Épisodes

  • Your Rulers Are Way Too Nice. Seize some assets.

    Your Rulers Are Way Too Nice. Seize some assets.
    Nov 3 2026
    Worldbuilding Blueprints Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2 How do governments survive financial crises? Let's look at how historical empires extracted wealth to keep power. History shows that desperate regimes have always relied on aggressive methods. The following analysis breaks down the realities of how states generated revenue when the treasury ran dry. You can apply these concepts to your own worldbuilding to create more realistic political tension. By analyzing historical tax schemes, we can understand why leaders resorted to forced loans or outright seizing assets from their own citizens. These strategies provide a grounded foundation for the economic conflicts in your world. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how your fictional governments handle economic collapse. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 Rome Was Born in Debt 1:09 Make More Money 6:24 Forced Loans 12:06 Blueprints! 13:08 Seizing Assets 20:33 All About Agrippa #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #stoneage Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 min
  • Your Magic Guild Lacks A World View

    Your Magic Guild Lacks A World View
    Oct 27 2026
    Worldbuilding Blueprints Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2 Feudalism had a very specific world view, those who pray, those who fight, and those who labor. Where then do mages fit in? Let's talk about the cultural and political places of mages in your world. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how you handle sieges in your own stories. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 Would a Magic Guild Work? 1:26 The 3-Legged Stool 5:15 Magic Replaces Oratores 8:35 Blueprints! 9:42 Magic Replaces Bellatores 13:00 Magic Replaces Laboratores 14:39 But I Want A Guild! #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #war #logistics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    20 min
  • Your Magic Should Impact Your Sieges More

    Your Magic Should Impact Your Sieges More
    Oct 20 2026
    Worldbuilding Blueprints Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2 How does magic affect siege warfare? Let's break down how sieges worked in our world and explore how magic would change sieges. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how you handle sieges in your own stories. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 Sieges are about Money 1:38 5 Escalations in a Siege 7:08 Blueprints 7:57 Magic Re-prices Siege Warfare 11:56 World Builder's Checklist #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #war #logistics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    18 min
  • Why Your Fantasy War Plot Is Failing (And How To Use Comms to Fix It)

    Why Your Fantasy War Plot Is Failing (And How To Use Comms to Fix It)
    Sep 30 2026
    Worldbuilding Blueprints Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2 Your fantasy military communication tech is an ideal opportunity for plot... if you build it right! Fantasy military communication often breaks war stories. Fix your war comms to create genuine drama and narrative tension. Many writers give their generals instant communication, effectively destroying the stakes of a conflict. Real historical warfare was rarely clean or immediate. It was often a comedy of errors or a total tragedy dictated by the speed and accuracy of orders. When you rely on the medieval equivalent of an iPhone, you lose the friction that makes military logistics interesting for your readers. This video explores how to ground your worldbuilding by analyzing how armies actually operated. By incorporating realistic limitations, you can force your characters to make difficult decisions under pressure. We look at five specific steps to refine your combat scenarios, ensuring your fantasy military communication serves your plot development rather than undermining it. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how you handle communications in your own stories. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 Quick Communication Kills Plot 1:02 Biological Communication 06:56 Devices & Communication 11:17 Battle Comms 15:30 Plots & Comms #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #war #logistics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 min
  • The Risk of Magical Supply Lines Explained

    The Risk of Magical Supply Lines Explained
    Oct 13 2026
    Worldbuilding Blueprints Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2 How does magic affect wartime logistics? Learn how a single mage can fundamentally alter military strategy in your fantasy world. Most fantasy stories focus on the clash of blades, but the true test of an army is how it sustains itself. We analyze how introducing magical abilities to an army's supply chain creates narrative tension. By applying the logic of military strategy to your spellcasters, you can create more grounded and believable conflicts. This analysis breaks down how a single mage's power influences movement, communication, and resource management. We explore specific examples to show how these changes affect your fantasy worldbuilding, forcing characters to make difficult choices under new operational constraints. Whether you are writing a siege or a long-distance march, these adjustments to your fantasy writing will make your battles feel authentic. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how you handle logistics in your own stories. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 The Impact of Magic on Logistics 0:44 Walking Food Dispensers 3:00 3 Laws of Magical Communication 6:54 Transportation and Magic 9:12 WBv2 10:07 Replacing Humans 17:17 A Final Example #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #war #logistics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    21 min
  • Fantasy Politics: It's Not Just About The Map

