#world building wednesday

[shy-raccoon]

Worldbuilding Tip

If you have a fantasy race with animal traits look at that animals social structure when desiging their culture.

A kingdom of lion people could have 2 types of towns, one with mostly women and one man as mayor and another made up of men banished from the first town when they hit puberity. With duals to decide the mayor of the first town.

Fauns and satyrs could banish all men from town except for during mating season with only women running socity or have seperate towns for each gender like actual deer herds.

Most cultures in fantasy are real world cultures with the serial numbers shaved off or a mish mash of real world cultures. So this is a great way to make more interesting cultures in your setting.

#world building #worldbuilding #fantasy worldbuilding #worldbuilding stuff #worldbuilding ideas #writers on tumblr #writing #writeblr #writing inspiration #writing tips #writing advice #fantasy world #world building prompts #fantasy writing #world building wednesday

[thebibliosphere]

Happy WBW!

Is there any magic in your world?

Happy World Building Wednesday to you too!

And yes! Thank you for asking. There is lots of magic in Hunger Pangs.

There are enchanted forests dotted around the earth that are the sole source of all remaining wild magic in the world.

The rest of the magic was drained from the world in a war against the gods, who now lie imprisoned between worlds for their crimes against mortals. Neither living nor dead but a secret third thing (Trapped in an eternal slumber of howling nightmares.)

The forests are primarily protected by werewolves and some other shape-shifting creatures who act as custodians of the land. As the series progresses, you'll find some other wild and magical creatures in there, too.

There are also magic users like witches, necromancers, and vampires, who all have their own form of ritual magic. And Ursula, who is her own wild thing.

Even the 'science' veers toward the magical, hence why Hunger Pangs falls under the gaslamp (magic/fantasy) subgenre and not steampunk (fantastical science/sci-fi).

There are also some magic standing stones no one can quite figure out. But I'm sure those won't be relevant. Not for a while, at least...

#hunger pangs: true love bites #world building wednesday #hunger pangs asks

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Happy WBW! Is it known who the first documented inutilia was and what happened to them?

Ah it's almost midnight my time I should answer this!!

Thanks Katie happy WBW!!

I believe I made up the name Carlton Wanser on the spot to be the first documented Inutilia, approximately 100 years before the present of TSP. I don't have a concrete explanation of what happened to him, and after the day I had midnight isn't the best place for improvising a solid answer.

However, I do have a bit of an idea that I can tell you. Carlton was the first of many, and unfortunately I believe he would have been in the news. Science and discovery is very important in Alium, so the change in the database would cause a stir. At age ten his name would be in journals (I don't personally think Alium would care much for privacy rights for minors) and he may have been interviewed.

But of course it'd be negative attention. People would talk down to him, ask inappropriate questions. The kid himself would feel like some sort of failure. Would experience bullying.

Of course, since he made the news, once another came up there would be more of a panicked reaction from those who believe one's worth lies in their powers, which is unfortunately a lot of them. As more and more happen, there would be investigations on what may be causing it, conspiracy theories, etc. Eventually, Carlton Wanser became lost in the shuffle, but no one forgot his name, especially on history tests.

In a previous draft I had a minor character in the Refugae be a descendant of him, but I think I'll change that (or not, we'll see). I see multiple futures for him:

He becomes an activist, but is still treated as a part of the past well before his death.

He escapes to Ceteri and lives out his life normally.

Something very bad happens to him, either due to how he's treated by his peers or how his parents treated him.

And I think all three would be interesting outcomes, so I'm stuck on which one would be the most interesting in the context of TSP.

Thanks for the ask!

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

#the secret portal #tsp #teaspoon #alium #world building wednesday #behind the scenes #world building #writers on tumblr #writing community #writers of tumblr #writing on tumblr #writeblr #writeblr community

[rachelillustrates]

More @ockissweek 💋 And continuing with the Seven Qualities of Fairycraft, day three – Kindness.

AND considering what day of the week it is – time for another world-building post, dear readers!! This week, jumping off of that, we are looking at some of the relationships between the six main Gnomish deities, as they are currently worshiped and as Gnomish mythology currently describes.

Full notes here 🫂💕

(Pictured above: Anosmia, goddess of protection and destruction, and Carwen, goddess of creation and love. They are sometimes girlfriends.)

((Big thanks again to @artofmisi for organizing this event!))

~

Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!

