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Extensive World-Building Question Sheet

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Ispanza
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Extensive World-Building Question Sheet

Postby Ispanza » Sun Dec 25, 2016 9:42 pm

This may prove useful to many. Fill out as much as you can. It's quite long

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[spoiler=Questions of Place][align=center][size=150][b][u]I. Questions of Place. [/u][/b][/size][/align]

[b]Describe the geography of where your society calls home. [/b]
[b]Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? [/b]
[b]What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? [/b]
[b]What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? [/b]
[b]How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? [/b]
[b]What are the most commonly-grown foods? [/b]
[b]What are the most commonly-eaten meats? [/b]
[b]What foods are considered exotic or expensive? [/b]
[b]What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? [/b]
[b]Is there usually enough food and water for the population? [/b]
[b]What is this place's most abundant resource? [/b]
[b]What is its most valuable resource? [/b]
[b]What resource is it most lacking? [/b]
[b]How do people travel from one place to another? [/b]
[b]Are the borders secure? In what way? [/b]
[b]How many people live here? [/b]
[b]Where in this place do they congregate? [/b]
[b]What part of this place do they avoid? Why? [/b]
[b]What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? [/b]
[b]What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? [/b]
[b]Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? [/b]
[b]What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? [/b]
[b]What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Time][align=center][size=150][b][u]II. Questions of Time. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]How far back does this society’s written history go? [/b]
[b]How far back do its people believe it goes? [/b]
[b]How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? [/b]
[b]What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? [/b]
[b]If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? [/b]
[b]What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? [/b]
[b]What are the major events in this culture's past? [/b]
[b]What was the best thing that ever happened to them? [/b]
[b]What in their past makes them feel ashamed? [/b]
[b]What in their past makes them proud? [/b]
[b]What are they afraid of happening again? [/b]
[b]What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? [/b]
[b]How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? [/b]
[b]What do they assume the future will hold? [/b]
[b]How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? [/b]
[b]What are the most popular stories about the past? [/b]
[b]Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? [/b]
[b]Do people think the present better or worse than the past? [/b]
[b]Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Race and Ethnicity][align=center][size=150][b][u]III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]What are the chief races in the region? [/b]
[b]What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? [/b]
[b]How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry? [/b]
[b]What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage? [/b]
[b]What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities? [/b]
[b]How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Family][align=center][size=150][b][u]IV. Questions of Family. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]How many spouses may a man or woman have? [/b]
[b]Who decides on a marriage? [/b]
[b]Can a marriage end in divorce? How? [/b]
[b]Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? [/b]
[b]How are families named? [/b]
[b]What happens to orphans? [/b]
[b]How are boy and girl children treated differently? [/b]
[b]What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? [/b]
[b]What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? [/b]
[b]Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? [/b]
[b]How big are families, typically? [/b]
[b]What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? [/b]
[b]Are girls or boys preferred and why? [/b]
[b]How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? [/b]
[b]If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Customs and Social Life][align=center][size=150][b][u]V. Questions of Customs and Social Life. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? [/b]
[b]If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? [/b]
[b]If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? [/b]
[b]How do people demonstrate grief? [/b]
[b]Who inherits property? Titles? Position? [/b]
[b]What are the most popular games? How important are they? [/b]
[b]When and how does someone go from child to adult? [/b]
[b]How much free time do people usually get? [/b]
[b]What do they spend this time doing? [/b]
[b]Is society segregated in any way? [/b]
[b]What social classes or divisions exist in this society? [/b]
[b]If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another? [/b]
[b]Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society? [/b]
[b]How independent or codependent are individuals? [/b]
[b]What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children? [/b]
[b]Does the government play a large part in people’s lives? [/b]
[b]Does religion play a large part in people’s lives? [/b]

[b][i][u]Food[/u][/i][/b]
[b]Describe how daily food is obtained. [/b]
[b]What type of foods are most popular? [/b]
[b]What are typical dishes and specialties of the region? [/b]
[b]What type of food is the locality or region famous for? [/b]
[b]What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating? [/b]
[b]How is the table arranged? [/b]
[b]How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners? [/b]
[b]How many and when are the main mealtimes? [/b]
[b]Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public? [/b]
[b]Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness? [/b]
[b]How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home? [/b]
[b]Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc? [/b]
[b]How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories? [/b]
[b]How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? [/b]
[b]How much does typical clothing cost? [/b]
[b]How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual? [/b]
[b]What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when? [/b]

[b][i][u]Entertainments[/u][/i][/b]
[b]Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)? [/b]
[b]What other major forms of entertainment are there? [/b]
[b]Is the populace literate and numerate? [/b]
[b]Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read? [/b]
[b]How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost? [/b]
[b]Is there a public library system? Who uses it? [/b]
[b]Who are popular authors and poets? [/b]
[b]Who are some of the more famous characters from literature? [/b]
[b]How has this changed over time? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Manners][align=center][size=150][b][u]VI. Questions of Manners. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]Who speaks first at a formal gathering? [/b]
[b]What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste? [/b]
[b]How do younger adults address their elders? [/b]
[b]When is it rude to laugh at something funny? [/b]
[b]What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? [/b]
[b]What parts of the body are routinely covered? [/b]
[b]How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Faith][align=center][size=150][b][u]VII. Questions of Faith. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]Is the culture religious or nonreligious? [/b]
[b]What are the major religious groups in the region? [/b]
[b]What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices? [/b]
[b]What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms? [/b]
[b]Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region? [/b]
[b]Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination? [/b]
[b]Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture? [/b]
[b]How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics? [/b]
[b]What is the role of myth within the religion? [/b]
[b]Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith? [/b]
[b]What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings? [/b]
[b]What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)? [/b]
[b]What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised? [/b]
[b]Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc? [/b]
[b]What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? [/b]
[b]What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? [/b]
[b]Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? [/b]
[b]Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals? [/b]
[b]Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion? [/b]
[b]What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)? [/b]
[b]What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)? [/b]
[b]What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities? [/b]
[b]What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it? [/b]
[b]Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion? [/b]
[b]How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? [/b]
[b]Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life? [/b]
[b]What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion? [/b]
[b]Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies? [/b]
[b]What is the most commonly broken religious rule? [/b]
[b]What is the least-violated religious rule? [/b]
[b]How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member? [/b]
[b]How can an outsider join the religious community? [/b]
[b]Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play? [/b]
[b]What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? [/b]
[b]Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation? [/b]
[b]Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? [/b]
[b]Are there cult groups within the religious community? [/b]
[b]How are those who follow different faiths treated? [/b]
[b]What relationship do religious and political leaders have? [/b]
[b]What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear? [/b]
[b]What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)? [/b]
[b]How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion? [/b]
[b]How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)? [/b]

[b][i][u]Magic[/u][/i][/b]
[b]How is magic integrated into society? [/b]
[b]Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic? [/b]
[b]How are works of magic accomplished? [/b]
[b]What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Labour][align=center][size=150][b][u]VIII. Questions of Labour. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual. [/b]
[b]Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job? [/b]
[b]What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated? [/b]
[b]What professions or activities are considered masculine? [/b]
[b]What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? [/b]
[b]What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays? [/b]
[b]How does this differ between different jobs? [/b]
[b]What jobs have few workers and why? [/b]
[b]What are typical wages for various jobs? [/b]
[b]How does work affect lifestyle and health? [/b]
[b]What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups? [/b]
[b]What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Art][align=center][size=150][b][u]IX. Questions of Art. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]What are the favorite art forms? [/b]
[b]What are the least-favorite? [/b]
[b]How respected are artists? [/b]
[b]Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage? [/b]
[b]What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? [/b]
[b]How might a very successful artist live? [/b]
[b]What forms of theatre does your society have? [/b]
[b]How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? [/b]
[b]What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? [/b]
[b]Which artforms get the most and least respect? [/b]
[b]What form does censorship take? [/b]
[b]Who may not be an artist? [/b]
[b]What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? [/b]
[b]What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? [/b]
[b]How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics? [/b]

[b][i][u]Entertainment[/u][/i][/b]
[b]Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities? [/b]
[b]Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary? [/b]
[b]Is there any calligraphy? Who does it? [/b]
[b]Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like? [/b]
[b]How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)? [/b]
[b]Does music influence people's behaviour? [/b]
[b]Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like? [/b]
[b]Who goes to see such entertainments? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Marriage][align=center][size=150][b][u]X. Questions of Marriage. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted? [/b]
[b]What is the term of a marriage contract? [/b]
[b]What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding? [/b]
[b]How are marriages celebrated? [/b]
[b]What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? [/b]
[b]Do relationships allow multiple partners? [/b]
[b]In what ways is a marriage considered broken? [/b]
[b]How can a marriage be terminated? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Health][align=center][size=150][b][u]XI. Questions of Health. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities? [/b]
[b]What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)? [/b]
[b]What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)? [/b]
[b]Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water? [/b]
[b]Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities. [/b]
[b]How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations? [/b]
[b]Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community? [/b]
[b]Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems? [/b]
[b]What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise? [/b]
[b]What does typical healthcare cost? [/b]
[b]How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? [/b]
[b]Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? [/b]
[b]Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour. [/b]
[b]How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider? [/b]
[b]Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments? [/b]
[b]What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other? [/b]
[b]How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Sex][align=center][size=150][b][u]XII. Questions of Sex. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? [/b]
[b]What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? [/b]
[b]What secret vice actually is practiced? [/b]
[b]What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners? [/b]
[b]How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? [/b]
[b]Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital? [/b]
[b]How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? [/b]
[b]Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? [/b]
[b]What is the greatest sexual taboo? [/b]
[b]What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it? [/b]
[b]Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be? [/b]
[b]What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior? [/b]
[b]Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct? [/b]
[b]Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour? [/b]
[b]At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children? [/b]
[b]Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Education][align=center][size=150][b][u]XIII. Questions of Education. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc. [/b]
[b]If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished? [/b]
[b]Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education? [/b]
[b]Between which ages does education happen? [/b]
[b]How are year groups and academic years arranged? [/b]
[b]How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered? [/b]
[b]What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools? [/b]
[b]What do schools / colleges / universities look like? [/b]
[b]What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size[/b]
[b]Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school? [/b]
[b]Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system? [/b]
[b]How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? [/b]
[b]What form and value are books? [/b]
[b]Who teaches others? How do they teach? [/b]
[b]Who decides who learns to read or write? [/b]
[b]Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? [/b]
[b]Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Technology][align=center][size=150][b][u]XIV. Questions of Technology. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines? [/b]
[b]What devices and technologies are available for people? [/b]
[b]Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated? [/b]
[b]How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology? [/b]
[b]How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all? [/b]

[b][i][u]Architecture[/u][/i][/b]
[b]What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like? [/b]
[b]How does this vary over time and between places in the region? [/b]
[b]What major elements are present? How are they pieced together? [/b]
[b]What are houses like inside and out? [/b]
[b]What are palaces and castles like? [/b]
[b]How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building? [/b]
[b]What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported? [/b]
[b]How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand? [/b]
[b]What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Transportation and Communications][align=center][size=150][b][u]XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places? [/b]
[b]Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like? [/b]
[b]Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost? [/b]
[b]What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place? [/b]
[b]Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles? [/b]
[b]How safe and clean is the typical transport system? [/b]
[b]What major fuels are used? [/b]
[b]Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other? [/b]
[b]Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination? [/b]
[b]What technical or mechanical means of communications exist? [/b][/spoiler]


[spoiler=Questions of Economics][align=center][size=150][b][u]XVI. Questions of Economics. [/u][/b][/size][/align]

[b]What is the local economy based on?[/b]
[b]How is commerce engaged in? [/b]
[b]If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people? [/b]
[b]What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid? [/b]

[b][i][u]Money[/u][/i][/b]
[b]What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)? [/b]
[b]Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means? [/b]
[b]How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies? [/b]
[b]How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently? [/b]
[b]How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries? [/b]
[b]How is wealth distributed? [/b]
[b]Is there a public banking system? [/b]
[b]Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost? [/b]
[b]Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other? [/b]
[b]What constitutes "poverty" in this society? [/b][/spoiler]

[spoiler=Questions of Death and Burial][align=center][size=150][b][u]XVII. Questions of Death and Burial. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]What is their understanding of death and dying? [/b]
[b]What does this society do with their corpses? [/b]
[b]Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? [/b]
[b]Is the family responsible for the body? [/b]
[b]What part do the priests play? [/b]
[b]Are there cemeteries at all? [/b]
[b]Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? [/b]
[b]Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? [/b]

[b][i][u]Suicide[/u][/i][/b]
[b]What do people in this culture think about suicide? [/b]
[b]Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? [/b]
[b]Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? [/b]
[b]Is it worse than murder? [/b][/spoiler]
[spoiler=Questions of Government][align=center][size=150][b][u]XVIII. Questions of Government. [/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]What is the form of government? How is it structured? [/b]
[b]What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government? [/b]
[b]What is the political status of minority communities? [/b]
[b]How is government chosen? [/b]
[b]What is the country’s general foreign policy? [/b]
[b]Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? [/b]
[b]What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? [/b]
[b]How are new laws created or old ones changed? [/b]
[b]Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? [/b]
[b]Who has the right to give orders, and why? [/b]
[b]What titles do various officials have? [/b]
[b]How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? [/b]
[b]How do government officials dress? [/b]
[b]Is the law written down? Who interprets it? [/b]
[b]Once accused, what recourse does someone have? [/b]
[b]Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed? [/b]
[b]How are criminals executed? [/b]
[b]Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? [/b]
[b]Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? [/b]
[b]What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? [/b]
[b]What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? [/b]

[b][i][u]City Watch & Sheriffs[/u][/i][/b]
[b]Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? [/b]
[b]Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? [/b]
[b]How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed? [/b]
[b]What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? [/b]
[b]Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? [/b]
[b]Is there a secret police? [/b]
[b]What is the role of police informants, if any? [/b]
[align=center][size=150][b][u]XIX. Questions of Warfare.[/u][/b][/size][/align]
[b]Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size? [/b]
[b]How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world? [/b]
[b]Who declares war? [/b]
[b]Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? [/b]
[b]How are treaties negotiated? [/b]
[b]What happens to prisoners taken in battle? [/b]
[b]What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces? [/b]
[b]What form of warfare does this society use? [/b]
[b]How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare? [/b]
[b]Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? [/b]
[b]How does someone get command of troops? [/b]
[b]Where do the loyalties of military units lie? [/b]
[b]Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? [/b]
[b]What is campaign or camp life like? [/b]
[b]What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to? [/b]
[b]How are battle injuries treated? [/b]
[b]How long do wars typically last? [/b]
[b]Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war? [/b]
[b]Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution? [/b]
[b]What do soldiers do when there's no war? [/b]
[b]Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations? [/b]
[b]Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war? [/b]
[b]What defences are available to cities? [/b][/spoiler]

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Rhodevus
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Scandinavian Liberal Paradise

Postby Rhodevus » Sun Dec 25, 2016 10:02 pm

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Davinian Rebels
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Founded: Feb 19, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Davinian Rebels » Sun Dec 25, 2016 11:43 pm

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. Small flat plains with jungle and some mountains
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? Hot, humid in areas, freezing in others
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? Hurricanes in the southern half
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? Nothing reallty
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? The general populice hates anything dealing with changing their environment unless for the better
What are the most commonly-grown foods? Coconuts, Mangos, Papaya
What are the most commonly-eaten meats? Ocelot is the most common eaten food
What foods are considered exotic or expensive? Venison from Cold areas
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? Anything in the Whiskey family
Is there usually enough food and water for the population?
What is this place's most abundant resource? Wood/Coal/Oil
What is its most valuable resource? Admentium
What resource is it most lacking? Copper
How do people travel from one place to another? Usually Car
Are the borders secure? In what way? Open Border with Patchies, Open border ocean-wise
How many people live here? over 1 billion
Where in this place do they congregate? Cities, duh
What part of this place do they avoid? Why? The Boonies or mountains, who goes there?
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? Cats, companionship
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? Tree Frog, with general apathy
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? Macaws or Ocelots, Poison Frogs
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? Mini-Palms, decoration
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? The Tree, populating the jungle



II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go? Since around 2010
How far back do its people believe it goes? 2010
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? Ikania colonized, to gain rainforest materials
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? Marcus Derelin
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? Boat
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? The hurricane of 2015
What are the major events in this culture's past? Recent Independence
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? Nothing, really
What in their past makes them feel ashamed? Nothing, really
What in their past makes them proud? Nothing, really, this nation is boring
What are they afraid of happening again?
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? That they will become stable, probably not
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? some feel strong, others dont
What do they assume the future will hold? probably a leader they don't want
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this?
What are the most popular stories about the past? The time Ikanian colonies were taken over by Davin Hue, which caused Ikania to pull out slowly
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? Davin Hue, President Heffman of Davinhia
Do people think the present better or worse than the past? Better
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? Better


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region? Keigan
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? Keigan, Majority
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry? They all come from North Keigan and speak Keigan and sorta mixed with Ikania
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage? Big ones, not really
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities? Majority don't really care, extremists hate minority groups
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture? Not really changed much



IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have? 1
Who decides on a marriage? Both
Can a marriage end in divorce? How? No, People must marry someone they truly love
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? The Woman
How are families named? After the man (usually) but can be any way they like
What happens to orphans? Usually adopted
How are boy and girl children treated differently? Usually neutral, but majority of boys are treated like boys majority girls like girls
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? Nothing
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? Things are usually called "it" 90% of the time
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? Yes, but sometimes for financial or friendship reasons
How big are families, typically? 1-2 children
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? Whoever lives in a house
Are girls or boys preferred and why? Neither are preferred
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? Not as common as many people say, and the majority of it happens to men. But some families, typically those who live in Topio, like the native way and women usually accept abuse as a common daily factor of life
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? Extremists in the Equality Party want to end it for women


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? Blue with Power, Purple with virtue, Black with death
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? Usually an agreement of disagreement, however it is legal to duel in sanctioned places, fatal or non-fatal
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? Usually an agreement of disagreement, however it is legal to duel in sanctioned places, fatal or non-fatal
How do people demonstrate grief? The way any normal person would express grief,
Who inherits property? Titles? Position? depends on who the parent liked more, but since the majority of families have one child, the child gets it.
Titles aren't given, and Positions not inherited
What are the most popular games? How important are they? Video-games, very important, man
When and how does someone go from child to adult? When they reach the age of consent
How much free time do people usually get? 10-12 hours
What do they spend this time doing? Playing games, or sitting around doing nothing
Is society segregated in any way? no
What social classes or divisions exist in this society? Rich-poor
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another? rich are like "money HAHAHHAHHA" and poor are poor
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society? None, except in Topio, Ikanians are despised
How independent or codependent are individuals? Super independent
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children? To live their lives, to live their lives
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives? Yes
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives? No

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained. Store
What type of foods are most popular? Meats, and Junkfood
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region? Ocelot soup, Ocelot Steak, Steak
What type of food is the locality or region famous for? Ocelot
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating? Forks, knives, spoons
How is the table arranged? A plate, large stack of napkins, a drink, and silverware just plopped onto the plates
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners? They sit however they please
How many and when are the main mealtimes? 6, Breakfast, Snack, Lunch, Snack2.0, Dinner, Late-night food
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public? yes
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness? no, almost none, none, 99.99999999999% of the food is sterile
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home? 2 PD
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc? "lazy" wear such as pajama pants and hoodies for Winter months or indoor wear, As little as possible for the majority of the year for outside
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories? Very Neutral
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? Depends on manufacturerererer, typically a large factory
How much does typical clothing cost? 5 PD
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual? Fashion doesn't really matter
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when? None

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)? Film is popular
What other major forms of entertainment are there? Books, games
Is the populace literate and numerate? Yes, 100% so
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read? SOmetimes, Old-school or sci-fi
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost? 1 PD
Is there a public library system? Who uses it? Yes, a lot of people
Who are popular authors and poets? Joe Berreta
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature? John Memea
How has this changed over time? People's tastes changed



VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering? The host
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste? No one gifts
How do younger adults address their elders? Ey yo
When is it rude to laugh at something funny? Never
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? None
What parts of the body are routinely covered? People cover their crotch, but nudity is usally expected in this weather, and no one cares
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? Defecating is private, bathing is semi-private


VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious? Non-Religious
What are the major religious groups in the region? None/science
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices? reason, logic, skepticism
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?

Magic
How is magic integrated into society? wtf
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic? no magic
How are works of magic accomplished?
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work?



VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual. Labour
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job? no
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated? Janitor
What professions or activities are considered masculine? None
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? None
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays? 3-5 hrs, 4 weeks of vacation, including seasonal working and days off of hollidays
How does this differ between different jobs?
What jobs have few workers and why? None, actually
What are typical wages for various jobs? Average of 60k PD
How does work affect lifestyle and health? work is done in categories of passion, so none
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups? None have a preference, everyone has their own preference
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work?


IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms? Drawings
What are the least-favorite? Dancing
How respected are artists? How a normal person is
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage? no
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? artist bloc
How might a very successful artist live? stereotypically in a studio apartment
What forms of theatre does your society have? movies
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? natural
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? Victorian is popular
Which artforms get the most and least respect? most, modern art is despised
What form does censorship take? none
Who may not be an artist? everyone can be one
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? whatever people prefer
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? nothing really
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics? some fantasize, the majority are apathetic

Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities? not really but yes
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary? yes
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it? no, who does caligraphy of the latin alphabet
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like? not really but EDM is popular
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)? at home
Does music influence people's behaviour? no
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like? just for fun and at clubs, jumping arund and moving of the feet and legs
Who goes to see such entertainments? people who want to


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted? When people say they're married and get it verified
What is the term of a marriage contract? financial support
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated? small
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? 10-20 years, but none really
Do relationships allow multiple partners? yes, but not marriage
In what ways is a marriage considered broken? when not enough love is given
How can a marriage be terminated? cant



XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities? 130 for males, 170 for females
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)? All water here is clean
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)? Super anti-germ
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water? yes
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities. clean, safe
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations? semi-cheap from corporations but majority are pushing for public
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community? hospitals
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems? yes
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise? all
What does typical healthcare cost? 10 PD-1000PD for extreme cases
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? with medicine
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? prayer
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour. emergency, no one really likes going to the doctors
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider? once a year
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments?
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other? treated
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)? they usually dont care, try to stay away from super-special kids


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? no one likes it
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? idk
What secret vice actually is practiced? idk
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners? that the people are lazy but love sex
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? encouraged
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital? yes
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? usually shame but change in the one being cheated on
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? yes, cheap safe sex, yes
What is the greatest sexual taboo? sex with a horse (for some reason)
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it? someone who hasnt ejaculated during intercourse/someone who hasnt been penetrated. No one really cares
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be? nono
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior? idk
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct? no
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour? no
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children? 14, yes
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? groups are usually encouraged


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc. public school
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education? free, you dont have to go, only if you want to leran
Between which ages does education happen? 5-15
How are year groups and academic years arranged? 1st grade-10th grade
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered? any type
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools? graduations
What do schools / colleges / universities look like? tidy
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size10-30 kids a class
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school? Head of education, the principle
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system? uses a common language throughout world, same with writing
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? 100%, good
What form and value are books? 1 PD
Who teaches others? How do they teach? teachers, by how someone learns
Who decides who learns to read or write? the constitution
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? teachers
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? idk if they want


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines? seperate
What devices and technologies are available for people? a lot
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated? its like how people irl view phones
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology? they go science-wise and push even if it's not "possible"
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all? available to all

Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like? victorian/ikanian
How does this vary over time and between places in the region? no
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out? big
What are palaces and castles like? none
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building? tall,big
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported? metals, only copper
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand? both
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally? The executive building, it floats



XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places? car
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like? if they want, long
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost? yes, freeeeeeeeeeeeee
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place? decent 7/10 roads in rural, great in cities
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles? families
How safe and clean is the typical transport system? clean
What major fuels are used? cores
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other? on the extranet!
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination? yes, super fast, none just no bombs or poision or something lethal,yes, 100%
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist? extranet, i guess



XVI. Questions of Economics.


What is the local economy based on?the big economy
How is commerce engaged in? it is
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people? by the government, for government stuff, not really
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid? services

Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)? fiat
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means? the government
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies? It's super inflated
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently? Inflated slightly
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries? in mints, doesn't matter, because anything that looks vaguely like the currency is considered currency (with some value protection laws)
How is wealth distributed? by jobs
Is there a public banking system? yes
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost? free, everyone that wants to, store money and some loans
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other? yes, and people dont like it
What constitutes "poverty" in this society? anything under the living wage or 7 PD an hour


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying? everyone dies
What does this society do with their corpses? cremate
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body? no
What part do the priests play? none
Are there cemeteries at all? sorta not really
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? people keep their dead on a shelf in their house, and people visit memorials of cool people because it's basically a museum, and everyone likes museums

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide? suicide is considered weak
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? none
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? sleep, marijuana, drugs
Is it worse than murder? no

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured? representative republic one house, 5 seats for each province
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government? delivering services
What is the political status of minority communities? a community
How is government chosen? votes
What is the country’s general foreign policy? to respect nations
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? a court
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? small jail tme
How are new laws created or old ones changed? the congress
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? yes, a paper
Who has the right to give orders, and why? people
What titles do various officials have? none
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? no
How do government officials dress? however they please
Is the law written down? Who interprets it? yes, the super court
Once accused, what recourse does someone have? trial
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed? NO
How are criminals executed? NO
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? everyone can
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? NO
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? If they do bad things
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? murderer

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? nationalized, provincilized, and localized
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed? only a tazer and a pistol for NECESSARY uses
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? only in certain circumstances, and no torture
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? no
Is there a secret police? no
What is the role of police informants, if any? none
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size? yes, small
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world? weak
Who declares war? congress, vice president and finally president
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? president and vice president and if needed, congress
How are treaties negotiated? with people
What happens to prisoners taken in battle? given trial
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces? long-range
What form of warfare does this society use? just air drops
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare? with boats
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? none
How does someone get command of troops? by getting promoted
Where do the loyalties of military units lie? in the military
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? yes, yes
What is campaign or camp life like? a few weeks of camp
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to? none
How are battle injuries treated? with care
How long do wars typically last? we never had one
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war? no
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution? no
What do soldiers do when there's no war? sit around at a base/ at home
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations? only the quky incident, where an island is being fought over
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war? ammerinia, none
What defences are available to cities? military bases


I did this in a way that reflects the nation's populous as apathetic as possible
everything here is true, but answered badly on purpose

User avatar
Dahon
Negotiator
 
Posts: 5892
Founded: Nov 11, 2015
Ex-Nation

Postby Dahon » Mon Dec 26, 2016 3:47 am

This sure is a lot. But thanks anyway.

(Will fill out in due course.)

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons?
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to?
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography?
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional?
What are the most commonly-grown foods?
What are the most commonly-eaten meats?
What foods are considered exotic or expensive?
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare?
Is there usually enough food and water for the population?
What is this place's most abundant resource?
What is its most valuable resource?
What resource is it most lacking?
How do people travel from one place to another?
Are the borders secure? In what way?
How many people live here?
Where in this place do they congregate?
What part of this place do they avoid? Why?
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for?
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated?
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be?
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for?
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for?

II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go?
How far back do its people believe it goes?
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances?
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded?
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here?
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced?
What are the major events in this culture's past?
What was the best thing that ever happened to them?
What in their past makes them feel ashamed?
What in their past makes them proud?
What are they afraid of happening again?
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely?
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage?
What do they assume the future will hold?
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this?
What are the most popular stories about the past?
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain?
Do people think the present better or worse than the past?
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past?

III. Questions of Ethnicity

What are the chief races in the region?
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place?
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry?
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage?
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities?
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture?

IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have?
Who decides on a marriage?
Can a marriage end in divorce? How?
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason?
How are families named?
What happens to orphans?
How are boy and girl children treated differently?
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift?
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female?
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love?
How big are families, typically?
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations?
Are girls or boys preferred and why?
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life?
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it?

V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death?
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved?
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved?
How do people demonstrate grief?
Who inherits property? Titles? Position?
What are the most popular games? How important are they?
When and how does someone go from child to adult?
How much free time do people usually get?
What do they spend this time doing?
Is society segregated in any way?
What social classes or divisions exist in this society?
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another?
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society?
How independent or codependent are individuals?
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children?
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives?
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives?
Food
Describe how daily food is obtained.
What type of foods are most popular?
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region?
What type of food is the locality or region famous for?
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating?
How is the table arranged?
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners?
How many and when are the main mealtimes?
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public?
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness?
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home?
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc?
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories?
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories?
How much does typical clothing cost?
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual?
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when?
Entertainment
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)?
What other major forms of entertainment are there?
Is the populace literate and numerate?
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read?
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost?
Is there a public library system? Who uses it?
Who are popular authors and poets?
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature?
How has this changed over time?

VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering?
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste?
How do younger adults address their elders?
When is it rude to laugh at something funny?
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all?
What parts of the body are routinely covered?
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating?

VII. Questions of Faith

Is the culture religious or nonreligious?
What are the major religious groups in the region?
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices?
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?
Magic
How is magic integrated into society?
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic?
How are works of magic accomplished?
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work?

VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job?
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated?
What professions or activities are considered masculine?
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine?
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays?
How does this differ between different jobs?
What jobs have few workers and why?
What are typical wages for various jobs?
How does work affect lifestyle and health?
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups?
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work?

IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms?
What are the least-favorite?
How respected are artists?
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage?
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in?
How might a very successful artist live?
What forms of theatre does your society have?
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art?
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture?
Which artforms get the most and least respect?
What form does censorship take?
Who may not be an artist?
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society?
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful?
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics?
Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities?
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary?
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it?
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like?
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)?
Does music influence people's behaviour?
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like?
Who goes to see such entertainments?

X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted?
What is the term of a marriage contract?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?

XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities?
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)?
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)?
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water?
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations?
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community?
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems?
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise?
What does typical healthcare cost?
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness?
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong?
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider?
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments?
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other?
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)?

XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these?
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vice actually is practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged?
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital?
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides?
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate?
What is the greatest sexual taboo?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed?

XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are year groups and academic years arranged?
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered?
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools?
What do schools / colleges / universities look like?
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school?
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system?
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed?
What form and value are books?
Who teaches others? How do they teach?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that?

XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines?
What devices and technologies are available for people?
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated?
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology?
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all?
Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like?
How does this vary over time and between places in the region?
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out?
What are palaces and castles like?
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building?
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported?
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand?
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally?

XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?

XVI. Questions of Economics.

What is the local economy based on?
How is commerce engaged in?
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people?
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid?
Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)?
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means?
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies?
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently?
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries?
How is wealth distributed?
Is there a public banking system?
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost?
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other?
What constitutes "poverty" in this society?

XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body?
What part do the priests play?
Are there cemeteries at all?
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why?
Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide?
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all?
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul?
Is it worse than murder?

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured?
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government?
What is the political status of minority communities?
How is government chosen?
What is the country’s general foreign policy?
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How?
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why?
How are new laws created or old ones changed?
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved?
Who has the right to give orders, and why?
What titles do various officials have?
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person?
How do government officials dress?
Is the law written down? Who interprets it?
Once accused, what recourse does someone have?
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed?
How are criminals executed?
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership?
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances?
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it?
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal?
City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
XIX. Questions ofWarfare

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size?
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world?
Who declares war?
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace?
How are treaties negotiated?
What happens to prisoners taken in battle?
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces?
What form of warfare does this society use?
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare?
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them?
How does someone get command of troops?
Where do the loyalties of military units lie?
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military?
What is campaign or camp life like?
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to?
How are battle injuries treated?
How long do wars typically last?
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war?
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution?
What do soldiers do when there's no war?
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations?
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war?
What defences are available to cities?
Last edited by Dahon on Fri Dec 30, 2016 3:28 am, edited 1 time in total.
Authoritarianism kills all. Never forget that.

-5.5/-7.44

al-Ibramiyah (inactive; under research)
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Trumpisslavia (inactive)
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User avatar
Minarchismusland
Spokesperson
 
Posts: 171
Founded: Oct 22, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Minarchismusland » Mon Dec 26, 2016 7:29 am

T A G
Brazilian - Classical Liberal - INFP - Atheist

Minarchismusland's IIwiki page - Confidential OOC info - Political Compass

Inspired by: Switzerland, Germany, Argentina, Chile

Puppets: Brazziliania and Jojiania

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Crylante
Diplomat
 
Posts: 957
Founded: Dec 06, 2016
Civil Rights Lovefest

Postby Crylante » Mon Dec 26, 2016 10:25 am

tag
Crylantian Federation
Social democratic confederation of Latin-Danes, Danes and Finns.
IIWiki
Democratic socialist, green and British federalist
Economic Left/Right: -6.13
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -7.18

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Terdesuni
Spokesperson
 
Posts: 128
Founded: Jul 25, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Terdesuni » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:29 am

tag

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Oultremer
Envoy
 
Posts: 271
Founded: Dec 09, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Oultremer » Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:51 am

Will do this piecemeal.

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. Oultremer is a mostly mountainous country, east and west, separated by the fertile Bekaa Valley. A narrow coastal strip of land fronts the Mediterranean Sea.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? Oultremer has a moderate Mediterranean climate. In coastal areas, winters are generally cool and rainy whilst summers are hot and humid. In more elevated areas, temperatures usually drop below freezing during the winter with heavy snow cover that remains until early summer on the higher mountaintops.
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? Droughts
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography?
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional?
What are the most commonly-grown foods?
What are the most commonly-eaten meats?
What foods are considered exotic or expensive?
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? Wine is common and popular, ouzo is also rather common, vodka is uncommon.
Is there usually enough food and water for the population?
What is this place's most abundant resource?
What is its most valuable resource?
What resource is it most lacking?
How do people travel from one place to another? By car, train, plane, coastal areas use boats.
Are the borders secure? In what way?
How many people live here? 5,466 million people.
Where in this place do they congregate?
What part of this place do they avoid? Why?
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for?
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated?
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? Common pets in Oultremer are dogs and cats, as well as birds and aquarium fishes.
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for?
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for?



II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go?
How far back do its people believe it goes?
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances?
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded?
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here?
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced?
What are the major events in this culture's past?
What was the best thing that ever happened to them?
What in their past makes them feel ashamed?
What in their past makes them proud?
What are they afraid of happening again?
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely?
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage?
What do they assume the future will hold?
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this?
What are the most popular stories about the past?
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain?
Do people think the present better or worse than the past?
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past?


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region?
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place?
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry?
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage?
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities?
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture?



IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have?
Who decides on a marriage?
Can a marriage end in divorce? How?
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason?
How are families named?
What happens to orphans?
How are boy and girl children treated differently?
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift?
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female?
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love?
How big are families, typically?
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations?
Are girls or boys preferred and why?
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life?
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it?


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death?
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved?
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved?
How do people demonstrate grief?
Who inherits property? Titles? Position?
What are the most popular games? How important are they?
When and how does someone go from child to adult?
How much free time do people usually get?
What do they spend this time doing?
Is society segregated in any way?
What social classes or divisions exist in this society?
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another?
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society?
How independent or codependent are individuals?
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children?
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives?
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives?

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained.
What type of foods are most popular?
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region?
What type of food is the locality or region famous for?
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating?
How is the table arranged?
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners?
How many and when are the main mealtimes?
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public?
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness?
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home?
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc?
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories?
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories?
How much does typical clothing cost?
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual?
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when?

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)?
What other major forms of entertainment are there?
Is the populace literate and numerate?
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read?
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost?
Is there a public library system? Who uses it?
Who are popular authors and poets?
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature?
How has this changed over time?



VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering?
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste?
How do younger adults address their elders?
When is it rude to laugh at something funny?
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all?
What parts of the body are routinely covered?
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating?


VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious?
What are the major religious groups in the region?
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices?
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?

Magic
How is magic integrated into society?
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic?
How are works of magic accomplished?
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work?



VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job?
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated?
What professions or activities are considered masculine?
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine?
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays?
How does this differ between different jobs?
What jobs have few workers and why?
What are typical wages for various jobs?
How does work affect lifestyle and health?
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups?
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work?


IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms?
What are the least-favorite?
How respected are artists?
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage?
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in?
How might a very successful artist live?
What forms of theatre does your society have?
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art?
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture?
Which artforms get the most and least respect?
What form does censorship take?
Who may not be an artist?
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society?
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful?
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics?

Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities?
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary?
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it?
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like?
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)?
Does music influence people's behaviour?
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like?
Who goes to see such entertainments?


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted?
What is the term of a marriage contract?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?



XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities?
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)?
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)?
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water?
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations?
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community?
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems?
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise?
What does typical healthcare cost?
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness?
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong?
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider?
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments?
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other?
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)?


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these?
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vice actually is practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged?
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital?
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides?
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate?
What is the greatest sexual taboo?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed?


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are year groups and academic years arranged?
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered?
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools?
What do schools / colleges / universities look like?
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school?
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system?
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed?
What form and value are books?
Who teaches others? How do they teach?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that?


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines?
What devices and technologies are available for people?
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated?
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology?
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all?

Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like?
How does this vary over time and between places in the region?
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out?
What are palaces and castles like?
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building?
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported?
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand?
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally?



XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?



XVI. Questions of Economics.


What is the local economy based on?
How is commerce engaged in?
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people?
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid?

Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)?
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means?
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies?
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently?
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries?
How is wealth distributed?
Is there a public banking system?
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost?
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other?
What constitutes "poverty" in this society?


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body?
What part do the priests play?
Are there cemeteries at all?
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why?

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide?
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all?
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul?
Is it worse than murder?

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured?
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government?
What is the political status of minority communities?
How is government chosen?
What is the country’s general foreign policy?
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How?
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why?
How are new laws created or old ones changed?
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved?
Who has the right to give orders, and why?
What titles do various officials have?
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person?
How do government officials dress?
Is the law written down? Who interprets it?
Once accused, what recourse does someone have?
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed?
How are criminals executed?
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership?
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances?
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it?
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal?

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size?
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world?
Who declares war?
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace?
How are treaties negotiated?
What happens to prisoners taken in battle?
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces?
What form of warfare does this society use?
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare?
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them?
How does someone get command of troops?
Where do the loyalties of military units lie?
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military?
What is campaign or camp life like?
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to?
How are battle injuries treated?
How long do wars typically last?
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war?
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution?
What do soldiers do when there's no war?
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations?
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war?
What defences are available to cities?
Last edited by Oultremer on Mon Dec 26, 2016 11:58 am, edited 1 time in total.
Occupation:
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Age and Nationality: 24, Swedish
Political Views: Centre right
Interests: Politics, Culture, Hockey, Rock Music, Outdoors, Gaming

Likes: Freedom of Speech and Religion
Neutral:
Dislikes: ISIS

User avatar
Skyhooked
Senator
 
Posts: 4107
Founded: Mar 18, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Skyhooked » Mon Dec 26, 2016 12:24 pm

Tag so far.
Skyhooked is MT/PMT with a few FT elements. Military is factbook only. NS stats are mostly non canon.
If you wanna know more about this haven of sin: https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=418281&start=1

Our country offers: Alcohol, guns, cigars, weed, gambling, beaches and tons of souvenirs. And our current special: PL-74 Plasma rifle 25% discount!

Refreshing News:
Skyhooked is at war with Octavia, still holding agaisnt endless hordes of robots, vampires and traitors of humanity!/Global Defense Council was formed to help Earth hold agaisnt invasion./Luckily, we survived long enough and forces of Mandate of Humanity have arrived. (https://forum.nationstates.net/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=484352)

User avatar
Malaguenia
Chargé d'Affaires
 
Posts: 383
Founded: Sep 22, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Malaguenia » Mon Dec 26, 2016 5:45 pm

Tag
I don't use NS Stats, but if the stats make sense for my nation then go ahead and stop complaining about the fake taxes
Pro: Punishing corporations that commit crimes, Nuclear Power, , Switzerland, Science, Singapore's cleanliness and conduct policies, Space exploration, Cultural nationalism, moderate capitalism

Anti: , Mass immigration/refugees, Justin Trudeau, Diesel in cars, Equal wages, Crony capitalism Welfare for lazy people, Artificial additives, EU, Bombing Countries Without a good reason, Chavs, Jeremy Corbyn, Internet Surveillance, Regressive Leftism, Safe Spaces, Pseudoscience, Hillary Clinton, Hard-drugs, Bill Nye, Non-binary genders,
Antifa
Economic 1.63
Social -2.87
Looking for a MT region that has good detailed map and friendly players? Then try Greater Olympus

User avatar
Victorious Decepticons
Powerbroker
 
Posts: 8820
Founded: Sep 15, 2008
Iron Fist Consumerists

Postby Victorious Decepticons » Mon Dec 26, 2016 8:04 pm

Looks long enough that I'll have to do this in stages...
ETA: Now finished through Labor.

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. Cybertron is a carefully-engineered artificial planet made of metal. Its base structure is entirely round, with neither mountains nor valleys, but this is somewhat disguised by the presence of many extremely-tall skyscrapers.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? There are no seasons. Seasons result from imperfect engineering that causes planets to have tilts and/or elliptical orbits. It's a constant 78 degrees here, down from a once-normal constant 95.
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? There aren't any. Cybertron is built properly.
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? We place a lot of importance on the fact that our planet is metal, and in fact, it is nicknamed the Metal Planet. We believe that it is naturally strong, just like us (who are also made mostly of metal) - not only in the physical sense, but spiritually as well. Note that for us, "spiritually" refers to a sense of internal strength, or what some biologicals would call "guts" or "fortitude" - it is nothing like, say, a Buddhist's idea of spirituality!
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? We don't really think of Cybertron's environment as having a "traditional" use, so...cool as long as it isn't a downgrade. The exception would be trying to grow biological stuff here. That's totally forbidden and the material would be hastily biocided. We know of evolution, and will not allow even a microbe to stay here for long, lest it turn into some kind of competition in 100,000 or so years! No one will say, "this used to be a great haven for robots, but now it's a moldy green world full of creepy-crawlies, all because some idiot said 'what harm can a few bacteria do.' "
What are the most commonly-grown foods? We don't "grow" "food," at least not on our home world. Energon is made from oil, which is obtained from organic worlds. On our resource worlds, wheat, corn, and rice are hits.
What are the most commonly-eaten meats? Basically the same as above, but on one planet, we grow giant beefsteaks in tissue culture vats.
What foods are considered exotic or expensive? Those giant beefsteaks. Our one person who loves the stuff pays quite a lot of money to get them.
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? 100% pure ethanol is the only kind we make.
Is there usually enough food and water for the population? There's always enough Energon. We don't use water on Cybertron. Enjoy some antifreeze!
What is this place's most abundant resource? Cybertron actually has no natural resources. We have to bring them in from our resource worlds, or better yet, raid them from some foreign place!
What is its most valuable resource? Ooiiillll, the driver of the Cybertronian economy!
What resource is it most lacking? It's darned hard to get any good tobacco around here.
How do people travel from one place to another? Transform and fly!
Are the borders secure? In what way? Yes. The Decepticon Military has soldiers patrolling our planets in both high and low orbit.
How many people live here? About 15 billion.
Where in this place do they congregate? Wha...it's a planet! There are spots all over...
What part of this place do they avoid? Why? Iacon City. The old capital of the Autobot nation. It has officially been condemned to abandonment and rust, with those who enter being considered un-Decepticon for wanting anything to do with it. But the real reason it is avoided is its curse, which drives all who enter to corrosion and insanity.
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? The Sapient CPU is the only animal-like construct here. They're kept as pets by those who grow attached to them. Though some can be trained for petty thievery, they're not really domesticated "for" that. It's just something a Decepticon will naturally think of trying to teach a pet.
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? There aren't any on the home world.
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? See "domesticated animals."
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? Plants don't exist on the home world.
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? See above.



II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go? A bit over 1,000 years.
How far back do its people believe it goes? A bit over 1,000 years.
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? It was founded by Leader Megatron, the first fully-sapient Transformer. He worked a connive that allowed everyone else's loyalty chips to be defeated, granting them sapience. Then, all of the Transformers staged a revolution to gain control of the planet from its former owners.
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? Megatron has always been the chief power of Decepticon society.
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? N/A
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? Damn Autobots!
What are the major events in this culture's past? The Cybertronian Great War, fought between us and said damn Autobots. They wanted to exterminate all of us and even sang about it. Fortunately for us, we were able to destroy all of THEM instead of it working out how they planned it. However, our victory came at great initial cost - by the time we wiped out the last Autobot, there were only 7 of us left functional.
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? Ironically, the above war. Because of it, we were able to carefully pick and choose which Decepticons to reactivate, and of course, NOT reactivate any of our enemies. This has brought about an unprecedented level of political stability, and with no dissidents to create drag on our society, we have become very strong and prosperous. It seems as though nothing is truly out of reach of our nation's grasp as long as we are willing to put in the effort to get it.
What in their past makes them feel ashamed? Nothing. Shame is considered a useless emotion and has never been written into our Base Code as a valid response to anything.
What in their past makes them proud? All of our victories, both large and small, whether done by individual raid gangs or the nation as a whole.
What are they afraid of happening again?
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? Total Decepticon domination of the universe. Likely? We consider it inevitable, though we do expect that it could take millions of years to take over all of the trillions and trillions of other planets and peoples out there.
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? Highly
What do they assume the future will hold? Total domination of the universe!
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? We're bigger, stronger, and better than ever thanks to continual upgrades. We do realize this.
What are the most popular stories about the past? The dramatization of Leader Megatron's victory over Optimus Prime at the Final Battle of the Great War.
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? Great Leader Megatron is the greatest hero, while Optimus Prime is the most reprehensible villain ever.
Do people think the present better or worse than the past? Better. We're obsessive about upgrading.
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? Better!


