Hey I'm pen-elope (get it? Cos the author is dancing pe... Let's just get on with this.) I am a character created by the author just for the purpose of info dumping and lore dropping...so I thought about doing my work in the earliest. This might just be the writer being lazy but I understand, making stuff up as you go is chaotic and you might just forget all about it, so let's just have a set system. And apparently, I heard the danc1ng pen saying something about having all her stories in this setting...real lazy, I'll have you know🤦🙎... LET'S GET INTO IT:
GEOGRAPHY
Northern Continent
- Arayle (northwest): A vast territory covering nearly half of the northern continent, with diverse landscapes ranging from snow-capped mountains to lush forests and expansive rivers. It is called the "baby empire" by other countries because all the districts in it are nations in their right. They have a financially vibrant economy that is propelled with their diplomacy relationships. They are known to be pacifists even though they are the largest in military strength.
- Kusuk (northeast): A smaller country nestled between Arayle and Siera, featuring a mix of rugged coastlines, rolling hills, and dense forests. This country is nicknamed; "the doormat of the world" due to them being stuck in a circle of subjugation and emancipation, at the moment they are an independent nation. Their population is scarce due to most of them emigrating or being forcefully trafficked through slavery. Thus country's economy stays afloat from selling their own people.
- Siera (central north): A nation with varied terrain, including arid deserts, towering mountain ranges, and fertile valleys. This nation values two things above all philosophy and religion, the ideal job is to be a scholar and discover the secrets of the world, most of the world's phenomenons are revealed by them and thus, they are stereotyped as impeccably smart people and 50 out of 50 times this is proven true. Their economy is just right, as the people are simplistic in nature.
Southern Continent
- Easteforde (southeast): A vast country occupying the eastern half of the southern continent, characterized by tropical rainforests, vast savannas, and meandering rivers. The country that perpetually colonizes Kusuk and initiate the most wars. Easteford is a superpower country that tends to try to trample on the other nations but is a little weary of Arayle. The country is impeccably wealthy, though the government makes it so that the nation is always in a controversial light.
- Occident Coast (southwest): A slender nation along the western coast, marked by rocky shores, scenic beaches, and a chain of islands. The hermit nation, it is called that out of a play of words referring to its tourist attractions (beautiful beaches) and it being a city that accepts people from all works of life but never having diplomatic relations with nations. The nation's economy is single handedly propelled by tourism.
A/N: Can you guess which country devasted the place that is now known as "guilt land"?
CULTURE:
People who live in a diverse society with rich culture just like this, have similar values, regardless of the disparities that may be evident in their cultures.
All societies and cultures uphold honesty, kindness, morality, piety, intelligence and like attributes as virtues and scorn wickedness, depravity and ignorance as evil. It is unanimously believed that all life is sacred and must be respected, especially human life. Human life is no commodity, it is precious not only because of the people around them and the deeds they make, life is valuable because it is something that is not easily stumbled upon, it is believed that all life is the universe conscience effort to reach perfection and mistreating a single life is tainting the effort of the universe; ironically there are people and groups that are too selfish to uohold this belief and fact (cough Kusuk cough Easteforde cough).
(Pen-elope: it is funny that this is a fantasy story but...)
In this world, magic is ruled as illusion and anything that happens out of the ordinary is termed a wonder, that is, the people do not rule it as a supernatural event but something that occured according to the rules of nature that has not yet been known to man, and causes you to ponder more on it.
Magic is not something that is practiced everywhere, in fact no one practices magic...yet.
But still religions like Gainili believe in a God that performs miracles, a God that temporarily suspends the rule of the nature to benefit his beloved. The religion's main creed is that the Almighty wanting a family made humans to be his beloved children but he gave them free will, because he wanted them to love him of their own accord and thus he let them stay on earth to try and "woo" them into loving him and being his children.
The people of this religion are known to be caring but somewhat seclusive as they're so embroidered with loving their God that they condemn the world; others try to let people know of their God and others only have the title as proof of their faith as they live dastard lives that are contrary to the beliefs of their faith. Gainili originated in Siera but presently has more influence in Easteford and Occident Coast.
Other nations, that is, Arayle and Kusuk, practice a religion based on the claim that people should do good deeds to enjoy a good life, this religion is termed, Tuhsim. It is based on practicing virtue for no other reason than for humanity's and posterity's sake. Even though there is no spiritual or sentimental aspects of this religion, they celebrate festivals and pray for good health.
Few people become apostate after seeing that good deeds don't guarantee good lives and the religion does not have a great influence in the countries, especially in Kusuk. Regardless there are many faithless people, or the appropriate term is atheists, in all nations and societies.
The major festivals celebrated in Easteford are:
1. The great treasure hunt banquet see episode 15
2. The harvest festival, Abunumas, this is the biggest festival. It is to celebrate a successful farming season and it marks the start of the year. The whole month of Abundumas is one big celebration, where there is merriment and feasting.
Every night, little children will come outside, singing and chanting whilst wearing hats made from fresh straw and carrying baskets, passerbys will then drop a fruit in this basket.
This is to show the sheer abundance that the people enjoy as they are blessed with enough food to share with others everyday but since everyone is sharing no one is lacking.
There are two other harvest seasons, that have smaller celebrations, there's a great feast and children and parents alike prepare a meal for each other.
Things you should take note of for when you visit Easteforde.
1. For no reason must you walk backwards, there is a superstition that these who walk backwards are cursed with regression and don't prosper. Some people might ignore this but don't be shocked if elders keep their young ones from playing with you. They also believe that bad luck is contagious
2. If you don't greet someone, it is an open declaration of a grudge, you are simply saying 'hey I don't like you' or 'you offended me'. If that person makes amend or you settle your differences, the next time you see you must give each other a peck on the cheek and exchange gifts to let others be aware of your reconciliation but if your relationship remains sour, after sometime of not greeting each other, the next time you see, the person or peopld holding the grudge tend to turn their face away from the other person and cover their nose like they smell something bad.
3. You can't eat pudding in the night, there's no reason just don't eat pudding, whatever you do, don't eat pudding at night.
Currency
1 Forde= 8,000,000 Dollars
1 Forde= 250,000 Ests
1 Est= 32 Dollars
1 Forde=1000 OCM (Occident Coast mani)
1 Forde=200 Dero (the official currency of the northern continent)
As said earlier in the story the attire and lifestyle of Easteford gains inspiration from 18th and 19th century Europe, but the technological advancements is not the same; remember the projection screen from the hunting competition.
To be continued.