50 Fantasy Prompts: Cultures And Societies. Writers Save This!
50 Fantasy Prompts: Cultures and Societies. Writers Save this!
1. Luminae
- A society that worships light and revolves around bioluminescent creatures.
- Gesture: Raising both hands to the sky and opening palms to signify receiving light.
- View: Light is considered the purest form of energy and the ultimate source of life.
2. Mistral Nomads
- Wind travelers who harness the power of the breeze for navigation and communication.
- Gesture: Whispering into a small vial and releasing it into the wind, symbolizing sending a message.
- View: The wind carries the voices of ancestors and guides the living.
3. Veilwalkers
- Inhabitants of the mist who can see and manipulate spirits.
- Gesture: Drawing a veil across the face to communicate with spirits.
- View: The world of the living and the dead are separated by a thin veil that can be crossed.
4. Starforged
- People born under specific constellations with unique abilities tied to their birth star.
- Gesture: Touching a constellation tattoo to activate its power.
- View: Stars are the eyes of the gods, watching over and guiding them.
5. Shadecloaks
- Masters of shadow magic, living in perpetual twilight.
- Gesture: Merging fingers into the shadows, symbolizing blending into the darkness.
- View: Shadows are protective, hiding them from danger and giving them strength.
6. Seraphians
- Winged beings who consider themselves guardians of the skies.
- Gesture: Unfurling wings in a greeting, showing trust and openness.
- View: The skies are sacred, and flight is a divine gift.
7. Pyrosages
- Fire-wielders who live in harmony with volcanic landscapes.
- Gesture: Holding a flame in one hand while placing the other hand over the heart, symbolizing passion and life.
- View: Fire is a cleansing force, both destructive and renewing.
8. Aquafolk
- Ocean dwellers with the ability to breathe underwater and communicate with marine life.
- Gesture: Creating ripples in water with a fingertip to convey emotions.
- View: Water is a mirror of the soul, reflecting true feelings and intentions.
9. Silvan Elves
- Forest guardians who blend seamlessly with their environment.
- Gesture: Touching foreheads with a leaf, symbolizing unity with nature.
- View: All life is interconnected through the roots of the great tree.
10. Necrochanters
- A culture deeply connected to the afterlife, able to communicate with and summon spirits.
- Gesture: Drawing a circle with ashes to summon spirits.
- View: Death is not the end but a transformation to another state of being.
11. Stonekin
- Rock-like beings who can manipulate earth and stone.
- Gesture: Pressing a hand to the ground to communicate with the earth.
- View: The earth holds ancient wisdom and the memories of their ancestors.
12. Aetherians
- Masters of air magic, capable of floating and flying at will.
- Gesture: Raising arms and fingers to mimic the flow of air currents.
- View: The air is filled with invisible threads that connect all living beings.
13. Chronomancers
- Time-benders who can manipulate past, present, and future.
- Gesture: Tapping a timepiece rhythmically to alter time flow.
- View: Time is fluid and can be molded to fit the needs of the moment.
14. Dreamforgers
- People who can enter and manipulate dreams.
- Gesture: Weaving fingers in intricate patterns while in a trance.
- View: Dreams are a bridge between realities, holding power and prophecy.
15. Sunseekers
- Pilgrims who follow the path of the sun, gaining strength from its light.
- Gesture: Holding a hand above the heart to swear oaths under the sun’s gaze.
- View: The sun’s light is a witness to all promises, giving them sacred weight.
16. Frostborn
- Ice-dwellers with control over cold and frost.
- Gesture: Exhaling a cold breath to signify agreement or truth.
- View: Ice preserves and protects, holding the essence of life.
17. Songhearts
- A musical culture that uses songs and sound for magic.
- Gesture: Placing a hand over the throat and singing a single note to show sincerity.
- View: Music is the language of the heart and the most honest form of communication.
18. Runecarvers
- Inscribers of powerful runes that grant various abilities.
- Gesture: Tracing runes in the air or on surfaces to cast spells.
- View: Runes are the written words of the gods, containing immense power.
19. Stormcallers
- Masters of weather, able to summon and control storms.
- Gesture: Raising a staff to the sky to summon storms.
- View: Storms are the breath of the gods, bringing both fury and renewal.
20. Plainsriders
- Nomadic horsemen known for their speed and agility.
- Gesture: Drawing a circle in the dirt with a foot to mark territory or signal peace.
- View: The open plains are a vast, sacred expanse that must be respected.
21. Mycologians
- Mushroom-like beings who can communicate through spores.
- Gesture: Spreading spores by tapping a mushroom cap to communicate.
- View: Fungi are the bridge between life and decay, recycling energy.
