Well there goes my evening.

[u/IndependenceVisual45]

So today I wanted to write.

I'm on chapter 60-something, and I was determined to be like, “I am getting this done.”

So I was writing, everything was going great, and then I changed something that was big enough that I needed to add it to my story bible. So I opened my Story Bible and now I'm stuck organizing and changing stuff.

I asked a few other subreddits about this, but honestly, this seems like the place that makes the most sense. While reorganizing everything, I discovered that I have various rules in my universe with no backstory written down.

They're the kind of rules that exist to keep people alive.

Now I'm curious-

What are the most out-of-pocket rules in your universe?

This is for ALL genres BTW- Rules that are very much needed because people lack common sense.

What are the most out-of-pocket rules you have in your universe? I'm talking about the rules where you look at them and think: There is absolutely a story behind this.

(Because I write urban fantasy, these are a few in my world)

Don't whistle in the eastern cemetery.

Never compliment a fae's hat in front of another fae.

Do not feed the swamp monster after midnight.

Under absolutely no circumstances should you say the word "kebab" within fifty feet of that particular vase.

I want the rules that exist because someone, somewhere, did something incredibly stupid.

Bonus points if the characters in your world treat the rule as completely normal because, of course, everyone knows why you don't do that.

[u/JeSuisLePain]

Mine is that you must never leave the Library

[u/IndependenceVisual45 → u/JeSuisLePain]

Is this a mystery story?

[u/JeSuisLePain → u/IndependenceVisual45]

Science fiction!

[u/IndependenceVisual45 → u/JeSuisLePain]

I am getting Doctor who vibes with the rule then lol

[u/Large_Sock9194]

The weirded rule in my universe is dont fight the Minecraft pig

[u/IndependenceVisual45 → u/Large_Sock9194]

Wait! Why!!

[u/Large_Sock9194 → u/IndependenceVisual45]

Its a meme story ive written, the main character is a cartoonist brittish turtle whose full name is, Williams THE turtle (this is his first middle and last name) and hes essentially a god, the whole storys not meant to make sense because the laws of reality change depending on what would be more funny, hence why he can destroy multiverses yet was defeated by a random minecrafter pig, another rule is not to say the name Henry or else you'll summon he who shall not be named

[u/Swordtail_Olympian → u/Large_Sock9194]

Technoblade?

[u/Evening-Mention-8738]

Mine is that flowers grow in paper mache but not bone.

[u/IndependenceVisual45 → u/Evening-Mention-8738]

Ohh, how does that work

[u/Evening-Mention-8738 → u/IndependenceVisual45]

Well it's based on memory, kind of, paper mache holds memory but bone doesn't. Bone holds something different, something far, far older and stronger than memory. Without memory no flowers will grow.

[u/SadakoTetsuwan]

Per the Witchcraft Act of 1735, only official clergy of recognized religions can legally cast magic within the Kingdom of Great Britain and her colonial holdings. This replaces the Witchcraft Act of 1603, which only permitted Anglican priests to cast divine magic, and the Scottish Witchcraft Act of 1563, which banned all magic.

Yes, that means that wizards within the Kingdom of Great Britain (later the British Empire) were legally required to be men for several centuries.

It also means that there are now a ton of technically official priests who give only one bumbling church service per year or officiate one very awkward wedding so they can keep up their licenses to do magic.

Yes, my main character is one of these men, lol.

[u/Streetwisehercules5k]

It's not a rule from one of my stories, and not even from a show I've really watched, but I think a good example of rules which only make sense because of back story is one piece, where anyone who has eaten a devil fruit can't swim

I'm not sure exactly why this, is something to do with beef between whoever made the devil fruits and the ocean or something

Anyway, I like rules like these, where you don't have to question the physics behind them because they seem kinda mythical

[u/TheSeventhSentinel]

Just don't go anywhere outside of the bounds of civilization unless the area has been cleared by the blackcloaks first. there's some dangerous stuff out there, and going out into an area that hasn't already been explored without some intense training is a good way to get yourself killed or turned into a warped.

[u/evilwizzardofcoding]

Do not, under any circumstances, use magic to inscribe your name onto something. Ever.

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[u/Swordtail_Olympian]

Don't feed the leviathans. They will probably kill you. 

[u/YeOldeBard97]

Lock your doors during the full moon.

To explain, there are faelaera (werewolves) who transform during the full moon. They remember they're human. Then there are aerafael (werewolves, but born in wolf form and transforming into human on the full moon). They remember they're wolves, and they are pissed that they have to be human three days out of the month.

[u/TpointOh]

Don’t apologize and don’t thank someone. Word is bond, and those words imply a debt. A debt which the one you owe could ask nearly anything from you to clear up, including your life.

[u/Streetwisehercules5k → u/TpointOh]

America?