Building Roshar: How Sanderson Bungled Culture
The world of The Way of Kings has intriguing storms and bizarre gender roles.
Worldbuilding: Page 3
Episode 361: Ghosts!
Let's play Ghost or No Ghost.
Five Unnecessary World Additions in Popular Stories
It would have been so easy to take these out, and yet here we are.
Building the Raksura: How Martha Wells Fell Into Toxic Tropes
Good intent won't erase the harm of baking bigotry into your worldbuilding.
Episode 357: Sources of Magic
Where does the magic of a podcast come from?
Building Three Parts Dead: How Gladstone Writes Magic Law
Anyone familiar with D&D’s Eberron setting will immediately recognize Alt Coulumb.
Q&A: How Can I Portray Nature Spirits in an Industrialized Setting?
Submitted by Carbon1,
answered
Q&A: How Should I Handle Languages in My Scifi Setting?
Submitted by Adam,
answered
Episode 353: Fantasy Words
Readers have a surprisingly small amount of attention span to learn new words.
Episode 351: Magic Items in a Magic System
What if you put a spell... in an item?
Building a Sea of Stars: How Paolini Undercooked His Setting
What happens when you throw together tropes from popular worlds.
How to Create a Mysterious Atmosphere
Unless you use restraint with fantastical elements, you'll lose the aura of mystery.
Q&A: How Do I Make My Story’s Elemental Powers Feel Natural?
Submitted by Atlas,
answered
Five Stories That Break Their World’s Theme
Worlds that feel slapdash make suspension of disbelief harder to achieve.
Q&A: Do I Need Religion in My Fantasy World?
Submitted by Adam,
answered
How to Create an Elemental Magic System
While it's easy to make these systems rational, a flawed set of elements will ruin the effect.
Episode 345: Witches
Let the season of witchery begin!
Building Mass Effect: How Bioware Imagines the Future
Whatever the Reapers are working toward, it must be big!
Episode 343: Giants
What’s 20-feet tall, lives in the clouds, and can smell your nationality?
Episode 342: Divine Magic
If you’re out of spellbooks and fancy crystals, try praying to some powerful wizards.
Bri