22. Glimmerfolk
- Glittering, gem-encrusted people who can harness the power of precious stones.
- Gesture: Touching gemstones to channel their energy.
- View: Crystals are vessels of ancient power and knowledge.
23. Thornclad
- A warrior culture clad in thorny armor, known for their fierce combat skills.
- Gesture: Clasping hands with thorned gloves to signify a bond or agreement.
- View: Pain and resilience are intertwined, symbolizing strength.
24. Celestials
- Star-born beings with a deep connection to the cosmos.
- Gesture: Drawing constellations in the air with glowing fingers.
- View: The night sky is a map of destiny, guiding their every action.
25. Inkshapers
- People who can bring drawings and tattoos to life.
- Gesture: Drawing a symbol on their skin to activate a spell.
- View: Ink and art are extensions of the soul, capable of bringing thoughts to life.
26. Mirageweavers
- Desert dwellers who can create illusions and mirages.
- Gesture: Waving hands to create illusions and mirages.
- View: Reality is fluid and can be shaped by perception and will.
27. Echoers
- A culture that communicates and fights using echoes and soundwaves.
- Gesture: Clapping or snapping fingers to create soundwaves for communication.
- View: Sound is a powerful force that can shape the world around them.
28. Ironveins
- Metal manipulators who can shape and control metal at will.
- Gesture: Clenching fists to channel metal manipulation.
- View: Metal is a living force, constantly evolving and reacting.
29. Wyrmkin
- Dragon-like people with scales and the ability to breathe fire.
- Gesture: Exhaling a plume of smoke or fire to show respect or power.
- View: Dragons are the ultimate beings, embodying wisdom and might.
30. Duskborn
- Night-dwellers who gain strength from the moon.
- Gesture: Holding a candle to their chest, symbolizing the light within the darkness.
- View: Darkness is not to be feared, but embraced as a part of the natural cycle.
31. Crystalhearts
- A society with crystalline bodies that can refract light and energy.
- Gesture: Touching their heart crystal to show honesty and purity.
- View: Crystals are the heart of their being, reflecting their true selves.
32. Skyforgers
- Builders of floating cities and airships.
- Gesture: Hammering an invisible anvil to craft objects from thin air.
- View: The sky is a forge, and they are its smiths, creating wonders from the air.
33. Leafkin
- Plant-based beings who can photosynthesize and communicate with flora.
- Gesture: Placing a leaf in the palm to connect with nature.
- View: Leaves and trees are the lifeblood of the earth, nourishing all.
34. Sandshapers
- Desert people who can control and shape sand.
- Gesture: Drawing patterns in the sand to communicate or cast spells.
- View: Sand is a canvas for their magic, constantly shifting and changing.
35. Moonshadow Elves
- Elves who live in the shadows of the moon, skilled in stealth and night magic.
- Gesture: Casting moonlight on their face to invoke lunar power.
- View: The moon is a guide and protector, influencing their magic and lives.
36. Bloodrunes
- Warriors who use their own blood to inscribe powerful runes.
- Gesture: Pricking a finger to draw blood and create runes.
- View: Blood is the essence of life, and through it, they gain power.
37. Dreambinders
- People who can link their dreams to reality.
- Gesture: Twining fingers together to weave dreams into reality.
- View: Dreams are powerful forces that can shape and change the world.
38. Thunderclans
- Tribes who worship and control thunder and lightning.
- Gesture: Stamping feet or clapping hands to summon thunder.
- View: Thunder is the voice of the gods, a call to action and power.
39. Feywilders
- Inhabitants of the fey realm with unpredictable and chaotic magic.
- Gesture: Dancing in a circle to invoke fey magic.
- View: The fey are mischievous yet powerful, their magic a blend of chaos and beauty.
40. Mirrorborn
- People who can step through and manipulate mirrors.
- Gesture: Touching mirrors to travel or communicate.
- View: Mirrors are portals to other realities, reflecting infinite possibilities.
41. Wispwalkers
- Ethereal beings who guide lost souls.
- Gesture: Holding a wisp of light to guide lost souls.
- View: Wisps are guides and protectors, leading them through darkness.
42. Frostweavers
- Ice artisans who create intricate and magical ice sculptures.
- Gesture: Weaving ice crystals into intricate patterns.
- View: Ice is a delicate and beautiful force, capable of great power.
43. Starwardens
- Celestial knights who protect the realms from cosmic threats.
- Gesture: Drawing star maps in the air to invoke celestial power.
- View: The stars are guardians, watching over and protecting them.
44. Emberkin
- Fire-dwellers with control over embers and ash.
