world-build skill

---
name: arcanea-world-build
description: The Arcanean World Architecture System - create internally consistent universes using the Seven Pillars framework, from geography to magic systems to cultures, ensuring rich worlds that feel lived-in
version: 2.0.0
author: Arcanea
tags: [worldbuilding, fantasy, scifi, universe, setting, magic-systems]
triggers:
  - world
  - setting
  - magic system
  - worldbuilding
  - universe
  - culture
  - fantasy setting
  - scifi setting
---

# The Art of World Architecture

> *"A world is not a setting. A world is a character with its own history, desires, and secrets."*

---

## The World-Builder's First Truth

**The iceberg principle**: Show 10%, know 100%.

Your reader experiences the tip of the iceberg - a living, breathing world with history and depth. But that experience only works if you've built the 90% beneath the surface.

---

## The Seven Pillars of World-Building

```
╔════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║                  THE SEVEN PILLARS                          ║
╠════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║  1. GEOGRAPHY & ENVIRONMENT   │ The physical container      ║
║  2. HISTORY & TIME            │ Memory that shapes present  ║
║  3. CULTURES & PEOPLES        │ The human (or other) element║
║  4. MAGIC/TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS  │ The extraordinary element   ║
║  5. ECONOMY & RESOURCES       │ The material foundation     ║
║  6. POWER & POLITICS          │ The dynamics of control     ║
║  7. BELIEF & MEANING          │ The spiritual architecture  ║
╚════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝
```

---

## Pillar 1: Geography & Environment

### The Land Shapes Everything
```
Climate → Agriculture → Diet → Culture
Terrain → Travel → Isolation/Connection
Resources → Wealth → Power → Conflict
```

### Geography Checklist
```
□ Continental layout (if applicable)
□ Major biomes and climate zones
□ Water sources (oceans, rivers, lakes)
□ Mountain ranges and natural barriers
□ Resource distribution (metals, fuel, food)
□ Natural phenomena (storms, seasons, tides)
□ How terrain affects travel and communication
```

### The Consistency Test
```
Ask: Given this geography, what would logically follow?

If desert →
  Water is precious
  Buildings use thermal mass
  Night travel preferred
  Trade in caravans
  Water rights = power

If archipelago →
  Maritime culture
  Island identity vs. mainland
  Storms as major threat
  Fishing economy
  Naval power matters
```

---

## Pillar 2: History & Time

### History Creates Present
```
FOUNDING: How did this civilization/place begin?
GOLDEN AGE: When were they at their peak?
CATASTROPHE: What broke them?
REFORMATION: How did they rebuild/change?
CURRENT ERA: Where are they now in the cycle?
```

### The Three Types of History

```
DEEP HISTORY (1000+ years)
├── Creation myths
├── Lost civilizations
├── Ancient wars
└── Legendary figures

LIVING HISTORY (100-1000 years)
├── Recent kingdoms/empires
├── Major discoveries
├── Remembered heroes
└── Institutional founding

IMMEDIATE HISTORY (0-100 years)
├── Current generation's experience
├── Recent conflicts
├── Living memory
└── Active grudges
```

### History Integration Tips
```
1. Characters should have opinions on history
2. Ruins and artifacts provide physical evidence
3. Names come from historical figures
4. Holidays commemorate events
5. Old conflicts echo in current tensions
```

---

## Pillar 3: Cultures & Peoples

### Culture Creation Framework
```
IDENTITY: Who are we?
├── Ethnic/racial characteristics
├── Common names and naming conventions
├── Shared mythology and heroes
└── What they're known for

VALUES: What do we believe matters?
├── Honor, family, achievement, pleasure, duty?
├── Individual vs. collective orientation
├── Attitude toward outsiders
└── Sacred vs. profane distinctions

EXPRESSION: How do we show who we are?
├── Art and architecture
├── Clothing and adornment
├── Food and dining customs
├── Ritual and ceremony
└── Music and storytelling

STRUCTURE: How do we organize?
├── Family structure
├── Gender roles (if any)
├── Age-based hierarchies
├── Class and caste
└── Leadership models
```

### Cultural Tension Points
Every culture needs internal tensions that create story potential:
```
Tradition vs. Progress
Individual vs. Collective
Sacred vs. Secular
Purity vs. Pragmatism
Honor vs. Survival
```

### Avoiding Monocultures
```
WEAK: "The elves are all peaceful nature-lovers"
STRONG: "The forest elves prioritize preservation, but
        the city elves embrace adaptation, creating
        centuries of internal conflict."

Every culture should have:
- Regional variations
- Generational differences
- Class distinctions
- Subcultures and counter-cultures
```

---

## Pillar 4: Magic/Technology Systems

### Sanderson's Laws of Magic

**First Law**: The ability of magic to solve problems is directly proportional to how well the reader understands it.
```
HARD MAGIC: Clear rules, reader can predict
(Example: Allomancy in Mistborn)

SOFT MAGIC: Mysterious, wonder-inducing
(Example: Gandalf in Lord of the Rings)

HYBRID: Clear for main character, mysterious for others
```

**Second Law**: Limitations are more interesting than powers.
```
What can magic NOT do?
What does magic COST?
Who CANNOT use magic?
What happens when magic FAILS?
```

**Third Law**: Expand what you have before adding something new.
```
Before adding new magic, explore existing magic more deeply.
The system you have is more interesting than you think.
```

### Magic System Template
```markdown
## [Name of System]

### Source
Where does the power come from?
(Divine, natural, internal, external, technological?)

### Access
Who can use it and how do they learn?
(Innate, trained, granted, purchased?)

### Mechanics
How does it work?
(Fuel source, activation method, limitations, costs?)

### Scope
What can and cannot be done?
(Capabilities, hard limits, soft limits?)

### Cost
What is the price?
(Physical, mental, moral, social, material?)

### Consequences
What are the side effects?
(Personal, environmental, social?)

### Cultural Impact
How has this shaped society?
(Economy, warfare, religion, daily life?)
```