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region? The Decepticon Race is the only extant one. We hold several organic worlds, but the other beings there are different species and are thought of just like humans think of other animals. The only difference is that we place humans into the "animals" category as well.
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? ...There are only Decepticons; we do not divide ourselves further.
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry?
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage? We are raiders, aka pirates, for the most part. We do not divide ourselves into races.
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities? Other species are inferior to the glorious Decepticon Race.
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture? Oh heavens, NO! It is strongly forbidden for anyone to try to mess with our culture, whether they are Decepticons or not!



IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have? Infinity, but it is not in our culture to have any at all.
Who decides on a marriage? We don't marry.
Can a marriage end in divorce? How? No marriage, so no divorce. But those who have tried this arrangement have typically ended it in a hail of blaster fire.
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? We don't marry; there is only supposed to be one Coder per offspring.
How are families named? We don't explicitly name families, but if there is a kahuna in the Line with a big enough name to coattail-ride on, his Line may unofficially take on his name. This is especially true if there are many members in the Line who are very good at the same thing the Naming Member is known for.
What happens to orphans? They are raised by the State in special Raising Centers.
How are boy and girl children treated differently? Robots don't have boys and girls, thankfully. That whole concept sounds like a PITA.
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? No marriage...
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? WE are generally thought of as male by biologicals with human or human-like cultures. Of course, as robots, we are actually sexless - but certainly not inanimate.
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? No, when we analyze this strange tradition, we always end up thinking of it as an evolutionary or perhaps a business arrangement.
How big are families, typically? It depends on the age and longevity of the founding member. Many only have 3-4 generations extant, but on the big side, there's General Soundwave's line, which has over 1,000 extant members! He certainly knows how to write Survival code!
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? One Coder and one offspring at a time. Deviation from this is likely to lead the members to fight for dominance - with lethal energy blasters.
Are girls or boys preferred and why? No boys or girls in a robotic species!
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? Uncommon now. It was once a huge problem - so bad that nearly led to the extinction of the Decepticon Race.
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? Offspring are conscripted into the Military right about when they attain full sapience. This is the age at which they would otherwise fight for control of the household (via lethal blaster fire). Such fights typically result in either the Coder or offspring getting killed, and this was preventing successful long-term reproduction. Conscription prevents this combat from happening, and once the conscript gets released from his duty, he goes on to get his own house. This averts the dominance fight and allows both members of the former household to live on in relative peace.


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? Power and virtue are both depicted with red. Death gets the extra-dark red associated with a deactivated Decepticon.
If two men robots get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? Violence! Fists and feet for minor things; energy blaster fire for major things. Fights can be spontaneous or they can take the form of "honorable duels" with set rules and victory conditions. Dueling is often done when one or both combatants want a big audience to see the end result.
If two women biologicals get into a fight, how should that be resolved? Violent fighting.
How do people demonstrate grief? We don't. We coldly make plans for revenge and then execute them.
Who inherits property? Titles? Position? There is no inheritance. Anything left behind by a dead person is gobbled up in a frenzy of looting.
What are the most popular games? How important are they? Full-immersion simulation video games, which make players truly feel as if they're in the fictional setting. They're very important.
When and how does someone go from child to adult? A child who feels fully sapient will demand to take the Sapience Test given by the Debugging Center. If he passes it with 80% sapience or above, he is considered an adult. The prize is...the ability to enter the Military! Fortunately, for us, this is a desirable thing that marks someone's passage into full participation in society. Many want to enter early instead of waiting for conscription at age 5 (which is about as mature as an 18-year-old human).
How much free time do people usually get? LOADS! Raiding is very lucrative.
What do they spend this time doing? Playing those full-immersion sims, or planning the next raid.
Is society segregated in any way? Not among our species. Animals such as humans are, of course, kept at their work sites.
What social classes or divisions exist in this society? There are those who are raiders, those who are skilled at business, those who are good at cons, those who are highly-educated professionals...and then there are the losers (everyone else).
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another? Success at something moves you up in proportion to the level of that success, while failures knock you down. The benefit of success is becoming rich, and the benefit of that should go without saying. Those who fail as an occasional fluke don't lose much other than their immediate financial comfort, but perpetual failures - such as that person who's happy to spend his life working for someone else in some factory - are looked down on and may even be attacked by people who think of them as "scrap metal."
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society? No. Some of our top government officials, including our leader, have what we call "alternative body plans." In fact, this is the very reason why nobody dares to discriminate against people who don't have a plane-style alt mode!
How independent or codependent are individuals? VERY independent.
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children? There are no "women and men." Children are to learn all they can about how to raid and win fights, even if they don't intend to be raiders. Someone who cannot raid is truly boned if he falls on hard times or isn't smart enough for an educated profession.
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives? In some ways
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives? Not really, but this is changing thanks to Megatron's decree that everyone who isn't on a raid has to show up at one of his temples every Wednesday.

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained. We open up our household Energon vaults and take out a cup of the fuel. Or do you mean how is it produced? In that case, we raid a huge load of oil from some hapless other planet, convert that oil into Energon by selling it at a Raid Dropoff Point, and then store the Energon in a variety of vault types according to haul size. (Note: Energon is also our money, so it's always stored in some kind of locked vault.)
What type of foods are most popular? Standard Energon
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region? Energon. "Specialty?" Energon Supreme
What type of food is the locality or region famous for? Energon
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating? A rectangular "Cube" is used to store Energon, while a big clear glass is typically used to drink a portion.
How is the table arranged? We usually don't bother sitting because it takes only a minute or so to quaff a glass of Energon. However, at restaurants, the Energon glass is placed directly in front of the chair, but far enough back to avoid the risk of knocking it off of the edge of the table.
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners? We just plant ourselves down in most situations, though if it's a formal restaurant, the hottest-shot in the group gets to pick where to sit first.
How many and when are the main mealtimes? Typically just one. There'll be 2 for a family, and 4-5 if it's a raid gang at its base. Breakfast is actually the main mealtime. Everyone likes to start out the day with a full tank. Some will top up before defragging. Avid video game players soon learn to top up before entering the game environment, too.
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public? Sit-down restaurants and fast-food-like Quick Drinks are both popular.
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness? There is no risk of getting killed from Energon unless someone poisons it on purpose. It is a good idea to test-burn your fuel if you have accumulated enemies who are notably weaker than yourself, for they are the most likely to resort to such underhanded tactics.
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home? The markup on Energon is about 20% at a Quick Drink and up to 100% at a fancy restaurant.
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc? Perfectly-applied paint, well-waxed. The more money you have, the more wax you'll likely use. However, some go with dingy paint and no visible wax, almost as a dare for anyone to say anything about it. Such people are typically gangsters who can kick every ass, but some are actually just bums who can't afford to renew their coatings. It's best not to say anything unless you're good at gauging how well the person is actually functioning. A quiet engine, built-up body, and a shitty paint job means that the person who makes a smart remark is in for a world of hurt.
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories? N/A
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? Paint is made in big factories, same as other coatings.
How much does typical clothing cost? A full paint job of the standard grade is good for about 1,000 Cubes, but it'll last for years on end, so that's actually pretty cheap!
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual? Extremely. Decepticons think of it almost as a duty to look flashy and cool at all times. Even the exceptions mentioned earlier are very rare.
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when? We don't wear "jewelry." Instead, those who want to look even flashier install "mods." (modifications.) These typically take the form of extra flight lights, special flaps and ailerons, and other ostensibly-useful changes. We prefer *actually-useful* body upgrades, though.

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)? Yes
What other major forms of entertainment are there? Full-immersion video games
Is the populace literate and numerate? Yes; robots can't really function at all if they can't interpret Binary and math!
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read? Yes. All sorts of stuff!
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost? Anywhere from 2 Cubelets to 25 Cubes.
Is there a public library system? Who uses it? No
Who are popular authors and poets? Leader Megatron, but then, some of his works are required reading. We aren't really into poetry, finding it to be treacly in most cases.
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature?
How has this changed over time?



VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering? The host, even if only to introduce an honored guest
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste? Energon, of Standard grade or above, is a boring but safe gift. "Bad taste" in the standard sense of being merely gauche isn't really a thing here, but "gifts" that could be seen as implying that the recipient needs some sort of super-basic help (such as giving a person a Standard Educational Data Pack - the one that every person gets just prior to activation) would be considered insults and may lead to physical fighting.
How do younger adults address their elders? By their names, unless it's their Coder. This person is addressed as "Coder" in most cases. The diminuitive "Codey" is used only by very young children.
When is it rude to laugh at something funny? When it's an event that involves something bad happening to another person AND if that other person is there to hear the laughing (or is likely to hear about it). If he found out about it, he would be likely to wipe the smile off your face with his blaster, and if that wipes your entire face off too, it is considered to serve you right.
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? Never ask a Decepticon if he has ever been defeated. He will fight you for even suggesting that it was a possibility, regardless of his actual win/loss ratio.
What parts of the body are routinely covered? External parts are typically all covered with paint except for the eyes. Those who like the fully-nude look will use clear-coat because nobody wants to rust. Only the internal parts have what could be called serious coverage; those are hidden behind well-made protective panels.
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? Bathing and fluid-changing are all very private, mainly because a person is in a position of weakness while doing them. But since combustion engines produce exhaust at all times, we don't think anything of this aspect - to us, it's more like exhalation than defecation.


VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious? It's religious now, thanks to Megatron's decree!
What are the major religious groups in the region? Megatronism. Everything else is banned, even the prior religion of Machinism.
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices? It's the Decepticon Way, only with Megatron as its official god. A proper Decepticon will not pass up a golden opportunity out of a weird sense of honor, considers the weak to be inferior, and always works to be the Strong. Decepticons are to hold their Nation in extremely high regard and must not tolerate treasonous notions, such as (American-style) liberalism, which are considered cultural corrosion. All ideologies that are not the Decepticon Way are, at best, heresy. Of course, Leader Megatron is to be recognized as a god - this part is really the only thing that makes Megatronism a religion. Otherwise, it'd just be the Decepticon Way (our political ideology).
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms? Cosmology isn't really hit upon. As for eschatology, Divine Leader Megatron decides what happens to you after you get deactivated. Since getting deactivated, in and of itself, is considered a disgrace in most cases, it is rare to end up in the Realm of Pleasure. However, there is a Neutral Realm that is only somewhat sucky. Traitors and the like go to the Realm of Punishment, which is a hell, but with punishments specifically tailored to the offender. Notably, the maximum term for the Realm of Punishment is typically 1,000 years rather than eternally. After the punishment phase is up, the soul will typically be transferred up to the Neutral Realm.
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region? At first there was a massive revolution attempt due to people thinking Megatron had lost his boards when he declared himself to be a god! However, his singlehanded defeat of over 100,000 simultaneously-attacking would-be revolutionaries pretty much cemented his claim as TRUE.
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination? Written. Leader Megatron isn't going to have people playing Telephone with his edicts!
Is there a set canon of what constitutes officially sanctioned scripture? Yes
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics? Priests of Megatron expound on the Leader's speeches and the ideas contained within. (The Speeches are considered "written" because they are taped at the time of delivery and then carefully transcribed to permanent media.)
What is the role of myth within the religion? Minimal. Tales of Megatron's battle exploits and con games tend to be exaggerated for drama, but this is a longstanding cultural tradition. The religion itself only promotes the true versions as official, though everyone enjoys the dramatizations for nationalism and entertainment's sakes.
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith? Yes. The Speech at the Founding of the Nation is the most condensed and standardized version of the Decepticon Way.
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings? The Decepticon Seal, and stylized versions thereof, are standard. It stands for us - our strength and superiority under Divine Leader Megatron!
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)? There is an animatable Face of Megatron in each Temple, and the true faithful typically have a statuette (or if they're rich, a larger [but not typically full-sized] statue) of Leader Megatron in their homes.
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised? Like our Military, our religious ranking structure is rather flat. There is the Divine Leader Megatron at the top, followed by relatively few High Priests, more Assistant Priests, and a lot of acolytes.
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc? See above for basic ranks. But notably, there certainly are no martyrs. Decepticons are supposed to WIN their battles! To lose is to almost surely forfeit your entry into the Realm of Pleasure. To lose on purpose, for any reason, sends you straight to the Realm of Punishment. If someone is threatened with an ultimatum like "convert or die," the proper Decepticon thing to do is lie.

Saviors, redeemers, etc. are for wimps who can't blast their way out of a bad situation. We have none of those.

Saints...This word is so associated with Autobot-like thinkers that when the time comes to elevate someone, Megatron will surely call that person something else.

Ascetics - The very concept is un-Decepticon. We are supposed to be powerful and successful. Ostensibly so.

Sages and mystics - Not as part of the religion. This kind of skill has been deemed important enough to study, standardize...and weaponize. Therefore, you should look to the Bureau of Paranormal Research or the Military's Paranormal Battalion for those with these capabilities.


What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? Since Megatron's ascension to godhood, souls have been assigned to afterlife realms as he sees fit. You influence this by being a proper Decepticon, with the best ones gaining entry to the Realm of Endless Energon (or Realm of Pleasure. They're actually the same place, but different speakers use different names). Most will go to the Neutral Realm, which actually sort of sucks. It is intended to motivate its inhabitants to try to improve their lot. Hated foes go to the Realm of Punishment, with its personalized hell scenarios. To avoid that, remember that being a proper Decepticon includes being loyal to the Leader! Atheists sometimes manage to avoid Megatron's post-life jurisdiction, and if they do so, their spirits become part of the Metal Stream (the aggregate of available metal) just like in days of yore.
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? Someone will surely blast 'em, just like we do to any other kind of lousy dissident!
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like? The First Megatronist Temple of Cybertron has been designated as the religion's official Most Holy Place, but most surely believe that the Megatron Mansion should have the honor. After all, Divine Leader Megatron lives in his mansion, not a temple.
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals? It's minimal. Megatron's sapience day is the biggest celebration.
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion? There is liturgy, and some meditation, but we're really not the contemplative type.
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)? Unitary.
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)? ...The existence of other gods is recognized, but it is believed that Divine Leader Megatron is above them all and will someday kick all of their asses as he steamrolls through to Total Domination of the Universe.
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities? Megatron always enjoys oil, Energon, and derivatives thereof, but will accept pretty much anything of value unless his companies are already glutted in the stuff (so please keep your iron and steel for now, thanks).
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it? Better results at raiding, battles, general invincibility, expert connivery success...basically they want to be excellent Decepticons! (How do they try to get it) Loyalty. The more extreme the loyalty, the better and more consistent the blessings.
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion? No
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours? There aren't any neighbors.
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life? Yes. One must stick to the canon, especially since Megatron is alive, physical, and quite capable of blasting any heretics!
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion? The same ultranationism and ultraspeciesism that pervades everything else in this nation.
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies? All other religions are competition to be stamped out.
What is the most commonly broken religious rule? Actually believing that Megatron is a god. An inquisition will be beginning soon.
What is the least-violated religious rule? "Be a proper Decepticon."
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member? Once the official decree goes out, it will surely call for serious violators to be melted down.
How can an outsider join the religious community? Declare your intention, even if only through silent prayer to Leader Megatron. As long as you really mean it, your ability to commit crimes and get away with it will instantly and magically go up. This blessing serves as confirmation of your acceptance.
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play? Yes. We aim to spread Megatronism and the Decepticon Way to the entire universe. In keeping with our Way, these missionaries may work along with Foreign Intelligence in order to sneak into hostile territories and undermine their current systems.
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? No factions exist...yet.
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation? No, Megatron would never allow that. Schismatics would be declared to be rebels and the Military would be set on them immediately.
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? No, that kind of peaceful and un-bombastic lifestyle is just not Decepticonnish at all.
Are there cult groups within the religious community? Yes, the old Cult of Megatron, which actually existed prior to Megatron's deification, still exists as a somewhat cliquish subgroup. However, it is not considered to be a faction, per se, since it has submitted to all of the official doctrine of the main religion.
How are those who follow different faiths treated? Convert or die!
What relationship do religious and political leaders have? One and the same. Divine Leader Megatron is the dictator of the Nation.
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear? There are no religious superstitions that we can think of. We fear nothing, except perhaps the wrath of Leader Megatron himself - and even that fear is based on the facts of physics rather than anything nebulous (he is a very powerful war robot with a lot of skill, a huge weapon, and loads of armor).
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)? All of the above, and all shall be subjugated or destroyed by the Decepticons at some point or other.
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion? So far, "miraculous"-type dreams and visions have not been reported. If some do happen, we would first send the person to Debugging to certify the legitimacy of the vision or dream, and if they pass the tests for being glitch-free, we would run a lot of tests to determine the source of the experience. Megatron has not mentioned using any type of communication like this, so we would suspect that some competing entity was trying to pull some rot. Our own Divine Leader can just get on the holovision if he wants to broadcast a message, so he'd really have no use for this obsolete method of getting a point across!
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)? Ritual liturgy that includes some songs and music, or if there's a war, good old Holy War!

Magic
How is magic integrated into society? Like anything else, it's a tool for raiding and warfare most of the time.
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic? Very few. Many can only do it if they've been augmented by the Paranormal Research bureau or the Military's branch of the same. No one is banned from it though, so if you can use it naturally, go for it.
How are works of magic accomplished? That's classified.
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work? Only whatever is needed to make it work. For some, that's not much study; for others, it can take a long time. If you have the right security clearance, though, you gain access to our "any idiot can do it after taking this course and getting this tool" version. That version was developed so that we can field a Magical Battalion with the certainty that the troops within will actually be able to do magical things, but naturals tend to think of their methods as a bit shallow.



VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual. There are the raiders, who form the backbone of society; the highly-educated, who do things like developing new inventions based on physics or who understand the minutae of debugging millions of lines of Sapient Code; there are the self-employed who do fairly lame work like picking up trash for recycling (recyclers pay for the trash and that's where the money comes from); there are the losers who submit to bullshit like having to show up at factories at specific times to do mindless work all day; there are the slaves, who do hard physical labor; and at the very bottom there are those who willingly take jobs doing things that are traditionally done by slaves.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job? Top-notch raiders, scammers, and businesspeople get the most prestige in general life, while those who attain top positions at the Bureau of Impossible Physics or Debugging get the sort of prestige afforded to the extremely well educated. Other positions are more sporadically-recognized, but being the absolute best at anything is always good for extreme respect. For example, everyone speaks of the counterfeiter known as Replicator in the most complimentary of ways, for he can copy something just by seeing it in action once - or sometimes, just by hearing about what something does!
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated? It goes without saying that nobody wants to have to clean things up, especially nasty stuff like used oil tanks.

However, willingly doing the same work that is typically assigned to a slave - especially tunnel mining - puts you at the very bottom of the barrel. For a strong, huge, powerful Decepticon to willingly work in a mine alongside groveling little human slaves doing the same job is just...unconscionable! It is so looked down upon that many will let themselves rust for lack of maintenance rather than do this sort of job to pay for new parts. This general disdain is made worse by the fact that mine owners are also slave owners, and some will have the hired help working not only alongside human slaves, but robotic ones that have been enthralled by a virus. Needless to say, the paid workers always have a bit of a back-of-mind worry that they'll end up as part of the company's owned "metal stock" instead of actually getting paid, even at the best of the mines.

Those who do take mining jobs on purpose - jobs which actually pay HUGE amounts since a single giant, hydraulically-powered, super-strong machine is a far better miner than even 100 little humans - typically repaint themselves and use fake names to avoid being recognized once their contracted period ends.

Cargo-bot is another lousy profession. It involves not only schlepping people's junk around inside one's own body, but also being ported to a special, super-giant body that can't even walk around outside of a restricted, reinforced area. Even worse, they're giant targets who can barely defend themselves, so they have to fly with fighter escorts. This makes them frequent victims of space piracy when hauling, and SAM magnets when working with raiders. Like miners, they tend to use fake names to avoid being recognized as having been "one of them" once they quit and get their old bodies back.


What professions or activities are considered masculine? N/A
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? N/A
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays? There are no usual hours. We do a bunch of activity, usually raiding, and collect a big load of money. Then we chill until we've spent it all. When we bother to do something, we might be up and active for days at a time!
How does this differ between different jobs? Employee-type jobs are much more structured, and operating hours depends on when the company is open.
What jobs have few workers and why? All have few workers. We'd rather go raid!
What are typical wages for various jobs? Even the peasantest employed job will pay over 100 Cubes/hour just to get someone to do it. Raiding, however, has no "typical" payoff. If you hit a big, undefended oil field, you can haul out a billion barrels in a matter of weeks! But if you hit a well-defended, FT-level-military-covered, refinery, you'll get nothing from it but a face full of SAMs. Then you lose money, and possibly, your current body. You can even get killed if your target is super-spiteful and jams your mind-evacuation signal.
How does work affect lifestyle and health? LOL that depends on the work and your success at it! Raiding can be very harmful to your health, or it can make you into an uber war machine, depending on how well it goes!
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups? WIMPS like jobs that aren't raiding. Even the super-educated are secretly considered wimps for not going and descending on somebody's refinery instead of working.
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work? ETHICAL OATHS, HERE?! We're the Decepticons! Wa ha ha....*someone comes up and whispers* Oh yeah, there's Debugging. Debuggers have to be certified honest via code-read, and swear to stay that way. They have access to our mind-code if we go in for fixes or checkups, so we have to take extreme precautions when it comes to security. Some national security and physics research positions are similarly protected. But other than that, we're Decepticons, so keep your wits about you or we'll scam you out of your last Cubelet!

*Someone whispers again*

Oh yeah, we also dismantle crooked mechanics and use their body parts for ourselves since the ones they used in their own bodies will always be good. But that's what you'd call an...extrajudicial response.


IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms?
What are the least-favorite?
How respected are artists?
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage?
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in?
How might a very successful artist live?
What forms of theatre does your society have?
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art?
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture?
Which artforms get the most and least respect?
What form does censorship take?
Who may not be an artist?
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society?
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful?
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics?

Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities?
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary?
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it?
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like?
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)?
Does music influence people's behaviour?
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like?
Who goes to see such entertainments?


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted?
What is the term of a marriage contract?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?



XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities?
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)?
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)?
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water?
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations?
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community?
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems?
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise?
What does typical healthcare cost?
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness?
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong?
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider?
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments?
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other?
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)?


