Valentine's Day Questions about Dardunah Love

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    • Valentine's Day Questions about Dardunah Love

      Happy Valentine's Day Everybody! In honor of this day here is a thread to talk about all things Love and Romance Related to Dardunah like...Does Dardunah have an Equivalent to Valentine's Day? I would imagine it would be related to Kilarah as she is the Goddess of Love in Addition to the Moons and Prophecy.

      This isn't strictly related to love an romance but in most relationships Kids quickly follow after marriage today a thought you popped into my head about the idea of adoption and how likely it would be for cross-race adoption among the three great races, within the three great races it isn't too hard to imagine like say a family of Herd Zoics adopting an orphaned Tiger. But the cultural differences between the three great races raises some questions most prominently the Question of the Nagamissa/Amasurah weather the situation would be a family of Sarpah adopting a Vajrah/Paksin or a family of Vajrah/Paksin adopting a Sarpah some members of both sides are gonna bristle at the thought that 'the family is gonna tell the child blasphemous lies' or if the child is an older child and already has quite a bit of knowledge of his/her own culture it will be 'the child has been raised with blasphemous knowledge and may try to tempt the natural born children'
    • I could easily see a holiday and a festival perhaps lasting many days dedicated to the Goddess of Love and Magic. Perhaps there will be mention of some of the most commonly celebrated days mentioned in The WORLD GUIDE when it is completed... that means that until it is published it is best to use your own imagination in creating holidays which would best fit the nature of your campaign and add richness to the version of the world which you choose to share with your players...

      The idea of adoption is a concept which is already available in the game of Shard. It happens formally when a character is raised from one caste to another, specifically the Priest caste which usually requires that the character leave behind all associations of the former life in order to be accepted into the new life of one of the Holy Caste. This could also happen with the High Caste as well, although normally the entire family would be taken in to the House in question it is possible that only one member would be adopted into a House or Family Line in cases which involve incidents which could bring dishonor or shame to the reputation of the House or Line in question.

      Regarding the other types of adoption you mentioned, I would first say that in the case of the Herd Zoics adopting a Tiger, this would not be an issue in and of itself due to the way that reproduction works in the world of Shard. All Vajrah can reproduce with all other Vajrah, so that a family with a herd creature might in fact possess members of different Vajrah types through natural births. The way that this is determined is as follows... Lets use information from the up and coming WORLD GUIDE which states that if the mother is a lioness and the father is a stallion, the child will have a 45% chance to be a lion or a lioness, and a 45% chance of being a stallion or a mare and a 5% chance of being a some other animal type from the lioness's ancestry and a 5% chance of being some other animal type from the stallion's ancestry. This other type of animal would be determined by whatever the parents, grandparents, great grand parents ect were. Normally the type of animal will most always be of the great race... ( Vajrah, Sarpah, or Paksin ). So what this means is that it would be very common to have a Monkey being married to a Wolf either have a baby monkey or a baby wolf, and less common that the children would be some Vajrah type from further back in the history of the genetics, such as a Weasel due to that type of animal being present in one or both of the family history.

      This concept gets a little more tricky when we consider adoption outside of the three great races. In those cases it would be based upon the local attitudes in the region in which the family resided. I could easily image some issues for the sake of fiction and back story both of a positive and a negative nature, depending upon how the player imagines his character.
      With respect to religious teachings they are as much determined by the region the character has been born, as by the racial Jenu of the character.
      Taking the concept of Nagmissa/Amasurah, I encourage you to think of the Indian Goddess known as Kali. She is both creator and destroyer, depending upon which aspect she is manifesting, the same could be true of the Egyptian Goddess Sekhmet who is associated with Bast or Hathor depending upon her manifestation and often seen as a destroyer and a protector simultaneously. suffice to say that in the lands of the south the perception of gods may differ than the perceptions of those held in the north, and if I may say, in the lands of the east the perceptions may differ with those of the other cardinal directions with respect to which deity is held in highest esteem in the eyes of the population.

      I like the way that you are giving thought to the possible story based fiction of the game and encourage you to create fictional elements which touch upon these ideas from an angle which is both racial as well as geographical as you weave adventures full of all the complex and varied situations we face in our own world with respect to the dynamics involved when people of differing cultures, races and religions interact in both group as well as individual numbers. The fact is that the dynamics could be ever changing depending upon the personal investment of those concerned.
      Over all I would have to say this an excellent way to breath life into a game. I would also like to let you know that the WORLD GUIDE will have a great deal of information to consider before you develop too much fantasy around these concepts, since it will be devoted to giving those who purchase it a much more detailed and broad understanding of the world with regards to all aspects of daily life including the general attitudes and politics between various regions.
      So keep your ears out for the WORLD GUIDE. 8o
    • The question came into my head because in further planning The Revenants of Dark Earth story, after Si'Ni joins the Turtles and other Heroes, two pairs of characters first the titular Revenants Eartha a Female Mole and Ringo and Male Ring Neck Snake treat each other as brother and sister, they are clearly not blood relatives but they treat each other like siblings, then when the heroes need someone new to cause a distraction, two Witch Humanimals summon another pair of cross-species adopted siblings, (Based on Characters a friend and I made when we were character creating for a TMNT Game) A Female Red-Eyed Tree Frog named Rana and Male Grey Squirrel named Charlie, they are brother and sister because the Human who raised them found them in the same puddle of Mutagen in the Yucatan Rain Forest.

