Post by Satra on Oct 11, 2008 11:54:48 GMT -5
For those that might not know "TL:DR" mean: "Too long, didn't read" Which is quite applicable here.
These are all the random thoughts I've ever had about the region I've created. I ninja-posted it in the Q+A forum, but since then have added more in order to reach 5000+ words.
I am honestly not expecting anyone to get through this. XD Mostly posting for the points and to satisfy my OCD.
If you happen to have any questions or anything, feel free to ask. P:
[glow=red,2,300]
The Raemblen Bog[/glow]
Suit, Rank, Aces, and Jokers
No one from the Bog really cares what suit a Card is. While some are more rare than others, all are appreciated and put to work equally. Of course tendencies and stereotypes do exist and are noticed, but it is in no ways their expectations or rules. The Presiding Queen is, in fact, a Club. She is exceedingly well-respected and loved. Beneath her in power is a Queen of Hearts, no Bog Dweller thinks twice about this.
Rank is cared about a little more. It is very obvious that the higher the rank, the higher the magical ability. The Raemblen Bog is a society descended from some of the best magic researchers of a few hundred years ago and, as a whole, are a very magic-driven people. However, despite this, it is still understood that everyone does their part. A Card will only be truly outcast or ostracized if they are some form of criminal or a useless lump. Granted, while those of lower rank do tend to be looked down on, the separation isn’t as large as society outside the Bog. If, say, a King were to have a wild love affair with someone of rank as low as 2 or 3, it wouldn’t be a scandal more than make the people scratch their heads and say “…well that’s… kinda weird.”, and generally lack the understanding of the relationship. If anything, the Card of lower rank to be sought after as, obviously to have gotten the attention of a Face Card, there must be something pretty amazing about them.
Aces are an interesting thing in the Bog. Their status is greatly elevated from that which regular Card society allows them. If anything, the ‘pet’ and ‘pelt’ status of Aces in normal society actually offends the Bog Dwellers. Aces are people to them. Inferior people and second-class citizens, yes, but people nonetheless. All Aces that are not mentally or physically deficient in some way are brought into the Fianna lifestyle to be essentially highly-trained cannon fodder. Each Fianna Ace is assigned a Master to which they are expected to give their lives up for should the opportunity arise. Heilyn’s uncle (on her father’s side), Alphonse, is an Ace. Though crippled after a fight, is still respected as a veteran and every once in a while is invited to oversee training of future Aces. However, he is kept around for only short periods of time and is not glorified publicly. There is a fear that some of the Aces might get hopeful for a long life like his and forget their purpose as expendable.
If famine hits, Aces understand that if cannibalism has to be resorted to, they are the first to go. If you are an Ace, you do not speak unless spoken to or in a case of emergency.
The other Aces are put to work doing menial tasks, but are generally treated well enough. Well fed and cared for. Those who are unable to perform even that are sent away to have magical and scientific experiments done on them.
As far as sleeping with an Ace goes, it really depends on the individual’s views. It is not prohibited by law, but society does frown on it. It is seen as more socially acceptable (but not by much) to sleep with a Fianna Ace than it is one of the handicapped Aces.
Jokers have close tabs kept on them. Every Joker born is both a precious and potentially dangerous thing. They have a small magical device placed under their skin that allows them to be tracked. If one is born, they are often used as spies against the Raiders. They have no other choice in the matter and are often raised somewhat brain-washed. Jokers are not a secret in Bog society, but they’re also not really a commonly discussed thing as they’re extremely rare.
Raiders
The poisons in the Bog cause the majority of the dwellers to have some form of mental illness, though most suffer from minor ailment. The poisons not only in the air and environment, but the very poisons in the Bog dwellers’ own blood work. However, there are those who are completely driven over the edge. Those who can escape, do, if not are killed after the medical investigation proves positive. About 10% of the normal Bog population is driven to or born at this point. The Raider population is small, but quite deadly. A singular Raider is referred to as “it” rather than “he” or “she”. There are not considered people by any means. Even the mentally challenged Aces are held in FAR higher regard.
Raider societies are split into Packs. Each Pack has a hierarchy with an Alpha, 1-3 Betas, a larger number of Workers, and Omegas. Ranking is based on strength as the Raiders (or “Reavers” in the Bog tongue) don’t really understand much else. They like to prey on the sane as something about the clean and well-kept ones send them into fits of rage.
If they catch you they will rape you, kill you, eat your flesh, and sew your skin into their own skin or clothing and use whatever other body parts are left over to decorate themselves. And if you are very, very lucky, they’ll do it in that order. They love taking the highest rank of anyone they’ve ever killed and sew it over their own rank (if that one exceeds their own… if that specific Raider can even read anymore) or make a necklace/sash/loincloth/etc of the rank and suit of every Card they’ve killed ever.
Alpha - usually the semi-sane ones. Outlaws who've escaped home and managed to organize the Raiders. Alphas are extremely rare. There's estimated to be only 3. It is also assumed they are all Face Cards (those were the outlaws powerful enough to make a get away), though there is a fear at least one has moved up in rank to Queen. It's harder to tell the Alphas from a normal Bog Dweller at a glance from an outsider’s view. You would have to know the criminal history to recognize the individual.
Betas - like the King to a Court's Queen, the Betas work under one Alpha of their coosing. Are also generally outlaws and outcasts, though tend to be less mentally stable than the Alphas and also tend to be higher numbers. Betas can also be former Fiannas who have been driven mad from the intense training. These are the most feared of all the Raiders on an individual basis. However, they are lacking the mental stability to move up in Rank or station in Raider eh, "society".
Workers - the average insane son-of-a-bitch Raider. Generally cannot move up in Rank as they as too insane to concentrate on Ranking up. Some on this level are independents, not following any specific Alpha. These independents are still called “Workers” or to be of the Worker class as it defines their level of mental instability. That, and it really doesn’t matter that much to get it right. The only good Raider is a dead Raider, so offending them is not much of a care of the Bog Citizens.
Omegas - citizens of the Bog civilization who have been captured by the Raiders, kept as breed stock and information. From being repeatedly raped and tortured, most lose it and are… "promoted" to the Worker class.
Fiannas[/b]
The Fiannas are a special class of fighters in the Bog. They are specifically trained to fight against and hunt down the Raiders. They are chosen from birth unanimously by the 3 Elders (Guido, Frog, Most respected Magician of the Bog; Her Majesty Poppy, Wolverine, secondary Queen and overseer of the Fiannas; Brigid, blind, said to be an Oracle and a Prophet, most respected Divinator) by some insane undocumented criteria.
