Worldbuilding Belief vs Power with Mave Hathaway
What happens when a society believes the gods control magic, but that belief may be doing more work than anyone realises?
In this episode of Richardson’s Rubicon, I’m joined by Mave Hathaway, author of The Breaking, the first book in The Dodsfell Chapter. We explore a fantasy world where magic has real limits and real consequences, but where those limits are also shaped by culture, religion, and expectation.
At the centre of the story is Aurelia Berrid, a young princess whose life begins to shift out from under her just as her abilities become harder to ignore and harder to control. She’s growing up in a society built on belief in the gods, but she doesn’t share that belief, and that creates friction not just personally, but politically and socially.
We get into how the magic system works, including the idea that power is finite, that overuse has consequences, and that pushing too far can cost more than people expect. But the more interesting question is whether those limits are purely physical, or whether belief itself is reinforcing them.
We also talk about the structure of the world, from kingdoms and clans to temples, oaths, and the role of Tixdarr, Lord of the Dead. Religion and governance are tightly linked, and that creates a system where control is embedded into daily life rather than imposed from the outside.
One of the more useful parts of the conversation is Mave’s process. She spent several years building the setting and then pressure-tested it through a D&D campaign. That exposed weak points, forced the world to hold up under use, and led to changes that would not have emerged through planning alone.
If you’re interested in fantasy worldbuilding, magic systems with real consequences, or how belief and culture shape what characters think is possible, there should be something here for you.
Key ideas from the episode
- Magic systems where limits are both physical and psychological
- How belief can act as a form of control within a world
- Building religion and governance into the same structure
- Using D&D to stress-test worldbuilding before writing
- Creating pressure on a protagonist through expectation and doubt
Final thought
This is not a world where power is simply granted or taken. It’s a world where people are taught what power is supposed to look like, and that may be just as important as the power itself.
Mave’s website: https://loftywingspress.com/
The Forum question! https://richardsonsrubicon.com/community/season-5-speculative-fiction-where-worlds-meet/magic-limits-physical-rules-or-moral-restraint/#post-96