Building Blocks

Empower your World Building with AI—enhance creativity, expand worlds, and push storytelling boundaries

Step 1: Building Blocks

Welcome to the new era of Game Mastering, where AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and Dalle become your creative co-pilots. With these technologies, you can quickly build and expand detailed worlds. AI helps spark new ideas, offering fresh takes on themes, cultures, magic systems, and visual styles. It speeds up the brainstorming process, allowing GMs to push creative boundaries and avoid common tropes. There’s no single “right way” to build a world, and this approach is just one option to guide you. Feel free to follow, tweak, or toss it out as you see fit.

Blog: The Art of Worldbuilding Hard vs. Softworld building >>

I will focus on Hard Worldbuilding for structure and to enable better game play but keeping it small to reduce effort.

Step-by-step AI-Powered GPTs for World Building: 9 Essential Steps for RPG Game Masters eBook

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Process

In the building blocks of your world, we will do 3 things.

Generate a world overview document - this will become a master index document for your world.
Choose a technology to support your worldbuilding - Like NotebookLM or Midjourney Patchwork
Determine the look and feel of your world - this will help you build a visual theme for your world.

Outcome Checklist for GMs:

Have you determined what framework or frameworks work best for you?
Have you found a tool to manage your world content?
Have you generated a World Overview Document?
Have you generated images and designs that inspire you?
Have you generated a few ideas on a region or starting location?

Building Block 1: Picking a Framework

Advice: I recommend using The “Deep Dive” Framework (Bottom-Up World-Buidling) as it allows you to approach your world in bite size pieces. This process will help you establish the themes of your world which then sets you up to begin to develop your campaign from. Once you get started, I like to reference the 1000 questions in the 1000 question framework to develop more detail.

The "Deep Dive" Framework (Bottom-Up World-Building)

This framework starts with a small, detailed element of the world and expands outward:

Focus on a Single City, Village, Local Area: Build out all aspects of a small area (social structure, economy, culture).
Expand to the Region: Grow the world outward, examining how regions affect each other.
Introduce External Threats or Forces: Once the internal world is developed, introduce external elements (invasions, natural disasters, magic).
Integrate History: As you expand, weave in historical or mythological explanations for the world’s features.

Reference: This method is often used by authors like Patrick Rothfuss in "The Name of the Wind" and China Miéville in "Perdido Street Station" to create intricate, believable settings by starting small and expanding outward.

Further Reading: "World-Building: From Small Towns to Entire Universes" by Stephen L. Gillett is a good resource for learning this bottom-up approach.

Other Frameworks

This is over 1000 questions that you can work your way through during your world building process.

Part I: The Fundamentals of the World
This section contains questions about the basic elements of the world, such as its name, type, and fundamental characteristics.

Part II: The Oecumene
Focuses on the geographical aspects of the world, including questions about the society's home, its geography, and the cultural or spiritual importance of the land.

Part III: Economics
Discusses economic aspects, including questions about currency, trade, and the structure of the local economy.

Part IV: Government
Covers the political and governmental structure, including questions on citizenship, rights, and political systems.

Reference: This list came from The Bethisad.com questionnaire and was significant for creators of fictional worlds, providing a structured set of questions that help develop detailed cultures, societies, and environments.

This framework helps writers focus on specific elements of their world in layers, building from the foundational aspects up to more intricate details:

Physical Geography: Define the landmasses, climate, and ecosystems.
Culture and Society: How do people live, what are their customs, values, and social structures?
Economy: How is wealth distributed, what are the major industries, and who controls resources?
Political Systems: Who holds power, and how are the governments and factions structured?
Religion and Spirituality: What deities or spiritual forces influence the world, and how do people relate to them?
Technology and Magic: Define the tech level or magical systems that exist and how they affect the world.
History and Mythology: What are the key historical events and legends that shaped the present?

Reference: This is a common method taught in world-building workshops and used by many authors like George R. R. Martin. While there is no single book for this, it is often discussed in writing guides and online resources.
Further Reading: Check out "Creating Life: The Art of World Building" by Randy Ellefson or "The Writer's Guide to Creating a Science Fiction Universe" by George Ochoa and Jeffrey Osier.

This high-level framework helps define the larger meta-questions of your world before delving into specifics:

Philosophical Premise: What is the core theme or moral question your world is built around?
Central Conflict: What’s the central issue driving the world forward—war, natural disaster, social collapse?
Cultural Influence: How do the world’s cultures reflect its themes? Is there a central culture, or is the world diverse?
Visual Aesthetic: What tone or look will the world have (grimdark, utopian, surreal)?
Player or Reader Role: How do the inhabitants experience this world? What is their place in it?

Reference: This approach is seen in large epic world-building projects, such as J.R.R. Tolkien’s "The Lord of the Rings" and Ursula K. Le Guin’s "Earthsea" series, where the world-building starts with broad themes and concepts.

Further Reading: "The Silmarillion" by J.R.R. Tolkien is a great example of the "big picture" approach. "A Wizard of Earthsea" by Le Guin also delves into world-building from a macro perspective.

