A compilation of the first set of World-Building Prompt themes and questions for the World-Building Prompts account on Blacksky.
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Hello all, it's The Oracle again. As of the original publication date of this post, it's been five weeks of themes and 20 direct questions. I keep reading your answers, and the diversity of them makes me happy! It is, however, difficult to keep reposting all of the previous questions over and over again, so to make things easier, I have compiled all of them together in this Leaflet publication.
The title mentions "Past, Present, and Approaching", so similar to the account's name and description mentioning the Present and Approaching theme, respectively, I'll try to update this every Saturday or Monday (the prompt-less days).
(Edit: Now that this list is finished, it has been retitled to "Past World-Building Prompt Themes: Set 1", to avoid any confusion with the new list. You can find the second set of prompts and themes here.)
Without further ado, let's begin!
Note: all of the below embeds redirect to Blacksky. Not on Blacksky? If you are on any website in the ATmosphere, erase the "blacksky.community" portion of the URL and change it to the domain of the site that you use (like "bsky.app"): it should redirect fine. If you are on Bluesky, clicking on the embed itself should bring up a preview, and the redirect link will instead bring you to Bluesky.
(Edit 2: Each week's prompt list [and a short summary] is now located in its own Leaflet page, so you can skim through the weeks as easily as possible! I've added parity to it and the second set of prompt lists as a result.)
Hello! This week's world-building theme is "introduction". We want to hear about your constructed world! Today's question is free-form: introduce yourself, your world, and/or the works based within your world (if applicable) in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What are the main inspirations for your constructed world? How large is its focus (story and otherwise)? Is this world a solo or collaborative effort? Who are your favorite world-builders, if any?
Week 1: Introduction
Prompt Summaries: What are the main inspirations for your constructed world? How large is its focus (story and otherwise)? Is this world a solo or collaborative effort? Who are your favorite world-builders, if any?
Viva! This week's world-building theme is "family". We want to hear about the nuance of family in your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us about how your world's culture(s) create and maintain families in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: Are there limits to your civilizations' household sizes, and the kinds of living things that you can "own"? How easy is it to build a family? Is adoption a concept to your peoples? What about marriage?
Week 2: Family
Prompt Summaries: Are there limits to your civilizations' household sizes, and the kinds of living things that you can "own"? How easy is it to build a family? Is adoption a concept to your peoples? What about marriage?
Insahaeyo! This week's world-building theme is "culture". We want to hear about the different kinds of cultures in your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your world's cultures in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: Are your constructed world's civilizations a mono-culture, or culturally diverse? What do their calendars look like? Are there any time-specific customs? Do stars carry any spiritual meaning to them?
Week 3: Culture
Prompt Summaries: Are your constructed world's civilizations a mono-culture, or culturally diverse? What do their calendars look like? Are there any time-specific customs? Do stars carry any spiritual meaning to them?
Akkam! This week's world-building theme is "history". We want to hear about the in-universe history of your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your world's history (or how you went about making it) in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: Is your constructed world's history celebrated by its civilizations? Are there any odd "immortalizations" of an event or person? Were any peoples/cultures lost? Name an important historical figure.
Week 4: History
Prompt Summaries: Is your constructed world's history celebrated by its civilizations? Are there any odd "immortalizations" of an event or person? Were any peoples/cultures lost? Name an important historical figure.
Namaste! This week's world-building theme is "expression". We want to hear about how the peoples in your constructed world self-express. Today's question is free-form: tell us about the many ways of self-expression in your world's cultures in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How emotive are your constructed world's peoples? Is gender a concept to their lineages or cultures? Do courtship rituals exist? Has there ever been a cultural clash in your civilizations' recorded history?
Week 5: Expression
Prompt Summaries: How emotive are your constructed world's peoples? Is gender a concept to their lineages or cultures? Do courtship rituals exist? Has there ever been a cultural clash in your civilizations' recorded history?
Nĭmen hăo! This week's world-building theme is "health"! We want to hear about how the peoples in your constructed world keep themselves fit and disease-free. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your civilizations' stances on health in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What does a healthy person look like in your constructed world? How frequently do they rest? What are its most dangerous known diseases? What food/diseases would risk your health?
Week 6: Health
Prompt Summaries: What does a healthy person look like in your constructed world? How frequently do they rest? What are its most dangerous known diseases? What food/diseases would risk your health?
Latha math! This week's world-building theme is "food"! We want to hear about the foods and dietary needs of your constructed world's peoples. Today's question is free-form: tell us about the food that your world's peoples eat in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How do your constructed world's peoples eat? What are their dietary needs? Are food allergies a common concern? Name one dish that summarizes a specific civilization or peoples's cultural cuisine.
Week 7: Food
Prompt Summaries: How do your constructed world's peoples eat? What are their dietary needs? Are food allergies a common concern? Name one dish that summarizes a specific civilization or peoples's cultural cuisine.
Mabuhay! This week's world-building theme is "disability"! We want to hear about the cultural perceptions of disability in your constructed world's civilizations. Today's question is free-form: tell us how disability is seen in your world in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How do your constructed world's civilizations see disability? What accessibility features and tools exist in them? How affordable is it? How does one of your disabled characters navigate it?
Week 8: Disability
Prompt Summaries: How do your constructed world's civilizations see disability? What accessibility features and tools exist in them? How affordable is it? How does one of your disabled characters navigate it?
☎️: "Moshimoshi!" This week's world-building theme is "entertainment"! We want to hear about the ways that your constructed world's peoples have fun. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your world's different forms of entertainment in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What's the most popular form of entertainment for your constructed world's peoples? What games do its children play? Is there anything now used for entertainment? Name an in-universe brand.
