Fantasy 𝙋𝘼𝙓 𝙍𝙊𝙔𝘼𝙇𝙄𝙎 ༉‧ 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬.

[mother of sorrows]

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; you will sing till your throat goes raw, if it means the truth​

The jungle grows deep here, and dark. The soil is damp with tears and the trees shiver with secrets.

Once, a kingdom. Once, a battlefield. Now there are no kings or princes to stomp on the poor - Bandiama is the first of its kind, a country where the leaders are born from voices. Democratic philosphers run all the branches under the watchful eye of the tsai - a Bandiami word for wise. You have to be wise indeed, and clever in this land - falter for even a second and the night will eat you up alive.

CULTURAL POINTS

— Freedom, dignity and respect are the values that keep the people here alive. Elegance and wisdom are traits they strive for.

— What is a king if not a leech? What is a noble if not a wound that festers? Revolutionaries eye any head that wears a crown while a nation starves.

— Ruled by royalty then, by a tsai now. A democratically elected leader, they are helped by various ministers to keep the country from falling into ruin and smoke.

— Education is one of the foundation blocks of civilisation. The ideal scholar is curious and well-balanced.

— Despite the ban of using noble titles, there is still a sort of disparity between descendants of nobility and commoners. These descendants still forms unofficial groups to marry and mingle, excluding anybody who is not of their blood. Throwing around your ancestor's titles is frowned upon, but not enough to warrant an arrest.

— When meeting somebody older than you, it is customary to bow your head and receive a blessing. Not doing so before speaking is highly disrespectful.

— It does not matter if your family had you skinned, if your mother wanted you quartered or if your father cut down your tree to make a toothpick; betraying your family is a sin that will never be forgiven. Not by them and not by the rest.

— The execution of the royal family a generation ago is still a sore spot for many. Bringing it up will lead to gritted teeth and cold looks.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; in the stars you will forge your name​

Sand is ravenous. It will eat you out of your home, your fields. It will eat your family and it will eat you, if you give it half a chance.

It has never been as hungry as it has been the last twenty years. It's boiling hands wrap around Sebaja's throat, sucking out the blood and tearing flesh from bones. Once a thriving kingdom, it has now been reduced to empty farms and forgotten temples. All gold is now poured into importing food as the desert paces outside. Small, but not unhappy; after all, when everything gone, all you have is humanity.

CULTURAL POINTS

— Art is life here. Be it singing or threading carpets or painting, every child is taught a way to be remembered from when they can walk; any expression is applauded when it comes from the heart.

— Clans are usually clustered in a single village, with a few unrelated clans sometimes building a community together. Education is provided by the greater family, rather than just the parents.

— Hard work is important, as if providing for your family.

— Due to shortages, extragavance is a great insult and looked down upon. Such people wrapped in silk and rubies are seen as spoiled.

— While they are all ruled by a single royal family, your clan lineage takes priority over being called a single nation. Ancestor worship is widespread, as are clan-specific animals and gods.

— If a woman has been offended by a man, she is within her rights to summon any male that is from her clan or is courting her to deal with the disrespectful man. If her relative or courter denies such a responsibility, he is seen as a coward and snubbed.

— To stave off direct heat, women have gained a habit of wearing face veils. Regional variations vary, as do the designs and fashion of wearing it; they appear from pure white to colorful and decorated with beads.

— Homes are often inter-generational. It is uncommon to not live with your grandparents, parents, uncles and aunts and cousins under one roof. Such family homes are kept in great care and are often thought as the heart of the family.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; i was never a child, i was taken out of the salty waters​

The sea - the sea. Nothing could love you more. Nothing could bring your end faster.

These islands had nobody to call their own; they sighed alone in their dress of foam, their shores empty. Pirates were the one to bring it laughter and life, building palaces with stolen gold and silver; and it was not long before they built thrones, calling each other kings. And where there are multiple thrones, there is drowning and blood for the sharks. As scandalous as they are unbearably rich, the royals here are risking their neck with every lonely walk and every taken sip.

CULTURAL POINTS

— Power changes here like the tides, treacherous and fickle. Assassinations and murder are as common as weeds growing out a paved street, with poison and arrows and knives waiting at every turn.

— Due to the army of mistresses hanging on every king's arm, child mortality is a fear that will keep every mother up at night. Bastards, legitimate heirs, any servant that looks too much like another royal - their survival is dependent on their wits alone.