The rate of Fiannas going crazy is higher than that of the normal citizens due to the rigorous training. However, since Brigid became one of the Judges, that percentage has decreased considerably.
They are taken away from their parents and are put in special camps where they are given knives before they can walk and receive training as soon as they can. They are isolated from society, allowed field trips during special festival days only until they graduate about the age of 12 and are assigned their jobs and missions in the field. It’s an extremely rough life and only about half are expected to make it to adulthood. A good third after that are expected to be severely and permanently injured in some way.
Fiannas that have been too injured to continue working in the field, but are not crippled are put to work usually as some form of bodyguard or bouncer.
All Fiannas have a replaced tooth with an overdose of Morphine in it. With a small spell they can only use once, only the owner of the tooth can dislodge it to kill themselves. Aces get a second tooth removed, which is replaced with a small magical item that allows them the ability to remove the tooth magically as well.
Rabbits[/b]
There are no Rabbits in the Bog. None. Roughly 50-60 years ago, The Cards finally figured out that Rabbits, in fact, do exist and there were a few Warrens in the Bog.
After the Wars, a few Jacks wanted in on salvaging the scraps of magical weapons made by Cards. They stole the mask technology as made by the researchers and were off! However, they ran into the same problem as the Cards and they, as well as the Does they brought with them, all became stranded.
So the Cards found the Rabbits, what next? Weell~ the initial meeting did not go well. The presiding Queen at the time (who was female), was not well received and decided nothing good could come of associating with Rabbits.
A few years later, due to Raids, famine hit the Cards. Feeling no remorse, the same Queen ordered hunts and thus the eating of Rabbits began. Two Jacks managed to escape, only one living long enough afterward to breed. The rest were eaten into extinction.
For a while the Rabbits were being captured to the bred for food, but when the Cards found out what a slow process this was, they gave up on the idea.
The last remaining records of Rabbits are recipes. The interaction with Rabbits and Cards was very short-lived, though, and doesn’t get much more than a relatively insulting paragraph in most history books.
Architecture[/b]
They are actually excellent carpenters. Their woodworking skill actually exceeds their skill with the glass they’re so well known for. Being in such a wet environment, the structures are constantly rotting and needing to be rebuilt.
The majority of people live in huts, which are elevated above the water level. The floor is very thick and while the flooring inside is a hard wood, underneath is a thick layer of a type of corkwood. During rebuilding of a smaller building’s foundation, the house is actually brought down off its ‘stilts’ and left floating nearby (but anchored) until construction is complete.
Many of the houses are actually up in trees. These are mostly the dwellings of Avians, Bats, Squirrels, and other such altitude-loving creatures, but Felines, Canines, etc. have been known to make their home in the branches. Most businesses, however, are ground level. Most businesses have a ceiling entrance and landing pad on the roof.
The buildings are connected by a series of complicated roadways of boardwalks and bridges. Some of these are even named like streets.
Another way to get around is by boat. Many of the ground-floor dwelling Cards own a small canoe to get around in. There is even a canoe taxi service available in many of the bars to ferry people home after a night of drinking. This, of course, costs extra and drunken patrons are often cheated for what their worth.
However, said ferry/taxi service is available for non bar patrons for whatever their needs.
The Town square is an interesting thing. It’s actually a floating “stage” with only a few perimeter supports and one center one just so if the weight on top is unbalanced it doesn’t slant and tip everyone off. That would generally kind of suck, especially considering the waterways in the city are not entirely free of piranhas (wee!). The town square is not elevated like the buildings because it’s so busy all the time, repairs would be nigh impossible. On top of that, the consistent weight would require more supports, which would make it too crowded underneath to easily make repairs. So instead the Square is divided up into sections, which can be removed parts at a time and replaced one at a time.
The buildings and businesses around the town square are elevated above the stage on their stilts.
Metal is exceedingly hard to come by, so the buildings actually use wooden nails and butterfly joints to hold the buildings in place. It’s really too wet for glue to be effective.
The Cards of this region are practically religious about recycling anything and everything. Any wood that has not been rotted yet is reused. Wood that is rotten gets chipped up and used as mulch. Wood that is only partially rotted gets the rotten parts cut off and the remaining wood is used for something else. Pieces too small to go back in the lumber pile usually go into making nails and joints, but the particularly attractive pieces get sent to artisans who make trinkets and toys.
True, wood is very easy to come by, as there are enough trees in the Bog to block out the sun. However, for every tree felled, there is a hole in their little “Ozone” that brings in fresh air. This gets heavily regulated as to not poison the residents with that nasty clean air.
Food and Diet[/b]
In general, Bog Dwellers will eat just about anything. Though some breeds will have natural preferences for certain foods, in general their views on food is similar to their views on suit: “All’s fair”. Bog Dwellers have exceptionally strong stomach acids and stomach lining to digest anything from poisonous spiders to grass and tree leaves and other such things people would normally be unable to digest.
Since the beginning the researchers have been processing their food to have as little of the poisons in it as possible. However, through the adaptation, that process has dwindled to the bare minimum of keeping the majority sane. Most Bog Dwellers will tell you through their biased opinion that they do a lot in the growth and process of their food to keep as much poisons out as possible. This is only partially true. The food still has a moderate poison content and a few meals of it would make any normal Card quite ill.
There is a thick barley-rice liquid that acts as both an alcohol and a carbohydrate (think Egyptians). Its name translates to “liquid bread”. It tastes awful, but it keeps the peasants both fed and sedated. Life in the Bog generally kind of sucks, so them Raemblers love themselves a booze or two.
Salads are made out of the leaves from the trees felled for various constructions. The leaves by themselves are bland and a little bitter, so they are often soaked in a special sauce (there is no one recipe, really. It varies from the individual/home recipe and the type of sauce).
Often times the leaf and sauce mixture is pureed into a paste and sometime spread on bread, crackers, whatev.
Fun fact! Salads from the Bog do not have dressings as we know it. The liquid the leaves were soaked in already serve that purpose.
