Fantasy World Cultures Questions Thread

Yep, airships. All it means is that airships take the place of aeroplanes as a form of air travel.

and your question is..... where?

If they dont come back and post a question maybe someone else whose world has a method for travelling by sky will eventually post an answer/question. Not sure what else to do if they dont come back :S

Crazy idea. Make up your own question to answer. Ah well.

Air travel in Eagal's universe:

My universe is divided into two primary settings, The Time of Myths and modern day. The modern day setting is a no brainer. TToM setting has no formal air travel. Being that airplanes won't be invented for a few thousand years.

There are numerous magic users capable of flight but they get along like...things that don't get along very well. On occasion a small grouping mages might endeavor to travel by flight together, but this is a rarity, both because of the difficulty of them getting to work with eachother and because there are faster ways to travel.

For my question:

Uhh...I got nothin'. What system does the dominant political entity in your world use(democracy, monarchy, etcetera.)?

The closest thing to a dominant country is Ahya, and it is a theocracy. Priests of the most powerful god in the fantastical pantheon have control of the country, however the priests and priestesses of the other gods and goddess have considerable political power. The land area controlled by Ahya is larger than any other country except perhaps Rhoa. Ahya is a agricultural based society residing in a river valley.

Rhoa is Ahya's northern neighbor, and it is odd mishmash of republic and monarchy (actually I'm not sure what to call their system). First there is a Council that consists of elected representatives (usually elders)of each class or clan (not sure which to use yet). The council then elects and has the right to impeach the sovereign. The sovereign is elected from the noble class and serves until retirement, impeachment, or death. Rhoa is a semi-nomadic nation that is based on pastoralism and located on an open plain.

Of course there are other nations that have different types of government. These are the two largest, and the ones that I've done the most world building work on.

Anyways, for the next person; How much sexual freedom do people in your world have? How much does the public, government, ect accept people of different sexualities? Is it taboo for an unmarried woman to have a child?

edited 24th Aug '12 6:33:07 PM by SilverStar

The government of Udareth is pretty much accepting of any sexual orientation or practice as long as it is with the consent of both parties. Wealthy men and women are generally more able to gain political and personal rights through military service than those of poorer strata, thus more or less eliminating gender bias in upper society. Polygamy and homosexuality are not only common, but accepted. On the other hand, common folk tend to be rather sexually backwards compared to the aristocracy. Kinks and homosexuality are expected to be part of one's private life in the way that bodily waste excretion is, that is, indecent if made public. Homosexuality and polygamy are considered to be games financially unreachable by common folk.

The two agree on three very big things. One, virgin status doesn't really matter; while it's nice for attracting a youthful husband, it will not in any way prevent a woman from marrying since they're so active, telling for sure is nearly impossible as it is. Two, they do not like bisexuality and deride it as unacceptably immature. Three, having children out of wedlock is not acceptable, especially if there are no financial means to support the child. Sure, the child will most likely be able to grow up normally and have a normal life, but still.

Good evening! Got any good stories to tell? You know... local legends, folk tales, myths? ...Really? How do you think that story came about? Go on, I'm listening.

edited 24th Aug '12 8:27:19 PM by CrystalGlacia

How much sexual freedom do people in your world have? How much does the public, government, etc accept people of different sexualities? Is it taboo for an unmarried woman to have a child? Wouldn't you like to know?

EDIT: oh bugger I took too long to answer. >=(

Good evening! Got any good stories to tell? You know... local legends, folk tales, myths? ...Really? How do you think that story came about? Go on, I'm listening.

To be brief...The reason there are stars in the sky, a "Just So" Story in extreme summary:

Survey says? . Sorry, you don't get to know.

Questiones:

Umm...how frequently are wars waged in your world? What is the most common reason for these wars to be waged?

edited 11th Jan '16 1:20:43 AM by Eagal

Small wars between neighboring countries over issues like land, royal houses, resources and such are unfortunately rather common. Ahya is really the only country that doesn't go to war as it is geographically isolated and the priests forbid it. In case of invasion from outside, their plan is to call on their northern neighbors who have a military and beg for / pay for assistance. In areas away from major population centers (usually on coasts and rivers), war is less common, but does happen. A small town in the middle of the mountains is unlikely to experience any warfare damage but one located on a strategic river will.

So, on the subject of warfare, what type of weaponry is favored in by people in your world? Does it vary with culture or person?

