Ah...I missed most of the ad hominems before creating the new thread. Compelling, indeed!
I think if you transplanted the culture of modern Belgium into a medieval setting, you might end up with a fun Shire-like tone. I mean, really, who can resist fine beer and chocolate? But they've a cool culture that goes deeper than that. That's probably true for a lot of modern countries - think what you could do with the Amsterdam of Middle Earth? Or see how close you can get a Fantasy city to modern LA.
I have a real thing for Finnish and the Finno-Ugric peoples. I don't know how underrated it is since a lot of their nature has found its way into modern fantasy (Though usually filtered through Viking and Anglo-Saxon culture), but there's not a conscious recognition of it most of the time. I make a point of using Finnish names from time-to-time (Eino, for those of you who saw my showcase post, is a Finnish name) and I just really like their culture. It's kind of like the Viking/Nordic culture, but somehow (to me) more romantic and fantastic. Also, they have one of the best mythological systems I've ever encountered.
Yeah Sumerian and early Mesopotamian stuff is interesting. Been reading up on it lately.
Also pre-Islamic Persian empires like the Sassanids.
And I've always thought Songhai-style paladins make for a cool alternative to the traditional European knight.
Yeah Sumerian and early Mesopotamian stuff is interesting. Been reading up on it lately.
Also pre-Islamic Persian empires like the Sassanids.
And I've always thought Songhai-style paladins make for a cool alternative to the traditional European knight.