The Shokiyan Diet, Day 7

When are meals typically served? Which are substantial and which are smaller?

Breakfast is usually served around 7-8 AM, lunch around noon, and dinner around 6-7 PM, although depending on where you live, this might be earlier or later.

Dinner is usually the biggest of the three, but some families choose to make lunch the bigggest meal

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 6

◦How many meals are considered normal in a day?

Shokiyans have three square meals a day with a smaller snack in between

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 5

If farm production is based on magic, how many urban residents are going to starve if the spells supporting farming (weather, land fertility, etc.) fail suddenly?

No one, because most Shokiyans keep a stsah of food for just such an emergency

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 4

◦Given the magical/technological level of this society, what is an appropriate ratio of farmers or food producers to urban residents?

The ratio is 2 to 1, so there is usually plenty of food

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 3

◦Is sanitation good enough for untreated water to be safe to drink? If not, what do people drink instead?

Water is plentiful and clean on Shokiyu, but juices are usually the drink of choice at mealtime

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 2

◦When a guest arrives, is food or drink offered immediately, after an interval, or only on request?

A Shokiyan will ask if you are hungry or thirsty when you first arrive, but the guest has the option to refuse either (eg. s/he ate on the way and is still full, been drinking a lot on the road, etc.)

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 1

◦What dishes are considered holiday food? What foods/drinks are associated with particular holidays, events (e.g., funerals, weddings) or times of the year?

One particular holiday food is tysal, or "sweet crystal", a type of rock candy that looks like glass. It can be consumed any time of year, but it is most often eaten at Lafisavia (the Shokiyan answer to Christmas), weddings and funerals (at funerals, a piece is buried with the corpse to wish it a sweet afterlife)

Shokiyan Arts and Entertainment, Day 15

◦Do non-human races have their own games and leisure pastimes? How do they differ from human games? How do they reflect the physiology and/or particular magical talents of the various non-human races?

The other races do have their own games--and many of them involve magic. One example is sproutball, a game popular in the fairy realm. It is similar to the Earth game of soccer--if a soccer ball had a mind of its own and players didn't mind the rules being almost Calvinball-like in nature.

Video Game Update: Battle Music

We interrupt this worldbuilding for an update on The Video Game:

Currently, we're in the process of rebuilding the soundtrack, and need a new battle theme--so what sort of battle theme(s) do you suggest we use?

The only rule is to try and keep them somewhat in a fantasy feel (so electric guitars and techno-ish stuff should be kept to a minimum)

Shokiyan Arts and Entertainment, Day 14

◦Are there non-human races who tend to be naturally talented painters, dancers, etc.? How does this affect human practitioners of these arts?

Elves are more agile than humans, so they are great dancers. Human dancers look up to and train under an elven master, so a human is capable of pulling off an elf's moves

Shokiyan Arts and Entertainment, day 13

◦What things are considered appropriate subjects for representational arts such as painting and sculpture? Which are not?

The human figure is fine to sculpt or paint (nudity is okay if it is tasteful), as are representations of the other races. Demons are off limits, as are scenes of death (because Shokiyans believe that painting a scene of someone dead or dying disrespects the subject)

Shokiyan Arts and entertainment, Day 12

◦What games are commonly known — chess, dice, poker?

Card games and dice games are well known on Shokiyu, many of them with a role playing aspect

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 11

◦Have paper-making and the printing press been invented, or are books and scrolls rare, expensive, handwritten items?

While papermaking exists on Shokiyu, books are magically printed, not by a printing press

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, day 10

◦Is magic a profession, an art, or just a job? What is the status accorded to magicians in this society?

Magic is both a profession and an art--and great mages have rockstar status.

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 9

◦What sports or pastimes are common (hawking, hunting, skiing, baseball)?

Hunting, fishing, ball games, games of chance, card and dice games, and some board games are common. Archery and training creatures for non-lethal duels are some of the more effort reqiring pastimes

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 8

Is there a separate branch of purely magical art, such as illusion?

Magic as we know it on Earth (eg. sleight of hand) is also on Shokiyu, but Shokiyan magic tricks are usually more elaborate.

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, day 7

How do “normal” artists feel about this?

"normal" artists have no problem with magic in art itself, but try to work to make sure that it does not upstage the art being created.

Shokiyan Arts and Entertainment, Day 6

◦Can magic be used in the arts, and if so, how?

Pictures can move, creating something similar to movies, brushes can paint on their own, instruments can play themselves, and provide special effects for plays and dancing

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 5

◦What do people at various levels of society do for fun?

Ball games, card games, and dice games are common, as are some board games (but they are not like any board games on Earth) The upper class will also enjoy races and nonlethal duels

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, day 4

Are there also traveling troupes of players/musicians/dancers?

Traveling troupes do exist alongside minstrels, but unlike minstrels, traveling troupes mainly perform in rural areas and smaller cities (but they will visit larger cities if asked)

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 3

◦Are there permanent theaters or concert halls for the performing arts?

There are plenty of theaters and concert halls around Shokiyu--many are maintained by the various performers' guilds. Others are run by wealthy patrons, and still more are maintained by fans of a particular art

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 2

Which arts are most highly valued and why?

Storytelling and music are the most prominent arts--because Shokiyans are proud of their stories, and music connects them to magic.

Shokiyan arts and entertainment, Day 1

◦What is the status of the arts (dance, music, theater, etc.) in this society? Are artists revered or mistrusted?

The arts are loved and enjoyed on Shokiyu, and artists revered along with them

Travel and communication on Shokiyu, Day 15

Last question on this topic:

Where are the great libraries or collections of books/scrolls/manuscripts? How accessible are they to scholars, wizards, the general public? Who supports them?

The main libraries are in the capital cities, with affiliates in larger cities. They are open to all, and supported by wealthy patrons and public donations

Travel and communication on Shokiyu, Day 14

◦How are books produced?

While the printing press does not exist on Shokiyu per se, books are mass produced magically, so every Shokiyan has at least one or two books

Travel and communication in Shokiyu, Day 13

Is there freedom of the press? If not, who controls/censors it and by what means?

The Shokiyan press is somewhat free, depending on who currently sits on the Council of Order (a group of five mages that acts as a ratings board. If the five members believe in freedom of expression, the least that can happen is the obejectionable content being edited. At the other extreme, "objectionable" content has been magically erased or the item is just plain not released when hardliner mages sit on the council.

Travel and communication in Shokiyu, Day 12

How slanted is the news they get, and in what direction?

Many minstrels will have their own opinions about the news they sing about, and this is reflected in their songs. Notice board messages try to keep the news balanced, but depending on who posted the message, it may be slanted.

Travel and communication in Shokiyu, Day 11

◦How do people find out what is happening in the world — rumor, town crier, newspapers, TV and radio?

Rumors are common, and minstrels will often sing about newsworthy events. In addition, every town has a message board that notices can be posted on.

Travel and communication in Shokiyu, Day 10

◦Are some classes of people (slaves, peasants) not expected to travel at all? Are some (heralds, messengers) expected to travel constantly?

Anyone is free to travel (slaves just go with their masters), but messengers and minstrels are always on the go (some larger cities have a minstrel in residence)

Belated State of the Chronicles and travel and comunication in Shokiyu

The new worldbuilding is coming along well, but on we go with more Shokiyan travel and communication:

◦Where would a traveler stay at night? Are there enough travelers to support inns, or do people have to stay at some equivalent of medieval monasteries?

There are inns all around Shokiyu, with varying rates per night depending on where the inn was (so a well traveled route would have a cheap rate, while an iin off the beaten path would be more expensive)