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**Worldbuilder’s Anvil**

Do you have visions of fantasy world’s dancing through your head? Are you a gamemaster that wants to tell stories in your world? Are you a fiction writer who wants your next setting to be your best?

Do you want to build better fantasy worlds?

Then the Worldbuilder’s Anvil podcast is for you. Learn to create the physical world, characters, cultures, kingdoms, races, species and monsters. Learn it all, with some banter to boot.

Join Michael and Jeffery on the weekly podcast that looks at storytelling, game mastering, pop culture and life through the lens of fantasy world building. Subscribe TODAY!

Listen to new episodes every Monday and BUILD BETTER FANTASY WORLDS.

Latest Episodes:

Season 3 Episode 10 Being Proto-Caiaphas Nov 07, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – He is Dangerous

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Basic Meta Questions

Who are they? – Important character in priest class
What do they do? – Priest Growth, Rain, and Gender swap plus the rule makers
Where are they? – 2 tier Central, and frog in the tree

When do they do it? – Run the island
How do they get it done? – They are bigger than any village
Why are they doing it? – Leading

Extended Meta

Type of character? - ???

Depth of Character Round or Flat thanks Judy Blume Round – ????
Who is the character connected to? – Every village and the core priest
How are they connected? – Religion

WBT

Caiaphas and his Toadie

RW Task

Start the Sandman Comic, I am not sure of the author.

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://twitter.com/JefferyWIngram

Season 3 Episode 9 Big Bad Lizzyer Nov 04, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – Lightning not included

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Basic Meta Questions

Who are they? Bad boy, leads for self gratification
What do they do? - Leader the Hunger Empire
Where are they? – From afar until act

When do they do it? – 2nd act and on
How do they get it done? – Fear, and willingness
Why are they doing it? – Prove themselves

Extended Meta

Type of character? - Static

Depth of Character Round or Flat thanks Judy Blume Round – Flat
Who is the character connected to? – Everyone in a bad way
How are they connected? - Strife

WBT

Cut back on the meat

RW Task

Soylent Green

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://gardul.com/blog/season-3-episode-9-big-bad-lizzyer/

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Season 3 Episode 8 Lizzy the Leader take one Oct 17, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – Let's eat a Frog… or even a toad

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Basic Meta Questions
- Who are they? – Warrior Leader (Veteran) She
- What do they do? – Leader of Vanguard
- Where are they? - on a ship getting ready
- When do they do it? – Breaks the idea what the world was like
- How do they get it done? – Number plus physical prowess
- Why are they doing it? – Burnt ground both way. Desperate
Extended Meta
- Type of character? Static
- Depth of Character Round or Flat thanks Judy Blume Round
- Who is the character connected to? Big Bad Lizzy
- How are they connected? Oath bound

WBT

Have your races eaten… fantasy races

RW Task

Watch Cannibal the Music

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://gardul.com/blog/season-3-episode-8-lizzy-the-leader-take-one/

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https://amzn.to/3iLk4FH Cannibal the Musical

Season 3 Episode 7 Beep says Jeff to the Big Green Toad Oct 10, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – Let's Build a Frog… yes it is not a toad

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Basic Meta Questions
- Who are they? The Chonsen one – Play him as every
- What do they do? Farmer
- Where are they? On Farm on the Island
- When do they do it? At the beginning of story
- How do they get it done? The journey with the artifact
- Why are they doing it? Desperation
Extended Meta
- Type of character? Dynamic vs Static
- Depth of Character Round or Flat thanks Judy Blume
- Who is the character connected to?
- How are they connected?

WBT

Build a frog race for your world

RW Task

Read the little blue truck

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://gardul.com/blog/season-3-episode-7-beep-says-jeff-to-the-big-green-toad/

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Season 3 Episode 6 An Interview with Jacob Hess Oct 03, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – More or less

Jacob Hess. You may have caught his first book, The Bright Abyss. Jacob tells stories that are going to be reaching into your darkest fears and your deepest belongings. He wants to connect with you through his stories in a way that many other writers don't bother trying and where we were lucky enough to get them on the show. So without further ado, an interview with Jacob Hess.