Week 9: Entertainment
Prompt Summaries: What's the most popular form of entertainment for your constructed world's peoples? What games do its children play? Is there anything now used for entertainment? Name an in-universe brand.
¡Hola! This week's world-building theme is "conflict"! We want to hear about the many conflicts within your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your world's political, cultural, and/or military conflicts in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: Are there any active conflicts in your constructed world? Are there any ally-ships that limit conflict? Is there a population used as a scapegoat for issues? What was its most significant conflict?
Week 10: Conflict
Prompt Summaries: Are there any active conflicts in your constructed world? Are there any ally-ships that limit conflict? Is there a population used as a scapegoat for issues? What was its most significant conflict?
👋🐒. This week's world-building theme is "animals"! We want to hear about the kinds of animals in your constructed world, whether sapient or not. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your world's animals in as many or little words as possible.
Prompt Summaries: What do your constructed world's non-people animals look like? How do your peoples see them? Are there any regulations that limit the ownership of them? Do any of them have visual documentation?
Week 11: Animals
Prompt Summaries: What do your constructed world's non-people animals look like? How do your peoples see them? Are there any regulations that limit the ownership of them? Do any of them have visual documentation?
Jolan'tru! This week's world-building theme is "language"! We want to hear about your constructed world's languages— and yes, even #conlangs! Today's question is free-form: tell us about the languages (or conlangs) in your world in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How many languages are recognized across your constructed world? What do their writing scripts look like? Can every person speak them with little issue? Write a scenario in one of them.
Week 12: Language
Prompt Summaries: How many languages are recognized across your constructed world? What do their writing scripts look like? Can every person speak them with little issue? Write a scenario in one of them.
Dydh da! This week's world-building theme is "people"! We want to hear about the different kinds of sophonts, aliens, or "people" in your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us about the people in your world's civilizations in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How many distinct peoples are known in your constructed world? Are there any prejudices against inter-lineage intimacy? Can inter-lineage peoples conceive? Do your peoples vary in size?
Week 13: People
Prompt Summaries: How many distinct peoples are known in your constructed world? Are there any prejudices against inter-lineage intimacy? Can inter-lineage peoples conceive? Do your peoples vary in size?
Bonjour! This week's world-building theme is "travel"! We want to hear about how the people in your constructed world travel— and how far! Today's question is free-form: tell us about the different modes of transport in your world in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What are the types of transportation in your constructed world? How easy is it to travel around? Are there any restricted access zones? What are the best (or worst) places to visit?
Week 14: Travel
Prompt Summaries: What are the types of transportation in your constructed world? How easy is it to travel around? Are there any restricted access zones? What are the best (or worst) places to visit?
Chaírete! This week's world-building theme is "the psyche"! We want to hear about the minds and souls of your constructive world's peoples. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your peoples' mental and spiritual characteristics in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How many "souls" do your constructed world's peoples carry? How do they categorize psychological conditions? Are mind-altering substances used? How would a body swap impact your peoples?
Week 15: Psyche
Prompt Summaries: How many "souls" do your constructed world's peoples carry? How do they categorize psychological conditions? Are mind-altering substances used? How would a body swap impact your peoples?
Marḥaban! This week's world-building theme is "religion"! We want to hear about the belief systems of the peoples in your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your constructed world's religions in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What kinds of religions exist in your constructed world? How do their peoples practice them? Do any of these religions carry with them restrictions? Do they have any special phrases and/or gestures?
Week 16: Religion
Prompt Summaries: What kinds of religions exist in your constructed world? How do their peoples practice them? Do any of these religions carry with them restrictions? Do they have any special phrases and/or gestures?
Chehuntamo! This week's world-building theme is "farming"! We want to hear about how plants, animals, and other growable matter in your constructed world are cultivated. Today's question is free-form: tell us about the farming in your world in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How many of your constructed world's civilizations farm? How are these farms structured? Do they have any significant ecological impacts? What physical resource is farmed the most?
Week 17: Farming
Prompt Summaries: How many of your constructed world's civilizations farm? How are these farms structured? Do they have any significant ecological impacts? What physical resource is farmed the most?
Talofa! This week's world-building theme is "hygiene"! We want to hear about how the peoples in your constructed world keep their bodies clean. Today's question is free-form: tell us about your peoples' hygiene routines in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What are the body care routines for your constructed world's peoples? Are there times where they're done more often? What happens if they're ignored? Are any of them cosmetic and/or cultural?
Week 18: Hygiene
Prompt Summaries: What are the body care routines for your constructed world's peoples? Are there times where they're done more often? What happens if they're ignored? Are any of them cosmetic and/or cultural?
Salve! This week's world-building theme is "crime"! We want to hear about the illegal (and/or immoral) activities that exist within your constructed world. Today's question is free-form: tell us how crime impacts your civilizations' peoples in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: What is the crime rate of all of your constructed world's civilizations? What things are legal in them, but not in reality? What things are illegal in them, but legal in reality? How is justice served?
Week 19: Crime
Prompt Summaries: What is the crime rate of all of your constructed world's civilizations? What things are legal in them, but not in reality? What things are illegal in them, but legal in reality? How is justice served?
Kama pona! This week's world-building theme is "learning"! We want to hear about how the peoples in your constructed world learn (and what they learn about). Today's question is free-form: tell us about your civilizations' forms of education in as many or little words as possible.
#OCWorld#prompts
Prompt Summaries: How do your constructed world's peoples frame "learning"? Are there classrooms for teaching? Are there any skills that they are born with? What are the most important subjects taught?
Week 20: Learning
Prompt Summaries: How do your constructed world's peoples frame "learning"? Are there classrooms for teaching? Are there any skills that they are born with? What are the most important subjects taught?
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And that's all the questions for the first "block" of World-Buildings Prompts! See you in the middle of August with new themes and prompts.
