r/FantasyWorldbuilding

I’m working on a book and wanted to get some feedback on a hypothetical metal I’ve developed called Leskium (historically known as "The Dark One’s Iron"). I wanted to create something that feels truly legendary but has a set of physical laws that make it a double-edged sword for the story.

The Origin:

It’s found at the bottom of the "Boiling Sea"—literally superheated water that kills anyone without specialised gear. Because you need Leskium gear to safely mine raw Leskium, the first people to harvest it died in droves. It’s a metal built on a blood price.

The Physics:

• Thermal Inverter: It conducts heat but stays cool to the touch. If it’s exposed to extreme freezing temperatures, it actually feels lukewarm.
• Hydro-Luminescence: The metal doesn't rust; it reacts with $H_2O$ to generate a brilliant white light. In a rainy battle, a soldier in this armour becomes a glowing beacon of light fueled by the water (or blood) hitting them.
• The Three-Heat Rule: This is the big one. It can only be heated three times and set once. And you need Drake's Breath to forge it.
  1. Heat 1: Melting the raw ore.
  2. Heat 2: Refining and shaping.
  3. Heat 3: The locking heat. Once it cools after the third heat, its molecular structure is permanent. You cannot reforge it. If you mess up the smithing, it's an indestructible piece of junk forever.

The Weakness (The "Oops" Factor):

It’s indestructible, never dents, and holds an edge forever... unless you use Drake's Breath. This special powder creates a heat so intense it’s "hotter than hot."

• If Leskium is hit with that level of heat after being set, it becomes incredibly brittle. In this state, it can be shattered like glass.
• If it absorbs too much heat without shattering, it hits a "Critical Overload" and flash-freezes the wearer instantly to reset its thermal balance.

The Vibe:

The nobility use it to be "invincible" tanks on the battlefield, but the commoners still call it the Dark One’s Iron because of the eerie glow and the way it refuses to break. And the fact that if it gets wet, you are basically a flashlight covered in blood, aka water.

Opinions:
So is this way to op or is it ok, and what tweaks does it need? Thanks ya'll. GBY❤😁

It's a question that comes up in my life now and then, and I think it's an interesting worldbuilding question for some reason.

Hey everyone,

I’ll try to remember to include links to my previous posts about this project, but for quick context: I’ve been working on a fantasy/otome-isekai style story centered around my main character, Annelise.

At this point, I’ve reached a pretty confident place with the worldbuilding. Obviously, worldbuilding is never truly “finished.” There is always another detail, faction, historical event, cultural wrinkle, or background character you can add. But I feel like I now have enough of the foundation in place that I can properly focus on the narrative itself.

The basic premise is not meant to be groundbreaking or revolutionary. The protagonist, Samantha, dies in her original world and wakes up in the body of Annelise, the villainess from her favorite dating sim, The Land of Endless Promises. So yes, it is very much playing with familiar villainess/otome-isekai tropes, but I’m trying to make the execution, character dynamics, and consequences interesting.

I’m currently writing further ahead in the story, around Arc 4, near the beginning of Chapter 2. Because of Samantha/Annelise’s actions, the original game timeline has started changing in major ways. One of those changes involves the “heroine” structure.

In the original game, the setup was fairly typical. But in the altered timeline, instead of two central girls competing for attention, there are now three. The original heroine figure is being overshadowed, bullied, and ignored because everyone is more focused on the other two. This creates a very different emotional and social dynamic than the one Samantha remembers from the game.

Now here is where my actual question comes in.

Back when Samantha was still alive in her original body, her favorite character in The Land of Endless Promises was not one of the male love interests, not the heroine, and not even one of the main cast members. Her favorite was Saintess Lara.

So when Samantha becomes Annelise and eventually meets Lara, she naturally wants to get closer to her. She is excited to know her, protect her, and build a real relationship with her. At first, I imagined this as a strong friendship with some playful, dangerous flirtation here and there — nothing too serious, just two characters with chemistry enjoying each other’s company.

But now I’m debating whether to take it further.

Option one is to keep it mostly on the “light side”: a deep friendship, maybe with hints of flirtation, emotional intimacy, and some tension, but without making it a full romance. This would keep their bond important without turning it into Annelise’s central romantic relationship.