Common leaf soakings:
Blood and vinegar (when mashed into a paste, it is a very common peasant dish, like a porridge. It has fiber and protein and when liquid bread is added it covers the carbohydrate needs)
a sweet Garlic sauce (mostly liquidy with small bits of garlic)
oil and vinegar (sugar is common to be added to this; since the arrival of Outside goods, salt has begun accompanying this)
any and all combinations of sweet, sour, and spicy (sweet and sour, spicy and sour, etc)
The staple grain is a hybrid of wheat and rice. There is also a rye and rice combination and a barley and rice combo. This came about as when it was getting harder and harder for the researchers to get food in because of their increasing isolation, they started growing their own food. The wheat and rye didn’t do so well in the overly saturated area, so some rice imported from the Mid-range helped to alleviated that. The germs were cross-bred with the help of some magic and the staple food was established.
There is also a corn variety of a rice hybrid, but it’s much harder to grow.
The Boggies very much enjoy spicy food. In such a wet and moderately warm area, bacteria grows relatively easily. Things such as spicy peppers, onions, and garlic are popular in Bog cooking as they kill germs nicely.
Yes, they have been known to resort to cannibalism. However, this is reserved for desperate measures only, as all the Rabbits were already eaten. The Aces are usually the first to go, save for active Fiannas (retired doesn’t count as “safe”). After that, criminals and people generally deemed to be ‘useless’ are the next on the plate.
During these times of desperation, the government takes over the semi-free market and everyone is fed equally, nobles and farm workers alike. If anything, the laborers sometimes receive more food (the nobles just receive the better-tasting stuff P: )
Generally wild underwater animals (crawdads, fish, etc) are avoided. Because they live under the water, they have a higher accumulation of the poisons than other animals. However, the desperate and the stupid (usually doing so on a bet) will eat them.
Fun Fact! Boggies LOVE insects! SO DELISH! MMM! Crickets and spiders are the most popular bugs to be ate. MMMMMMMMM. x3
Views on Other Realms
Note: These are not necessarily Heilyn’s views. They are the views of the Bog Dwellers as a whole society and is the average. Of course there are exceptions, but this is the norm.
Avington
Umm, kay. Just about everyone has a secret, why are you guys any more special than the rest of us? I mean, the only way they could be born with or develope that tree is to be born with a secret or to obtain a secret at a young age. Who in the hell obtains something that permanent at such a young age? …we don’t trust that shit.
(Strangely enough, those with a blackened tree are viewed as more trustworthy rather than the usual bad omen others see it as)
Corvistowne
Oho, funfun! There are some of us willing to be paid to offer tissue samples. And the inventions? Ingenious! Excellent bunch they are, really. Granted, many of them are a little kooky, especially those that seem to think experimenting on yourself rather than waiting to be issued a criminal is a good idea.
Esterberry
Cute. We’re more than happy to take your information in exchange for ours… after we’ve filtered things to our delight. When we were wiling to provide information about ourselves to inform the Outside about us, we weren’t expecting this attention and we don’t appreciate it. Damned stupid foreigners.
Forest of Kahmden
Hey! We’re just like you! Most of our citizens follow the rules, too!
Oh wait.
Our rules are more fun to follow and make more sense. It makes absolutely no sense to ostracize someone if they’re not a crazy or an incredibly lazy lout.
Golfham Marsh
*smirk* We’re back, bitches. We won’t tell about the little secrets of the past if you won’t. <3
Highlands
…How are they so highly reputed? Sure, there are a few outstanding members, but overall it seems like there are more Cards bumming off the honor of others rather than making their own. And those who’ve made their own honor? Unbearable. Just do your damned job and shut up.
However, they are gorgeous. We do love our albinos dearly, delightfully gorgeous things, and here’s an entire region of them!
Hisstor Wastes
How are these guys known for being crazy? They seem pretty normal to us.
Well, we could go without the Outsider softness, but we suppose being Outsiders, they can’t help it. Seriously. More of these Outsider Realms could use that family orientation.
Josiggy Marsh
Can’t say we much care for the rain and the pansy-ass ‘we’re so great’ attitudes, but nice place over all. Wouldn’t mind a vacation house there at all. Open air, but still wet like a march, but it’s clean water!
Lowlands
Absolutely vile. Disgusting, diseased, unkempt, lazy sons of whores need to all perish from the face of the Earth and their lands burnt to ash.
Midori Beach
Fucking lazy-ass cannabis suckers. That, and the sun in that land sucks. And what sane person swims in water that deep?!
(sidenote: the Majority of Bog Dwellers are hydrophobic in that they will refuse to set foot in water they cannot see all parts underneath the surface at all times. The whole piranha and “rabid” wild crocodile fear)
The Midrange
We’d gladly exchange your silly little ideas of politeness and Bushido for our knowledge of what survival really means.
However, we’d be more than happy to play pretend politeness if that means you’ll sell us your weaponry.
Morganberry
Hint from the Ultimate People who’ve had to make-do with being dealt a shitty hand in life: If you don’t like something, fix it at its source, don’t run away from it.
Dumbasses.
And, jeez, those coats are unbearably bright to the point of painful.
Selkie Lakes
We honestly don’t get how you can be so lazy but be so well off. Perhaps you just display a more laid-back form of arrogance? Display this while resting after your work? Eh, no problems. Too bad the price gouging of your goods is so insane, especially when it finally comes around to us.
Solandria Glacier
These guys are pretty awesome if you can get one to like you. They’re just as big of “assholes” as we are and stick to themselves, not harassing us. They’re also a region that probably drinks as much as we do and understands what real environmental harshness means. They appreciate the good things in life.
Also, that hair just is a source of endless amusement. Save for a fair amount of thickness, it’s everything Bog fur is not. It goes right back into place after being tussled and defies gravity. Fucking brilliant.
Sorgaire Range
We very much appreciate the sense of humor, intelligence, and aspiration. And they’re right next door to the Glacier! Surely, a sign of awesome.
Torquehelm
…...fucking emos.
Tulgey Wood
Howdy neighbors!
We love the sense of humor and the knack for magic! It really is a toss up between you and the Solandrians as to which region is our favorite. And they’re all so snowy white in their fur. That is so hawt.
Villa en Miir
Art, visual and otherwise, is made when basic survival needs are covered. You guys must have a lot of free time if you’re renown for your music-making. That isn’t to say it isn’t appreciated. It is. But your ‘freespirit’ bums seriously need to get a life.
