The State of the Chronicles and Something Fun

After covering topics such is school and the calendar this month, I'm considering going through and providing commentary in some of my favorite fantasies, akin to what gamers do with Let's Plays.

Look for a list of choices for the Let's Read soon--suggestions are always welcome

How a Let's Read would work

--I would read a chapter a day
--There would be commentary, insteresting bits, trivia, speculation on what happens next, etc.
--if anyone else has read the book in question before, they can add their .02

Idea: Let's Read?

Game fans have what is called a Let's Play--where someone will play through a game and give (hopefully) interesting commentary on the way.

So why not take a break from worldbuilding and do the same thing with some fantasy books--a Let's Read--for fun?

The Shokiyan Calendar, Day 6

◦What are the names of months, and how many days in each?

The Shokiyan year is five days shorter than an Earth year. Each month is named for one of the Twelve Stones:

Grana (January)
Aimiti (February)
Panna (March)
Hira (April)
Meral (May)
Moti (June)
Kuni (July)
Ranseki (August)
Firi (September)
Pali (October)
Haladi (November)
Topasi (December)

The Shokiyan Calendar, Day 5

◦Which days are general holidays or festival times? What do they celebrate?

To name a few Shokiyan holidays:

Lafisavia (elven for 'the night of love and light')--the Shokiyan answer to Christmas
Day of the Appearing-commemorates the appearing of the First Gemsinger
Day of First Blooms--the spring festival
Day of Gathering--the harvest time

The Shokiyan Calendar, Day 4

◦What event(s) do people use to date years?

Years are dated based on a Gemsinger's appearing (so to them, 2011 would mean eleven years after the Second Gemsinger's Appearing)

The Shokiyan Calendar, Day 3

◦How do people tell what time it is?

Sundials do exist on Shokiyu (including a wearable one), but most of the time, the temples ring the hour and the half hour

The Shokiyan Calendar, Day 2

◦How is the day divided into smaller time units?

Hours are named after the Twelve Stones--so 8 am would be the Hour of Day's Peridot, for example

The Shokiyan Calendar, Day 1

◦Is there a single, generally accepted calendar (including time measurements), or do different countries or peoples or races have different ones?

Shokiyu is like Earth in that there are still 60 seconds in a minute, 60 minutes in an hour and 24 hours in a day. It deviates slightly when the year length is considered--their year is five days shorter than an Earth year (so "thirty days hath September" doesn't apply)

Having said that, the calendar has differing names depending on who you talk to--an elf would refer to it as the Circle of Magic, while an avri would call it the Circle of the Clans

What next?

What shall we talk about next?

School on Shokiyu, Day 9

Is there an apprenticeship system, or are there wizard schools, or is it one-on-one tutoring/mentoring?

Most magical training involves a group lesson (either with the Seer or in a school buiilding--some schools relegate magical training to the Seer anyway), but if you want to train for a specialized magical career, you go to your trade's lodge or a magical academy

School on Shokiyu, Day 8

◦If magic requires study, where do you go to learn about it?

It is part of the required curriculum, effectively replacing science as we know it (those that can't sense magical power use the period to train in their desired trade

School on Shokiyu, Day 7

◦How respected are teachers and scholars? Who supports them?

Teachers, scholars, and Seers that teach are respected--all are supported by the scholar's guild

School on Shokiyu, Day 6

◦Who are the teachers? How are they trained? Who pays them?

Usually, the teachers are members of the scholar's guild. They receive a weekly stipend (that may or my not be supplemented with food) Seers that teach can apply to receive this stipend as well (it works like a scholarship in that it is given to those that need it most)

School in Shokiyu, Day 5

How common are books? How are they produced?

While the printing press does not exist per se on Shokiyu, books are plentiful because they are (usually) magically printed

5 Year Celebration

And now for something a little different...

Yesterday marked my YouTube channel's fifth birthday--I had no clue when I began filming game walkthroughs how much craziness (both good and bad) it would bring.

So to all my fans and viewers: Thank you!

School in Shokiyu, Day 4

◦What is the level of literacy in the general population?

Most Shokiyans can read at about a sixth or seventh grade reading level. Those with higher reading levels either A. plan to teach, or B. are involved in a specialized career that requires high reading levels

School in Shokiyu, Day 3

Are there schoolhouses in every town, or do ordinary people have to travel if they want to be educated?

Most towns have a school building (the rural areas are usually taught by a Seer), and if someone does have to travel to get to school, it isn't far

School on Shokiyu, Day 2

◦Is there an organized system of education? If so, who provides it: government, churches, private persons? How is it supported? Is magic considered part of the general college curriculum, or do you have to study it privately?

There is a system of education, mainly provided and funded by the guild of scholars (but the leaders and Seers pitch in too)

Basic magic is considered one of the subjects (those who can't tap into magical power use this peiod to train in their desired trade instead. You study in the magic academies if you want to hone your skills or choose a specialized trade

School on Shokiyu, Day 1

◦How much does it cost to get various levels of education?

School is mostly free on Shokiyu (as kids are usually taught by the Seer until they are old enough to learn a trade), but if you plan on attending an academy, you my be plunking down thousands of pearls. Fortunately, there are scholarships availiable.

Next Topic?

What shall we talk about next?

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 13

Do people tend to like highly spiced food or not?

Most Shokiyans will eat something if it is a. not too hot, or b. not too overwhelming in flavor.

Taking a break

With E3 coming up, I'm takinga quick break from worldbuilding...

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 12

What herbs and spices are readily available, and what must be imported?

Mint, oregano, cinnamon, thyme, cilantro and basil are a few herbs available, while sage, rosemary, saffron, and dill are some of what have to be imported

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 11

◦What is the food like?

Savory and full of flavor would describe Shokiyan food--and they do it with very minimal salt/spice (but just enough for someone to taste it)

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 10

What foods are staples, commonly eaten every day?

Bread, fruits/berries, and veggies are the staple foods. Meat is usually limited to pork, beef and chicken, with wild game as a treat

The Shokiyan Diet, Day 9

◦What dishes or seasonings would be considered typical of this area?

Herbs are enjoyed all across Shokiyu, but which herbs depend on where you are--elves like the "fresh" spices and flavors (i.e. mint, vanilla, etc), while dwarves enjoy spicy stuff (but not ghost chile caliber hot--they have mild dishes for those sensitive to heat)

The State of the Chronicles and the Shokiyan Diet, Day 8

Are certain foods (e.g., eggs and bacon) reserved mainly for a particular meal?

No--it is perfectly normal on Shokiyu to have cereal at 7 PM (so to speak) or a sandwich at 8 AM, if that's what the person craves.

The world building continued in May with a look at travel, the arts, and diet--thanks to all that read and support the blog.