#worldbuildingjune2018

So, you’ve learned from Mu about the use of Chains, Threads, and Beads to convey how a person refers to themselves and who they form connections with. There is a subset for communicating with the Chains. Chains allow you to add special charms, which Barons use to learn what skills someone has. It makes it easier to form parties and hire workers for specific tasks. 

Outside of those, however, we have one shared spoken language, the one you happen to share with us. Though every race has their own independent language that’s derived from the shared one. This is why you might hear some people saying something, and while you may understand some of it, there are gaps where you might not understand. Despite that, it makes learning all the dialects and vocabulary rather simple. 

We also have visual languages outside of the Chains, Threads, and Beads. Some members of our community, like Obsidian and Limestone, can’t speak verbally, and Limestone can’t hear. So to convey what they wish to say, they move their hands in specific movements to speak to us. While all the races have individual signs for specific things relevant to their culture and customs, the core language is the same across the continent. 

We also have a written language. It’s not as widely used nowadays, but we learn it and practice it as a skill. The markings are simple and easy to follow. Braille? What’s Braille? Oh, we have a text like that too. We call texts written with those Ridges. Sandra reads and writes with Ridges, and is quite good at those.

We also have more combative language. Drawing a weapon, a certain amount of toe taps on the floor of a bar, a nudge of the head. These allow others to speak and fight. Combat is a lot more common here that people realize. If someone wants something you have, they will challenge you. How many times has Mu challenged Amaryllis on your journey so far for that Ring? Fifty-six times? He’s holding back, that’s impressive. 

Food’s here. Now we can talk about the people who live here. Alright. Where to start?

I suppose you best know about Battlers first. These people are not liked. At all. And for very good reason. They look a lot like you and me, and a lot of the other people around these parts. The only difference is their eyes are empty. They turn into mist, looming in the calmest corners of the land of Amatus. They whisper and offer you all you can ever dream. But it’s all a lie. These people are not your friends. If they grab ahold of you, you’d better run. If you don’t, you’ll never make it home. They’ll use you as a puppet to fight their wars, goading you with false promises of glory. I know this because I nearly lost myself to their whims once. That was many, many years ago though.

The Shifters are the more jokester people of this world. They enjoy messing around with others. They poke and prod and try to rile you up for their own amusement. It’s in their nature. They can change between animal and human, and they say their animal form reflects what kind of character they are deep down. Though only Shifters know what that truly means. They live everywhere, so you’ll encounter them at least once every time you come to a new place. They’ll try to deceive you if they see you have something of value, like your Promise Ring. However, make friends with an exceptionally strong one, and you’ve essentially have done the impossible. 

There are people who live in the far north known as Barons. They’re said to be made of pure ice, impossible to melt, and yet have the kindest hearts you’ll ever meet. They prefer to live life in the ice and snow of the Frostfire Mountains, and are well known for their storage caves and fine crystals. Though they’re also well known for their combative ability. They will not hesitate to slay someone who threatens their kin. They take great pride in their swordsmanship, and the  Rockwell Stronghold is considered the best in all of the land when it comes to training.

In the Hearts Plain you’ll meet the Brethren, the people made of paint and starshine. They’re incredibly intelligent and creative, with a penchant for games and a strong sense of community. If you are ever in need of an ally, they will come to your aid in a pinch. They’re teachers, scholars, smiths, seamsters. You would be hard pressed to find anyone in the world as knowledgeable as they are. They’re gentle in nature, but will band together when one of them is wronged. 

In most towns, like this one, you’ll meet people like Alwin, known as the Moors. These folk have long ears similar to that of hares, made for hearing things in the distance. They’re incredibly fast, clever, and know how to adapt to just about any place. They’re closely related to the Mounts, the people of the mountains who can survive great heights, the Sliders, who can live in any marshland they come to, and the Mers, who live along the ocean borders and in the sea caves of neighboring islands with their abilities to swim. Every town in every area of Amatus have their own kind of ability that lets them live comfortably, and they each have their own name for their kind. 

