\chapter{Genres}

The fantasy genre has somewhat broad borders, oweing both to the wide selection available
at the local bookseller and to the loose classification system that dumps wide swaths of
works under the umbrella of "Fantasy". When creating a fantasy setting it is key to 
understand which of these various kinds of world you're really trying to build as there
is a wide degree between a world of wizards fighting epic battles over the future of the 
kingdom and a world of minor lords feuding over the control of a few miles of land. The
categories below should only be considered as a guideline, not as an exhaustive list.

Below, the Fantasy genre has been subdivided into eight subgenres based on two axes: Idealism
vs Cynicism and Degree of Magic.

\section{Idealism vs Cynicism}

The first step in assessing the universe that is being portrayed is to determine whether the
degree to which the world represented is idealistic. Settings which are more cynical are classified
as \textbf{Medieval} while settings that are idealistic are classified as \textbf{Fantasy}

\subsection{Medieval}

The Medieval setting is the one which most similarly mirrors European history in between
the fall of Rome as a world power and the subsequent revival of the Renessaince period about
a millenium later. It is a world of relatively short lives, long periods of unreset and extreme
levels of economic division. Most people live their entire lives without moving far from their
place of birth. Expect disease to be common, superstition to be rampant, and the divine right of
kings to be in full effect. At its core, this setting is a more cynical version of the standard
Fantasy setting. Good doesn't always triumph here. In fact, this type of setting encourages worlds
where varying opinions of good do battle or where players are forced to make choices about which
is the lesser of two evils. Here moral choices may have ambiguous answers and attempts to do good
may lead to unfortunate results.

\subsection{Fantasy}

What separates a Fantasy setting from a Medieval setting is primarily a question of tone. The Fantasy 
setting represents an idealized version of the Medieval setting. Here, the good win and the evil are punished. 
Here, the local beautiful miller's daughter has a chance of marrying a prince. Here, an intrepid band
of adventurers can save the world. The Fantasy setting is inherently less cynical and more romanticized 
with an emphasis on larger-than-life heroics. 

\section{Degree of Magic}

Magic and its existence or non-existence has a huge impact on the development of cultures. Below, four
possible magical levels are laid out. 

\subsection{Non-Magical}

A non-magical world is identical to our own, though at a reduced level of technological advancement. No
mythical beasts wander the lands, races of intellegent creatures other than humans (e.g., dwarfs, elves,
catpeople) may exist, but they are no different than men except in their appearance. Character may still
be larger than life--exceedingly strong, unnaturally beautiful, or superbly wise--but these powers are
still mostly limited by the reality of a world constrained by physical limits.

\subsection{Low-Magical}

A low-magical setting is similar to our own world but with a few things out of place. Perhaps there are
magical beasts like dragons or cockatrice that roam the lands. Perhaps the world has a handful of magical
practitions or there are a handful of relatively benign magical items existent in the world.

A common setup in such a world is to present it as a non-magical world, but reveal a single magical artifact,
practitioner or location with large potential to upset the natural order of things. Alternatively, this
setting may be used to create an otherwise non-magical setting with easy access to magical healing.

\subsection{Magical}

In a Magical setting, said magic is in full force. Wizardry is likely a legitimate profession and a significant
(though perhaps still small) segment of the population has access to magic of some form. The precise nature
of the magic may very greatly from either rote magic to symbological magic or even the kind of open-ended magic
envisioned by LORE BELIEF. Depending on the details of the setting magic may either be an inscruitible matter
practiced by an group of elites or it may have advanced to the point that it is effectively a science with 
schools devoted to developing new techniques.

\subsection{Decayed Future}

The Decayed Future setting is perhaps the most cynical of the ones posited here. Rather than being a
truly Medieval period, this represents a world which has reverted to such a technological level from
a previously advanced one. Perhaps humanity destroyed itself through nuclear war or perhaps extraplanetary
forces interviened to set humanity back a few thousand years of technological progress. Regardless,
most of humanity--even at the highest levels of power--is unaware of any greater height of human civilization. 
Predestruction technology likely still exists, some even in workable condition. In this environment,
``sufficiently advanced technology'' either fills the gap of magic or supplements an already magical world.
Unfortunately, few, if any, people in the world are able to make proper use of the wonders of pre-fall
technology. 

\section{Examples}

\exampleline{Medieval Non-Magical} Robin Hood
 
\exampleline{Medieval Low-Magical} Aurthurian Legend, \textit{Berserk}

\exampleline{Medieval Magical} \textit{Dungeons and Dragons} (sometimes), \textit{Dragon Age: Origins}, 
\textit{Drakengard}, \textit{Song of Ice and Fire}, \textit{The Bard's Tale} (2004),

\exampleline{Medieval Decayed Future} \textit{Scrapped Princess}, \textit{Murder Princess}, \textit{Pern} Series (later works)

\exampleline{Fantasy Non-Magical} \textit{The Princess Bride}, Zorro

\exampleline{Fantasy Low-Magical} \textit{Highlander}

\exampleline{Fantasy Magical} \textit{Dungeons and Dragons} (the other times), \textit{Infinite Undiscovery}, 
\textit{Lord of the Rings}, \textit{The Chronicles of Narnia}, \textit{Discworld}, \textit{Wheel of Time},
\textit{Howl's Moving Castle}

\exampleline{Fantasy Decayed Future}

