Crafting Worlds: How Climate and Geography Shape Fictional Realms

The art of worldbuilding is where the canvas is as vast as your imagination and every brushstroke adds depth to your fictional universe. In this post, we delve into the pivotal role of climate and geography in shaping the worlds of our stories.

In N.K. Jemisin’s MasterClass, she talks about the 5 basic steps of “Macro Worldbuilding.” Most of this post centers around number 3, but reaches into 2 and 4.

1. Draw hemispheres: 2 circles to represent the planet and divide them into hemispheres.
2. Add continents (which will affect your weather patterns)
3. Create the rules of the planet. This is the step where we most commonly think about scientific things, such as how do the air currents work and how would that affect the land masses?
4. Pick a location on your planet where the story will take place.
5. Decide on your element X. This is a whole different topic that drives many speculative, sci-fi, and fantasy stories. Watch this blog for a future post about “Element X”.

The Foundation: Geography as the World’s Backbone

Geography is the skeleton upon which the body of a story is built. It’s not just about drawing a map; it’s about creating a living, breathing world. Mountains, rivers, deserts, and forests are more than mere scenery; they’re dynamic elements that influence everything from culture to character development.

Mountains and Valleys

These natural fortresses and secluded valleys can lead to isolated cultures with unique traditions. Consider how the rugged terrain of a mountainous region might shape the people who live there – perhaps making them hardy, self-reliant, and suspicious of outsiders.

In The Serpentine Throne, my main character hails from a home in the mountains near a waterfall. This protected area with a near-tropical feel sets the stage for where and how Nantai is ruled. It also ties into her sorcery: the Storm Sorcerers’ magical connection to the wind (and the atmosphere). While this series explores multiple landscapes, the mountain and waterfall are a key part of the character Mairynne is and who she becomes.

Rivers and Oceans

Waterways are the lifeblood of civilization. They dictate trade routes, strategic locations for cities, and even play into mythologies and religions. Think about how the culture of a riverside city might differ from that of a coastal town.

Rivers and oceans have played a pivotal role in literary history, serving as powerful symbols, settings, and plot devices across various genres and periods. Their influence is profound and multifaceted, deeply embedded in the narrative fabric of countless works. Here are some ways these bodies of water have shaped literature:

1. Symbolism: These bodies of water are often laden with symbolic meaning. Rivers can symbolize life, journey, change, and even the passage of time. For example, the river in Herman Hesse’s Siddhartha represents the protagonist’s spiritual journey and transformation. Oceans, on the other hand, often symbolize the vast, the unknowable, or the powerful forces of nature, as seen in Ernest Hemingway’s The Old Man and the Sea, where the ocean represents both a physical challenge and a metaphorical journey.
2. Atmosphere: Water bodies provide a dynamic setting that can shape the mood of a narrative. The Mississippi River in Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” serves not just as a setting but as a character in its own right, influencing the plot and reflecting the themes of freedom and adventure. In Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness,” the Congo River creates an ominous and foreboding atmosphere, reflecting the novel’s exploration of imperialism and human psyche.
3. Reflection of Human Emotion and Conflict: Many writers use rivers and oceans as mirrors for human emotion and internal conflict. The ebb and flow of tides, the tranquility or turbulence of waters, can parallel characters’ emotions, conflicts, and transformations.

Forests and Jungles

Dense woodlands can be mysterious and uncharted territories, home to ancient secrets or elusive creatures. They might be seen as sacred, fearsome, or a source of valuable resources.

Like rivers and oceans, there are themes tied to forests and jungles alike.

1. In Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy, the dark forest symbolizes being spiritually lost.
2. Fairy Tales and Mythology, such as The Brothers Grimm’s fairy tales.
3. Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book and Edgar Rice Burroughs’s Tarzan of the Apes, where the jungle is both home and a challenging environment for the protagonists.
4. Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, where the forest becomes a place of chaos, magic, and eventual clarity.
5. Barbara Kingsolver’s The Poisonwood Bible delves into the complexities of life in the Congo rainforest, including the cultural and environmental clashes.

Weathering the Story: The Impact of Climate

Climate isn’t just a backdrop for your story; it’s an active player. It affects the daily lives of characters, shapes societies, and can even drive the plot.

Harsh Winters

In a land where winters are brutal, survival becomes a central aspect of life. This can lead to stories of resilience, seasonal migrations, or conflicts over resources.

Arid Deserts

Desert climates create an environment of scarcity, which can foster nomadic lifestyles, ingenious survival strategies, and conflicts over oases and water sources. In my contribution to the Enchanted Skies charity anthology, Barūdragon ventures into The Great Sands east of Nantai to find her stolen egg. There, she encounters harsh conditions and meets the nomadic clans, called the Moritoi. They have mastered the art of survival in the Great Sands, utilizing every resource with meticulous care, including the magic of drawing water from deep within the earth. Their life is a dance with nature and a testament to adaptability in the face of adversity, and they are critical to helping Barū on her journey.

Read more about the setting in this blog post: Announcing The Blue Dragon’s Quest.

Tropical Climates

These regions can support a diversity of life and cultures but also come with challenges like intense rainfall, humidity, and a plethora of dangerous fauna.

Geography and Climate in Plot and Character Development

The interaction between characters and their environment is a goldmine for storytelling. A character’s skills, beliefs, and personality can be shaped by the landscape they inhabit. A mountain dweller might be an adept climber and hunter, while a desert nomad could have unparalleled survival skills.

Moreover, climate and geography can drive the plot. Consider a story where a long, harsh winter threatens a kingdom, or a natural disaster forces characters out of their comfort zones, leading to unexpected adventures and growth.

The most prominent example of driving plot and character development is from George R.R. Martin’s A Song of Ice and Fire., where “winter is coming” embodies the danger from the geography, climate, and the white walkers.

Conclusion: Painting with Nature’s Palette

In worldbuilding, geography and climate are details that can’t be overlooked; they are the canvas on which a story is painted. They provide a setting that goes beyond a backdrop and becomes integral to the sense of reality in a story. These elements influence everything from the plot to the essence of your characters.

Remember, when building a world, you’re shaping how your characters interact with the world around them rather than just creating a place. Let the rivers flow, the mountains rise, and the climates temper the spirits of your worlds. Happy worldbuilding!