In the first step, ‘The structure of fantasy’, I analysed some of the common fantasy elements I am drawn to and might like to involve in my own setting. In this second step, I create a template that follows from the results of said analysis, and prompts me to design my own setting in a well-structured and self-consistent manner.

  Specifying the ability hierarchy

  

  
• What is the difference between mortal and ascended?


  
• What role does transcendence play (if any)?


  

  Details of souls

  

  
• Besides holding information and being a source of fantastical abilities, do souls have other characteristics (e.g. affinities, unique signatures…) and if so how come?


  
• How does the soul affect the mind and body and vice-versa?


  
• How does it produce fantastical abilities?


  
• What makes a soul greater than another?


  
• What kind of information can it hold, when and why does it hold information?


  

  Designing the structure of reality

  

  
• If it matters for the story, where does the reality of the setting end (unreality)?


  
• If it matters for the story, what is the fantastical source? A concrete part of reality (e.g. bloodline) or just an abstract concept?


  
• Where does most of the story occur (e.i. the overworld), a universe? A planet? A continent?


  

  If there are other, conceptually different spaces:

  

  
• What are their characteristics (e.g. in each space reside a different type of being)?


  
• Are they materially attached to the overworld (e.g. demon continent), or completely different dimensions (e.g. hell(s))?


  
• How/where are they connected (e.g. a dimension omnipresent and overlapping the overworld)?


  

  Natural laws that govern fantastical but not transcendent abilities

  Depending on the story these can be as detailed or as vague as necessary, and don’t even need to be entirely self consistent as one can involve the ‘fantastical source’ to explain contradictions. You can think about (or even study) IRL scientific principles and make fantastical versions of them (e.g. mana follows fluid dynamics, and fluid dynamics cause all sorts of effects); and you can also simply create the rest of the setting first, and then retroactively design suitable laws to support them.

  Options for retrofitting natural processes:

  

  
• Think about various fantastical plot elements and retroactively design appropriate natural laws that drive them.


  
• Think of natural phenomena you might want in the story, what mechanisms produce them?


  
• Extend how souls produce abilities to the rest of the setting.


  
• Design the effects of some power systems first (e.g. contract magic, martial arts) and then decide on the principles at work that produce these effects


  
• If the structure of reality is especially fantastical (i.e. not just a realistic overworld), design laws around it


  

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  Designing a magic system (if needed)

  How can communication use the laws defined above to produce magic?

  Involving fate (if needed)

  If fate is explicitly featured in the story:

  

  
• What exactly is it?


  
• Just a matter of meticulous but ordinary manipulation of people and natural forces?


  
• Does it transcend reality and causality, not dependent on any material manipulation?


  
• Is it absolute or can it be evaded or defied?


  
• Can it be used or controlled in any way?


  
• Can it be prophesied or understood, be it in hindsight, foresight or in the present?


  
• How are various paradoxes resolved? (fate controlled for conflicting goals, information loop paradox…)


  

  Anything else relevant to the story

  (e.g. uncommon beings, special concepts included in the setting)

  Details of common beings and where they lie on the ability hierarchy

  (e.g. humans, elemental spirits…)

  Questions that may be relevant, depending on the setting

  

  
• If the dead can walk around and elemental spirits can never truly die, what exactly is death and what makes something a ‘living’ being?


  
• If demons and elementals can be resummoned on destruction, what exactly is destroyed? What are they made of?


  
• Why don’t greater beings act directly on the overworld?


  
• Why is it desirable to go to the heavens?


  
• Is there a purpose to the various dimensions?


  
• How did the various beings come to be the way they are ? (e.g. why are there demons in hell in the first place, why/have mortals colonised heaven and hell?)


  
• In a similar vein, why is the setting so similar to, and have so many concepts from the real world (e.g. why would humans identical to us exist at all in a different reality)?


  
• What use do demons and gods alike have for the souls of others? What about the worship of others?


  
• What is meant by ‘third circle magic’, what fundamental difference does the circle number refer to?


  
• The soul seems to be the source of fantastical abilities, but we often see characters drinking potions or absorbing energy for fantastical effects. How does this work?


  
• Is a being with no soul possible? If so, what would it be like/how would it work, and if not, why?


  
• What exactly does one need to be or do to ascend above the common mortal?