Summer of Lore #69: Differences between Shokiyan casino games and their Earth counterparts

Slot machines

The slot machine counterpart in Shokiyu as known as an onnihata (from a word in the ancient elven tongue meaning "lucky banners") To play, the player inserts however many pearls they wish to bet, then press a button that locks in their bet, which automatically sets a row of banners with symbols on them spinning and then stopping after a few seconds, with the player winning pearls depending on how many of a certain symbol are lined up when the banners stop. Like slot machines on Earth, an onnihata can have multiple paylines, including some in Taraka that have hundreds, thousands, or even millions of paylines

Roulette

Shokiyan roulette is harder to win than on Earth because of extra colors besides red and black, but if someone does win, they win big.

For beginners, the easiest bet to win is what is known as the rainbow bet--have the ball land on any color of the wheel. A proven strategy for winning big is to start slow with some rainbow bets, and then venture into the riskier (and more rewarding) bets.

Playing cards

Playing cards reflect the jewels of the colors of magic, with the face cards depicting heroes and creatures from Shokiyan lore. Some mages can actually call creatures from the cards with a certain spell, but it takes many years of practice before a mage can do this.   

Summer of Lore #68: The Red Crows

The rivals to the Blue Wolves, the Red Crows focus more on stealing treasure, but they are not adverse to kidnapping someone if offered enough. They tend to keep any living items alive when working (According to their leader, "What good is a rare creature if it is dead?)

But if they are cornered, they tend to use ninja/rogue-like tactics, confusing or distracting their opponent to get away with their ill gotten goods. But if pursued by a Blue Wolf, they can and will fight back, and woe be anyone caught in the crossfire when the two sides clash.

A Red Crow is usually identified by the stylized crow embroidered in red on their outfits (which they conceal when on a mission to avoid detection)

Summer of Lore #67: The Blue Wolves

The Blue Wolves are one of the two most feared gangs of thieves in Shokiyu. Unlike their rivals, the Red Crows, they prefer to kill any in the path to what they want (making them feared assassins all over Shokiyu)

The group gets their name from the outline of a wolf's head in blue on their tunics and on the handles of the daggers often used to carry out the kill. (guards all over Shokiyu know to look for this wolf head on the weapon if they have a suspicion a Blue Wolf was behind a crime.) While many Blue Wolves prefer to use blades, bows and maces are not unheard of.

But when a jealous Laryan hires them in an attempt to kill Natiliene and take Taraka for himself, the Blue Wolves don't count on encountering the Gemsinger!

Summer of Lore #66: Touring the Kukidama Workshop

"...and here is the workroom, where up to ten danevalas may be working at one time." a maroon haired guide explained, gesturing to a small semicircle of six boys and girls in pale green robes blowing into large metal tubes far below the catwalk the group was watching from, making a large round crystal grow larger and more colorful. "The speed and strength of each breath affect the color of the finished kukidama."

"What if the kukidama needs glitter or something?" someone asked.

"The danevala applies a special lip balm before they start--the heavier the layer applied, the more sparkles the finished kukidama will have." the guide replied, gesturing to a seventh apprentice walking down towards the semicircle. As the seventh apprentice knelt down before an empty tube with a large mouthpiece at the end of it, her master swabbed a clear glittery goo on her lips.

The group oohed and ahhed as the seventh apprentice started blowing a deep green kukidama with gold sparkles into existence. "Now then...let's move on to the kukidama gallery." the guide instructed before leading the group across the catwalk to the gallery foyer.

More awed chatter went up when they saw the hundreds of kukidamas on display. "As one of the top kukidama makers in all Shokiyu, our work is in high demand everywhere." the guide began before gesturing to a pale green kukidama with a faint white swirl. "This is our signature pattern, Goddess' Breath--every temple to the wind goddess with a kukidama workshop has their own unique pattern that is not blown anywhere else.

"What's this one?" Miresa asked, gesturing to a royal blue and white kukidama with silver sparkles.