#ockiss24 #ockissweek #faerie #gnomes #queer #sapphic #fantasy art #fantasy #gaslamp fantasy #goddesses #gnome woman #indie comics #queer comics #tock the gnome #body posi art #world building wednesday #ooh shiny #faebruary

[author-a-holmes]

I wish I could schedule asks. It would make my life a lot easier. For example;

Today is Tuesday. I've just thought about World Building Wednesday. I could send out asks now, and schedule them to be delivered in about 24 hours. Storytelling Saturday! I can answer my asks, and schedule the posts to go out on Saturday, but will I remember to send asks out ON Saturday? Unlikely. But if I could write the asks now and schedule them to send on Saturday...

Well. You see my point.

#Asks #Ask Box #Community Games #Story Telling Saturday #World Building Wednesday #Writeblr #Writeblr Community #Polls #Poll #Scheduled Asks #ari speaks #arista speaks

[amaiguri]

Worldbuilding My Magic System FOR REAL

So Yssaia has HAD a pretty developed magic system for a while. And to recap it for you... I'm going to paste my half of me raving about this on Discord (thank you to @zebee-nyx and @galacticsand and @reaperofcrows for being so cool and letting me be an unhinged worldbuilding mad lad XD):

"What is Ysse?"

So the way Ysse works is its basically invisible dust floating in the air. And if it hits itself at certain velocities and in certain volumes, "spontaneous effects" happen -- like water materializing out of "nowhere" or fire exploding or wind gusts. You're limited a little by Avatar Last Airbender bending logic (you can't summon fully sapient creatures, you can't teleport, you can't control people's minds unless you're like... touching their nervous system, etc.)

So Mages invented the first writing as a way to record what patterns of movement did what. And eventually, used them to communicate these patterns as a shorthand for more generalized concepts...

So writing also got invented sometimes BEFORE agriculture...

"How precise do these movements/velocities need to be?"

It needs to be PRETTY precise. And this is why the average person CAN'T learn magic -- because Ysse in low amounts is invisible to the average person

But mages can see Ysse, which helps a lot. And they can see these shapes OCCURING in the natural world too -- when the wind blows, its because Ysse particles FORMED the Wind Rune/Sigil in the sky BUT this still doesn't guarantee that they cast any spells if they don't have the physical discipline too

So, in theory, "anyone" COULD move their hands PERFECTLY to spontaneously start a fire. But they PROBABLY won't

"How does this impact the natural world?"

This is also how animals and plants can do magic too. Tree roots in the north have roots that have specific patterns that warm up the soil, so snow can actually MELT and give them water and the tree doesn't die

And this is also my excuse for why so many things have bunny ears -- normally, long ears in colder-than-average climates (i.e. All of Yssaia) would be bad. But in Yssaia, these long ears are convergently evolving to channel Ysse. What they channel, exactly, I haven't decided (probably heat lol or something to increase air density so sound travels farther???)

AND all this is ALSO why the Demons are such an abomination -- because their Blood Magic doesn't obey particle physics, they just fucking do whatever they want

"Why do you need to know all this?"

The question at this point, I guess, is basically "How do I make fantasy technology that looks whimsical but also looks at least hypothetically functional under closer scrutiny?"

Yeah, and the full Answer TM to that right now is just <insert the entire design philosophy I haven't discovered yet here>

"So how IS magic going to shape technology, when you design it for the Untitled Yssaia Video Game?"

...Yeah, okay, after brainstorming all this, I think here's my strategy for how I'm going to tackle technology:

Step 2) Create a master list of technologies I will worry about/actually visualize in the game I will want to keep an OPEN LIST so I can add more things to it as I do research/find really specific use cases (such as scrollcases or chopstick holders)

Step 1) Establish symbols for a handful of common things in both the North and the South that at least vaguely make sense with the concept of the particles. So things like: - Fire/Heat - Water/Melt - Ice/Slow - Wind/Quicken - Earth/Apply Force - Sun/Light - Moon/Closing/Locking (Thanks to @zebee-nyx for this one!)

Step 3) Design simple sprites for things that can later be shrunk down and used as set-dressing for maps BUT at a little bigger in scale so they can be shown to other people sensibly (maybe on the same sheet at the walking animations for scale?)