Forgot about the question. Is it too late, now, or...

edited 25th Aug '12 2:48:09 AM by MorwenEdhelwen

In the more open areas of the Four kingdoms, the three favoured weapons are the axe, the sword and the spear, with the sword generally used more by nobles. In the forested areas however, they generally prefer longbows, and are generally very good with them. On the continent lances are much loved by cavalry, and swords are much more widely used. Pikes are used in some of the more southern parts of the continent, mostly to repel the heavy cavalry of the Konigtum. Longbows are not used much on the continent, the crossbow being favoured.

Question time: Is there any major racism in your world? if yes, against who, by who?

and yes, it is too late. it's not a problem though. not any more

edited 25th Aug '12 3:02:23 AM by james123182

@james: Against clones.

Is there a class/caste system in your world? How does it work?

All Ūlane are equal, but some are more equal then others. Given its origins in a slave rebellion, to even suggest that Ūl has a caste or class system is a deep insult to the Ūlane people, and essentially treasonous. But it does have such a system: when re-coloring the Ūlane hair to help them find and exterminate the remaining Elasane who had once enslaved them, Shamsiel granted blue hair to the mages, and purple to the non-mage Ūlane. The mages were also primarily the rebellion's leaders, and their blue-haired descendants are unquestionably an aristocracy, and abuse their power for profit and pleasure. That said, they have not reached the obscene levels of depravity and privilege the Elasane nobles had, as they understand the importance of maize and theaters. Purple hair signifies somebody with some level of pure Ūlane genetics, and is generally regarded as the "default," not facing great prejudice nor getting any privilege. Meanwhile, black hair is a sign that the individual in question is descended mostly from one of the various tribes the Ūlane conquered, and puts them even lower on the social strata.

Being a mage, however, sets one above the the caste system. An Ūlane mage is above all Ūlane non-mages, regardless of birth or appearance. Importantly, magic is not something anybody, even a mage's child, is born with, but earned in a bargain. As such, many poor and desperate find themselves signing up to serve the very government that created the circumstances leading to their poverty, abusing their new powers to take cruel vengeance upon their former oppressors. This was never actively planned, but the magocracy has taken to subtly encouraging it.

Speaking of which... I hope this isn't too specific, but what sort of higher beings, be they Sufficiently Advanced Aliens or magical entities, exist in your 'verse, and how do "mere mortals" usually interact with them?

edited 25th Aug '12 7:33:31 AM by KillerClowns

I’m not sure what might qualify as “higher beings” but there are no Sufficiently Advanced Aliens in my world. The existing magical creatures are generally few and far between.

The Eyes in the Mist exists only in the Land of the Grey and only show themselves to the Grey, usually when a new Grey is initiated into their ranks.

The Water Spirits have not been seen in centuries and are believed to nowadays live only in the deepest waters.

The Men of the Wish have always been a very small group and most of them are now trapped in the Day of Heroes. The remaining few have long ago claimed their wish and are now believed to be long dead.

The dragons live mostly in the sparsely populated lands of Marnach and Basum inland from the eastern shore of the Middle sea. Men tend to avoid them.

The Pure Ones have not been seen within Creation since the Day of Heroes. They are believed to reside on the Sun although there are rumours that some may live in Zariho, presumably in the Sun Temple, and that some may still be hunting for the Demon.

The First Dragon soars high above the world at the boundary between Creation and the realms of Gods always ready to serve his master in both domains. Not much interaction is possible here.

The Mountain does what mountains do – awaits the end of days. People have long forgotten which human-shaped mountain it actually is (and even if they remembered it’s not very talkative).

The Demon dwells in the World’s End. What it does there is not known as mortals cannot enter World’s End.

Question: are there or were there ever any Vestigal Empires in your setting’s history? What caused their downfall?

Question: are there or were there ever any Vestigal Empires in your setting’s history? What caused their downfall?

I'm guessing you mean vestigial. There are two such empires. First there was a race of anthropomorphic rhinos (crazy stuff, eh?), and second a human empire. Both were deposed by the gods, the former for desecrating the temples of the other gods and attempting to raise the goddess of war above all others (which she was not pleased about), and the second because the emperor went nuts and started believing that he himself was a god.

The rhinos were all but wiped out, leaving only a small number of survivors, not nearly enough to allow the race to continue past a few generations.

The second was relegated to a tiny country it had started out as. It grew again, though not nearly as large as before, until it was again revealed that the empress had been using magic to coerce her neighbors into joining again. After that, they she was deposed, and the country grew even smaller than last time, with neighbors grabbing big chunks of land. Her sons proved to be far more competent and honorable than their mother/grandfather had been and were content with that little, save perhaps for reclaiming that which had been taken after their mother's disappearance.

