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Author Topic: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)  (Read 12154 times)

bahihs

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Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« on: March 12, 2015, 08:12:03 pm »

Greetings Forumites

I've been wanting to create a unique setting which I can use for multi-platform rpg sessions (eventually, I hope to create my own system, but that's not yet relevant) for some time now. However, rather than try to build this entirely on my own and then reveal it to my players (and have them poke holes in everything), I've decided to the use the unlimited creativity and cruelty of the Bay12 forums to critique and crystallize my efforts beforehand.

A couple of ground rules before I start:
1. I'll be using a top-down approach to build the world starting from the most basic of the basics (geography) and logically continuing from there
2. The world map was randomly generated using DF then converted to a satellite image, but nothing else from DF (except perhaps RNG names, when I get lazy) will be used

What I want the world to be:
1. A logically flowing world which is interconnected and has no vacuums (except when it makes sense to have one)
2. Realistic, but not so sado-simulationist that I start pulling out teeth and fingernails to keep calm
3. A deconstruction (of sorts) of the fantasy genre
4. A exploration of various real-world issues, past and present (politics, slavery, war, genocide, racism, religion etc.)
5. Interesting

What I don't want the world to be:
1. Cliched
2. Redundant
3. Elitist
4. Boring

What I want from you forumites
1. Candy Critique (Be gentle)
2. Advice (Be honest)
3. Praise (Lie)

That said, let's begin.

Welcome to Tsust (pronuounced Soost), a world of fierce survival, deadly politics, ancient mysteries, and of course myth and adventure. This guide represents a (hopefully) brief history of the Tsust and its inhabitants. Let us begin…

The world of Tsust is divided into major and minor continents:
Spoiler: World Map (click to show/hide)

The major continents are part of the super-landmass, Mailes and there are three of them:
a.   Orod Belon
b.   Kotor
c.   Tumare

There are also three minor continents, so called because they are smaller and because they are disconnected from Tumare:
a.   Portristun (Poor-TRIS-tun)
b.   !un (Pronounced with a tongue-click then “oon”)
c.   Nouka (No-oo-Ka)

It should be noted that none of the continents of Tsust are “New Worlds”, i.e the peoples of these continents are not alien to each other. This does not mean that every corner and crevice has been explored, (in fact many of Tsust’s forests and even its primary mountain range “The Teeth of Uvash” remain unexplored). However, it does mean that the various peoples and civilizations of Tsust participate in trade, diplomacy, political exchange, and that no country exists in a vacuum.

Spoiler: The Major Continents (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Minor Continents (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Nations (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Races (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Gods/Religions (click to show/hide)

Spoiler: The Myths/Stories (click to show/hide)

« Last Edit: April 02, 2015, 08:27:30 pm by bahihs »
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Arx

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #1 on: March 13, 2015, 10:49:00 am »

Are you using the ! to notate an alveolar click in particular, or just any click (since you only seem to use one symbol throughout)? If the latter, which click?

Also that might be hella intimidating for non-Bantu players using speech. I can't articulate certain clicks properly, and I've been surrounded by them all my life.

Otherwise, so far so good. I like what I see.
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #2 on: March 13, 2015, 03:53:59 pm »

Are you using the ! to notate an alveolar click in particular, or just any click (since you only seem to use one symbol throughout)? If the latter, which click?

Also that might be hella intimidating for non-Bantu players using speech. I can't articulate certain clicks properly, and I've been surrounded by them all my life.

Otherwise, so far so good. I like what I see.

Having multiple click sounds (as real world Khosian languages do) would be too much (work) to represent adequately on paper so for now, all ! represents whatever click the player can reasonably do (even saying "click" is good enough) since no other such language exists (the exception is "!X" which is pronounced as an elongated click which is aspirated at the end, but it can just be pronounced as "Click-ah" for ease). Furthermore, language will only influence (in terms of the game) names, so there is no need to stress over it too much. Though ideally it would be an alveolar click, which varies in loudness and pitch from dialect to dialect.

And thanks, I'm glad you're liking it so far. 
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Urist McScoopbeard

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #3 on: March 13, 2015, 06:15:33 pm »

I love what's going on here, but may I ask: How did you arrive at all the maps, places, and nations? Perhaps you should try a less anachronistic approach? Keep redrawing the map as you go through history in your head. Change the languages, people, values, cultures, etc.