Yarrow Gardens
lolwut
What’s the problem with men? Eh, well, no loss. Not like any of us could visit your lands, so bearing with your bullshit will be delightfully short-lived. Then again, we could throw some of these nasty little pedophiles your way. Since with your delicate appearances, y’all look like children, maybe we can rid ourselves of these dregs. The entire Yarrow region is completely laughable.
However, if we could get a hold of some of those poisons, we’d love to hand them right over to our Fiannas for their uses.
Laws and Culture and such[/u]
There is no death penalty in the Bog. All things are recycled, including people. All criminals are sent in as science experiments. The more painful and risky the experimentation the Card is subjected to depends on the severity of his or her crime.
Harming or killing an expecting Mother is punishable by being subjected to the worst of experiments.
Rape will subject the offender to the worst of experiments. Bog Dwellers love sex and they find the abuse of it incredibly offensive.
Rape is actually a fairly rare thing to come by in Bog society (well, the sane Dwellers, anyway. With the Reavers it’s common practice). The Raemblers are an extremely promiscuous people. Because the successful birthrate is so low, Bog society gives the thumbs up for fairly rampant promiscuity. It is not hard to get laid in this region, add to that the very family/community-centered mindset of the Boggies, the thought to commit rape to harm another person is no where the first thing on their mind.
Theft is annoying, but will not earn the offender anything more than a sound beating. If substantial damages/losses occurred, then the offending party will go into servitude under the victim’s rule for some amount of time.
Child molesters will find themselves in the worst of positions. Beating a child to discipline them is not illegal; however, beating one just for the sake of it (drunkenness, sadism, etc) is. They are very family oriented and care especially for the children. People without a family (or “family”) tend to make Bog Dwellers uncomfortable.
There is an orphanage in the Bog of actual orphans and children that have been taken away from abusive parents. Couples who want a child and have in anyway been unsuccessful or just want to adopt actually go and live in the boarding house for some time. In this time, they interact with the kids and pick the one most suited to them. The agreement is actually mutual, giving the child a say in the matter.
The Boggies like the non-verbal. They feel that the less you have to say to a person, the closer your relationship with them is. This is not to say serious conversations between couples, family, friends, etc. is not taken seriously, just a constant need for discussion of emotions would imply to a Bog Dweller some distance in needed in that relationship.
This is not to say a Boggie would never utter words such as ‘I love you’, it’s just not as common. It is preferred to be shown rather than spoken, and even when spoken, any Bog Dweller will pay more attention to how it was said rather than it was said at all.
The majority of Bog Dwellers do not trust and generally look down on Outsiders (see Views on Other Realms). Despite this, they have a considerable amount of curiosity to them as well. If they should come into contact with an Outsider, they will have little shame in poking and prodding to their heart’s content.
Recently, as with Heilyn coming into direct contact with the Outside world, it has caused a curiosity in others. Some might leave to explore a little and come back. Also, it's pretty much guaranteed that the Boggie with enough xenophilia to explore Outside will have enough xenophilia to screw an Outsider. I wouldn't be surprised if little half-Bog children start popping up all over the place.
Bog Dwellers are obsessed with cleanliness. For a region that sucks so much to live in and it perpetually in mud and dirty water, the town itself is immaculate. There is rarely litter and all walkways, houses, porches, etc. are always scrubbed clean. Filth is a sign of falling to insanity. (As dirt to a Bog Dweller = nasty poisons of the Bog getting directly into the bloodstream.)
The Arts[/u]
The Bog Dwellers enjoy music on the wilder side of life. They love a strong rhythm most of all and tend to dislike “flowery” instruments save to enhance the music as background. Their music also tends to be either purely instrumental, a narrative (story), homor, or nonsensical sounds imitating spoken communication. (Lyrics that are words that make sense, but the meaning is a little too far ‘out there’, like Cibo Matto’s Sugar Water tend to make the Bog dwellers a touch uneasy.)
A spiritual, heart-felt instrumental piece will move a Bog Dweller far more than well-written lyrics. Words in music are seen as something of a burden to meaning. Words tell facts, emotion tells the truth.
The Raemblers also have a thing for music in weird meters. 11/8 (kopanitsas) and 7/8 time are considered ‘high’ art/music. 6/8 is the most common time that music is written, but 3/4 and 4/4 are certainly not unheard of.
The current popular trend in vocal music is female voices. I don’t know why, it’s just the fad at the moment. Something similar to this is what I had in mind.
In Zen Buddhism, the Buddhists create works of art in sand and destroy it. The Bog equivalent of the Zen Buddhist are usually carpenters and engrave designs in wooden structures used for a building’s exterior. These designs are usually vine, flower, and insect motifs.
For decoration, they enjoy intricate designs (think Celtic knots), and are fond of brambles.
Gardening is a highly regarded art form.
Glass jewelry is very common as precious gems aren’t terribly common and metal is ridiculously hard to come by. Their beadwork is really quite incredible, though.
Religion
Most Bog Dwellers call religion ‘Philosophy’ or ‘Metaphysical Philosophy’. There are very few religious zealots as, due to the fear of the mentally insane, the type of person who, say, goes out to a public square and preaches fire and brimstone will be arrested and put to experimentation like a criminal or the clinically insane.
They treat religion like anything else: practically. There is one ‘temple’ in the entire Bog and it is for all the religions/sects of the religion(s). Each branch of belief has it’s own suite in the temple. So, basically the Temple is an apartment building for religions.
This isn’t to say religion isn’t important here. It’s just like any other region: there are some who are, some who aren’t, and some that don’t know.
Everything is divided into 4 Aspects in the Bog Philosophy. There are the 2 Forms of Chaos (Constructive and Destructive) and the 2 Forms of Order (Stability and Stagnation). As you probably assumed, Constructive Chaos and Stability (or ‘Stable Order’ as it’s directly translated from the Bog tongue. Doesn’t translate well into the Common.) are the most highly desired.
The Cults worshipping the God of Destructive Chaos are actually persecuted by the Bog government. It’s the only religion thus far that is outlawed in that Region (and with their fear of Raiders, it’s not hard to guess why). Followers of Helset (Goddess of Stagnate Order) are perceived as incredibly annoying, but are generally not bothered by the government. However, the lifestyle could get you arrested, but not the religion itself. Followers of the Cult tend to be lazy, something that generally not appreciated. They let their house go to waste and don’t work, being little more than a parasite to society. This is grounds for arrest.
