r/worldbuilding's Official Prompts #1!

[u/Pyrsin7]

I used to do these a while ago. and unfortunately life got me pretty busy and I wasn't able to keep it up. But they were a lot of fun, and I've really been wanting to come back to them!

With these we hope to get you to consider elements and avenues of thought that you've never pursued before. We also hope to highlight some users, as we'll be selecting two responses-- One of our choice, and the comment that receives the most upvotes, to showcase next time!

This post will be put into "contest mode", meaning comment order will be randomized for all visitors, and scores will only be visible to mods.

If you've got any other questions or comments, feel free to ask in the comments!

But with that, on to the prompt! This one is a suggestion left over from last time, submitted by u/Homicidal_Harry:

• What is the nature of Gods in your setting?

• Are they creators of the universe that predate time itself, or just very powerful beings perceived as gods?

• Are your deities a pantheon of immortals in the image of man like Greek gods, or vast, indescribable, otherworldly entities too great for mortal minds to comprehend?

• How often do they interact with the mortal world? If they do, what stakes do they have in the events of your setting?

• Can your gods die? If so, explain how the consequences that would follow.

• Do your gods even exist in your setting? Even if they don't, how would the people of your setting answer these questions?

If you have any suggestions for prompts of your own, feel free to submit them here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf9ulojVGbsHswXEiQbt9zwMLdWY4tg6FpK0r4qMXePFpfTdA/viewform?usp=sf_link

[u/NOTAGRUB]

What is the nature of Gods in your setting?

Each god exists as an energy of sorts currents, waves or storms usually, but they manifest into mortal bodies occasionally, traveling the sea for a time. The three main factions hate each other with a passion unrivaled by any other war in history. The gods of the sky are pompous and cruel, they tend to offer no help, but fling insults at the other two factions. The gods of the land were almost entirely killed, existing in hiding for fear of being finished off, only the Father of the Mountains, the Lady of the Sands and the Dweller of Deepest Stone still live. The gods of the sea were the killers, violent and secretive, they have since drowned the world in an endless sea, forcing life to adapt around their plots.

Are they creators of the universe that predate time itself, or just very powerful beings perceived as gods?

Oh they built the world, and they've since torn it apart with constant wars, general bickering and a list of grudges long enough to wrap around the world twice. But they do not predate time itself, there were the Highest Beings before them, who left them in charge, suffice to say it was a bad idea.

Are your deities a pantheon of immortals in the image of man like Greek gods, or vast, indescribable, otherworldly entities too great for mortal minds to comprehend?

While they tend to exist as small manifestations of their domain, they are generally human-like when they do choose to manifest as immortals, but since that leaves them vulnerable, they prefer disposable mortal bodies

How often do they interact with the mortal world? If they do, what stakes do they have in the events of your setting?

Frequently, most of them rarely leave the mortal world alone, since they have no where else to go, beings like the Devourer of Ships, the Knight of Tempest's Eye or the Berserker of Thunder's mere existence can be a blessing or curse on those around them

Can your gods die? If so, explain how the consequences that would follow.

While only another god can kill them, the gods can very much die, and once they do, there's no one there to protect their domain and it tends to be destroyed, when the gods of the land fell, the gods of the sea were able to take over the world, only unable to stop a few, gods can be reborn from this, but it takes every other god within the pantheon who still lives to bring them back into existence

Do your gods even exist in your setting? Even if they don't, how would the people of your setting answer these questions?

If I were to impersonate some random civilian from my world when asked, "Oh the gods exist alright, and they don't let the rest of us forget it, if you didn't dive you had to float and if you couldn't float you died, there wasn't any other choice, no one's seen an elf for a good century or so, the gnomes divided, a new mountain springs up every couple of months but ends up riddled with dragons before anyone else can reach it, the last three fishing vessels we sent out got destroyed as well, mark my words, the gods are out there, and they'll make it your problem"