The State of the Chronicles, March 2011

We discovered how Shokiyu held up against some new cliches, then covered greetings, politics, and law and order on Shokiyu.

Rest assured, I will not be pulling any jokes tomorrow--we will continue discussing Shokiyan law and order into April.

Law and Order in Shokiyu, Day 4

◦Are certain spells (as opposed to magic generally) illegal?

--Instant death spells, unless you have a very good reason
--Disease inducing spells/curses, unless in self defense
--Spells that affect time and the weather (so you can't rewrite history) Weather affecting spells are only cast in emergencies

Law and Order on Shokiyu, Day 3

◦Is forensic magic possible? Commonly used? Used only for certain types of crimes (and if so, what)? Are the results of forensic spells admissible in court as evidence? Is it something any wizard can do, or do you have to specialize?


Magic of the Time variety is often used to help solve crimes (eg. conjure a time loop of a victim's last moments, show what a weapon was used for, etc.) if the guard has no leads or needs help finding clues. Only those that can use time magic can do this

Law and Order on Shokiyu, Day 2

◦What are considered normal and legal ways of gathering evidence and determining guilt? Is torture allowed? Are arbitrary judgments by the lord or landowner allowed, or is there an independent standard of justice?

Questioning and gathering evidence are the main ways of determining guilt. Torture, meanwhile, can be used as a punishment, but not as a way of forcing someone to confess (Shokiyans also believe in the innocent until proven guilty rule). There is a standard of justice, so if a lord made an arbitrary judgement, the only way the person would be punished is if the judge agreed with the lord

Law and Order on Shokiyu, Day 1

◦How has the presence of magic and magicians affected law and government? Are wizards barred from certain kinds of government jobs or offices (judge, jury, police)? Do some government jobs require that their holder be a wizard?

Magic has provided an edge to solving cold cases, and helping with evidence (but forcing a confession is a no-no). Magic is not required to hold a goverment position, but it does help

The Politics of Shokiyu, Day 3

◦What are the easiest/most common ways to advance in status — amass more money, marry well, get the ruler’s eye, etc.? How much resistance is there to someone advancing in social status?

Working hard and having the right connections are the best way to move up--how much resistance you'll have depends on the size of the jump

The Politics of Shokiyu, Day 2

◦Is the relative power of a country or ruler usually measured by the size of its army, the number and ability of its wizards, or the amount of money/trade flowing through it?

Shokiyans usually use the amount of trade going into and out of a realm to measure power, (because a good ruler provides for the people, and a balance of quality stuff going out to materials coming in signals that the ruler is seeing to the needs of his/her people.)

The Politics of Shokiyu, Day 1

◦Is magic a profession, an art, or just a job? What is the status accorded to magicians in this society? Are they forbidden overt political action, or are wizards and the wizard’s guild knee-deep in court intrigue?

Magic is both a profession and an art on Shokiyu, and mages are generally respected and revered. The only time they watch politics is when something concerning magic (i.e. a noble knowing some kind of forbidden magic, a new type of spell discovered, etc.) comes up

Meeting and Greeting in Shokiyu, Day 9

Last question on this topic:

How does someone acknowledge seeing an acquaintance at a distance?

Usually, someone will call their name and wave. Sometimes they will also include the peace sign (which has the connotation of a sprout, symbolizing a growing relationship)

Meeting and Greeting in Shokiyu, Day 8

◦Is there any difference in the way you greet someone you already know, compared to greeting a stranger?

Strangers will just say hello as they walk by, but those that know each other will do anything from pat each other's shoulder to hug, depending on how close they are. (the hug by itself is reserved for a very close friendship/familial relationship, a hug with a kiss implies a close romantic relationship)

Meeting and Greeting in Shokiyu, Day 7

◦Are there customs involving the way in which someone is named when being introduced?

If someone has many titles, only the most prominent ones are named, and even then at the first meeting--any time after that, the person is referred to by name only

Meeting and greeting in Shokiyu, Day 6

◦Are there classes of people/beings who are never introduced to other classes of people/beings?

Deities and demons are never introduced to other beings--if one has to be introduced, they take an assumed name and use that for the introduction

Meeting and Greeting in Shokiyu, Day 5

What is the order of precedence when there are several people of differing sex or social status present, all of whom need to be introduced to each other?

The highest rank goes first, and goes down the line from there

Meeting and Greeting in Shokiyu, day 4

◦How are two people who have never met normally introduced to each other?

Person A states their name and/or most prominent title. Person B does likewise. Then both parties link thumbs to form a V shape--a sign of a growing friendship.

Meeting and Greeting on Shokiyu, Day 3

◦Is there a way of changing a greeting gesture to make it insulting?

Addressing a superior as an inferior is the most common way of insulting an unpopular official

Meeting and Greeting on Shokiyu, Day 2

◦Is there a difference between the greeting offered to an equal and that offered to a superior or inferior? Is there a difference between the greeting offered a man or a woman? Human/non-human?

