Questions tagged [urban-fantasy]
Questions for incorporating fantastical elements into the modern world (20th century or later), with an emphasis on cities.
93
questions
5
votes
4answers
184 views
How can supernatural social beings avoid total extermination/enslavement when the human world has the Big Brother system?
The human world has the world government (and thus the single Big Brother system, which monitors people living even in the most obscure places).
For sake of being short I will call "supernatural ...
23
votes
19answers
6k views
How do the inhabitants of my city-wide death trap figure out that nobody will be let out until only 100 people are left alive?
So, in my story, there is a city that gets cut off from the rest of the world. Golden translucent walls rise up on all four sides, going all the way up into the atmosphere and all the way down to the ...
3
votes
3answers
101 views
Why doesn't my memory-manipulating illuminati routinely sweep new species for immunity to their mind control? [closed]
My story is set in the late 90s, in an alternate reality where elves, dwarves, vampires, werewolves and the like all secretly live amongst the human race. Initially the masquerade trope is played ...
6
votes
5answers
903 views
How can I plausibly justify why a secret society of superhumans didn't get openly involved in the political events of the 2020s? [closed]
I have a setting that is intended to be set in the "present day" (i.e., whenever the reader is reading it) set in the United States which involves a secret society of supernatural people ...
3
votes
2answers
254 views
Seating in Integrated Cities - Not all humans, different species
Okay, so, I have different species than the ones for, well, most of my questions (This is the first question of the series), but the purpose is still here. However, it's on an alien planet, called ...
11
votes
7answers
2k views
How powerful could a person with superpowers/group of superhumans be without greatly affecting world history?
One of the major problems I've always had with the MCU and the DC universe is how powerful many of the beings or people are whilst the World is still almost the same as ours.
It was as if the writers ...
18
votes
8answers
5k views
How can a 15-year-old vampire get human blood?
Since they can't really work a job that would allow easy access to blood, I thought of having them volunteer at a blood bank then maybe steal a bag. Alternatively, is it plausible that they would come ...
12
votes
18answers
7k views
Is it realistic for a town to completely disappear overnight without a major crisis and massive cultural/historical impacts?
I was inspired by this question which talks about feuding clans of immortals in an urban fantasy setting trying to wipe out each other's cities while under a masquerade. There's a lot of this kind of ...
5
votes
5answers
393 views
How could my secret societies of immortals take over rival-clan-controlled towns without breaking the masquerade?
In a previous question, I brought up the concept of sanctuary towns, towns populated entirely by people who know about the population of immortal (as in they can't get old or sick; they can still be ...
2
votes
3answers
156 views
Is it possible for a group of supernatural beings attempt to declare an independent, sovereign state from within the U.S [closed]
I had previously asked this question about how the U.S. military would deal with a secessionist uprising from an organized coalition of werewolves, when I realized I hadn't thought very much about the ...
7
votes
6answers
893 views
What would be the best city in the U.S./Canada to live in for a supernatural being trying to exist undetected from humanity?
I am wondering if there are any specific cities on the North American continent (not considering Mexico for the moment being, for reasons detailed below) that supernatural beings trying to live hidden ...
4
votes
2answers
136 views
21st Century Intracity Train Design with These Races
Link To Races: Rail Transportation with Races Described Below - Specifically, Seating
However, this will be for my intercity and international, trains. Intercity means this: It starts in one city in ...
1
vote
3answers
302 views
Freezing the water in blood
Ice magic lowers the temperature of things. I was thinking of freezing the water in blood (specifically blood plasma) to kill. How would this work? Also, can it be used on non-mammals, like sea ...
7
votes
2answers
131 views
How do I strike a balance between real-world inspiration and purely fictional design, especially for alternate cities? [closed]
My primary question comes from a fledgling animator's perspective. I'd like to capture the general look and feel of a lot of South Florida's cities, while also combining it with my urban-fantasy/...
5
votes
6answers
610 views
How large could a population of supernatural beings be and still be plausibly hidden?
I am trying to figure out how large the population of supernatural beings can be in a stereotypical urban fantasy setting before their numbers stretch the suspension of disbelief. I.e., your standard ...
1
vote
1answer
93 views
Is there a place in which a portal to another dimension could be hidden for five years, but then discovered by children? [closed]
I am writing a story in which two children, ages 12-14 years old, discover a portal to another dimension. The portal is roughly the size of an average door and has existed for five years prior to ...