This top-down approach ensures that every element of the world is interconnected and serves the main theme.

Prompting Process

Advice: [Brackets] in the prompt signal that your input is required.

This prompt is a 5 part prompt. You will copy prompt 1 first, paste it into ChatGPT and let the AI run, then repeat the process with the second prompt, let the AI run, and then the third prompt. In the third prompt, the AI will interview you about your world. Feel free to converse with the AI.

Finish the process with the 4th and 5th prompt to get your final documents.

Prompt 1: Read the following page. https://www.the-enchanted-scribe.com/deep-dive-framework
I am working on developing a [fantasy, earth like] world for my RPG campaign, a world with a unique theme and tone. [Please avoid using cliches or fantasy tropes]. I want you to be my guide. Over the next few prompts you will help me outline the building blocks of my world using the following framework.

Do not start yet, I want you to reply with ““I understand"” when done.

Prompt 3: Use the following question template below for the 10 questions. These questions should be asked and answered one at a time to help me build my world. When I answer a question, ask me the next question taking into consideration the answer to the prior question. For each question, list out where we are in the process. For example if we are on question 1, we would be question 1 of 10.

Question Template

Core Concept
What overarching tone defines your world—dark, hopeful, mysterious, or something else entirely? {List out 5 options}
World Uniqueness
What feature or element makes your world stand out from others in the fantasy genre (e.g., magical decay, shadow-driven politics, or symbiosis with ancient technology)? {Give me 3 unique examples.}
Artistic Vision
If your world were depicted visually, what art style or color palette would best capture its essence? (e.g., gothic, surreal, vibrant, monochromatic) {For example: give 3 examples of fantasy styles}
Cultural Identity
How does the culture of the dominant societies in your world reflect its tone? Are they optimistic or cynical? What values drive them? {Give an example of a unique culture and their values.}
Magic's Role
What is the place of magic in your world? Is it a force for good, a corrupting influence, or something more mysterious? {Suggest 3 different magic examples found in current fantasy books.}
Conflict and Struggle
What is the central conflict or struggle in your world, and how does it shape the lives of its inhabitants (e.g., spiritual war, survival in harsh lands)?
Historical Influence
How has your world’s history influenced its present state, and what key events have shaped its current tone?
Spiritual and Mythological Depth
How do the gods or spiritual entities influence the tone of your world? Are they benevolent, malevolent, or indifferent?
Emotional Resonance
What kind of emotional experience do you want players to feel in your world—fear, wonder, melancholy, or triumph?
Moral Complexity

How does your world challenge traditional notions of good and evil? Are the lines between them blurred, or is there a clear distinction?

Prompt 4: Generate for me a World Overview Document of my world based on this conversation? Generate a list of 5 unique and original names for a fantasy world, avoiding common cliches or tropes. At least two of them should be a single word name. Base these names on old dead languages. Then complete the overview including a Core Concept, What Makes the World Unique, an Artistic Vision, Cultural Identity, Magics Role, Central Conflict and Struggle, Historical Influence, Spiritual Overview, Emotional Resonance and Moral Complexity. Please include important people, places, or things in this initial description. Then ask the question “”Is there anything you would like to change?””.

Prompt 5: I want you to pretend that you are a GM who is creating a new world called [Insert World Name]. We are going to use this framework https://www.the-enchanted-scribe.com/deep-dive-framework. Read this page and then give me 3 examples of small manageable starting points in my world. For each, give me a name, short description, external forces or threats where I can begin to craft a campaign around. Then state "Choose one of these locations to create your starting location document or tell me another location that you would like to start." Then walk me through a series of questions following the deep dive framework.

Building Block 2: Picking a Tool

Effective worldbuilding is essential for Game Masters (GMs) to create immersive and engaging RPG campaigns. Utilizing a proper organizational tool streamlines this process by centralizing notes, maps, character profiles, and plot details, ensuring easy access and coherence. Currently I am using Google Docs and NotebookLM to create and manage my world.

NotebookLM is an AI-powered note-taking and research tool developed by Google. It allows users to upload documents and receive AI-generated summaries, explanations, and insights, effectively serving as a personalized AI assistant. It supports various formats, including PDFs, Google Docs, websites, and YouTube videos. Notably, NotebookLM can generate "Audio Overviews," converting text into podcast-like audio summaries.

Read Blog

Pros:

AI-generated summaries and insights can help quickly synthesize complex campaign information.
Supports various document formats, allowing for diverse content integration.
"Audio Overviews" feature provides an engaging way to review campaign notes.

Cons:

As an experimental product, it may lack some features found in more established tools.
Limited integration with non-Google applications.
Requires a Google account and internet access for full functionality.

Microsoft OneNote is a digital note-taking app that integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft Office applications. With the addition of Copilot, an AI assistant, users can generate summaries, to-do lists, and more, enhancing productivity.

