During World Creation (see Core Rulebook, page 148) and play sessions, you will often be called upon to introduce new regions, towns, or interesting locations. This section contains advice and suggestions and discusses the mindset to adopt when creating natural fantasy locations, and then provides ten examples you can use in your campaigns or draw upon for inspiration.

## Ancient Roots, Future Branches

The key element that sets natural fantasy locations apart is simple, but should never be taken for granted – it’s the tension between a mostly forgotten past and an unpredictable future, a maelstrom of visions of ruin and hope.

- Roots in the past. Ancient events and their influence on the present might manifest in many different ways: from the complex religious traditions of a clan of hunters to the whispering ruins buried among the dunes of the desert. Every place has many stories to tell and lessons to teach those who explore it with an open mind, humility, and respect, accepting even its long silences.
- Branching toward the future. The future is unpredictable and not yet written: its potential might take the shape of a precious resource, a new generation able to break a millennia-old curse or even a small cub or hatchling, the last survivor of its kind.

To be narratively alive and inspired, a natural fantasy location should exist in the present, the liminal space between these vague extremes – showing the signs of a past not fully understood and holding in its hands a fragile future, which will blossom only if it’s protected without smothering it. We might say that:

If a location does not offer significant revelations about the world’s past or the traditions of its inhabitants, nor hides a potential that might bring joy or ruination, depending on how those same people cultivate it, then you need to put a bit more work into it.

However, remember that it is not just the Game Master who has the right and responsibility to create, describe, and enrich locations and areas in interesting ways. For instance, you can spend a Fabula Point to describe how your character hears a feeble voice coming from the nearby spring, despite the local elders believing its guardian spirit has long abandoned it – this is the kind of contribution that Players should provide often during the course of the game.