Planet

What is the overall terrain of the planet?

Think mountainous, flat, oceanic, volcanic, etc.?

What places are most hostile?

And what unexplored lands remain?

What large bodies of water exist?

How much of the planet is land vs. water?

What extreme or unusual landforms make it unique?

And what natural wonders define the planet's identity?

How does gravity affect landforms?

Compare it to Earth.

What regions are most hospitable to life?

Conversely, which parts of the planet are hardest to govern or control due to geography?

How does the terrain impact...

Settlement? Transportation? Communication? Military strategies?

How long is a day on this planet?

And how might day length vary by latitude or season?

How long is a year?

How do orbital patterns define seasons or cycles?

How do axial tilt and orbit affect seasons?

E.g., are there extreme, lengthy seasons, or is the climate stable year-round?

How many moons orbit the planet?

And how do they shape tides or timekeeping?

What calendars or systems of timekeeping exist?

How do civilizations synchronize across regions or planets?

How does the measurement of time impact...

Agriculture? Trade? Warfare? Communication?

How did this planet come into being?

And what origin myths explain it?

What are the oldest known civilizations?

Where did they arise?

What golden ages or collapses marked planetary development?

How have wars, cataclysms, or extinctions shaped its trajectory?

How have maps of borders and nations shifted through time?

Describe the depiction of the planet through the lens of an older map vs. a modern map.

How does the past of this planet impact the present?

E.g., what ongoing conflicts are rooted in ancient history, if any?

How do historians and storytellers disagree on the planet’s past?

And how do different regions preserve or distort historical truth?

What is the climate like across the planet?

How do different parts of the planet vary in climate?

What is the gravity like on this planet?

Write a scene of athletes competing in low or high gravity games.

What natural resources are available?

Which resources are fought over most fiercely?

What are the most common weather patterns?

What about extreme weather patterns?

How do polar regions or equatorial zones differ?

How might climate vary between poles and equator?

What ecosystems dominate the planet?

How habitable is the planet without technology or adaptation?

What kinds of life evolved here?

Consider everything from sentient species to flora and fauna.

What ecosystems dominate?

And what is the food chain like?

What civilizations or cultures dominate the planet today?

How have these cultures risen or fallen through history?

How do languages vary across continents or species?

And how might trade or conquest spread a common tongue?

What ideals or philosophies are spreading or declining on this planet?

Narrate a debate between advocates of two rival philosophies.

What values are celebrated planet-wide, if any?

How do skeptics question the reality of these common values?

What unites or divide species?

How does it differ across the planet?

How are planetary borders drawn?

How do history and conflict shape these boundaries?

What political systems dominate on this planet?

What types of governments exist, and which are most powerful?

What are the planet’s major political powers?

Consider the way these powers exert influence militarily, economically, culturally, etc.

What alliances or relationships shape global politics?

E.g., in terms of allies and enemies? Why do those relationships exist?

What role does this planet play in a larger galactic setting?

E.g., is it a diplomatic hub, a backwater colony, a military stronghold, etc.?

What treaties or agreements maintain peace or war across this planetary system?

How do leaders enforce or break these agreements?

How do ordinary citizens perceive planetary politics and foreign affairs?

Consider the way farmers, merchants, or workers talk about global events. How do propaganda or media shape their opinions?