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Assorted sketches of the ryerunner, an ostrich-sized herbivore that lives on the wheat-covered planet Alicanto. Its frilled eyestalks fold over its head, forming a sort of natural balaclava that shields its eyes and upper nostrils in the strong winds. When extended, the underside is a bright, iridescent white; the sudden flash of a ryerunner's frill can be disorientating to practically anything with eyes in the dull sepia landscape.

Though they, as obligate herbivores, have little interest in eating other animals, ryerunners engage in a particularly gruesome form of kleptoparasitism: using their long front claw, they will cleanly "dissect" other plant-eating animals for their stomach contents (and another other occasional treats, such as gestating eggs or large internal parasites). By seeking out this partially digested food, they are able to add significant variation to their diet and include vegetation they would otherwise not be able to access. Attacks on carnivores are rarer, though still not especially uncommon. Herds of ryerunner will sometimes curiously follow animals, nutritional value or no, for up to several hours - both at ground level and by climbing to the surface of the wheat to stalk from above - before killing and carefully "dismantling" said animal as a group, a play behavior that reinforces social bonds and strengthens valuable hunting skills.

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A.F. Vandevorst installation for Arnhem Mode Biennale 2011

“A girl sleeping in a hospital bed in her A.F. Vandevorst dress. But here, the girl as well as the mattress and pillow are made out of candle wax. Once lit, what starts as a perfect image will slowly melt and perish during the biennale.”

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Never ever ever eat raw white onion and then smoke cigarette.

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follow-up concept: the Tarot are the last living dragons in the world

Officially changing the plot from god-based to Tarot-based, thank you

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It turns out that the lich the adventurers had been hired to slay had never actually killed anyone before until the impulsive paladin of the group swung first. Now, as the healer tries to revive them, the rest have to calm the ancient undead mage down from what is undeniably a panic attack.

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Get ready for climate-based Necromancers:

Tropical Necromancers (Beach/Rainforest/Sea)

Prefers skeletal minions with plant-based additions since it’s hard to keep fresh flesh in humid environments.

Although their undead minions are much weaker than those belonging to other Necromancers, the flora ligaments grant skeletons complete movement, flexibility, and camouflage.

Exposure to decomposing flesh and diverse plants leads Tropical Necromancers to pursue healing arts and botany (Necrobotany) - mostly to prevent sickness, disease, and the annoying stench of death.

Arid Necromancers (Deserts)

With a multitude of desert scavengers, it’s hard to collect complete bodies;  better to stitch together whatever’s found to create “mix & match” constructs of human and beast.

Due to each minion being unique, Arid Necromancers are the most attached to their Undead - adorning the creatures with jewelry and linen wrap clothing. 

Heavy maintenance and the study of compatible body parts leads the Arid Necromancer to practical medical knowledge over healing arts.

The unholy matrimony of mixed bodies attracts enraged spirits. Although a negative, this results in the Arid Necromancer learning Curses.

Tundra Necromancers (Ice/Mountains/Snow)

Colder environments results in sturdier, better preserved (although slower) undead minions.

Due to stronger zombies and the threat of blizzards, it’s common for Tundra Necromancers to gather resources for base building.

With little minion maintenance and a constant supply of zombies from adventurers perishing in the cold, Tundra Necromancers are considered to be very lazy.

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Necrobotany is such a cool idea like:

druidic nature magic + necromancy

undead skeletons being supported by plant fibers to make up for missing muscles and ligaments so they can run instead of shamble

turning said skeletons into multi limbed monstrosities with vine arms

or piecing together bones and limbs with vines to make fleshier monsters

adding thorns or huge venus fly traps or poison onto minions

undead exploding into petals and leaves like a smokescreen, or infecting opponents with disease from pollen

suffocating opponents from the stench of rotten minions and corpse flowers

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strange omens gather at the end of the street

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Another worldbuilding application of the "two layer rule": To create a culture while avoiding The Planet Of Hats (the thing where a people only have one thing going for them, like "everyone wears a silly hat"): You only need two hats.

Try picking two random flat culture ideas and combine them, see how they interact. Let's say taking the Proud Warrior Race - people who are all about glory in battle and feats of strength, whose songs and ballads are about heroes in battle and whose education consists of combat and military tactics. Throw in another element: Living in diaspora. Suddenly you've got a whole more interesting dynamic going on - how did a people like this end up cast out of their old native land? How do they feel about it? How do they make a living now - as guards, mercenaries? How do their non-combatants live? Were they always warrior people, or did they become fighters out of necessity to fend for themselves in the lands of strangers? How do the peoples of these lands regard them?

Like I'm not shitting, it's literally that easy. You can avoid writing an one-dimensional culture just by adding another equally flat element, and the third dimension appears on its own just like that. And while one of the features can be location/climate, you can also combine two of those with each other.

Let's take a pretty standard Fantasy Race Biome: The forest people. Their job is the forest. They live there, hunt there, forage there, they have an obnoxious amount of sayings that somehow refer to trees, woods, or forests. Very high chance of being elves. And then a second common stock Fantasy Biome People: The Grim Cold North. Everything is bleak and grim up there. People are hardy and harsh, "frostbite because the climate hates you" and "being stabbed because your neighbour hates you" are the most common causes of death. People are either completely humourless or have a horrifyingly dark, morbid sense of humour. They might find it funny that you genuinely can't tell which one.

Now combine them: Grim Cold Bleak Forest People. The summer lasts about 15 minutes and these people know every single type of berry, mushroom and herb that's edible in any fathomable way. You're not sure if they're joking about occasionally resorting to eating tree bark to survive the long dark winter. Not a warrior people, but very skilled in disappearing into the forest and picking off would-be invaders one by one. Once they fuck off into the woods you won't find them unless they want to be found.

You know, Finland.

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"...is this the veil?" end reached out a hand to touch the mist. "it feels...thin"

aevin gave end a look like that was a stupid thing to ask.

"yeah, it's a veil. what the fuck were you expecting, goose down?"

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everest does bet on losing dogs because he loves them all unconditionally.

but some dogs don't believe it until you show it.

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first base is martyrdom. second base is raising the other from the dead. third base is eye contact

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More unconventional world-threatening disasters for your heroes to fight

The halflings have finally fucking snapped

Unfortunate political loophole gives ravenous ghoul total power, everyone upset at being eaten but insisting they need to respect the process.

World's greatest Archmage is drunk off their ass

There's some guy in a cape with glowing red eyes cackling and waving a skull staff around. He's not explicitly done anything wrong but, like, we kind of assume there must be something going on there. Right?

The blessed artifact that will save the world from the demon invasion has a big spider on it and no-one wants to go near it.

Someone gave the Tarrasque a knife

Every time someone casts a spell the moon comes one inch closer to the earth.

Oh shit the Elves just invented capitalism

Cursed item that will destroy the world if anyone says "rhubarb" near it. No-one knows which item it is.

Fire elemental desperately lonely and coming to the material plane for hugs.

There's one warlock who's just eldritch blasting everyone on the planet one by one, like an asshole.

Poorly considered Elder Evil Vacation Day coming up.

The GM is getting bored, and the PCs must entertain them from within the game lest they abandon the game and render their world non-existence.