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these?
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vice actually is practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged?
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital?
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides?
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate?
What is the greatest sexual taboo?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed?


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are year groups and academic years arranged?
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered?
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools?
What do schools / colleges / universities look like?
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school?
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system?
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed?
What form and value are books?
Who teaches others? How do they teach?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that?


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines?
What devices and technologies are available for people?
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated?
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology?
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all?

Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like?
How does this vary over time and between places in the region?
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out?
What are palaces and castles like?
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building?
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported?
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand?
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally?



XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?



XVI. Questions of Economics.


What is the local economy based on?
How is commerce engaged in?
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people?
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid?

Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)?
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means?
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies?
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently?
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries?
How is wealth distributed?
Is there a public banking system?
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost?
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other?
What constitutes "poverty" in this society?


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body?
What part do the priests play?
Are there cemeteries at all?
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why?

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide?
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all?
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul?
Is it worse than murder?

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured?
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government?
What is the political status of minority communities?
How is government chosen?
What is the country’s general foreign policy?
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How?
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why?
How are new laws created or old ones changed?
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved?
Who has the right to give orders, and why?
What titles do various officials have?
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person?
How do government officials dress?
Is the law written down? Who interprets it?
Once accused, what recourse does someone have?
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed?
How are criminals executed?
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership?
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances?
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it?
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal?

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size?
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world?
Who declares war?
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace?
How are treaties negotiated?
What happens to prisoners taken in battle?
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces?
What form of warfare does this society use?
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare?
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them?
How does someone get command of troops?
Where do the loyalties of military units lie?
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military?
What is campaign or camp life like?
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to?
How are battle injuries treated?
How long do wars typically last?
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war?
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution?
What do soldiers do when there's no war?
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations?
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war?
What defences are available to cities?
Last edited by Victorious Decepticons on Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.
No war RPs; no open RPs.

Explosive .50 cal shells vs. Decepticons: REAL, IRL PROOF the Decepticons would laugh at them - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeVTZlNQfPA
Newaswa wrote:What is the greatest threat to your nation?
Vallermoore wrote:The Victorious Decepticons.

Bluquse wrote:Imperialist, aggressive, and genociding aliens or interdimensional beings that would most likely slaughter or enslave us
rather than meet up to have a talk. :(

TurtleShroom wrote:Also, like any sane, civilized nation, we always consider the Victorious Decepticons a clear, present, and obvious threat we must respect, honor, and leave alone in all circumstances. Always fear the Victorious Decepticons.


The Huskar Social Union wrote: ... massive empires of genocidal machines.

User avatar
The Great Devourer of All
Minister
 
Posts: 2940
Founded: Dec 26, 2015
Ex-Nation

Postby The Great Devourer of All » Mon Dec 26, 2016 8:05 pm

Tag.
Last edited by the Devourer 9.98 billion years ago


Pro: Jellyfish

Anti: Heretics



Yymea wrote:We would definitely be scared of what is probably the most scary nation on NS :p


Multiversal Venn-Copard wrote:Actually fairly threatening by our standards. And this time we really mean "threatening". As in, "we'll actually need to escalate significantly to match their fleets."


Valkalan wrote:10/10 Profoundly evil. Some nations conqueror others for wealth and prestige, but the Devourer consumes civilization like a cancer consuming an unfortunate host.


The Speaker wrote:Intemperate in the sea from the roof, and leg All night, and he knows lots of reads from the unseen good old man of the mountain-DESTRUCTION

User avatar
Devernia
Ambassador
 
Posts: 1453
Founded: Apr 25, 2016
Ex-Nation

Postby Devernia » Mon Dec 26, 2016 8:19 pm

Taggity tag tag
Comunidade de Devernha [MT 2019]
???
NS stats may or may not be used.

NOTE: Will nearly retcon everything soon.
RECENT HEADLINES:26 Officials In Parliament Found With NCoV | Devernian Stock Market Collapses In Global Recession | "How Long Will We Last?" Declares Opinion Piece In Gaerson Journal

User avatar
Multiversal Venn-Copard
Diplomat
 
Posts: 848
Founded: Nov 03, 2015
Democratic Socialists

Postby Multiversal Venn-Copard » Mon Dec 26, 2016 8:34 pm

I'm usually hesitant about answering these types of questions because, most of the time, the VCMR's weird enough to evade at least half of them. But I had some time to fill this out, so here we go!

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. Spanning a vast number of universes with different laws of physics, and the -illions of galaxies and planets within them, plus huge quantities of interstellar megastructures, the VCMR covers just about every imaginable geography.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? Atmosphere-altering tech is widely available on planets, and is effectively the default on megastructures. Climate is "whatever the locals want the climate to be".
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? None. The idea of an uncontrolled planetary accident is an unusual one. Disasters tend to be artificial (though still accidental).
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? Location means nothing when interuniversal travel is almost routine. There is next to no importance given.
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? If a planet designated for, say, wildlife preservation gets industrialized, people tend to get mad, but that's just because the government is going against its own words. Otherwise, things tend to stay pretty static.
What are the most commonly-grown foods? Whatever citizens want; mass-energy generators allow the instant creation of effectively any food substance. However, the usual "food" is just a repair serum for the nanites in everyones' bloodstreams.
What are the most commonly-eaten meats? Non-specified non-animal-based cellular mass.
What foods are considered exotic or expensive? Anything that can't be made of matter, though that'd be weird.
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? The VCMR has invented foodstuffs and beverages much safer than alcohol; it is not used.
Is there usually enough food and water for the population? If there isn't, there's a much greater problem relating to the zero-point generators used to create all the mass-energy. This has never been recorded to happen.
What is this place's most abundant resource? Mass-energy, provided from zero-point generators, which is then used to construct literally everything else.
What is its most valuable resource? See above.
What resource is it most lacking? Anything that isn't mass-produced from mass or energy, really. Ideas. Technologies. Literature. Art.
How do people travel from one place to another? Local transit is accomplished through bipedal locomotion (walking), short-range trams, or tachyonic teleportation. The "gigalight rail" is the primary method of travel between star systems and galaxies, while the Star Rails allow for near-instant travel between universes. Spacecraft of many sorts are also in frequent use, as teleportation booths are still unfortunately short-range (<10,000 ly).
Are the borders secure? In what way? Technically, an advanced multiversal civilization could just warp directly into a VCMR-occupied universe without any problems. Doing this, however, would invoke immediate and violent response from ships up to and including Shellcraft or Branch Platforms. This is why it's rarely attempted.
How many people live here? Redacted. That would give away the VCMR's rough size, which violates the Law of Multiversal Size Ambiguity.
Where in this place do they congregate? On planets. On megastructures like ringworlds, meta-ringworlds, or Citadels. Aboard really large spacecraft.
What part of this place do they avoid? Why? The whole pile of empty space in between isn't really healthy. Nor are the stars. You don't really want to live inside a star.
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? The VCMR is past the need for them.
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? That would require a census of every single planet and its occupants. There is likely no definitive answer. Wild animals are left alone on the planets reserved for them; VCMR-occupied planets are cleared of them, in one way or another.
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? VCMR citizens prefer fractals as pets; the most popular is a type of worm called a wheelfly, that slowly whirls through the air. Any pet that produces unprocessed and unpackaged organic waste (read: urine, feces, vomit, etc.) is illegal in most regions.
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? Plants have no "use" per se. Figuring out the most common domesticated plant would require an extensive and time-wasting census.
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? Cannot be answered for the same reason as the wild-animal question.


II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go? Just over two million years.
How far back do its people believe it goes? Not much longer than that, really.
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? Two species, the Venn and the Copard (the former having an interstellar civilization, the latter beginning industrialization) decided to combine to form the VCSA, the predecessor of the VCMR, for mutual protection.
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? The Yunat were dominant in the R0-0 multiverse cluster, though they never met the Venn or Copard until the VCMR came around.
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? Interstellar FTL.
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? Very nearly getting completely annihilated after meeting the Yunat. They were pushed back all the way to a tiny group of universes.
What are the major events in this culture's past? Eight "Great Multiversal Wars" plus a whole pile of other ones, several political restructuring events, and various periods of territorial gain and loss.
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? The discovery of zero-point energy generators, which removed their dependence on antimatter universes for an energy supply.
What in their past makes them feel ashamed? For hundreds of thousands of years after forming the VCSA and then VCMR, they slaughtered their way through vast numbers of universes, completely ignoring the civilizations and cultures within; they believed in the "dark forest" type of scenario, where it was imperative to exterminate all possible threats as fast as possible.
What in their past makes them proud? Creating alliances with several of R0-0's other major powers and ultimately arriving at an uneasy peace with the Yunat.
What are they afraid of happening again? A war against the Yunat; "thousands of universes destroyed" is a vast underestimate due to the number of Burster Rays (universe-busting cannon superweapons) their enemy possesses.
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? Unfortunately the populace is pretty apathetic and realizes that the VCMR is mostly stagnating. They currently hope for a shift in the omniversal balance of entropy and order towards the latter end, but that's more out of the need for self-preservation than anything else.
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? Loosely connected, if at all. Property, land, and genetics are all very minor concerns in the VCMR.
What do they assume the future will hold? Unfortunately, most of them realize the future will probably involve the destruction of R0-0 and the VCMR due to the expanding entropic hordes.
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? The shift is usually described as "multiversal imperialists turned multiversal interventionists".
What are the most popular stories about the past? There aren't many to speak of. The VCMR is a culturally really uninteresting place on the largest scale; you need to zoom in to individual galaxies or planets to really see anything unique.
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? See above. The individual is not important; they're just a speck of dust in the cosmic storm of time.
Do people think the present better or worse than the past? Better, since the VCMR is now fully capable of defending itself and is no longer massively hostile towards weaker civilizations.
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? Probably much worse, with the resurgence of the Ravagery and other entropic powers likely resulting in the destruction of the omniverse's remaining order.


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region? Rather than races, the VCMR has species: exactly two of them, the Venn and the Copard.
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? Ethnic groups have long since homogenized.
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry? The Venn are fairly short, red-skinned humanoids; the Copard are gigantic, heavily-armored grey theropods with legs that split above the knee and then above the ankle (giving them eight feet in total).
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage? Discrimination solely based on species for a job that both species can perform is not only illegal but incredibly rare anyway. However, the Venn tend to work in tight conditions that a ten-ton, five-meter-tall dinosaur can't really fit into, and the Copard tend to work in heavy-lifting and -moving jobs that child-sized humanoids cannot physically perform.
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities? There's no such thing as immigration into the VCMR. Other species are ignored, generally.
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture? It hasn't.


IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have? One's enough.
Who decides on a marriage? The consenting adults involved.
Can a marriage end in divorce? How? Yes, through mutual agreement and quite a bit of paperwork.
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? Society at the multiversal scale places no roles on genders. It's almost exactly a 50/50 split, varying locally based on customs.
How are families named? Only individuals are named; names are whichever the parents like, selected from a government-approved name-generating algorithm.
What happens to orphans? Adoptions are available until age two. Past that, orphans are raised in centralized housing and schooling units, and then released to continue their education or begin their careers at adulthood.
How are boy and girl children treated differently? They aren't. Genders/sexes are purely legal and reproductive traits for the VCMR, not cultural ones.
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? Unheard of.
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? Usually none.
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? Yes. Does anyone really care nowadays? No.
How big are families, typically? Two parents plus generally between zero and five children. (Average is around two and a half.)
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? Whoever's physically living in the same house. Between one and, like, seven or so. Generally no more than two.
Are girls or boys preferred and why? Nobody really cares.
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? It's highly abnormal, and definitely a problem.
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? Violent couples are sent to non-invasive therapy (euphemism for "therapy not involving forced neural reprogramming"), which is performed by trained professionals and such.


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? The entire color spectrum can be assigned to these things as necessary. The VCMR sees colors as tools for streamlining information transfer, not as cultural artifacts.
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? By ending the violence as soon as possible and organizing a diplomatic or just non-interactive resolution.
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? See above.
How do people demonstrate grief? However they do it organically and hormonally; crying, not talking, getting angry, etc.
Who inherits property? Titles? Position? Whoever it's been assigned to. If the original owners didn't fill out the requisite paperwork, it's seized by the government, and usually melted down for mass-energy.
What are the most popular games? How important are they? VR and other computer games are massively popular, though none in particular are famous at the multiversal scale. A five-dimensional board game called space-eater is among the more popular ones, and is referenced often in military culture due to its strategic themes. There is also a very loose derivation of Earth's "laser tag" called Basilisk, that involves eye contact and peripheral vision.
When and how does someone go from child to adult? Both species reach maturity at roughly age twenty-five. By this time, a citizen's education is complete, they usually leave their parents' house, and go get a job or continue with their education or whatever.
How much free time do people usually get? Lots. Having a post-scarcity economy tends to do that. Even the actual workday is built with very long breaks in.
What do they spend this time doing? Games of various sorts, socialization, all that.
Is society segregated in any way? Not really. There's barely a unified culture or an economy at all.
What social classes or divisions exist in this society? Pretty much nothing.
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another?
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society? No.
How independent or codependent are individuals? Very codependent. This is why it's called a civilization, as opposed to, say, capitalism. :P (please don't hurt me)
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children? Identical. To be competent, intelligent, and eventually leave the household at adulthood.
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives? Very much so.
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives? Almost everyone is atheist, agnostic, or irreligious in general.

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained. Access nearby mass-energy synthesis terminal. Request food item. Receive food item.
What type of foods are most popular? Internal-maintenance-nanite repair serum.
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region? No such thing.
What type of food is the locality or region famous for? Nothing, really.
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating? Whatever's needed to eat whatever you've synthesized.
How is the table arranged? No particular pattern. Most people just eat standing up.
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners? Nothing unified or meaningful, really. As said before, the most common eating arrangement is standing up.
How many and when are the main mealtimes? One in the morning (serum is generally taken daily), and up to two other main ones during the day based on personal preference.
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public? Private enterprise is supposed to be illegal, but a few of these exist anyway.
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness? Food poisoning is a well-understood and primitive phenomenon. Part of the reason citizens have internal maintenance nanites is to filter out dangerous substances.
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home? Meals are generally sold for on the order of ten to one hundred megatriangles (roughly one to ten US dollars) - purchasing power in the VCMR is much higher since money isn't used for very much.
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc? The overall opinion on clothes in the VCMR is that they should be effective. This underlying philosophy has led to most regions creating clothing standards that basically turn them into armor.
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories? Only purely biological ones.
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? Synthesized and distributed by the government, or synthesized and used by the individual.
How much does typical clothing cost? Only a fraction of the citizen's mass-energy budget, and not a large fraction, either.
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual? Fashion is only mildly important when your clothing is essentially body armor. It's not a serious concern.
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when? Jewelry of any kind mostly indicates that the wearer has an interest in geology. Why else would you put rocks and minerals around your body?

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)? Yes. It's one of the ways people stay sane.
What other major forms of entertainment are there? Music's a big one, as are games of various sorts.
Is the populace literate and numerate? Very much so. By age ten, the average VCMR schoolchild knows several dozen higher-dimensional polytopes.
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read? Whatever other people write. There's never enough creative talent in the VCMR, and often books are imported from other civilizations.
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost? A few hundred megatriangles (the equivalent of a few tens of dollars) for very long datavolumes, which are particularly popular.
Is there a public library system? Who uses it? The government maintains an unbelievably bureaucratic and complex system of archives, accessible by everyone except for a few restricted sites available for professionals and government workers.
Who are popular authors and poets? None at the multiversal level, uncountably many at the local levels.
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature? See above.
How has this changed over time? Keeping track of literature is nigh-impossible; this question can't be answered with any certainty.


VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering? Usually the one that organized the gathering, unless somebody else clearly has something important to say.
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste? Literature and entertainment, in whatever forms, are usually the most common gifts. Material gifts are really stupid because the recipient is more than likely capable of just making them.
How do younger adults address their elders? With the same fairly neutral tone of communication that they'd address anyone else with.
When is it rude to laugh at something funny? Almost never. Humor is one of the VCMR's last bastions of sanity in a multiverse of sheer apathy.
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? Question High Command and you're vaporized on the spot. Beyond that, you're pretty much fine with whatever.
What parts of the body are routinely covered? Most of them, excluding heads and usually hands.
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? Rather private. It's not taboo to talk about them, but it's also seen as rude to, say, stare at someone performing these functions.


VII. Questions of Faith.

I removed several questions from this list because of the character limit, and because the responses boiled down to "there's a ton of religions in the VCMR, none of which are relevant".

Is the culture religious or nonreligious? Incredibly nonreligious; only 0.02% of the population has a religion of any sort. Most people don't know any religious people.
What are the major religious groups in the region? Of the 0.02%, most are deist, believing in an omniversal "Great Creator".
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices? This "Great Creator" is apparently a force for good, or something like that; it's really vaguely defined.
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms? Whatever the current understanding of metacosmology is, plus the implication of an origin.
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region? Nobody really cares unless a religion gets violent. Then it's a problem.
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination? It's left up to the religions to figure it out. Most of them maintain vast archives, though.
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture? Depends on the religion.
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? Most believe in nothing. Some claim the existence of an afterlife, and may not entirely be wrong. Most of those people realize it's beyond their control.
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? Not much.
What relationship do religious and political leaders have? Completely independent. Religion is not a concern in politics.
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear? Very few people seriously fear or believe in anything supernatural. Most who invoke the supernatural are doing it jokingly.
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)? Depends on the religion. (Nonreligious individuals may jokingly accuse "demons" of causing problems, though.)
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion? See above.
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?

Magic
How is magic integrated into society? It isn't. VCMR citizens are innately nonmagical.
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic?
How are works of magic accomplished?
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work?


VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual. Labor is divided on role to society. Anything cultural or social is nonexistent at the multiversal scale.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job? Not really.
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated? Nothing much; those jobs were likely automated long ago.
What professions or activities are considered masculine? No such thing, due to the fact that nobody's concerned about gender/sex.
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? See above.
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays? Local planetary/megastructure "morning" to "midday", then "early afternoon" to "late afternoon". Days of rest / holidays are assigned by region, though Unification Day is celebrated multiverse-wide.
How does this differ between different jobs? Not really.
What jobs have few workers and why? Whichever jobs need few workers. Hooray, command economy taking up the scraps after post-scarcity killed everything
What are typical wages for various jobs? A hundred thousand to a half million megatriangles ($10,000 to $50,000) a year. There's not much to spend it on, in any case.
How does work affect lifestyle and health? People figure out their own solutions. It varies.
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups? Any differences on job preference are purely physical/biological in nature; a Copard isn't going to do fluid-pipe maintenance (can't fit), and a Venn isn't going to be moving damaged vehicles (too weak).
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work? Any concepts of ethics are either trivial, nonexistent, or local/regional only. (This applies for most things in general.)


IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms? Music, literature, and on occasion visual art like sculpture or drawing.
What are the least-favorite? Anything overly sexual or disgusting, generally.
How respected are artists? Moderately.
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage? "Artist" is generally something that someone's assumed to do on their own time. Thus, it's mostly their responsibility to make money.
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? Nothing besides the ordinary? Artists are nothing special or unusual.
How might a very successful artist live? Like any other wealthy person; with a full-fledged house on an oasis planet somewhere, most likely.
What forms of theatre does your society have? Theatre tends to be digital in nature.
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? It spans the entire spectrum from "atom-by-atom recreations of our homeworlds" to "here's a triangle, pretend it means something".
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? Regular polygons, polyhedra, polychora (four-dimensional figures), polytera (five-dimensional figures), etc.
Which artforms get the most and least respect? Anything with a lot of effort or thought put into it is respected, and anything that clearly wasn't thought through... isn't.
What form does censorship take? Removal of all instances of artwork from the nation and a blanket ban on synthesized or virtualized reconstructions.
Who may not be an artist? People who don't want to be artists.
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? Whatever the person viewing it says, pretty much.
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? It's personal preference, not social preference.
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics? Mildly negatively.

Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities? In general, yes, if the art's any good. Of course it varies; the VCMR spans billions of planets in each of billions of galaxies in each of a vast number of universes!
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary? See above.
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it? The VCMR's writing system of Unified Pan-Galactic Binary is unfortunately not very suited to calligraphy, so that's fairly rare.
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like? Mathematical, usually. Or something like that.
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)? Whenever. Carrying computers and nano-scale audio devices everywhere you go (they're usually built into clothing) helps.
Does music influence people's behaviour? It may or may not. Psychologists disagree.
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like? Dance is uncommon, usually.
Who goes to see such entertainments? Anyone interested in them. Is this another of those social questions? The idea of a single unified society is a silly one.


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted? Two consenting adults who've filled out all the requisite paperwork for marriage. Local government agencies provide the paperwork and then approve it.
What is the term of a marriage contract? Until another set of paperwork is filled out to end it.
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding? Same as any other gifts. Information/artwork/entertainment is preferred over material objects that can be synthesized on a whim.
How are marriages celebrated? Quietly, with little fanfare, and usually very privately.
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? Twenty years or so is where it might get a little weird. Nobody really cares, though.
Do relationships allow multiple partners? If "multiple" means more than two, no.
In what ways is a marriage considered broken? (I don't really understand this question; I'll skip it.)
How can a marriage be terminated? Consent between those involved, combined with a small pile of various forms to fill out.


XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities? 150 to 200 for both Venn and Copard. Past that, it gets a bit obnoxious to have your nanites maintaining your obviously-ready-to-die body.
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)? Unlimited, provided you've got the mass-energy budget to have it.
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)? As much as needed.
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water? Yes, yes, yes, etc.
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities. There's a place to dispose the minuscule amount of organic waste you might produce for some reason (it gets recycled back to mass-energy), a place to wash, and a place to look at yourself. Beyond that, anything goes, though it's obviously very efficient and futuristic
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations? The overall principle, as with anything in a post-scarcity society, is "yes, as much as needed". The government is responsible for health care though; no sense forcing people to pay to stay healthy.
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community? There are centralized hospitals for cities and planets or megastructures.
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems? Internal maintenance nanites are more than capable of repairing wounds, illnesses, etc. that don't involve serious blood loss or limb loss.
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise? See above.
What does typical healthcare cost? Nothing. Why make people pay for life?
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? More specialized, much more powerful nanites, combined with - you guessed it - mass-energy synthesis!
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? Nothing. Anatomy is a trivial concept.
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour. Health care is preventative. If you've got nanites, you're pretty much set.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider? Only if something's obviously wrong.
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments? All ailments are physical; mental illnesses come from neurons and the signals between them.
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other? Extreme cases of mental illness are treated by neural reprogramming.
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)? Confusion; it's not hard to get these things corrected.