3
votes
3answers
1k views
How hard would be to make a concrete fluid container to explode?
The situation is that two magic users are fighting a concrete golem, their only way to defeat it is to destroy it, when this characters crack it they find that the golem is hollow so their strategy is ...
1
vote
3answers
1k views
Could cobalt make a good sword? and what knownk alloy would be the closest to it?
The setting is semi modern urban fantasy where there are mercenaries with the task of slaying monsters on the unpopulated areas, steel is the first metal to go when it comes to making weapons on large ...
2
votes
5answers
164 views
How bright and lit up could cities be in the future?
Technology will obviously make lamps much brighter and with wholly new designs and functions like self-illuminating walls, surfaces and glowing objects. Genetic engineering could also create trees and ...
6
votes
3answers
350 views
How would people in the 1920s-1930s explain or rationalize superpowers?
In June 1938 Action Comics #1 was published, introducing Superman to the world and codifying the modern idea of a superhero that the world has known for almost the past 80 years. There were ...
23
votes
15answers
10k views
Where could a vampire get blood without harming people?
I am looking for possible ways in which a vampire could obtain blood to feed in an modern urban fantasy setting explicitly without harming humans or other sapient beings. Parameters for this question ...
4
votes
2answers
98 views
Tracking time between multiple different realities simultaneously
How do I track time (using a special time system) between two realities that are not necessarily parallel but if a person jumps from one to the other what would the time be in comparison to their ...
11
votes
9answers
2k views
How do you all work out the relative costs of spells?
Magic system question here. Would much appreciate your help!
I've read a decent bit about writing magic and I think I have a decent grasp of Sanderson's laws.
My magic has a cost (you have to shed ...
0
votes
3answers
200 views
Strategies against a water bender in modern day for an average citizen?
Assuming a water bender can only manipulate water that they are either touching or is within their relative touching distance (say, a few cm to a meter away), and assume that blood, saliva, and sweat ...
33
votes
6answers
12k views
How big would a Daddy Longlegs Spider need to be to kill an average Human?
Daddy Longlegs Spiders, officially "Pholcidae" are known to be the worlds most venomous spiders, sort of.
We are supposedly unaffected by them because their fangs are too small, the shape of their ...
3
votes
9answers
2k views
Best gun to modify into a monsterhunter weapon?
In my post-apocalyptical-urban-fantasy setting, the main character is a mercenary mage who uses a gun with a big bayonet as his main weapon. The blade is supposed to be some kind of a glaive.
The ...
29
votes
19answers
11k views
Why do dragons like shiny stuff?
I like the classic trope of dragons loving gold and collecting it in their lair, yet it seems poorly justified. I know that it is often used as a metaphor for greed; "dragons disease" to show how ...
-1
votes
2answers
1k views
Ideal time in human history for reveal of Demi-Humans and the Conditions for their coexistence
In this world, demi-humans (not just elves or orcs, but also other races like lamias, centaurs, minotaurs, driders, lizardman, alraune, vampires, etc.) have always existed but they did not start ...
1
vote
1answer
182 views
What accommodations would a giant need?
I'm making a human female who's size was multiplied by 10. I need to know what sort of accommodations she'd need to make up for any disadvantages. This is in the modern day, so 21st-century medicine ...
0
votes
2answers
316 views
What would one wish to make magic real? [closed]
One day, as I walked in some random countryside, I found myself in the presence of some higher being. It's kinda blur in appearance, and I can't quite say if it's a genie in a lamp, a technologically ...
32
votes
24answers
7k views
Reason why dimensional travelling would be restricted
Alternate dimensions/timelines are an important part of one of my settings, a modern fantasy. Magic is well known, and it is possible for objects to be enchanted by a powerful magic user to connect ...
7
votes
15answers
4k views
What are some reasons for mages to use guns as well as magic? [duplicate]
The world that I'm building is set in a fantasy world that is reminiscent of the early 20th century. Magic involves the traditional eight schools and anyone can become a magician if they choose to ...
18
votes
8answers
6k views
What would be a source of iron to ward off faeries in todays world
In a story I'm writing, I'm going to need iron to ward off magical creatures, faeries to be exact.
This iron should not be used in an alloy with other metals or coated with something like paint, tin,...
