“ You come upon a ruined building in the back section of a city park (or other out of the way area of the city). The ruins are fairly overgrown. All that is really standing is a doorway and its frame. If you pass through the opened door, you travel to a different world. If the door closes, there may not be a doorway back to get you back.”
“ Magical Fiends: When a mage or wizard casts a spell and draws more energy than s/he needs Magical Fiends are drawn to that spot and they feed of the extra magic as long as they can. When someone's magic is being fed off of they can't cast spells as well and they feel weaker. The only way to remove a magicial fiend is for it to be drawn away by someone else's power or to go to the very spot you first cast the spell and kill them”
“ Surnames: The Chinese were among the very first cultures to adopt the use of hereditary surnames (around 2800 BC). But the custom didn't quite catch on in Europe - at least not until the Venetian aristocracy made it popular sometime between the 10th and 11th centuries AD. What culture made it popular in your setting and why?”