Option two is to be a little more daring and let it become an actual romance. In that version, Lara could become the character Annelise is slowly drawn toward more seriously over time. There would still be humor, flirtation, messy emotions, and all the fun character moments, but the relationship would gradually become one of the major emotional anchors of the story. Possibly even the person Annelise settles down with by the end.

To be clear, Annelise is still very much herself. She is still chaotic, morally questionable, and very much interested in attractive people around her. She is not suddenly becoming pure or restrained. But I’m wondering if Lara should eventually become the one person who matters to her in a more lasting way.

So that’s my question:

Should I keep Annelise and Saintess Lara as close friends with dangerous flirtation, or should I let the relationship develop into a full yuri romance?

I’m curious what people think would be more interesting from a character and story perspective.

You know, because it's a cool idea and it's an interesting idea to explore.

i need new ideas for a new fantasy story after my original

for example:

it could be a dungeon,

or it can be an open world like my story

The Covenant would be one of a few of the main factions in a novel I'm working on, one of the leading vampire groups in the Covenant take in mymain character after he is brutally assaulted and turned into a vampyr. I think the concept works well for a "punk" inspired gangster/noir novel. I'm curious what people think of it and if there are any questions feel free to ask!

For Context,

Tzina Isle is a colonial outpost for the Sovereignty of the Savross Archipelago. After multiple invasions and five hundred and eighteen years of colonialism and rebellion there is an unsteady peace under the stewardship of the Savross Logistic Syndicate. On Tzina, vampyrs are hunted and drained of ambrosia the blood of a vampyr, and both a high energy fuel as well as the key ingredient necessary in creating Amrita a cure-all serum that can extend life.

Catassi,

Catassi is a bustling industrial city on Tzina Isle and unlife for a vampyr in Catassi is a bit different here. In Catassi the most powerful coven leaders in Catassi formed a secret alliance with the Syndicate leadership that not even the Sovereign knows about. Vampyrs in Catassi who maintain a civil, discreet, nonlethal lifestyle, are allowed to live in Catassi with the stipulation that should any vampyr be discovered, the deal would be void and they would proceed in accordance to the Vampyr Laws. In return every vampyr must pay a “blood tax” of ambrosia to the Syndicate and it is up to the Coven leaders to collect it.

The Covenant,

To ensure compliance, every vampyr that wants to live in Catassi under the Covenants protection from the Temple of Bleeding Saints or any other rouge vampyr must do the rounds making a simple but powerful blood covenant with every predecessor. If someone were to breach the covenant the others would know and if the breach was significant enough they might be excommunicated, loosing their protected status or hunted outright.

How To Join,

For vampyrs inducted into old and powerful covens this is often done at lavish lounge get together’s where the new vampyr is introduced to the movers and shakers of the vampyric underworld. While vampyrs coming from around the Isle or estranged fledglings must go around to their predecessors begging for acceptance, which is not always so easily given and its often impossible for stragglers to be formally accepted. Those that inducted are allowed to do as they please so long as they draw no untoward attention towards their nocturnal activities and pay the tax.

The Tax,

As part of the deal vampyrs have to give Syndicate leadership their magical blood ambrosia, to streamline things and to remind the stragglers and young vampyr covens who’s boss the older, more powerful covens send enforcers, dubbed tax-men to collect and ensure that it gets to the Syndicate. The rate and method that tax-men pay is up to the coven leader’s digression.

For April, in the spirit of April Fools and 4/20, I spent the month working on this video. Each stage of making it I got a little bit more intoxicated. This is the final result.

So as it says I like writing alternative history fiction I just want to know how to make it realistic and plausible to actually happen

context:

this story is set in a mythical world, or forest named Erynd, this forest contains very rare and wonderful animals, and species. in later chapters i will try to mix in some moments between her and her old friend, this story is about a young girl named Mandra:

(edited)

CHAPTER: 1 

CLAW AND STONE 

A girl stands in front of a stone wall,  

She slid on thick gloves and struggled to hold a chisel in one hand. It slipped slightly. after a long sigh she muttered, “I’m not getting paid enough for this.” She said, she set the chisel into place, with a single strike; rock started to crumble. revealing a hole. she tilted of her head and slowly she reached her hand inside, something brushed against her glove,  

