Worldbuilding Project Log #2

Influences. That's today's topic. I've set the basic metaphysical foundations and assumptions of the world, tied them to an existing tradition and body of work I can draw on, and highlighted an area about those assumptions that needs more fleshing out. I'm following up on this development by explicitly naming the influences and inspirations I want to incorporate. 

As we are dealing with a world predicated on Dharmic philosophy, I'm sure it won't be any surprise that the most dominant influences I'll want to turn to and lean on are the great Indian epics - the Ramayana and Mahabharata. There is a huge amount of material in those works that can shape and support my own creative direction, much like Norse mythology shaped and directed Tolkien or the worlds of sword and sorcery fiction influenced Gygax. In particular, I think the Mahabharata's epic war at the conclusion of an age, one in which God's intervention was not to prevent a dark age but to impart the knowledge and methods necessary to survive it, are a model I'd like to draw on. 

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras might also be an invaluable source for metaphysics and philosophy. Having spent substantial time in Buddhist and Hindu temples, I think the Sutras - or at least, Edwin Bryant's translation and commentary - should be required reading for any student of Indian religion. The translation situates so much of both religions in a broader context, outlining in the region's own terms what these words meant and what conversations were happening around them. 

There is more than philosophy and metaphysics to be communicated in my world though - there is aesthetic theme, presentation, and that kind of inexpressible sense of being the kids these days refer to as a "vibe." I'm torn on this one between a medieval-accurate, historically grounded version of Anglo-Saxon England or Charlemagne's Europe, and the weird sci-fantasy of Jack Vance and Clark Ashton Smith. I'm leaning towards the former - it's easier for me, more accessible for potential readers, and has less room for the people, places, and stories in the world to be overshadowed by sheer bizarre bullshit. Or we could narrow down the genre choices a bit and say, between Daggerfall and Morrowind. Daggerfall is much more typical sword and sorcery, while Morrowind (and Kirkbride's incredible pseudo-canon contributions that came around the same time) is much more bizarre and strange. Very possibly I could have all my weird Mananauts and flying space castles and doors to Saturn in the background of the world, in its history, while having the "current day" be much more 9th century England.

One thing I want to do is avoid having the "modern tech in medieval fantasy" trope. There's nothing wrong with it, I find Conan the Barbarian with a laser pistol fighting magic robots from space to be awesome. But I also think it's become a bit too mainstay in OSR products. Most of the great megadungeons feature it by now. I'd rather have stuff like the mananauts, Elder Scrolls' moth-riding space diesel punk space explorers, rather than astronauts. I think you could say Skyrim does well on both these fronts - it's very 800s Vikingland but has its weird Dwemer stuff just underneath, and while its weird and sci-fantasy, it's not astronauts and computers. 

Elder Scrolls really is a huge influence here - on every level. It's undeniably Dharmic in so far as Michael Kirkbride (peace be upon him) is granted canonicity, Arena and Daggerfall are excellent medieval sword-and-sorcery, Morrowind is exemplary believable weird fantasy, Skyrim perhaps doesn't excel as any one of these in particular but it does a good job of incorporating all of them despite its other shortcomings. So that's going on the list as well. 

Hyperborea is another influence - not just the Lovecraft-Howard-Smith shared universe, but the RPG game of that name. It's included setting is inspired (specifically by L-H-S, but also just artistically inspired). I sometimes think that since I can't convince my gaming group to sign up for a Hyperborea campaign, I should just tell them I'm running AD&D with some house rules and that the setting is inspired by L-H-S. They won't know what hit 'em, hahaha. 

So I've got a bunch of influences and aesthetic directions. I think the broad motto of "Charlemagne's Europe on top, Indian Epics in the back, L-H-S/Vance/Kirkbride underneath" is enough to be going with for now though. Next up! Coming up with a list of the values and moral themes of the world. That'll be part 3.