Use the Item template to write about any type of object. This includes tools, clothes, weapons, and even food!
Contents
What should I use this template for?
This template is for most things that you would naturally define as "objects". Here are some examples:
Tools and weapons
Tools and weapons are usually the most important items in any story, as this is how your characters can do stuff (whether it be discovering the underworld or farming carnivorous plants). So design your items carefully, because they could have a huge impact on the story!
Clothes and accessories
What a character wears can tell a lot about them, but also about their society and world. A noble wearing luxurious dresses among the poor will tell a different story than the same noble wearing simpler clothing. Game of Thrones is a great example of this: there's a huge contrast between the clothes worn by regular people of King's Landing and the nobles, which plays into the themes of the story.
Food and cosumables
Food items are also... well, items! Some examples of food written using the Item template could be cupcake, pineapple pizza, and orange juice. Individual ingredients would use the Material template, and culinary traditions would use the Tradition template (or Document if you're writing out a specific recipe).
Relics and legendary objects
These are often central plot elements to fantasy or sci-fi stories (The Lord of the Rings wouldn't happen without the One Ring!), and they're also item. They're usually very old artifacts, so they're great ways to explore the past of the world.
Template walkthrough
Remember that all template prompts are optional! In fact some prompts might not be relevant to you. As always, there's a free-writing section at the top (which we call vignette) and the prompts are under the Expand prompts & connections button. The prompts are organized into four tabs:
- Generic
Use this tab to write about the basic details about the item, including weight, rarity, and cultural significance. - Construction
Who made the item, how did they make it, and why? The fields in this tab will help you definte this. - Categorization
This tab is full of dropdowns in which you can link the item to other articles you've written, such as the Character that created it and the Organization that manufactures it. - Location
Here you can link the item to both a Geography article for its location and to a Character article for the item's owner.
Step-by-step guide to writing an item
Here are some steps you can follow to write an Item article:
- What's the item's purpose?
Think about this question in both an in-world and off-world way. Why do you, the worldbuilder, need this item in the world? What themes does it represent, how can it progress the plot, and what conflicts will it cause? And in-world, how do people use it? What are its special properties? - What does it say about the world?
If this is an ancient relic, it could have engraved words in a dead language (bonus points if it's a clue to resolve a mystery!). If it's more modern, what does it say about the character who wears or uses it? For example, a king wearing a simple iron circlet as a crown could signify that they are humble, or even insecure. - Who wants to get it?
Most people want stuff other people have. So, who wants to get the item you've just created, and why? How are they trying to get it? This will usually be cause for conflict, as the item will either belong to someone else or require risky adventures to get it (like Indiana Jones). And that's great! Conflict will make your world feel more alive and drive your story forward.
Need more pointers? Take a look at these guides:
- The triangle of power: creating magic items that make sense
- The power of relics: using history in your worldbuilding
Community examples for inspiration
Need some inspiration? Here are some character articles written by our amazing community!
