Hello all, I would like to request your views and guidance in my worldbuilding for Difilar, as I’ve come across a dilemma.
This world was shaken by an event known as the Great Storm, which enriched the sea itself with otherworldly magic. This was caused by a prayer gone haywire, bringing the world into a new age. It is this age where the majority of my writing comes into play, and also where I plan to set a novel in the world.
Now I know what you’re thinking:
“This sounds great, oh handsome and amazing Gamehero14. What’s the issue?”
Well, my dear reader, my dilemma comes down to two possible outcomes of the Storm’s creation, which will have a heavy impact on the future of this world. Either the Storm entraps an island cluster within its eye, or it only remains as a permanent overcast, fog, and traces of arcane phenomena. If it entraps the island cluster, the story will shift to now take place inside of it, over 300 years later. If it instead becomes a more conventional storm, the story will take place mere decades afterwards, in the shadow of the four major civilizations of the world.
Let me show to you a basic outline of the two possibilities:
The Encompassing Tempest
Story takes place three hundred years later in the Island Cluster as Ocea Twalk joins the Black Iron Navy due to her family’s surmounted debt.
What I currently have written out.
Far more unique and interesting of a concept.
The island clusters allow for a more varied environment.
Keeps the “area of play” nicely contained. Possibly too contained. The Storm’s eye is about 500 miles in diameter.
Would maintain a darker tone overall. Though part of me wants to lighten the tone into something brighter. Somewhat for the sake of my sanity, as I’m growing to despise my pessimism.
Would probably have to lighten the history if that happened.
The Sea Beyond
The Black Iron Navy would either not exist, or would need a reason for doing so separate of any major culture. Ocea would remain the focus character, but I’d have to re-think out what I want to do with her.
Most of the characters I have written will transfer over with relative ease. As would the cultures, though I’d likely have to expand on them more. Which may be a bit much for me.
Better for the magic theme and mystery. Worse for the swashbuckling and military.
I really don’t wanna make a multi-continental scale map.
What I Prefer to Worldbuild
Characters. People. Ones that clearly come from somewhere and carry their cultures on their sleeves.
Beautiful diversity where you feel like nobody is quite like the culture you, the reader, are from.
Fun dynamics and relationships. Ocea will probably end up smooching a pirate woman.
MAGIC THAT NOBODY CAN EXPLAIN WITH A DISTINCT OCEAN THEME.
Smaller-scale civilizations. The world we live in already feels just too overwhelming.
Lots of sailing and exploring. And swashbuckling, because I love a good sword fight or two. Or three. Or ten.
Ayo, wait a second, I just had an idea: what if I did both? Like, made the entire world a whole bunch of islands in different clusters… like in Windwaker or something.
Anyways, thoughts? Ideas? Comparisons to Arcane Odyssey because it undoubtedly served as an inspiration?
Also, here’s two maps. One is of the Great Storm as it’s planned to be now. The other is how the continents were planned to be laid out.
This is just a small idea, but what if you try to use both dark and light themes by writing a theme about isolation and loneliness in your world building, could be a character story about self discovery, or an unfeeling but sympathetic character trying to connect as well as searching for knowledge. (Durza but good lol)
I’ve always liked stories with such atmosphere, grey skies and desolate landscape but you’d find some sort of beauty in it all because of solitude or general lack of populace or reach toward other people would probably create diversifying culture or something Idk.
I know it’s vague, so uh just acknowledge what I said instead of outright taking it as general advice, yada yada.
And it most definitely does not fit your scope of your world building I think.
Yes, but if the Storm takes the shape of an eye, the inhabitants are unable to leave it. As the eye wall of the storm will rip ships in half.
The continents, too, would reside outside of the Storm, leaving their fate unknown to those inside. Thus, the cultures WITHIN it would evolve with only each others’ influences for 300 years.
are there other civilizations outside the eye of the storm?
I didn’t really read main topic all too much but is the main conflict/point of interest of the story supposed to maybe be about the storm one day suddenly vanishing and now the rest of the world is explorable?
Yes—as most people currently in the storm have heritage outside of it. Namely, they typically came from one of four continents and cultures. Now, communication is completely severed, so those inside the storm don’t know of the outside world’s state, and vice versa.
Put simply: no. What I’m asking is what the Storm’s creation should do. As if it entraps the island cluster, I have an entirely different story and setting planned.
It is. The world as of this time would be at around 1700s technology, and most of the civilizations had a reliance on farming and steel. Inside the Storm, though, the islands won’t support significant amounts of farming, changing the main food source to be fishing. As for metal—it’s now more limited. Most common tools are made of bronze, as iron has to be saved for weapons or quality projects. (Also, bronze is just really cool and pretty)
What I mean is: should the Storm encompass a wide area, not blocking anything off with storm walls; or should it trap the island cluster, forcing those inside to make a new civilization?