— Conversation is characterized by it's openess, friendy gestures and a welcoming attitude to any foreigners.

— It is considered highly disrespectful to not bring a gift as a guest, no matter how small.

— Pride and honor are the foundation of civilisation; insulting one's family or self can have grave consequences. Any person whose family has been offended is considered 'bloodbound' - until they have gotten revenge, though murder or money, the bloodbound person is believed to be haunted by terrible luck and spirits.

— Tea and coffee are consumed daily by the tonnes. Visits to family or trips will be interrupted by breaks of drinking at a shared table; there is a saying that even the smallest village should have a tea or coffeehouse.

— Such drinking habits are closely woven with ceremonies. Those wealthy enough will often hire dancers or singers to entertain while they drink and all social ranks enjoy brewing their drinks with spice mixes.

— Musical ability or sea-faring skills are greatly admired.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; a ballad of snow and forests so deep​

A kingdom of terrible, cold expanse and palaces just as icy as the permafrost.

Known for their rich mountains and tunnels carved deep into centuries old ice in search of veins, Sevyershina is a kingdom that cares little for the rest of the world. Their beloved Queen Daughter will trade when She deigns to - but their ports often have an upper hand with their ships filled heavy with precious ores. Wealth merchant families parade off their luxurious silks and furs, the richest of them trailing after her Great Majestic Daughter.

It is a strange land, this one. The dark seeds of the earth open up at times, spitting out horrifying creatures from slumber. The foxes walk on two legs here, the wolves sing hymns; vilas watch with their great, watery eyes and drowned women wail for victims. Unnaturally rich as the people here are, they are also afraid.

CULTURAL POINTS

— Social interactions are formal, not unfriendly; rules of conduct are complex and generally unknown to outsiders. Even so, politeness dictates to not openly point out a rule has been broken.

— Pagan, snarling nature-gods sit on the pantheon here. They offer wine, horses, swords to those that pay blood.

— Helping your neighbour is incredibly important. Cowardice is frowned upon.

— Nature sings between the bricks of their homes, on their fields; a person that has no respect for it is considered lowly.

— A superstitious land. Dreams and signs are seen in every action; you never leave a pumpkin to rot, you should never knock on steel.

— A display of their belief are the masks; more traditional people will often cover wear them around strangers, in fears of evil spirits taking their face. They are often in the form of animals or folklore beings, carved from wood or ivory or marble and decorated according to your wallet.

— Picking mountain flowers is a taboo thought to bring death. Offering one to a beloved is like kissing their eyelids goodbye in their casket.

— Romance here is woven from ancient songs of forbidden love, of women turned into weeping willows and lovers executed together, from humans giving up everything for a love that they will never gain. Depressing subjects to some, but one cannot deny their power here.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; a country where smoke rises and lives fall.
​

buildings rise as bronze petals into a sepia sky; nature is devoured by giants of mankind, green being swallowed by cobblestone and steel. in vexira, futures are made in fortune and pasts are buried in blood. here, clockwork angels echo as heaven’s stars and greed chimes like god’s gospel. smoke fills your nose and enters your throat, making you choke on the ashes that built and bears this nation. bones rattle in the face of mortality — there are no gods to save you here; you are alone, alone with the temptation of coin and the devil in your ear.

this land is not ruled by those of royal blood but rather those with too much money and too little kindness; the crown does not land, it is claimed — claimed by minds as wicked as they are genius. the ruling family is behind the world’s greatest inventions and vexira’s leading position in technological advances.

but do not be fooled by these grand works of men, for the hands that built them have as much blood as dirt on them. while these towers of wealth stand high, corruption runs deep and even the darkest shadows can not truly hide the poor who riddle the alleys dirty and downtrodden.

does it really matter, though? your vision is still brimming with creations grand, devices brilliant and sights rivalingly enchanting. does it really matter, when the technology you use has both life and death behind it…

CULTURAL POINTS

— very individualistic culture; you shouldn’t expect others to help you just because. it is also rude to ask if someone needs help because it’s a sign of weakness if they can’t fix it on their own.

— ambition and out-of-the-box thinking are considered very admirable traits here.

— conflicts are often resolved with either money (if you can afford it) or a physical duel that is either to first knock out, or if there was a worse offense done, death. there is no thing as fair play during these ‘duels’ either.

