worldbuilding rambles

[symphorine]

  I wanna write, but I'm not feeling up to story words, so I figured I'd do something I've been thinking about recently: a list of what I want to write for my own fantasy story! Part of why I want to write Areina is because I've always loved fantasy settings (and sci-fi just as much), and I want to explore it myself. I'm having troubles with the story itself, but I think laying out what I want to write in that world can't hurt!

• fae of all kinds, especially nymphs and dryads. When I read the Belgariad and the Malloreon I really liked that dryads were there, and Ce'Nedra was one of my favorite characters when i reread it later, but also I've just always loved fairies/faes
• magic ofc. 
• ways to incorporate magic into everyday life... i want magic that is both mundane and powerful; can be used by anybody given the right medium (runes, formulas, ingredients; magic that can be manipulated by mixing of components and by strength of mind and connection with it, both very different uses, with very different tolls), but cant be given the same strength. ive got the basics of the magic system developed, just need to put them in writing!
• dwarves? elves? werewolves. 
• shifters, linked to magic; ppl able innately to use magic to modify their body
• different cultures depending on places as much as species...
• actual upper education in cities! not just magic colleges and such, but also history, arts, languages, maths, everything
• not a reimagining of middle age england setting please. 
• old forest... old forest plural to be honest. places that have a life of their own, sentient or almost
• Big Pretty Water Place because, as we all know and accept, water is pretty and good
• kinda want flowers to be a thing... everywhere in both cities and villages, and even the country. not in field, but in between, hanging from branches, growing on and from trees... not everywhere, but in a signficant part of the setting
• religion... i am not religious myself, but very interested in how one develops, and its importance in any society. also no fucking reimagining of the catholic church please.
• ive been thinking about transports... a relatively important part of at least the original story was the existence of caravans full of goods and merchants that travelled from city to city, moving goods inland, providing also a group to travel with for other people. boats would also be rather well developped, but i dont know necessarily about paved roads, or their number? so far the setting isnt rly a kingdom, it's more like... people live there, and are organized, and coexist. maybe there are kings somewhere further, idk, but not here
• colors. listen. i love colors. this is my fantasy world and people dye their clothes and hair as much as they fucking want. end of discussion.
• curry is a thing, i love curry
• different languages; one common/commercial language widespread in the area, although vocabulary can be limited. a lot of people know the basics, it's used by caravan people, and it's not uncommon to travel with them at all, so i imagine most people have picked up a bit of it if they've been in contact with travellers. language barrier still there though, and it's very useful to know several languages, or dialects. god i love languages. i also really dont buy the 'oh yeah the hero travelled to a whole other country but can talk with everybody' thing, given that locally distinct variations always happen naturally. even if it's not a whole different language, accents exist, and can be a fucking pain
• gender is a thing probably? but not restricted to binaries. actually, i think i need to delve into gender in the different species, and cultures? obviously that means sexuality and its classifications would also develop differently but be assured, it will be gay
• need also to think about how cities are built, with what materials, what shapes do buildings take... it'd be different according to environment of course, but also religious buildings often have an impact on that as well! and local culture too. are houses round, angular, tall, semi buried? are the facades colorful or decorated? are there gardens? what public buildings are there? are they build following different rules? and in places that arent cities, that are smaller settlements, how does that translate?
• considering all that i should also think about how money works or something but i have zero clues about that tbh

this started as a clean organized post and i got carried away but it's still useful for me to have it and if anybody has suggestions or points they'd like to talk about please do!!!! i love worldbuilding
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