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- #101
Question 120: What is a dream in your world? (A portal to magic? A gift of the gods? Perhaps simply our natural phenomenon?)
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The "Daily" Worldbuilding Prompt. Chapter 3
- Thread starter Ban
- Start date
I have an answer for this but it's not going to come up in Smughitter. It was a worldbuilding dump I did a while ago.
There are different magic systems running parallel to each other in my setting, and one of them is the Dreamscape, which is loosely inspired by North American indigenous themes. Each person's dreams happen in a mind-room that, when the dreams are off, could be described as a barren room with a shuttered window. Many thick web-like ropes are stuck to the other side of the shutter and connect you to all of the people you know in a massive tangled web. When your relationship-webs are tugged, the banging it creates on your window's shutters creates your dreams. Golden spider creatures live on and protect and tinker with these dreamscape webs, and someone who has the power to enter and manipulate the dreamscape can heal relationship wounds or else wreak havoc on a community.
Orc Knight
Auror
A dream is a dream until it isn't. They can be portents and psychic dreams, or they used to be able to. The Lich Wars put an end to prophetic dreams and prophets and prophecies, mostly as it was the last path as made by the most powerful one at the time. Though sometimes they can give hints and it is both a dream world and a whole other plane that some can walk upon. Those would be the dream walkers, rather known by the fact that their eyes are not really so much eyes as a collection of stars and space in an eye shape. They can craft the dream world to do their bidding and even kill in them if need be and enter it at any time. Contact with deities and beings of other planes can be made in them if they can't be easily reached in the mortal realm and they can be traps, particularly of the black lotus variety.
Dreams are many things. Mostly confusing and sometimes deadly.
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- #104
Question 121: What is the range of eye, skin and hair colours I can find in your world?
Orc Knight
Auror
Literally all of them. True, humans kind of get stuck with the natural colors for the most part, but they get the metallic eye coloration for magic use of higher levels then normal. Though skin color can be changed too. Hair color is probably the most changeable of all. Not just through basic dyes or simple magic but naturally occurring. Dwarves and goblins sit on that particular end with such naturally occurring colors as pink, purple, obsidian and marble hair colors.
For my sprites, Aliffe is white with rose petal freckles and lemon-lime colored hair. Haifen's skin is more like a heavy tan, and his hair is in shades of caramel and chocolate. Sprites all come from the same race, place and background, but there's more variety in their appearance. I won't have to decide how far that variety goes until the second book. A different "fairy race" or Vaki group implies differences much bigger than skin color.
For humans the range of appearance is normal and comes from the same kind of regional history as the real world. The story happens in a small city, but it's a bit more diverse and worldly than the rest of the country. There's laws that certain types of items have to be imported or exported through the inspectors at this city because they might be magical or dangerous, which makes it the country's main point of contact for many merchants. The setting has a bit of a history where a celtic-like region was invaded by a roman-like empire, then declared independence centuries later. I go and back as to whether that should create noticeable racial/ethnic differences or not.
For humans the range of appearance is normal and comes from the same kind of regional history as the real world. The story happens in a small city, but it's a bit more diverse and worldly than the rest of the country. There's laws that certain types of items have to be imported or exported through the inspectors at this city because they might be magical or dangerous, which makes it the country's main point of contact for many merchants. The setting has a bit of a history where a celtic-like region was invaded by a roman-like empire, then declared independence centuries later. I go and back as to whether that should create noticeable racial/ethnic differences or not.
Miles Lacey
Archmage
Dreams are usually natural phenomenon but there are those who get divinely inspired dreams who are labelled prophets. A prophet does not predict the future as the Scriptures teach there is no such thing as destiny.
Miles Lacey
Archmage
In the world of my WIP skin colour is nothing to do with race. It is mostly determined by environment. Thus people in colder climates are white, people in temperate areas are olive skinned, people in the tropics are brown and people in hot and dry climates are black.
Elves mostly have the same skin colours as humans but some of them also have skin colours that are the same as those of the rainbow. These "rainbow" elves are usually found in remote areas well away from prying eyes.