Come to think of it, I should swing by the bookstore in order to find a book about all the different people that live here. If more people like you are going to be showing up unexpectedly, I need to be ready.

Hm? Oh yes. I need to tell you about the Seren. I suppose you could say they’re this lands original inhabitants. They’ve lived here since far before the Rainbow Hills came into being. Like all the other people I’ve mentioned before, Seren have a magic and culture unique to them, though their history is a little...muddy for lack of better words. Seren are able to summon forth wings that enable them flight, much like these angels you mentioned earlier. Though every Seren’s wings look different. They have a core set of colors, each with a meaning important to the person. It’s said that the Seren were the original owners of the Promise Rings, but no one knows for sure. They’re also the ones who run the apothecaries that appear in the world when you’re in need of them.

All of these people live in relative peace, save for the Battlers. Cultural exchange and a mutual respect for one’s skill keeps the infighting and outfighting to a minimum. When one strays and decides to cause harm, most people rally forth to stop the antagonistic forces. What these people yearn for most is peace. They don’t wish to suffer. And that is what keeps us all in a state of balance, safety, and understanding. It’s almost as if we’re deeply empathetic to each other's needs. No, not even that. It’s...something stronger than that. It’s hard to describe to an Other Worlder without having them experience it first hand. 

Now, let’s start with the Moors, Mounts, Slithers, and Mers. the Moors are primarily a kind of people who prefer close knit communities, and because of their attributes that allow them to live in valleys, they also like to burrow. So the build cabins that are partially underground. These underground communities are strong and very easy to navigate, allowing the people to go from house to house without having to brave any unpleasant weather. The Mounts are essentially the same, though they stick primarily to more rocky, hilly terrain. If they’re in the mountains, they’ll make use of caves. Both prefer to stay in one place, but are ready to move if the situation calls for it. You can find these kind of villages crossing all over the continent.

Mers and Slithers are a little different though. They prefer to live in the waters, and their bodies allow them to go between moist and dry land. Slithers have huts made of strong branches residing in the surrounding trees when they’re above the marshes, though as far as residing below, no one’s ever been that wasn’t a Slither. Mers have shacks along the beaches and on the edges of sea caves, for when they wish to explore the land. But primarily, they have underwater homes among the coral and sand. Those homes are more permanent, and it’s where they keep most of their belongings that can survive the ocean floor. And they don’t ever leave their home unless it can’t be avoided. They’ve been known to live through the harshest of stormy weather and make it out unscathed. These kinds of homes are only possible along the shores and in the marshes.

Barons live in grand ice and stone walled villages. They rely heavily on the surrounding snow and frost in the Frostfire Mountains to live safely. They do have underground paths that lead out to the caves and deeply hidden caverns of the mountain wall itself. They’re probably the most simplistic in their architecture. The focus more on strength of defence than anything else.

Brethren on the other hand, their homes and villages vary incredibly widely. You have the more nomadic groups, who refer to themselves as Altair Brethren, that put up elegantly decorated tents and structures for the night, or for several depending on how long they intend to stay. Others create homes in high trees and bushes if there’s plenty for them, like the Vega Brethren and other people who live in more heavily forested areas of Amatus. My favorite are those of the Deneb Brethren, who construct grand stone homes, with buildings that reach several floors high. They enjoy the various shapes that their homes can take, and bask in the coolness of their homes in the summertime. All these people make sure to have plenty of color among their homes, and one can often see them from far away. It’d be as though you saw the Aurora travelling along the ground.

Many Seren and Shifters prefer to build houses that double as inns, stores, medic stations and the like, and they often keep towards other people. Makes it easier to blend in, you see. Though Shifters tend to keep to their own groups when away from other people, like Mu’s village. All of them Shifters who live in specially crafted mirrored homes that allow them to blend into the Everglass-Oof! Ow. Oh goodness, looks like we bumped into one of those hou- Oh Great Mosaic it’s Mu’s house. He’s gonna rip us a new one when he sees this crack in the wall. 