AND WITH THAT, after 5 years of only vaguely imagining all this, this is what I designed, using a combination of symbols I had already designed and dice that I pushed around on my desk to see what kind of patterns they'd make:

Are some of these a little funky and don't really work with real particle physics? Yeah, fair. I'll take notes, if you got 'em. I'm open to critique, if you wanna lol

Last comment that didn't make it into the big discussion with my buds tonight: Ysse particles are how temperature is distributed. So, hot areas have fewer, cold areas have more. I know that isn't how thermodynamics work but does anyone else really?

(Something something eldritch horror thermodynamics post... And my magic-god is an eldritch horror! See? It's perfect!)

Thank you for coming to my #WorldbuildingWednesday post! If you liked this, don't forget to REBLOG and follow the #Yssaia tag or something🥰 (Are calls-to-action cringe? Publicly shame me, if so)

#worldbuilding #world building #world building wednesday #fantasy world building #magic system #magic #game dev #writing #amaiguri #yssaia

[ashen-crest]

Happy WBW! Okay, honestly I'm getting a little crazy with this one, but I think it's fun. Two of your worlds collide! Whether it be time periods or genres or just two different high schools, how do they mesh? Pretend it's a little worldbuilding activity and picture me kicking my feet in excitement while you work. 🥰

ooh fun! thanks for the ask!

hm. I've talked before about what would happen in the TSS and ARMV kids met. so, to mix it up, I'll go with...Rosemond Street, but thrown them into the social season from The Spirit Well.

The social season contains a whole level of gossip/pageantry/social stakes that Rosemond Street really isn't experienced with. Ambrose would hate every second of it- the dancing, the long parties, the constant sense of being watched. I think these particular parties would be a little too buttoned-up for Dawn's liking. She prefers to kick back and relax, and social season events are very much not that, unless it's a more private picnic.

Eli, though? dance card: filled. ladies and gentlemen: flirted with. wine: drunk.

I would love to see Eli crush a social season.

#wbw #world building wednesday

[exhausted-archivist]

Thedosian Calendars and Holidays

Thedas has twelve 30-day months and five holidays, or annums. which start at the beginning of the month. Their day lengths are contradictory if not unclear as one instance mentions 24-hour days while all the clocks we've seen in Orlais work in 8-hour increments. Though it should be noted that clocks are dwarven in invention and manufacturing according to lore.

While the Chantry calendar shares some similarities to the Gregorian calendar, due to the placement and functions the holidays in regards to what they mean to the common people; it falls more in line with some versions of medieval calendars, though not entirely. For the common folk in Thedas these universal holidays mark the change of the seasons: letting them know what weather to expect, when harvests must be finished, when to plant, and other seasonal work and activities.

Additionally, it is important to know that Thedas appears to be in the southern hemisphere. It is never explicitly stated in lore or by any of the devs, but the context clues of things such as Tevinter being to the "north" and Orlais and Ferelden making up "southern Thedas" are the most prominent pieces of evidence. Though I will note that sometimes the devs/writers have gotten this mixed up and have referenced things like "birds flown south for the winter".

Thedosian Calendars - General

Of all calendars in Thedas, we know only of three: Chantry, Elven, and Tevinter. For other prominent cultures, we know nothing about the Avvar, Chasind, Dwarven, and Qunari calendars. They are not mentioned in lore, but are likely systems they would have.

Thedas, in its entirety, has converted to the Chantry calendar after the Second Blight. It became the universal calendar, and it's season marking holidays became the five universal holidays - though this doesn't mean they are the only holidays in Thedas. It is also unclear as of now whether the sharing of names and holidays are all the Tevinter and Chantry calendars share. We do not know if that extends to format, twelve 30-day months, or other factors.

The elven calendar fell into disuse after the fall of Arlathan when Tevinter outlawed its uses and enslaved the elven people. Now, not much is known about how the ancient elves of Arlathan kept track of the passing of time. Only a few notable events have lasted through the centuries to be recorded by modern scholars.

While the Tevinter Imperium did follow the Orlesian Chantry Calendar at some in their history, after the schisms between the two Andrastian cults they chose to return to their original calendar that dated back to the foundation of the Imperium. It is from this calendar that the Chantry took inspiration. It is suggested that elves had some influence on the creation of the Tevinter calendar (though this is only mentioned in the Traveler's Guide in the Origins Collector's Edition Game Guide). The Tevinter calendar is where the high names of the months come from.