Worshipping Helset is also a fantastic way of getting disowned by your family and friends, and not many Bog Dwellers will help you if they know.
These are all the random thoughts I've ever had about the region I've created. I ninja-posted it in the Q+A forum, but since then have added more in order to reach 5000+ words.
I am honestly not expecting anyone to get through this. XD Mostly posting for the points and to satisfy my OCD.
If you happen to have any questions or anything, feel free to ask. P:
[glow=red,2,300]
The Raemblen Bog[/glow]
Suit, Rank, Aces, and Jokers
No one from the Bog really cares what suit a Card is. While some are more rare than others, all are appreciated and put to work equally. Of course tendencies and stereotypes do exist and are noticed, but it is in no ways their expectations or rules. The Presiding Queen is, in fact, a Club. She is exceedingly well-respected and loved. Beneath her in power is a Queen of Hearts, no Bog Dweller thinks twice about this.
Rank is cared about a little more. It is very obvious that the higher the rank, the higher the magical ability. The Raemblen Bog is a society descended from some of the best magic researchers of a few hundred years ago and, as a whole, are a very magic-driven people. However, despite this, it is still understood that everyone does their part. A Card will only be truly outcast or ostracized if they are some form of criminal or a useless lump. Granted, while those of lower rank do tend to be looked down on, the separation isn’t as large as society outside the Bog. If, say, a King were to have a wild love affair with someone of rank as low as 2 or 3, it wouldn’t be a scandal more than make the people scratch their heads and say “…well that’s… kinda weird.”, and generally lack the understanding of the relationship. If anything, the Card of lower rank to be sought after as, obviously to have gotten the attention of a Face Card, there must be something pretty amazing about them.
Aces are an interesting thing in the Bog. Their status is greatly elevated from that which regular Card society allows them. If anything, the ‘pet’ and ‘pelt’ status of Aces in normal society actually offends the Bog Dwellers. Aces are people to them. Inferior people and second-class citizens, yes, but people nonetheless. All Aces that are not mentally or physically deficient in some way are brought into the Fianna lifestyle to be essentially highly-trained cannon fodder. Each Fianna Ace is assigned a Master to which they are expected to give their lives up for should the opportunity arise. Heilyn’s uncle (on her father’s side), Alphonse, is an Ace. Though crippled after a fight, is still respected as a veteran and every once in a while is invited to oversee training of future Aces. However, he is kept around for only short periods of time and is not glorified publicly. There is a fear that some of the Aces might get hopeful for a long life like his and forget their purpose as expendable.
If famine hits, Aces understand that if cannibalism has to be resorted to, they are the first to go. If you are an Ace, you do not speak unless spoken to or in a case of emergency.
The other Aces are put to work doing menial tasks, but are generally treated well enough. Well fed and cared for. Those who are unable to perform even that are sent away to have magical and scientific experiments done on them.
As far as sleeping with an Ace goes, it really depends on the individual’s views. It is not prohibited by law, but society does frown on it. It is seen as more socially acceptable (but not by much) to sleep with a Fianna Ace than it is one of the handicapped Aces.
Jokers have close tabs kept on them. Every Joker born is both a precious and potentially dangerous thing. They have a small magical device placed under their skin that allows them to be tracked. If one is born, they are often used as spies against the Raiders. They have no other choice in the matter and are often raised somewhat brain-washed. Jokers are not a secret in Bog society, but they’re also not really a commonly discussed thing as they’re extremely rare.
Raiders
The poisons in the Bog cause the majority of the dwellers to have some form of mental illness, though most suffer from minor ailment. The poisons not only in the air and environment, but the very poisons in the Bog dwellers’ own blood work. However, there are those who are completely driven over the edge. Those who can escape, do, if not are killed after the medical investigation proves positive. About 10% of the normal Bog population is driven to or born at this point. The Raider population is small, but quite deadly. A singular Raider is referred to as “it” rather than “he” or “she”. There are not considered people by any means. Even the mentally challenged Aces are held in FAR higher regard.
Raider societies are split into Packs. Each Pack has a hierarchy with an Alpha, 1-3 Betas, a larger number of Workers, and Omegas. Ranking is based on strength as the Raiders (or “Reavers” in the Bog tongue) don’t really understand much else. They like to prey on the sane as something about the clean and well-kept ones send them into fits of rage.
If they catch you they will rape you, kill you, eat your flesh, and sew your skin into their own skin or clothing and use whatever other body parts are left over to decorate themselves. And if you are very, very lucky, they’ll do it in that order. They love taking the highest rank of anyone they’ve ever killed and sew it over their own rank (if that one exceeds their own… if that specific Raider can even read anymore) or make a necklace/sash/loincloth/etc of the rank and suit of every Card they’ve killed ever.
Alpha - usually the semi-sane ones. Outlaws who've escaped home and managed to organize the Raiders. Alphas are extremely rare. There's estimated to be only 3. It is also assumed they are all Face Cards (those were the outlaws powerful enough to make a get away), though there is a fear at least one has moved up in rank to Queen. It's harder to tell the Alphas from a normal Bog Dweller at a glance from an outsider’s view. You would have to know the criminal history to recognize the individual.
Betas - like the King to a Court's Queen, the Betas work under one Alpha of their coosing. Are also generally outlaws and outcasts, though tend to be less mentally stable than the Alphas and also tend to be higher numbers. Betas can also be former Fiannas who have been driven mad from the intense training. These are the most feared of all the Raiders on an individual basis. However, they are lacking the mental stability to move up in Rank or station in Raider eh, "society".
Workers - the average insane son-of-a-bitch Raider. Generally cannot move up in Rank as they as too insane to concentrate on Ranking up. Some on this level are independents, not following any specific Alpha. These independents are still called “Workers” or to be of the Worker class as it defines their level of mental instability. That, and it really doesn’t matter that much to get it right. The only good Raider is a dead Raider, so offending them is not much of a care of the Bog Citizens.
Omegas - citizens of the Bog civilization who have been captured by the Raiders, kept as breed stock and information. From being repeatedly raped and tortured, most lose it and are… "promoted" to the Worker class.
Fiannas[/b]
The Fiannas are a special class of fighters in the Bog. They are specifically trained to fight against and hunt down the Raiders. They are chosen from birth unanimously by the 3 Elders (Guido, Frog, Most respected Magician of the Bog; Her Majesty Poppy, Wolverine, secondary Queen and overseer of the Fiannas; Brigid, blind, said to be an Oracle and a Prophet, most respected Divinator) by some insane undocumented criteria.
