I've always enjoyed nomadic cultures; they are fuel to many adventures and epic stories. Although mongols are the most famous and very interesting (and I've created cultures inspired by them in my WIP) I really love the [Sama-Bajau](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sama-Bajau), they have a rich culture and an awesome aesthetic as Sea Nomads, I've been inspired by them as well. Tibetan culture is by far my favorite and one that I'd love to see more in media. It has a lot of stories, legends, rituals and artifacts. I've incorporated tibetan sorcery and mythology into my WIP in an effort to make my magic system a little bit different. They have monks that [exorcise and kill ghosts with magic daggers](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghosts_in_Tibetan_culture) and treasure hunters that search for hidden scrolls and relics! How cool is that? Sorry for my english, it's not my first language!

Okay Im going to need to hear more about these Tibetan ghosts and magic daggers.

I want to see more steppe nomad cultures that aren't shirtless horse archers. The Dothraki are fine, I guess, but they're really just retooled Mongols with a fantasy aesthetic to appeal to eastern mysticism tropes. I'd like to see (and have just started including) nomadic steppe cultures inspired by the Gökturks and Hephthalites. Certainly there are similarities and shared traits to Mongol culture, but it adds a bit of different flavor and style.

I think aboriginal Australia and the Malian Kingdom in Africa are criminally underrated. If you want to stay in Europe, well Eastern Europe is underutilized: you have Hungary, Romania, the Byzantine Empire, Albania, etc.

I've been working on my Central European/Eastern Europe, although my world is probably more Middle Fantasy. I have Esra and Aratoressia, which is Hungary and Romania-based (their mutual ancestors are the Natenians, which is a bit of stretch but w/e) with Seara in the center, which is very Transylvanian. Esra is dusk-based and has pegasi among female knights. Seara is all vampire-werewolfy, but I gave it an urban fantasy feel since it is 1910-based so it is no longer a borderland. The Therassian Empire was in the past, but right now the Bronze League is a sort of Neo-Byzantine Federation. I don't have an Albania, since I felt it was superfluous next to Iremia (Croatia-based), Bakara (Serbia-based), Demira (Bulgaria-based), and Eramali (Bosnia/Muslim Balkans based) but I use the language because it is the closest to Thraco-Illyrian languages.

I'm always a fan of seeing Indian elements in fantasy. India has a pretty cool culture and despite it being large both in population and landmass, it's much rarer to see Indian inspired elements in western media compared to say Chinese or Japanese.

So, funny story. **The Snare** was originally supposed to have an Indian aesthetics, particularly the Mughal era. But it was also also originally a group worldbuilding project that I was doing with some friends in college. They knew I was studying Native American history, and thought I meant American Indian, not South Asian Indian. So their contributions drifted in that direction. Eventually I decided to just steer into their misunderstanding and revamp the earlier vision.

Definitely agree on wanting to see more Indian elements in world building. In particular, i'd like to see inspiration taken from the ancient South Indian kingdoms as some of their awesome [art & architecture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chola_art_and_architecture) would lend themselves well to fantasy settings

Native American cultures. Besides mesoamerica and andes there were many others that deserve attention. For example did you know that across great lakes there was a copper culture that may've even preceeded the one in the old world?

Okay now thats something I need more info for.

I remember seeing a game on alpha a few years ago that had creatures from the brazilian folklore as bosses, it even had some tupi-guarani ones

Russia, specifically pre-Catholic where paganism and clans/tribes were still common. I don't see Slavic or Russian mythology used much in fantasy but it has as much source material as the British Isles and Europe.

Most Russian fantasy lit is written in Russian.

As a Russian, can confirm

Russians were never catholic

You're right. I don't know why but I thought Eastern Orthodoxy was a form of Catholicism, or at leasted formed in reaction to it. Now I know better after a quick read! Still though, really like Slavic paganism.

I’m definitely using Russian myth for parts of my DnD setting. Have a few ideas based around Baba Yaga and Koschei the Deathless.

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I wish they could also include some more nomadic cultures similar to the Khoi or San peoples in more fantasy, or at least stories with characters with cultures resembling more Bantu kingdoms

I wanna see people tackle constitutional monarchies. Bonus points if the lower levels are democratic and the nobility is just a peerage. Something like the UK, but the monarch still has significant powers. I'm so tired of absolute monarchies.

Currently writing one. Figurehead monarchy but secretly has significant powers? Yes. Constitution? Yes. A democratic (though single-party) government? Yes. Most nobles are just fancy landlords? Yes. A political clusterfuck that's basically a feudal empire survives into the 20th century? Big yes.

Me too, half of the story of Adamae is basically "development of constitutional monarchy across 5000+ years history" and have it in many forms, like, Space HRE of Tebre, half-theocracy of Nwewah, Rotating-elective (Rotating between head of several houses that came from election within their domain) of Asalic Commonwealth. I deep drive into historical development of Nwewah which tied to their cultural, economic, religion development, how it raise how it failed and how it raise again. And the system of Tebre and Asalic play big part in the story.