The Orlesian Chantry calendar adopted several things from the Tevinter calendar, including the adoption of some holidays dedicated to the worship of the Old Gods that overlapped with their own holidays, and in turn gave them new meaning. Additionally, it is the Tevinter calendar that we inherited the high names and from the Chantry calendar the low names of the months.

Months and Days of the Week

Months

Each month has two names:

a high name - used by scholars and courts

a low name - used primarily by common folk

Most codex and dates shown in Dragon Age use the low name even when it is written in the voice of a scholar or noble, so I have listed them below in Low/High name format.

Wintermarch / Verimensis

Guardian / Pluitanis

Drakonis / Nubulis

Cloudreach / Eluviesta

Bloomingtide / Molioris

Justinian / Ferventis

Solace / Solis

August / Matrinalis

Kingsway / Parvulis

Harvestmere / Frumentum

Firstfall / Umbralis

Haring / Cassus

If the Chantry calendar and by extension Tevinter calendar were to follow the same solar equivalent dates as the real world, the months would land as follows in accordance to the southern hemisphere:

Spring/Vernal Equinox: September 21-23 -> Guardian / Pluitanis 1st

Summer Solstice: December 21-23 -> Bloomingtide / Molioris 1st

Autumnal/Fall Equinox: March 21-23 -> August / Matrinalis 1st

Winter Solstice: June 21-23 -> Firstfall / Umbralis 1st

My only note about this is that Tevinter seems to be predominately a tropical climate that begins to encroach closer to the equator. In the real world, this would usually result in them using a lunar (or lunar-solar) calendar as their seasonal changes would be relatively minimal. Solar calendars are more typical in temperate regions as there are more seasonal changes and they're impacted more by the the decrease/increase of sunlight.

That said, Tevinter seems to follow a more solar calendar that made it an easy port for the rest of Thedas. The likely reason for this might have simply been to keep things simple, as it would make it a little easier to track.

Days

As stated before, the length of a day seems to be 24-hours, though the clocks seem to work in 8 hour increments. Additionally, from what we can tell, Thedas has the same days of the week that we do. Except, there has yet to be any mention of Monday or Wednesday.

Tuesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

Holidays, Celebrations, Ceremonies, and Festivals

It is noted that there are more holidays in the world than the ones listed in universal holidays. The following holidays/festivals/feasts listed are predominately human and surface, there isn't much on Orzammar and their holidays or celebrations nor the Dalish.

Universal Holidays

These are the holidays implemented by the Orlesian Chantry. These are the holidays called annums. With the exception of First Day, they typically mark the changes of the seasons. All of them fall at the beginning of the month.

With that in mind, based on how they line up with the solstices and equinox they seem to be roughly floating holidays that may range from the 1st to 3rd of the month.

Something to note though, is that the holidays were once mentioned to fall outside of any month. Which would align them more towards the special days you would see in a lunar calendar or some forms of historical calendars. However, this arrangement of the holidays hasn't been mentioned since the (Collector's Edition Prima Guide for Dragon Age Origins in the Traveler's Guide).

First Day, celebrated on the first day of Wintermarch / Verimensis

A traditional start of the year that involves the practice of visiting neighbors and family as well as gathering in town to commemorate the year past.

In remote areas this holiday was once the annual check to ensure everyone was alive.

In some areas, such as Serault in Orlais, it is customary to eat chicken on First Day.

Wintersend, celebrated at the beginning of Guardian / Pluitanis (Potential Spring / Vernal Equinox)

Previously called "Urthalis" and dedicated to the Old God of Beauty, Urthemiel.

Currently a holiday that is the celebration of the Maker.

It stands for the end of winter in many areas.

In the Tevinter, coincides with tourneys and contests at the Proving Grounds in Minrathous.

In the south, the holiday became the day for trade and theater.

In some areas, it is also the day for arranging marriages.

Some places, like Orlais, hold Wintersend Balls during the season.

Summerday, celebrated at the beginning of Bloomingtide / Molioris (Summer Solstice)

Previously called "Andoralis" it was a holiday dedicated to the Old God of Unity, Andoral.

Universally celebrated as the beginning of Summer.

For Andrastians, there is the practice where children ready to come of age don white tunics and gowns before joining a procession that crosses the settlement to the local Chantry. They are then taught the responsibilities of adulthood.

In Orlais, this is a particularly holy holiday.

In some places, this festival is described as particularly showy. To where it would be considered an appropriate level of extravagance to welcome a monarch or ruler.

