Fictional Histories
Histories are a series of historical events that shape and define the course of a place, culture, or civilization. Fictional histories are often used during fictional worldbuilding and can provide context, help establish a setting or world era, or deepen the lore of a world. Fictional histories may be alternate versions of our own history or may be in depth chronicles of a fantasy or science fiction landscape with their own unique timelines. They can give context to elements like ruins, ancient temples, ancient civilizations, borders, and political disputes between factions.
Synonyms: lore, chronicles, archives, annals, sagas |
Example Mythonyms: A History of the World of Nimbus (Volume III) |
Designing Fictional Histories
Archetypes
Foundations
Overview
Timeframes
When creating a fictional history, worldbuilders should first consider the timeframe they want it to encompass. While some worldbuilders may wish to begin at the beginning (the big bang, a magical event, or the creation of existence by a god), and end at the end (the eventual heat death of the universe, Ragnarök, the End-times) others may wish to focus their efforts on a single era or series of eras. They may leave prerecorded history as a soft element, merely painting it with the broadest of strokes, and leave the future entirely a mystery. This may be especially true in worlds with a defined present.
Historical Events
Once the general historical timeframe has been established, worldbuilders can focus on populating it with key historical events. These may be the collapse of an empire, the first self-sufficient space station, or the outbreak of a major contagion. Worldbuilders will want to familiarize themselves with general historical timescales. The average human lifespan and duration of empires can be helpful to know when constructing a fictional history. Placing these events on a timeline will help keep things organized.
Time in Perspective |
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Average Human Lifespan: 79 Years |
Time between the first flight and the moon landing: 66 years |
Time dinosaurs inhabited earth: 179 million years |
Length of Ottoman Empire: 600 years |
Time between the start of the Roman Empire and the building of the pyramids: ~2500 years |
Time between the start of the Roman Empire and the present: ~2000 years |
Eras
t may be useful to divide fictional histories in distinct eras. Eras [ancient eras; dark ages] allow designers to quickly characterize large sections of a history or timeline.
True & False Histories
Worldbuilders should keep separate the true history of their world from the history that is known by its’ inhabitants, as they may not be the same thing. False histories as well as myths & legends may be present in a world.
A history may manifest itself in cave paintings, fossils, archeological dig sites, and museums.
List of Historical Events
Icon | Event or Era | Sub-Elements | |
---|---|---|---|
A Great Leader Descends into Madness | Simplified | Explore | |
An Assassination Occurs! | Simplified | Explore | |
An Assassination is Attempted | |||
A Beheading! | |||
Two Nations Go to War | Simplified | ||
A New Country is Established! | Simplified | Explore | |
A War of the World Begins | |||
Peace is Made | |||
A Volcanic Eruption | |||
An Asteroid Strikes the Globe | Explore | ||
A Major Scientific Discovery | |||
A Disease Spreads Over the Land | Simplified | Explore | |
A Great Monument is Erected | Simplified | ||
A Species Becomes Extinct | |||
A New Religion is Founded | Simplified | ||
A Holy War Begins | |||
A Prophet is Born | |||
A Prophet is Martyred | |||
A City is Destroyed | |||
A Drought Occurs | |||
A Flood Sweeps Over the Land | |||
A Comet Transits the Sky | Simplified | ||
A New Land is Discovered | |||
The People Rise Up | |||
A New Material is Synthesized | Simplified | Explore | |
A New Resource is Discovered | Simplified | Explore | |
A Curse is Cast | |||
A Curse is Broken | |||
A Demon is Summoned | |||
A New Leader Seizes Power | Simplified | ||
New Magics are Developed | |||
A Portal to a New World is Opened | Explore | ||
The Planets Align | |||
A Planet Dies | |||
A Planet is Colonized | |||
First Alien Contact is Made | |||
Faster-than-Light Travel is Invented | |||
A Prophecy is Made | Explore | ||
A Prophecy is Fulfilled | Explore | ||
An Exodus Occurs | |||
A Civil War Transpires | |||
Time Travel Invented | |||
A Time Loop Occurs | |||
A Time Loop Occurs | |||
A Time Loop Occurs | |||
A Time Paradox is Created | |||
The Timeline is Fixed | |||
The Timeline is Fixed | |||
The Timeline is Fixed Again | |||
A Golden Age | |||
A Dark Age | |||
An Enlightenment | |||
New Form of Transportation Invented | Simplified | ||
An Era of Endless War | |||
An Empire Reigns | |||
An Age of Peace | |||
A Coup d'Etat | |||
Fire Discovered | |||
Creation Occurs! | |||
Magic is Lost | |||
Magical Item Uncovered | |||
A Neutral Zone is Established | Explore | ||
Lost Civilization Discovered | Explore | ||
A New Gold Rush Begins | |||
First Circumnavigation of Globe | |||
The Global Poles Are Reached | |||
An Age of Discovery | |||
Deepest Seas Explored | |||
First Exploration of Moon | |||
New Trade Route Established | |||
A Cold War Occurs | Simplified | ||
A Proxy War Begins | Simplified | ||
A Diplomat is Murdered | |||
A Maiden Voyage Sets Off | |||
A Weapons Development Race | |||
A New Superweapon Developed | |||
A Coronation Occurs | |||
A Rebel Group Forms | |||
A Terror Attack | |||
A Laboratory Accident Changes Everything | |||
A Famous Celebrity Dies | |||
A Migrant Crisis Unfolds | |||
A New Drug Takes Hold | |||
Death Itself is Vanquished | |||
A Great Civilization Collapses | Simplified | ||
The People's Hero is Executed | Simplified | ||
The Financial System Collapses | |||
An Ancient Evil Arises | |||
Patient Zero Identified | |||
The Known World is Sacked by Invaders | Simplified | ||
A Great Megastructure is Built | Simplified | ||
The Heavens Open | |||
An Influential Leader Arises | |||
An Authoritarian Regime Gains Power | Simplified | ||
A Hostage Situation Unfolds | |||
A Major Storm Rages | |||
A Great Earthquake Occurs | |||
A Massive Tsunami Hits Land | |||
An Alliance is Formed | Simplified | ||
A New Mutation Occurs! | |||
A Great Battle is Fought | |||
Countries Become Unified | |||
A Religion Becomes Divided | |||
A New Philosophy Arises | |||
A New Scientific Theory Emerges | |||
A Species Becomes Domesticated | Simplified | ||
An Island Sinks into the Sea | |||
A People is Freed | |||
A Continent Fragments | |||
A Mountain Range is Formed |