And on that note: Insanity and the gentry. Proliferation thereof?

edited 25th Aug '12 12:51:29 PM by Eagal

If by insanity you mean eccentricity, it is not generally found within the gentry. It is more usually confined to the nobility, who have more time to do things. if by insanity you mean mental problems, it is no more or less proliferated among the gentry than in the othe classes.

Question: Are there any problems with immigrants in your culture?

In the southern islands of the archipelago, an ambitious warlord is building war machines and battle devices with the intent of subjugating the people of the archipelago. Many southerners have fled to the western islands as refugees where they are subject to xenophobia. The western lords are trying to prepare for war while the common people are in conflict with the refugees who have become a strain on many communities.

I intend for the refugees to become a nomadic people similar to the romany gypsies.

Question: What contributions have religions made to the arts and sciences?

Religions on Terra Prime have greatly contributed to the arts, especially architecture, sculpture, and painting. Many of the most beautiful buildings in the world are or were cathedrals and temples. One example is the Palace of the Nyadai in the Mythan Desert. It is said to be the source of the Nyadai River, which gives life to the region because it is the earthly home of the god, Akkahl.

As for sciences, the Daeric Temple, a reformed version of the Greco-Roman belief system, operates a huge university dedicated to arcane research in the floating city of Somat. Most other religions consider arcane magicks dark arts, and will have nothing to do with them. As for more traditional science, there is plenty of support worldwide and churches rarely contribute any significant advances.

Question: How was your world actually created? Was it by divine intervention, natural processes, or a combination of both? How does this conflict with the beliefs of the world's people?

The universe in which Aetherion exists might possibly have been created by a a magicked energy-induced Big Bang of sorts. The field of astrophysics is still pretty young and no creation myths [that I have currently worked out] have gotten it right.

Aetherionian mythologies are as varied as they are on Earth. The Anakalis believe the world to be one of perfect harmony, crafted like a machine by a man and woman. Terrigineans believe that the parts of the world were carried on winds, shaped and assembled when the winds coalesced into a cyclone. Native Divinissians have their dragons, and newer Promethian (working name) schools of philosophy involving clockwork theory have, in turn, influenced the Anakali creation myth.

How's the infrastructure in your world? You know... roads, water, waste treatment, other facilities run by your government that allow goods, people, and the military to get around. Though most people think little of it until it doesn't work, we all should, especially us writers and worldbuilders. How good is this infrastructure, if it exists? Does it work? Can people pay for it? There's a reason why the Romans built so many roads, you know.

Ūlane infrastructure is... "good enough." The entire system is pretty damn corrupt, full of nepotism, embezzlement, and backroom deals. But anybody who screws up badly enough to attract the ire of Amu himself can expect to be fired, made an example of, and when they've disappeared from public consciousness, outright unpersoned. That, plus the need to keep the infrastructure healthy enough to help make dictatorship preferable to revolutionary anarchy, means the infrastructure is somewhat better than the worst parts of Eastern Europe.

Of particular note are the sewer systems and roads. The sewers the pride of the Ūlane people. They are still working and well-maintained enough that even the poorest of Ūlane can at least rely on them, something that the Ūlane's otherwise more advanced neighbors cannot always say. Meanwhile, the roads are an absolute necessity. Ūlane fauna will fuck you up, with an alarming amount of small, poisonous creatures and large predators mutated by unholy magic. But they stay away from the well-patrolled and well-maintained road system — and the Ūlane government needs those roads to ensure they don't end up unable to squelch a separatist uprising, or worse, an organized revolution.

Speaking of sewers, how are standards of hygiene among your culture? Are they meticulously clean, or living in the Dung Ages? How much does it vary according to class? What sort of taboos are there related to hygiene?

edited 30th Aug '12 7:46:49 PM by KillerClowns

Cleanliness varies from place to place. In more rural areas with low population density, it isn't much of an issue. Larger cities, particularly in Western Ea can have issues with keeping clean, but they try with their limited technology.

Ahya, despite being rather large and fairly high density population, is rather clean. Cleanliness is a virtue to them and public bathhouses are fairly common. Ahyan bathhouses are sex-segregated, while Northern Ea ones are not. Most Ahyans bath fairly regularly. The temple hires people to keep the streets clean (the temple is their government).

I haven't thought too much of taboos other than Ahya's taboo on unmarried physical affection.

