Using RL Cultures For Worldbuilding

[TheKillerBs]

Ask yourself if you would gain anything from using fantasy equivalents for these things. If the answer is no, I see no reason to redress the Western elements. Cowboys with magic sounds pretty flipping awesome.

 

[Miskatonic]

^^ What Russ said.

I am a firm believer that the world of the story should exist to support the actual story. Is your story about a seafaring people who are expanding trade and dominance? Check out the Phoenicians. Is your story about a nature based people resisting being conquered by an invading 'civilized' force? Read up on the Germanic tribes vs. The Romans.

There's nothing stopping you from dipping into many cultures, religions, peoples, and places to create a pastiche of your own. As long as it works organically and makes sense anything is possible.

I'm using real cultures as a foundation for the "human" realm of the planet so that the audience can jump right into the story without having to adapt to a whole new "alien" culture. It lets me skip a lot of worldbuilding. When the world of the supernatural beings is introduced I can start introducing something that's a bit different. Yet even then it isn't something radically different. At least to the point where there are no parallels between the worlds.

The only thing I have to do is make sure to let the readers know that this isn't an alternate history of our own world.

 

[Lord Hoffenburg of Hoffen]

Then here's a question, how do you let your readers know that your fantasy world isn't just some sort of Alternate history of the real world?

 

[Miskatonic]

Then here's a question, how do you let your readers know that your fantasy world isn't just some sort of Alternate history of the real world?

When they ask you and you say "No, it isn't an alternate history of our world".

 

[Russ]

Then here's a question, how do you let your readers know that your fantasy world isn't just some sort of Alternate history of the real world?

Put in some features that make it clear that it is not an alternative history. Things like magic, fictional creatures or different geography all come to mind.

 

[Nomadica]

Then here's a question, how do you let your readers know that your fantasy world isn't just some sort of Alternate history of the real world?

Name the world something other than just earth.

 

[Lord Hoffenburg of Hoffen]

Thanks all!