These Lawless Lands writing prompts explore conflict and survival in a world where order and authority are absent.

Survival and Self-Reliance

  • A wanderer struggles to survive in a land where food and water are scarce.
  • Shelter comes at a steep cost in this land, and people will do anything to secure it.
  • The protagonist must ration limited supplies while searching for signs of civilization.
  • Survival relies on scavenging from the ruins, but every item has a story and a risk.
  • With no currency, people trade bizarre items.
  • The character finds an old map that may hold the key to safe zones or hidden dangers.
  • The character, unused to life without law, learns to hunt for survival.
  • A wild animal becomes a surprising ally, helping the character through danger.
  • The main character must be faster than others in a race to the last resources.

Power Struggles

  • A ruthless warlord controls the region, and a small group seeks to overthrow them.
  • Rival factions clash over an oasis in the middle of the desert.
  • The protagonist becomes the reluctant leader of a group of outcasts.
  • In a place with no official authority, the people crown their own leader.
  • The character learns the only way to survive is by bribing their way through power struggles.
  • A tyrant demands ‘taxes’ from all in the region, taking whatever they wish.
  • An underground network of smugglers rules trade in this lawless land.
  • When a feared leader dies, a bloody power struggle ensues.

Unlikely Alliances

  • The character allies with a former enemy to navigate a treacherous journey.
  • The protagonist teams up with a shady guide who knows the land well.
  • A wandering healer joins forces with a mercenary to protect a small settlement.
  • Two people, each with something the other needs, strike a tense alliance.
  • The character is forced to join a band of outlaws who follow a strict code of loyalty.
  • Estranged siblings reunite in the lawless land and must work together.
  • Rival gangs must unite to fend off a larger threat encroaching on their land.

Mysteries and Lost Legends

  • Rumors tell of a hidden outpost that offers sanctuary to any who find it.
  • An old map shows a route to a lost city that holds untold riches–or death.
  • A water source appears and vanishes without warning, sparking local rumors.
  • The character encounters ghosts replaying events from another era.
  • The protagonist discovers writings that explain the origin of the lawless land.
  • A mysterious clan, long thought extinct, might still roam the land.
  • Legends say a lost heir has the power to restore order, but who could it be?

Encounters with the Dangerous and Unknown

  • Strange, dangerous creatures roam the region, and the protagonist must avoid them.
  • A deadly sickness sweeps through and the character must find a cure.
  • The character encounters travelers with odd abilities that defy explanation.
  • Storms hit suddenly and with unnatural force, endangering everyone in the region.
  • A spring becomes poisoned, and the character investigates the cause.
  • In a strange sandstorm, the protagonist sees visions that may be real or imagined.
  • The geography of the land seems to shift and change, disorienting travelers.
  • A fog that erases memory rolls through, leaving people disoriented.

Seeking Justice

  • The character hunts for a gang that destroyed their family.
  • The protagonist becomes a vigilante, bringing justice to the lawless land.
  • The character is taken by a self-appointed judge who enforces brutal justice.
  • The character protects a small settlement from a powerful gang.
  • The character is falsely accused of a crime and hunted by bounty hunters.
  • Only one person knows the truth about a crime, and they live in hiding.
  • The character decides to bring their own version of justice to the land.

Stories of Transformation

  • A former noble is forced to adapt to the desperate landscape to survive.
  • An infamous outlaw decides to turn over a new leaf and protect a vulnerable group.
  • A ruthless gang leader decides to change their ways, but faces opposition.
  • A child grows up in the lawless land and learns to navigate its perils as they mature.
  • The character becomes a local hero by accident and must live up to the title.
  • A hardened bounty hunter finds a reason to fight for others rather than profit.
  • An older character, once known as ruthless, begins training others to survive.