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Warmup
- Hello is there anything else you would like people to know about you?
- Do you feel Orc or Elf today
- (Note in most worlds elves are considered nice and orcs are naught. Feel free to use any race that comes to mind. )
Main Feature: (A Conversation about these topics)
- Tell us about your latest work?
- How do you connect your worldbuilding back to The Story?
- When did you know you had a love for worldbuilding?
Tell a STORY about how you knew you love building worlds.
- What was your "I can" experience?
Biggest achievement to date?
When you learned of it.
What was its impact on your progress as an author and a worldbuilder?
- What real-world advice do you wish you had known sooner?
- Tell a quick STORY about some task that could have gotten you started sooner as a writer
Character Building:
What is your formula for a great character?
What do you dislike about character creation
What is your number 1 tip about character creation?
Wrap up:
- Thank you so much for letting us interview you today.
- How can people learn more about you?

Please check out Jacob E. Hess's Website and join his newsletter

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://gardul.com/blog/season-3-episode-6-an-interview-with-jacob-hess/

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https://www.jacobehess.com/

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The Bright Abyss Kindle Addition https://amzn.to/39NNRbT

Get Kindle Unlimited Membership for free Kindle books

Season 3 Episode 5 Medium- Sep 28, 2021

Show notes

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Not Quite the 3ms
Meant to add flavor, really a specialty quirk
They are linked to the Mythic but do not effect directly effect the story
Dark Ones Own Luck
Interest Power Quirks

WBT

Give one of your characters a wasteful use of high power

RW Task

Learn some stretches and exercises at your desk

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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Season 3 Episode 4 The Mysterious Mythic Medium Aug 08, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – The M^3 of Powers

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

I am talking fantasy here
- Tech, Supernatural, Superhero Power
If there is nothing here it is not fantasy
How are they mythical
We are talking Character but
- Racial, Prop, Place, or
Interesting Powers from fiction
- If not fantasy how can we make it mythic

WBT

Think of your creator side as a fantasy character. What is your creating Mystic Support

RW Task

Listen to podcast while walking, Brain

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://gardul.com/blog/season-3-episode-4-the-mysterious-mythic-medium/

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Season 3 Episode 3 Pleased to meet you, I hope you know more than their name. Aug 04, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – Uncling yourself

For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Researching real-world connections
RPG Starter
1. Meeting characters they know. Normal and extreme behaviors will need to be explored in the story.
Backstory(s)
Rabbit Hole Stories
1. Develop or use quirks in the stories
Freewriting stories when advantages and disadvantages impacted the character
Go beyond the character's
My stopping point is when I feel like I know the character

WBT

Create a character of yourself, and make them the hero

RW Task

Find a topic you have a strong opinion and create a good counter argue

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://gardul.com/blog/season-3-episode-3-pleased-to-meet-you-i-hope-you-know-more-than-their-name/

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Season 3 Episode 2 Why your characters suck Jun 27, 2021

Show notes

Today's Topic – Yeah, they all suck

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

Characters are never completely fleshed out, until your story is complete the can still grow and change
Basic Meta Questions
- Who are they?
- What do they do?
- Where are they?
- When do they do it?
- How do they get it done?
- Why are they doing it?
Extended Meta
- Type of character? Dynamic vs Static
- Depth of Character Round or Flat thanks Judy Blume
- Who is the character connected to?
- How are they connected?

WBT

Build your Moiraine, Lucifer, Baralis

RW Task

Share your characters with family/friend/undercroft

Michael's Resources

Use Gardul.com/Amazon when shopping online to help support the show

Were alive Podcast

Links

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https://www.gardul.com/blog/season-2-episode-2-the-christmas-story-is-and-shows-worldbuilding/

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Season 3 Episode 1 The Character Primer Jun 21, 2021

Show notes

Season 3 Episode 1 The Character Primer

Today's Topic –Steps to awakening your inner worldbuilder

Please Subscribe, Rate and Review us on iTunes For complete Fantasy Worldbuilding, show notes go to Gardul.com

Podcast Show Flow

How is Character Development worldbuilding?
- Characters are both tool for you story to unfold. They are also tools for how you share your worldbuilding with people you interact with.
How does this normally fit into my style of worldbuilding?
- Formally
- Reality
This is not the normal top-down approach I prefer. However, it is realistic to how my mind works
Does this need to be deeper than the meta development?
- When should it
- When it should not be?
2 Levels to character development
- The Surface view
- The Character Creation AKA GURPS meets Robert Jordan. Or Harper Lee… (insert author here)
- From the Meta to the Detail
Goal of the season
- Create the main antagonist(s) and the protagonist(s)
- Generic Priest, Warriors for both sides and farmer for the frogs
- Later season we will work backwards to the cultures