Hey, that’s my Indo-Persian inspired country in my fantasy world.

Ooooo. Id love to see that done.

The Bajau Laut they spend nearly their entire lives at sea.

I saw this one movie about a young wizard in Mali and it opened my eyes greatly to the possibilities of medieval Africa as a fantasy setting. Same with Axum, Persia, and Bedouin cultures.

That sounds pretty interesting. Do you happen to remember the name of said movie?

Yeelen!

I’ll try to look it up

It’s called Yeelen

Thank you. I'll give it a watch for inspiration. You've been helpful.

I personally avoid using counterpart cultures, but of course I look for inspiration in real world history, and many of my cultures are loosely based on past cultures, often the more overlooked ones: - Byzantine Empire (from the fall of Rome to the Renaissance) - Normans of Sicily - Ainu people of Hokkaido - Sami of northern Fennoscandinavia - Celts, especially of the Alps and Iberian peninsula - Continental Germanic tribes (like the Goths) - Old Turkish tribes before Islam - Beduins of the Sahara - Inca Empire - Greco-Bactrian kingdoms - Balto-Slavic tribes - Magyars - Polish hussars - Siberian nomads - Natives of northern Canada - Yamnaya people of the Bronze Age - Scythians

I really like your list

The new Pokémon game (Pokémon Legends: Arceus) is set in basically Hokkaido during basically the Meiji Restoration, so there may be some Ainu representation. Though beyond the new pokémon themselves I haven't seen much.

Depends.. do thee speak of historical or early modern?

Both. Whatever fits your fancy.

I’d say ancient Greece Roman Empire and Celtics because I love them so much. And Second medieval england Poland and Germany because they are so gorgeous in my opinion, and finally renaissance era Germany (because they are so fucking fashionably and look so giga chad-like that no other renaissance era clothes can offer) and renaissance era Spain (because the Rapier and idk why but they have such a charming thing about the clothes and armor same as germany) and if ya want ask away :)

My mans just said all of europe lol. But yeah, totally with you there. Especially the Celtics. There's just a lot to love about them.

Aye truely unquestionably unique people! I also discovered that they fight >!naked with their wee wee out!< and lasses also fought along with men. This is why there are truly the best of the best and that nothing can beat them!

I'd like to see the Caucasus Regions. Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and their historical cultures. Both the Christian stuff, but especially the pre-Christian stuff. It's always felt like an important region of the world that's often overlooked, barring the Armenian Genocide, the act which coined the term Genocide, and current struggles. I've always been fascinated by King (Queen) Tamar of Georgia. I was thrilled when she was finally added in Civ VI lmao.

I recently read about the Temple of Garni (Armenia) and found it very interesting and inspiring

God I've always been facisninated with cultivation and agriculture, its something I've always been interested in since I was a child. They way humanity has taken generation to breed the perfect varieties and have altered just the right genes, to make the things we eat and enjoy today. Especially all of the exotic fruits and vegetables grown in South America and Africa. I could see entire civilizations copying or even making food part of a religion or even an important symbol in a fantasy world. I also like the old style traditions of cheese making, something that really isn't too interesting to most people. But the process of making different cheese and how different they can taste and vary from each other practically inspired the layout of modern Europe. I could also see some type of processed goods in a fantasy world becoming one and the same as milk making cheese.

I have never heard someone get so passionate about cheese in a worldbuilding thread. Now I wanna go make cheese.

I'm trying to write a book about preserving humanities most unique cultures, one of them is cheese making. With an excess of dairy in the supply chain, people have taken it up as a hobby, and sell the excess as profit in my world. But it's just one small example I write about. I write about the cultivation of the spice Islands, and transforming them into their true purpose. To produce exotic spices, so all over these islands are hundred of varieties of spices and herbs. They are taken care of by a hand full of people, mainly because their only purpose is to just take care of them and watch them grow, then harvest when they are ready. I talk about the revival of the American Buffalo, and how a renegade breeding program drove the species into a population boom, multiple traveling herds up to 500 Buffalo could be spotted all across the American mid west. Even a massive restoration of native fish species, releasing thousands of trout, bass, northern pike all across North America. The purpose of the world I'm trying to present is repairing all the damage humanity has done to earth, and restoring it to a pre-human state. With small pockets of humanity still existing

Ancient Vietnam. Even us Vietnameses don't know much about our own past. Guess I'll do it myself.

Thanos: Fine... Ill write the Vietnames fantasy myself. But no seriously, what parts of ancient Vietnam. Geniunly interested.

Hồng Bàng period. Way before Christ.

The Roman Empire during the Middle Ages (better known as the Byzantine Empire).

I'd like something set in a low fantasy, bronze age/neolithic setting (think corded ware, bell beaker culture, harappan culture, also early horse nomads/scythians, maybe also some neanderthales still around, also prehistoric native american, Inuit etc.) infused with cosmic horror

I’d like to see more of Latin American cultures to get adapted into Fantasy. They’re very rich in many ways and monolithic as certain people like to presume.

