Natural Law: Judging & Criteria
I can’t overstate how much World Anvil has meant to me or how deeply it changed my life since I joined. Whenever I can (and whenever real life is kind enough to allow it), I try to give back some of the love this community has given me. Sponsoring a prompt is slowly becoming one of my favourite ways to do that. It is fun, chaotic, surprising and absolutely inspiring.
This will be my second time sponsoring a prompt, with Summer Camp 2025 being the first were I judged the Settlement Prompt from Week 3. And I am absolutely thrilled for two reasons.
First, I get to dive once more into your incredible worlds, discover new stories and settings, and wander through the wonderfully strange and vast corners of Anvilspace that I might otherwise miss.
Second, I was assigned a template I find genuinely fascinating.
So buckle up, friends. I’m judging Natural Law for WE, and I’m here to share the criteria I’ll be using. Everything you’ll read here is a guideline, what I consider important and nothing more. It doesn’t mean you can’t surprise me. In fact, I hope you do. The best entries are always the ones that show me something I never expected.
Let's begin, shall we?
Essentials
Writing always comes first for me. If you’re creating because you love your world and the strange rules that make it tick, I’ll feel it, and that’s what excites me most as a judge.
Stay on topic
Natural Law can be scientific, magical, metaphysical, cosmic - whatever fits your world’s vibe really. What matters is that you’re describing a rule or phenomenon that affects your world in some way, whether it’s happening right now or it used to happen in the past.
Here’s an easy way to think about it:
- If your world has an eclipse that comes around and affects magic in some way: that’s a natural law.
- If that cycle eventually broke or stopped happening, that’s still a natural law; the rule existed and shaped the world.
- If there was a single eclipse that happened once, long ago, never returned, and became a legend… that leans more into myth or history.
Art credit is essential
Anything you use, original art, commissions, stock resources, maps, must be credited properly. Even a small credit line at the bottom works fine, but it should exist.
Bonus
Writing is always the main thing, but with so many talented authors here, ties happen everytime.
Readability helps a lot
I will read every submission in this category and that's a promise. All I ask is a little structure: a few paragraphs, maybe a header or two. Nothing complicated. Just something that helps the eyes move through the text smoothly. Great writing always wins, but clean presentation makes the journey nicer.
CSS & Art
Thoughtful design always gets noticed. You don’t need fancy CSS, but when the styling supports the theme - readable fonts, good color choices, a layout that fits the world - it really shines. Original art, sketches, diagrams, maps or any kind of personal touch can also make a strong piece even stronger in a close tie.
AI Images
On the hot topic of AI-generated images: don’t worry. If you use them, they will not affect my judgement in any way, good or bad. I use them too, as a way to visualize my imagination, and that’s where I leave it.
My Reading Buddy
Just like during my Summer Camp sponsorship, I’ll once again have my wonderful husband, arktouro, reading along with me. We’re both hopeless nerds and lifelong storyworms, so this is our excuse to dive into original ideas together, argue (in the fun way) about worldbuilding, and explore new worlds side by side. The final decision will still be mine and will follow the criteria listed here, but sharing the experience makes it twice as enjoyable.
Thinking about Natural Laws
One of the reasons I love this template so much is its range: you can go scientific, magical, cosmic, philosophical, or completely strange, and it still fits. Natural Laws are the quiet machinery of a world, and that makes them incredibly fun to explore. After seeing how Rin Garnett approached their judging article for the Organization template, I thought I’d do something similar and share the kinds of questions I ask myself when I’m shaping a natural law.
These questions of course aren’t requirements. Use whichever help you, ignore whatever doesn’t, twist them however you like.
What rule does this world follow that makes it different from ours?
Is this something that happens regularly, or once happened regularly?
How do everyday people live with this rule? Does it help them, limit them, or change how they build their lives?
What would the world look like if this law broke, weakened, or suddenly stopped working?
Do the scholars or scientist of the world actually understand the law or just think they do?
And finally: why does this law matter to the heart and soul of the setting?
And in case you’re curious how I’ve played with this template myself, here’s my favourite natural law from my world Crux Umbra.
Closing Thoughts
You never know what you’ll find in a natural law article. Will it be a cosmic constant, a broken rule of magic, a scientific discovery gone sideways, a philosophical truth woven into the world itself? The possibilities are endless! So, I’m genuinely excited to dive into your entries and see what strange, beautiful, clever laws shape your settings this year.
I can’t wait to read what you create. Happy WorldEmber, everyone!
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Thank you for making this! I better impress you :D
You're welcome Mochi! I can't wait to read your natural law!