[WB] Let's Create A Bronze Age Fantasy Setting

[Guilang]

After watching some Troy: Total War gameplay (and lamenting my potato laptop won't run it/being Epic Store exclusive), I finally wanted to explore how one goes about making a Bronze Age setting for fantasy. Reason why is I feel it is a setting less represented in popular culture, and as a history buff/college graduate in history I wanted to explore making a Bronze age setting. I have a general idea of basing it off the Trojan War and Bronze Age collapse, where there is a major conflict before the major civilizations in the region go on the decline. Perhaps with some kind of fantasy/mythological element to it.

Free to hear some critique and ideas!

 

[Agamemnon]

Sounds like a solid foundation for a Bronze Age setting, care to elaborate on it more?

 

[Guilang]

Only have general ideas at the moment, but wanted to base the civilizations on real-life ones in some sort of way. Though not one-hundred percent to make them unique (and represent different groups being part of any empire at any time). Another idea is perhaps make it one unified Kingdom/Empire that fractures, with the different noble families representing something based in history.

As for the fantasy/mythological aspect I wanted to lean more towards a semi-Lovecraftian take with mythological beasts and creatures being more the representations of the horrors and such early humans could only really comprehend at the time. As well as magic being quite a danger as well as a boon.

Granted that is the rough ideas but thought I'd get it out there.

 

[Agamemnon]

An Empire is a good to centralize the setting somewhat, yes. I assume you're going to go for a more Grecian inspired setting considering your mention of the Trojan Wars, yeah? Regardless, you could base the Empire on Cyrus the Great's Achaemenid Empire with its system of numerous culturally diverse satrapies, which in turn would take on the role of the different noble families you mentioned once said empire fractures. A lot of creative freedom if you go down that path, and I am most definitely would be interested in helping with writing some of said noble families/civilizations.

Also, I dig the take on the fantasy and mythological aspect of it, that's a refreshingly new way of taking on the concept. Though I do have a question in that regard: How would you go about dealing with the subject of gods and whatnot? Do they exist in the same vein as Lovecraftian Old Ones or are they more conventional Bronze Age Era pantheons? Do they still influence mortals or have they take a more hands-off role? Is magic itself something granted by the Gods, or is it a primal force that has existed for as long as the universe has?

 

[skyfetcher]

Personally, I like starting off from a map. I find it's the best way for me to start a setting from 'ground up' as far as what would fit where ("how does this civilization develop, given the geography?") then moving to the 'rules' that would help give it shape.

 

[dragonsen]

I start with theology. What beliefs do the people have? Why do they have those beliefs? Myths are how people explained natural events during that time.

 

[Inkybus]

Personally, I like starting off from a map. I find it's the best way for me to start a setting from 'ground up' as far as what would fit where ("how does this civilization develop, given the geography?") then moving to the 'rules' that would help give it shape.

That is a good way to approach worldbuilding in general, I think.

 

[skyfetcher]

That is a good way to approach worldbuilding in general, I think.

Agreed. I started my settings off just bundling a bunch of ideas together... to this day the biggest thing holding me back is geography. Makes it ridiculously easier when you have some kind of physical anchor, and from there you can get the meta together that defines the rest of the world.