"That one is 'Gemsinger's Hope'" the guide replied. "It will be presented to the winner of the tournament here in a few days, so it is being kept here for safekeeping."   

Summer of Lore #65: The Ichidou Aeris

NOTE: Most of the material today is story exclusive, and does not appear in the game

Commissioned as Natiliene's first major building project as ruler, the Ichidou Aeris is a sight to behold. Made from enchanted peridot, it is the first building you see when you enter the Jeweled District.

(story exclusive)

Central to the worship of the wind goddess is the kukidama, a special type of crystal that is inflatable like a balloon. When inflated, a kukidama's colors will often change depending on the strength of the denevala's (devotees of the wind goddess that have dedicated themselves to inflating kukidamas) blows, then harden into a jewel that resembles a huge marble when it is completely inflated.

Kukidamas are often displayed in the common rooms of houses and from the roofs of prominent officials in trade cities like Taraka, as thanks to the wind goddess. However, kukidamas are also in high demand as collectibles, with certain patterns being very valuable. An apprentice denevala will have to learn to blow 500 unique patterns as part of their training. Of these, three are often blown as part of ceremonies--Peridot's Luster (a pattern blown during prayers--an apprentice's final task is to blow this pattern as part of a special ceremony), Stardust (a beautiful sparkling pattern blown on holidays) and Windsong (blown to open and close ceremonies)

An apprentice will blow most of the patterns as part of selling kukidamas--a good danevala can blow up to 10 kukidamas a day. Natiliene receives three specially designed kukidamas from the Ichidou Aeris a year--one on her birthday, one on the anniversary of Taraka's founding, and one on Lafisavia.

The weak of lung and those that are not danevalas need not attempt to inflate a kukidama--the inflation process is a long and tedious process (about 3-5 hours--a good danevala can usually finish in 1-2 hours) done strictly by mouth. The huge mouthpiece (which is slightly larger than a tuba mouthpiece--it is custom made to suit each individual danevala's mouth shape) used in this process is attached to a long metallic tube that is in turn attached to the bottom of the kukidama, which pops out on its own when the kukidama hardens.

Since the Ichidou Aeris is one of the top producers of kukidamas in Shokiyu, their work is in high demand. One of the prizes in the tournament Miresa and co. participate in is a "Gemsinger's Hope" kukidama, one of the harder patterns to create  

  

Summer of Lore #64: The Schola Aqua

After having a bit of writer's block yesterday, I have some more information on Taraka:

Located not far from the Crystal Arena and the Ichidou Aeris (a great shrine to the wind goddess made completely out of peridot), the Schola Aqua ("the school of water") is usually where aquatic competitions are held, should a tournament have them on the schedule. If no competition is being held, you can be taught everything from basic swimming lessons to how to battle in water.

Devotees of the water goddess in Taraka often come here to meditate, although thousands of acolytes will descend on Taraka at the start of the rainy season to be fully initiated as priests and priestesses. The ceremony culminates in each acolyte being completely doused in the first storm of the rainy season as a sign of their devotion

Summer of Lore #63: The Jeweled District

Located in the heart of Taraka, the Jeweled District is where most Shokiyans come to to both try their luck in the opulent casinos or catch a show in one of the theaters, all built out of a type of gemstone or crystal.

Inside a Shokiyan casino, there's both the familiar (a counterpart to a slot machine exists, and many Earth games, such as 5 card and  hi/lo stud poker, blackjack, and roulette, have Shokiyan variants--the suits on Shokiyan cards are different, and roulette has many different colors besides red and black), plus games that are unique to Shokiyu.

Summer of Lore #62: The Crystal Arena

Built entirely out of crystal from the nearby quarries, the Crystal Arena is as beautiful to look at as it is to watch some of the competitions that take place inside. While it is mainly used for athletic events, it is not unheard of for it to be used as a concert or speech venue.

No matter where you sit in the arena, there's not a bad seat in the house. Natiliene has her own private box near the top seats, but only guests of hers are the only ones allowed in besides her, her entourage, and other Laryans.

