Is the Good Father more of a religious or spiritual belief? Can you go into detail about said belief? How deeply does it sink into the royal family's image of themselves, as well as the common, everyday folks who live in Ubasa?
- The mythos behind Good Father is more spiritual than it is religious. Most Nubians are united on a common belief: that many ages ago, the last great dragon of Africa was killed and fell upon the Earth, and the essence of its strength and being bled into the soil beneath; from this sprang Good Father, the massive dragon blood tree where Ubasa was built (an addition belief tied to this being that from every drop of blood from the dragon sprang a tree, thus making a dragon a symbol of life-giver). This plays into the overarching theme of Nubians believing that inner strength and passion breeds life, and why they are more dogmatic than most about each individual person serving a definitive purpose in society.
The Royal Family considers themselves as the continuous engine of progress. Less attention is given to the dragon that spawned Good Father as opposed to Good Father itself; the tree - strong, ancient, and unyielding - is emblematic of their values, and as so serves as the royal insignia.
If the princes or princesses of Ubasa take on a similar role to the Persian District Overseers, do they shed the mystery of revealing their faces to the masses? Speaking of that, is that more of a cultural idiosyncrasy or superstitions or is it something more political?
- The prince/princesses of Ubasa do share faces and identities with the masses. The reason why the current ruler of the empire is a mystery is purely political; the Nubians do not want their enemies to know that the successor to the throne has been an eleven year old girl.
Am I correct in assuming Ubasa is the capitol of the Nubian Empire? If so, what are the major cities in the Nubian Empire? Who currently holds and rules over the southern dominion of Egypt?
- Yes! Ubasa is indeed the capitol city. I actually haven't gone too much into detail with major cities yet, but a few noteworthy ones that I have so far are:
- Thebes - the capitol of the Southern division of Egypt
- Lalibela - a holy city for the gods (located in East Africa)
- Mbaanza - the heart of the diamond mines
- Igulu - a towering cityscape in the thick of central African jungle
The Nubian Empire holds control of the southern dominion of Egypt while the Persians hold the Northern half. Prince Iokabi, second brother of the late king, is the one who governs that area.
Are royals expected to learn how to fight for themselves or are they geared more towards strategy and tactics? Is it gender based or simply whatever the individual excels at?
- All royal members take a general training in the way of the sword and shield, spear, and bow. Determination of where their strength lies is an integral part of deciding what role they will play in government. All royals are groomed for leadership positions, though the more exceptional warriors are often placed at the forefront of the various military divisions to lead them into battle. This excludes the direct heir(s) to the throne, who is/are trained directly by the king or queen. Roles are not eked out based on gender.
Do the royals believe they themselves have dragon blood or is that simply towards the Good Father, like a patron or protector of the realm?
- No, it's only believed that Good Father has dragon blood. They just consider themselves its emblems.
the Good Father has been the protector of Wakanda for generations
Are there any beasts like griffins in the Nubian empire?
- While they have no flying creatures, Nubians hold the monopoly on
rasps, which are large rideable lizards. Read more about them
here.
What's the transport, agriculture, and trade like there? The average diet for Nubian commoners, as well as overseers and royals?
Horse and carriage is the most common way of transporting goods over a long distance, though treks through the desert require the aid of camels or well-trained, older rasps (the fickle creatures are incredibly hard to train and can not tolerate the weight of goods like horses and donkeys can). While Persians have dominated the skies with their griffins and Turkish-aided aircrafts, Nubians are masters of the sea and have taken advantage of the surrounding oceans and rivers to facilitate seamless trade between various corners of the Empire. Their main agricultural exports to other nations include (but are not limited to): cassava(yuca), bananas, cotton, coffee, tobacco, and
ugwebu- a foam-like matter that makes up the roof of certain wild mushrooms in the southern Empire. Naturally, their most prized exports are the jewels they reap from their storied mines.
The typical diet entails utilizing and consuming every part of a plant or animal. Nubians share one commonality with the Persians: that meals are shared, and that meals are prepared in ways best enjoyed sans utensils but instead the hands. Goat and pig meat is popular amongst the commoners. The royals enjoy delicacies such as shark meat and eggs, shellfish, and something they call Puumanze, a gelatinous, sumptious yellowed meat prepared only at the palace.
@rissa Excellent questions! I hope these answers help