When greeting an equal or inferior, the person being greeted is referred to by name (or by "sir" or "lady" if the person's name isn't known) Superiors are greeted by adding "sir" or lady" to their title. (so Galia would be addressed as "Lady Seer" by most people.) If you know a superior well, you can add "sir" or "lady" to their name (so Miresa would say "Lady Galia"

Meeting and Greeting on Shokiyu, Day 1

◦When meeting someone, how are they greeted — wave, handshake, bow, some other gesture? How did the greeting gesture originate (example: shaking hands to prove one’s weapon hand was empty)? Is there a special I-am-not-armed gesture for wizards?

The handshake is still retained on Shokiyu, but some classes will add on a finger positioning to signal a greeting "from one to another" in the same class. For example, two mages shaking hands will bend their index finger to mimic a staff (the most common weapon for a mage.)

How Gemsinger Holds: Gimmicks

1. I will be mindful of size and travel time

2. I know my idea is not entering an empty world.

3. Anything interacting with the gimmick will also interact among themselves

4. Gimmicks will affect the characters

5. I will know what isn't worth keeping and what is

6. There are differences among how the gimmick is handled

7. There will be things equal or stronger than the gimmick

How Gemsinger Holds: The Average Hero

1. Miresa can't nor does she want to win everything

2. She has worked and will work to master her power

3. "The only" syndrome has no place on Shokiyu

4. I will have her respect be earned

5. I will have negative as will as positive reactions to her

6. Miresa has friends that support her

7. She knows how to pick herself up again when things go bad

How Gemsinger Holds: Animal companions

1. I will be careful to do the research, especially if creating a creature.

2. I will keep sounds/song and senses in mind

3. Any pets will be fed and watered accordingly

4. I will remember that even nature is flawed

5. Shokiyan animals DO adapt to humans--sometimes for better and sometimes for worse

How Gemsinger Holds: Mentors

1. Mentors have lives and personalities outside of mentoring

2. There is no set plan or structure for Miresa's training

3. Miresa's mentors are not Yodas, absent-minded professors, or neglectful of great students--they have flaws as well.

4. Mentors on Shokiyu do not keep secrets without a very good reason (no, Miresa not being "ready" isn't one of them)

5. I will remember why the mentor is teaching

6. We will get a glimpse in to how mentors learned their knowledge and skills

How Gemsinger Holds: East Meets West

1. I have been and will be careful to write what I know and research what I don't

2. I will be careful to avoid stereotypes.

3. Yes, I confess that Shokiyu is influenced by typical European style worlds

4. That said, I don't think they mirror any real culture comepletely

5. I will be mindful of the power structure and respectful of other faiths

How Gemsinger Holds: Possession

1. I will understand how Shokiyan minds work

2. Possession can be fought and broken

3. I will know where possession fits within my magical hiearchy

4. I will write mental struggles realistically

How the Measurements of Shokiyu Hold

1. The measurements will have wiggle room

2. Fantastic lengths will be explained by how long it is about in Earth time

3. Different cultures have their own measurements (but it is possible to convert between them

4. Nonhuman measurements are tweaked accordingly

5. Some measurements have a story behind them

6. I will trust my readers (and fix any problem they spot)

How the Avris hold up

1. I will take biology and culture into account when designing the avris

2. Avri wings are actually very strong, considering that avris are skilled warriors that fight on land and in the air.

3. Some avris fly only when they have to, others are constantly airborne. They deeply respect the sky and all things in it. (Losi, for example, is a low flyer because of her slight fear of heights)

4. Avris share a little anatomy with birds--their bodies are streamlined, their bones are hollow, and they do have flight muscles

Next topic?

What topic should we discuss next?

How Gemsinger Holds: The Justice System

1. I will be careful when designing my laws

2. Magic will integrate with the laws and still make sense

3. The treatment of criminals and their punishments fit the crime

How Gemsinger Holds: The Anti Hero

1. Most anti-hero characters the party encounters will be morally ambiguous

2. Anti-heroes will be like any other Shokiyan

3. You will aee another perspective from the party

How Gemsinger Holds: Heroic Mistakes

1. I will keep tabs on how much info the party has at any one time

2. Miresa does have some mistakes in her personality

3. There will be conflicting reactions to what the party does

How Gemsinger Holds: Character Clashes

1. The thing the characters have in common doesn't necessarily have to be a person

2. I will know what my characters want

3. Character's minds will change

4. When blindsided by a stunning revalation, characters won't just sit there brooding

5. I will build on similar characters

How Gemsinger Holds: Villianous Confessions

1. The party will likely learn info about the bad guys from a defector.

2. At one point, the party figures out a plot on their own.

3. If I HAVE to include a villianous monologue, Miresa won't initially believe it

4. If the party does overhear the plot, they have a good reason to overhear it

5. I will remember why the bad guys keep plots a secret