Local Society
Published by: Sqarr
, On: Feb-23-2006
Notes on the Local Society
While it could be easy to discuss the unique society and beliefs that surround the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern at great length, this document is meant only to be a cursory introduction, so visitors will at least be prepared with the basics.
Unlike some in our own world, the people who inhabit the world immediately surrounding the Dragon's Heart Inn and Tavern know nothing but bland and vague rumours of the idea of a single God that rules all. To their understanding, there is a council of seven Gods who chose to band together and watch over their Earth. According to their local histories, it was these seven who first brought the spark of sentient life to the world, in great creative variety, in order to see who, among their creations, would be most successful. To this end, the Council of Seven Seats rarely takes a helpful hand in directing their individual creations, that they may act on their own strengths and weaknesses, keeping the long-term results fair.
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In other words, as far as the Council of Seven Seats is concerned, life is understood to be a complex game, with strict rules and strong consequences for direct interference. Thus, the Gods are respected by those who believe and act upon these beliefs -- for their self-control, understanding that it must be difficult not to answer the cries for help their creations often put out, and thanked for choosing them to be their representatives in the world. This self-respect often extends to honest respect and admiration of the other inumerable sentient races that inhabit the world, but also breeds fear and hatred of those same races for others.
While it is true that the external conditions of the world of the Dragon's Heart are indeed extremely similar to our own, the local method of telling time follows a differing philosophy. Each day is divided in eight equal segments, called "wakes." Each of these wakes is devoted to a different Godly aspect, referred to in old texts studied in monestaries, save the eighth, which is the period of rest for all. Each of these wakes are devided in to four "hours," which are further divided in to thirty-six "minutes" these are divided in to a hundred and eighty "seconds," but there is no official number associated to the year.
Years are considered to begin on the Spring equinox, when it is believed that the world is just waking from its own equivalent of a night and ready to face the day ahead.
Each of the eight wakes in a day are equivalent to three of our hours. The First Wake, beginning at our six AM, is believed to be the time of the rising sun and the expression of new life, creativity and art. The Second Wake, beginning at our nine AM, is the time of the great building, when the works of the Council of Seven Seats are honoured and remembered by working and striving to reinforce their efforts by continuing to shape and care for them. The Third Wake, beginning at our noon, is the time of the highest sun and the offering of worship and thanks to the Seven Seats of Honour and Life. The Fourth Wake, beginning at our three PM, is the time of understanding the great elements of creation and the trials they pose to teach us of the value of life; Earth, Wind, Fire, Water, the Magic that binds them and the Void that would be in their place. The Fifth Wake, beginning at our six PM, is the time of remembering and honouring the lives and creations that have been and gone and taught us so much in their times. The Final Wake, beginning at our nine PM, is the hour of restitution and justice, when crimes are put to trial and judged in official courts and past crimes and sins are remembered and learned from. The time of the dancing shadows begins at our midnight and is believed to be the time when all the lives and creations that have gone bad are acknowledged and let be. The time of absolute rest, when all is thought to sleep in preparation for the coming day, begins at our three AM.
-S`qarr
If you believe you've a good idea for an element or image that could be added to this page as further description of this world's people and their beliefs, an explanatory essay or URL to the image may be submitted for review and possible acceptance by PM to Sqarr. For images, be sure to include appropriate credits and copyright information.
Please note that not all submittals will be posted upon this page, but credit will be given to the originator of the described or illustrated ellements, whether or not the original essay or image they provide is used in part or its entirety. Editting may be needed to maintain continuity.
The form used for essays should be that of a document written by a character that exists within the Dragon's Heart universe, though they need not be a character one plays in the channel. Writing with the character's verbal mannerisms and expressions would be ideal. Consider a scholar on a quest to learn, documenting what they discover...
Be creative, be wild, be crazy, be original, but, by all that is good in this world, PLEASE be logical. Remember: you are trying only to ADD ellements within a framework that already exists. The goal is NOT to rewrite the entire universe's concept and setting.
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