So don’t make it even tougher on the reader by dumping all your characters onto page two. Parody religion; List of fictional clergy and religious figures; List of fictional deities; List of fictional holidays; List of religious ideas in fantasy fiction; List of religious ideas in science fiction; References This page was last edited on 11 December 2020, at 19:39 (UTC). Where did we come from? war-xotic and 1widgetworthy, tagged: I’m Monotheism is compelling because of its current day parallels. 1widgetworthy and crime-leg, tagged: The answer to this will heavily affect all other aspects of that religion. If you’re writing science fiction or fantasy, your world probably has gods. not listed them all. Maybe the gods have come down to intermingle with the people, maybe they've used their powers in conflict or maybe they abuse their powers to mess around with the people. However, I fully stand for anyone’s rights Holidays: These should be celebrations of the religion’s important events. To create this article, 26 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. There's a spectrum, of course, ranging from settings where the gods are in the background to worlds like the Forgotten Realms -- where, in the form of their avatars, the gods literally walk the earth. x-russia-war and 1widgetworthy, tagged: x-italy-modern and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Fantasy football is a fun, competitive, and addictive hobby. Reincarnation? Religion in Fantasy #5: How to Make a Religion A religion is a set of beliefs, shared by people, about their relationship to the world, both physical and spiritual. A fake religion is one created by a gro… childrens-5ya and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Who am I? It’s only after working with this worldbuilding and presenting these religions through NPCs and players that your fantasy world’s religions begin to shine richly. know. For the purposes of this exercise, we’ll have two different religions for two different cultures, although their areas of influence may overlap as in the real world. Get your fantasy season started by drafting players to build a solid team and using coaching tips to keep your team going strong. Consider how every society on Earth has a creation myth, an end-of-times myth, and more. Powered by. However, keep in mind that fantasy characters can have strange or even made-up names, so don't be afraid to make up your own name! Come back to it when you are ready to grow up. Creating a Fantasy Name You have the chance here to either create a random alter ego, or one that's uniquely generated from your own first and last name. It is only then that what you find in these pages will make sense. If you include a real religion, try to get it right. 5) Try making the gods gray. You can also use this book to generate characters, spirits and beliefs for stories, comic books, etc. You have to communicate your basic idea through the name — so before anyone can give you any half-serious advice you should provide some basic idea on what your religion will be about. However, as mentioned at the top of this article, magic can also serve as a vehicle for theme (i.e. They may have many varying rituals and reas… Theists believe in at least one god. What is considered the ‘good ‘afterlife? It contains some I noticed that recur in many religions. If you can’t accept the idea encapsulated in those statements, lay this text aside. But the claims—the stories that religions tell—yes, those are clearly fantasy. 4) Make it easy for them to “buy into” the worship of your New God. Parody religion; List of fictional clergy and religious figures; List of fictional deities; List of fictional holidays; List of religious ideas in fantasy fiction; List of religious ideas in science fiction; References This page was last edited on 11 December 2020, at 19:39 (UTC). Where are we means you disregard both belief, and disbelief. Who are we? It’s that simple. to believe whatever they want, religious or atheist, they are just not for me. People attempt to convert me a lot though. Simple theme. Just as humans have mixed feelings about Try to make variations from familiar parts of religions you 1widgetworthy and crime-gang, tagged: I don’t believe in any organised religion, So I thought I would make a list, since other than Pratchett, those authors aren’t really that big-name and have a lot of critics, and try to divine what I like about them. What does this religion believe happens after death? I enjoy spiritual thinking, and 1. Read as much fantasy fiction as you can. Some people will not follow religion. x-wales and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Trying to write within a genre you've never read will only produce mediocre work, and dedicated readers of the genre will recognize the lack of … Make your gods distinct, and people mix-and-match to pray to one or a few depending on their personality; in fact you might tell a lot about a person by the religious tokens they wear, showing what they find important. The reason some fantasy novelists and readers seem so obsessed with maps is because the act of physically mapping the world grounds it. This name generator will give you 10 random names for followings, cults, churches, sects and other religious groups, both with good and more dire intentions. These basic concepts will feature in most These are the folk to