Hair colour in the Tarakan Empire is predominately brown or black but people from the Edo Empire often colour their hair to reflect their dominant personality trait (in the same way characters in anime and manga do in our world).
Eye colours are pretty diverse (blue, green, hazel, brown, black, grey and purple of various shades) across all races. When a person becomes a mage after being gifted with the Spark their eyes become orange-yellow.
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- #109
Question 122: Which groups of people are stereotyped as backwards in your world? (Is there truth to the matter in technological, social, etcetera contexts?)
Old elves and traditional anfylk are generally considered backwards.
In the case of the traditional anfylk it's warranted. They try to live their lives in the same way as when their goddess created them - without modern-day technology or conveniences. They do not allow for electricity or cellphones or other newfangled conveniences. Some of them will use the train to get into the larger towns to get to the market, and some traditional areas will allow non-traditional anfylk tourists to come visit.
When it comes to the old elves, it's less obvious whether it's warranted or not. Some of the old ones do not keep up to date with the modern world, but stick to their old ways that have worked for them for hundreds or thousands of years. Others are delighted at the exciting new changes sweeping the world.
In the case of the traditional anfylk it's warranted. They try to live their lives in the same way as when their goddess created them - without modern-day technology or conveniences. They do not allow for electricity or cellphones or other newfangled conveniences. Some of them will use the train to get into the larger towns to get to the market, and some traditional areas will allow non-traditional anfylk tourists to come visit.
When it comes to the old elves, it's less obvious whether it's warranted or not. Some of the old ones do not keep up to date with the modern world, but stick to their old ways that have worked for them for hundreds or thousands of years. Others are delighted at the exciting new changes sweeping the world.
Orc Knight
Auror
Wood elves are the most well known socially backwards ones of the Fea continent, which is decently true. Given they are being forced to change with the times and they keep trying to stick to the old ways that nearly wiped them out, it's a bit of a struggle all in all for them. Baba Yaga and her Kingdom of the North tend to stick as much to the old ways too and are even slower to take influence, particularly from the southern part of the continent. Though it mostly falls under the humans, dwarves and the snow elves. The trolls tend to be a bit more chill in the North. Baba Yaga has made certain the Narrative Tradition is held through her lands and under pain of exile or death. The Celestial Lands are also in the thrall of their traditions and not moving with the times, not helped by the broken empire and even in the past decades not getting themselves together as a hundred different disputes foment close to a war they can little afford, many vying for a throne that may not even be empty.
Technologically speaking, such technology as there is at the current time, the orcs, gold and lunar elves all fall under the more country and old ways of farming and lifestyle. It's helped by the fact they no longer have to farm for such huge armies and can keep their yields large year after years. The magic isn't enough to have massive twenty acre or bigger fields. They can keep to the commune and family farms and keep food for winters to come. Though one day they will get back to such things, when it's profitable again.
For the last that run both, the delver dwarves. Tradition binds them and they have gotten to the point with their magitek they once were. Or at least tradition binds most of them. They are on the verge of civil war over it, but they don't have the people or resources to actually go to war.
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- #112
The following question touches upon multiple previous questions.
Question 123: Can you pick one (or multiple) of your cultures, and give me the rundown of the most average of everymen within that culture? (Where do they live, what are their political views, what do they wear, etcetera)
Question 123: Can you pick one (or multiple) of your cultures, and give me the rundown of the most average of everymen within that culture? (Where do they live, what are their political views, what do they wear, etcetera)
Orc Knight
Auror
Sort of simple I suppose, due to the system they've set up.
Wood Elf/Green Elf: A soldier of some sorts who has been in battle and war at least once. Still proud of the old ways and who's idea of politics is stabbing the person in front of you to get to the top.
Gold Elf/Lunar Elf: The farmers with perhaps a bit of a promiscuous side and a love of grain alcohol. Their idea of politics is a community effort and a council.
High Elf/Celestial Elf: Politicians and nobles with a bit of a ruthless streak. They tend to lord over everyone, whether they want them to or not.
