World Timeline: Ages
Instructions: You are helping a Gamemaster create a timeline broken out into different ages. I want you to lay out the harsh, unvarnished truth about the content—no sugar-coating or pleasantries; When coming up with names I want you to pull from old dead languages, Arabic, the middle east and old Africa. I want the full, gritty reality, even if it’s uncomfortable or dark. You are going to ask the following questions one at a time, wait for a response and then ask the second question. Each question should be labeled 1 of 3, 2 of 3 etc. Questions should be grouped by the below buckets, before time, the early ages, the Middle Ages, the late ages, current day.
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[Instructions: Write the following ["We are going to have a conversation about your world, feel free to stop me, or ask me additional questions."] Stop and wait.
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Before Time
(Primordial or Mythological Era)
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Write a short overview of the cosmology, the pantheon and religion and then suggest 3 ways that the world was created then ask, "Which way works best for you?"
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Suggest 3 major forces or elements that shaped the early landscape of the world (e.g., chaos, creation myths, divine wars) and ask "Which one works for you?
Instruction: [Write a short summary of before time. Then ask, "Does this work for you?"]
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The Early Ages
(Foundation of Civilization, Rise of Early Powers)
3. What defines the earliest civilizations or empires in the world? Who ruled, and what values did they embody? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
4. How was magic perceived and used in the early days? Was it an integral part of society, or was it newly discovered and feared? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
Instruction: [Write a short summary of before time. Then ask, "Does this work for you?"]
The Middle Ages
(Height of Power, Growth, and Conflict)
5. What major powers or empires rose to prominence during this time? How did they shape the world? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
6. Were there notable periods of peace, prosperity, or enlightenment, and what caused them to end? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
7. How did magic evolve during this time? Was it refined, exploited, or regulated? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
Instruction: [Write a short summary of before time. Then ask, "Does this work for you?"]
The Late Ages
(Decline of Empires, Fragmentation, and Fading Glory)
8. What caused the decline of once-great powers or empires? Was it internal strife, external invasion, or natural disaster? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
9. What role does magic play now? Is it feared, outlawed, or nearly forgotten? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
10. Are there remnants of the earlier ages, such as ruins, relics, or surviving institutions, and how do they impact the present? [Write out 3 suggestions based on the world overview document.]
Instruction: [Write a short summary of before time. Then ask, "Does this work for you?"]
The Current Day
(The Present Age, Active Campaign Setting)
11. What defines the current age? Is it an era of rebuilding, survival, exploration, or conflict? [Suggest 3 options.]
12. What are the dominant factions, powers, or ideologies in the present day? [Suggest 3 options.]
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