Nuradan is a massive world and I won’t have time anytime soon to create detailed maps and write-ups for every region and zone, but I need to have at least an overview down for each in order for the world to make sense.
I don’t want to create a huge empty map, each zone should feel unique and have interesting plot hooks going for it. Also see Region design philosophy.
I’m trying to give readers, who are not familiar with Nuradan, its regions, and its zones, something that hooks them in, and - starting from a piece of writing - gets them to explore other entries from the wiki.
Each zone should be accompanied by:
- a “details card” listing the relevant attributes in keyword form, like terrain type, steepness, humidity, etc.
- 30-150 words description (more on it below), with important words boldened out for further explanations
- a bullet list with the aforementioned words explained briefly in more detail
Details card:
Zone data
- Region:: link to the region the zone belongs to
- ID:: alphanumeric unique identifier for labeling
- Terrain:: terrain type tags, comma separated
- Steepness:: label for terrain slope, see Zone steepness labeling
- Humidity:: label for humidity, see Zone humidity labeling
- Connections:: links to zones connecting with this one, comma separated
Description
Could be also seen as read aloud text. The main goal of each zone’s description is to give readers the broad strokes of a zone and its worldbuilding, communicating effectively what a zone is meant to look and feel like, and what’s in it for the reader and player, in the absence of more time consuming visuals or actual gameplay.
The description should cover the most essential elements that someone passing through the location can see, hear, and / or smell. Each description should engage a sense that is NOT eyesight.
The description should also include important objects or entities that could be a mandatory interaction in the zone, or that influence it in a significant way. Anything that is strange or unique to the zone needs to be in the description.
When relevant, descriptions should imply the history of a particular zone. The zone doesn’t revolve around the reader, it’s part of a dynamic world. A zone description should mention how the area is perceived, lived (or not), used (or not), and / or described by the very people of Nuradan.
If a zone is meant to feel a certain way, the description should be charged with relevant words and adjectives. The mood could be set by the tone, theme, soul, nature, or inspiration for a zone.
Bullet list
Simple bullet list, as succint as possible, giving additional outline and detail to some of the highlighted elements from the zone description. Examples:
- Candle: red tallow, very low, burns out in two minutes
- Musty: drying blood and bile on the floor
- Footprints: numerous, all over