Anyway, where was I? Oh yeah, there’s one last place I got to explain. I’ve told you about all the other homes, but then there’s the castles.

The four castles. Sapphire, Garnet, Topaz, and Amethyst. On the outside, they may resemble nothing more than gigantic Prism Clusters. But I can assure you, those are indeed castles. They have hidden entrances, and all of them are incredibly hard to navigate the inside of. Anyone who lives near them live in small cabins created with crystal and wood, so as to blend into the surrounding area of the castles. The people who live there are incredibly closed off. No one even knows who they are or what kind of heritage they have. Well, no one but yours truly, but that’s a story for another day.

For the love of Laurie, here comes Mu. Quick, hold this. What? He won’t get mad at an Otherworlder for breaking his house! Come on, take my crook before-

RYLLIS! DID YOU BREAK MY HOUSE AGAIN?!

Alright, we’re here. Make yourself comfortable, because this is subject is incredibly delicate. 

Amatus’ history is different depending on who you asked. But the general grasp of the situation by all peoples is that over a thousand years ago or so, there was a great civil war that caused this land to morph into what it is. But, I’m not sure how they would react if they knew the truth. Something I’ve had to carry by myself for a long time. I’m only telling you this so you don’t go asking more about history. I don’t want you getting hurt. Now, I need you to swear to me that you won’t tell anyone about this.

The Seren, the original people of this land, were fighting with each other because...because of something rather horrible. I can’t go into detail on what it was. I’m not at liberty to. But you’ll probably learn more as we wander. So...be prepared for the worst, my friend. 

Anyway, after the Seren’s war ended, the world as we know it now slowly started to grow from its ashes. Mostly, the remaining people lived alone, trying their hardest to adapt to the newly changing landscape. As a result four kingdoms, ruled by the Grand Mage of Sapphire Castle, the Tinkerer of Amethyst Castle, The Surgeon General of Garnet Castle, and the Caregiver of Topaz Castle, rose to power in their respective corners of Amatus. As the centuries came by, the Moors, Mers, Mounts, and others like them began coming from far off lands, sighting the call of a gentle voice on the wind telling them “All Are Safe Within My Heart”. The Brethren came from the far east, in search of new places to call home, while the Barons fled from a dying, wartorn land of their own.

Why are you rolling your eyes like that? Oh, cliche history lesson. Yeah, a little, but this is the best I can give you. Each race has their own origin story on how they arrived here, and they’re very protective of it. They take pride in who they are, and they don’t want anyone to forget where they came from. They feel, deep down, that forgetting one’s origins is like another form of death. So they teach their children, and their children’s children, and anyone ready and willing to learn, everything about how they came to Amatus. All word of mouth, old texted in personal libraries, tapestries, folk tales, the whole bounty. Amatus is a land of new beginnings, after all. My describing it to you would take years to even scratch the surface. I can’t do this justice, not in the way the other people can.

The Seren however, merely wish for their history to fade. It isn’t something they’re proud of. They just want to move toward the future, and are damn well ready to do so. Most of those who have any memory of the past are old and dying, while others are merely choosing to ignore. At the rate they’re going, they’ll completely forget within the next century, and there are quite a few who will do anything to make that happen. Or rather, they would. There’s just something standing in their way of that. Or, a someone rather.

First, we have the traditional seasonal welcoming holidays. Large gatherings to welcome the new seasons. How they’re celebrated will change from village to village, but these are typically days where grand dinners are held and the music plays unending until Moon Fall. During these festivals, special games are played and dancing is customary. We spend these days welcoming the new season, giving thanks for the joys of the last, and enjoying the new experiences brought about.