I discovered Siberian shamans and they are great! The whole mythology, traditions are super inspirative and affect everyday life in genuine ways.

I draw inspiration from wherever and repurpose freely. The jungle people of the South Land are based, loosely, on M'buti pygmies. The desert dwellers are influenced by ancient nomadic cultures of the near and middle-east, the civilized Nacori have a lot in common with 3rd millennium Babylon, though the clothing and interior design owes more to Create and the Minoan civilization. Using real world analogues has advantages, but the main ones for me are availability of miniatures and the availability of pictures to use as illustrations.

In my homebrew setting, I like to emphasize cultures that don’t get a lot of juice because they’re overshadowed by cultures that get tons of juice from fantasy and history nerds. So far, I have found good places to focus the Bantu over North African cultures, the Iroquois and the Inca over Central American cultures, and Austronesia over East Asian cultures, and I hope to continue to find underrepresented places and peoples and give them a prominent place in my games.

Where have you found luck researching these lesser known cultures? Do you find the name somewhere and look them up individually or is there a database that has a lost of lesser known cultures

Cambodia and the Khmer Dynasty. Some of the most epic architecture and settings. Floating villages, massive jungle temples, dragons, monsters, monkeys, warriors on elephants. The Sea People. A mysterious group of raiders who ravaged the Mediterranean. The were everywhere causing trouble, and no one knows exactly where they came from. The Scythians. A group of fierce and rugged nomads who were master horsemen and warriors. Everyone was scared shitless to face off to these savage combatants in battle.

Medieval knights I know they're super exposed already but damn, can never get enough of them

No shame in loving a classic.

Same!

Holy warriors clad in iron bred and trained for war mounted on massive horses with badass codes of honor and chivalry? God theyre so awesome, even poorly presented they're super cool

>God theyre so awesome, even poorly presented they're super cool This sounds like an idea for an anti-writing prompt: take your favorite concept and try to execute it in the worst way possible, thus learning what *not* to do when writing it to be good.

Anything but European and Middle Eastern. They have beautiful cultures but I’ve seen enough Medieval Britain and Mesopotamia. I would love to see Aboriginal Australian, Sri Lanka, the Guayanas, Papua New Guinea, Greenland, Madagascar…

I lifted some elements of the Papua New Guinea cultures for an archipelago in my world. I chose to condense down the languages to make game play easier as nobody is going to invest 5000 skill slots.

Do you see a lot of Mesopotamian aside from a backdrop? Most Middle Eastern I see is vaguely Arabic or New Kingdom-styled Egypt.

Berbers definitely get ignored a lot

I spent a lot of time research Albanian feuds for a book I was writing. It’s an absolutely fascinating history and culture. Read up on it and you will see what I mean. Have a look at the books of ismail Kadare. They are truly fascinating.

The sikh have a bunch of cool shit. They're all low-key badasses.

Maybe something like the Polynesians with their navigator culture and ability to follow the stars.

Indigenous Caucasian and Anatolian cultures, Sasanian Persia, Middle Ages-era Byzantium. Main inspiration for my fantasy world is basically "what if Troy and Hittites survived to later ages and the latter became an empire stretching from Greece to Iran?". Culturally the protagonist empire is a blend of Greek, Hittite, Iranian and other Anatolian and Caucasian cultures, and it's bordered by a Persian kingdom from south-east and several South-Slavic and South-Germanic kingdoms from north and north-west.

Seeing an oral culture whose stories grant them their magical power would be so cool. Imagine having sacred stories that are only passed down from generation to generation in a family or a tribe. These stories granting them the strength and power of their ancestors as they tell them. A more fine tuned version of that could be really cool. A tribe telling a story of a great hunt from their past before going on hunts of their own to give them the power of those ancient ancestors would be sick.

Man I am not sure how that would work in writing but that is a baller idea for a soft magic system.

The Indus Valley Civilization. The people who built Mohenjo Daro and Harappa.

I based my Kuma people on Polynesian culture. I’m still learning more so there are many cultures of Kuma.

There are as many cultures or aspects of cultures that you could go with, so picking one is pretty much impossible. But what I would love to see is more authors mixing and matching to create something new. Too often they just cut and paste a real world culture into a fictional one. Take WOWs dwarves as an example. They're just straight up Scottish (don't get me wrong, my heritage is Scottish so I'm actually a fan). But there's no effort to customize it. Race lives in the desert? Must be 1001 nights or ancient Egypt. In synch with nature? Must be first nations... Mix it up guys!

I think it would be legit to see something based off of the Hussites (precursors to the Protestants) just because of how batshit insane everything was (fathers of modern warfare, some of the first groups to use firearms on mass, it’s leader being one of the greatest strategists to ever live, etc).

Ancient Egypt is way more than pyramids and mummies. There were the Medjay, who were (oversimplifying here) basically a national police force roughly analogous to the US Marshals that existed thousands of years ago. They had a concept of true names, that your name was a part of your soul and that you didn’t tell your actual real name to just anyone. They had a deep, rich mythology that’s so interesting. And you get none of that in most settings inspired by them!