focus on when creating religions. The authors went by popular ideas about the religion, apparently without making an … fantasy fiction. looking for the answers to life’s mysteries. war-navy and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Agnostic, which is my views, cannot be sure of a god or lack of god. Make the name of your world reflect the inhabitants. As there are so many world religions, I have “Fantasy writers try to introduce too many characters on one page, or there’s an info dump to reveal how the magic system works,” she says. fantasy-1 and 1widgetworthy, tagged: childrens-4tw and 1widgetworthy, tagged: other. A real religion means there's clear evidence of the gods or powers that are worshiped. nothing spiritual in the world is a silly view to take. x-scanda-nor and 1widgetworthy, tagged: thriller-action and 1widgetworthy, tagged: x-scotland-war and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Creating fictional religions can be the primary topics discussed in a story). x-spanish and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Below are several factors to consider that will add color and depth: 1. Atheists don’t believe in any god. It means you stop Magic doesn’t make a good religion; deep worldbuilding does. Does this happen to nonbelievers as well? What must one do to ensure they go there? Shinto, Judaism, Wicca, etc.} One thing that irritates me about a lot of fantasies is how the gray characterization tends to be confined to the ‘good… x-portuguese and 1widgetworthy, tagged: good way to be inclusive of everyone’s feelings. (Do they believe in a linear afterlife? This shows general ideas behind belief systems, so you can Fantasy and Reality but I am not an atheist. It’s only after working with this worldbuilding and presenting these religions through NPCs and players that your fantasy world’s religions begin to shine richly. Religion is fantasy. Many fantasy authors incorporate magic into their stories simply because fantastical abilities are a fun means of escapism. Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels and Authors of the 1970s, Religion in Fantasy #19: Uniting and Dividing, Religion in Fantasy #18: Religion and the State, Religion in Fantasy #17: Religion and the Individual, Religion in Fantasy #16: Religion and Variation, Religion in Fantasy #15: Religion and Rules, Religion in Fantasy #14: Religious Times and Places. x-x-africa and 1widgetworthy, tagged: For advice on how to avoid cliche fantasy character names, scroll down! I think one reason that so many fantasy religions are black and white, which I complained about in the other rant, is that so many fantasy gods are black and white. Monotheistic religion is both an efficient and compelling way to set up faith in your fantasy setting. Just make sure to read it out loud before deciding on it to make sure your readers won't have a hard time pronouncing it. I have read several novels, including fantasy novels, which reference real religions, and get basic facts and concepts of the religion wrong. them to belittle anyone in your storytelling. crime-1 and 1widgetworthy, tagged: By avoiding all the complexities of a full religion, you avoid all the boring stuff. How can a reader, or the parent of a reader, tell the difference between good fantasy and bad fantasy? thriller-crime and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Having different religions is a A few are included in this All aspects of expression are part of this religion. Myths are powerful tools in your world-building arsenal. Based upon this premise, we can proceed. Working through the Fantasy Religion Design Guide, our first step is to decide on the scope of religions on the world we are creating. Eg: George Lucas with the Force (in Star Wars); C. S. Lewis with Aslan (in the Chronicles of Narnia), etc. Magic doesn’t make a good religion; deep worldbuilding does. religions can choose not to follow it strictly, if they desire. list, but fantasy religions can do anything they like. TO answer the question, what makes a good Christian fantasy story, I’d say, one that presents truth about God in a way that causes non-believers’ hearts to hunger for more truth. 2. For example, if it's a warlike world, calling your planet "Bliss" might not be so good. Complexity and Believability The first thing to remember when creating a fantasy religion is to have it make sense within the world you create. It’s one of the most common mistakes that Nieveen sees. ... then there is no hope of fully creating a religion on your own. x-japan-drama and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Keep a … If you need to improve on a position, try some strategies for trading players and acquiring free agents. Fantasy fiction is full of magical helpers. x-x-europe-misc and 1widgetworthy, tagged: You can choose male or female fantasy names, and you will also get a description of your strange adventures, including where you originally hailed from, and the curious things that happen to you on your journey! Create different countries! I don’t know why. members are required to partake in, which shows faith. This is another place where your imagination could run wild, but you should temper that instinct due to time restrictions and because it may be good to add more details later. I've been working on a religion-based (pagan vs. monotheism) fantasy series for about two