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Post by The Archivist on May 20, 2017 21:46:59 GMT -5
The original poster started this thread on Tue May 23, 2006 10:59 am
First, considering the dictionary definitions:
Culture
:the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. :the customs, arts, social institutions, and achievements of a particular nation, people, or other social group. :the quality in a person or society that arises from an interest in and acquaintance with what is generally regarded as excellent in arts, letters, manners, scholarly pursuits, etc. :the sum total of ways of living built up by a group of human beings and transmitted from one generation to another.
Second, consider each of the following questions:
1. How would you define culture in terms of designing a backdrop for a D&D campaign. What definition would you write or how would you tweak the above defintion(s).
2. What type of cultures would you put into your campaign world and why? What real world cultures (from throughout history) would you use and why? Or would you create a whole new culture(s) and how would you go about it.
3. If you could design the ideal culture for yourself to live in (assuming that you could pick the body that you would be born into - race, gender, physical characteriscics and social level) what would it be and why?
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 5, 2018 0:30:29 GMT -5
1) I am not sure what is desire from question one - culture is culture be it the real world or fiction. Clarification please. 2) Here is an example from a past campaign setting I'd developed: The Sky Isle of Arghēsōs is the largest collection of sky islands in Skârn which is made up of nine islands ranging from the largest Arghēsōs itself to the smallest island Iōga. The islands are spread across much of the western reaches of the ‘Sea of Mourning’ to the west of the continent of Khaladon. Each of the islands also vary in height from Iōga which hovers a half mile above the ‘sea of mourning’ to Arghēsōs which hovers a mile above the ‘sea of mourning’ & to Siandor that lies two miles above the ‘sea of mourning’. Some of the smaller islands are connected by suspension bridges as they lie close to each other as if they were shards of a greater island initially. Travel between the other islands is by magic, sky boats & sky barges. Most of the smaller sky islands are only sparsely populated mainly by various avian creatures, as well as the Xin’yôs & Khondru races. Most of the population of the islands is concentrated in Arghēsōs & the city of Athlōs. There is a magical barrier that protects non-avian creatures to live comfortably within the region of Arghēsōs including Athlōs. The city of Athlōs was built in the cone & exterior of the extinct volcano at the center of the island of Arghēsōs. The bulk of the city resides in the cone all the way to the under island exit from the cone. The bulk of the inner city population is made up of Xin’yôs, which is supplemented by a large population of Saar’Khôr & Vos Elves. The population of the outer city is mainly Khondru, supplemented by Vos Elves, Half-Dwarves & various humans. The bulk of the navy is made up of Khondru & the Knights of the Order of Gryphon are made up solely of Khondru. The government of Athlōs & Arghēsōs is made up strictly by the Khondru & the ruling noble merchant houses elect representatives to the Council of Lords that rules the citizenry. Citizenship is only given to Khondru & Xin’yôs, but other races can dwell in the city as long as they obey the laws & pay taxes. All non-citizens must peace-knot their weapons upon arriving in the isles. All trade is done via the merchant houses & trade guilds in Athlōs. The Xin’yôs control smuggling & crime within Athlōsian society. The Council of Mages controls are magic related business in the city & gives advice to the Council of Lords are all subjects of magic. All forms of magic are studied within Athlōs at its Great College of Magic, which is supported by several smaller specialized magic academies where those seeking to study magic must first be apprenticed. Once you’ve passed your tests & become true magi, you can then study at the Great College of Magic. There are a great number of schools through out Athlōs teaching a variety of sciences & other kinds of academic lore. The second greatest college in the city is the Bardic College of Athlōs followed by the Great Naval Collage of Athlōs. Religion is not a major aspect of Arghēsōsian society, but several religious festivals happen yearly & citizens both commoner & noble alike take part in them. A small pantheon shared by the Khondru & Xin’yôs are honored in collective temples. The religions of non-citizen residents & visitors are limited to shrines in the Templar District that borders the Foreign District. The only religions not permitted are dark cults of ruinous powers & the O’roonish Orthodox Church. Law in Arghēsōs is minimal mainly meant to keep society & commerce moving, only major laws deal with trade, protection of personal property & the people themselves. Mages are used to help determine a person’s guilt or innocence & clerics of Justice Judge the guilty & pass verdicts upon the guilty. Exile & banishment is the most common punishment for repeat offenders of minor offenses or first time offenses for major crimes. The death penalty is held for only a few high crimes such as rape, murder & treason against the state of Arghēsōs & its lords. The culture of Arghēsōs & Athlōs is largely based upon the fused cultures of both the Xin’yôs & Khondru with elements of the various other races that reside in the city & isle. The architecture of the region is influenced by Elfin & Dwarven styles of buildings. Fashions of most residents are influenced by the popular bards & nobility; where as the magi largely ignore conventional fashion. Xin’yôs also create their own styles of dress of which lead to many bards adopting elements of their styles into their own. Musically the people of the isles draw from Elfin, Xin’yôs & Saar’Khôs musical traditions & styles; but they often incorporate elements from the music of visitors & places the Xin’yôs & Khondru merchants, adventurers, pirates & mercenaries visit themselves. 3) I'd prefer to be part of a culture based around liberty loving rogues on the frontier, populated by misfits & outcasts who banded together to create a community that values liberty, creativity, strength, self-reliance & honor; I'd be a male (as I am happy as I am) D'Joli (an Elfin-like race)of rogueish nomads (think Roma/Gypsy) or who live in enclaves in human communities, usually among the rough & tumble adventurer/outcast side of town. link to my D'Joli race design sketch
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Post by Mighty Darci on Feb 9, 2018 12:36:37 GMT -5
My first thought was Egyptian Elves.
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Post by Hexenritter Verlag on Feb 9, 2018 16:09:55 GMT -5
Mighty Darci, the visual style is a slight inspiration; though they are more Gypsy/Roma like (in that they either live in nomadic caravans or enclaves in Human cities). They are not pristine ageless forest elves just Elf-like.
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Post by Mighty Darci on Feb 10, 2018 10:06:11 GMT -5
1) I am not sure what is desire from question one - culture is culture be it the real world or fiction. Clarification please. I think the original poster he refers to is asking for any alternate definitions of culture for the imaginary world, in order words are there other ways to define culture. I can't think of any good way to tweak that definition myself.
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