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Post by Horsie on Apr 6, 2015 1:41:28 GMT
Okay, so how about this?
These guys are generally fearful people, very superstitious. We know that they've not been discovered by the people settling on Rhoadira because they don't like getting close to the ocean (so perhaps there's a legend for that), and because they stay underground because they fear the sun. While they live underground they can't see without their lanterns, and the histories passed down over generations tell of beasts that lived in the darkness of the caves and tunnels, that only attacked when the lamps went out, so they fear the dark.
Their cities are beautiful and well lit, which is probably good for people who try to avoid travelling between cities too much.
Their society is very conservative and traditionalist. Their legends tell of a time when some misguided people tried to change things, and a long period of social upheaval followed with some cities lamps being extinguished, and the darkness creeping in.
They've heard of the foreigners showing up on their island, and it scares them; these strange people, no matter their intentions, will change things, and no matter how small the change, it could lead to something terrible.
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Post by Canuovea on Apr 6, 2015 4:15:29 GMT
Yes, that sounds pretty good.
Some elements of their society may even be interested in change, but the majority of the people and nobles would not be keen on change or contact with outsiders. Others may even take a more violent method towards solving the problem.
The most likely people who would be willing to listen to or deal with outsiders would be the shining women, who are always interested in truth and knowledge. But they are separate from the main decision making apparatus.
They love beauty and often tradition.
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Post by StyxD on Apr 6, 2015 9:24:04 GMT
I dunno... the ideas sound good, but I still feel like it's missing something. There's still no religion or ideal that binds their society together. Being conservative doesn't mean much, if it doesn't stem from anywhere.
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Post by Harkovast on Apr 6, 2015 13:27:18 GMT
Well as I understand it they have a theology made up of various creation myths for natural phenomenon (like the sun eating other stars and stuff), so all these myths could be frightening warnings of potential doom that the Gooraf believe could potentially destroy them. Then their whole society is about avoiding all the perceived dangers that they are afraid of. Anything new and untested would be viewed through that filter as a threat rather than an opportunity. Their ways have so far avoided them all being wiped out, there for anyone trying to change those ways is putting their whole society in danger.
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Post by Canuovea on Apr 6, 2015 22:55:30 GMT
Of Monsters and Men released a new Single:
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Post by Harkovast on Apr 6, 2015 23:24:54 GMT
Weirdly, that song makes reference to "nothing growing in the dark" and "inspite of my fears"... how apt.
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Post by Canuovea on Apr 6, 2015 23:25:45 GMT
Yup, and it is entitled "crystals"
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Post by Harkovast on Apr 8, 2015 20:52:26 GMT
Of course, for people obsessed with their various fears, the question is really whether or not there really are monsters out there...
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Post by Horsie on Apr 8, 2015 21:43:55 GMT
There ought to be. Creepy things with no eyes or pigment, with big, long legs (and arms?).
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Post by Canuovea on Apr 8, 2015 23:21:10 GMT
I still think the idea of them being driven underground by something or someone would be interesting too.
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Post by Horsie on Apr 8, 2015 23:33:20 GMT
Perhaps they had contact with outsiders before? It might explain why they're not only wary of outsiders, but straying too close to the coast as well.
Maybe one of the races from Xalkara landed, discovered the native population, and tried to round them up as slaves and take their gems?
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Post by Harkovast on Apr 12, 2015 1:46:34 GMT
I need to work out how I can fit that into the plot/timeline.
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Post by Canuovea on Apr 12, 2015 2:22:40 GMT
It would be a neat idea if it could be made to work.
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Post by Horsie on Apr 14, 2015 2:17:38 GMT
Canuovea mentioned to me that some people in Ireland during the famine would drink cow's blood in place of eating meat, usually mixed with milk. Raw blood is drunk by some cultures even today, and it's used in various dishes that don't necessarily require meat.
Since the Gooraf live underground, they'd have a hard time raising enough gimbits to use them for their meat, so more likely they'd keep them mostly for their milk, and perhaps foods made with gimbit blood would be fairly common. They wouldn't have to kill the animal, so they could still keep a relatively small population of gimbits, and meat might be a delicacy.
On that note, I'm not sure if we discussed what their diet consists of, but I was thinking that since they live underground, perhaps they cultivate mushrooms for food? They might have some surface farms, but since they don't like going topside, and farming in the jungle is difficult, surface crops would be something that only the wealthy could afford.
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Post by Harkovast on Apr 14, 2015 2:26:32 GMT
They could go up to the surface to forage food, to supplement what they are able to grow in the caverns. They would probably have a pretty strict list of whats acceptable foods which have been tried and tested to keep everyone from starving or getting poisoned so far.
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