The "Daily" Worldbuilding Prompt. Chapter 2

Seeing as Eld doesn't have official fire brigades or that, might have to lose a few blocks or wait for someone with powers to match to take them down. The clean up crews are going to mostly be peasants and those hired on to rebuild with whatever budget the local ruler has. As for the kaiju's and other big nasty beasties, the Butcher crews come in (they're usually following whoever happens to slay them) and turn them into food for the entire place for months to years on end. Then it falls back on those who were stated above to go about their business. Someone ambitious may even take it as a chance to clean up the neighborhoods or towns in question to turn it to their vision too. Get in a few architects and artisans and bam, new neighborhood that won't accommodate those who formally lived there.

 

Kind of figures in with the plot of the WIP I'm rewriting now.

Short answer: the military, specifically one or another of the legions, who spend a great deal of time building roads, fortresses, aqueducts and civic structures. Currently the II Equitant ('the Builders'), renown for their engineering skills, are tasked with rebuilding Kitrin and Avar on the far side of the empire - a chore that keeps them busy for most of a decade. When the riots in Corber Port started to overwhelm the urban cohorts (vigils/police/firefighters) the Church was allowed to dispatch the II Sancti ('Divine Head breakers'), a legion of troops employed by the priests to keep order in their domains.

 

Hats and helmets be the most common. Though the latter mostly only in war time or for those who have need of them. A sort of fashion statement towards staying alive. Hats vary, as they will. The nobs tend to make theirs quite pretentious and elaborate when the mood or high fashion strikes again. This in turn makes for target practice among elves who find it funny to shoot at them. Many hats are also for function, still others are for religious reasons. A lot are just to keep sun and other weather out of ones eyes. Hoods are also pretty common, especially if one wants to get suspicion planted firmly on them when hoods are up at odd times. Otherwise plenty of headwear abounds.

 

In Solaria, those who work outdoors often wear floppy hats with broad rims for shade and a modicum of protection from rain - almost like present day cowboy hats. Legionaries have metal helms as part of their kits; the inferiorly equipped Liberators usually have thick leather skullcaps instead. Women often wear colorful scarves. Artistic types and academics often wear soft, shapeless hats (name escapes me at the moment.) Scribes, carriage drivers, and a few other professions have billed caps as part of their attire.

Jeweled hairnets and circlets drift in and out of fashion amongst the upper caste women. Likewise, a minority of men go with wigs.

Elsewhere: Chou peasants are fond on conical straw hats. The elite there have a fondness for elaborate, mask-like helms worn both to war and for ritual purposes.

Peasants in Cimmar wear either floppy, broad rimmed hats or fur caps. The elite wear fur caps that includes the heads of the various animals.

Commoners in Agba and Traag tend to wear turbans - a trait shared by some commoners in Marfak (nomads who settled in Solaria). The old aristocracy and sorcerer elite in these realms favored masks, or helms that resembled masks for military/ceremonial purposes.

 

Question 80: A great calamity has occurred, be it fire, flooding or kaiju attack. Who is sent for clean-up and repair?
Whenever the NoBeing rampages, the Eternal Ones have to use the power of their Spheres to repair the OmniCosmos. It is rumoured that once there were eight different Eternal Ones who turned into NoBeings and devoured the OmniCosmos, whereupon Dream rebooted everything...

Question 81: What sorts of headgear do people wear? (And why? Is it functional? Ceremonial? Prestigious?)
Most beings don't seem to wear hats. I guess it looks much more dramatic when your hair streams around in the wind.

 

Currently it's those in certain smuggling business' and those working on the rebuilding of the world. Those with food and he means to make it and those who purify the lands (and can do so without too much risk) are also doing good as the populations begin to rise again. Most the war production has cooled, so the old military weapons forges have had to start investing in new things. Those that haven't gone cold in some way or another.

As for the difference between old money and new money? More new money coming in and most the old money is dead and running out due to not adapting with the changing world. And having been the sort of old money that charged helpfully into battle. Also a lot of the old money are becoming funders to the Liches. Some without knowing it, so their money is being being drained and watched. And most the old money has been sitting in their fortresses and manors and only coming out for the big events while the new money is out and about and attempting to set new trends.

 

Another part of the 'social turmoil' theme in my world, or at least Solaria.

Used to be, if you were wealthy, you were also a member of the aristocracy or closely connected to them. Most parts of the world, that's still true, though daring merchants from the Free Cities and Gotland have amassed impressive wealth in short periods.

The Traag War changed that equation for Solaria: high war taxes and huge numbers of peasants drafted into the legions leaving fewer to work the fields put deep holes in the pockets of the lesser aristocracy. Meanwhile, Equitant's inventive artisans and clever merchants saw their coffers swell from wartime contracts; to the point where the wealthier ones are literally buying defunct noble estates, titles and all. The old aristocracy views this situation as a catastrophe, and are equally alarmed by the vast numbers of discharged veterans granted land and citizenship, swelling the middle class and further eroding the aristocracies wealth and power. Equitant's merchant princes and the burgeoning middle class, for their part, are starting to view the aristocracy as outdated, citing lengthy periods in the old empire where most of the current aristocratic offices were elected rather than hereditary.