### Technology Systems
The same principles apply to advanced technology:
```
□ What enables this technology?
□ Who has access?
□ What are the limitations?
□ What are the costs?
□ What are the unintended consequences?
□ How has it changed society?
```

---

## Pillar 5: Economy & Resources

### The Economic Foundation
```
RESOURCES: What does the land provide?
├── Food sources
├── Raw materials
├── Energy sources
└── Rare/valuable substances

PRODUCTION: How do they make things?
├── Agricultural practices
├── Craftsmanship traditions
├── Industrial capabilities
└── Magical/technological production

TRADE: How does value flow?
├── Trade routes
├── Merchant classes
├── Currency systems
└── Trade partnerships/rivalries

WEALTH: Where does power concentrate?
├── Who controls production?
├── Who controls distribution?
├── What creates status?
└── What does poverty look like?
```

### Economic Story Generators
```
SCARCITY: What's rare creates conflict
MONOPOLY: Who controls the vital resource?
DISRUPTION: What happens when trade routes break?
INNOVATION: What happens when production changes?
INEQUALITY: Where is the tension between haves and have-nots?
```

---

## Pillar 6: Power & Politics

### Political Structure Types
```
MONARCHIES: Power through bloodline
ARISTOCRACIES: Power through noble class
OLIGARCHIES: Power through wealth/elite
THEOCRACIES: Power through religion
DEMOCRACIES: Power through participation
MERITOCRACIES: Power through achievement
MAGOCRACIES: Power through magic
TECHNOCRACIES: Power through knowledge
```

### The Power Web
```
Map the power relationships:

FORMAL POWER: Who officially rules?
REAL POWER: Who actually controls decisions?
ENFORCED BY: Military, police, magic?
LEGITIMIZED BY: Tradition, religion, consent?
CHALLENGED BY: Who opposes the current order?
```

### Political Dynamics for Story
```
Every political structure has:
- Those who benefit from the status quo
- Those who suffer under it
- Those who want to change it
- Those who profit from the conflict
```

---

## Pillar 7: Belief & Meaning

### The Spiritual Architecture
```
COSMOLOGY: What is the nature of existence?
├── Creation stories
├── Afterlife beliefs
├── Cosmological structure
└── Place of mortals in the universe

RELIGION: How do people practice belief?
├── Organized vs. personal
├── Priesthoods and hierarchies
├── Sacred texts and traditions
├── Worship practices
└── Sacred sites

PHILOSOPHY: How do people make meaning?
├── Dominant worldviews
├── Competing philosophies
├── Secular belief systems
└── Attitudes toward death

SUPERSTITION: What do common people believe?
├── Folk magic
├── Omens and signs
├── Taboos
└── Protective practices
```

### Religion in Worldbuilding
```
Questions to answer:
- Is the religion true? (Do gods exist?)
- Does magic come from religion?
- How does religion interact with power?
- What are the heterodoxies?
- What happens to non-believers?
```

---

## The World-Builder's Process

### Phase 1: Concept
```
1. What is the core hook of this world?
2. What makes it different from default fantasy/scifi?
3. What themes does the world explore?
4. What atmosphere/feeling should it evoke?
```

### Phase 2: Foundation
```
1. Sketch rough geography
2. Identify key historical eras
3. Define 2-3 major cultures
4. Design core magic/tech system
5. Establish power dynamics
```

### Phase 3: Deepening
```
1. Develop each pillar systematically
2. Find connections between pillars
3. Identify conflicts and tensions
4. Create specific details that make it real
5. Build the iceberg beneath the surface
```

### Phase 4: Integration
```
1. How do the pillars interact?
2. What happens when systems collide?
3. Where are the story opportunities?
4. What would characters care about?
5. What details will the reader experience?
```

---

## Common World-Building Traps

### The Encyclopedia Trap
```
PROBLEM: Building endlessly without writing stories
SOLUTION: Build only what you need for the current story,
          then deepen as needed
```

### The Monoculture Trap
```
PROBLEM: Entire species/nations have one personality
SOLUTION: Every group has internal diversity
```

### The Earth Clone Trap
```
PROBLEM: Fantasy Europe with elves, Fantasy Asia with dragons
SOLUTION: Mix inspirations, create truly new cultures
```

### The Rule of Cool Trap
```
PROBLEM: Adding elements because they're cool without integration
SOLUTION: Everything must have consequences and connections
```

### The Exposition Trap
```
PROBLEM: Stopping story to explain world
SOLUTION: Reveal through character experience and conflict
```

---

## Quick Reference Templates

### World One-Pager
```markdown
# [World Name]

## Core Concept
[One sentence that captures what makes this world unique]

## Atmosphere
[What does it feel like to be here?]

## Key Conflict
[The central tension that drives stories here]

## Three Pillars Summary
1. [Most important pillar and key detail]
2. [Second most important pillar and key detail]
3. [Third most important pillar and key detail]

## Story Hooks
- [Hook 1]
- [Hook 2]
- [Hook 3]
```

### Location Template
```markdown
## [Location Name]

**Type**: [City/Region/Building/etc.]
**Significance**: [Why does it matter?]

### Physical Description
[What does it look like, feel like, smell like?]

### History
[Key historical events connected to this place]

### Current Situation
[What's happening here now?]

### Key Figures
[Who's important here?]

### Secrets
[What isn't immediately apparent?]

### Story Potential
[What could happen here?]
```

---

*"Build worlds that feel lived-in. Let characters argue about history, complain about politics, take their magic for granted, and eat food that tastes of their homeland."*