We then have the birthday celebrations. These are typically smaller affairs, reserved for loved ones. The person for whom this event is celebrating is given a special present, usually something they had never seen before. They then spend the rest of the say with their families, baking special pastries and sharing stories. It’s a day of rest as well as a day of giving thanks for this person being a part of the world.  Though I wish we’d be able to celebrate those days for Amaryllis. No one knows when they were born.

There’s the wedding ceremonies, and while the customs vary from people to people, the general template is the same. The lovers stand before the people, declaring their love for each other. They vow to stand by each other, through all the good and the bad. The village then come together, decorating the couple in beautiful clothing as well as bringing forth gifts of things that they’d need for their new home. Amatus is very community focused, so weddings are a chance for everyone to help a new family get prepared for the next step on their journey. Marriage is not an end to an adventure, after all. It’s just another chapter.

Then, there’s the Day of Remembrance. On this day, everyone comes together with candles, leaving them at grave markers of lost loved ones. We spend the day talking to them, letting them know how we are, how much we still think of them. When High Moon comes, we send the candles down the river, allowing the spirits to return to the next life. If there is no river, like in the Frostfire Mountains, then all the candles are brought to a special bathhouse and are left to float, much like how one soaks in a healing bath. No one in Amatus passes the chance to visit those who have gone. Even though we are sure to join them in time, we don’t wish to forget them, and this day allows us to remember. It’s one of my personal favorite holidays. Why? Because it’s not just a day to remember those who leave us, but it reminds me that those who are gone are not truly gone. And for some, like myself, it makes it easier to accept that one day, there will be those who visit our resting places with a candle.

Now, each race of people, every individual village, have their own personal celebrations scattered through the rest of the year, but these are the ones we all have in common at the core. Our celebrations, at their heart, are about celebrating life. Life and its many beginnings, and its strong and connecting endings. The endless cycle of start and finish.

Now look, a majority of the land of Amatus is a land of trade. People who want something need to try and have something that the other party wants. You have to barter. Swap Meets are commonplace. You have to try your best to be charismatic in some cases. If someone has something you want or need, you either have to provide them with something of equal value, or something they need or want. There’s a term for that I think. 

Now, in terms of what you can trade, it varies from place to place. If you travel a lot, and you’re able to carry a lot of clothing you pick from the plants around you, you can trade them in town for things. A person from the Hearts Plain can come to an Oasis and trade a red shirt for a silver tunic, or someone from the Frostfire Mountains can trade a winter coat of any color for a green or blue binder in the south. Someone who grows berries can trade for bread. Things like that.

However, some people prefer to exchange knowledge, stories, songs, books for necessities. Knowing a lot and knowing what someone might want to hear can get you a thing or two. I’ve managed to get oodles of supplies from people who need a good joke or advice on a prank. Offering a service helps as well. I’ve scrubbed a few pig pens clean because someone had a really pretty jewel I wanted. 

Sometimes you can’t get what you want through barter and trade though. That’s when the currency comes in. If you live near the castles, actual money is what’s used instead. People pay with Deathers, a gold coin with the image of a feather on one side and a shape related to the castle nearby. Sapphire is represented with a Spade, Topaz with a Heart, Garnet with a Club, and Amethyst with a Diamond. There’s a special kind of Deather known as a Veather, a silver coin with a feather and a tree on either side of the coin. This one is used to trade when a trade cannot be reached, regarless of location. So say Ryllis has a scarf I want and we’re on the Bluebell Landline. They want it for a box of chocolates, but all I have are mints and a Veather. I then give my Veather in place of the box of chocolates, and they can give the Veather to someone with chocolates next chance they get. Makes sense? Deather prices vary from castletown to castletown, but at most someone can only charge three Veathers for an item or service. One Deather equals One Veather and vice versa. Simple, easy, and a lot more merciful on the mathmatics. 

No, we don’t need any Veathers or Deathers to get a weapon for you from Laplace. She’ll take one look at these apples we’re carrying and make you the best knife in the world. Unless you have another weapon in mind?