 

Figured this is worth a response. I could have answered all or almost all of the questions thus far, but for me this is a 'when I remember to get to it situation,' not something I follow all that closely.

breakfast at dawn, dinner at sunset/twilight - because work needs to be done while there's daylight.

 

Question 77: What are your clowns, jokers, jesters and/or comedians mocking your world for?

Well, the idea of a jester, that being a person in the employment of a lord whose job is specifically to make jokes, dance, and perform, has never really been widespread in my world. If they have guests, they may hire a musician to play something during dinner, but it's rarely a permanent position. In fact, self-deprecating humor is extremely popular in the Untian nations, so it's not terribly uncommon to see a noble doing a small stand up routine in front of their guests. Wealthier taverns and inns may hire a semi-permanent band or performer. A comedy routine performed in this setting would usually resemble a modern stand-up routine. Tell a funny story about the farmer you met on the road, or a relatable one about how your wife always buys the wrong kind of cheese that neither of you like, that kind of thing. Or, if the audience demands it, just resort to low-brow humor. Whatever makes them laugh.

In the Untian nations, not much is off-limits when it comes to humor. It's probably not too wise to insult a village's local fertility spirit in front of said villagers, but other than that you can crack jokes about basically whatever you want. In Kumbaska and other areas ruled by the Amul, it's best not to make fun of the Amul. They believe that they are on the ultimate holy mission: to prepare the world for the return of the Fel and the Alstalia. While it often depends on the temperament of the local priest, most tend to see humor as a distraction from their mission.

Question 78: Breakfast, second breakfast, elvenses... What are the eating times in your world?

Antisans usually have breakfast just before sunup and supper just after sundown, but often eschew lunch altogether and just increase the size of the other two meals. In an equatorial nation where night is total and you usually can't work or travel after dark, you generally want to get as much done as possible during daylight hours. Many people would see a noonday meal as an unneeded distraction.

Question 79: Astronaut, fireman, rapper. What's the profession that your kids (and adults for that matter) tend to dream of becoming?

The city guard (which are basically just a police force) is always an attractive career to youngsters. Countless novels have romanticized traveling merchants, so a lot of children are drawn to it until they realize that the job is actually only moderately lucrative at best. Most children eventually end up apprenticed to a bronzesmith or other such tradesman, or just take over their parents' business. While more and more people are finding the money to send their children to school, there's no formalized education system, so any reading, writing or mathematics are usually just what is learned from parents. As a result, more advanced job opportunities are a bit limited.

Question 80: A great calamity has occurred, be it fire, flooding or kaiju attack. Who is sent for clean-up and repair?

Well, the Untian nations are regularly battered with massive hurricanes, but people are generally expected to survive those on their own since they're so common.

Fire? The local bucket brigade would do what they could, and if fire got far enough out of hand the city government would probably do something, but there's no public service meant specifically for fighting fires. Some Antisan cities actually do have a very limited pressurized public water system, so that may be utilized if necessary.

Earthquake? Untian buildings already tend to be rather sturdy and squat to survive hurricanes, so even large earthquakes aren't usually too much of a problem.

Flooding? Other natural disaster? Well, unless things get really bad and the national government decides to send in support, it's usually up to the city to figure out what to do about cleanup. If you're not in a city, then you're usually out of luck. It's whatever help you can get from your neighbors and that's it.

Kaiju attack? Thanks to the Grat, it is actually does happen on very, very rare occasion in my world. Even then, though, a Grat is usually just passing through while looking for more interesting prey. Why bother with tiny morally questionable morsels that poke you with sharp sticks when you could be hunting whales or elephants? While surrounding cities might send some aid, most would look at the level of destruction and say "Yeah... uh, you're on your own for this one, guys."

My story will actually be set right after a horde of Fel rip through Antisa's capital city, burn huge swaths of land the ground, and kill a huge portion of the population. Since it's the seat of the government, they do get more help than they would probably receive otherwise. The Fel weren't interested in money, so the national treasury vaults were untouched and the Antisan government has enough money maintain a semblance of operation, in spite of the tragedy. Food is a bit scarce at first, but eventually farmers and merchants overcome their superstitions (or have them forcibly overcome by what is left of the military) and start bringing food into the city again. The river still flows, so water isn't an issue. Really, though, other than that there's not really too much they can do but clear off the roads, tear down as many of the destroyed buildings as they can, and hope that people eventually start moving back in.

Question 81: What sorts of headgear do people wear? (And why? Is it functional? Ceremonial? Prestigious?)

