Conworld

From KneeQuickie

Conworlds, or constructed worlds, may be invented for many reasons; probably the most common is for use in works of fiction. All fantasy, and much sci-fi, is set in conworlds. Conworlds may also be created as a setting for role-playing games, or as an artform in themselves with no regard for using them as a setting.

The interest in a conworld often lies in the concultures it contains; often these are cultures of humans, but many conworlders also delight in inventing non-human races. Some conworlds do not contain humans at all. Concultures are often linked to conlangs.

Types

There are several types of conworld: the alternate Earth or alternate history conworld is the Earth we know, but with some part of its history altered; the interest then lies in seeing how things might have happened differently.

An Earth equivalent is a world that is Earth-like, but is not Earth; its geography as well as history may be freely changed. Included in this category are extra continents or islands imagined as lying in parts of the Earth that are in reality covered by water; conworlds of this type often include interaction between the invented part and real countries.

The final type of conworld is one that is not Earth at all, but is another planet with its own astronomical data; in this type of conworld, anything may be changed. Sometimes the conworld is not a planet, but a moon orbiting a gas giant; sometimes even the laws of physics, reality and common-sense as we know them are different.

Some ideas like a united conworld have also come up, envisioning a conworld unified by many concultures of other people. It is still in its early stages.

History

Many trace the art of conworlding to Tolkien, who created perhaps the most famous conworld of all, Middle Earth, as a setting for his Lord of the Rings and other works. His work set the standard for later conworlders with his emphasis on realistic language development and detailed history. It also gave rise to many tropes and trends that remain widespread in conworlding today, such as the ever popular Mediæval fantasy setting and races such elves.

Though not explicitly focused on conworld creation, the ZBB acts as a de facto stronghold of the conworlding community.