How to create Cultures? Lost Civilizations

• Cultures are meant to be Diverse.
• This diversity displays the Consistency of a World.
  • It’s complexity.
• If certain Cultures were to be Lost, yet still existing, they would likely be the most outlandish.

Summary – How to create a Lost Civilization?

1. Define the Origins of this Civilization.
   1. And eventually its Downfall.
2. Define her Legacy on the World.
3. Explain how she may or will be Rediscovered.
4. Relate the Tales of Survivors.
   1. If there are any.
5. Create more Clues for the Characters to find.
6. Let the Characters find this Information.
7. How should 1 find Information about this Civilization?
   1. Through Dialogues.
   2. Through the Environments.
      1. Through Buildings’ Architecture.
      2. Through Objects’ Description.

• If your intent is to create a Civilization which has fully extinguished a similar method can be used.
• All you need to do is to hide the potential survivors.
• And let the Legacy subsist in a more discreet way.



Origins

• Roots
• Where did this Civilization originated?
• Where there people before reaching this Location?
• It could be any location.
• All it needs to do is to define the Civilization’s core features.
• The Atmosphere, the Climate, the softness or the roughness of the world.
• All that serves to define clear fundamental Rules.

• Goal
• Why did this Civilization came to be?
• Was it always a Civilization?
• How do they define their own Culture?
• Do they truly have a Common Goal?
• The Goals may be multiple.
• Though, they’ll serve a common purpose: Self-preservation.
• Every goal of this Species/Culture should either serve to Extend or either Protect themselves.

• Organizations
• How are theses people Organized?
• How do they operate?
• Do they have Hierarchies?
• How are they structured?
• They should serve, to some extent, the common interest.
• Only if to gain more followers.
• Most Organizations, such as Guilds, will have a specific object.
• There may be Orders if you need to.
• This Culture does not need to have a Vertical Hierarchy.
• You can imagine other ways to Administrate.
• Make it different.
• Make it ideal.
• The more Foreign, the Better it will look.

• Does the Fall need to be Clear?
• The Reasons of this Civilization’s Fall, if it has fallen, have to exist.
• Yet, you only need to hint at it.
• There may be Characters pretending to know about the Civilization downfall.
• They may be lying.
• Or they may be merely extrapolating.
• They maybe convinced of the Story they tell the Protagonists.
• This conviction & maybe confusion maybe the result of a fortuitous Tale.
• It maybe a Description of the Lost land which was, in itself, confusing.
• It may be the result of Biases.
• As the Character’s perspective may have been flawed since the beginning.
• And as any Character’s Point Of View can be altered by another.
• In any manner, the Fall does not need to be clear.
• And is unlikely to be related in such way.

If you want to know more about Cultures.



Legacy

• Rules & Customs
• Which Rules are still used today?
• Who uses them?
  • Ancient Allies
  • Ancient Enemies
  • Ancient Rivals
• In which domain are they used?
• The Administrative model of this Culture may have been particularly efficient.
• Other Cultures may have tried to emulate it.
• It could have had some durable Economical Practices.
• As well as profitable Financial models.
• Did any Beliefs & Rituals subsist?
• Was the Familial model preserved by other Civilizations?
• Why?
• How did it impact modern day Cultures & Civilizations?

• Architecture & Arts
• Which Landmarks still Exist?
• Which pieces of Art can still be found?
  • Where are they exposed?
  • Are they preserved?
  • Are they valued?
• Who is interested in them?
  • Experts?
  • The general Public?
  • Organizations?
• Any form of Architectural Influence is a hint.
• It links multiple Cultures.
• Settings are a testimony of this Influence.
• Signs, Scriptures & Shapes can be found in:
  • Buildings
  • Carvings
  • Statues

• Technologies & Inventions
• Which Innovations are still used?
• Which ones have been enhanced?
• Which Procedures are still used?
• Any Inventions?
  • How popular are these Inventions?
  • How Practical are they?
  • Who uses them?
    • Professionals?
    • Anybody?
• If a piece of Technology is so old that there are no traces of its Origins in your World’s history, it may have been build by a Lost Civilization.

If you want to know more about Governments & what they have left.



Rediscovery

• Lost Lands
• Perhaps these Worlds were once well known.
• Perhaps they were Loci of attraction.
• Perhaps they had a much small, yet essential role.
• Whichever Story you wish to tell, the Presence of a Lost Civilization in your World implies that it has or had a purpose.
• And therefore, may or will be rediscovered.
• As someone will have an interest in it directly or indirectly.

• Distant Lands
• Are these Worlds still accessible?
• Are they too Difficult to reach?
• Or too dangerous?
• Maybe a technology needed to reach them is not available anymore.
• What could be done to find it once more?
• Which tools are necessary?
• Who controls the Access to these tools?
• Or, who can create them?

• Forbidden Lands
• They may have went on an Exile.
  • Accepting it willingly.
• They may have been Exiled.
• In either way it was not consensual.
• But in the latter case they may have been imprisoned.
• Or their lands prescribed.
• Bounded to a limited territory.
• And hidden from the rest of the World.
• Yet, they could be satisfied with their fate.
• Or resigned to it.
• Remaining what they want to be.
• Let their culture flourish.
• In this hidden prison.

If you want to know more about Storytelling through the Setting.



Survivors

• Are there any Survivors?
• How do you Identify them?
• Do they have physical features?
  • Body
  • Faces
  • Clothing
• Do they behave in a certain manner?
  • In which Situation?
  • Why do they behave this way?
• Do they have other quirks?
  • Language
  • Accessories
  • Animals

• Why should there be Survivors?
• You may need Survivors.
• If you need to tale specific tales.
• If you need specific Information.
• Otherwise, they may not be alive.
• Information can be found in Objects.
• On bodies.
• Characters Presence or Absence are also indicators.
• Is there anyone looking for Survivors?
• Who is this person?
  • An Enemy.
  • An Ally.
  • Other or Undetermined.

• How did they Survived?
• How did they subsisted?
• Did they have to forage for food?
• How did they remain Unnoticed?
• Where did they hide?
• How did they hide?
• Why were they
• What made them peculiar?
• Did they possess a Peculiarity which allowed them to both Survive & remain Unnoticed?

If you want to know more about humanoid Species.