Imaginary universe

An imaginary universe is a more or less complete fictional realm such as Middle-earth in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien; in the Darkover novels and short stories of Marion Zimmer Bradley; or in the Earthsea Trilogy of Ursula K. Le Guin.

A well executed imaginary world features internally consistent physical and psychic laws different from our own allowing often for magical and psionic phenomena.

The television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer is an excellent example; as is the Star Trek universe. Star Trek is a more mundane example which while rooted in reality nevertheless in its creation of species such as the Klingon and constant ever-novel elementary particles gradually becomes an imaginary universe of the future.

Imaginary universes in literature

• Middle-earth in the works of J. R. R. Tolkien
• Metropolis
• Discworld by Terry Pratchett
• Ringworld by Larry Niven
• Arrakis (Dune) by Frank Herbert
• Darkover by Marion Zimmer Bradley
• Trantor by Isaac Asimov

Imaginary universes in Films

• Star Trek by Gene Roddenberry

Imaginary universes in Role-playing games

• Aventurien[?] in Das Schwarze Auge
• Barsaive[?] in Earthdawn
• Calypso in Project Entropia[?]
• Forgotten Realms in Dungeons and Dragons
• Greyhawk also in Dungeons and Dragons and Advanced Dungeons and Dragons
• Midgard