— the rules are treated as strong guidelines here, except for one: do not fuck with the ruling family

— people here are often considered very blunt by foreigners, their way of talking holding no room for sparing feelings or faking kindness. if you look ugly, you look ugly.

— smoking is a social activity and it is not uncommon that people smoke while they are eating meals.

— there is not much of a formal speech here and dropping profanities is considered normal, both in day to day speech and in a business setting.

— most marriages are treated moreso as a business affair than a love one.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; where magic meets masks, smiles stretch on forevermore, and the game never ends.
​

extravagance blooms in the hand of a country rich in magic and reputation. a kaleidoscope of colours with no spare of gold and marble often enthrals those not used to the splendour that bleeds deep into auriche’s culture. a need for impression is what designs all these buildings so; even the smallest details do not escape the flair the aurichians hate and adore. there is always a luxury to be shown, a perfect fantasy to be told.

but do not be fully enchanted by the lush gardens and lavish buildings, for these fantasies harbor more lies than verity. here, truth and beauty is only mask deep, may it be one of materials or not. so do not be fooled by this daily masquerade, for underneath this pristine veil, you will find something far less perfect and a lot more rotten.

but here is a truth for you: the country that prides so much on its magic, punishes those without as heavily if not more. social status rises and falls with the way powers manifest; the greater your magic potency, the higher you stand — and pariahs you will become should standards and expectations not be met.
ahh, and a second truth, just because i feel kind today; court is as cruel as it is grand. the game continues as competitions for influence and esteem never end. personal prestige and greed waltzes in each other’s arms while daggers rest neatly against skin and poison fills someone’s cup. to show face as royalty and nobility is both gauche and dangerous; here you will only find elaborate masks staring back at you, observing, veying, scheming…

CULTURAL POINTS

— in the beginning, it seems like a very friendly and open culture, but it becomes more artificial and judgmental the longer you are there as you come to know that not every friendly word and smile speaks true.

— utterly indirect the aurichians are with their ways of speech. there is never a straight road to the destination so to speak as they tend to pick the more scenic and dramatic route towards making their point. it makes you wonder what subtle hints and bitter truths lay hidden beneath these words that are often on sugary side.

— being cheap or stingy with money is seen as badly on your character. it is always the bigger the better and more the merrier. daily indulgences are also encouraged.

— children from a young age are taught either by family ( or private tutors if you are wealthy enough) how to wield their magic abilities until they are old enough to go to school. from there on, a ranking system is put in place to track the students academic process. the higher the rank, the bigger the chance you get to study at a prestigious academy later on. the lower the rank and well…. i’m sure there are other uses for you in society…

— v traditional in the sense that men are the ones who go to war and do manual labor while the woman are taught the crafts of cooking, cleaning, embroidery etc. in nobility, the women are expected to make an excellent hostess while the men have to manage the finances and general state of the house.

— theater is greatly enjoyed among all walks of class and not that expensive so you can find the theaters filled in the weekends.

— make up is a tradition and worn by both genders. it can also tell of one’s social standing; uncommon hues are prized as luxurious as are the use of jewels.

— marriages often go through an elaborate process of matchmaking and then courting. the court works with debuts and seasons which starts every spring while for the middle class people, the matchmaking often starts later in summer. for both the upper and middle class, it is a tradition to use matchmaking services.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; where god kisses your lips and rules your mind.
​

beliefs as ancient as man run land and life, its roots so deep it touches the bones of eons gone and becomes something greater than life. something greater than us.
a thousand of suns burn down upon wandukur, and a million of colours reflects back; they are gifts they say, from the great god, so how can we not paint the cities in these divine shades? here, cities and settlements never sleep; silence belongs to the dead, so make noise long as the heart still beats and breaths still flow. and it's a beautiful thing, how the wind carries the parfum of spices, carries the sound of lives lived in worship of deities and in fear of demons.

these beliefs, you cannot escape it even if you wanted to; there is always a temple in sight, an altar to bow before, a prayer to be heard and a hymn to be sung. here, you live and die for god, whether you are the sheep or shepherd. oh and the shepherd you can be, if the signs are right and the world can catch holiness behind it. you, as the others before, can be god’s chosen and inherit the throne. they will bow down before you, even if the blood isn’t royal and your background isn’t rich — but everything comes at a price. people’s faith might be strong, but as are their ambitions. you will find new enemies, and the word of god? it can only help you so far in mortality…

CULTURAL POINTS

— a warm but sometimes suffocating culture where true privacy is rare and everyone likes to listen in on each other’s business. let’s just say if you don’t want your whole neighborhood to know about your latest night endeavors you best be quiet.