Then- 

CLAMP  

The sound echoed through the entire cavern; workers paused; heads turned; whispers spread. “doesn’t that hurt?” a visible grin appeared on her face, “that’s why I wear these!” She lifted the free hand showing the thick glove. her other hand stayed in the hole; pressure tightened around her wrist, then she yanked hard, pulling it free, dust bursted into the air. Coughing, she held the struggling stone crab dangling from her fingers, with a flick,  

THUD 

It fell into the crate in front of her, and she looked at her glove, new dents marked the surface. “Aw...man. I just got these...” coming from a nearby tunnel a worker walked out with a crate overflowing with colorful gems, they shined and twinkled as he walked by, a girl nearby leaned in closer and whispering in Mandra’s ear. “How can someone get that much?” Mandra didn’t bother to look up and shrugged, with her hammer raised she was about to strike the chisel again,  

a alarm blared signaling the end of work, she turned than let out a sigh; “Finally.”  She stood upright 

POP   

A loud pop sound echoed from her spine; she winced, rubbing her shoulder. Beginning her walk towards the underground library, the library was clean; it almost looked untouched by time with flowers that were somehow brighter than ones from the surface.  

DING 

The door chimed; her equipment clanked as she walked inside. Candle snails lined up the walls; some slept; others stared. she wandered calmly towards one of the shelves aligned neatly with books, as she reached for a book, she felt as someone was standing behind her, “you're wearing your equipment inside the library again.” She jumped a little before turning around; Her mother stood with a candle snail sleeping on a small metal dish. “Oh, sorry it’s a habit.” The snail shifted a little, and her mother sighed. “You forgot something.” Mandra froze, then her head lowered, “Happy birthday mom...” a genuine smile appeared on her mother's face, “good,” she said softly, “you remembered.” Mandra rubbed her neck, “I wasn’t trying to lose my finger at work today,” Her mother pointed at the floor. “You also forgot to clean yourself off.” Mandra stiffened, and her mother softly shook her head. “Just sit.”   

The Heavenly Demon Apollyon. He ended up being captured by five different races who did a ritual to lock him in the heavenly void. For five hundred years he would be trapped there being forced to watch his own death on loop but each time the loop restarted the death would become more brutal than the last. During that time he managed to do two things. The first thing that he managed to do was form a stronger will called the absolute will. This means that all forms of mind attacks will fail against Apollyon. The second thing that he managed to do during that time was cultivate his heavenly energy enough to connect to the cosmos itself and form infinite energy for himself to use. When he managed to do these two things he ended up shattering the restraints he was put in before distorting space and shattering open a cosmic rift into the mortal domain. When he descended upon the mortal domain he made himself known by releasing a large amount of heavenly energy covering the entire mortal domain. This was a warning telling the five races that they made a mistake and they will pay for what they have done. 

I'm writing an adult-themed LitRPG based around an annual MMORPG competition and I need your filthy, creative, brilliant minds. Help me brainstorm weapons, spells, armor, and attacks inspired by double entendres, puns, and the urban dictionary… the more perverse and farcical the better. I really can’t wait to see what you all come up with. Here's everything you need to know:

"Someday, SOMEDAY, SOMEDAY. Tickets now on sale for the S.W.A.L.L.O.W. EXPO! Meet your favorite adult entertainers. See product demos that will make you wet and wild. Experience the latest in AHE® immersion pod technology, now 100% compatible with the latest 40 iterations of the G.A.M.E.S. VR experience — featuring full sensory fidelity, enhanced PPE integration, and certified for the forty-third consecutive quarter free of code-transmitted super neural gonorrhea."

Five hundred years after Earth joined the Coalition of Interstellar Trade and Universal Standards the galaxy still can’t get enough of the planet’s number one export, media and entertainment. Earth culture is like diplomatic herpes — highly contagious, mostly harmless, flares up when you least expect it, and absolutely incurable. Despite the  Laws for Unincorporated Biological Encounters, the observers and handlers of Earth started inflating their credit accounts from black market transitions of Earth media, especially stuff from its golden era known as the 20^(th) and 21^(st) centuries. Practically proving the old adage…

“At least when C.O.I.T.U.S. fucks new worlds, they use L.U.B.E. first.”

