Empire Lands

[The Mood is Write]

I'm working on a new world-- well, particularly, I'm redoing an old world from memory and changing it to fit my current interests.

The world has three intelligent races of equal standing in society: humans, who are masters of innovation and short-lived (often living til 100 only if they're in uncommonly good health and wealthy); a magic race (formerly foxes, but I want to change that), who is born with innate magic over one element and the ability to take the form of their animal, but often can live long enough (they die of diseases more often than age) to emotionally cripple themselves, and a low birthrate; and ogres (who I may alter), who are masters of physical strength and are pinaccles of wisdom with lifespans of about 150 years, but have delayed intellectual development.

The use of magic is confined to the magical race and the ogres. The magical race easily masters and powers up their abilities at little cost, while ogres' use of magic is more limited in power, but can use all elements. Humans cannot use magic, but can counsil the other races in unique new uses for their magic if they are willing to work together.

Humans are the masters of having kids, and most citizens of the Empire (which I need to rename to something a teenager obsessed with power and rocks that look pretty when wet would call it) are either half or more human, with most of the pureblood ogres and magical race working directly for the Empress herself.

What I would most like help with includes the following:

• I need questions asked, particularly to clarify subjects like magic, races, history, and any other topics the reader can think of.
• Name suggestions for the Empire, for the magical race, and ideas for name schemes that are not Japanese or otherwise East-Asian in origin or sound.

I have a wiki under construction here.

 

[Minibit]

How does magic work? What is its source and how does one use it?

Is there a lot of racial segregation? (Ie; do the different racial groups often live together? Share basic rights? How much cultural appropriation/immersion has happened?)

Can a half-human use magic?

Why animals for the magical race? (Curiosity)

What is the magical race called?

Do the racial groups practice separate religions, or may members of various groups follow the same religion?

How important is magic use in survival?

What era of technological development is this world in?

 

[The Mood is Write]

Good, good. Thanks for asking, Minibit! These are great questions!

Magic's source is within the inhabitants capable of it. It's always been very present and based on urges. It's capable of being abused terribly or having problems, but it's also capable of performing awesome feats if the user is creative. Most chose not to flip the "switch" inside themselves to put it to use often though, simply because there isn't much need to use it. I may end up toning down magic's capabilities-- maybe to the point of taking the same amount of energy to do something through mundane means as through magical, making the main uses of magic for things that the casters' bodies aren't equipped for, like reaching into tight spaces.

There is no segregation between the races, which is what is causing ogres and the magical race to have lower populations-- humans are breeding with them, making half-breeds. On this subject, the half-breeds do have affinity, though can't actually use magic the same way fullbloods can. They can affect their surroundings subtly, though. For example, a half-magic person could tell a rose to alter its pigment before it buds, and when it does, the flower will be a different color than an unaltered flower.

I originally wanted to use animals for the magical race because I liked the idea of them having a second form. On second blush, it seems like something that would unbalance the races in terms of abilities-- where humans are already percieved to be shafted because they're nonmagical. I may eliminate the animal aspect and craft a race from scrap that seems alien-looking, and put animal aspects onto the ogres, then alter the humans to be something a little more oomphy.

I haven't yet named the magical race, mostly because I still need to work on their appearance, roots, and what sounds are going to be dominant in the setting's tongue. Usually naming is one of my last steps, or a happy accident. =)

Religion is actually one thing I need to think hard on. In the first incarnation of the world, there were two religions-- worship of the Empress, and the other (considered paganism and unwholesome) is worship of the Green Elder, a mythological figure who supposedly used his lifeblood to restore the barren world to life after a cataclysm, and then ascended to the heavens with the world's Keeper, a goddess who birthed the world and fell in love with the Green Elder, prompting the cataclysm.

Magic is fairly important, but is used less than it once was, because now there is shelter, and there is food, and there is little conflict. The Empresses made certain there would be little cause for complain under their rule, in hopes that someone would defend them before their throne was taken by their heirs.

For technical development, my first instinct is iron age. They haven't yet perfected steel, and they're a bit barbaric, and they've been like this for quite some time despite the input of humans simply because being lazy is easier than fighting against the old set-in-their-ways long-lived races.

Now to add all of this to the wiki. <3

 

[The Mood is Write]

Ok, so far on the wiki I've added all the relevant information on humans, part of the information for the magic race, and am plotting to work on language with my best friend since she has more experience than I do.

Here's what I have so far on language.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Humans are now renamed, since "human" seems like it wouldn't fit the world's naming scheme. The magical race is named now "The People" since they're the original race, and their information is mostly added. All that's left is work on the strength race.

 

[Minibit]

If I can drop a suggestion, try to avoid modelling a race or country after one or two attributes. Most groups have a few things they generally uphold which unite them, but cultures even of small areas tend to be multilayered.

 

[The Mood is Write]

The reference to magic and strength are intended to be reminders that those are their biggest talents, though they have others as well, and there is overlap. I'm going to try for more unity within the setting once I get basic details ironed out, since going for unity from the get-go seems like it might be more difficult than trying to unify once I have the basis in place. =) Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[The Mood is Write]

All races are named and described at a basic level. Next project: geography, followed by history, then culture, magic, and more imperial stuff.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Geography page was added. I'm not going for anything too realistic, but instead something that suits the plot. I'll be making a map at some point, of course.

 

[The Mood is Write]

Woo! Took a bit of a break, but I think it's play-ready, or at least ready for discussions involving roleplay.

I just finished the history roughs, and can add more as needed, of course.