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? Any sexual activity between siblings or parent and child. Any sexual activity without mutual consent. Very negatively; both are illegal.
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced? People don't concern themselves with this stuff.
What secret vice actually is practiced? Almost nothing, surprisingly.
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners? Only what's actually known to occur.
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? Treated neutrally, like most other sexual issues.
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital? Yes and yes, provided mutual consent.
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? Any sexual activity between individuals not married to each other. (Yes, this means multiple-way intercourse is illegal once you're married.) Usually jail and a fine. The government.
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? No. Very negatively. Sure.
What is the greatest sexual taboo? Being very loud and boisterous about having sex, really.
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it? Nobody really means anything. It's not important.
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be? Once individuals are married, the only sex they're supposed to have is with their partner.
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior? Anything illegal.
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct? Depends on culture or religion, of which there are a lot. Few of them care, though.
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour? Yes; most have been described from the above questions.
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children? Adulthood (twenty-five or so). Yes, as well as laws.
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? Groups are tolerated, until marriage.


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc. Government-organized schooling throughout childhood to adulthood, plus optional specialization after that.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education? Compulsory. Free.
Between which ages does education happen? Birth to adulthood, often past that.
How are year groups and academic years arranged? One group per year.
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered? Very carefully. All the usual courses; language, mathematics, science, history, etc.
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools? Completion and specialization, in the simplest terms.
What do schools / colleges / universities look like? Inconspicuous buildings within cities. As usual, all hallways and rooms are constructed to accomodate both Venn and Copard, so from the inside they're rather... cavernous.
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class sizeClassrooms are heavily computerized; students have desks with built-in computing modules, holographic tablets for writing, and datavolumes, while the instructor is usually surrounded by an array of display modules and drones for assisting in teaching. Classes are generally around thirty to forty students, though often there can be up to four instructors directing the same class.
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school? Secondary Command creates general education laws, while local governments handle specific schools.
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system? Unified Pan-Galactic Binary, which is called such not because it has two characters, but because speaking or writing it requires keeping track of two strings of ideas at once.
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? Ubiquitous and essential.
What form and value are books? Datavolumes, either physical or entirely digital on computers, are seen as very important; knowledge is far more valuable than physical objects to the VCMR.
Who teaches others? How do they teach? Trained, professional instructors, involved in government programs that organize education. Teaching is very visual, with holograms and videos used frequently.
Who decides who learns to read or write? It is every citizen's responsibility to learn them.
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe? Experienced professionals working in these fields who have been qualified to teach them. By the government, of course.
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? Any lessons from foreigners are generally conducted in neutral territory, not within the VCMR. As always, the local government is responsible for this.


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines? Unified, in a way. What purpose is there to unapplied thought?
What devices and technologies are available for people? The VCMR has had two million years of technological advancements; it suffices to say "a whole pile of stuff".
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated? As they are essential for the civilization's continued existence, most of them are handled with respect.
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology? "Not difficult". This question seems to imply that there may be some sort of taboo against technology. In fact, the opposite is true in the VCMR.
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all? Public archives are freely available, though a few subsets of knowledge, like the government's inner workings and such, are generally restricted.

Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like? VCMR buildings are polyhedral dull grey structures with energy-shielded windows and large vault-like doors. Interior design is meant to accommodate both Venn and Copard, so that generally involves hallways and rooms being very, very large.
How does this vary over time and between places in the region? It varies very little. However, on planets, buildings might be made of more exotic materials and further apart from each other. Interstellar megastructures aren't designed to be entered from a "ground level" but rather from orbit, so they're somewhat different.
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together? Macrosteel, the most common building material is synthesized by combining osmium with a whole pile of super-dense, generally restricted elements. (Is that what the question was asking?)
What are houses like inside and out? Dull grey, and rather spacious, to hold the several-meter-high Copard. The interior varies drastically depending on personal preference.
What are palaces and castles like? No such thing.
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building? The largest Citadel (intergalactic disc-shaped megastructures) yet constructed, R0-0-0 Citadel #1151936 First Light of Many, measures nine million lightyears wide and two point five million lightyears high at the tip of its central spire.
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported? Whatever materials are needed. The most common is macrosteel, but cratici-arkal composite is used for more lightweight materials.
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand? A combination of mass-energy synthesizers, nanobots and picobots, and workers to supervise them.
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally? Any landmarks in the VCMR are only notable locally.


XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places? (I've already answered this question, haven't I?)
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like? Trips between universes are not uncommon. They are usually accomplished with passenger spacecraft and portals, or Star Rail networks connecting universes.
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost? Yes. Everyone. Not much; it's only a few hundred kilotriangles (few cents) to travel all the way around a planet, for example.
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place? No such thing. Public transit uses various rails.
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles? No.
How safe and clean is the typical transport system? Extremely, due to the dedicated efforts of nanobots and such.
What major fuels are used? Raw mass-energy translated into kinetic energy.
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other? Various video-audio as well as textual comms systems exist, collectively referred to as the "tachyon network".
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination? If there's a need to transport an object, it can be disassembled in one mass-energy terminal and reassembled in another. This process is extremely efficient, though it only operates within the VCMR and can only fit objects that physically fit into the terminal. (A few cubic meters or so.) Yes, this can be used as a teleportation system. No, the teleported copy is not you, and it will usually get killed by the police/military.
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist? The aforementioned tachyon network, as well as military comms. These basically function by spraying tachyon streams in multiple directions and reassembling them at the destination.


XVI. Questions of Economics.


What is the local economy based on?Post-scarcity, with a command economy taking up the scraps of whatever's left over. There's not really such a thing as resources or trade anymore.
How is commerce engaged in? Under government oversight, very carefully.
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people? No need. Money doesn't mean much anyway.
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid? A functional civilization to live in.

Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)? The VCMR's currency is the triangle, which has no subdivisions given that it's roughly one-ten-millionth of a dollar. It is a fiat currency consisting of coins as well as digital records.
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means? Always the central government.
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies? It's next to useless, like most other neighboring currencies.
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently? It hasn't.
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries? Synthesized by the government with specific code markings that are next to impossible to reproduce. Forgery is rare and usually punished by jail time.
How is wealth distributed? Fairly evenly; most jobs pay similar amounts.
Is there a public banking system? Yes, operated by the government.
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost? Everyone. Quite a few. Not much.
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other? No significant gap exists.
What constitutes "poverty" in this society? If someone refuses to work and runs out of money frequently, that counts as poverty.


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying? The natural end of a system of biological processes. Nothing to be feared; nothing to be embraced.
What does this society do with their corpses? Corpses are melted down into biomass, poured into canisters labelled with their name and planet of origin, and returned to their families.
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of? Families who do not wish to keep their canisters will usually disassemble them for mass-energy.
Is the family responsible for the body? Yes, see the above two responses.
What part do the priests play? None.
Are there cemeteries at all? No.
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? Biomass canisters are usually stored on a shelf somewhere in the house.
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? If you want to look at your biomass canister, you can do that, yeah.

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide? Unfortunate, but not inherently immoral or wrong.
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? "Sin" implies it's religious, and the VCMR is extremely irreligious.
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul? Nah, not really.
Is it worse than murder? No, murder's much worse.

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured? Authoritarian democracy existing mostly to cover up a mechanocratic dictatorship. Local governments are elected by the people, regional governments by representatives, and Secondary Command by a big pile of everyone at once. Above them is High Command, who are really just puppets, in secret, for the universe-spanning eleven-dimensional self-constructing quantum Boltzmann Brain supercomputer known as the Dimensional Core.
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government? Authoritarianism. Secularism. Pro-technology. Anti-entropy.
What is the political status of minority communities? Treated equally and entitled to an equal position in government. "Minorities" don't even really exist.
How is government chosen? Direct elections at the smaller scale, representatives higher up. High Command is picked in secret by randomly-selected politicians, while the Dimensional Core... just sort of stays there.
What is the country’s general foreign policy? Interventionism mixed with an unhealthy dose of paranoia.
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? A network of VCMR-affiliated Boltzmann Brains around the occupied universes, by usually unanimous decision.
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? Punishments are decided by the aforementioned Brains. They range from fines (of either triangles or mass-energy budget) or jail time, to forced biomassing or just disintegration. Why? Ask the Brains.
How are new laws created or old ones changed? Local governments create bills and pass them democratically, as does Secondary Command. High Command's decisions, which overrule Secondary Command most of the time, are created entirely by the Dimensional Core's will.
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? That implies the Boltzmann Brains are sometimes wrong. They aren't.
Who has the right to give orders, and why? Military members speaking to lower-ranking members, government officials when making laws. Typical things, right?
What titles do various officials have? Generally not much. You mention you're in government and that's about it. Secondary Command's officers, though, are titled as "VCMR Secondary Command – [fill in the blank] Officer [name]".
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? They differ only superficially.
How do government officials dress? Like anyone else.
Is the law written down? Who interprets it? Yes, and recorded in various archives. Local governments, plus the Boltzmann Brains.
Once accused, what recourse does someone have? Nothing, because the accusation was correct.
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed? Torture is illegal. Capital punishment is legal.
How are criminals executed? Biomassing - a process that, while stressful, takes only milliseconds and is painless. Alternatively, disintegration on the spot, which is arguably more humane since criminals don't see it coming.
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? Whoever's not up to date on nanites, augments, and general education and such.
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? Of course not.
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? Attempting to change things too much, too quickly, tends to do that. Thankfully, politicians serve very short terms and are rotated out very quickly.
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal? Criminals are rare. The most dangerous are the ones who synthesize some deadly weapon (illegally; this requires heavy synthesizer modification) and proceed to become dangerous to everyone around them.

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? The military is responsible for law enforcement.
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? Technically it's split up by region, but the military as a whole is nationalized.
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed? Always armed, though they rarely actually use weapons. Simply arriving is terrifying enough for criminals.
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? They are allowed to contact local Boltzmann Brains to figure out if you actually caused a crime or not. Lethal force is legal but discouraged except for violent offenders.
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? The Dimensional Core.
Is there a secret police? There are many secret polices.
What is the role of police informants, if any? To keep information flowing and prevent criminals from covering up activities for too long.
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size? Yes. Planetary forces and space forces; there's no distinction past that. Extremely large, as it needs to defend numerous universes.
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world? Significantly more powerful, though not physically as numerous as a few others in R0-0.
Who declares war? Local governments for small-scale wars, Secondary Command for anything universe-sized or above.
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? See above.
How are treaties negotiated? On neutral ground by a team of diplomats. Local governments or Secondary Command will remotely assist in writing treaties.
What happens to prisoners taken in battle? Prisoners are held (in non-awful conditions, surprisingly) until the war ends or their natural deaths. Then, they are either returned alive, or melted down into individual canisters of biomass and then returned.
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces? The VCMR's speciality is in ludicrously-high-powered kinetic weapons (sometimes called "mass drivers" or "railcannons"), though lasers, explosives, and more exotic weapons see some use.
What form of warfare does this society use? High-speed, all-out offensive warfare with the intent to eradicate the enemy as fast as possible.
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare? They're integrated rather smoothly; they differ little.
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them? No such thing. Soldiers may be more experienced and/or higher-ranking, but none are specifically trained to be "elite".
How does someone get command of troops? Soldiers can be promoted to command positions, or trained through special educational courses to attain higher command ranks.
Where do the loyalties of military units lie? To their commanders, then to their government.
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military? A professional soldier in the VCMR is someone who wasn't conscripted and decided to stay in the military for a while. They are fairly rare.
What is campaign or camp life like? Ground operations are usually very brief, so soldiers usually just live and eat in the field. Aboard spacecraft, it's very similar to life back home.
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to? It is wrong to intentionally harm civilians (though due to the nature of weaponry, it's almost inevitable anyway), or to torture enemies.
How are battle injuries treated? A combination of high-powered specialized nanites for damage control, and mass-energy synthesis to grow back blood or organs.
How long do wars typically last? Some end within minutes. Others stretch on for centuries.
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war? Numerous times. In the past, it may have been to eliminate a potential threat, or to claim resources back when those were important. Now, it's generally more for political or existential reasons: "if we don't kill them they're going to enslave entire universes / kill us all / spread entropy throughout the metaverse".
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution? Never at any significant scale. Local rebellions are not uncommon, but they're put down quickly.
What do soldiers do when there's no war? Many train. Others live with their families for a time.
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations? Too many to count. Relations are currently tense with the Yunat (though cooling off), and somewhat shaky with the Matrix of Ceed.
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war? The VCMR's largest current enemy is the Devourer's Ravagery, though open war between these two nations has not yet escalated to significant levels. It is impossible to choose a "winner" when neither side has yet put much at stake.
What defences are available to cities? Armor and shielding for protection against orbital assault, point-defense weapons to shoot down incoming missiles or landing craft, and rail systems to evacuate their populations.
Last edited by Multiversal Venn-Copard on Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:28 pm, edited 3 times in total.
"I guess everything really does happen at once sometimes."

The VCMR is likely far less interested in interfering with those below than it used to be.

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Erutenia
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Postby Erutenia » Mon Dec 26, 2016 8:39 pm

#tag
ATTENTION: THE ERUTENIAN FEDERATION IS BEING REMODELED, STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND FOLLOW ANY ORDER GIVEN BY THE POLICE OR AUXILIARY UNITS. I REPEAT...
Erutenia: For love, for science, for our federation!

this nation is more complex than it looks
BAD ENGLISH APPROACHING

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Erutenia
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Founded: Oct 01, 2016
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Postby Erutenia » Tue Dec 27, 2016 10:58 am

I can put some questions in a factbook?
ATTENTION: THE ERUTENIAN FEDERATION IS BEING REMODELED, STAY IN THEIR HOMES AND FOLLOW ANY ORDER GIVEN BY THE POLICE OR AUXILIARY UNITS. I REPEAT...
Erutenia: For love, for science, for our federation!

this nation is more complex than it looks
BAD ENGLISH APPROACHING

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Venadia
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Founded: Mar 11, 2016
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Postby Venadia » Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:14 pm

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. The vast lands of Venadia range from arctic wastelands in the north, going towards tundra further south. Central and southern Venadia are relatively temperate and fertile, with several rivers running through the old lands of Kandovy, Viniya and Tarmanovy. Further east are the extensive steppelands of the Aljeti, Undreshi and Boldirians. Southern and eastern Venadia are mountainous, forming natural borders that keep our great nation in check.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? The climate runs from arctic and severely cold in the north, to temperate in southern and central Venadia. Eastern Venadia is fairly arid, and its continental climate means warm summers and cold winters.
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? Varies. Tornadoes are not entirely uncommon in eastern Venadia, while central Venadia largely only deals with storms and the occasional blizzard. Blizzards are increasingly more common the further north one goes, and flooding is also a somewhat frequent problem in central Venadia.
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? Varies by culture. The eastern national minorities, and some of the ethnic Venadias who have settled the lands for a long time, associate the open steppes with freedom.
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? Many of the national minorities, such as the Aljeti and the Koni, keenly oppose it. Ethnic Venadians tend to be supportive to apathetic to opposed, with the majority being supportive or apathetic.
What are the most commonly-grown foods? Potatoes, root fruits, rye & other grains.
What are the most commonly-eaten meats? Cattle and pork.
What foods are considered exotic or expensive? Tropical fruits, whale meat, certain types of fowl.
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? Whiskey and beer are the mainstay of alcohol production in Venadia. Wine, mead, cider and vodka are not uncommon, while rum and quite a few other drinks are rare.
Is there usually enough food and water for the population? Yes.
What is this place's most abundant resource? Natural gas.
What is its most valuable resource? Petroleum.
What resource is it most lacking? Textiles of various sorts.
How do people travel from one place to another? Venadia has a developed public transport network, and for longer travel, going by rail remains common. Automotive traffic is increasing however, as is air travel.
Are the borders secure? In what way? Fairly secure. The Department of Public Safety is partially responsible for border security, along with the Customs Bureau and to an extent the military. Major arteries of travel have checkpoints on the border, and some places in Venadia have more extensive border security (such as Undreshistan).
How many people live here? Venadia has a total population of 160.5 million people.
Where in this place do they congregate? Central-west Venadia has the highest population density, and is the seat of the Great Cities of Venagorod and Khandagrad. The south is also relatively densely population, while the east and north are relatively unpopulated. The population densities of Venadia's 31 administrative divisions range from a high of 393 per kilometer squared (48 per kilometer squared if you exclude the Great Cities of Venagorod and Khandagrad) to a low of 0.6 per kilometer squared.
What part of this place do they avoid? Why? The far north, barring a handful of towns and villages, is avoided because no sane person would want to live there. Undreshistan has been avoided by non-Undreshi's for a long time, due to the ongoing insurgency.
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? Cattle. For their meat and milk.
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? Deer of various species, if you exclude rodents and birds. Wild animals are hunted outside of some nature reservations, although hunting is heavily regulated.
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? Dogs and cats are common. Generally, non-domesticated animals in general won't be kept as pets, although a small number of Venadians do keep bears as pets.
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? Rye. Food.
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? Various berries. Also food.



II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go? A bit more than a thousand years.
How far back do its people believe it goes? The same, if you are asking about written history. The history of the Venadian people in general is believed to go back thousands of years, with 12th century BC being the earliest commonly accepted date of protoslavic tribes emerging in southern Venadia.
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? The peoples that would become the Venadian peoples developed statehood, agriculture and sedentary lifestyles between the 2nd century AD and the 9th century AD. The modern nation of Venadia was founded in 1221 after the rise of the Republic of Venagorod as the supreme power among the slavic states of modern Venadia. The unification of Venadia occurred as a mixture of war (religious war in particular) and closer ties between the slavic peoples due to trade.
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? The Republic of Venagorod and the Grand Duchy of Kandovy were the strongest players. The Republic of Viniya, the Duchy of Reloslav, the Duchy of Kamerod, the Republic of Liga and the Duchy of Proy. Non-Venadian powers who played a role in the foundation of Venadia include the norse Bremenn of the north-west and the pagan Vesans of the west.
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? The slavic Venadians have always populated southern and central Venadia, although initially slow migrations following the glaciers was the way the Venadian people went north.
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? The existance of the Vesans. More seriously, the Great Pestilence that ravaged most of Venadia between 1352 and 1355.
What are the major events in this culture's past? The Wars of Religion/Unification Wars, a series of wars between the petty states of Venadia between 971 and 1221 that eventually resulted in unification. The Vesan Crusades, roughly the same time period and beyond that ended in the sack of Venagorod. It was against the Vesan Commonwealth, pagans to the west, who ended up ultimately defying the warriors of Christ. The Venadian Civil War between 1434 to 1442 between the Great Veche (parliament/proto-parliament) & the boyars against the Grand Prince of Venadia and the Archbishop of Venagorod. The civil war saw the forces of the Great Veche win out, and the founding of the Great Veche as the undisputed power of Venadia. The Expansion of Suffrage in 1667 that granted some non-aristocratic males the vote, and removed inherited seats in parliament (later expansions of suffrage and democratic reforms, while important, are not considered as revolutionary as the reforms of 1667). The Apalkov Rebellion/The Southern Rebellion between 1745 and 1749 by the forces of Ivan Apalkov, largely from the southern populations and lesser noble families. The rebels implemented a radical democratic system, and while the rebellion was ultimately crushed, Ivan Apalkov became a folk hero in southern Venadia, and his ideas later gave inspirations to everything from liberals to anarchists to socialists. The First and Second Ardanian Great Wars in the early-to-mid 20th century, that devastated the nation.
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? Industrialization and the massive growth in standards of living it entailed, between the 18th and 20th centuries.
What in their past makes them feel ashamed? Varies. Military losses against the Vesan Union is embarassing to some, Venadia's historical oppression of the national minorities is shameful to others.
What in their past makes them proud? Again, it varies. Venadia's long history of republicanism (even if the road to democracy was long, sometimes hard, and gradual) is a point of pride for some, while for others Venadia's proud military history and its victories against a multitude of nations in the east and north is a point of pride. Venadia's contributions in the Second Ardanian Great War against the forces of the Ardanian Comintern is a point of pride for others.
What are they afraid of happening again? Another Great War.
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? Peace and prosperity. They consider it fairly likely.
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? Relative to other nations, moderately so. Venadia has plenty of patriots and traditionalists, but its not an all-encompassing ideal. Pragmatism runs deep in the Venadian national spirit, as is not having too much respect for the nation. However, even with that, the average Venadian has some pride in their country. A different issue arises when one considers that only 74.0% of Venadia's population are ethnic Venadians (with a further 8.9% being White Venadians, a closely related ethnic group). Many of the national minorities (distinct from immigrant ethnicities on virtue of the homelands of the national minorities being withing the Republic of Venadia) have a deep connection to their own culture and heritage, moreso than your average Venadian.
What do they assume the future will hold? Right now, the future is looking relatively bright.
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? Massively. Venadia has gone from a series of distinct and divided partially agrarian tribe to a multi-national modern state, industrialized and relatively prosperous, in a millennium. Culture, language and even religion has changed, and Venadians are well aware of this.
What are the most popular stories about the past?
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? Depends on who you ask. Heroes include the rebel Ivan Apalkov (18th century), who fought against injustice. Saint Viktor of Venadia (10th century), who brought Christianity to the pagan slavs of Simiria (present day Venadia). President Radomir Shishko (20th century) who led Venadia to victory in the Second Ardanian Great War. Voislav the Tall (10th century) who was the first slavic leader to successfully resist the norsemen. Of greatest villains, the answer is less ambiguous. Grand Duke Traidenis is considered by many to be Venadia's greatest historical enemy. A pagan warlord of the Vesan Commonwealth, who ravaged through central Venadia, ending his wicked warpath with the Sack of Venagorod in 1425. Other contenders include Grand Prince Boris the Black (15th century), whose tyrannical ways sparked the Venadian Civil War.
Do people think the present better or worse than the past? For most, better.
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? Most think the future will be better.


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region? Race isn't a popular concept in Venadia. The largest ethnic group is the slavic Venadians.
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? The Slavic Venadians and White Venadians. Other major ethnicities include the Boldirians, Undreshistani, Ilverians, Jews (mainly Ashkenazi), the Koni, Vesans, Somerians and the Aljeti.
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry? Venadians and White Venadias mainly differ in terms of language and culture. White Venadians have a greater deal of influence from the Vesans, having been their subjects for a large part of their history. Of the other ethnicities, appearance, culture and language all differ. The germanic Somerians and the Jews do not look very distinct from Venadians, but their language, culture and religion (Somerians being protestants) are distinct. The Undreshistani and Boldirians are both Armanok peoples, with browner skin and of shorter build than your average Venadian. Their culture and religion is also quite distinct, both peoples being majority Sunni islam (although a prominent minority of Undreshistani are sufists). The Aljeti and Ilverian peoples are mongoloids, with pagan nature worship remaining common, even if the majority have converted to the Christian faith. The Koni are a northern people, shorter and wider than your average Venadian, with darker hair and eyes.
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage? Venadians, White Venadians, Somerians and Jews are overrepresented in jobs requiring higher education. Most other national minorities tend to be low-skilled labourers or work in the primary sector. Racism is illegal in Venadia, and there are no legal barriers for a member of any ethnicity to take any job they are qualified for, but racist sentiment remains in the country that effectively bars most national minorities from high-prestige jobs.
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities? Varies. Overt racism is looked down upon, but "casual" racism remains common.
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture? Venadian cuisine is, in the modern day, an amalgation of dishes of all the ethnicities that call Venadia their home (or whose home is incidentally part of Venadia, regardless if they consider themselves Venadians). Loanwords in Venadian exist from almost all national minorities. Immigration to Venadia is relatively low, and the immigrant communities have not made much of a contribution to Venadian culture.



IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have? 1.
Who decides on a marriage? Legally speaking, the couple. Some minority groups practice arranged marriage, arranged by the families of the bride and groom.
Can a marriage end in divorce? How? Yes. Through the court system.
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? Usually the mother.
How are families named? By surname, generally that of the father. Some national minorities have other systems, with some being matrilineal and others lacking surnames at all.
What happens to orphans? If no kinsmen takes them, they are generally sent to state-run orphanages until a foster family can be found or they enter the age of adulthood, whichever happens first.
How are boy and girl children treated differently? Legally, there's no distinction. Culturally, boys tend to be expected to be more active and aggressive, and girls more subdued.
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? Marriage gifts among Venadians tend to involve furniture, cutlery, bowls and the like. Among some national minorities, gifts of livestock are more common.
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? The country is considered female. Furthermore, ships, vehicles and cities are considered female. Weapons, planes and political parties are considered male.
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? For ethnic Venadians, yes, at least in the past few centuries. Less so among some national minorities.
How big are families, typically? For ethnic Venadians, typically between four and six (the nuclear family being considered the family, these days, except among rural Venadians were extended families number in the dozens). For national minorities, it ranges from the same, to much more extensive.
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? Two generations typically, among ethnic Venadians. A household is the same as the family for urban ethnic Venadians. For some national minorities, it is not atypical to see four generations in the same household, and excessive of a dozen individuals.
Are girls or boys preferred and why? Among ethnic Venadians, it varies from couple to couple. Among national minorities, it ranges from the same, to some preferring boys and others preferring girls.
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? Too common. While much reduced in the past century, it remains an issue, and is considered a problem.
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? Harsh penalties for domestic abusers.


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? Power: Green. Virtue: Red. Death: White.
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? Between the two men, or by law enforcement.
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? By their husbands/fathers/men in the vicinity.
How do people demonstrate grief? In private. Public outbreaks of grief is considered mildly shameful, regardless of gender.
Who inherits property? Titles? Position? Among non-aristocratic ethnic Venadians, divided between the children. Aristocratic titles is inherited by the first-born son, or the first-born daughter if no sons have been produced by the marriage. National minorities range from youngest son, to first-born son, to first-born daughter to being split between the sons or all children.
What are the most popular games? How important are they? Chess. Relatively important.
When and how does someone go from child to adult? The traditional age of adulthood is sixteen, which is when the age of consent is considered to be. Legally speaking, and increasingly in society, the age of adulthood is 18.
How much free time do people usually get? Working weeks typically involves forty to fifty hours of labour. Attending church is considered very important, socially, on sundays. On average, a Venadian with a decent job has about eighty hours of free time a week. In addition, Venadians have two weeks a year of legally obligated vacation time, not counting public holidays.
What do they spend this time doing? Pursuing hobbies, organizational involvement, spending time with family and friends, travel, recreational activities and so on.
Is society segregated in any way? Not legally speaking. In practice, Venadia has a fairly strong class system. The aristocracy tends to keep to themselves, and people tend to their own social class. Ethnicity is also a pretty big segregation, even if only socially. Both have lessened in recent decades, with Venadians more readily pursuing relationships across class and ethnic boundaries. The Boldirian and Undreshistani national minorities also have a great degree of gender segregation.
What social classes or divisions exist in this society? Venadia is considered to be split into roughly six classes, those being the Elite, the Professional Class, the Middle Class, the Working Class, the Farmers/Rural Class and the Underclass. Each of these is considered to be split into numerous others, such as the Aristocracy, the Intelligentsia, the Upper-Middle Class, the Small-Farmers and so on.
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another? In general, yes, Venadia has a high degree of social mobility. The aristocracy is the only social class that is entirely static.
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society? Yes. Protestants, Jews, non-slavs and so on tend to be discriminated against, although such discrimination is illegal.
How independent or codependent are individuals? Venadians tend to be codependent but have grown more independent, with social life being very important. Family and social class remains important, even if far less so than just thirty years ago.
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children? The typical role of men is the provider, and the typical role of women the nurturer. Children are expected to follow these traits, although this is greatly diminished in modern times.
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives? Somewhat. The Venadian welfare state is somewhat extensive, and the state plays a large regulatory role in both economic and social life.
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives? Yes. Most Venadians are religious, with Roman Catholicism, other Christian denominations (largely protestants), Islam and Judaism being relatively large religions. Religion plays a smaller role in modern Venadia than it has, but most Venadians still attend religious functions at least once a week.

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained. Purchased at grocery stores.
What type of foods are most popular? Traditional Venadian cuisine consists largely of hearty food staples, primarily root fruits, berries, seafood, meat (particularly game and pork) and rye bread. These remain the most popular, but international cuisine is becoming more prevalent, especially among urban Venadians.
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region? Various types of stews and soups.
What type of food is the locality or region famous for? Caviar and steak.
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating? Forks, spoons and knives.
How is the table arranged? Usually with plates and cutlery.
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners? Among ethnic Venadians, no. More traditional rural Venadians tend to seat the elder of the household and the leader of the household at the table ends.
How many and when are the main mealtimes? Three to four. Breakfast before work, lunch during work and dinner either by evening, or after work and then coupled with a smaller evening meal.
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public? Yes.
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness? Not significantly. Food production and storage is regulated. The link is understood, yes.
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home? For a decent meal about 30 rubles (around 3 NSD).
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc? Fur hats remain common, among both men and women. Modern fashion is quite international, especially in cities, with t-shirts, denims and sweaters. Wintertime tend to be a time for more traditional clothing in cities, with jackets and coats. Suits are expected in professional and political settings for men, and dresses for women. Dresses remain common even among young urban women.
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories? See above.
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? Increasingly in larger factories, although Venadia imports the bulk of its textiles these days. In rural communities, artisan production remains common.
How much does typical clothing cost? Expect to shell out about 20 NSD for a decent outfit for a man, and 29 NSD for a woman.
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual? Moderately important. The younger and more urban one is, the more fashion conscious one tends to be.
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when? Jewelry is common among women, and is becoming more common among young urban men. Necklaces and bracelets are common, while rings are common among both men and women.

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)? Yes. Theatres are very common in cities and towns, and even some larger villages.
What other major forms of entertainment are there? Cinemas, sporting arenas, cultural assemblies.
Is the populace literate and numerate? Literacy is very high (over 99%), and the same with numerate.
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read? Yes. Reading is a common pastime. Fiction remains common, with popular genres including crime novels, historical fiction (with a reasonably common subgenre of alternate history), fantasy and romance.
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost? Magazines range from 10 rubles to 150, with most being about 20-30. Books tend to cost about 120-150 rubles.
Is there a public library system? Who uses it? Yes. Public libraries tend to be most used by the poor.
Who are popular authors and poets? In the modern age, Anton Barodin is a quite popular author of fantasy novels, Gerhardt Schmidt is one of the most prolific crime authors, Radomir Konev has been hailed as the national poet of Venadia while Yelena Kazakova is a renowned and popular author of romance novels.
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature? Ivan Kartblood, Ivana Vergunova and Sergei Saratov are easily recognized characters from modern popular literature.
How has this changed over time? Popular literature is relatively recent. Until the 19th century, literature was mainly written by and for the literate aristocracy, and these tended to be written in heavy styles with emphasis on morality and location descriptions. Character-driven fiction started to be pre-eminent with the rise of popular literature, which initially took heavy notes from Venadian folklore.



VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering? The host.
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste? Appropriate gifts includes drinks and trinkets. Gifts of food is considered to be in bad taste.
How do younger adults address their elders? Traditionally, by full name. "Hey, wrinkle-face" seems to have gotten distressingly common.
When is it rude to laugh at something funny? At a funeral.
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all? Questions about sex is considered rude to ask in public. Questions about about religion is considered inappropriate for anyone but close friends and family, while politics is the same but to a much lesser extent.
What parts of the body are routinely covered? Sexual organs, upper bodies for women.
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? Very private.


VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious? Religious.
What are the major religious groups in the region? Christianity (mainly Roman Catholicism), Islam and Judaism. Traditional indigenous faiths are common among minorities in the east and north. Neopaganism is growing, but still tiny.
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices? See Roman Catholicism. Skipping most of these, since Venadia mainly follows real-world religions.
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms? See Roman Catholicism.
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region? It is a source of conflict, especially among national minorities that are non-Christian, particularly the Muslims.
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination? Written. Oral among traditional minority faiths.
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture? See Roman Catholicism.
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics? See Roman Catholicism.
What is the role of myth within the religion? See Roman Catholicism.
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith? Yes. See Roman Catholicism.
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings? See Roman Catholicism.
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised? See Roman Catholicism.
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc? See Roman Catholicism.
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? See Roman Catholicism.
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?

Magic
How is magic integrated into society? Actual working magic doesn't exist. Many traditional minority groups practice shamanism, which is integrated in their societies. Would-be soothsayers and mystics exist in Venadian society as well, however.
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic? There is no legislation in place to regulate magic.
How are works of magic accomplished? Shamans of the aforementioned minority groups tend to imbibe intoxicating and psychedelic stimulants.
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work? Oral tradition and memorization among aforementioned shamans.



VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual. Not sure what you are asking here. Division of labour is common, with industrialism having prevailed. An increasingly large part of the workforce works in the service sector.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job? Yes. Management and intellectual work carries a great deal of social prestige.
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated? Low-paid service sector jobs, works in public waste management.
What professions or activities are considered masculine? Military, blue-collar manual labour, management.
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? Healthcare provision, service sector, administrative functions.
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays? Eight to four is the typical working day. Venadian workers have two weeks of paid vacation annually, and Venadia recognizes sixteen public holidays. These are mainly religious, with the exceptions of International Women's Day (8th of March), International Worker's Day (1st of May), National Day (15th of June, celebrates the unification of Venadia in 1221), Parliament Day (28th of March, the end of the Venadian Civil War and supremacy of the Great Veche), Constitution Day (19th of July) and the Presidential Birthday (birthday of the current president).
How does this differ between different jobs? Blue-collar and white-collar workers tend to work from eight to four, while service sector workers keep different hours. Evening work is particularly common there, and the bulk of blue-collar jobs also have an evening shift from four to midnight. Agriculture tends to not keep set working hours for obvious reasons.
What jobs have few workers and why? There's increasingly a labour shortage among some academic professions, largely a result of a mild brain drain to countries with better opportunities for highly educated workers. While Venadia has a stellar education system, our economy performs relatively badly compared to our neighbours.
What are typical wages for various jobs? A typical blue collar job nets between 600 and 800 NSD a month, rural workers tend to make about 300-400 NSD, unskilled service sector workers around 400-500 NSD, professional jobs around 800-900, highly educated professions tend to make about 1400-1800 nsd a month and state-employees between 700 and 900 NSD.
How does work affect lifestyle and health? Blue-collar and service sector workers tend to have less healthy lifestyles, with a predominance of cheap food, tobacco use and alcoholism which is seen less in middle class and highly educated professions. Work accidents are common among rural workers.
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups? Discrimination is illegal, but ethnic minorities have difficulties getting highly paid jobs.
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work? Professions dealing with sensitive personal information, such as people working in public welfare and healthcare professions, are barred from telling of such sensitive information to others. Healthcare professionals, including nurses, are also expected to make the hippocratic oath, although its not an actual job requirement.


IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms? With art, performance art is the most popular, followed by paintings.
What are the least-favorite? Sculptures are fairly uncommon.
How respected are artists? Among the middle class and elite, quite respected. Far less respected by the working class, farmers and underclass.
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage? No.
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? Substance abuse.
How might a very successful artist live? In a big and lavishly decorated house, with five+ cars and regular vacations abroad. Pretty much like most Venadians who do well for themselves.
What forms of theatre does your society have? Performances of plays, mainly. Impro is uncommon.
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art? Has varied heavily throughout history. Currently, modern Venadian art is highly naturalistic, while in the 80s most was stylistic. This tends to change gradually every generation.
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture? Hard lines tend to be common in both.
Which artforms get the most and least respect? Literature the most, circus the least.
What form does censorship take? Censorship is uncommon, and mainly comes in the form of age ratings. Propaganda by illegal groups (mainly terrorist groups) is illegal.
Who may not be an artist? There are no restrictions, as such, in who can or can't be an artist.
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? Symmetry.
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? Beauty qualities in men tend to involve masculine appearances. Femininity is desirable in women, as is a thin frame.
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics? Tattoos are growing more popular, but most Venadians still associate them at least somewhat with criminals. Piercings are fairly uncommon, and most would react with some scepticism. Facial hair is common and apart from in some environments, aren't considered positive or negatively. Cosmetics are common, and almost expected from women in some situations and environments.

Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities? The upper and middle classes tend to be the most appreciative of art. The working class, art has a lower standing, and sports, movies and literature is the most commonly consumed.
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary? Artists generally enjoy it.
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it? There is, but its not terribly common.
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like? Venadian folk music tends to involve string instruments, and solo singers.
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)? In the modern day, chiefly mechanical.
Does music influence people's behaviour? Probably.
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like? Quite a few, varying by region. In the south, dances such as the kasachok is common, while in the north different areas have their own.
Who goes to see such entertainments? Movies tend to be frequented by the working class, theatre, art exhibits and opera by the upper class, and the middle class tend to see both. Literature unites all.


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted? Marriage is defined as a religious union between a man and a woman.
What is the term of a marriage contract? Shared property and fidelity.
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding? Household items and property are appropriate, recreational items inappropriate.
How are marriages celebrated? Varies. Ethnic Venadians tend to throw a party at the home of the groom's family. Rural Venadians tend to throw village-wide parties. Other national minorities varies.
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? More than ten years, and there will be comments.
Do relationships allow multiple partners? No.
In what ways is a marriage considered broken? Infidelity and abuse.
How can a marriage be terminated? Through a court of law, or by going to the religious institutions of the couple's religion.



XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities? Around 77 years. Southern Venadia and minority-majority areas tend to have lower (with the exception of Someria and the Jewish Volost). Somer Germans have the highest life expectancy, followed by Jews, ethnic Venadians and White Venadians.
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)? About 98% of Venadians have access to clean drinking water in their home. >99% have access to clean drinking water overall.
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)? Same as with drinking water.
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water? Mostly, yes. The vast majority have access to plumbing, although a significant minority do not have access to warm water.
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities. Private tend to consist of a toilet and a sink. Latrine and bathing facilities tend to be combined in most private homes, with showers and to a lesser extent baths being common. Public facilities tend to consist of toilet stalls and urinals, and showers for public bathing facilities.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations? Mainly through state-run hospitals and clinics. The well-off tend to use private hospitals and clinics.
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community? Hospitals are common, and exist in all towns and cities. Rural communities tend to be services by more diffuse general practicioners.
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems? Yes.
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise? Depends on the locality. Pretty much any in cities, most in towns while rural communities tend to only be able to provide treatment for very common diseases and alleviate medical emergencies until the patient can be transporter to a hospital.
What does typical healthcare cost? State-provided healthcare is free. Private healthcare varies wildly, but tend to be expensive. Most private healthcare providers offers insurances, whose rates range from 100 NSD a month to thousands.
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness? Through the miracle that is modern medicine.
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong? Laypersons have plenty, such as colds being caused by cold weather.
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour. Most Venadians seek treatment on an as-needed or emergency basis.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider? Most people rarely see a doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider. The average is less than once a year, except for children who are obligated to attend routine testing.
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments? Yes. State provided healthcare tends to only involve themselves with physical ailments.
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other? Left to suffer unless they got the money to see a psychiatrist.
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)? Reactions tend to be negative, although has improved in recent years.


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these?
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vice actually is practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged?
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital?
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides?
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate?
What is the greatest sexual taboo?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed?


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are year groups and academic years arranged?
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered?
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools?
What do schools / colleges / universities look like?
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school?
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system?
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed?
What form and value are books?
Who teaches others? How do they teach?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that?


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines?
What devices and technologies are available for people?
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated?
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology?
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all?

Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like?
How does this vary over time and between places in the region?
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out?
What are palaces and castles like?
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building?
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported?
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand?
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally?



XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?



XVI. Questions of Economics.


What is the local economy based on?
How is commerce engaged in?
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people?
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid?

Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)?
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means?
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies?
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently?
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries?
How is wealth distributed?
Is there a public banking system?
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost?
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other?
What constitutes "poverty" in this society?


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body?
What part do the priests play?
Are there cemeteries at all?
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why?

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide?
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all?
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul?
Is it worse than murder?

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured?
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government?
What is the political status of minority communities?
How is government chosen?
What is the country’s general foreign policy?
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How?
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why?
How are new laws created or old ones changed?
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved?
Who has the right to give orders, and why?
What titles do various officials have?
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person?
How do government officials dress?
Is the law written down? Who interprets it?
Once accused, what recourse does someone have?
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed?
How are criminals executed?
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership?
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances?
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it?
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal?

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size?
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world?
Who declares war?
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace?
How are treaties negotiated?
What happens to prisoners taken in battle?
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces?
What form of warfare does this society use?
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare?
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them?
How does someone get command of troops?
Where do the loyalties of military units lie?
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military?
What is campaign or camp life like?
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to?
How are battle injuries treated?
How long do wars typically last?
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war?
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution?
What do soldiers do when there's no war?
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations?
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war?
What defences are available to cities?
Last edited by Venadia on Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
The Land of the Ephyral
Diplomat
 
Posts: 798
Founded: Jun 03, 2016
Democratic Socialists

Postby The Land of the Ephyral » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:21 pm

I've decided to re-embark on this.
Last edited by The Land of the Ephyral on Thu Dec 29, 2016 6:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Multiversal Venn-Copard
Diplomat
 
Posts: 848
Founded: Nov 03, 2015
Democratic Socialists

Postby Multiversal Venn-Copard » Tue Dec 27, 2016 5:22 pm

The Land of the Ephyral wrote:So many fucking questions that my answers exceeded the word count.

Thank you for wasting two hours of my life.

Split your post in half?
Put it in a factbook?
Shrink your answers or remove duplicate questions?

No need for it to be a complete waste!
"I guess everything really does happen at once sometimes."

The VCMR is likely far less interested in interfering with those below than it used to be.

User avatar
Nortainland
Diplomat
 
Posts: 1000
Founded: Jun 06, 2015
Iron Fist Consumerists

Postby Nortainland » Wed Dec 28, 2016 11:33 pm

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. Great Nortend is an island with a great variety in geology. In the south it is rolling hills and meadows whilst the middle-to-north boasts the Morians, with craggy mountains and fells. The northern areas are flat, gently undulating moorland and heathland dotted with tall, rocky outcrops and mountains. The east and west is comparatively flatter with areas of polder and marsh.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? The climate is temperate, but cold. Summers have a maximum of around 65° and winters 40°. Summer has a minimum of around 46° and winter 33°.
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? There are relatively few natural disasters apart from the occasional storm or blizzard.
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? It is seen as the homeland of the Nortan people.
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? There is antipathy where large tracts of land change in appearance from the 'custom', which has resulted in settlements not expanding as is their wont in other countries, and hence the population remaining mostly static.
What are the most commonly-grown foods? Corns such as wheat, rye, oats and barley are grown, as are fruits and vegetables, for Great Nortend only rarely imports food from abroad.
What are the most commonly-eaten meats? Beef, pork, mutton, lamb and poultry are all commonly eaten by all classes. Venison and game are less common. Fish is also eaten.
What foods are considered exotic or expensive? Venison, fancy confections, tropical fruits and cuisines from other countries.
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? Beers such as ale, lager, stout and bitter, as well as cider and perry are the most common amongst the lower and middle classes. Whisky, brandy, rum, wine and spirits are somewhat less common but still widespread, especially amongst the middle class and aristocracy.
Is there usually enough food and water for the population? Yes
What is this place's most abundant resource? High-grade steam coal and anthracite is Great Nortend's most abundant natural resource.
What is its most valuable resource? Iron and copper is the most common valuable resource, but there are famous gemstone-bearing rock in the north and west.
What resource is it most lacking? Great Nortend has no petroleum deposits.
How do people travel from one place to another? By foot, bicycle, train, tram, bus or carriage.
Are the borders secure? In what way? Great Nortend is an island and so the borders are relatively secure.
How many people live here? 32 million people.
Where in this place do they congregate? The populace are mostly dispersed amongst the numerous villages and hamlets, with a percentage living in towns and cities.
What part of this place do they avoid? Why? There is not really any place where people avoid nowadays, however the Morians are still thought to be somewhat ominous and foreboding.
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? Sheep are the most common domesticated animals for their wool and meat, however cattle, pigs and poultry all exist. Horses are also very common, as they form the backbone of local transport.
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? Foxes, birds and small mammals are the most common wild animals. They are typically treated well, unless they pose a danger to livestock or crops.
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? Dogs and cats are most commonly pets. Other animals won't be.
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? Food crops, which are used for food.
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? Trees, which aren't really used for anything but appearance and shade.



II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go? Before Christ.
How far back do its people believe it goes? Before Christ.
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? Unknown.
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? Unknown.
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? Unknown.
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? The sin of mankind.
What are the major events in this culture's past? There have been a number of major events, such as numerous wars, the breaking of ties to Rome and the unification of the two Kingdoms.
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? Unknown.
What in their past makes them feel ashamed? Nothing.
What in their past makes them proud? Victory in their wars and proud of their achievements.
What are they afraid of happening again? Another World War.
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? The Second Coming of Christ. They believe it is definite.
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? Very much.
What do they assume the future will hold? The unknown.
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this? There has been much industrialisation and the loss of some aspects of traditional life, although not much. There is indeed however fewer farmers than before.
What are the most popular stories about the past? Stories of wars and battles.
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? The worst villain is probably the Pope and the greatest hero the Kings of Nortend.
Do people think the present better or worse than the past? They see it as no better and no worse.
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? They see it as no better and no worse.