13
votes
24answers
4k views
If fairies don't need as much food, water or space, why wouldn't they overwhelm humans in the post-apocalypse? [closed]
I'm writing a story about the aftermath and consequences of a runic magic system being mysteriously introduced to the human race by an unknown entity. Every week a new rune is given to everyone on ...
27
votes
13answers
8k views
Is an hour-long weekly driving ban feasible in modern America?
So here's the deal: my story takes place in modern America in the aftermath of an unexplained event where a runic magic system was introduced to humanity by an unknown entity. Every week a new rune is ...
8
votes
7answers
3k views
Earth under one roof: Feasible?
Okay, so how feasible is it- if even possible- to put the Earth under 'one roof'?
So here is the premise. The world is heavily heavily over populated, so overpopulated in fact that almost all of the ...
1
vote
3answers
236 views
Is it possible for two dimensions to exist on one planet? [closed]
I'm writing a fantasy comics and I am stuck on a particular idea. Imagine if Hell existed on our planet. Like hell is here, we simply cannot see it, because there is an invisible barrier between the ...
0
votes
3answers
4k views
Whats the difference between the plane, dimensions, realm and realities [closed]
I'm trying to trying to world build a high fantasy and sci-fi. But I can't differentiate the difference between the plane, dimensions, realms and realities. So, I want to know what the difference ...
2
votes
2answers
237 views
Designing a constrained spell-crafting system for the modern world [closed]
I am attempting to construct a magic system for a fictional modern world akin to ours. In this world, like ours, magic has largely been forgotten, so it is no longer part of the world and has had no ...
2
votes
0answers
168 views
How can there be endangered humanoid species? [closed]
In my urban fantasy, I have several human species that coexist with humans. I'd imagine some like species such as who're classified as Faeries have a stronghold to have intercommunication with humans. ...
3
votes
5answers
523 views
Needing help with “New York” worldbuilding in 1920s setting [closed]
I have been writing a fantasy novel for the past 12 years. The story is mostly finished (as far as the storyline and plot goes), but I have been having some trouble with worldbuilding. The story is ...
7
votes
6answers
418 views
Would subways/trains be adapted to be practical for various fantasy species or would something else be invented?
The title says my question exactly. Also if another mode of general transportation were invented for a landlocked city, what would it be? Below are the specific fantasy species that I am dealing ...
8
votes
5answers
1k views
Some science or graspable logic behind a whole new world below the ocean on earth
So not trying to wander into flat earth theory here, But a hidden fantasy world (of elves) in the present day. How would we explain it. There is no contact whatsoever between the two world. Could ...
-7
votes
1answer
240 views
I want to make a super OP dragon that breathes fire underwater [duplicate]
I want to create a super Over-Powered dragon that can:
Breathe fire
Breathe fire under water
Not harm itself while breathing fire (either above water or under water)
I would like answers that are as ...
1
vote
2answers
168 views
Gnolls and their cooperative abilities [closed]
Gnolls are aggressive hyena like humanoids, they aren't very fun to have around for the fact that they fight for really anything and have almost no attentions span. Actually Gnolls are really ...
4
votes
2answers
362 views
Procedure for a bite from a fanged humanoid, and resulting effects
I am currently working on a story idea involving vampire-esque fanged humans, they require blood for sustenance once or twice a month, and are willing to pay. It goes through special canals, so they ...
4
votes
3answers
387 views
Public Transit for Merfolk
In an urban fantasy type world, how exactly would public transit work for merfolk?
Situation A: The merfolk are living in a big cross-species city that also has humanoids. For purposes of this ...
11
votes
5answers
1k views
Can sustainable farming be done in the suburbs in this supernatural post-apocalyptic scenario?
So, here's my situation: my first book revolves around an unknown entity giving modern day humanity an assortment of supernatural powers. Every week a new power is given to everyone on Earth over the ...
6
votes
1answer
358 views
Centaurs in an Urban Fantasy [closed]
Okay trying to make this as narrow as possible. I hope.
I have world where magic has returned in modern times. It came back in 2010 but the story takes place in 2018. In this word some people have ...
1
vote
0answers
107 views
Physical Force Generation- Applications, weaknesses, and the science behind it [closed]
I've been developing this anti-hero, "Vicious," for a few weeks now- but I need some help concerning the specifics. Vicious has an ability known as "physical force generation." From any point on her ...