    Fantasy Politics: It's Not Just About The Map
    Oct 13 2026
    Fantasy politics doesn't appear out of nowhere. Let's explore how to use deep cultural and economic forces to build realistic fantasy politics Worldbuilding Blueprints Volume 2: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2?ref=56ir2v Reference list: For Dual Inheritance Theory, the most accessible book is Not By Genes Alone: How Culture Transformed Human Evolution (2005) by Robert Boyd and Peter J. Richerson (I read it on Perlego, over here: https://www.perlego.com/book/1851728/not-by-genes-alone-how-culture-transformed-human-evolution-pdf) The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (unfortunately not available on Perlego) For historical materialism, you can wrestle your way through Das Kapital, but I found these three essays more useful: A Revised Historical Materialism (Three More Argumentative Essays) by Ib Gram-Jensen (Available on Perlego: https://www.perlego.com/book/4354044/a-revised-historical-materialism-three-more-argumentative-essays-pdf?queryID=f9eb3b72c7436407a6357c5dfeea0b7f&index=prod_BOOKS&gridPosition=7&searchType=title) Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ Chapters 0:00 A Map Is Not Enough 01:10 Forces of Culture 03:08 Death of Feudalism 06:26 Worldbuilding Blueprints Volume 2 07:11 Three Vector Factions 10:22 Peasant Revolution Factions 15:12 Politics in 4 Steps 18:51 Final Example #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    25 min
  • Your Military Camp Is Empty (Populate It Using This Video)

    Your Military Camp Is Empty (Populate It Using This Video)
    Sep 22 2026
    Worldbuilding Blueprints Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/starvingwriterstudio/worldbuidling-blueprints-volume-2 Your fantasy military camp is likely missing the support staff that makes an army functional. Learn how to add depth to your ranks. Most fantasy fiction focuses entirely on soldiers and weaponry, yet armies in history were essentially mobile cities. By neglecting the non-combatants, you miss out on opportunities for grounded fantasy worldbuilding. We explore the essential role of the camp followers who actually kept historical armies moving, feeding, and fighting. Integrating these individuals into your narrative does more than add realism: it creates new plot hooks and internal friction. Effective military logistics require more than just supply lines and food; they involve the complex web of people who sustain an operation. Applying these principles to your fantasy writing will make your fictional conflicts feel far more authentic. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how you populate your military camps. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 Beyond the Grim-Faced Soldiers 1:34 Life Inside the Mobile Village 3:55 Five Essential Roles of the Baggage Train 6:46 The Logistics of Command 12:45 Weaving Magic into Wartime Logistics 16:31 Turning Logistics into High-Stakes Drama #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #war #logistics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    27 min
  • The Power And Pitfalls of A Water Borne Supply Chain

    The Power And Pitfalls of A Water Borne Supply Chain
    Sep 16 2026
    Learn how waterways dictate military success and why your fantasy worldbuilding needs to account for water-based logistics and supply management. Military leaders like Napoleon and Nelson have a lot to teach us about land and sea dominance, but still, the true efficiency of a campaign is determined by the environment. This analysis breaks down the essential role of riverine combat and the strategic realities of shipping and sieging. By examining why water changes war, you can avoid the common pitfalls that make fantasy conflicts feel disconnected from historical reality. Understanding the logistics of war requires looking at more than just troop movements. We evaluate the inherent problems with waterways, from supply chain bottlenecks to the specific challenges of coastal fleets. Whether you are writing a siege or a long-distance march, grounding your setting in these constraints is the key to creating a believable conflict. Subscribe for weekly worldbuilding breakdowns, and let me know in the comments how you handle supply lines in your current project. Buy Worldbuilding Blueprints: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/worlbuilding-blueprints-v1 Buy Sangwheel: https://www.mariemullany.com/category/sangwheel Join the Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxvBH0EkwuHsQ9ryHHQNi2Q/join My website: https://www.mariemullany.com/ 0:00 Water vs Land 1:36 Efficiency of Water 3:27 Coastal Fleets & River Corridors 7:46 Newsletter 8:10 Shipping & Sieging 12:57 Problems with Waterways #worldbuilding #fantasy #fantasyworldbuilding #politics Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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    23 min