First of all, start with the map. It's already fairly topographically correct, so we can skip that, but take a look at where the forests are and where the deserts are. You know rain levels. They seem slightly scattered in spots, although it isn't offensive. Once that's done, start thinking about where humanity would evolve (as well as the Elves and Pipra). Then settlements, the spread of civilization, and etc. Invent stories, what comes to mind? Intrigue, wars of epic proportion, just survival sometimes. Make the seperate (and very often intertwined, depending on the level of xenophobia you want your world to have) races' histories interesting. Then what seems most important to me: draw the political maps. Once they're drawn, invent more stories, etc. wars, rebellions, disasters. redraw the maps. The only way to make the world truly alive to breathe life in to it, sometimes by sheer force of will. Of course, it is partially in the eye of the beholder, but having a rich and detailed history is important in thickening the soup, so to speak.

Once you've got your people, places, and things sorted out. It's time to redefine them again. What's happening in the world today? Modern events, crises, etc. Generally some sort of conflict (in the story sense, not necessarily an armed conflict) is the perfect backdrop for a world. No likes boring old utopias!

Btw, is this just for yourself or can we help out at all?

EDIT: i see this is mainly for critique. Darn, we need another collaborative world building project.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2015, 06:20:10 pm by Urist McScoopbeard »
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #4 on: March 13, 2015, 07:46:27 pm »

I love what's going on here, but may I ask: How did you arrive at all the maps, places, and nations? Perhaps you should try a less anachronistic approach? Keep redrawing the map as you go through history in your head. Change the languages, people, values, cultures, etc.

First of all, start with the map. It's already fairly topographically correct, so we can skip that, but take a look at where the forests are and where the deserts are. You know rain levels. They seem slightly scattered in spots, although it isn't offensive. Once that's done, start thinking about where humanity would evolve (as well as the Elves and Pipra). Then settlements, the spread of civilization, and etc. Invent stories, what comes to mind? Intrigue, wars of epic proportion, just survival sometimes. Make the seperate (and very often intertwined, depending on the level of xenophobia you want your world to have) races' histories interesting. Then what seems most important to me: draw the political maps. Once they're drawn, invent more stories, etc. wars, rebellions, disasters. redraw the maps. The only way to make the world truly alive to breathe life in to it, sometimes by sheer force of will. Of course, it is partially in the eye of the beholder, but having a rich and detailed history is important in thickening the soup, so to speak.

Once you've got your people, places, and things sorted out. It's time to redefine them again. What's happening in the world today? Modern events, crises, etc. Generally some sort of conflict (in the story sense, not necessarily an armed conflict) is the perfect backdrop for a world. No likes boring old utopias!

Btw, is this just for yourself or can we help out at all?

EDIT: i see this is mainly for critique. Darn, we need another collaborative world building project.

First, thanks for the input (which I will get to in a second). Second, yes, its mostly for myself but feel free to suggest things (as you have) and I will see if I can (or should) put them in.

Now, for your input.

What exactly do you mean by an "anachronistic approach", I'm a little confused by this. Do you mean I should start from year 0 and just go forward recording as I go, that is instead of looking back, go forward? While this is a perfectly valid approach, I prefer the "scholarly/academic" looking back approach. Why? *shrugs* Just because.

Next, regarding the map, as I mention in the beginning, I am taking a top-down approach and everything starts from geography. So things like where certain species evolved down to specific historical events are in large part determined by the geography. To give a simple example, there are 4 different species of humans which evolved different characteristics (due to their isolation from each other) based on their individual environments (the Qorin, for instance, were huge and powerful compared to the !Xtu, which they had to be in order to survive the harsh jungles of Kotor.) but which quickly converge into a homogeneous population once contact and interbreeding begins between them. Similarly the Elves and the Pipra have logical origins based on geography (Pipra live in the largest mountain range in the world, Elves in the continent with the densest forests, but there are evolutionary reasons for this as well).

Stories and such will be slow in the coming, first I need to fashion the bones of the world and then I can begin to fill in the flesh.

Finally, there should be a great deal of conflict in the world and it should be multi-faceted. War is simple but also overused so I am staying away from it for now. But the tensions for war are there for the player to discover and deal with. 

