I've never liked
the idea of calling something a “generic” fantasy setting for two
reasons. One, the term generic has a bit of a negative connotation
that, in my opinion, isn't really warranted. I like generic stuff.
Sometimes vanilla is the best flavor. But the second, and most
pressing reason, is because “Generic” doesn't actually mean
anything.
When people are calling something generic, they're usually saying whatever thing or system or setting they are most familiar and comfortable with that has become the basis for their fantasy universe. The term “generic fantasy setting” is a bit of a misnomer because people have very different definitions of what generic actually is.
When people are calling something generic, they're usually saying whatever thing or system or setting they are most familiar and comfortable with that has become the basis for their fantasy universe. The term “generic fantasy setting” is a bit of a misnomer because people have very different definitions of what generic actually is.
Art @Andreas Rocha |
Off the top of
my head, I'm going to list the most “generic” fantasy settings I
can think of, or the “generic” settings that people use as the
baseline for fantasy worlds.
20 Core Elements that make up a GFS
- Lord of the Rings or Tolkien's expanded work / Middle Earth
- The Elder Scrolls / Tamriel
- World of Warcraft / Azeroth
- The Witcher Universe / The Witcher Universe
- Dungeons & Dragons / Forgotten Realms + Others
- Dungeon Meshi Manga / Dungeon Meshi Universe
Now these are just
the ones I've seen or played. I've heard Dragon Age and Dragon's
Dogma are supposed to also be fairly generic as well, but I haven't
played or seen enough of those to make a judgement if they should be
added to the list. Warhammer is also fairly generic at the surface
(human empire, elves, dwarves, orcs, order vs chaos, etc.) but has a lot
of specific unique elements and factions which don't fit that well for
our purposes.
As you can
probably tell; the above list is not supposed to be some kind of list
of carbon copy fantasy worlds. ALL of these worlds are very different
from each other. Even if they have similarities on the surface,
they're each different and unique. This is exactly what I've been
trying to say; Elves from Warcraft and Elves from Tolkien have almost
nothing in common, but they are both “generic” because they both
have vaguely similar aesthetic presentations and hold similar tropes. They both feel like elves despite almost everything about them being different.
However, it is
clear that there is some undercurrent of “generic” connection
between these and more fantasy worlds. I think the term “Generic
Fantasy Setting”has value. I think it's both a useful term and a
fun archetype of “world” to create or run in. So let's quantify
it with a table.
You could also use this table below as a quick-and-dirty fantasy setting creation tool. Take everything below as "true" for the setting. Then just roll d20 to pick a category, then a smaller die with a number of faces equal to the bold and italic text in the category. Whatever you roll; change, remove, or shift up that element. Roll any number of times to spice up your new "generic" fantasy setting.
Art @Sweetmoon |
20 Core Elements that make up a GFS
[1]
The world is based on the cosmic struggle or balance between Good
and Evil OR
Law and Chaos OR is physically constructed by
the Four Elements.
[2]
The main biome or landmass of the setting, or the place with the main
campaign or most detail, is a Western European Temperate
Biome. The setting has a
technological level and history that is roughly analogous to the High
Medieval / Early Renaissance.
[3]
The setting tends to be ruled by a Pantheon
of Gods. The Gods are thought to exist but only rarely
intervene in mortal
affairs.
[4]
There are several different intelligent fantasy races. These races
are;
- Humans who mostly live on the plains, and tend to be the most populous race.
- Elves who mostly live in the forests.
- Dwarves who mostly live in the mountains and/or hills.
- Orcs who mostly live in the wastelands. They tend to be antagonistic to the other races.
- Any other races are much more rare and are often from exotic locales.
[5]
The primary power structure of the setting is a feudal
monarchy which is ruled by
a King OR Emperor. This system is one where land, wealth, and social status if
passed from parent to child. The most powerful individuals in society are Nobles. The primary inheriting sex is Male.
[6]
The land is protected by trained soldiers
who protect it from monsters, invasions, and other threats. The most
elite of these trained soldiers are Knights
or heavily armed cavalry. These Knights are expected to Follow
a Moral Code and there is a level of Prestige associated
with them.