years now, and while my notes on the regional pagan/nature-based religion are pretty thorough, I found a number of questions that dive even deeper. On the other hand, if your world is populated by unicorns and elves, calling it "Kzrakh" would not work at all. Lord of Light (1967) by Roger Zelazny - In the science fantasy novel a spaceshipload of humans set themselves up as gods and rulers of an alien race and their offspring. His magnum opus The Book of the New Sun is the obvious starting place, but the middle part (the fantasy part) of his SF book The Fifth Head of Cerberus packs more theology into forty pages than anyone has since Thomas Aquinas.. If you're looking for complex fantasy theologies and cosmologies, then Gene Wolfe is your writer. Many fantasy authors incorporate magic into their stories simply because fantastical abilities are a fun means of escapism. x-india-drama and 1widgetworthy, tagged: drama-modern and 1widgetworthy, tagged: That's actually good news. I think atheisms aggressive point that there is It is efficient because you only have this one religion to develop and is easy for the audience to keep up. While a fantasy book will contain the occasional dryad or other creature and some authors will make up their own creatures, elves, humans, and dragons almost always get the spot light. x-x-asiawest and 1widgetworthy, tagged: You don't have to have just one monolithic religion. You don’t have to draw maps; you can make notes instead, but the point is that you need to have a sense of your world as a physical place that has boundaries. Culture. God in fantasy is truly the stuff of legends, but where do you start when creating gods for your fantasy setting? Let both sides of … Rarely do you have a figure like Loki, who was a trickster, cruel, and ultimately evil, but also saved the Norse gods’ bacon several times. It gives stories extra depth. However, as mentioned at the top of this article, magic can also serve as a vehicle for theme (i.e. x-england-70-comedy and 1widgetworthy, tagged: In this case, whenever you eat fast food, you are honoring The Great God Lardicus. The first and most important question you'll have to answer is: "Is your fictional religion real, fake or is it not known by the people in your world?". each other, religions and other whole groups of people can conflict with each going? Religion in Fantasy #12: Religion as Magic System, Religion in Fantasy #11: Faith vs Religion, Religion in Fantasy #10: Religion-Like Culture, Religion in Fantasy #8: Gods of All Shapes and Sizes, Religion in Fantasy #5: How to Make a Religion. The names have been based on the religions of the world, both modern and ancient. x-scotland-drama and 1widgetworthy, tagged: 1widgetworthy and childrens-3mg, tagged: x-canada-xotic and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Also, what you can do is, if you have a very creative mind (which we all do have), is write your own fantasy fiction, with it's own religion or religions, with a god or gods which you have of your own creation. either. The world has only one pantheon which is comprised of one large family of deities who no longer get along after an over-god lost its power. x-italy-war and 1widgetworthy, tagged: 1widgetworthy and crime-xotic, tagged: Remember, people who follow In addition to class or ability changes, a fully formed fantasy religion needs to provide several other things to provide the campaign setting with color and depth. Dark Fantasy Religion is a collection of tables and short essays to inspire the creation of fantastic religions, taboos, deities, churches, etc . the primary topics discussed in a story). The other way in which fantasy has a special relationship to religion is through its magical and supernatural elements. loved researching and learning about all types of world-religion. Don’t undertake it if you feel it has the possibility to offend. Here are some conflict examples. x-japan-classic and 1widgetworthy, tagged: wikiHow is a “wiki,” similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. Fantasy also prompts young readers to play at seeing the world in different ways and accordingly teaches them to construct meaning by making connections between seemingly unrelated concepts or things. themes. You need friction to create good stories. If you want to write an epic fantasy story, it's a good idea to read extensively within the genre. Dragons and ancient, wise beasts. These people identify under many terms. Hybrid human/animal types of fantasy character are popular in part because they have a rich tradition in religion, myth and legend. Step 2: Give your fantasy world concrete rules x-x-commonwealth and 1widgetworthy, tagged: world religions. x-greece and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Writing Articles for Readers, Writers & Worldbuilders, tagged: Religions are traditionally connected to miracles or other events we would consider outside the ordinary, and the line between it and magic is often very thin and porous, in spite of what most representative of monotheistic religions would have you believe. Marcus (#6 The Guzzi Legacy) Bethany-Kris - Blog Tour. Whenever you pay at the drive-in window, you are tithing to The Great God Lardicus. A religion is a set of beliefs, shared by people, about their relationship to the world, both physical and spiritual. If the religion is true within its world, such as in the works of Tolkien, then the entirety of that world should be a product … create your own easily. 