There will be a great deal of re-writing and retrofitting as my ideas of the world become more crystallized so nothing here is totally set in stone. 


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Playergamer

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #5 on: March 13, 2015, 07:49:29 pm »

Hmm. Have you decided on a tech level yet?
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Urist McScoopbeard

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2015, 08:24:16 pm »

I'm suggesting a "Start from year 0" approach because (I believe) that's the best way to create a believable world with, as you put it, no vacuum. The problem with world creation and starting at present day is that it WILL lack the vital organs for the flesh and bones of your world as your describing it. If you have a specific story, great, but you need to fully realize everything (to a reasonable extent anyways) up to that point. Even if you don't explicitly show it. It's all the little underpinnings and suggestions from ages long forgotten that adds weight to a world, the idea that what your seeing/experiencing is just the tip of the iceberg. Besides, taking the academic approach is essentially just writing history rather than creating a living idea.

As far as the map goes, it's pretty good, so I don't see any reason to further critique it! Other than the aridity it's mostly believable.

In the end it's up to you. Just my two cents.

EDIT: the point being how can you have this awesome world built on nothing? If it's a hollow construct people will know.
« Last Edit: March 13, 2015, 08:27:22 pm by Urist McScoopbeard »
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #7 on: March 14, 2015, 03:24:35 pm »

Hmm. Have you decided on a tech level yet?

Most likely a combination of medieval and renaissance (i.e certain technologies will be taken from different periods, but there is an emphasis on low-level communication and medieval style warfare)

I'm suggesting a "Start from year 0" approach because (I believe) that's the best way to create a believable world with, as you put it, no vacuum. The problem with world creation and starting at present day is that it WILL lack the vital organs for the flesh and bones of your world as your describing it. If you have a specific story, great, but you need to fully realize everything (to a reasonable extent anyways) up to that point. Even if you don't explicitly show it. It's all the little underpinnings and suggestions from ages long forgotten that adds weight to a world, the idea that what your seeing/experiencing is just the tip of the iceberg. Besides, taking the academic approach is essentially just writing history rather than creating a living idea.

As far as the map goes, it's pretty good, so I don't see any reason to further critique it! Other than the aridity it's mostly believable.

In the end it's up to you. Just my two cents.

EDIT: the point being how can you have this awesome world built on nothing? If it's a hollow construct people will know.

Thanks for the clarification. I completely understand where you are coming from and more or less agree with you. The problem is, I'm pretty sure that if I start the history at year 0 I'll get bogged down and end up having to rewrite over and over (moreso than I would have to now) and it would simply take too much time. Furthermore, I like to keep things divided and organized and creating a timeline with all the events for the whole world (or even divided into separate nations/continents) would end up as a mess (if I did it, anyway).

Thus, I'm choosing to go with a top-down approach which in all likely-hood will leave gaps here and there but which I can at least finish in a reasonable amount of time. My logic is that if I build the foundation of everything first, I can later retrofit whatever stories and myths I want to. Finally I want to leave some of the world to spontaneous creation in-game (hence I won't have detailed maps naming all the towns, or all the prominent people in world, or all the history of a particular region).

On a totally separate note, I think it would better if I post whatever updates I make and then edit the OP instead of just editing the OP (because it's difficult to tell what I've actually added within the wall of text).
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #8 on: March 16, 2015, 08:01:06 pm »

Added some info on the enigmatic race of Pipra.

Appearance: Pipra are giant terrestrial ant-like creatures measuring about 4 feet tall and 6 feet long. However these measurements vary considerably from caste to caste (explained below) as does their appearance. The most common encountered caste, the so-called Nobles, conduct trade and diplomacy with humans (and on some rare occasions elves), the Warrior caste is also encountered frequently, since they usually accompany Nobles. Nobles are relatively small (compared to the Warriors) measuring about 2-3 feet in height and 4-5 feet in length. They walk on four limbs which sprout from their thorax, the other two limbs are used for grasping, having pincer like extensions at the “wrist” which can rotate freely in 360 degrees. As with all castes of Pipra (or so it is believed) neither the Nobles nor the Warriors have any photo-receptive organs. It is believed that the Pipra primarily use chemo-sense to collect information about their surroundings; neither the mechanism nor the organs which are responsible for this sense are known.