— very much community driven; you will always have hands to catch you when you fall and pillars to lean on for support. this, of course, does come with the price of not being easily let go by family and a certain sacrifice of independency. after all, why would you want to live on your own when you can stay home with us?

— children are expected to take care of their parents later on in life.

— every family has a shrine in their home used for praying and placing offerings to the great goddess Nashatra.

— to sully the name of any god is seen as the worst offense and is punishable by the capital punishment.

— the people here can be viewed as overly superstitious; they take their luck very seriously and do everything to evade misfortune.

— if you wish to truly express gratitude, you can go to a temple and purchase either an incense or paper blessing there as a gift.

— the choosing of wandukur’s royals can raise eyebrows elsewhere, for it might seem like it is due to arbitrary reasons rather than rational ones. the maharaja or maharani is not picked by blood or wealth, but rather a sign of god. how this sign manifests itself changes and remains vague, but in the end, the royals are seen as both a direct descendant from the gods and an oracle, making them worshiped by common folk but hated by nobility.

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[mother of sorrows]

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FULL SCRIPTURE

; where past lays in ruin and future calls for ruination
​

here lay the remnants of the fallen, their defeat stripping the former empire of its glory and halcyon days. now they stand humbled, without a vast army for conquests and with shadows and mists that stretch farther than sight. in this dark place, tranquility has made its home, and its inhabitants have become accustomed to new ideologies that preach peace over power.

the reputation of tsusaye was once of equal contempt as fear but since the crumbling, the image has been cleansing itself from all the death and blood it has caused before. gone are the days of taking what they desire, even if it isn’t theirs; tsusaye now exists as a fragment of what it once was, stays like that because to survive is to adapt and futures are never secure. turning a new leaf isn’t easy, but it seems like the royal family is doing it well, accepting the current present, even with all the glory of the past.

(though what choice was there between change or death?)

still, there is something to mourn about what is lost; the glimpses of humble towns that once were grand cities strike the hearts of those who have lived in both; the ruins and remains stand awkwardly in between what is rebuild, austere versus opulence making a stark difference; and greenery now grows where gold once gilded while magnificent shades have faded into something more modest.

you can say that legends are slippery things. for the glory that coats them hides the pain, suffering and death that spun them. and yet, something about them is nostalgic, a wistful memory that lives on even if everything else has died.

the royal family has survived the fall of their empire against their own odds, on mercy — on promise. they have launched tsusaye into this new era of peace, of seeking alliances, but how long shall it last? how easy it is for history to repeat itself, the whispers of a past reaching across the planes of time, right where future stays undecided and yet so easily influenced. how can a former empire not wish for taste of what was before? and the children who have only known war, how can they have grown up to withhold peace?

CULTURAL POINTS

— respect and obedience is engrained into its culture; to not show either of those is greatly frowned upon and subsequently punished.

— the older the wiser is as much as a saying as an ideology in this culture. you must listen to your elders as they know best and going against their word is considered as ill-mannered behavior.

— conservative in fashion; one must covet its body and soul with fabrics and only those proven worthy enough should be able to see it. showing skin and asking someone to show skin without any intimate relations is an utter faux-pas.

— tsusaye is still very authoritative and those who are in a role of either the military or law enforcement enjoy a certain degree of esteem.

— despite how much the royal family wants to convince you otherwise, spending time in the country you will quickly notice some discomfort in the people when it comes to being around foreigners. they are still very polite but there is a distance yet to be breached and you can watch them walking away hurriedly instead of stepping closer when it comes to it.

— before the fall, it was mandatory for everyone, man and woman, to go through warrior training and hold a position in the army for five years. now, neither one is no longer compulsory but still an option for those who seek it.

— while the technology and magic is available for easier travel, a considerable part of the population still prefers to travel on horseback. there is a horse breed native to the country that is lauded for its speed and endurance and often used as mode of transportation.

— the country is made up of multiple clans that occupy different geographical parts. they each have a leader who advocates for their own clan, but they do not have much power in reality, for the royal family still decides all.

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