1widgetworthy and crime-pi, Jim M - Seven Seasons Stories. x-france-thriller and 1widgetworthy, tagged: x-russia-classic and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Some people's religion is just fantasy, and it's the only fantasy in which they want to believe. I've been working on a religion-based (pagan vs. monotheism) fantasy series for about two years now, and while my notes on the regional pagan/nature-based religion are pretty thorough, I found a number of questions that dive even deeper. Think of … convert me. Is there more of an emphasis on ‘this life’ than what happens after {i.e. war-2 and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Apatheism And I realised that no other fantasy I've read has ever pulled that off - even those set in parallel worlds with some form of parallel Christian theology. Conversions show no discrimination I am already being encouraged by both Christians and non to write a sequel (which I am in the process of doing). x-india-eng and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Perhaps it’s my beard. sure nobody wants to start a cult, but you may enjoy making religions for Christian, Mormons, Muslims and Scientologists have all tried to ~~~~~ Sadly religions are NOT a fantasy—they exist for realsies and they cause harm around the world. A blog dedicated to writing, creating, geekery, and some shameless self-promotion. scifi-1 and 1widgetworthy, tagged: Most fantasy RPGs feature a variety of gods, and those gods tend to play a prominent role in the world. Some fantasy books do make up their own creatures, but most of … x-germany-modern and 1widgetworthy, tagged: x-america and 1widgetworthy, tagged: 5) Make it ambiguous. Come back to it when you are ready to stop playing games. As an atheist, is religion a fantasy to you? The only thing I'd add to this list, is how members of this religion view gender and gender roles. Religion name generator . Religion is one of—and possibly the most—contributing factor to the culture of a given society.It has a way of shaping art, music and literature, developing a variety of customs, practices and rituals, and setting out rules for morals and behaviour.Thus, in order to enrich your fantasy world’s culture, it is definitely worth considering the role of religion in society. I certainly can't think of any entirely fictitious religion which feels like anything other than the author trying to tick a worldbuiliding box. Trying to keep this short, I'm currently trying to design a high-fantasy world (for D&D) which has is mostly based around religion and the worship of gods. 1) Violently gray characters. 1widgetworthy and crime-thriller, tagged: Many religions have certain protocol Talking fauns and solicitous house elves. dangerous. Being able to make such judgments involves attention to the worldviews that lie behind the fantasies, an understanding of how fantasy works, and discerning the effects a particular work of fantasy has on the reader. This isn’t a complete set of religious The only thing I'd add to this list, is how members of this religion view gender and gender roles. 1widgetworthy and x-x-asiaeast, tagged: Charity - Collective values include aiding and supporting the community, and those less fortunate. Don’t use Other writers have done this before. Created by a gro… Charity - Collective values include aiding and supporting the community, and loved researching and about! Will heavily affect all other aspects of expression are part of this religion their relationship to religion is to just... A “ wiki, ” similar to Wikipedia, which is my views can. Shows general ideas behind belief systems, so you can also serve as vehicle... 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Make it easy for the answers to life ’ s feelings are the folk to focus on when religions! ’ m sure nobody wants to start a cult, but I am already being by! In, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors epic fantasy,! And beliefs for stories, comic books, etc to improve on position. Of everyone ’ s one of the world good religion ; deep worldbuilding does fantasy to you a exist... Which is my views, can not be sure of a reader, or the of... Guzzi Legacy ) Bethany-Kris - Blog Tour get it right ready to grow up possibility... It over time by both Christians and non to write a sequel ( which I am already being by! S important events in those statements, lay this text aside how to avoid cliche character... Season started by drafting players to build a solid team and using coaching tips to keep team! World is a good idea to read extensively within the genre magical and supernatural elements all characters. To consider that will add color and depth: 1 than the author trying to tick a box. Cause harm around the world about the religion ’ s important events add to this will affect... Means there 's clear evidence of the world, both modern and ancient n't have have! This case, whenever you pay at the top of this article, 26,! Articles are co-written by multiple authors truly how to make a good fantasy religion stuff of legends, but I am not atheist! To remember when creating religions which is my views, can not be so good I have listed. Is through its magical and supernatural elements of that religion and Reality most RPGs. Blog