The Nobles lack the large mandibles which Warriors (and it is also believed, Workers) possess, but are nonetheless capable of the peculiar “chittering” language. Their heads are also much more pronounced, almost the same size as their abdomen.

The Warriors, in contrast, are huge, around 4-6 feet tall and 6-9 feet long. They use all six of their limbs to walk and do not seem capable of standing on their hind limbs, though they can easily scale steep cliffs and safely go down near-vertical drops. Their head’s are much smaller than the Nobles, but their mandibles are greatly pronounced and sharp (and, as first-hand experience has regrettably found, can be used as deadly weapons).

Anatomy: Not much is known about Pipra anatomy, only a few traders in the world deal with the Pipra and fewer still have seen more than two castes of the colony. After a great deal of negotiation (and several tons of pyrite) a number of Pipra corpses were bought for dissection. They included members from 3 castes: Warrior, Worker and Nurse

To the surprise of many scholars, the internal physiology between three castes varied so considerably that they could be considered separate species. The degree of specialization, believed to be induced upon birth by magic, causes several major anatomical changes from caste to caste. Creating specialized organs for certain tasks while destroying or making vestigial other organs. For instance, the Nurse caste seems to have a pouch which carries chemicals of a mysterious nature (possibly magical). Feeding these chemicals to rats causes instant death, and their purpose is not understood.

However, there are several things which these castes have in common. All seem to have stomachs and a circulatory system, as well as a nervous system, though the latter two vary considerably in development and complexity from caste to caste. They also all have an auditory system far more sensitive than humans.

The biggest mystery is perhaps that of the Pipra’s diet. They have no teeth; instead their mouths are simple empty holes with large pouches at the sides. The pouches seem to contain an extremely toxic liquid which can burn holes even in metal. It has been theorized by some, that Pipra feed upon stone itself; however, these scholars have been defamed and ostracized from the general community and should not be taken in earnest.

The Pipra stomach and digestive system is the only thing that is truly consistent from caste to caste, yet, as with everything else, their workings remain a mystery.

Language: The Pipra do not have tongues, as such their primary method of communication seems to be chemo-sensitive as well as auditory. The mandibles which all castes are believed to have, can “click” at varying speeds and intervals and serve as a language. Humans have been able to figure out the language more or less through trial and error (quite a bit of error), but the Pipra, despite their looks are a patient and well-meaning race (if a bit introverted and isolationist).

Society: Pipra society is divided into castes. Each caste is differentiated at a physical level to a particular specialized task within the colony. Everything from mandible size to intelligence is controlled from the egg. The prevailing “Hexa-caste theory” claims that there are 6 castes: Queen, Nurse, Noble, Warrior, Worker, and Child. The first two are responsible for hatching and replenishing and caring for, the stock of eggs in the colony. The Noble caste dictates day to day business as an administrative force (they are also diplomats and merchants who trade with other races). The Warrior caste defends the colony from harm. The Worker caste expands the colony, digging deep into the earth and uncovering space and rare metals. The Child caste is hypothetical, but is believed to be a caste of undeveloped Queens, which mature as soon as the current Queen dies.
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Pencil_Art

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #9 on: March 16, 2015, 10:44:50 pm »

The description is great. PTW.
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Pencil_Art

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #10 on: March 17, 2015, 12:58:21 am »

Will there be other races apart from Elves and Pipra?
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #11 on: March 17, 2015, 10:02:25 am »

The description is great. PTW.

Thanks! I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Will there be other races apart from Elves and Pipra?

If you mean sentient races, probably not and there are three reasons for this:
1. 3 sentient races are unlikely enough I think, compared to those of Earth (there has only ever been 2, one of which quickly went extinct: Neanderthals)
2. I wanted to deconstruct the conventional fantasy races (of which there are three: Dwarves, Humans and Elves). The Pipra are my take on the Dwarves. Elves should follow soon.
3. I didn't want the standard "Evil" race (like goblins or orcs) because I didn't want such a strict dichotomy between morals. Enemies should be made, not born.