The rate of Fiannas going crazy is higher than that of the normal citizens due to the rigorous training. However, since Brigid became one of the Judges, that percentage has decreased considerably.
They are taken away from their parents and are put in special camps where they are given knives before they can walk and receive training as soon as they can. They are isolated from society, allowed field trips during special festival days only until they graduate about the age of 12 and are assigned their jobs and missions in the field. It’s an extremely rough life and only about half are expected to make it to adulthood. A good third after that are expected to be severely and permanently injured in some way.
Fiannas that have been too injured to continue working in the field, but are not crippled are put to work usually as some form of bodyguard or bouncer.
All Fiannas have a replaced tooth with an overdose of Morphine in it. With a small spell they can only use once, only the owner of the tooth can dislodge it to kill themselves. Aces get a second tooth removed, which is replaced with a small magical item that allows them the ability to remove the tooth magically as well.
Rabbits[/b]
There are no Rabbits in the Bog. None. Roughly 50-60 years ago, The Cards finally figured out that Rabbits, in fact, do exist and there were a few Warrens in the Bog.
After the Wars, a few Jacks wanted in on salvaging the scraps of magical weapons made by Cards. They stole the mask technology as made by the researchers and were off! However, they ran into the same problem as the Cards and they, as well as the Does they brought with them, all became stranded.
So the Cards found the Rabbits, what next? Weell~ the initial meeting did not go well. The presiding Queen at the time (who was female), was not well received and decided nothing good could come of associating with Rabbits.
A few years later, due to Raids, famine hit the Cards. Feeling no remorse, the same Queen ordered hunts and thus the eating of Rabbits began. Two Jacks managed to escape, only one living long enough afterward to breed. The rest were eaten into extinction.
For a while the Rabbits were being captured to the bred for food, but when the Cards found out what a slow process this was, they gave up on the idea.
The last remaining records of Rabbits are recipes. The interaction with Rabbits and Cards was very short-lived, though, and doesn’t get much more than a relatively insulting paragraph in most history books.
Architecture[/b]
They are actually excellent carpenters. Their woodworking skill actually exceeds their skill with the glass they’re so well known for. Being in such a wet environment, the structures are constantly rotting and needing to be rebuilt.
The majority of people live in huts, which are elevated above the water level. The floor is very thick and while the flooring inside is a hard wood, underneath is a thick layer of a type of corkwood. During rebuilding of a smaller building’s foundation, the house is actually brought down off its ‘stilts’ and left floating nearby (but anchored) until construction is complete.
Many of the houses are actually up in trees. These are mostly the dwellings of Avians, Bats, Squirrels, and other such altitude-loving creatures, but Felines, Canines, etc. have been known to make their home in the branches. Most businesses, however, are ground level. Most businesses have a ceiling entrance and landing pad on the roof.
The buildings are connected by a series of complicated roadways of boardwalks and bridges. Some of these are even named like streets.
Another way to get around is by boat. Many of the ground-floor dwelling Cards own a small canoe to get around in. There is even a canoe taxi service available in many of the bars to ferry people home after a night of drinking. This, of course, costs extra and drunken patrons are often cheated for what their worth.
However, said ferry/taxi service is available for non bar patrons for whatever their needs.
The Town square is an interesting thing. It’s actually a floating “stage” with only a few perimeter supports and one center one just so if the weight on top is unbalanced it doesn’t slant and tip everyone off. That would generally kind of suck, especially considering the waterways in the city are not entirely free of piranhas (wee!). The town square is not elevated like the buildings because it’s so busy all the time, repairs would be nigh impossible. On top of that, the consistent weight would require more supports, which would make it too crowded underneath to easily make repairs. So instead the Square is divided up into sections, which can be removed parts at a time and replaced one at a time.
The buildings and businesses around the town square are elevated above the stage on their stilts.
Metal is exceedingly hard to come by, so the buildings actually use wooden nails and butterfly joints to hold the buildings in place. It’s really too wet for glue to be effective.
The Cards of this region are practically religious about recycling anything and everything. Any wood that has not been rotted yet is reused. Wood that is rotten gets chipped up and used as mulch. Wood that is only partially rotted gets the rotten parts cut off and the remaining wood is used for something else. Pieces too small to go back in the lumber pile usually go into making nails and joints, but the particularly attractive pieces get sent to artisans who make trinkets and toys.
True, wood is very easy to come by, as there are enough trees in the Bog to block out the sun. However, for every tree felled, there is a hole in their little “Ozone” that brings in fresh air. This gets heavily regulated as to not poison the residents with that nasty clean air.
Food and Diet[/b]
In general, Bog Dwellers will eat just about anything. Though some breeds will have natural preferences for certain foods, in general their views on food is similar to their views on suit: “All’s fair”. Bog Dwellers have exceptionally strong stomach acids and stomach lining to digest anything from poisonous spiders to grass and tree leaves and other such things people would normally be unable to digest.
Since the beginning the researchers have been processing their food to have as little of the poisons in it as possible. However, through the adaptation, that process has dwindled to the bare minimum of keeping the majority sane. Most Bog Dwellers will tell you through their biased opinion that they do a lot in the growth and process of their food to keep as much poisons out as possible. This is only partially true. The food still has a moderate poison content and a few meals of it would make any normal Card quite ill.
There is a thick barley-rice liquid that acts as both an alcohol and a carbohydrate (think Egyptians). Its name translates to “liquid bread”. It tastes awful, but it keeps the peasants both fed and sedated. Life in the Bog generally kind of sucks, so them Raemblers love themselves a booze or two.
Salads are made out of the leaves from the trees felled for various constructions. The leaves by themselves are bland and a little bitter, so they are often soaked in a special sauce (there is no one recipe, really. It varies from the individual/home recipe and the type of sauce).
Often times the leaf and sauce mixture is pureed into a paste and sometime spread on bread, crackers, whatev.
Fun fact! Salads from the Bog do not have dressings as we know it. The liquid the leaves were soaked in already serve that purpose.