The average tournament usually lasts one or two weeks, and typically involves racing, non-lethal duels, and tests of skill, although longer tournaments with a different schedule of events are not unheard of. Water events have their own facility, so as not to damage the delicate crystal (it can tolerate a rare hard rainstorm, but not an outright flood)

Summer of Lore #61: Mini Games in Taraka

Here's just a few of  the mini games and sidequests you will find in Taraka

--The Crystal Arena will be open for competition even after the required tournament.

--You can initiate a challenge dungeon

--Play in the casinos of the Jeweled District

Summer of Lore #60: Natiliene Laryan

The current ruler of Taraka, Natiliene is well loved and well liked among the people for her wisdom, kindness, and a razor sharp wit. Like many of her family before her, she earned her fortune through hard work and honest dealings--she is renowned throughout Shokiyu for her skill as an artist and art appraiser.

Very thorough in all she does, her keen eye for detail means she can tell a con or scam a mile away. She has already left her mark by continuing her father's mission of rooting out corruption and abuse within the city--every Tarakan knows that it is near impossible to pull a fast one on her.

But being part of a rich family has its dangers--when Miresa and co. try to save her from the Blue Wolves (acting on a sinister request from a jealous brother), she discovers a power she didn't know she had!

Summer of Lore #59: The City of Taraka

All over Shokiyu, the city of Taraka stands out as a shining symbol of the world's trade and culture, with some of its nicknames being "the glittering rainbow city" and "the jewel of the desert" Built by one of the famous Laryan family years ago as a gift to a kind daughter, Taraka has grown and flourished as a center of trade, research, and art.

Nestled inside a rare river basin (not unlike Egypt and the Nile in our world), Tarakans are more than happy to share their immense wealth--in their words, "even the poor deserve a taste of the royal life."

Ever since the city was built, a member of the Laryan family has served as its ruler. While most of the Laryans have been wise and just rulers, there have been some that were not so great, and it is these Laryans that are publicly shamed so that their mistakes are not repeated. Thankfully, the current Laryan, Natiliene, is well loved and well liked for her kindness, wisdom, and wit. Though young, she has made her mark on the city, continuing her father's legacy of stamping out corruption and making it very clear that abusing the city's wealth and mistreating the poor will not be tolerated.

Among the many attractions in Taraka:

--The Royal Theater of Shokiyu--one of Shokiyu's oldest theaters, Natiliene spearheaded a campaign to have it restored. It still hosts daily performances of some of the most loved plays in the Shokiyan repertoire and the hottest new plays. It is a tradition for a new play to receive its hundredth performance here--a sign that it has been formally accepted into the canon of great plays.

--The Crystal Arena--One of Natiliene's favorite places to visit, this spacious arena is made entirely from crystal mined from the nearby desert quarries, and tournaments of all stripes are held daily

--The Jeweled District--Home to many casinos and other wonders, many of the buildings here were carved from jewels

--The Great Hall--Another one of Natiliene's favorite spots to visit, this beautiful palace carved from diamond (its full name is The Great Hall of Performance Art) hosts concerts, dance troupes, comedians, and storytellers of every stripe. 

We're back!

This week, we'll talk about an upcoming arc in The Video Game--the tournament of Taraka. We'll also discover who owns that fifth spellsong

Break Time!

The Summer of Lore is taking a week-long break, so I can think up some more lore for you guys to read

Summer of Lore #58: Special Effects

Like most Shokiyan plays, "The Song of Magic is not without special effects. In addition to show spells, it also has:

--stage combat
--creatures as live actors (including rare instances of canine and feline live actors.  Larger creatures, such as bears, remain puppets.
--aerial combat (this is usually done by avri actors or actors trained in aerial combat)
--water performances (done by a group of female actors trained to do this--it is not unlike synchronized swimming in our world, only with more emphasis on time spent underwater                                                                                                                                                                             

Summer of Lore #57: A Night at the Theater

A digital viginette showing Miresa and co. seeing "The Song of Magic" in Taraka, done in dialogue:

"Wow! This is beautiful!"