What is the state of the military like in your world? What sort of weapons? Is service mandatory? Who controls it?

edited 30th Aug '12 2:21:12 PM by SilverStar

Manastrans take great pride in the might of their army, although which part is often a matter of debate. At the lowest levels is the Militia. This consists of every abled bodied man over the age of fifteen who wants a tax break. Given monthly training by the local noble and his/her knights the militia is a step up from a disorganized mob but not a match for front line infantry. In battle, they use long spears of about 14 feet and "Half-door" shields which are about three feat high, made like a door, and include a pike-rest. Optionally, individuals may carry throwing axes or ,if they're fairly wealthy, crossbows. Militiamen usually set their spears and duck down under their shields, ocassionally sticking their heads up to take a shot at any foe which comes in range. Militia is okay on the defensive but very poor on the offensive.

The core of an offensive Manastran army are the axemen. Armored with one handed axes, throwing axes, and sturdy leather-bound steel reinforced shields the Axemen are especially good in siege warfare. The same axes that are used to kill the enemy are also used to make siege engines. Said axes also have hammer heads on the butt or pole making them effective against armored foes.

Manastra does have mounted knights but these knights are often fewer and inferior to the mounted knights of other countries. Instead of glorious head on charges manastran knights focus on flank attacks and lightning raids, hitting where the enemy is weakest and retreating before the enemy can properly array against them. Manastran knights were the first to form six man lance fournies.

At the apex of the Manastran war machine are the Royal Halberdiers. Halberdiers are drawn from the same lot as members of the civil service, orphans and other children turned over to the state. Armored in quality steel laminar and armed with not only a steel rimmed halberd but a buckler, a straight, single edged sword of about three feet, and at least half a dozen lead weighted darts the Royal halberdiers are Manastra's ace in the hole. Officers are selected by in unit votes and are allowed to order unique weapons such as hammers, scythes, and bows. All of which are made to the highest standards.

What's your worlds sense of morality? If everything turned out all right, does how you got there matter? If you do everything properly, does it matter if the end result is bad? What actions are considered virtuous and what actions are considered heinous?

What's your worlds sense of morality? If everything turned out all right, does how you got there matter? If you do everything properly, does it matter if the end result is bad? What actions are considered virtuous and what actions are considered heinous?

There is no set standard that all peoples of all nations live by. Some nations practice slavery, some ritual sacrifice.

There are a few standards that apply to all cultures, which can all be summed up with: Don't piss off [Placeholder, the god of insertdomainhere]

And on that note: Religious institutions, with the presence or even existence of gods being optional; what role, if any, do they play in guiding the decisions of governments.

Religion plays a prominent role in the government decisions of most countries. At its lowest prominence, people with religious affiliations have a higher change of being selected by the council. At its highest prominence is Ahya, which is a theocracy. Erksele and a few countries neighboring it where the priests aren't in charge but have considerable power. This situation ultimately often causes the most problems as the nobles and priests are often in a power struggle.

What items have high value in your world? Would people spend a life's savings on a tulip bulb? On particular kind of gemstone?

Mineral resources in general are pretty scarce, some more than others. Most technology is made from wood and bone, so metal and stone tools are highly prized. Other commodities are valued because of their usefulness even if they aren't particularly rare, such as fuel-oil. There is a huge vertical variance in climate. People in the frozen upper skylands consider many foods from the tropical lower skylands to be delicacies, and will pay a premium for them, and vice-versa. Finally, there are relics of historical significance which some, not all, cultures value.

Does technological advancement occur during the time frame in which your story takes place? Has it in the past, or has technology been lost? Which direction will it go in the future?

Technological progress is actually a primary point with the first story. The whole Necromancer Rebellion was kicked off when someone developed a printing press and used it to create a magic school. This led to mages gathering and gaining skills and power. The Sho Ven theocracy felt threated and when word got out that the mages were using zombies for cheap labor they had their excuse.

The Mages responded by pooling their knowledge. One of them named Soran, the protagonist of the story, had deduced alchemic weapons. In otherwords, he figured out gunpowder. The mages hired musketeers for mercenaries and assembles pike formations out of animated skeletons. The pike and shot formations performed wonderfully, easily dismantling the more traditional mounted knights and arbalest wielding infantry. Unfortunately, the theocracy had influence over entire nations and controlled the largest force of casters on the continent. Fighting was savage, battles devolved into endless meatgrinders. Both sides became desperate and developed stronger and stronger weapons. The war ended with the disappearance of Soran in the battle of mount cataclysm. All information pertaining to gunsmithing was destroyed but the printing presses survived.

What kind of flora and fauna exist in your world and have they effected the story?