? What is the difference between a warlord and a king at war? How can a person identify with a kingdom? Will members of kingdoms make sacrifices of their own comfort and happiness for their king's and their people's? Why would they do that?

This is all I have time for right now, I'll be back in about an hour to edit in my actual list of questions

 

[Alex97]

Your questions are a bit ambiguous. If you could be more specific, it would be easier to answer.

What is the origin and source of power and how is that reflected in a low/mid fantasy world/society?

This could really vary depending on the author, story, culture etc...

I am curious as to what actually constitutes power in a world dominated by sword wielding warriors and low magic. Why do certain people rule while others follow? How do kingdoms dominate their people?

In a warlike society, leaders with a high level of martial or magical prowess are likely to gain respect and power. The weaker tend to have less of a say and therefore follow. A kingdom can assert dominance over a population in many ways. Intimidation, influence, a sense of duty instilled in citizens etc... Again it really depends on the kingdom.

What is the difference between a warlord and a king at war?

A warlord is someone who gains and maintains power through their armed forces. They are not necessarily acting on behalf of a country, however a lot of variations exist. A king is not just a military persona, he will have power and influence through other means as well. A king's responsibilities extend past just fighting.

How can a person identify with a kingdom? Will members of kingdoms make sacrifices of their own comfort and happiness for their king's and their people's? Why would they do that?

If an individual feels duty bound to his king and country they may give their life. Someone who has been treated well by the monarchy is far more likely to die willingly for them. Others may feel as if they are forced to give their lives and have no other options.

 

[Barstar]

Your questions are a bit ambiguous. If you could be more specific, it would be easier to answer.

Your answers are all very technically correct, which is just fine, but I think you failed understand the question as I intended it, the true purpose of the question was to determine the exact nature of political power, not the trends that we see repeated with respect to the application of political power.

Perhaps if I asked you why the bastard son a king is special and the beautiful, intelligent and highly skilled son of a farmer is less so in both the eyes of the people and in most stories centered around the restoration of rightful rulers you would have an answer closer to what I intended.

For some inexplicable reason the admins have decided to block edits after a certain amount of time, so I will post the rest of my questions here

Are "super people" ok in a low/mid fantasy world?: We often see people or beings with exceptional abilities in fantasy stories, from Jedi to Wizards, but is this is a cheap crutch or is it an acceptable idea to explore in a low fantasy setting, does it cheapen the experience of the main character or give him or her more options?

How do you represent "races" in your worlds and what do you think are good/bad devices to use with respect to racial distinctions?: What distinguishes distinct races? What is ok to use as a distinction and what is too open/unrealistic to maintain suspension of disbelief? Are there common uses or traits of fantasy races that diminish the entertainment value of the character and world? Are there overused types of races and beings or traits associated with types that are a crutch for inexperienced or bad writers?

Should magic be readily attainable?: Should magic be useable only by beings born into it? Should magic flow through the world naturally or act as an alien force? Does magic do it's own thing or does it only affect things that it is directed to? Does magic have it's own identity or does it simply describe the action of exerting mysterious power over things? Do you think magic is a cheap ploy or an interesting system and mechanic to explore? Should magic be "low" and hard to distinguish from the natural world or should it be high and very clear? Should magic be tied to or distinct from religion?

 

[Filk]

I think you pose some very interesting worldbuilding questions here (even if they aren't all contiguous), but the answers are up to you as the creator; you are the god of the world you create. One can not tell you how to answer these broad questions and they are not applicable until you have some substance to ask them about. There are some good questions to make you think about the choices you have in these matters though.

I don't think that any of these varied aspects can be seen as cheap or crutches; every story is different and the author will have the choice.

If you would like some more worldbuilding questions to ponder, check out this webpage: Fantasy Worldbuilding Questions

 

[Jessquoi]

In the end it is YOUR story. It depends how you want to build your world. You can base it upon well known ideas or 'facts' about fantasy, or you can invent an entirely different reason for why a king gained political power. I can understand why people look to facts for some things, you don't want to write about an archer but then get his technique of archery completely wrong which makes the book unrealistic. But it's fantasy, write what you want to write, not what other fantasy writers think you should write. Distinguish your nations through a way that is particular to you because you invented it.

You don't actually have to do that either. It's all up to you. In the end, even a book that is full of known and borrowed ideas will be a great book if it is written well. That's the hard part that needs learning and practicing.

 

[ThinkerX]

What is the origin and source of power and how is that reflected in a low/mid fantasy world/society?: To expand, I am curious as to what actually constitutes power in a world dominated by sword wielding warriors and low magic. Why do certain people rule while others follow? How do kingdoms dominate their people? What is the difference between a warlord and a king at war? How can a person identify with a kingdom? Will members of kingdoms make sacrifices of their own comfort and happiness for their king's and their people's? Why would they do that?

On another site I frequent, questions very much like those are the topics of long debate.

Part of this depends on the character of your world, what the rulers are like, what the legal system is like, and so on.

In the real world...the whole feudal thing was very brutal all the way around. The histories of the 'Dark Ages' are absolutely horrific in places. The noblility were basically...thugs or bandit chieftans They kept the populace ignorant, and maintained extensive networks of informers to keep an eye on fellow nobles and rebellious commoners alike. Law was pretty much what they said it was. Now...there were many individual nobles who were...less thuggish, sometimes even decent, but the system as a whole ran on brutality.

 

[Queshire]

Someone else might have already said this, frankly I just skimmed this thread, but it was common in various societies for kings to claim divine descent or special powers.

Egypt, Japan, even the original Hero, Gilgamesh was one third god in addition to being a king.

Other than that, I don't really think there's much difference between what makes a leader in those days and today. If you have Charisma, if you can provide protection to people, etc and so on, then people will follow you.

 

[Addison]

Lots of questions, good questions, yet lots.
It sounds like you're describing the government and life style of medieval Europe. That in itself can answer most of your government based questions.

As for the difference between Warlord and King at War. A warlord is someone who is either: a military leader most likely of a war like nation, or a military commander who has seized power, especially in one section of a country. A King at War is I think just what it says. A king who's at war. I don't know, I just know the Warlord because that's my brother's nickname when we play Risk.

As for the magic vs sword in your world, it sounds like magic is an accepted part of society, however minor and I can only guess to be over looked. People could think that the sword is mightier than the wand. Whether they're right or wrong could be yet to be known. A good origin or power could be nature itself. They cast spells by cauldrons, potions, charms and wands. That's how it was done in medieval Europe mostly. Read Macbeth, focusing on the scenes with the witches, for a better picture.

 

[Anders Ämting]

For some inexplicable reason the admins have decided to block edits after a certain amount of time,

Spambots, basically. Apparently not much to do about it. You get used to it.

Should magic be readily attainable?: Should magic be useable only by beings born into it? Should magic flow through the world naturally or act as an alien force? Does magic do it's own thing or does it only affect things that it is directed to? Does magic have it's own identity or does it simply describe the action of exerting mysterious power over things? Do you think magic is a cheap ploy or an interesting system and mechanic to explore? Should magic be "low" and hard to distinguish from the natural world or should it be high and very clear? Should magic be tied to or distinct from religion?

What magic is depends a lot on how it factors into the plot, I think. I've said before that even though my magic systems have certain common traits, every single story I have ever dreamed up have used a different magic system than the previous one, simply because to me the nature of magic is so intimately tied to the narrative itself.

So to me, this is like asking: "What should my story be about?" You have to decide that for yourself.