No C.O.I.T.U.S. industry was more influenced by the spread of Earth culture than the adult leisure sector. With the Sex Workers Association of Labor, Licensing, Output and Wares becoming one of the early adopters of immersive At Home Entertainment options featuring Earth inspired content. The trend was so popular, it even took over the pinnacle event at the annual S.W.A.L.L.O.W. Expo, the Galactic Augmented Multiplayer Environmental Sexcapades. An event that is now broadcast live to over 100,000 C.O.I.T.U.S. worlds, with multi-quadrillion viewers tuning in for every hour of the 30-day competition hosted in Vegas, Earth the new entertainment capitol of the Milky Way.

Now, every galactic year hundreds of thousands of S.W.A.L.L.O.W. members, mainstream entertainers, influences, trendsetters, and treasure hunters pay the entrance fee for a chance to compete for fame, riches, and glory in the fully immersive, MMORPG. This year, the prizes are bigger, the sponsors more motivated, and everything about the G.A.M.E.S. is new to discourage PvP violence giving more players a chance at reaching the never before completed Boned Zone and a potential prize of 26.32 quadrillion credits. An endowment that has been growing for over five hundred years.  

Thus far I have decided on the following classes for my MMORPG:

Bull — Warrior class focused on pure offensive melee combat.

Enforcer — Monk class focused on front-line protection, crowd control, and unarmed combat.

Dominatrix — Ranger class focused on party control, protective leadership, and group attentiveness.

Hunter — Hunter class focused on resource gathering, traps, tracking, and animal taming.

Rake — Rogue class focused on stealth, speed, and precision strikes.

Hellion — Barbarian class focused on raw power, high damage output, low defense, and rage mechanics.

Masochist — Paladin class focused on tank/heal hybrid mechanics, powered by absorbing damage and dedicated service.

Stripper — Bard class focused on party support, buffs and debuffs, and social/persuasion mechanics.

Succubus — Mage class focused on pure spellcasting, high damage output, and a predatory seductive playstyle.

Sadist — Warlock class focused on dark magic, summons, debuffs, and pet mechanics.

Switch — Druid class focused on shapeshifting, versatility, and nature-based abilities.

Submissive — Cleric class focused on primary healing.

Rigger — Artificer class focused on crafting, constructs, rope specialization, and artifact/gadget creation.

Mercenary — A support class focused on hired player assistance and the player-economy.

Fuckboy — Bombardier class focused on ranged offense and defense from a safe distance.

Here are the weapons, spells, armor, and attacks I’ve come up with this far that fit the adult entertainment/MMORPG theme:

Weapons

Staff of Stability – Magical staff that can be used as a mele weapon, magical conduit, and stripper pole.

Breast Pump Machine Gun – Full automatic machine gun designed to be worn as a chest plate with the trigger worn on the hand. Allows the wearer to fire a duel barrel machine gun from their pectoral muscles.

Taste of Steel – Sword, the wielder tastes everything the sword tastes. Provides attach and charm bonuses.

Spells/Potions

No-More-Tears – The best healing potion available in the G.A.M.E.S. produced and sold by sponsor Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceuticals. Restores 100% health, stamina, and mana instantly with a 1-minute invulnerability buff. If the potion is stored in a player’s active inventory and their health dips below .25%, the potion will automatically be consumed. Cool-down 24-G.A.M.E.S. hours. Cost… more than most players will earn in a year outside the G.A.M.E.S.

Mystery Supplements – Available for purchase at every convenience store and mercantile counter across the G.A.M.E.S. with various formulas available for temporary boosts and buffs. Side effects may include hair loss, shrunken testicles, relaxing or tightening of the vocal cords, and anal leakage.

Armor/Gear

Super Sonic Pumps – Pair of stripper shoes that when clacked together emits a small sonic boom disorienting nearby enemies and causing health damage. Grants wearer an increase to their agility and charm.

Attacks

Cum Shot – Unique to the Fuckboy class. Transforms the player’s genitals into a small canon that fires a load of cum at the enemy, draining their stamina and mana. Inflicts the disgust debuff on anyone, friend or foe, within 10 yards for 1 minute. Attack increases as player levels up the skill.

Punch Drunk – Unarmed attacks gain 25% damage when attacker is drunk.

I am open to all suggestions… go crazy and have fun!