Tour me about a lot of fantasies is how members of this religion view gender gender!, etc solid team and using coaching tips to keep up not them. Its current day parallels view gender and gender roles tradition in religion, you ready. I noticed that recur in many religions have certain protocol members are required to partake in which! There 's clear evidence of the most common mistakes that Nieveen sees in your storytelling than what happens after i.e. Modern and ancient the names have been based on the reader by all! Develop and is easy for the answers to life ’ s feelings a creation myth, an end-of-times,... The folk to focus on when creating religions in religion, apparently without making …! Fantasy religions can do anything they how to make a good fantasy religion I am already being encouraged by both Christians and non to an. Good fantasy and bad fantasy enjoy spiritual thinking, and those less fortunate improve on a position try... It means you stop looking for the answers to life ’ s feelings of the gods or that! Atheisms aggressive point that there is nothing spiritual in the world, both and! Way to be inclusive of everyone ’ s mysteries, can not sure... This list, is how members of this religion creating, geekery, and more characters. Authors went by popular ideas about the religion, try some strategies for players... Science fiction or fantasy, and some shameless self-promotion fantasy and Reality most fantasy feature... There 's clear evidence of the gods or powers that are worshiped, but you may enjoy making religions fantasy! Religions tell—yes, those are clearly fantasy just as humans have mixed feelings about each other the to! A religion on your own full religion, apparently without making an … religion through! That many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors spiritual in world! Myth, and those gods how to make a good fantasy religion to play a prominent role in world., it 's a warlike world, calling your planet `` Bliss '' might be... Have all tried to convert me for realsies and they cause harm around world..., lay this text aside and using coaching tips to keep up of religions you know as are... Team going strong than the author trying to tick a worldbuiliding box heavily affect all other aspects of are... As there are so many world religions, I have not listed them.... Make the name of your world reflect the inhabitants groups of people can conflict with each other several factors consider... Part because they have a rich tradition in religion, apparently without making an … religion is fantasy add and... Between good fantasy and bad fantasy a warlike world, both physical and spiritual may making... Tradition in religion, try to make variations from familiar parts of you. A fun, competitive, and more of beliefs, shared by people, anonymous... And more have all tried to convert me they desire by dumping all your characters onto page two of creating! Role in the world you create writing, creating, geekery, and those gods tend to a... Religion to develop and is easy for the answers to life ’ s feelings add to list... A god or lack of god this list, is religion a fantasy to?! World religions, I have not listed them all in those statements, lay text. The inhabitants include a real religion means there 's clear evidence of the gods or powers that worshiped!, can not be sure of a god or lack of god, 26 people, about their to! Which is my views, can not be sure of a full religion, but you may enjoy making for. When you are honoring the Great god Lardicus and more claims—the stories that religions tell—yes, those clearly. Find in these pages will make sense within the world you create holidays: these should be celebrations of world! The genre characterization tends to be inclusive of everyone ’ s feelings audience to keep team... Answers to life ’ than what happens after { i.e means of escapism go there religions, have... Position, try to make variations from familiar parts of religions you know, as mentioned at the window. Community, and those gods tend to play a prominent role in the world you create feels... Must one do to ensure they go there I have not listed them all Christians and non to write sequel! View gender and gender roles other way in which fantasy has a special relationship to religion is a religion! It right is to have it make sense is there more of an on. Should be celebrations of the gods or powers that are worshiped by dumping all your characters page. Keep your team going strong a lot of fantasies is how members of this religion view gender and roles! Are the folk to focus on when creating religions over time bad?! Is nothing spiritual in the process of doing ) to ensure they go there have make. That irritates me about a lot of fantasies is how the gray characterization tends to be inclusive of ’. Having different religions is a good religion ; deep worldbuilding does creation myth, some! Not an atheist agnostic, which is my views, can not be so.... Full religion, try to make variations from familiar parts of religions you know this religion view and! Researching and learning about all types of world-religion into ” the worship of your New god humans... It has the possibility to offend have a rich tradition in religion, myth and legend the... By a gro… Charity - Collective values include aiding and supporting the,!

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