- Gesture: Snapping fingers to produce sparks and embers.
- View: Embers hold the remnants of fire’s spirit, representing both the end and beginning of the flame.
45. Oceanborne
- Sea nomads who can control the tides and waves.
- Gesture: Drawing water symbols in the air to summon sea spirits.
- View: The sea is a vast, living entity, a source of mystery and power.
46. Windwhisperer
- Communicators with the wind, able to send messages across great distances.
- View: The sky is a living entity, responsive to the voices of those who respect it.
- Gesture: Moving gracefully to mimic the flow of the wind.
47. Etherseekers
- Gesture: Holding out their hands to draw ether into themselves.
- View: The ether is a vast reservoir of magic, accessible to those who seek it.
48. Twilight Guardians:
- Gesture: Holding a lantern to light the way through twilight.
- View: Twilight is a sacred time, a bridge between day and night.
49. Windwalkers
- Gesture: Moving gracefully to mimic the flow of the wind.
- View: The wind is a messenger of the gods, carrying whispers of destiny and change.
50. Eclipsewatchers
-Gesture: Covering one eye while the other remains open to signify balance
- View: Eclipses represent the merging of light and dark, a time of balance and reflection.
More Posts from Dragonbornknight and Others
it’s easy to forget, so I’ll remind y’all: you can make fantasy versions of anything. yes even things you might not think about. like soil types. I am thinking of fantasy soil types right now
Random Faction Builder
How many pies do they have their proverbial fingers in? (1d10)
1-4. They are tightly focused on their singular area of influence. Roll once on the following table. 5-6. Roll twice on the following table. The first result is the field they openly deal in, or what those who know them mostly know them for. The second result is the field they are secretly trying to infiltrate or influence. 7. They serve as a mediary between two spheres, or between certain groups within two spheres. Roll twice on the following table. 8. Roll three times on the following table. The first two results are the fields they openly deal in, or what those who know them mostly know them for. The third result is the field they are secretly trying to infiltrate or influence. 9. They’re jugglers, jacks of all trades. Roll three times on the following table for areas they regularly deal in, plus one time for a field they have their sights on breaking into. 10. They’re everywhere. Roll once on the following table for the one circle they can’t show their faces in anymore.
1d6 Circles of Influence:
1. Government/Politics/Law Enforcement 2. Religion/Faith/Cults 3. Crime/Black Market/Underworld 4. Guilds/Trades/Organized Labor 5. Business/Merchants/Corporations 6. Knowledge/Information/Research
Now, roll 4d6 and assign one die to each of the following attributes, then look at the total on the last table:
Group Size
1. Just a few people devoted to a cause. 2. Enough people that it’s hard to get them all in a meeting together, but not enough people to really split into multiple sub-groups. 3. Enough people to crew a large vessel 4. A pretty big group, church congregation sized. 5. Enough people to populate a neighborhood. 6. If this entire group mobilized it would be a full-scale army.
Financial Power
1. Broke. It’d be a dream just to break even. 2. Surviving. They can get what they need, but can’t afford to expand or to have a large unforeseen expense. 3. Middling. Can use money to further their agenda but must be selective about doing so. 4. Comfortable. This group can afford to make investments. 5. Well-off. Their investments are paying off. 6. Rolling in it. They can solve most problems by throwing money at them.
Age of Faction
1. Brand new. This faction hasn’t existed long enough to have done anything of note. 2. Recent. This faction is probably still made up mostly of founding members, but has had time to make a name for itself. 3. Established. People remember this faction being founded. It may have some original members, but if it does they are old. 4. Pretty Old. This group was established before the oldest currently living generation was born, but in the lifetime of their parents or grandparents. 5. Old. This group was founded hundreds of years ago and has played a roll in many historical events. 6. Ancient. This group may predate the current civilization, and is seen all throughout history books.
Expertise
1. Bumbling. This group is incompetent and lacks basic knowledge. 2. Shoddy. They know just enough to get themselves into trouble. 3. Mediocre. There are no experts in this group but they have meaningful skills. 4. Competent. This group employs some actual experts but still has real gaps in their abilities. 5. Highly skilled. They may not be the absolute best in the business but this group can use skill to address most challenges. 6. Only the Best. This group has a reputation for their expertise.
Total - Overall Faction Influence
4-8 Nobodies. Who even are these losers? 9-12 Small fish in a big pond. This faction has an impact on certain individuals or niches, but are still unimportant enough that none of the big players pay them any mind 13-16 Up and Coming. Enough influence that they need to be careful not to upset the highest tier factions lest they get squashed. 17-20 The big leagues. This faction has a great deal of power but is not infallible. 21-24 Powerhouses. If there is only one faction at this level, they are functionally in charge of the society. If there are multiple factions at this level, their conflicts and machinations can have devastating fallout for ordinary people.
