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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 10h

Oh, this is truly horrifying (meant with a laudatory connotation)

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 10h

…hybrid of the two with a dizzying array of interconnected rules (and exceptions upon exceptions to said rules).

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 10h

#OctoberWorldbuilders 9: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), each society has different board games, with Atmoriel have a six-sided, six player version of a rough “checkers equivalent,” Hrothians playing a simplified version of chess, and the Vizrani playing a convoluted…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

…operation in the city of Vizrala in the Vizrani Empire.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 8: In Karnassia stories (co-authored wishful @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) Celvan “Swindles” McGee is the last knowledgeable about games, especially games of chance played with cards and dice, which he mostly doesn’t play himself but rather runs a small (and illegal) gambling…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

…the Avendrals ever built that was destroyed during the Storm of Sorrows roughly two millennia before the Karnassia stories are set.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

…while the Velas-gav mountains are on the other side of the desert where the Nation of Avenad meets to sea, creating stunning bluffs for any who approach by ship from that side. On this side, there is a peninsula to the north containing the ruins of the city of Tilaeria, the only above ground city…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 7: The Avenad desert in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) is surrounded by two mountain ranges: the Errias Mountains form the border between Avenad and the surrounding Kingdom of Hroth, Kingdom of Valestra, and a minor portion of the Vizrani Empire…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

So, the Avendrals have the same water requirements, but they mostly get their water supply from underground sources (particularly underground streams, rivers, and lakes), but this does make me wonder about some of the other organisms besides the cacti that store their water…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

…unusual diet of small game, cactus fruit, and roast grubs, the entire society is built around the unusual means needed to survive in subterranean cities at the edge of the desert.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 6: The Avendrals of Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) have built their culture around surging the Avenad desert. Between building underground (to stay out of the heat), frequency of scarves, shawls, and other head and face gear (to manage dust), to the…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

I am super sparse for the moment while traveling, but glad that you’ve been able to enjoy time offline, and hope coming back feels good as a result!

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

I’m clearly a big fan of it, hahaha

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

…variety of mosses and mushrooms.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

…however, below the surface, the vuleri (bioluminescent porcupine foxes) are joined by all sorts of other bioluminescent mammals and insects, including the vespandrim (bioluminescent wasps the size of calves), parumbursi (large bioluminescent bear-cats), and giant centipedes, as well as a large…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 04/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuders 4: In Avenad in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the surface of the Avenad desert has minimal fauna (save for the vuleri on certain cool nights) and flora are fairly resisted to certain flowering cacti that will occasionally bear fruit and mesquite trees…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 3: In the Nation of Avenad in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the cities of the Avendrals are all built under the mountains, some of them in larger caverns, others just built into the interwoven tunnel system of caves beneath the mountains.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

So, the Atmorals do not live underground, but rather they build aboveground dwelling in their home in the Atmoriel archipelago to the north of mainland Karnassia, where the climate is tropical. The Avendrals are the descendants of a group of dissidents from Atmoriel who split roughly four and a...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

...mostly familial groups that engage in limited trade with each other and with the Avendrals on the rare occassion that they travel the surface.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

...wander the surface, moving from habitable location to habitable location as those emerge. These nomadic groups are humans rather than ral, and appear, most likely, to be descended from Cyrans who may have migrated to the mainland from the island of Cyra generations ago. These folks form small...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

...with the bloodspawn (as they are called in the Common Tongue) who live further below Avenad in the tunnels and will occasionally try to strike out toward the surface. In addition to the Avendrals living under the ground, the surface of the Avenad desert is home to several nomadic groups that...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

...while the Atmorals view It as the universal laws to be understood, the Avendrals view It as the universal laws to be accepted, particularly the idea that "change is the only constant." This free and open society has its limitations, however, as the Avendrals are in frequent military conflict...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

...shape national policy and city-level policy for the capital city of Sucara. Avendral society has a strong emphasis on individual autonomy and self-expression (particularly artistic expression) balanced against collective good. Religiously, like their Atmoral cousins, they "revere" It, though...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 02/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 2: For the desert of Avenad in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the main society is the Avendrals, who have a government system lacking one leader but ruled by a Council of representatives from the predominant guilds and factions of society that help...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

...subterranean cities beneath the mountains at the edges of the desert and travel in a tunnel system beneath it. The surface is hot, flat, and dry, and most animals that dwell within it spend significant time underground rather than on the oppressive surface.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

#OctoberWorldbuilders 1: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the predominant desert is Avenad, a desert between the Erias and Velas-gav mountain ranges. It is a hot desert, with little plant growth on the surface, and the Avendrals who call it home exclusively live in...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

...requirements (which is good, because I haven't found a TON of stories that have these elements in fantasy settings).

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 30: I am a huge fan of lovable rogues, heists, grimdark/crapsack worlds, and other elements of stories related to fantasy-style thieves' and assassins' guilds, especially. I will say, that while these will inevitably suck me into a story, I wouldn't necessarily call them a...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

…be a reason for them to also be rivals, come to think of it…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

#Septopolis 29: Hoping better late than never! I think that as @sayaashrah.bsky.social mentioned, Freeport would absolutely welcome Or̉el̉īs’s refugees (and I get the sense that Atmoriel and Or̉el̉īs would be sister cities from an “authoritarian elven hell hike perspective, though that might actually…

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I love writing in world documents, and it is the main way that I want to deliver worldbuilding details! It has the added benefit of being a potentially unreliable source, which I find to be a big benefit

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 29: I recently finished Beyond Redemption by @michaelrfletcher.bsky.social and absolutely loved it. Very dark and very fascinating worldbuilding ideas. I recommend it, though I wouldn't say that it's for the faint of heart.