All Souls Day, celebrated at the beginning of August / Matrinalis. (Potential Autumnal / Fall Equinox)

Previously it was called "Funalis" and was a holiday dedicated to the Old God of Silence, Dumat.

The Chantry uses the holiday to commemorate the death of Andraste, they will light public fires and put on plays that depict her death.

This holiday is also spent in other areas as a day in remembrance of the dead.

In the northern areas of Thedas, people will dress as spirits and parade through the streets after midnight.

Satinalia, celebrated at the beginning of Firstfall / Umbralis (Winter Solstice)

This holiday was originally dedicated to the Old God of Chaos, Zazikel. It now is more attributed to the second moon of Thedas, Satina.

Customary celebration includes wearing masks, naming the town fool as ruler for a day, and wild celebrations. In more pious areas, it is simply a large feast and the giving of gifts.

Antiva celebrates this for a week or more, followed by a week of fasting.

Feastday is part of the Satinalia celebration, incorporating the gifts and pranks practices of the holiday. It is unclear if this term is just for Ferelden.

Ferelden celebrates by serving a specific dish, Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, during the holiday.

Regional Holidays, Events, and Festivals

Allsmeet (Rivain)

An event that happens twice a year where the village seers travel to Dairsmuid to meet in council, gorge trade agreements, and pledge loyalty to the Rivaini queen publicly. These are also times where people will attempt to settle old feuds, but there are feasts, gift-giving ceremonies, musical contests, and other such activities. It lasts a few days.

Andraste's Day

An undefined holiday. One for Andrastians but unclear if it is universal to all Andrastian cults, regional to those following the Orlesian Chantry, or regional to Ferelden.

It is a holiday in which family will come to visit.

Anniversary of Archon Hessarian's Death (Tevinter)

A religious holiday, usually accompanied by an additional feast day for Visitations.

Visitations is a feast celebration of Andraste appearing in the dreams of mages when she crossed into the fade. Celebrated in Tevinter.

Arlathvhen (Dalish)

Its name means "for love of the people".

A celebration of the old ways while lore keepers exchange stories and knowledge, but the gathered Dalish also recount and discuss the sad lessons of the destruction of Arlathan and the Dales.

Barnack Festival (Orzammar)

An undefined festival mentioned by Oghren.

Celebratory Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving held to celebrate an event.

Victors of these provings are rewarded with ceremonial items.

Commission Day (Orzammar)

A celebration for when one receives their military placement, or commission.

Unclear if this celebration is for all nobility of families of import or if it is restricted to the royal family.

Commission Proving (Orzammar)

A proving done during the commission celebration. It is in honor of an individual gaining a leadership position.

It is not clear if this proving and celebration is just for the royal family.

Coronation of the Divine (Chantry)

It is mentioned that when the first Divine was chosen, the festivities lasted a full year.

It is unclear if such celebrations happen every year in honor of the first Divine.

If it were an annual holiday, it is unclear if it would be only an Orlesian Chantry event or if it is also something that was celebrated in the Tevinter Imperium. Though considering the relationships between the two sects, it is possible that they adopted it in the Imperium but in celebration of their first Divine.

If chosen as Divine, Cassandra mentions that "They would love to bury me in ceremony for my coronation". Suggesting that there is at least some level of grandness that extends past a straight forward ceremony for crowning the Divine.

Drinking Festival (General)

Undefined if this is an Antivan specific festival, a universal one, or a joke. It is mentioned by Zevran.

Memorial Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving done during celebration and honor of an individual receiving their military role.

Groundbreaking Festival (Universal)

Held much like events in real life, where they celebrate a building - such as a fort, castle, ect. - being built.

Grand Tourney (Free Marches/Nevarra)

A yearly event described as part circus, part tournament, and part festival. It allows contests, feats of strength, food, performers, and merriment. It travels around the Free Marches, and occasionally outside of it.

It is an event that many are aware of and Orlesian nobles are particularly inclined and encouraged by their families to participate in.

According to the Dragon Age Tabletop RPG (ttrpg), Orzammar sent warrior representatives to the Grand Tourney one year. It is unknown if they continued to do so or if this is held up in current lore.

Harvest Festival (Universal)

Undefined, but mentioned that Honnleath celebrates such an event.

Vinter, a Ferelden town mentioned in the ttrpg, celebrates the year's harvest and bounty in an annual event that lasts for several days. This is a major event of merriment and trade, but also open to the Dalish as well.