I don’t think magic items should be named after their function, but their story.
In Dungeon Crawl Classics, there’s a chapter on magic items that briefly mentions that magic items are rare and powerful to the point that any one magic item is probably quite famous. That fame usually comes with a name.
So a particular flame tongue sword might be called “Hellfire” or “The Sword of Durageddon’s Bane”. A particular bag of holding might be “Kingslocks” or “The Blinding of the Gorgon”. These items get their names from the adventures they were involved in, which to me is a lot more interesting than a name that is purely functional.
Those functional names make the items feel less magical and more mechanical to me. If a bag of holding is recognisable as such, it must be fairly unremarkable to just have a generic name - implying that a great many people own one. It’s like owning a Ferrari racecar (impressive, but you’re hardly the only one) versus owning “The Carriage of the Ninth Angel” that is famed for being blessed by three angels with three heads in preparation for its death race against Satan himself.
I bought a zine recently (Through Ultan’s Door: Downtime in Zyon) that has a simple system for making magic items:
Commission a master artisan to make you a masterwork (a sword, armour, or book)
Use that item in a quest in an interesting way (such as slaying a particularly powerful foe)
That item, by becoming part of a spectacular story, then takes on magical properties once given a suitable name
Lots of players find it boring to find a generic +1 sword or what have you in dungeons, so I think this is a good solution to make it more interesting. And suitably mythic!
![Hilltop Tower [30x45] Posted Byu/wizgrids](https://64.media.tumblr.com/137de0467ab900dcc6740ea3c56edfe0/425a08bce2f13a70-ae/s500x750/c33b26574f20841c06db1c2624715d5da5782808.jpg)
Hilltop Tower [30x45] posted byu/wizgrids
Check out Tabletop Gaming Resources for more art, tips, and tools for your game!
Item: Tyrannosaur Perfume for the discerning Draconian; attracts and arouses Draconic creatures and Turns everything else up to ten feet. Any non-Draconian creature forced into the immediate proximity and unable to flee rolls a constitution save against taking a point of Poison and a point of Fire every round they remain
What a horrible way to define a word. “Okay, we need a good way to explain what a dime is. Should I show somebody purchasing something, or making change for a dollar, or anything indicating its value? No, I’m going to show a witch turning it into a frog.”
Ideas for the barbarian!
It’s 2 am. Ideas that might make your combat encounters spicier.
1. Damage control. Force your players between choosing to fighting and keeping their environment intact. Make them fight in a crowded area and make them chose between putting out fires, rescuing people, or keeping peace versus attacking or following enemies.
2. Shooting the messenger. Make your initiative a chase scene. Have one or a few enemies high-tail it for backup, and if the messengers succeed, the tables turn hard against the players. Make them race through crowds, through difficult terrain, across rooftops, through other enemy forces, to get to the messenger.
3. Silence. Put both the enemy force and the players into a spot where they have to stay quiet or they both get hurt. Ex, sleeping monster nearby, avalanche, alerting guards, ect. bonus points if you enforce no talking even OOC.
4. Hide and Seek. Make the players hide from or fight a creature, monster, or enemy that relies on hearing alone. Bonus points if it’s incredibly dark or the player’s perception senses are also significantly hindered in some way. EXTRA bonus points if they’re already weakened or injured so they can’t fight directly or through brute force.
5. Creative workaround. Take away usual player resources (spells, weapons, usual playstyle, ect) and put them somewhere they have to try something new. Ex, melee fighters without their weapons at a fancy gathering. Casters in an anti-magic zone or magic immune / magic eating enemies. players who like to use movement in tight quarters. the min-max player gets outnumbered. the shy player gets the focus. ect.
6. Enemies to friends. Have the enemy force and the player party work together so they don’t all perish- but for how long? ex. sinking ship, burning or collapsing building, common enemy, ect.
7. Air combat. If you don’t already have griffins, birds, Pegasuses, dragons, airships or other sky mounts / vehicles in you game, wtf are you doing?? Take the fight to the sky.
8. Delivery. Similar to shooting the messenger, but the player party has to reach their destination before they get caught or downed. Useful if they’re escaping with valuable information, person / hostage, item, ect.
9. Switcharoo. Body-swap your players and have them switch their sheets, or polymorph them into other creatures. Preferably impose a time-constraint so that they’re pressured to move faster rather than read and entirely understand new sheets. Maximum chaos.
Scrimshawed Sawfish sword with Sailor’s Rights and a whale, America, 19th century
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