"Plays are a grand spectacle, Arune, so even the theaters are a sight to behold."

"What play are we going to see?

"Today we're seeing 'The Song of Magic'--Dorian's performed in this one."

"Really?"

"He has narrated and played the lead role in addition to playing in the chorus."

"But I thought the minstrel was a girl..."

"Some directors feel the part is best played as a boy, Arune. But no matter what the title character's gender is, it is a thrilling story all the same."

"Is Dorian performing this time?"

"Yes--he is narrating the story."

"Quiet down! The show's starting!"

Summer of Lore #56: The Chorus

In addition to the orchestra, the dramatic adaptation of "The Song of Magic" is notable for having a chorus that also plays instruments as well. Among the 20 chorus members (4 of each type of voice), there is

--a flute (used to mimic birds, the female voice, ghosts and spirits)
--drums
--the narrator's harp (some plays will have more than one harp in the chorus besides the narrator's

A general percussionist is also part of the chorus (handling small drums and rhythm instruments for sound effects)

Summer of Lore #55: The Orchestra

When performing "The Song of Magic", a theater requires a small orchestra and a chorus of about 20 speakers and singers (this includes the speaker for the large puppets if the puppeteers nor the minstrel that narrates are performing the voices.

At the very least, the orchestra for this play will have about 30 performers (most of them percussionists), but an orchestra with up to 70 performers is not unheard of.

For our purposes, the orchestra has 60 performers:

--half of that is percussion (eg. drums, bells, small rhythm instruments, and various tuned percussion)
--Of the remaining 30, 15 are strings (fiddles, harps, lutes, etc.) and the other 15 are wind instruments (flutes,whistles, horns, and an okina pair)

Summer of Lore #54: The Main Roles

Here are the main roles of "The Song of Magic"

Kere (pronounced Care)--the heroine of the story, she is a soprano voice. The actress playing her should know how to sing, play a variety of instruments, use a bow, and cast some show spells. If the character is being played as a male, the male name is Kern (kurn), and the actor should be a tenor.  For our purposes, the character is being written as a female.

Dagan-A renowned wizard who wrote 80% of all that is currently known about spellsong. He serves as Kere's  teacher. He is a baritone voice on the bass side, and the actor playing him should know some show spells.

Mithar-A teamed wildcat that serves as Kere's companion. He is portrayed as a large puppet big enough for a person to sit on. He is one of the more complex common creature puppets to operate, requiring six puppeteers to operate--two of these support a rider. He is a tenor voice, and his lead puppeteer should know how to cast some show spells

King Anduin-The human king in charge of Selance--Leria's distant ancestor. He is a baritone voice on the tenor side 

Meikon-The guardian of Shokiyu, this is one of the rare plays where she is portrayed as a live actor (many plays portray her as a puppet) She is a mezzo soprano on the alto side, and the actress playing her should know how to use a variety of weapons, martial arts, and show spells.

Katva-The demon lord, he (and other demons) are always portrayed as a puppet (as Shokiyans believe it is bad luck to portray a demon as a live actor) Katva puppets may range in complexity from a simple hand puppet to (as he is in this play) a large puppet requiring at least three puppeteers to operate.

Summer of Lore #53: About the Play

"The Song of Magic" is about an average length for a Shokiyan play (about 3-4 hours) However, versions exist that are longer than this.

While the main character is written as a girl, it is not unheard of for the character to be written male. Usually, if the main character is written male, it is usually made a britches role for a female. The role has, however, been played by a male (with Dorian being one of the more memorable male performers)

The main character's instrument differs with the actor--usually something the actor can play (in Dorian's performance, it was a harp) If the actor can't play the instrument for real, they pantomime playing it while someone in the orchestra provides the sound.

Summer of Lore #52: The Song of Magic, The Play

As I mentioned in a previous post, the story "The Song of Magic" has been adapted for the Shokiyan stage,and Dorian has played a role. For the next few weeks, you will get to see the cast, staging info,and even the script of the play