Common leaf soakings:
Blood and vinegar (when mashed into a paste, it is a very common peasant dish, like a porridge. It has fiber and protein and when liquid bread is added it covers the carbohydrate needs)
a sweet Garlic sauce (mostly liquidy with small bits of garlic)
oil and vinegar (sugar is common to be added to this; since the arrival of Outside goods, salt has begun accompanying this)
any and all combinations of sweet, sour, and spicy (sweet and sour, spicy and sour, etc)
The staple grain is a hybrid of wheat and rice. There is also a rye and rice combination and a barley and rice combo. This came about as when it was getting harder and harder for the researchers to get food in because of their increasing isolation, they started growing their own food. The wheat and rye didn’t do so well in the overly saturated area, so some rice imported from the Mid-range helped to alleviated that. The germs were cross-bred with the help of some magic and the staple food was established.
There is also a corn variety of a rice hybrid, but it’s much harder to grow.
The Boggies very much enjoy spicy food. In such a wet and moderately warm area, bacteria grows relatively easily. Things such as spicy peppers, onions, and garlic are popular in Bog cooking as they kill germs nicely.
Yes, they have been known to resort to cannibalism. However, this is reserved for desperate measures only, as all the Rabbits were already eaten. The Aces are usually the first to go, save for active Fiannas (retired doesn’t count as “safe”). After that, criminals and people generally deemed to be ‘useless’ are the next on the plate.
During these times of desperation, the government takes over the semi-free market and everyone is fed equally, nobles and farm workers alike. If anything, the laborers sometimes receive more food (the nobles just receive the better-tasting stuff P: )
Generally wild underwater animals (crawdads, fish, etc) are avoided. Because they live under the water, they have a higher accumulation of the poisons than other animals. However, the desperate and the stupid (usually doing so on a bet) will eat them.
Fun Fact! Boggies LOVE insects! SO DELISH! MMM! Crickets and spiders are the most popular bugs to be ate. MMMMMMMMM. x3
Views on Other Realms
Note: These are not necessarily Heilyn’s views. They are the views of the Bog Dwellers as a whole society and is the average. Of course there are exceptions, but this is the norm.
Avington
Umm, kay. Just about everyone has a secret, why are you guys any more special than the rest of us? I mean, the only way they could be born with or develope that tree is to be born with a secret or to obtain a secret at a young age. Who in the hell obtains something that permanent at such a young age? …we don’t trust that shit.
(Strangely enough, those with a blackened tree are viewed as more trustworthy rather than the usual bad omen others see it as)
Corvistowne
Oho, funfun! There are some of us willing to be paid to offer tissue samples. And the inventions? Ingenious! Excellent bunch they are, really. Granted, many of them are a little kooky, especially those that seem to think experimenting on yourself rather than waiting to be issued a criminal is a good idea.
Esterberry
Cute. We’re more than happy to take your information in exchange for ours… after we’ve filtered things to our delight. When we were wiling to provide information about ourselves to inform the Outside about us, we weren’t expecting this attention and we don’t appreciate it. Damned stupid foreigners.
Forest of Kahmden
Hey! We’re just like you! Most of our citizens follow the rules, too!
Oh wait.
Our rules are more fun to follow and make more sense. It makes absolutely no sense to ostracize someone if they’re not a crazy or an incredibly lazy lout.
Golfham Marsh
*smirk* We’re back, bitches. We won’t tell about the little secrets of the past if you won’t. <3
Highlands
…How are they so highly reputed? Sure, there are a few outstanding members, but overall it seems like there are more Cards bumming off the honor of others rather than making their own. And those who’ve made their own honor? Unbearable. Just do your damned job and shut up.
However, they are gorgeous. We do love our albinos dearly, delightfully gorgeous things, and here’s an entire region of them!
Hisstor Wastes
How are these guys known for being crazy? They seem pretty normal to us.
Well, we could go without the Outsider softness, but we suppose being Outsiders, they can’t help it. Seriously. More of these Outsider Realms could use that family orientation.
Josiggy Marsh
Can’t say we much care for the rain and the pansy-ass ‘we’re so great’ attitudes, but nice place over all. Wouldn’t mind a vacation house there at all. Open air, but still wet like a march, but it’s clean water!
Lowlands
Absolutely vile. Disgusting, diseased, unkempt, lazy sons of whores need to all perish from the face of the Earth and their lands burnt to ash.
Midori Beach
Fucking lazy-ass cannabis suckers. That, and the sun in that land sucks. And what sane person swims in water that deep?!
(sidenote: the Majority of Bog Dwellers are hydrophobic in that they will refuse to set foot in water they cannot see all parts underneath the surface at all times. The whole piranha and “rabid” wild crocodile fear)
The Midrange
We’d gladly exchange your silly little ideas of politeness and Bushido for our knowledge of what survival really means.
However, we’d be more than happy to play pretend politeness if that means you’ll sell us your weaponry.
Morganberry
Hint from the Ultimate People who’ve had to make-do with being dealt a shitty hand in life: If you don’t like something, fix it at its source, don’t run away from it.
Dumbasses.
And, jeez, those coats are unbearably bright to the point of painful.
Selkie Lakes
We honestly don’t get how you can be so lazy but be so well off. Perhaps you just display a more laid-back form of arrogance? Display this while resting after your work? Eh, no problems. Too bad the price gouging of your goods is so insane, especially when it finally comes around to us.
Solandria Glacier
These guys are pretty awesome if you can get one to like you. They’re just as big of “assholes” as we are and stick to themselves, not harassing us. They’re also a region that probably drinks as much as we do and understands what real environmental harshness means. They appreciate the good things in life.
Also, that hair just is a source of endless amusement. Save for a fair amount of thickness, it’s everything Bog fur is not. It goes right back into place after being tussled and defies gravity. Fucking brilliant.
Sorgaire Range
We very much appreciate the sense of humor, intelligence, and aspiration. And they’re right next door to the Glacier! Surely, a sign of awesome.
Torquehelm
…...fucking emos.
Tulgey Wood
Howdy neighbors!
We love the sense of humor and the knack for magic! It really is a toss up between you and the Solandrians as to which region is our favorite. And they’re all so snowy white in their fur. That is so hawt.
Villa en Miir
Art, visual and otherwise, is made when basic survival needs are covered. You guys must have a lot of free time if you’re renown for your music-making. That isn’t to say it isn’t appreciated. It is. But your ‘freespirit’ bums seriously need to get a life.
Yarrow Gardens
lolwut
What’s the problem with men? Eh, well, no loss. Not like any of us could visit your lands, so bearing with your bullshit will be delightfully short-lived. Then again, we could throw some of these nasty little pedophiles your way. Since with your delicate appearances, y’all look like children, maybe we can rid ourselves of these dregs. The entire Yarrow region is completely laughable.