Most Untain nobles wear long, flowing headdresses adorned with items that are important to their power when in a public setting. For example, a lord or lady whose money comes from a hron orchard may wear a headdress made out of links of hron wood and adorned with baubles shaped like hron fruit. The headdress itself is not usually sacred in any way, and will change many times throughout the noble's life. Ectra, the current queen of Antisa, has already changed her headdress fifteen times in the first two years of her reign.

Because of how varied they are, the exact politics of headdresses used to be very intricate. However, it eventually became so hard to keep track of who would take offense at what headdress decorations that about a century ago many stopped engaging with headdress politics altogether and just wore whatever they thought looked nice. Certain rules of etiquette still apply, though. It would be very rude to arrive wearing an enormous, garish headdress that clearly outclassed those of superior standing, and could even be seen as a challenge under the right circumstances.

However, what's old is new again, and in the last few years headdress politics have started to come back into vogue again.

Naturally, soldiers wear helmets and people working outside wear wide-brimmed hats to keep the sun off. I suppose the priests of some Untian shrines may also wear hats as part of their apparel.

Question 82: Who’s making the big bucks in your world? (Bonus: What’s the difference between the old and newly rich?)

Anyone running a large hron orchard is practically summoning money from thin air. Hron trees grow so fast and are so easy to maintain that it's almost impossible not to turn a profit. Everything hron related has blown the Antisan economy out of the water. In a good way, of course.

On the less legal side of things, a lot of crime rings have popped up to take advantage of the booming economy in their own way.

The Untian nations have a thing for mercantilism. If someone or their family has enough money and connections for long enough, they may actually be granted a noble title.

 

No universal healthcare program as yet, but in Solaria...

the doctors of Solaces University did join with the army to institute a crude vaccination program for the military. Likewise, in Solarian military encampments, the latrines and wells are at opposite ends of the camp, a practice usually but not always mandated for civilian villages. Nowhere near comprehensive, but encouraging. Likewise, Equitant's chemists have developed a few crude, powerful drugs that can stop some ailments. Eventually, these will be employed on a broader basis - part of the technological transition than makes magic even less reputable. For most people, though, they hope they have enough to pay the herbalist or hedge doctor. More dubious treatments involve opioids from the jungles of the Black States,

 

The standard health care center is either a local healer, the local Hearth Temple or healing deities temple, traveling surgeon or plague doctor (good for things like plagues and disposing of bodies). There are also plenty of military doctors and battle surgeons about, willing to ply the old trade and usually hang out with adventurers stupid enough to tangle with the undead. One can also go to a herbalist or an alchemist for the bottled cure. There's also the hedges, who are kind of a combination of all sorts of the above. Also some mages ply the healing arts. If one is fortunate (stretching it perhaps to it's limit) there are always drow healers. They are quite competent and kind of mercenary. They also come with the downside of doing operations for fun and having a willingness to experiment without consent.

As for specialists, they are coming about, but it's a slow road. Most every doctor/veterinarian has to be an all around sort. And be able to cut hair in a pinch sometimes. And such things like acupuncture and the like aren't really alternative so much as just different and from different lands. They do have things like spa's and those other sort of relaxing places too. But it's mostly for those with the coin to toss at them to go relax after a tough day in their manor. So, that's the medical diagnosis for Eld.

 

Humans... naturally.

Heroes, doctors and those willing to put their (un)lives on the line generally are owed a lot, both literally and figuratively.

Depends on race and gender, some go to a pub and drink themselves to the ground, others choose the company of their family, still others take some time off appreciating the finer arts, or creating them. Lots of choices here.

 

Depends on ones social caste.

Bottom level, slaves some serfs, break out the Blue Dust or equivalent and let everything turn into a dreamy haze. Ale and other species of booze are also popular. Dice and cards for coppers or other tokens are immensely popular. Group sing-alongs and story telling are also popular among the lower social orders.

More educated or wealthier types listen to bards, play strategy type games resembling checkers, or indulge in any number of hobbies.

Luring the opposite sex into bed, of course, is a universal favorite.

 

For the working classes it usually means a stop at the bars and taverns for a drink before heading home for the nightly meal. Or going to the social house or local inn in the country or small villages. Then they might do some reading or storytelling or it happens the entertainment happens. Of course, if sailors and military are on leave, they head out to spend some (or all) the money in the dens of vice and sin. Still others go and play games and gamble and such.

The higher class military tends to do much the same, though more likely to be at an officers bar or the like. Or another higher class joint that caters to them. Unless they are on campaign, then it's to the tents for some food and some drink. If they've been allowed tents.

For the nobs, some of which might have done a hard day of drinking, go out to do a hard night's drinking (and partying). Others may go out for dalliances and to theaters and other such things. Some may go to the study with a nice scotch, a good book and a pipe to wile away the night hours. For Royalty it is much the same, though some among them take more common approaches or unusual ones to winding down. Such as the High Queen going down to the Under City to hang out in the drow bars. Or the Sea Queen among the Crab Shack to dine and drink and be the pirate she used to be.