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region? Human
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? Nortan
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry? Not much

[spoiler=Questions of Family]
IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have? One
Who decides on a marriage? The father of the bridge
Can a marriage end in divorce? How? Divorce may occur after a trial at an ecclesiastical court.
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? Typically the person able to support the children
How are families named? The surname of the father
What happens to orphans? They are sent to orphanages and may be adopted.
How are boy and girl children treated differently? They are encouraged to do different things.
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? Crockery, cutlery and other household goods.
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? Locomotives are considered female, as are ships, motor vehicles and aeroplanes.
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? Yes
How big are families, typically? A father, a mother and two children.
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? A household differs drastically between classes. A lower class household would typically consist of two parents and up to four children, but some would have grandparents and other relations as well. A middle class family would be smaller however would have one to two servants. An upper class family woud typically have up to four children, with a large host of servants.
Are girls or boys preferred and why? Most families would want at least one boy to inherit the family's land and titles.
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? Not very common, but somewhat normal.
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? Nothing. Those afflicted can seek assistance from their parish or police.


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death?
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved?
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved?
How do people demonstrate grief?
Who inherits property? Titles? Position?
What are the most popular games? How important are they?
When and how does someone go from child to adult?
How much free time do people usually get?
What do they spend this time doing?
Is society segregated in any way?
What social classes or divisions exist in this society?
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another?
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society?
How independent or codependent are individuals?
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children?
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives?
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives?

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained.
What type of foods are most popular?
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region?
What type of food is the locality or region famous for?
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating?
How is the table arranged?
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners?
How many and when are the main mealtimes?
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public?
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness?
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home?
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc?
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories?
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories?
How much does typical clothing cost?
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual?
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when?

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)?
What other major forms of entertainment are there?
Is the populace literate and numerate?
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read?
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost?
Is there a public library system? Who uses it?
Who are popular authors and poets?
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature?
How has this changed over time?



VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering?
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste?
How do younger adults address their elders?
When is it rude to laugh at something funny?
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all?
What parts of the body are routinely covered?
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating?


VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious?
What are the major religious groups in the region?
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices?
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?

Magic
How is magic integrated into society?
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic?
How are works of magic accomplished?
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work?



VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job?
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated?
What professions or activities are considered masculine?
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine?
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays?
How does this differ between different jobs?
What jobs have few workers and why?
What are typical wages for various jobs?
How does work affect lifestyle and health?
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups?
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work?


IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms?
What are the least-favorite?
How respected are artists?
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage?
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in?
How might a very successful artist live?
What forms of theatre does your society have?
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art?
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture?
Which artforms get the most and least respect?
What form does censorship take?
Who may not be an artist?
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society?
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful?
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics?

Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities?
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary?
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it?
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like?
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)?
Does music influence people's behaviour?
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like?
Who goes to see such entertainments?


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted?
What is the term of a marriage contract?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?



XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities?
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)?
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)?
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water?
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations?
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community?
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems?
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise?
What does typical healthcare cost?
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness?
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong?
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider?
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments?
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other?
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)?


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these?
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vice actually is practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged?
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital?
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides?
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate?
What is the greatest sexual taboo?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed?


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are year groups and academic years arranged?
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered?
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools?
What do schools / colleges / universities look like?
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school?
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system?
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed?
What form and value are books?
Who teaches others? How do they teach?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that?


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines?
What devices and technologies are available for people?
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated?
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology?
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all?

Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like?
How does this vary over time and between places in the region?
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out?
What are palaces and castles like?
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building?
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported?
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand?
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally?



XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?



XVI. Questions of Economics.


What is the local economy based on?
How is commerce engaged in?
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people?
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid?

Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)?
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means?
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies?
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently?
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries?
How is wealth distributed?
Is there a public banking system?
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost?
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other?
What constitutes "poverty" in this society?


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body?
What part do the priests play?
Are there cemeteries at all?
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why?

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide?
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all?
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul?
Is it worse than murder?

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured?
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government?
What is the political status of minority communities?
How is government chosen?
What is the country’s general foreign policy?
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How?
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why?
How are new laws created or old ones changed?
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved?
Who has the right to give orders, and why?
What titles do various officials have?
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person?
How do government officials dress?
Is the law written down? Who interprets it?
Once accused, what recourse does someone have?
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed?
How are criminals executed?
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership?
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances?
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it?
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal?

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size?
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world?
Who declares war?
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace?
How are treaties negotiated?
What happens to prisoners taken in battle?
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces?
What form of warfare does this society use?
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare?
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them?
How does someone get command of troops?
Where do the loyalties of military units lie?
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military?
What is campaign or camp life like?
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to?
How are battle injuries treated?
How long do wars typically last?
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war?
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution?
What do soldiers do when there's no war?
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations?
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war?
What defences are available to cities?
Last edited by Nortainland on Sun Feb 05, 2017 4:46 am, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
Al-Ibramiyah
Civilian
 
Posts: 1
Founded: Dec 06, 2015
Ex-Nation

Postby Al-Ibramiyah » Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:56 am

(OOC: Not yet.)

I. Questions of Place.

Describe the geography of where your society calls home.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons?
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to?
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography?
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional?
What are the most commonly-grown foods?
What are the most commonly-eaten meats?
What foods are considered exotic or expensive?
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare?
Is there usually enough food and water for the population?
What is this place's most abundant resource?
What is its most valuable resource?
What resource is it most lacking?
How do people travel from one place to another?
Are the borders secure? In what way?
How many people live here?
Where in this place do they congregate?
What part of this place do they avoid? Why?
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for?
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated?
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be?
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for?
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for?

II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go?
How far back do its people believe it goes?
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances?
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded?
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here?
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced?
What are the major events in this culture's past?
What was the best thing that ever happened to them?
What in their past makes them feel ashamed?
What in their past makes them proud?
What are they afraid of happening again?
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely?
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage?
What do they assume the future will hold?
How has this society changed? Do its current members realize this?
What are the most popular stories about the past?
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain?
Do people think the present better or worse than the past?
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past?

III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region?
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place?
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry?
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage?
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities?
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture?

IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have?
Who decides on a marriage?
Can a marriage end in divorce? How?
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason?
How are families named?
What happens to orphans?
How are boy and girl children treated differently?
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift?
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female?
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love?
How big are families, typically?
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations?
Are girls or boys preferred and why?
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life?
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it?

V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death?
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved?
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved?
How do people demonstrate grief?
Who inherits property? Titles? Position?
What are the most popular games? How important are they?
When and how does someone go from child to adult?
How much free time do people usually get?
What do they spend this time doing?
Is society segregated in any way?
What social classes or divisions exist in this society?
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another?
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society?
How independent or codependent are individuals?
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children?
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives?
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives?
Food
Describe how daily food is obtained.
What type of foods are most popular?
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region?
What type of food is the locality or region famous for?
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating?
How is the table arranged?
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners?
How many and when are the main mealtimes?
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public?
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness?
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home?
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc?
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories?
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories?
How much does typical clothing cost?
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual?
What kinds of jewelry do people wear? And when?
Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)?
What other major forms of entertainment are there?
Is the populace literate and numerate?
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read?
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost?
Is there a public library system? Who uses it?
Who are popular authors and poets?
Who are some of the more famous characters from literature?
How has this changed over time?

VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering?
What kinds of gifts are considered appropriate or in extremely bad taste?
How do younger adults address their elders?
When is it rude to laugh at something funny?
What kinds of questions cannot be asked in public? In private? At all?
What parts of the body are routinely covered?
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating?

VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious?
What are the major religious groups in the region?
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices?
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?
Magic
How is magic integrated into society?
Who can work magic? Is anyone disallowed from working magic?
How are works of magic accomplished?
What kind of preparation or study is required before undertaking a magical work?

VIII. Questions of Labour.

Describe any kind of division of labour, such as into physical versus mental versus spiritual.
Is there any especial prestige attached to some category of labour or a particular job?
What jobs are considered mucky or are particularly depreciated?
What professions or activities are considered masculine?
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine?
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays?
How does this differ between different jobs?
What jobs have few workers and why?
What are typical wages for various jobs?
How does work affect lifestyle and health?
What sorts of jobs are preferred by which people? Are some jobs denied to certain groups?
What are the ethical oaths or codes that govern various jobs? Is there a difference in ethics between manual and mental or spiritual work?

IX. Questions of Art.

What are the favorite art forms?
What are the least-favorite?
How respected are artists?
Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage?
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in?
How might a very successful artist live?
What forms of theatre does your society have?
How naturalistic or stylized is your society's art?
What shapes are most common in your society's arts, like embroidery or architecture?
Which artforms get the most and least respect?
What form does censorship take?
Who may not be an artist?
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society?
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful?
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics?
Entertainment
Do people enjoy looking at art? Does this vary among communities?
Do people enjoy doing art? Does this vary?
Is there any calligraphy? Who does it?
Does your culture have a distinct (or not so) musical style? What is it like?
How do people listen to music (in a theater, at home, on the street, mechanical)?
Does music influence people's behaviour?
Does this culture have a typical dance form? What is it like?
Who goes to see such entertainments?

X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted?
What is the term of a marriage contract?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?

XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities?
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)?
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)?
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water?
Describe any public or private bathing or latrine facilities.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations?
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community?
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems?
What kinds of ailments or injuries are treatable in the locality using available supplies and expertise?
What does typical healthcare cost?
How do this societys doctors try to treat wounds and sickness?
Which medical assumtions of this society are wrong?
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour.
How often do people see their doctor, dentist or other healthcare provider?
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments?
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other?
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)?

XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these?
What secret vice is believed to be widely practiced?
What secret vice actually is practiced?
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners?
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged?
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital?
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides?
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate?
What is the greatest sexual taboo?
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it?
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be?
What constitutes aberrant sexual behavior?
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct?
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour?
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children?
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed?

XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc.
If education is mainly by apprenticeship, how is this accomplished?
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education?
Between which ages does education happen?
How are year groups and academic years arranged?
How are curricula arranged? What courses are typically offered?
What degrees or diplomas are offered by schools?
What do schools / colleges / universities look like?
What are the classrooms like? What is a typical class size
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school?
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system?
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed?
What form and value are books?
Who teaches others? How do they teach?
Who decides who learns to read or write?
Who teaches professions, like carpenter or scribe?
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that?

XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines?
What devices and technologies are available for people?
Are such devices taken for granted? If not, how many are appreciated?
How do people envision a difficult or impossible task that could be made easier by using some kind of device or futuristic technology?
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all?
Architecture
What major architectural styles are present? What do they look like?
How does this vary over time and between places in the region?
What major elements are present? How are they pieced together?
What are houses like inside and out?
What are palaces and castles like?
How tall is the tallest building? How big is the biggest building?
What materials are used in typical construction? Do any materials have to be imported?
How are buildings constructed? Are there machines or is work done by hand?
What are some famous landmarks in the region? Why are they famous? Are they famous internationally?

XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?

XVI. Questions of Economics.

What is the local economy based on?
How is commerce engaged in?
If levied, how are taxes collected? What are such revenues used for? How does taxation affect the people?
What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid?
Money
What is the local currency like? How is it subdivided? What is it based on (metal, labour, fiat)?
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means?
How does it compare to other neighbouring currencies?
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently?
How are coins and notes produced? How common are forgeries?
How is wealth distributed?
Is there a public banking system?
Who uses it? What benefits does it bring? At what cost?
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other?
What constitutes "poverty" in this society?

XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What is their understanding of death and dying?
What does this society do with their corpses?
Do they cremate their dead? Or, how are dead bodies disposed of?
Is the family responsible for the body?
What part do the priests play?
Are there cemeteries at all?
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it?
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why?
Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide?
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all?
Is it the great and last comfort of a tormented soul?
Is it worse than murder?

XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured?
What are some of the most fundamental policies of the government?
What is the political status of minority communities?
How is government chosen?
What is the country’s general foreign policy?
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How?
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why?
How are new laws created or old ones changed?
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved?
Who has the right to give orders, and why?
What titles do various officials have?
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person?
How do government officials dress?
Is the law written down? Who interprets it?
Once accused, what recourse does someone have?
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed?
How are criminals executed?
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership?
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances?
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it?
What are the most common or dangerous forms of criminal?
City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size?
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world?
Who declares war?
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace?
How are treaties negotiated?
What happens to prisoners taken in battle?
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces?
What form of warfare does this society use?
How do battles in the airs or waters or underworlds differ from surface warfare?
Who are the Elite warriors? What distinguishes them?
How does someone get command of troops?
Where do the loyalties of military units lie?
Are there professional soldiers? Do they make up the bulk of the military?
What is campaign or camp life like?
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to?
How are battle injuries treated?
How long do wars typically last?
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war?
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution?
What do soldiers do when there's no war?
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations?
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war?
What defences are available to cities?
Last edited by Al-Ibramiyah on Thu Dec 29, 2016 1:00 am, edited 1 time in total.

User avatar
Arkiasis
Senator
 
Posts: 3586
Founded: Aug 30, 2011
Ex-Nation

Postby Arkiasis » Thu Dec 29, 2016 2:02 am

Definitely very interesting and useful. I like.

But it's long. So tag.
The Republic of Arkiasis
NSwiki | IIwiki | Factbook | Map
Economic Left/Right: -4.25
Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.56
I like: You <3
I dislike: Fax machines
Move along, nothing to see here.

User avatar
The Land of the Ephyral
Diplomat
 
Posts: 798
Founded: Jun 03, 2016
Democratic Socialists

Postby The Land of the Ephyral » Thu Dec 29, 2016 10:17 am

I've taken the liberty of removing questions from this survey that I considered pointless, immeasurable or downright fucking stupid.

I. Questions of Place.


Describe the geography of where your society calls home. The empire spans biomes including desert in the western edges, forest and jungle to the north, open savanna in the south, and ashlands in the east (sacred island homeland). Other islands dot the peninsula.
Describe the climate your society deals with. How severe are their seasons? Summers within the empire are blistering at the best of times. Heatwaves often cause fatalities despite medical care. The western empire is often ravaged by droughts caused by the nearby desert and the hot summers. Winters are milder, though at night temperature can fall below zero. Due to the religion of the empire though, hot summers are venerated.
What kinds of natural disasters has this society gotten used to? Droughts, winter floods, autumn storms, wildfires and more. Earthquakes and tsunamis are uncommon. Volcanic activity was common until roughly four centuries ago. But again, due to the religion, volcanic activity is considered sacred.
What importance (spiritual or cultural) do people ascribe to the geography? Volcanoes are sacred, considered to be the natural manifestation of the Ephyral gods.
How do people feel about local landscapes being altered or used for a purpose other than what is traditional? If the land is deemed sacred or of cultural importance, it will not be altered at all by decree from the Immortal Throne. If it is not sacred, and the alteration will be beneficial to Ephyra, the populace rarely objects. Few dare question the Throne in any of its matters.
What are the most commonly-grown foods? Tomatoes and grapes.
What are the most commonly-eaten meats? Lamb, veal and venison.
What foods are considered exotic or expensive? Pineapple, boar and kiwi.
What forms of alcohol are common? Rare? Wine is the most common. Cider is the rarest, mainly due to the lack of popularity. In terms of amount, there are types of wine which are less in quantity than cider.
Is there usually enough food and water for the population? Typically yes. However during summers, the western fringes of the empire suffering drought can end up suffering from starvation. Though the empire does send water and food relief to these regions, the death toll is usually never less than a hundred each summer. The highest recorded death toll in the Immortal Empire was a summer of 2057, where a drought and heatwave brought starvation and crop failure to the majority of the western empire, resulting in over two thousand deaths.
What is this place's most abundant resource? Volcanic minerals and substances such as sulphur and manganese.
What is its most valuable resource? Gold.
What resource is it most lacking? Natural gas.
How do people travel from one place to another? Train is the most popular inter-city transportation.
Are the borders secure? In what way? Borders between freeholds of the empire are secure, as failing to register movement between the freeholds is illegal. Borders with another nations are secured by watchtowers, patrols, border fences and checkpoints. Some borders are militarised.
How many people live here? Just over two hundred million individuals.
Where in this place do they congregate? Most citizens, called freeholders, reside in the larger cities and towns. The eastern empire is more populous than the west, as it is far more habitable.
What part of this place do they avoid? Why? The western desert, for its inhospitable conditions. The northern jungle, for within the jungle reside tribes of men and women who have yet to grow and evolve so close to the empire's border. The Ephyral have a fear of this darker land, but the jungle is so vast that destroying it is impractical. Only slavers venture within its depths, and the military ensures no border incursions occur.
What are the most common domesticated animals here? And what are they domesticated for? Sheep and formerly wild cattle. They're domesticated for their foodstuffs.
What are the most common wild animals? How are wild animals treated? Predators like wild dogs, big cats and more reside in the lands just north-west to the empire, but move inside the borders to chase down prey like wildebeest and buffalo that migrate through. They are left alone so long as their presence does not interfere with Ephyral activity.
Which animals are likely to be pets? Which ones won't be? Dogs are seen as useful pets. Cats are pets of status. It is common for the higher nobility to also keep birds of prey, snakes and other rarer animals as pets or property.
What are the most common domesticated plants here? And what are they used for? Domesticated plants are uncommon barring foodstuffs.
What are the most common wild plants here? What are they used for? Too many to list, and used for very little.



II. Questions of Time.

How far back does this society’s written history go? Roughly eleven thousand years.
How far back do its people believe it goes? Anywhere up to fourteen thousand years.
How was this society founded? Who founded it and under what circumstances? Historically, no one knows how it developed. Religiously, it is believed that Ephyra was forged by the god Issalor in His plan to restore the lost gods and wage war upon those who had vanquished them. To this reasoning, the founder of Ephyra was in fact their own gods. But as each Ephyral nation was a city-state, each claiming to precede the other, there is no human founder. The Ephyral civilisation was forged purely through warfare and conquest, resulting in the breeding of a violent people bent on conquest and subjugation in order to grow personally as well as culturally.
What were the chief powers in the time when this society was founded? The names of the first states and their rulers are lost to time.
If it originated far away from here, how did it get here? It did not.
What is the worst disaster they believe they've faced? The Ruin of Ephyra. A cataclysm of tsunamis, volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. It shattered the eastern homeland and killed hundreds of thousands in the eastern empire. The Ephyral race was nearly wiped out.
What are the major events in this culture's past? The Ashen Crusade is the most recent major event.
What was the best thing that ever happened to them? Re-establishing their empire after foreign occupation and desecration.
What in their past makes them feel ashamed? Essentially nothing. Ephyral believe everything done in service of their gods is good. The Ephyral have waged war, exterminated, enslaved and raped their way across the southern continent for thousands of years without a shred of remorse.
What in their past makes them proud? Everything performed in service of their gods.
What are they afraid of happening again? The Ephyral are terrified of a second Ruin. Every disaster of an unprecedented scale results in the populace performing sacrifice to appease their gods.
What are they hoping will happen? Do they think it likely? The Rekindling. There have been three 'ages' in the history of the universe. The Age of Nothing, before the universe. The Age of Flame, from the Big Bang. The Age of Cinders, since they were created. The Age of Cinders was marked with the death of all but one of their gods, Issalor. Issalor created the Ephyral from their shed blood and charged them with global conquest. Once the empire reaches its zenith, every fallen warrior of Ephyra will be reborn as ashen champions of Issalor. Issalor will restore his extinguished brothers and sisters to life, and the gods will unfurl a hellish vengeance on the false-idols and demon-gods of other religions with their ashen legions. The Ephyral themselves will wage war against the states and nations of the world until it is all cleansed with blood and fire. This will usher in a new age of Ephyral godhood, the Second Age of Flame. The Ephyral believe this to be inevitable, they simply do not know when.
How strongly are people attached or connected to their heritage? Very strongly. The Ephyral worship their ancestors. It is a mark of purity to trace your ancestry back before the Ruin. To revere your blood is to keep it strong and alive.
What do they assume the future will hold? They don't assume, but hope for glory.
How has this society changed? Do its current members realise this? Freeholder women have slowly gained more rights. Noblewomen have remained the same. Many have realised this. Most are opposed to women having more rights. The greatest opposition to freeholder women having more rights are the Ladies Freeholder. They believe freeholder women should serve freeholder men, who serve them, whilst they in turn serve Lords Freeholder.
What are the most popular stories about the past? Epics about champions of the gods.
Who in the past is the greatest hero? The worst villain? The Brutinean Empire is deemed the worst physical villain. The demon gods of other religions the true enemy. The greatest heroes of the past are the harpies and their Ephyral-harpy hybrid offspring.
Do people think the present better or worse than the past? Most think it worst, and that it needs to ascend.
Do people believe the future will be better or worse than the present or past? They believe it will be better than both.


III. Questions of Race and Ethnicity.

What are the chief races in the region? The dominant race in Ephyra are the Ephyral. The next two are the Comorri and the Zamoya. There are four more primary races.
What are the chief ethnic groups of each race in the region? How are they distributed in place? Races are not divided into ethnic groups.
How do they differ by language, appearance or ancestry? Ephyral look ethereal, almost elven in appearance with silvery-hold hair, eyes of amethyst, ruby, emerald and sapphire. Comorri and Zamoya are darker of skin, with Zamoya being olive-skinned. Their hair and eye colours may vary. All speak a form of Ephyral.
What jobs do the chief ethnicities primarily occupy? Are any groups denied work because of racial or ethnic heritage? Non-Ephyral may not hold seats in the Temporal Council. The Lameen and Ishoro are forbidden from entering the military, but can enter the Provincial Auxiliaries. The Myrkene and Nalathi are forbidden from being free citizens. All members of their racial groups, every man, woman and child, is a slave to the empire.
What are typical attitudes of the native (or majority) ethnos to immigrants and other ethnicities? That they are subhuman and are worthy only to serve the greater races.
How has any variety of ethnicity in the region changed the society’s culture? It has not. Other races have been expected to adapt to Ephyral culture. Those that don't typically do not live long.