However, if we could get a hold of some of those poisons, we’d love to hand them right over to our Fiannas for their uses.
Laws and Culture and such[/u]
There is no death penalty in the Bog. All things are recycled, including people. All criminals are sent in as science experiments. The more painful and risky the experimentation the Card is subjected to depends on the severity of his or her crime.
Harming or killing an expecting Mother is punishable by being subjected to the worst of experiments.
Rape will subject the offender to the worst of experiments. Bog Dwellers love sex and they find the abuse of it incredibly offensive.
Rape is actually a fairly rare thing to come by in Bog society (well, the sane Dwellers, anyway. With the Reavers it’s common practice). The Raemblers are an extremely promiscuous people. Because the successful birthrate is so low, Bog society gives the thumbs up for fairly rampant promiscuity. It is not hard to get laid in this region, add to that the very family/community-centered mindset of the Boggies, the thought to commit rape to harm another person is no where the first thing on their mind.
Theft is annoying, but will not earn the offender anything more than a sound beating. If substantial damages/losses occurred, then the offending party will go into servitude under the victim’s rule for some amount of time.
Child molesters will find themselves in the worst of positions. Beating a child to discipline them is not illegal; however, beating one just for the sake of it (drunkenness, sadism, etc) is. They are very family oriented and care especially for the children. People without a family (or “family”) tend to make Bog Dwellers uncomfortable.
There is an orphanage in the Bog of actual orphans and children that have been taken away from abusive parents. Couples who want a child and have in anyway been unsuccessful or just want to adopt actually go and live in the boarding house for some time. In this time, they interact with the kids and pick the one most suited to them. The agreement is actually mutual, giving the child a say in the matter.
The Boggies like the non-verbal. They feel that the less you have to say to a person, the closer your relationship with them is. This is not to say serious conversations between couples, family, friends, etc. is not taken seriously, just a constant need for discussion of emotions would imply to a Bog Dweller some distance in needed in that relationship.
This is not to say a Boggie would never utter words such as ‘I love you’, it’s just not as common. It is preferred to be shown rather than spoken, and even when spoken, any Bog Dweller will pay more attention to how it was said rather than it was said at all.
The majority of Bog Dwellers do not trust and generally look down on Outsiders (see Views on Other Realms). Despite this, they have a considerable amount of curiosity to them as well. If they should come into contact with an Outsider, they will have little shame in poking and prodding to their heart’s content.
Recently, as with Heilyn coming into direct contact with the Outside world, it has caused a curiosity in others. Some might leave to explore a little and come back. Also, it's pretty much guaranteed that the Boggie with enough xenophilia to explore Outside will have enough xenophilia to screw an Outsider. I wouldn't be surprised if little half-Bog children start popping up all over the place.
Bog Dwellers are obsessed with cleanliness. For a region that sucks so much to live in and it perpetually in mud and dirty water, the town itself is immaculate. There is rarely litter and all walkways, houses, porches, etc. are always scrubbed clean. Filth is a sign of falling to insanity. (As dirt to a Bog Dweller = nasty poisons of the Bog getting directly into the bloodstream.)
The Arts[/u]
The Bog Dwellers enjoy music on the wilder side of life. They love a strong rhythm most of all and tend to dislike “flowery” instruments save to enhance the music as background. Their music also tends to be either purely instrumental, a narrative (story), homor, or nonsensical sounds imitating spoken communication. (Lyrics that are words that make sense, but the meaning is a little too far ‘out there’, like Cibo Matto’s Sugar Water tend to make the Bog dwellers a touch uneasy.)
A spiritual, heart-felt instrumental piece will move a Bog Dweller far more than well-written lyrics. Words in music are seen as something of a burden to meaning. Words tell facts, emotion tells the truth.
The Raemblers also have a thing for music in weird meters. 11/8 (kopanitsas) and 7/8 time are considered ‘high’ art/music. 6/8 is the most common time that music is written, but 3/4 and 4/4 are certainly not unheard of.
The current popular trend in vocal music is female voices. I don’t know why, it’s just the fad at the moment. Something similar to this is what I had in mind.
In Zen Buddhism, the Buddhists create works of art in sand and destroy it. The Bog equivalent of the Zen Buddhist are usually carpenters and engrave designs in wooden structures used for a building’s exterior. These designs are usually vine, flower, and insect motifs.
For decoration, they enjoy intricate designs (think Celtic knots), and are fond of brambles.
Gardening is a highly regarded art form.
Glass jewelry is very common as precious gems aren’t terribly common and metal is ridiculously hard to come by. Their beadwork is really quite incredible, though.
Religion
Most Bog Dwellers call religion ‘Philosophy’ or ‘Metaphysical Philosophy’. There are very few religious zealots as, due to the fear of the mentally insane, the type of person who, say, goes out to a public square and preaches fire and brimstone will be arrested and put to experimentation like a criminal or the clinically insane.
They treat religion like anything else: practically. There is one ‘temple’ in the entire Bog and it is for all the religions/sects of the religion(s). Each branch of belief has it’s own suite in the temple. So, basically the Temple is an apartment building for religions.
This isn’t to say religion isn’t important here. It’s just like any other region: there are some who are, some who aren’t, and some that don’t know.
Everything is divided into 4 Aspects in the Bog Philosophy. There are the 2 Forms of Chaos (Constructive and Destructive) and the 2 Forms of Order (Stability and Stagnation). As you probably assumed, Constructive Chaos and Stability (or ‘Stable Order’ as it’s directly translated from the Bog tongue. Doesn’t translate well into the Common.) are the most highly desired.
The Cults worshipping the God of Destructive Chaos are actually persecuted by the Bog government. It’s the only religion thus far that is outlawed in that Region (and with their fear of Raiders, it’s not hard to guess why). Followers of Helset (Goddess of Stagnate Order) are perceived as incredibly annoying, but are generally not bothered by the government. However, the lifestyle could get you arrested, but not the religion itself. Followers of the Cult tend to be lazy, something that generally not appreciated. They let their house go to waste and don’t work, being little more than a parasite to society. This is grounds for arrest.
Worshipping Helset is also a fantastic way of getting disowned by your family and friends, and not many Bog Dwellers will help you if they know.
......I was so confused >.>;