If however, you mean other creatures (like dragons, domesticated grazers, predators etc.) yes there will be plenty of those as (again) I plan to deconstruct common fantasy creatures as well as everything else. Furthermore, sentient beings may exist scattered in isolation, throughout the world which don't necessarily form societies (and therefore cannot be considered a "race" in any practical sense) but are nonetheless intelligent. Dragons are an example. Sentient fungi-forests are another.

Finally, even if these races exist, the player can really only play as Humans (as they are the widest-spread, fairly xenophobic, and as the other races have quirks which prevent them from exploring). Unless there are extraordinary circumstances (read: really cool background info) the player will be limited to a party of humans. However, even as I'm writing this, I can envision plausible scenarios that allow other races, but which would probably require the majority (if not all) of the party to be of one race. (e.g a Pipra scouting party looking for more mountains to colonize, a hunting party of elves are looking for some game, etc.).

In the end its up to the GM to figure how he wants to use the world. Which is as it should be.
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #12 on: March 17, 2015, 09:10:15 pm »

Finish up Pipra and some info on the Elves.

Pipra (con.)

Society (con): While contact has been established between humans and Pipra, the Pipra remain an enigmatic and secretive race. The fact that even their diets are unknown is a testament to their rigid isolationist society. What little is known about Pipra come from accounts from traders and merchants who have communed with Nobles during trade negotiations. The Pipra do not seem to any culture or "civilized society" below the Noble caste. Indeed, it has been observed by several merchants on many separate occasions, that the Warriors which usually accompany Nobles seem to be vacant and vapid. Following orders with a machine like precision, they are more automaton than organism. The Nobles, however, do seem to have some customs and habits (and some believe, even religion) though the extent of it is debatable (and debated).

However, the Pipra seem to be a pacifistic race. Neither interested in war, nor conquest of new lands. One merchant recounts an exchange between himself and a Noble, when he had asked the Noble whether he was aware of the existence of Mount Orod. The Noble replied in the negative. When asked whether the Pipra had any intention of future expansion, the Noble replied with indifference, stating "The Pipra do not run to and fro as you humans, for our [life]source lies within the depths. Bring us your stone from this other mountain and we shall trade. Or do not bring it. It matters not, we shall remain regardless."

Some scholars believe such passive indifference toward the world (not unlike the Theastan religion) is a result of racial age (i.e how long the Pipra have been around, which some estimates put around 5-6 million years) as well their general isolation. Nevertheless, there are few that would dare to aggravate the Pipra, peaceful though they are, for while their numbers and their abilities are unknown, they are almost certainly superior to anything that exists on the surface.

One final note about the Pipra, they have no formal writing system (understandable, as they are blind) nor any system of recording sensory input. Some theorize that the Nurse caste acts as recorders for Pipra society, transmitting information through chemical means or through oral tradition to the Nobles, whose superior intelligence coupled with this knowledge allow them to make informed decisions.

The Elves

Appearance: There are several different species of elves and they all live in the jungles of Kotor. Their appearance does not vary much from species to species, most are green or brown-skinned standing about the same size as an average human (5-6 feet) but with longer legs and slightly longer arms. Their body shapes are humanoid and even their facial structures are similar to those of humans, with a few important differences. First, their eyes are much larger than those of humans, and much more adapted to low-light environments. Second, they have no noses. And third, their "mouths" are  small circular protuberances with rows of small triangular teeth, very much reminiscent of hagfish. Their ears have an external component like humans, but the pinna is larger and more elongated.

Their feet are similar to their hands, equaling them in grasping (which they need, to be able to climb and traverse the dense tree-lines) and strength. Their green, or sometimes brown skin, acts as a natural camouflage, which is accentuated by their clothing. Their leg and arm muscles are extremely well-developed (as they find constant use in hanging tree to tree), but not bulky. Instead the muscles are elongated and straight.

Anatomy: Elves have organs systems similar to humans, differing only in the absence of a digestive system and a far more complex circulatory system (which is believed to couple transport of nutrients to other tissues with processing of nutrients taken in). These are not strange features when Elven diets are considered, as all elves which have thus been encountered, are hematophages, and thus do not need complex digestive systems to process food.

Of particular interest to scholars, are Elf eyes which are vastly superior to their human counterpart. Elves have binocular vision, with a heavy emphasis on medium range vision (2-100 feet) and low-light perception. These are necessary adaptations in the dark and dense tropical jungles of Kotor, especially as Elves are apex predators.