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Reposted by R. T. Jenkins

Kira of the Wind (Erika McCorkle) @kiraofthewind.com · 28/09/2026

Good morning, Worldbuilder friends! Here is your #OctoberWorldbuilders megacard for the month! I've been taking a small break from social media lately, so I might be a bit absent this month, too. But I'll try to find time to hang out with you all on occasion! I wanna hear about your worlds!

OCTOBER WORLDBUILDERS
Hosted by Kira of the Wind

WEEK 1: DESERTS
1: Name of a desert in your world
2: What’s your desert society like?
3: Desert town architecture
4: Desert animals/plants
5: Myth/legend/religion about
desert
6: How do they survive?
7: Geology and archaeology

WEEK 2: SPORTS AND GAMES
8: Does your MC play a sport?
9: Board games in your book’s world?
10: Competitive game/sport
11: Cooperative game/sport
12: Equipment/pieces
13: History/famous figure involved in a sport/game
14: Strategy for winning

WEEK 3: WORK AND JOBS
15: Common jobs in your setting
16: Food and water production
17: Emergency services
18: How are people paid?
19: Shady/illegal work
20: Government employees
21: Jobs unique to your setting

WEEK 4: AESTHETCS/VIBES
22: Share a moodboard or art
23: Aesthetics of a town/city
24: Overall vibe of your story/book/wip
25: Religious/cultural vibes/influences
26: Clothing and accessories
27: What feeling or thoughts do you hope your readers come away with after reading your story?
28: Something special about your world

Extra days:
29: Plans for next month
30: Recent character you’ve created
31: Happy Halloween! Which of your characters would you like to see someone cosplay? (Or who would you cosplay yourself?)

The background image display trees in a peaceful forest during autumn, with lots of yellows and oranges. It feels very much like October and has a serene vibe

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

...(especially given Karnassia is not currently at war and the League of Karnassia mediates most territorial and resource disputes), Freeport was part of the Vizrani Empire for a significant chunk of its history, and so there is still some lingering tension toward that nearby city and the Empire...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

...that are also part of the Republic (including some outlying farms and towns outside of Freeport's walls) and the city of Vizrala in the Vizrani Empire (which is roughly a a day's trip by boat from Freeport). While the relationship with the latter is now mostly a friendly trade relationship...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 28/09/2026

#Septopolis 28: Freeport's relationship with other cities in Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social) is defined by trade at this point, with significant trade flowing into and out of the city. The closest settlements are one of to types: settlements on nearby islands in Freeport...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

...to the obviously horrifying social order piece, how are crimes like treason and/or blasphemy treated or investigated (especially investigated, are all these forcers "well-signed" or is there enough undercover elements that people "can't trust their neighbor")?

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

I feel like I've been waiting for this all month and it did not disappoint. As a fellow "authoritarian elven government" enjoyer, this was horrifying (laudatory). I feel like one area that I always find interesting is investigation in a "secret police/treason/Inquisition" standpoint. In addition...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

...encountered outside of these two towns (especially in places like Vizrala, Freeport, and Greytown), but there are some odd cultural elements to this, as the most common form of punishment for crimes (especially theft, burglary, robbery, and violent crime) is to be exiled from these two towns.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

...the continent (and at least one Atmoral scholar has suggested that they are likely the indigenous people of Karnassia). It is clear that their numbers were historically much higher before they dwindled to just these two towns/communities, but no one really has a full account. Beadaoga are..

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

So, in Karnassia, the dwindling of the Beadaoga is to a degree an unsolved mystery. All of the other people of Karnassia have a clear migration story, even if the timeline is not super clear and even if the events were millennia prior, but the Beadaoga don't have a story about when they came to...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

...worsened since the Great Famine, when civil unrest related to the divide between rich and poor in the city led to the use of law enforcement predominantly by the rich to defend themselves and "their property" against the push for a more event distribution of wealth.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#Septopolis 27: In Freeport like in much of Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), the laws of the land are enforced by a local guard that is overwhelmingly a position for retired members of the military. The relationship between the average citizen and law enforcement has...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

...acted as anchors to existence soon after its creation.

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

...no light or time until the gods came into being and willed these into existence. Whether or not the existence of light or the planet existed first actually varies, with the Hrothians believing light came first and the Valestrals thinking that light was created specifically to feed plants that...

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 27/09/2026

#SeptemberWorldbuilders 27: In Karnassia (co-created with @jmaxwell-author.bsky.social), there is a strange overlap in the myths of the Valestrals and Hrothians that darkness was what existed before the emergency of the gods, both having a somewhat overlapping view that in the beginning, there was..

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R. T. Jenkins @rtjenkinsauthor.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

If you have any friends who are lawyers, they make great folks to review in-world constitutions, just as a fun fyi

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