Hunt Ball (Nevarra)

Balls held in the winter, a lingering custom from when Nevarra used to have annual dragon hunts.

Memorial Proving (Orzammar)

A type of proving done to honor the memory of a dwarf of high stature.

Naming Day (Universal)

Separate from birthdays, there is little information on these parties outside that they occur.

Mentioned by both dwarves in Orzammar as well as found in a box of invitations on the surface.

Solstice Celebrations (Universal)

Avvar have alters dedicated to their favored hold-dieties, they house sacred relic that aligns with the rising sun on the Winter Solstice.

Honnleath celebrates the winter solstice.

Undefined as to which, but stated that the Chantry hold them, at one point for six consecutive years in Cumberland. This seems to be separate from the four holidays that mark the change of the seasons.

In some areas they celebrate the solstices with dinner parties. Aveline throws one. It isn't clear if this is simply a Fereldan practice or universal.

Summer Festival (Orlais)

A general festival that differs by region.

Celene mentions how youths participate in tests of skill though in heavily padded tunics and blunted blades.

Winterfest (Unknown)

An undescribed event/holiday mentioned by Dorian. He says he was "hoping for a lively Winterfest gift."

Possibly a regional holiday in Tevinter.

Feasts

Feast of Ascension (Orlais)

Undefined if it is a common celebration, nor what exactly the purpose is.

Feast of Urthemiel (Tevinter, Ancient)

A feast that spanned a total of twelve days, it was the grandest celebration of the year during its time. Celebrated at the height of the Imperium when they worshiped the Old Gods.

Unclear if this feast was part of the Urthalis (now known as Wintersend).

Hivernal Feast (Orlais)

Originating in the highlands of Orlais during the early days of the nation. Groups would go out and hunt Hivernals, on a successful hunt they would return and feast before salting the dragon meat and using the rest for potions, armor, and other supplies to help them last the winter. It is a feast still celebrated in some areas of Orlais.

Noble Feast (Orzammar)

A feast had during a celebration, typically one honoring an individual for their military accomplishments or a service done for Orzammar.

Also used to honor the mercy and/or martial skill of a commander.

General Ceremonies

Uthenera Ceremony (Arlathan)

Where an elder's long life and all their contributions to the elven people was celebrated before they moved on to the next step of waking slumber.

Harvest Ball (General)

A ball held during the harvest season.

Unclear how common or well spread these balls are, but they are mentioned as occurring in places such as Ostwick.

Wedding Ceremony (General)

Can be especially lavish for rulers, nobility, or people of import.

Typically overseen by Chantry Mothers in southern Thedas.

Unnamed Holidays, Ceremonies, Feasts, and Festivals

A religious holiday in the Imperium with a ceremony to mark the day a spell is cast to renew the Eternal Flame that is lit and continuously burns in every chantry in the Imperium.

A holiday in the Imperium that celebrates the death of Joyous II, Orlesian Chantry Divine. It is unclear if this holiday is still celebrated.

At Adamant Fortress the residents would have a celebration which included a feast on the day of the first snow fall. Traditions include the residents putting up wreaths, dancing, and other events.

There is a festival that includes a turkey. But there is little information outside of the line mentioning "festival turkey".

In some Dalish clans, there is a special ceremony for when a Keeper anoints a mage as their first.

Miscellaneous and Trivia

There is a practice of giving gifts on the solstice mentioned by Luka.

People have both a Wintersend gift list as well as Satinalia gift list. It is unclear if the Wintersend gift list is a regional/cultural specific practice, a universal one, or if it was simply confused with Satinalia.

Birthdays while separate from Name days are both celebrated universally.

The Qun does not have holidays or annual festivals. They will have celebrations but usually in response to a death in service to the Qun by an individual who did a great deed. They have a celebration that allows for unabashed revelry; this includes drinking, public chanting, and even meditations are abandoned.

The term "holiday", "on holiday", and "family holiday" are used by those in Thedas as opposed to vacation or the like.

Fluffy Mackerel Pudding, while a Fereldan traditional dish, is a recipe from the 1974 Weight Watchers.

