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1500 questions
150
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A Most Subtle Magic
Rynn is not flashy at all. In fact, you would be forgiven to think she's a bit of an introvert. Sure, the people in the town are strangely reluctant to talk to you about her, but you are a newcomer, and after a few drinks tongues eventually loosen…
Serban Tanasa
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How do Glass Ants create their tunnels?
***** Xenobiology expedition 'Profundity': Log entry 504 *****
Glass Ants are a fascinating species.
We discovered them on an arid desert world last visited by humanity aeons ago. They seem to have evolved from an Earth species into something…
Joe Bloggs
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Why are there no toilets on the starship 'Exciting Undertaking'?
DISCLAIMER: Any resemblance to other starships (living or dead) is purely coincidental.
The starship 'Exciting Undertaking' is a brand new ship about to set off on a five and a bit year mission to explore mostly new lands and go where only a couple…
Joe Bloggs
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A list of worldbuilding resources
We are occasionally asked for advice about the worldbuilding process. By its creative and imaginative nature, the process of worldbuilding doesn't have a single obvious starting point or a step-by-step process that is universally applicable to all…
JBH
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141
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35 answers
Why would giant mechs use melee weapons?
Mechs are really just giant usually bipedal walking tin cans with their human pilot inside. I mean, shoot the legs and they can't move much anymore. Not really realistic.
Regardless, in a futuristic world where for some reason mechs are the main…
Skye
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141
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10 answers
Everything alive in the world dies this instant. Without bacteria to decompose anything, what happens to the remains? What does this look like?
So when I say everything, I mean everything. Humans, animals, plants, fungi, bacteria, all dead. If the bacteria and other detritovores and decomposers can't decompose anything since they themselves are all dead, what happens to all the carcasses…
Sydney Sleeper
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139
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11 answers
How can I break down the task of creating a world into manageable chunks?
Creating an entire world is a daunting prospect, though something I've thought about often.
Ideas about different regions, religions, people, history and relationships all blending into a cohesive world come half-formed to me. But how can I go…
Styphon
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13 answers
Everyone believes everything Joe says. How can he get around it?
Joe is an average bloke, who has a passive superpower that he's lived with all his life.
People believe everything he says. Implicitly, unquestioningly and absolutely. If he says that black is actually neon purple, people within earshot accept that…
Joe Bloggs
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11 answers
How would I know if I were a 1 mm tall robot?
In the 1955 science fiction short story, The Tunnel under the World
a chemical plant explosion kills all the inhabitants of a town, whose consciousnesses are then uploaded into miniature robots living in a replica town on a table top for the…
donkey
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23 answers
What could people notice about someone who is two times as dense as a regular person?
I've got a group of magical people living mostly incognito in an ancient society. They look and act exactly the same as regular people, but they are really magicians, and a side effect of having those powers is that they are two times as dense. E.g.…
KeizerHarm
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33 answers
What cheap modern items can I use to bribe medieval people?
Inspired by this question about a time traveller.
So, I've travelled to the medieval age. Think 12th / 13th century Europe. Unlike the time traveller in the other question, I did bring batteries for my time machine, but I want to have some fun while…
user2727
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33 answers
What vehicle would be the best one to start a >1000 km travel in a post apocalyptic zombie situation?
In order to define the best vehicle these inputs have to be taken into account:
The zombies are the classical ones, "the walking dead" ones are a perfect example (definitely killed only by headshot, attracted by noise, etc...).
We are in year 2018.…
theGarz
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16 answers
How can a banker successfully (and safely) lend money to an autocrat?
I'm the owner of a large bank in Europe, with vast resources at my disposal. I would like to increase my wealth by lending it out at interest.
The ruler of the country I'm based in has his own wishes: he wants to conquer the neighboring country,…
Teralynx
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21 answers
How does Santa protect himself from IP lawsuits?
As is well known, all of Santa's presents are manufactured by elves at the North Pole. However, a lot of presents are protected by various IP rights. Be it Adidas clothing, a DVD of the newest Blockbuster or the newest iPhone, Santa obviously…
celtschk
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131
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15 answers
Why would characters spend time answering imaginary questions to fictional hypotheticals?
I'm developing a simulation where characters, "users", are interacting over a virtual communication network. "Users" have the option to engage in any activity they want at any time, as long as the international and local governing bodies permit such…
B-RAF
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