Conhistory
From KneeQuickie
The term "conhistory" usually refers to the internal history of a conworld (how events within occured) as opposed to its real life history (how the creator made and revised the world as an artistic work).
Focal point
As a general convention, a conhistory spans any number of years but reaches an end around a specific point that people within the world regard as the present day. This point usually coincides with the time when stories set in the conworld tend to take place, as well as the departure point for the (generally undefined) future. Naturally, the point that the conworld "ends" at has a large influence on how history before it might have played out. Common focal points include:
- Ancient/Classical
- Mediæval
- Renaissance
- Futuristic
Of these, the Mediæval period has proven the most popular and perhaps even iconic of the art of conworlding due to the influence of Tolkien. Worlds set in this time typically introduce supernatural elements such as non-human races and magic and unthinking imitation of such elements has led to many excessively derivative worlds. Some have commented that despite heavily using a mediæval setting, many writers of fantasy know little about how societies of the time actually functioned.
The renaissance or post-mediæval period has appeared somewhat less frequently, but Mark Rosenfelder's Almea provides a well-known example.
Rarer still are contemporary or futuristic conworlds.