[7]
The majority of the people survive by Farming.
The most common types of food cultivated is Bread
cultivated from wheat
ground into flour, etc. Livestock include Cows, Sheep,
Goats, Chickens and Pigs.
[8]
The primary vehicle used by people in this setting for transport and
warfare are Horses over land and Ships over sea. While the primary setting is already mapped and established with civilizations, there are Unexplored Lands on the borders of the map.
[9]
The most common threats people encounter when traveling on the roads
Bandits
and Wolves. Most rookie
adventurers start off fighting weak monsters like Giant
Rats or Goblins. More rare
monsters can be very dangerous. The most infamous, though not
necessarily most powerful or common of these monsters is the Dragon. The strongest monsters in the setting tend to
have a weird habit of Kidnapping Princesses
and locking them up far away.
[10]
There are ancient Dungeons
which house dangers like monsters, traps, and magic. The primary
reason people explore these dungeons is to acquire Treasure.
These dungeons are usually ruins left behind by a More
Magically Advanced but fallen Precursor Civilization.
Additionally, dungeons are also the most likely places to hold
Ancient Evils
that are waiting to be awakened.
[11]
Among treasures and other wonders found in Dungeons, you might also
find magic items. The most powerful and sought after are Magic
Swords, which is the most
noble weapon. The other most powerful magic item are lamps which
house Genies that grant Three Wishes.
[12]
Magic is a powerful force in this universe. Magic is Rare
and usually kept as Secret Knowledge.
Those who cultivate magic can use it in the forms of Potions,
Spells, and Enchanted Items.
[13]
The type of people who use magic are scholarly,
wise Wizards.
They are usually Very
Powerful but Withdrawn
from the world. They tend to sequester themselves in Towers.
[14]
Typically, the most common end goals for a Wizard or mark of a great
Wizard is to become Immortal
or to create the
philosophers stone and turn Lead into Gold.
[15]
The most advanced weapon in the setting is a Catapult
OR Repeating
Crossbow.
Blackpowder weapons are in their Infancy OR
Are inexplicably absent.
[16]
The primary currency used by people in the setting are Circular
Coins made of Gold,
Silver, and Bronze for
different denominations. The wealthiest people in the setting besides
the ruling classes will usually be Merchants and Guildmasters.
[17]
Outside of civilization, there is untamed wilderness. This is where
Fairies live,
who are known to be Magical Tricksters who love Pranks.
They are not usually hostile nor are they benevolent. Nature itself
may also be a force in the world; too much industrialization from
(usually humans or orcs) may incur the Wrath of Nature
in the form of natural disasters and animal attacks. Finally; there
are Treants,
tree people who talk and may be able to walk or uproot themselves if
needed who defend the forests and seek to retain a balance with nature.
[18]
After people die, their souls are ferried to an Afterlife
determined by their Deity
OR Taken to Heaven or Hell
based on how good or evil they are. Those whose spirits are get lost
in the process or have unfinished business may end up as Ghosts,
which is where Ghosts come from.
[19]
There are people who come back from the dead as Undead
Monsters like zombies or
skeletons. They were raised from the dead by a Necromancer
OR by being Buried
somewhere Cursed. They can
be destroyed physically and are Repelled by Holy Things.
[20] The most common religion in the setting is expressed by a powerful Church with ordained priests. The priests can sometimes perform Healing Miracles and can destroy the Undead with their holy magic. While the world can be dark and scary, the faithful teach messages of Hope. Other faiths practice in secret and form into Dark Cults.
Now I want to copy all this and mad-libs it.
ReplyDelete...I'm going to try and beat you to it.
DeleteBeen working on a setting like this for a few years now. Something deliberately Vanilla, and influenced by works ranging from Prydain to Odin Sphere.
ReplyDeleteIt was about 85% what was listed. The big differences where at entries 16 (They use canons and guns), 15 (soft time line, so some people just live for ages and ages, stone or not), as well as a more varied Biome and Diet, and a more accurate feudalism (Below the King, vassals, below them, etc).