# questionnaire for making a fantasy race

march 4, 2021, 2020
#design #lore #worldbuilding

## Aspects of Culture

General things to consider about your fantasy race to fill out their culture. Obviously not every point is going to be relevant.

### Basics

- Basic Needs
- Reproduction
- Survival
- Climate
- Enemies
- Allies

### Lifecycles

- Birth - how and where are offspring born? who is allowed to give birth?
- Parenthood
- Childhood
- Coming of Age
- Love
- Mating
- Marriage
- Death
- Education
- Career

### Religion + Legend

- Dominant Religions
- Denominations
- Cults
- Atheism
- Religious Figures
- Central themes of the religious teachings
- Explanations for the natural world - how the world came to be? the origin of Man?
- Afterlife - where do they go after they die?
- Evidence for religion
- Local legends

### Climate

- Preferred climate, climates inhabitted
- How do they adapt to their climate?
- Danger
- How does their climate connect and separate them from other cultures?
- What raw materials are available to them?
- What seasons do they have?
- Weather

### History

- How is history recorded and shared? Is it accurate?
- Origin of their people, nation
- Significant events - expansion, wars, diaspora, exile, mass murder, transfers of power
- Local history - early settlement, original population, development, local heroes, times that national events or figures that visited the local area

### Culture

- Cultural Identity
- Housing
- Cuisine, Dining
- Leading Industries, Imports, Exports, Trade
- Class Stratification, Castes
- Factions, Politics
- Gender, Gender Roles
- Race, Sub-race - Where and when did the other races or subraces arrive? Where do they tend to live? Influence on the greater culture, and vice versa? Race relations? Stereotypes? How are biracial people perceived?
- Foreign culture - immigration policies to and from, perception of immigrants
- Crime - Forms of crime, punishment
- Health
- Beauty, Fashion - Beauty Standards/Desired traits for mating, Differences among different demographics + factions, Influences
- Rituals, Holidays, Festivals, Fairs, Masquerades
- Language
- Naming practices - when are names received? how many names are given? are names ever changed? what are naming conventions and how do they differ among the different factions? are there naming authorities or rules?
- Etiquette
- Art - Architecture
- Entertainment - sports, hobbies
- Symbols, Color associations

### Others

- Time