Wired

Pros:

Deep integration with the Microsoft ecosystem.
AI-powered Copilot assists with note organization and content generation.
Supports multimedia content, including images and audio recordings.

Cons:

Some features may require a Microsoft 365 subscription.
The interface can be overwhelming for new users.
Limited customization compared to tools like Notion.

Obsidian is a note-taking and knowledge management app that operates on Markdown files. It allows users to create internal links between notes, visualizing connections as a graph, which can be particularly useful for mapping out complex RPG narratives.

Notion is a versatile productivity tool that combines note-taking, databases, kanban boards, and wikis. It's highly customizable, allowing users to create interconnected pages and databases, making it suitable for organizing complex RPG campaigns. Notion also offers an AI assistant to help with content generation and organization.

Capacities is a note-taking application that emphasizes object-based organization, allowing users to create and interlink various content types such as people, books, meetings, and projects. This approach facilitates a networked structure of notes, which can be particularly beneficial for complex RPG campaigns.

Google Docs is a web-based word processor that allows for real-time collaboration and easy sharing. It's straightforward and accessible, making it a popular choice for many users.

Pros:

Real-time collaboration with multiple users.
Accessible from any device with internet access.
Integration with other Google Workspace tools.

Cons:

Limited organizational features compared to dedicated note-taking apps.
Offline access requires prior setup and is somewhat limited.
Customization options are minimal.

Midjourney Patchwork is a canvas tool that allows you to visualize your world using AI. Through the tool you can create your world, characters, events, places, props factions and more. The powerful AI tool helps you generate both content and images allowing you to pick themes and content all related to your world. From there you can link related items, helping to train the AI on related topics.

Pros

Really great way to story board your world and campaigns
Powerful AI to help you generate both content and images

Cons

Early in development
Hard to navigate

Building Block 3: Look and Feel

AI-powered image generation tools, such as those found in platforms like DALL-E, are perfect for helping GMs determine the visual style of their world. These tools can produce a wide range of visual styles that align with your core concept, allowing you to experiment until you find one that resonates.

15 Interesting Image Styles for a TTRPG World:

Art Nouveau: Pastel shades, metallics, and earth tones dominate, lending a dreamlike quality to the artwork.
Dieselpunk: A world powered by crude machinery and oil, where technology is rough and gritty.
Moody Noir: A dark, shadowy world with strong contrasts, perfect for urban fantasy or crime-driven campaigns.
Watercolor Dreamscape: A soft, ethereal style where everything looks like it’s part of a painting in motion.
Celestial Aesthetic: Starry skies, cosmic entities, and a color palette filled with blues, purples, and bright whites.
Eldritch Horror: Dark, surreal visuals that hint at otherworldly horrors lurking just beneath the surface.
Minimalist Line Art: Simple and clean, with only the barest hints of detail, perfect for a world where simplicity and clarity are valued.
Japanese Ink Wash (Sumi-e): A soft, flowing style perfect for ancient, spiritual worlds or nature-centric cultures.
Baroque Fantasy: Highly detailed, ornamental design, drawing from 17th-century art and architecture.
Retro Futurism: Bright, colorful, and optimistic visions of the future, filled with sleek spaceships and bold architecture.
Steampunk: Gears, brass, and steam-powered machinery, with Victorian influences.
Gothic Horror: Dark, twisted architecture with high towers, ornate designs, and an overall sense of foreboding.
Pastel Fantasy: Bright, soft colors with a focus on whimsical, dreamlike elements.
Pixel Art: A retro, video-game inspired aesthetic that can invoke feelings of nostalgia.
Grimdark: Stark, bleak landscapes with muted colors, highlighting the darker, more brutal aspects of the world.

Generate a series of art styles for the new world called [Insert World Name]. Each style is designed to bring my world to life anchored on different cultures. The styles should evoke unique emotions, atmospheres, and aesthetics, and each should be suitable for use in different regions or plot points within the campaign.

For each style, include key visual elements, textures, and color schemes that emphasize the feel of the world. Focus on creating visual cohesion, yet allow for diversity that can highlight different moods, from dark and mysterious to vibrant and magical.

Suggest 3 images that should be created to reflect the feeling of this world.

Using a [Japanese Ink Wash (Sumi-e): A soft, flowing style perfect for ancient, spiritual worlds or nature-centric cultures]. Generate for me a 16:9 image of [The Wailing Mire: A vast swamp where thick fog rolls in, carrying the wails of lost souls. The land itself is treacherous, with sinking bogs, ancient ruins, and trees that twist unnaturally under the weight of the spirits that inhabit the region].

Tools of the Trade

These are the key tools that I use to create, manage, and run my RPG sessions

Building Blocks

Step 1: Building Blocks

Process

Building Block 1: Picking a Framework

The "Deep Dive" Framework (Bottom-Up World-Building)

Other Frameworks

Prompting Process

Building Block 2: Picking a Tool

Building Block 3: Look and Feel

15 Interesting Image Styles for a TTRPG World:

Tools of the Trade

ChatGPT

Midjourney

Game Master Platform