Sources:

BioWare Blog Weight Watchers: Fluffy Mackerel Pudding

Dragon Age Origins Dragon Age 2 Dragon Age Inquisition Dragon Age Inquisition Multiplayer Dragon Age The Last Court Dragon Age Tabletop Dragon Age Tabletop Blood in Ferelden Dragon Age Origins Official Prima Guide Dragon Age Masked Empire Dragon Age Asunder Dragon Age Tevinter Nights World of Thedas Vol 1 World of Thedas Vol 2

Origins Codex: Archdemon Codex: Feast Day Fish A Note from the Honnleath Village Council

Dragon Age 2 Codex: Chest of Unanswered Invitations Codex: Notes on the Avvar Sky Cult Codex: Thedas Calendar

Inquisition Codex: Mad Emperor Reville War Table Mission: A Favor Returned War Table Mission: Rescue the Spy

The Last Court Your Bailiff is Attacked

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#dragon age #da worldbuilding #dragon age meta #writing reference #da writing reference #writing reference: calendar #writing reference: holidays #reference: holidays #reference: calendar #world building wednesday #long post #my meta #chantry #orzammar #dalish #ferelden #orlais #antiva

[dysthanasia-series]

Unseen Hand Faction: Hellhounds

We don't need to waste time on going over your disciplinary record or history of evaluations. We both know how you wound up here. Your choices aren’t pretty, but they are simple: live out the rest of your life in a cage, or on a leash for the Mayer family. Well, assuming you survive your first change anyway.

Go ahead. Snarl about how you're nobody's dog. Howl all you want about freedom and rebellion and integrity. It doesn't change the facts. You refuse, there's always the next mangy stray waiting to take your place. It's survival of the fittest whether the jungle's literal or made of concrete.

So, what's it going to be? You at the top of the food chain or somebody's lunch? Because the moon’s rising and we already know our place.

Dysthanasia Supplementals Taglist (ask or sign up to be +/-): @thecyrulik @thatndginger @scoundrelwithboba @space-writes

#dysthanasia #urban fantasy #writeblr #werewolves #world building wednesday

[illarian-rambling]

If I didn't get in your askbox already on this worldbuilding wednesday (or if you'd like another), feel free to reblog this with an emoji and I'll send you an ask I feel fits the theme you picked :)

(Tag list: @amandacanwrite @elsie-writes @riveriafalll @kosmic-kore @kaylinalexanderbooks @bard-coded @carrotsinnovember @patternwelded-quill @somethingclevermahogony @whatwewrotepodcast @goldxdarkness @the-angriest-author @mk-writes-stuff @frostedlemonwriter @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling @thebejeweledwatercat)

#writing #writerscommunity #writblr #world building wednesday

[axl-ul]

Happy WBW! What are the sacred professions in your world? I don't necessarily mean religious-- but of course they can be. Just what are the high ranking, prestigious, and/or powerful jobs?

Hi and thanks for the WBW ask, @toribookworm22^^ Happy WBW to you too!

When it comes to sacred professions there's a few to name, such as seers and becoming one of the officials or “assistants“ for the deities. However, there's one prefossions I'd like to point out. Mainly because I became pretty obssessed with the lore behind it, hehe, and I can't shut up about it.

They're called Embalmers and they're (very roughly said) a combination of mortuary assistants, pathologists, exorcists, embalmers and witch doctors trained also for a combat. I've talked about them a bit as @kainablue asked about them (the post also talks about the vampires a bit). I still plan on making an episode of Lore Corner, I'm just not sure when this episode shall be released.

To say more about them in THIS post, however, Embalmers are 99% of the time bat demons (a.k.a. vampires since they are vulnerable to the sunlight and other typical vampire stuff except they're not dead; vampires here are fully living creatures as they're literally animal demons who managed to cultivate themselves, learnt magic and received a certain level of comprehension of their surroundings; they have a soul and they're part of one of the Three Great Fractions - the Demon Fraction).

Embalmers are responsible for carrying out an examination of the deceased (both spiritual/religious and medical), a proper burial for the body and if needed, they ward off spirits, other demons or maybe something else that may still reside within the body. The thing is that embalmers are one of the few who are also highly trained and skilled for hunting down the Soulless, creatures that don't have souls yet still somehow function as they tend to mimic the living ones (gods, humans, demons) to get into their planes from the Blackworld.

Bat demons don't have the best reputation among other demon clans as they usually seperate themselves to live in their own colonies in caves, underground labyrinths and mountains, interacting mostly with only other bat colonies. Additionally, vampires are pretty stoic and don't show emotions easily. To count in their fascination with life and death, not only humans but other demons as well don't feel much comfortable in their presence. That's why the Embalmers are highly valued as notorious professionals with a strong discipline but cold manner. At the same time, they're also rather feared and expected to depart as soon as the case is over.

