A dominant species is any species that has overcome the standard survival challenges of finding food and avoiding being eaten. When a species can survive that well, it tends to become much more common and have an increasingly noticeable impact on its environment. For humans that means climate change, the plastic problem, deforestation, and a number of other effects. For another species it could mean something entirely different. What major impact does the dominant species in your world have on its planet?

What do the characters in your story aspire to become? What's the ideal way of life for them? Does it involve money and/or land? Or is it something more obscure or specific?

At some point, humans decided that Earth wasn't enough for them and that they wanted to live among the stars - perhaps permanently in mobile ships, perhaps on a different planet. For that, space travel is in order. We assume that other, alien civilisations might do the same. How advanced is space travel in your world?

Today we're talking parasites! Parasites can be anything from creepy to outright deadly, and they're not just animals. Did you know that plants can be parasites? Fascinatingly, parasitic plants can also be a means of "communication" between individual plants; there's a study that shows parasitic dodder can share signals from one host plant being attacked by insects to others in its parasite "network" -- so that the plants not yet chewed on can begin synthesizing noxious compounds before the insect pests spread to them. What parasites exist in your world?

When we make a fantasy or sci-fi world we can put anything we like into it, and that makes the subterranean portions of the world all the more fascinating! Do you have a subterranean area, and if so, what did you put there that you chose not to put on the surface?

On Earth we have a concept of the Grim Reaper, and various afterlives including heavens, hells, and purgatories. We say that cats have nine lives. What mythology and culture around death happens in your civilisation?

Artificial Intelligence is a great tool because it does even more of the work of a person than a regular, dumb machine does: it can do some of its own problem-solving. The trouble is, the more sophisticated AI gets, the more problems it identifies on its own and solves, and there's always the chance that a given AI will come to see its creators as a problem to be solved. Do the people of your world use AI? How's that working out for them?

Apex predators are impressive: lions, tigers, crocodiles, sharks. Yet, there's more to an ecosystem than these top predators. Smaller, perhaps omnivorous, creatures live out their lives too, such as weasels, snakes, or civet cats. What are your mid-tier predators?

The world is full of some of the most spectacular natural phenomena: bioluminescent caves and beaches such as the Sea of Stars; the northern or southern lights; caves made out of unusual rock (i.e., different from limestone); underwater volcanoes or the apparently blue lava of Ijen. What natural wonders exist on your world?

Freedom can be a nebulous concept, but it boils down to "act, speak, and change without hindrance or restraint". Limits to freedom may be political, or they may not be (a least, not in the sense of political parties with differing ideologies). Freedom is one side of a coin; safety and security are another. More security may mean less freedom, but less security only means more freedom for those powerful enough to exercise it. It can be an interesting set of concepts to play with.

What implications does this have in your world - can a prey species who still coexist with their predators be said to be free? What role does freedom play in your story?

Today we're looking at food - more specifically at food staples: bread, rice, and potatoes. Every culture needs its staples. What are the staples in your world?

Where does the light come from on your world? Is it in a similar way to ours: one sun, or perhaps do you have two or more? And since moonlight is really reflected sunlight, do you have one moon to light your nights, two moons, or again - more? How much of a role do the stars play in lighting the night sky? This could be an especially interesting question for those of you with subterranean worlds.

Physical strength can be a weighted issue in various cultures - particularly where the species that makes up the culture experiences sexual dimorphism or there's a military leaning, where there can be an element of "might is right". Others may consider strength brutish or associate it with stupidity. How is strength perceived in your story?

However quickly your world's technological development may be, it doesn't mean squat if no-one bothers to use it. How quickly is new technology adopted on your world? Are there official trials and tests for new devices to go through first, or is everyone gung-ho about buying the latest doodad?

This week, let's look at something that everyone seems to love: the fluffy critters that run around the forests, through the fields, and across the roads. Rabbits, squirrels, and other small creatures. These small creatures are vital for many ecosystems because of how they transport seeds, provide food for small and medium sized carnivores, and generally make the world nicer by being so cute! So the question this week is: What kinds of small cute animals exist in your world? Are they prized for their pelts or are just loved as pets?

Natural structures aren't the only things that can become a significant part of the landscape. Ship wrecks can create unique and haunting habitat, especially bigger ones like this (handy ref). A similar story is true for reclaimed villages or cities. Perhaps you have a melted nuclear plant or a destroyed arcology. Tell us about the artificial landscapes of your world!

Do celebrities occur in your story? Singers, actors, and other entertainers? What about famous scientists (Prof. Brian Cox), explorers (*BRIAN BLESSED??!*), inventors (James Dyson), spiritual leaders (The Dalai Lama), or philosophers? Introduce some of them to us!

Here's a curveball for you: how QUICKLY does technology develop in your world? Are there constant new discoveries, or is it more of a once-in-a-while kinda deal?

How does magic work and express itself in your world? Is it protected from being discovered? If so, how?

Social status can be attained in different ways depending on the culture. One may value wealth; another, military prowess. Yet another may value charisma, intelligence, or having a strong social network. What works in your story?

Health and wellness are always on our minds, and new breakthroughs in medicine fill our headlines and clickbaity internet articles ceaselessly. What are some of your world's most recent and/or notable discoveries relating to healing? What sorts of herbs, pills or tinctures are commonplace?

Most societies have cultivated foods like cereals and fruit, but some plants are so generous, easy to harvest from in their natural form, and make such good eating with little to no processing, that they are foraged instead of farmed. Blackberries, field mushrooms, and rabbits are all examples. What do the people of your world forage?

What's night time like on your world? How long is it? Is it dangerous? Are there any ramifications to night time (e.g., dew, a nocturnal ecosystem, chance to navigate using stars)? Not all night skies are alike: in the real world, it doesn't get truly dark over cities because of light pollution. The Stone trilogy by Graham Edwards, the sky on Amara is starless.

Humans are built to identify themselves as individuals, but we may also identify ourselves as all sorts of things: by our nationality or ethnicity, our jobs, subcultures we identify with, even our love of animals. How do the people in your world connect with each other - perhaps via tribes, allegiance to cities, or as hive minds or telepaths?

For every successful invention that's revolutionized society, there are hundreds more that bomb (metaphorically AND literally). What are some of your world's worst or least successful inventions, and how did their failure affect the lives of their inventors?