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If I have a world that follows the same rules as Earth, (Same size, gravitational pull, age, same equator, etc.) what are some rules with geographical features that this world would need to follow? What would cause huge mountains and caves in the furthermost southeast and allow for temperate forests and plains towards the center.

RootBoi66
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  • You can consider whatever you want. You can choose to ignore whatever you. The only rules of worldbuilding are those you choose to impose on yourself. If your world is a fantasy world fantastic elements can have such a drastic impact on the world map to shape it however you want. – sphennings Jan 11 '23 at 23:33
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    Please go to our list of worldbuilding resources and scroll down to "Mapping." You'll find a fair amount of information, including how to work through developing realistic maps. As written, you're asking us to give you the better part of a college degree in geology in a one-page answer. The more realistic you want to be, the less that can happen on Stack Exchange. I strongly recommend deleting this question until you've had a chance to review that resource page, then asking questions if you still need help. – JBH Jan 11 '23 at 23:33
  • I've VTC'd because this is too broad—there are numerous ways caves can form, easily googled, to say nothing of all the rules governing all geographic feature formation—while being too specific—there are no rules for cave or mountain formation "in the southeast"—and no stated limits to the magic or fantasy elements that might shape the world. – rek Jan 12 '23 at 07:15

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Well, in answer to the latter part of your question, I’m assuming that by “centre” and “southeast” you mean the central and southeastern regions of some kind of Pangea-like continent.

In the case of caves and mountains, it could be that this continent was once partially submerged, and that what would one day be the southeast region was near enough to the surface for corals and other calcareous organisms to grow. These left their calcareous remains when they died, slowly building up large deposits that formed mountains when the sea level dropped, (perhaps due to an ice age?) over time, these limestone mountains were undermined by erosion, forming cave systems underneath.

As for temperate forests near the centre? Well, this is a tricky one; if you have a large continent, then the centre tends to be dry, as wet winds from the sea have mostly lost their water by the time they reach it. This means little to no forested land, but plains will be common here at least. Think Mongolian steppe country. You may find some forest in the valleys between mountains, watered by the rivers and streams running down their slopes.

user98816
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