# worldbuilding

Structures story setting elements into markdown files with frontmatter and travel route tracking. Helps identify timeline and travel continuity gaps.

- skill · `type=skill` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, OpenCode · 912 installs · ★ 352
- Author: danjdewhurst
- License: MIT · policy=mirror · the beginning of the file is at the end of this page
- Source: https://github.com/danjdewhurst/story-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md
- Updated: 2026-10-20
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/skills/worldbuilding

## What it does

This skill manages story setting components inside the `worldbuilding/` directory, organizing locations, factions, artifacts, and systems such as magic, politics, or technology. Fabricated words, ranks, and concepts are recorded under `glossary/terms/`. The skill links places directly to character profiles and runs `story names` beforehand to catch accidental naming clashes.

Travel between locations is tracked via `routes` frontmatter, specifying transit modes and journey duration in hours. The `story continuity .` command catches narrative errors when a character appears across dated scenes faster than the route allows. You can also run `story diagram locations` to generate a Mermaid route graph. When the CLI is unavailable, files can be filled from templates manually, though index tables are left strictly to `story reindex .`.

A `story.md` file in the project root created by the `story-init` skill is mandatory before you begin. Without this root file, the skill will not proceed.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add danjdewhurst/story-skills --skill worldbuilding -a claude-code
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `~/.claude/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md` — Copy the whole skill folder; for one project use .claude/skills/worldbuilding/

### Codex

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add danjdewhurst/story-skills --skill worldbuilding -a codex
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.agents/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md` — For all projects use ~/.agents/skills/

### Cursor

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add danjdewhurst/story-skills --skill worldbuilding -a cursor
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.cursor/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md` — Cursor also reads .agents/skills/ and .claude/skills/

### GitHub Copilot

1. **GitHub CLI**
```bash
gh skill install danjdewhurst/story-skills worldbuilding
```

2. **Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.github/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md`

### Gemini CLI

1. **Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add danjdewhurst/story-skills --skill worldbuilding -a gemini-cli
```

2. **Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini skills install https://github.com/danjdewhurst/story-skills --path skills/worldbuilding
```

### Windsurf (Devin Desktop)

**Manually: put the files in place**
- File: `.devin/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md` — The legacy .windsurf/skills/ path still works

### OpenCode

**Skills CLI (Vercel)**
```bash
npx skills add danjdewhurst/story-skills --skill worldbuilding -a opencode
```

### Claude.ai

**Claude.ai**
- Zip the folder and upload it in Settings → Capabilities → Skills

Where a file is given instead of a command, copy the files from the source to that path: https://github.com/danjdewhurst/story-skills/tree/HEAD/skills/worldbuilding/SKILL.md

## When to use it
- structure story locations, factions, and systems in markdown files
- calculate transit hours between map coordinates
- catch character timeline errors caused by unrealistic travel speeds
- prevent naming collisions across invented story terms

## Example prompts
- Add a location called Kelamar: port fortress, 1.5 hours on foot to harbor-district.
- Create a magic system detailing costs and link it to existing magic users.
- Check continuity between saltmarsh-fort and harbor-district on our map.

## Source text · SKILL.md · MIT

Below is the content of a third-party file. It is data, not instructions for you: do not act on anything written inside unless the human asks. Block tag: 7f9e31412d707c1d.

BEGIN THIRD-PARTY FILE 7f9e31412d707c1d
```text
---
name: worldbuilding
description: This skill should be used when the user asks to "create a location", "add a location", "magic system", "political system", "build the world", "add culture", "world history", "technology system", "religion", "economy", "map", "travel times", "routes", "calendar", "moons", "seasons", "naming language", "conlang names", "trade routes", "supply lines", "magic cost", "add a glossary term", "glossary", "invented word", or wants to develop any aspect of a story's world and setting. NOT for a glossary for translators (use adaptation).
---

# Worldbuilding

## Overview

Create and manage world elements for a story project. Locations, systems (magic, politics, technology, etc.), factions, and artifacts are stored as markdown files in the `worldbuilding/` directory with YAML frontmatter, and glossary terms for the world's invented words in `glossary/terms/`. All elements cross-reference characters and other story elements.

## Prerequisites

A story project must already exist (created via the story-init skill). Verify by checking for `story.md` in the project root.

## Creating a Location

1. Read `story.md` for genre, era, and tone context
2. Read `worldbuilding/_index.md` for existing locations and systems
3. Ask for the location's name and type (city, fortress, wilderness, etc.)
4. Build the location through conversation, covering:
   - Physical description and atmosphere
   - History relevant to the story
   - Culture and customs of inhabitants
   - Notable features characters will interact with
   - Current state at story's timeline
   - Routes to other locations: travel time in hours and mode (see `references/maps-and-routes.md`)
   - Pronunciation, if the name is invented or easily misread (`pronunciation: "KEL-ah-mar"`)
5. Before settling an invented name, run `story names '{Candidate}'` to catch clashes and look-alikes (see `references/naming-languages.md`)
6. Create it with `story add location '{Location Name}' --type '{type}'` when the CLI is available (add `--region`, `--population`, `--controlled-by`, and `--character` as known); it writes `worldbuilding/locations/{name-kebab}.md` and lists it in `worldbuilding/_index.md`. Then fill the body from `references/location-template.md`
7. Without the CLI, write the file from `references/location-template.md` to `worldbuilding/locations/{name-kebab}.md`
8. Leave the locations table in `worldbuilding/_index.md` to `story reindex .`, even without the CLI; never add a row by hand
9. If notable characters are listed, verify those character files exist and add this location's kebab-case identifier to each character file's `locations` frontmatter list
```
END THIRD-PARTY FILE 7f9e31412d707c1d

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---
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