World Building, Part Nine: Dominant Species
Hey, everybody! Our vacation went a little longer than planned, since Seth had to have oral surgery the week we got back, but he's doing much better and we're both getting back to work now!
Our last post was a really long one on animals, which means it's time to move forward. That post was directed specifically at animals with intelligence on a lesser level than humans. The next few posts we're going to be working on the creatures/people that have human intelligence or higher. In other words, the dominant species on your world.
This post we'll be looking specifically at the people themselves, but in the future we'll be moving on to things like culture.
Step one: Where do these people live? You'll need your maps for this step, especially if you mapped out some major cities, crossroads, or landmarks on them earlier in the series. Where they live will dictate things like architecture, imports, exports, what sort of crops or businesses they have, and forms of transportation. This will also affect the clothing you choose for your characters, and what creatures live in the surrounding areas.
Step two: What sets them apart from humans? Is there something that makes them different from the people you deal with in the real world? A common difference is the ability to use magic, but it's certainly not limited to that. I've read books with humanoid characters who look like bipedal cats, so you can choose anything you want, so long as it's consistent with the rest of your world. If, for instance, you have a world entirely covered in water, you may choose to give your characters the ability to breathe underwater, or webbed fingers and toes. If the location is a desert, perhaps a supernatural ability to locate water, or a way for them to store water like a camel.
Step three: What diet do they have? Are they vegetarian? Why? Do they prefer meats? What kind of foods these civilizations eat will determine what sort of marketplaces spring up. If your people eat primarily vegetables, then there are going to be more places to buy, sell, or grow plants. If they enjoy meats and cheeses, then there will be farms for raising animals, dairies, and butcher shops. You'll want to look at what plants you have growing where for this, as well as what sort of creatures will live in this area. People are more likely to eat something in abundant supply close to where they live than they are to spend money to import other items, so keep this in mind.
Step four: What kind of governing and hierarchy systems are in place? Do they have kings? Queens? Chiefs? Is this town, city, village, governed by a council of elders? The type of governing system will help you decide how the hierarchy works. Typically, the more powerful a person, the higher up the hierarchy they are. If your story has any political maneuvering, this kind of knowledge will serve you well. It may also help you describe what sort of life your characters have, depending on their position in society.
Step five: Are there multiple races of the same species? An example of this would be races in the real world. While black, brown, red, white, and yellow-skinned people are all human, they are also all different with different cultural backgrounds and special traits that set them apart. Is your dominant species the same way, or are there multiple highly-intelligent species that live in harmony or conflict? Either way, a basic knowledge of the different species or races may be extremely helpful. If there is conflict, such as war between two or more groups, you may need more detailed knowledge of them. There is also the possibility of division within these groupings, such as a civil war. This would be something to consider if your intelligent species is all the same type and doesn't have to share space with another race or species.
Step six: What values do they have? What do they consider wrong? What do they consider right? Every society has things that are encouraged, and things that are discouraged. What you choose for these people will dictate a lot of how they live. A society that believes all life is sacred may be strict vegetarians. A society that believes war is divinely sanctioned will, naturally, be involved in a lot of battles, and warriors are likely to be high-value citizens. A society that is the opposite, completely pacifist, may very well end up being assimilated into a larger culture, to become a small subculture. If they value artistic expression, there are likely to be places teaching arts of varying kinds, with artists held in high esteem. All of these things will have an effect on how society works, and what your character will see and experience.
Step seven: Repeat for as many races/species you desire.
Our last post was a really long one on animals, which means it's time to move forward. That post was directed specifically at animals with intelligence on a lesser level than humans. The next few posts we're going to be working on the creatures/people that have human intelligence or higher. In other words, the dominant species on your world.
This post we'll be looking specifically at the people themselves, but in the future we'll be moving on to things like culture.
Step one: Where do these people live? You'll need your maps for this step, especially if you mapped out some major cities, crossroads, or landmarks on them earlier in the series. Where they live will dictate things like architecture, imports, exports, what sort of crops or businesses they have, and forms of transportation. This will also affect the clothing you choose for your characters, and what creatures live in the surrounding areas.
Step two: What sets them apart from humans? Is there something that makes them different from the people you deal with in the real world? A common difference is the ability to use magic, but it's certainly not limited to that. I've read books with humanoid characters who look like bipedal cats, so you can choose anything you want, so long as it's consistent with the rest of your world. If, for instance, you have a world entirely covered in water, you may choose to give your characters the ability to breathe underwater, or webbed fingers and toes. If the location is a desert, perhaps a supernatural ability to locate water, or a way for them to store water like a camel.
Step three: What diet do they have? Are they vegetarian? Why? Do they prefer meats? What kind of foods these civilizations eat will determine what sort of marketplaces spring up. If your people eat primarily vegetables, then there are going to be more places to buy, sell, or grow plants. If they enjoy meats and cheeses, then there will be farms for raising animals, dairies, and butcher shops. You'll want to look at what plants you have growing where for this, as well as what sort of creatures will live in this area. People are more likely to eat something in abundant supply close to where they live than they are to spend money to import other items, so keep this in mind.
Step four: What kind of governing and hierarchy systems are in place? Do they have kings? Queens? Chiefs? Is this town, city, village, governed by a council of elders? The type of governing system will help you decide how the hierarchy works. Typically, the more powerful a person, the higher up the hierarchy they are. If your story has any political maneuvering, this kind of knowledge will serve you well. It may also help you describe what sort of life your characters have, depending on their position in society.
Step five: Are there multiple races of the same species? An example of this would be races in the real world. While black, brown, red, white, and yellow-skinned people are all human, they are also all different with different cultural backgrounds and special traits that set them apart. Is your dominant species the same way, or are there multiple highly-intelligent species that live in harmony or conflict? Either way, a basic knowledge of the different species or races may be extremely helpful. If there is conflict, such as war between two or more groups, you may need more detailed knowledge of them. There is also the possibility of division within these groupings, such as a civil war. This would be something to consider if your intelligent species is all the same type and doesn't have to share space with another race or species.
Step six: What values do they have? What do they consider wrong? What do they consider right? Every society has things that are encouraged, and things that are discouraged. What you choose for these people will dictate a lot of how they live. A society that believes all life is sacred may be strict vegetarians. A society that believes war is divinely sanctioned will, naturally, be involved in a lot of battles, and warriors are likely to be high-value citizens. A society that is the opposite, completely pacifist, may very well end up being assimilated into a larger culture, to become a small subculture. If they value artistic expression, there are likely to be places teaching arts of varying kinds, with artists held in high esteem. All of these things will have an effect on how society works, and what your character will see and experience.
Step seven: Repeat for as many races/species you desire.
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