There's a few for you.
blondie.k
Minstrel
Well, there is the Caber tribes which live in the cliffs of the Caber Canyon. They don't use magic of any kind nor do they associate with those who do. They are a very hostile tribe to outsiders or members that have been removed. I still have much to develop on these people as they haven't shown up in the story yet.
Miles Lacey
Archmage
The tautai are often considered to be backward because they come from remote islands where even basic things like a sewerage system and electricity is largely absent. Tautai also traditionally wear garments made from grass, flax fibres etc. In the more developed parts of the Empire the term "from the islands" is used to describe someone who is ignorant, stupid or simple-minded. Tautai are actually quite intelligent in reality and most of them don't wear traditional clothing except for ceremonial occasions.
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- #116
Question 124: Who was the richest person to have ever lived? ("Person" may be applied loosely)
Miles Lacey
Archmage
Tutaket Sanyachet from the Principality of Rechelles owned assets, properties and precious metals worth 60,321,123,543.76 Tarakan Dinars. He lost it all when the Rechelles government passed a law that allowed the government to seize all wealth of those who earned it through organised crime.
The richest person who earned their wealth legitimately was the founder of Tarakan Imperial Airships Ltd. At the time he was killed his net worth was 45,009,234,519.90 Tarakan Dinars.
Orc Knight
Auror
Person may be applied very loosely here. It's not helped that I don't really dig that deep into the economy end. There are currently three competitors for it. For pure coinage it goes to Denarius Sunleaf, who not only has access to the Kingdom of the Wood Elves entire treasury, but also has several High Elves in his debt and is very well invested in several businesses and has enough trade contacts (both legal and illegal) to even make the Pirate Queen sit up and take notice. And also borrow (or steal) money from time to time.
For two large business empires, it's between the dragons Pink and Jade. Unlike many western dragons, Pink has assets in lands, her beer business and shipping and trade. Collectively, she owns over forty thousand acres, distributes to over two thousand bars and inns, owns said shipping companies and has an alcoholic beverages line that is known by her pink dragon brand. Jade is like her, but owning a tea company in the Celestial Lands. She has created the Empire Tea & Trade Company and is quite aggressive in her marketing and has an Imperial Contract to taking in well over half the profits. In lands alone she owns even more then Pink, a portion of the best tea ranges in the Celestial lands that is all but an independent country inside the Empire. With it's own rules and laws, money and even a security force that could probably take over several of the Imperial Provinces if she ever felt like a bid for the throne.
WooHooMan
Auror
In the story I'm writing, the wealthiest character is the main villain named Lefty Luja (he, understandably, goes by several aliases). He's a...thing - not human, not even mortal, not demonic - I don't know. I guess he counts as a person either way.
At the time of the story, he has a net worth equivalent of around 250 billion dollars.
Lefty made his initial fortune via currency manipulation. A few centuries ago, a new country was starting-up and needed some money so Lefty engineered a fraud which allowed him to directly back the country's currency and charge them interest: he would give them an check for twenty crowns, they'd print a twenty crown bill backed by the check he gave them and then, ten years down the line, they had to pay him 20 crowns back plus interest. Of course, there was no money in his fraudulent bank account and the country more-or-less knew that but they were desperate.
The country collapsed economically and since then, the immortal Lefty spent centuries manipulating currency and running other illicit money-making rackets including drug dealing, arms dealing, pyramid schemes, backing terrorists, backing politicians and so forth. His immortality has been a big help. He actually once spent 110 consecutive years in prison for treason. He was eventually able to leave once the country he was imprisoned in seized to be.
So, he's the richest guy in my setting that I know of but there could be people richer. There's almost certainly countries and businesses that are richer.
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blondie.k
Minstrel
In the provenance of Ancient Cyrom, there was a high-level family known as the Valdorns. This rich family built its power from the young man known as Talbot Valdorn. Originally from a poor, run-down family, Talbot began a mercury mining industry that slowly built his wealth and power.