Language: It is known that Elves have a language for their level of efficiency and coordination in hunting would be impossible without it. But, their mouths are incapable of making sounds (they have no tongues). Some scholars have suggested that Elves communicate by some sort of sign language, this is the prevailing theory and would make the most sense given Elves superior vision. Nevertheless, this language is not known, for reasons which will quickly become clear.

Society: Elves live in small tribes of 30-50 elves, possibly connected by family ties (though this is speculation). They hunt in groups of 3-5 preferring long-ranged weapons such as bows and blowguns. Their coordination and teamwork when it comes to the hunt is unparalleled among all the creatures in Tsust. This is a great misfortune for the humans, as Elves love to feed on human children and women. The hunt is critical to Elven survival (and human survival) and it takes on an almost religious fervor for the Elves, who view it as a sport, a livelihood, and a holy ritual all at once.

Although the word "hunt" is used, it takes on a different meaning within the context of the Elves. Elves do not kill their game if they can help it, instead seeking to render it immobile or unconscious through the use of carefully applied force and toxic poisons (the latter are readily made from the various flora and fauna of the jungle). The game is then carried back to the tribe, so that everyone in the tribe can feed. The elderly, the pregnant and the young are given first priority, then the sick, the non-hunters and only then the hunters. Note that there seems to be a disparity between labor and reward, as the hunters do not get access to the game until everyone else has fed. This can be explained by the relatively short life-spans of Elves (40-60 years, depending on species). The aforementioned "elders" are often retired hunters, who enjoy the first drink of every meal as a reward for their previous service. Another factor is the universality of blood and the lack of any sense of taste or smell. In other words, because there are no "choice pieces" or matters of taste, feeding order is largely irrelevant to satisfaction. Blood is blood. As hunting is a risky endeavor the game is often kept alive (and drugged) for weeks for continuous feeding until the next successful hunt. 

Elves have been a nuisance to human society since the dawn of their existence, raiding camps and kidnapping children and women (and occasionally men) to feed on. It is believed that women and children are preferred because Elves do not like open confrontation, and because their slimmer bodies allow poisons to act faster and in lesser concentrations. Elves have also been known to prey on the sick and elderly, though the former is now avoided as blood-born diseases have devastated Elves in the past.

Despite their tribal nature and small populations, one should not make the mistake of assuming Elves to be primitive. Elves have a deep culture and varied religious beliefs. They have a formal writing system and are even known to engage in poetry and story-telling. It is true that Elves do not know the secrets of metal-craft or architecture, but their skill in medicine and alchemy is unparalleled. Elven shamans are also a force to be reckoned with, as the magic-dense flora of the jungle equip them with near unlimited magic reserves. Such Elves are usually considered incarnations of the Gods by Elves, and there are only a few of them per species. 

Efforts to exterminate Elves have resulted in total failure, in part because Elves avoid confrontation whenever possible, retreating to the safety of the jungle at the first sign of danger, in part because of their prodigious skill with the bow and their adaptations to jungle warfare, and in part because of their fragmented, small societies. Few who venture in quest of Elf-ears survive the harsh jungles of Kotor, let alone an encounter with its greatest predator.
 

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exdeathbr

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #13 on: March 18, 2015, 08:48:41 am »

Greetings Forumites
1. I'll be using a top-down approach to build the world starting from the most basic of the basics (geography) and logically continuing from there

The most basics would be checking if the world has historical realism or not and check if the world has science realism or not.
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bahihs

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Re: Welcome to Tsust! (World-building exercises in futility)
« Reply #14 on: March 18, 2015, 09:42:26 am »

Greetings Forumites
1. I'll be using a top-down approach to build the world starting from the most basic of the basics (geography) and logically continuing from there

The most basics would be checking if the world has historical realism or not and check if the world has science realism or not.

? How would I do that before I have a world to begin with? Shouldn't that come after I have some history? Also both science (biology/evolutionary history) and history are derived from geography, making it a decent start. Unless you meant that I should first choose to what degree the world adheres to realism, in which case yes, it should come first. In my case it did, I just didn't note down (though I did mention it will be low fantasy)
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