#writeblr #writing community #worldbuilding wednesday #worldbuilng #writeblr community #writers of tumblr #writers on tumblr #worldbuilding questions #world building wednesday #axl ul answers #TLoNL: Embalmers

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

🤐? What's the biggest secret in your setting?

I see you want spoilers lol

Ok I'll answer for Alium.

Well, there's the obvious answer of The Secret Portal being, well, the title. Alium is a secret to Ceters. Why? Well, the Alii have a superiority complex and also how exactly do you explain this it violates physics quite literally disaster will strike.

Then there's the whole corrupt government BS. There's inhumane animal experiments. There's human experiments - powered or not. It's been going on for decades. Why hasn't anyone stopped it?

Then there's the whole classification of powers being a little blurry. Not really a secret but the whole divide is made up. Class One vs Class Two? This is just an approximation of rarity. And it makes a hierarchy when there really shouldn't be one.

Hope this was enough haha. It's been quite a day or I would've gotten this in sooner. At least it's before midnight my time.

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

#the secret portal #tsp #teaspoon #world building wednesday #world building #alium #writers on tumblr #writing community #writers of tumblr #writing on tumblr #writeblr #writeblr community

[rachelillustrates]

Promo - "Tock the Gnome" World Building Wednesday 253

Time for another world building post, dear readers!!

This week, we are looking at a complicated emotional force that can manifest within the realm, and what conditions are like around such things, at current. 

Full notes here ✨💀✨

~

Bonus art and stories ~ Prints, comics and more!

#faerie #magic #comics #indie comics #world building #world building wednesday #queer comics #fantasy #fantasy comics #tock the gnome #ooh shiny

[dreaminggoblin-yells]

Hello, happy WBW! 🐧 - Does your world have a creature that is common and habitants know about, but is rarely seen? It could be because of where they live in the world, an ability to turn invisible, or anything else

People know about foxes, but the critters are smart enough to stay out of the cities and away from the dogs. They are elusive, and have a reputation of being tricksters, but really they just want to hide from human eyes in their burrows.

#thank you for the ask dear! #world building wednesday #writeblr #e124 #<<< temporary tag until this big project gets a title

[autumnalwalker]

Happy WBW!

What is one element you have always wanted to have in one of your stories world/environment but you've never found a way to fit in?

Happy WBW! Even if it's not nearly the same Wednesday you sent the ask.

Perhaps it's not exactly what the question meant, but having a proper villain antagonist. While one might say that's more of a character than a world/environment element, I'd argue that it still fits because a villain worthy of the title is going to have an effect on the shape of the world, if only in the local space they and the protagonist share.

The Archivist's Journal and the solarpunk witch project are too slice-of life for a villain to be appropriate. The Witches' Testaments is more about opposing systems than people. Empty Names occasionally comes close by veering out of monster-of-the-week and into villain-of-the-week territory, but so far that's just been one-off villains that aren't expected to show back up again after the chapter/episode is over rather than establishing any kind of long-running nemesis/antagonist.

Sure, The Archivist's Journal has Theo and the nature sprite, but those aren't really villains. Theo's (mostly) just a grumpy old guy who doesn't like the Archivist very much and the nature sprite isn't villainous or even malicious, just alien, incomprehensible, and mischievous.

I think the closest I've come to writing an archetypal villain is probably Sullivan, the "token evil teammate" of the Empty Names cast. He's certainly got that smug, flamboyant villain energy that makes him so fun to write, and and is kind of a bastard when Road isn't around to hold his metaphorical leash.

Hmmm... maybe in some future arc for Empty Names. Time will tell, I suppose.

#world building wednesday #writeblr #writers on tumblr #wbw #wbw asks #answered asks #writers of tumblr #creative writing #villain

[ashen-crest]

Happy WBW! I'm missing my family pup, so what kind of pets are kept in your world?

Convenient ask, I have a cat sitting on my lap right now! I hope you get to see the family pup soon.

In ARMV, they do still have dogs and cats and such, but I think they also have fantasy pets. Maybe some of the tinier wyvern species, or griffins for people who frequently travel for work (kinda like having a horse, but far more dangerous and requiring a permit). Eli wants a pet griffin. Ambrose does not.

#wbw #world building Wednesday