IV. Questions of Family.

How many spouses may a man or woman have? A woman is expected to commit to just one man, whilst one man may have as many wives as are willing to marry him (as well as concubines and slaves who are bound to him against their will). This is because if a man impregnates all of his wives, there is little difficulty in identifying the father. However, if one woman has three husbands, it becomes nigh impossible to determine who the father is. Families carry the name of the household head, a man. Therefore there can only be one dominant man of the family, with his brothers, sons, sisters, wives and daughters under him.
Who decides on a marriage? Amongst the freeholders, those to be wed decide. In nobility, arranged marriages still occur, but are rarely as forced.
Can a marriage end in divorce? How? Yes. Divorce is viable only if a violation of oath has occurred.
Who usually takes custody of children if a marriage ends for some reason? The party wronged will usually take custody.
How are families named? A woman will add her husband's last name to her own last name upon marriage, whilst her children will just take his. Middle names can be alternated forms of the mother's last name, though few individuals ever give it when speaking.
What happens to orphans? If the orphan is lucky, they may be taken in by the Faith of the Flame to be raised as priests, temple guards or silent servants if male, if female, they could be raised as priestesses, daughters of silence or temple prostitutes. If unlucky, they may be illegally kidnapped and sold, but after a while find themselves on the legal slave market.
How are boy and girl children treated differently? Boys are raised to be domineering and powerful of command like their fathers. Girls are raised to be submissive and loyal like their mothers.
What, if anything, is considered a good marriage gift? Gifts of slaves are the most valuable.
What inanimate or sexless things are considered male or female? None.
Does this society connect the ideas of marriage with love? Yes. Though in Ephyra it can be difficult to separate love from lust. A marriage based on love and lust combined is considered stronger than one of these alone, or none at all.
How big are families, typically? One father, a mother, and between two and four children is typical.
What constitutes a household? How many people live in one household? How many generations? A household is where a group of people share the same blood through either the male or female line. This could consist of up to four generations and upwards of twenty people.
Are girls or boys preferred and why? Boys are a preferred first child. Girls are preferred second. The boy is to be raised as the firstborn 'heir' to the family.
How common is domestic violence? Is it understood to be a problem, or a normal aspect of family life? Surprisingly rare. Since culture and society expects the women to obey, most tend to, negating any violence. That said, when men allow their wives more freedom out of love, it improves their relationship rather than harming it.
If it is seen as problematic, what is being done about it? When it does occur, it isn't seen as problematic and is left to the family to work out.


V. Questions of Customs and Social Life.

What colors are associated with power? With virtue? With death? Gold and purple are considered powerful colours. Black and white make virtue. Red is death, but notably, also life. It depends on what context red is used.
If two men get into a fight, how is this supposed to be resolved? By fighting. If the fight is between opponents, and not a one-sided attack, no penalty comes from wounding or killing the opponent to settle a personal dispute. This fight could be bare fists, or swords may be involved if the family is of noble heritage.
If two women get into a fight, how should that be resolved? The men will usually step in to either negotiate or fight on behalf of their offended sister, wife or daughter. As they are seen as submissive creatures, women fighting is not deemed suitable in the empire.
How do people demonstrate grief? Crying silently.
Who inherits property? Titles? Position? In noble families, the eldest son. In the Empyreal family, the eldest child.
What are the most popular games? How important are they? Gladiator fights are the most popular and culturally important. Other games are typically either of a violent or a sexual nature, the two traits that sum up Ephyra.
When and how does someone go from child to adult? A boy undertakes his rite at fourteen. He must either slay an animal or a slave with a ceremonial dagger, and then sexually dominate a female slave to prove his capability in serving the gods in war and lust. A girl undertakes her rite after her first menstruation. She must consume the heart of a mare without retching, and then has the symbols for femininity and sexuality drawn on her chest with blood. Both boy and girl receive cultural tattoo to denote the nature of their success and are then proclaimed men and women, sons and daughters of the gods.
How much free time do people usually get? Any time they aren't working.
What do they spend this time doing? Whatever they desire. Some will socialise, some will mate, some will stay in and relax.
Is society segregated in any way? Yes.
What social classes or divisions exist in this society? Gender, with male dominating female. Race, with Ephyral dominating all others. Class, with nobles dominating freeholders.
If so, can people move from one class to another? Are there any benefits to being of one class over another? Men (and some women) may receive rewards for valiant service culturally or militarily, and be risen to rank of lower nobles or even higher nobility. This can change the living conditions of their family. It is not possible to switch between gender class or racial class.
Is there any discrimination against minority groups (racial, ethnic, religious) in this society? Yes.
How independent or codependent are individuals? Mostly independent.
What are the typical roles of women and men? What are the expectations of children? A man is expected to command, control and set an example of what is to be true Ephyral. A woman is expected to obey, serve and show the loving side of being a true Ephyral. Children are to remain quiet unless otherwise required, and learn from their father and mother.
Does the government play a large part in people’s lives? Despite being authoritarian, not really. As the government is united with the Faith, people act how the government wishes.
Does religion play a large part in people’s lives? Yes, majorly. Even the greatest lords humble themselves before the gods.

Food
Describe how daily food is obtained. A trusted slave might be sent to obtain it, though it is mainly the dominant woman of the house.
What type of foods are most popular? Meat and fruit.
What are typical dishes and specialties of the region? Spiced lamb.
What type of food is the locality or region famous for? Ephyra is not famous for anything in the food department. Their (in)fame is earned through other acts.
What cutlery, if any, do people use for cooking and eating? Forks, knives and spoons when applicable.
How is the table arranged? However a family desires it.
How do people sit when eating? Is there any arrangement by age or dignity of diners? Head of the family at the head of the table. Next to him are his wife/wives, then his eldest sons to youngest, followed by eldest daughters to youngest. Babies and young children are kept by their mothers, whilst some heads value their eldest daughters above younger sons.
How many and when are the main mealtimes? First meal between 7am and 11am, second between 2pm and 4pm, third between 7pm and 10pm.
Are there restaurants, popinas, street vendors or other places where food may be bought in public? Yes.
Is there a significant risk of food poisoning? How many cases lead to death? Is there understood to be a link between food and poisoning or illness? No.
How much does a typical meal cost, if bought and not grown at home? Between five and twenty USD.
Clothing and Fashion What kind of clothes do people wear? How does this vary by season, ethnicity, age, profession, etc? Usually flowing, light clothes. Elderly people wear more conservative attires than younger people. During hot summers, adults typically go nude.
How do the genders dress: what differences are there between mens and womens clothing and accessories? Men wear long robes called a kandar. It is separable to remove the top half on a hot day. Women wear either a lashar, the word for dress, like a kandar, or a nisari, an exceptionally revealing article of clothing. For freeholder women, it is only a short skirt. For nobility, it includes breast coverage. The nisari is the most valuable of women's clothing, so despite the option to cover breasts with a lashar, freeholder women will expose them just to wear part of a nisari, as nudity is not an issue. Women also weave feathers into their hair. Both genders add symbols of dye and tattoo to their exposed skin.
How is clothing made, in small shops or larger factories? Both.
How much does typical clothing cost? A kandar will cost between 7 and 30 USD. A lashar between 6 and 25 USD. A full nisari between 100 and 600 USD.
How important is fashion to people? How does this vary by individual? Very important. What a man wears shows his success. What a woman wears shows her femininity.
What kinds of jewellery do people wear? And when? All kinds. Facial and bodily jewellery is not common at all, but it is rather added to the clothing, if any is being worn.

Entertainments
Does the culture have outlets for dramatic arts (theater, puppetry, cinematography)? Yes.
What other major forms of entertainment are there? Gladiatorial arenas, pleasure houses and sexual theatres.
Is the populace literate and numerate? Yes.
Do people read for pleasure? If so, what do they read? Yes. Whatever is available to them that they want to read.
How much do books, magazines, broadsheets and the like cost? No standard price as these are all widely varying items.
Is there a public library system?Yes.



VI. Questions of Manners.

Who speaks first at a formal gathering? The host or the head of the most prominent family.
What parts of the body are routinely covered? For men, genitalia. For women, essentially nothing.
How private are bodily functions like bathing or defecating? Bathing is nowhere near as private as it is in other societies. Defecating is.


VII. Questions of Faith.

Is the culture religious or nonreligious? Religious.
What are the major religious groups in the region? There is only one, the Faith of the Flame.
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices? Female subservience, the enslavement or genocide of subhumans, devotion to the gods and their chosen individuals.
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissension or hostility in the region? Not really.
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination? Combination. Written down, orally performed.
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture? Yes.
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith? Yes, but these are spaced out and not grouped as one set of commandments.
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings? The Bleeding Heart of Issalor.
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)? Fire.
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised? Acolytes, Priest/esses, High Priest/esses and so on.
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc? No.
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this? Nothing until the Rekindling.
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion? Mostly burnt alive.
Are there any particular places considered special or holy?Temples, burial crypts, shrines etc.
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals? No there is no religious calendar. The most popular ritual is the Festival of the Winter Flame. It is exceptionally violent, sexual and performed to glorify the gods.
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion? None at all. All religious activity is performed physically.
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)? A pantheon of gods, most of whom are considered 'dead', awaiting resurrection. One chief deity whom has set the laws of His children.
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities? Blood sacrifice, sex sacrifice, lighting of candles and fires.
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it? Anything and everything. They pray for light to shine on the right path of how to obtain it, rather than straightforward deliverance. Ambition is a key tenet of the Faith.
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion? No.
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life? Heresy and apostasy yes. The other two are non-existent.
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies? Every other religion, god and worshipper of said god is considered an enemy of the gods of flame to be purged and purified.
What is the most commonly broken religious rule? For women to obey, as many husbands allow them independence and ask them to do things, not command.
What is the least-violated religious rule? Regicide.
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member? Some punishments are minor, such as stripping and being tied to a pillar or pilloried for public shaming. Some are painful, such as being flogged. Some are breaking, such as castration or sanctioned rape. Some are simply executions. A member of the Faith, if not longer worthy of service, will usually be enslaved or executed.
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play? Yes. Mainly priestesses, as the targets of their missions are men. These priestesses are sent to other nations to educate and convince the people there of Issalor's coming wrath, and that by serving Him, they serve themselves by surviving the Rekindling. Some priestesses end up in courts of monarchies or by the sides of presidents, using any means available to them to bring them to the Flame.
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete? There are no factions.
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one? There are none.
Are there cult groups within the religious community? No.
How are those who follow different faiths treated? They are executed.
What relationship do religious and political leaders have? The Faith has no leaders, only a collective appointment.
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear? None.
What kinds of supernatural or other-natural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)? Harpies primarily. Other creatures that no one else would understand by name.
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion? Priests and priestesses claim that Issalor's word is manifested through fire, and can be understood through glimpses and visions. The stronger the fire, the stronger the vision. However, no human has the ability to grasp the full intent of Issalor. This results in priests and priestesses receiving wholly different visions and acting upon them, both in service of the gods.
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)? Ritual sacrifice, prayer and sex. Slaves and prisoners are routinely shed of blood to nourish the gods. Priests and priestess lead prayers to them, willing their return and the Rekindling. The Faith offers the service of slave-prostitutes to visitors, whilst some priests and priestesses strengthen collective prays through sexual intercourse. The mere active of having sex nourishes the gods as much as sacrificing a slave. The term 'sexual-sacrifice' means the sacrificing of a slave followed by intercourse.



VIII. Questions of Labour.

What professions or activities are considered masculine? Military service, factory working, political leadership, swordsmanship, surgery, archery and horse-riding.
What professions or activities are viewed as feminine? Dancing, singing and nursing.
What are usual working hours? Are there days of rest or holidays? 9am until 4:30pm. Yes, weekends are days off, as are holidays.
How does this differ between different jobs? It typically does not.


IX. Questions of Art.

Do artists require official or unofficial protection or patronage? No.
What kinds of trouble are artists in particular likely to find themselves in? None, unless they transgress law.
What forms of theatre does your society have? Plays are not common. Instead, sexual theatres exist.
What form does censorship take? Anything slandering, mocking or defaming the gods or Empyreal family is censored, and the producers arrested.
What qualities equal "beauty" in this society? Eloquence, elegance and violence.
What makes a man or woman especially beautiful? A man's strength, both physical and of will. A woman's grace, as well as her eyes and her breasts.
How do people react to tattoos? Piercings? Facial hair? Cosmetics? Tattoos are of a cultural nature and widely appreciated. Piercings are non-existent. Facial hair, if kept properly, is accepted. Make-up is common for both sexes, in the forms of body dye for both and eyeliner for women.


X. Questions of Marriage.

How is a marriage defined? How is a marriage contracted? A marriage is a sacred oath of bondage between one man, and at least one woman.
What is the term of a marriage contract? (Vague question, both interpretations will be answered.) - It lasts for life unless annulled. The man swears to protect, provide for, and establish legacies for his wife/wives. The woman/women swears to obey, to raise their children in proper Ephyral fashion, and to show their worthiness of his name and legacy.
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding? Anything practical for the newlyweds is considered appropriate.
How are marriages celebrated? A reception is held at a venue chosen by the husband and his bride(s). Slaves serve food and drink to the guests. Guests may dance, watch slave dancers perform, and if they so desire, take pleasure slaves as sexual partners or make love with their own partners. After the reception, the bride(s) is/are carried to her/their new bed by the women at the reception, whilst the husband is congratulated by the men. The man is then given a ceremonial dagger, whilst the woman/women are given feathered cloaks to wear. Upon entering the bedroom, the man will use his dagger to cut away his own clothes and his bride(s), barring the cloaks. The marriage must then be consummated. The torn clothes are left outside the door as evidence of consummation.
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple? The woman is typically younger than the man, as it serves breeding purposes. However, if an age gap greater than twenty years prevails, the marriage is considered odd.
Do relationships allow multiple partners? Yes.
In what ways is a marriage considered broken? When the oaths made by either party are broken without regard or remorse.
How can a marriage be terminated? A private religious rite can undo a marriage and free all parties from their bonds.



XI. Questions of Health.

What is the average life expectancy? How does this differ between different regions, races or ethnicities? Roughly 80 years. Life expectancy is lowered to 70 in the western empire.
What access do people have to clean drinking water (at home or in public)? Typically good access.
What access do people have to proper sanitation (at home or in public)? Again, good access.
Do houses or public buildings have plumbing? Cold and warm water? Most do.
How is healthcare delivered in this society; what are its foundations? There is an Empyreal healthcare service.
Are there hospitals or sanitaria where many forms of health care are concentrated; or are practitioners more diffuse within the community? Both exist.
Do people have access to any form of medical aid for emergencies or for less urgent problems? Yes.
What does typical healthcare cost? Cost is derived from tax.
Do people seek care on an as-needed or emergency basis; or is health care seen as a preventative endeavour. Emergency basis.
Is a distinction made between physical and nonphysical ailments? Yes.
What happens to those suffering from extreme mental illness? Spiritual illness? Other? Those declared mentally handicapped to the point of being unable to care for ones self are euthanised.
How do people react to physical deformity (both congenital and acquired)? With lack of sympathy but curiosity.


XII. Questions of Sex.

How does your society define incest? Rape? How do people react to these? Incest in Ephyra is the copulation of members of the same family bloodline. It is accepted in Ephyra for blood purity. Rape in Ephyra is defined as the forcing of a freeborn man or woman to partake in sexual activities including penetration against their expressed consent. Protection from rape does not apply to slaves, adulterers, prostitutes or spouses. People react to the rape of their own kind with great anger and hatred. Towards those considered beneath them, with no emotion at all.
What secret vice actually is practiced? There's no such thing as a 'secret' vice, as all sexual desires are not taboo. Common interests however are fetishes such as BDSM.
What sexual habits are widely believed common among foreigners? That they mate with animals.
How do people react to homosexuality? Is it frowned on? Encouraged? Homosexuality is seen as a betrayal of lineage and is heavily frowned upon, but not illegal.
Are premarital sexual relations allowed? Extramarital? Premarital yes. Extramarital, only if the relations are performed upon a slave or a concubine.
How is adultery defined? What (if any) is the punishment? Who decides? Adultery is defined as a man sexually penetrating another woman whilst bound by oath to a wife, or a woman accepting sexual penetration from another man whilst bound by oath to a husband. The punishment for adultery depends on the degree. First offences and minor offences are met with public shaming and flogging. More serious and repeated offences are met with men being branded, whilst women are forced to walk naked in the streets with burnt feet. Beyond this, men are lashed with hot asphalt, women have their rape protection revoked and are forcibly prostituted. Finally, both man and women are executed by burning alive.
Is prostitution legal? How are prostitutes viewed? Is this accurate? Prostitution is legal. Prostitutes are viewed lowly, but not as low as slaves. Prostitutes are also unprotected by rape laws, rendering their profession risky. This is because sex slaves are much more enjoyed.
What is the greatest sexual taboo? Bestiality.
What does this society mean by the word "virgin" and how important is it? A virgin is either a man who has not sexually penetrated a woman, or a woman who has yet to be penetrated by a man. Whether or not someone is a virgin is irrelevant. Whilst some Ephyral indulge in sex, it is also recognised some people simply have no interest in it.
Is sex confined to marriage? Or, is it supposed to be? Barring the use of sex slaves or concubines, yes.
What constitutes aberrant sexual behaviour? Having sex with someone of a lower class or lower race.
Are there any cultural or religious strictures, norms or taboos that specifically address sexual conduct? Yes.
Are there secular laws that control or restrict sexual behaviour? Secular laws are non-existent. Everything is measured by outcome of beneficial or detrimental to the gods.
At what age is it considered normal to engage in sex? Are there taboos against sex with children? Males can begin intercourse from fourteen, female from their first menstrual cycle. Sex with children is widely abhorred.
Should sex be a one-to-one experience? Or are groups allowed? It can be both.


XIII. Questions of Education.

Describe the education of the society’s people: formal schooling, apprenticeship, etc. Formal.
Is education compulsory / offered to everyone? What is the cost of education? Compulsory. Public education is free.
Between which ages does education happen? Four and fourteen.
How are year groups and academic years arranged? By age.
Who is in charge of education in the country, and in each individual school? The Sphere of Logistical Administration handles education. An appointed head is in charge of each school.
Does this society have its own language? Its own writing system? Yes.
How common is literacy? How is literacy viewed? Very common and very important.
Are foreigners ever brought in to teach new skills? Who does that? Never.


XIV. Questions of Technology.

Are philosophy and science unified, or do they exist as separate and independent disciplines? They are separate.
How is knowledge distributed? Is it kept unknown to the common people, or is available for all? A lot of knowledge is withheld, though majority is released.



XV. Questions of Transportation and Communications.

How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places? Usually by train/metro.
How safe and clean is the typical transport system? Depends on the location. In the bigger cities, clean, but less safe. The reverse is true in sparser areas.



XVI. Questions of Economics.

What do people expect from their government in return for the taxes paid? The services they are paying the tax for.

Money
Is currency issued by a central authority or by some decentralised means? Central authority.
How has the value of the currency changed or fluctuated recently? It has improved in value.
How is wealth distributed? Unequally.
Is there a public banking system? Yes.
Is there a large gap between the wealth of the rich and poor? What expectations do each group have from the other? Yes there is. No one has expectations of anyone else.
What constitutes "poverty" in this society? The term freeholder means 'freeborn landholder'. One is considered in poverty when the 'landholder' part is no longer applicable.


XVII. Questions of Death and Burial.

What does this society do with their corpses? Some go full cremation, others have the flesh and skin burnt off, depending on preference.
Is the family responsible for the body? Yes.
What part do the priests play? They organise the cremation.
Are there cemeteries at all? No.
Or, does everyone have a crypt in back with all the relatives in it? Noble families can afford crypts.
Do people visit the dead? If so, how often and why? No. There is no point in doing so.

Suicide
What do people in this culture think about suicide? Entirely uncaring.
Is it the greatest sin one can commit? Or is it a sin at all? No one cares enough to give an opinion.
Is it worse than murder? No.


XVIII. Questions of Government.

What is the form of government? How is it structured? An eleven seated Council with authority over every aspect of the empire, subject to the Throne.
How is government chosen? The Throne is responsible for selecting them.
What is the country’s general foreign policy? Annihilate them, enslave them or befriend them.
Who decides whether someone has broken a law? How? If someone has broken a law, nothing needs to be decided. The law has been broken.
What kinds of punishments are meted out? By whom? Why? Anywhere from shaming to death. These punishments are carried out normally by the Inquisition's disciplinary branch. Why, is a very stupid question.
How are new laws created or old ones changed? The Throne decides it.
Is there some form of clemency or pardon? What is involved? Yes. The Throne can grant pardon or clemency, but no one else may.
Who has the right to give orders, and why? The Throne, and anyone the Throne dictates. Because they are the ultimate authority of the gods on earth.
How are the rules different for officials as opposed to the common person? They are not.
Is the law written down? Who interprets it? Yes. Judiciary officials.
Once accused, what recourse does someone have? None.
Is torture allowed? What kinds? Is capital punishment allowed? Yes. Highly extensive physical and psychological torture including sensory deprivation and over-stimulation, to prevent the mind from being able to develop a lie and instead focus on the truth. Capital punishment is allowed.
How are criminals executed? By hanging, beheading, or burning.
Who cannot rise to positions of leadership? Non-Ephyral.
Is bribery allowed? Under what circumstances? Never.
What makes someone a bad ruler in this society? What can be done about it? Ruling in self-interest as opposed to the empire. Essentially nothing that will not result in war.

City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military? Civilian police.
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces? Nationalised.
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed? Fully armed and militant.
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy? They can arrest with impunity, as well as shoot if necessary. Police can torture.
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law? The Throne and the Empyreal family.
Is there a secret police? Yes, a secret police and an Inquisition.

XIX. Questions of Warfare.

Does the country have an armed force? What types? What size? Yes. What do you mean 'type'? Half a million active personnel, one and a half million reserves.
How do the armed forces compare with others in the region or world? Well armed, well trained and with a complete lack of morals or ethics, they are one of the most dangerous in the world.
Who declares war? The Sphere of Military Strategem, with authority from the Throne.
Who has the power to declare conditions of peace? No one has the power to end a war at will except through victory.
How are treaties negotiated? By winning the war.
What happens to prisoners taken in battle? Executed, sacrificed or enslaved.
What weapons are favoured by the various armed forces? Assault rifles, sniper rifles, SMGs, LMGs and rocket launchers.
What form of warfare does this society use? Conventional, biological and chemical.
Where do the loyalties of military units lie? With the Throne.
What ethical or moral codes do warriors adhere to? The 'Warrior's Mandate', though this is more saying what they are entitled to.
How long do wars typically last? As long as necessary.
Has this society ever attacked another? What was the nature of that war? What would make this society go to war? Yes. The Ashen Crusade was a thirty-eight year long war against the renegade freeholds and Brutinean Empire. It was a merciless campaign of slaughter and rape, resulting in the expansion of Ephyra and collapse of Brutinea. Anything or anyone that challenges the empire is to be destroyed or subjugated.
Has there ever been a civil war or a revolution? Yes.
What do soldiers do when there's no war? Train, are divided into auxiliaries and wait for reason to fight. There always is one.
Are there any current tensions / wars / embargoes etc with any other nations? Tensions yes, wars no.
Who are the country’s enemies? Whos winning the war? Everyone not expressly an ally is an enemy, but there is no war.
What defences are available to cities? The warriors defending it.

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Eclius
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Inoffensive Centrist Democracy

Postby Eclius » Thu Dec 29, 2016 12:36 pm

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||Local man sent to hospital after eating a pack of 14 years old Kraft mac'n cheese||Schools to resume operation in coming weeks||All domestic flights resumed||10% off vacation to Democratic East Asia today, book yours today!||

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Right-wing Utopia

Postby TURTLESHROOM II » Thu Dec 29, 2016 8:08 pm

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