      Which causes Si'Ni to remark "First a Vajrah Sister and Sarpah Brother, now a Sarpah Sister and Vajrah Brother!"

      My question formed because I wasn't sure how unusual the Average Janah would find a Sarpah and Vajrah treating each other like siblings

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Teenage Mutant Sarpah ().

    • A Vajrah and a Sarpah brother and sister occurring naturally would be uncommon, considering the fact that an extremely rare and complicated magic ritual performed by a priest or a healer must be performed to allow such a thing to happen. Otherwise the relation would need to be through adoption or some other such social contract.
    • While it is true that all Janah can breed within their racial group I do remember what was said that even within the three racial groups some think their 'Jenu' disguise is better than others most notably the Cats of Suustrum and the Bats of Klinrah while they might have arguably the worst cases of a racial superiority complex I distinctly remember reading that in Bikari Herd Zoics are the Ruling Class and in Dur-Parum Rodents are the Ruling Class I don't know if these cases Herd Zoics and Rodent Zoics have come to think their 'Disguises' are better than others but it does imply to me there are still divisions within the three great racial types
    • So to answer your question.... the areas you mentioned are regions where there is a hierarchy set up which includes certain animal types while excluding others. One of the reasons for this could also be that those who are currently in power were formerly the oppressed in that nation, while another reason could be that the houses which have held power in a particular region have continued to produce heirs of a certain animal type despite any inbreeding which may occur. What this does not mean is that the same would be true in another region were such circumstances differed and the general outlook was different due to the factors which combined to produce the ruling castes. So while both region and the history of the region and animal type are to be taken into account, of the two it is the history and the region which would be the major determining factors as to the general thoughts about the differences in animal type not the other way around. The thing to take away from the entire thing is that if one of the ruling houses were to have a child which took after a different animal type from far back in the families gene pool that child would still be welcomed in the family although he/she might be uncommon. This is not to say that in most cases those who are in control of the resources and by default the power with in an area do not tend to also marry others who are of equal or greater political stature for the benefit of securing greater honor for the house they may serve. Which could produce dynasties which favor one animal type over others. While other regions due to the available politically suitable choices may have a much broader selection to choose from, and as a by product would have a more diverse group occupying the upper tier of society.
      So in short while the animal type is somewhat important in certain regions, It is only important due to the political power and the historic significance of the families which have claimed dominance in the region which may have been the from among the majority animal type of the particular time in history when the power was claimed. In the region of Sustrum there was a time that Paksin ruled and it was due to this same reason. After they were over thrown and fled, those who they oppressed ( the felines) claimed the power for themselves. While within the region of Rakbar a feline would know and understand that the Paksin held the upper levels of power. So depending upon the region, more so than the race, opinions are formed.
    • It would make a great story, though, if a non-bat was born to bats on the island of Klinrah due to a long-ago love match in the ancestry of one of the bats. That child might be wanted, and even loved, but it also might be seen as shameful. Perhaps he/she would be hidden away, or perhaps the parents would pretend it was a slave, or perhaps they might seek to send him/her away to another country in the hope that he/she might have a better life. A player character with that kind of background could have all sorts of fun discovering his/her heritage.
    • The name KlinRa is the name of the island nation itself and not used to reference a single entity but rather the entire kingdom.
      I also enjoyed reading mythology of many different types from many different nations and I could easily see some of the same types of stories happening upon the world of DARDUNAH with respect to some of the nature spirits and other supernatural beings which will be detailed in the book we are currently working on called The World Guide.
    • One the matters and ways of the Devah I can speak with no authority. That the Devah no longer walk among the jánah is clear. By the will of the Great Mother and Father, all the Devah were forbidden from setting foot upon the world of Dardunah without Their divine permission, which may be granted during times of great and epic need. After this decree that the Devah could never step foot or directly interect with the jánah again, of all the Devah only Nagamíssa is mentioned as having given birth to an offspring from having loved a non divine mate, and even she disobeyed the Great Father and Mother to do so. The history of the children of the Great Mother and Father is long and obscured by the misty veils of time spanning countless generations and as with all things which originate in the distant past, much of it is shrouded in deepest mystery. The World Guide will contain more information related to Dardunah's history, and perhaps will shed some light on many topics which as of now are unknown.
    • Thinking about a darker side to Wedding and Marriage Customs of Dardunah. Clearly arranged marriages can be a thing in Dardunah my character Si'Ni in addition to being Autistic/Asperger's Syndrome also is Asexual and only likes being touched when she feels like it. She absolutely does not want to have sex with anyone ever...How much say could an average Trade Caste Daughter have over weather she wants to be married at all?
    • It would depend upon the family you were from and possibly the whether you were of high rank within the Trade Caste itself. I would think it might be more likely the higher up you were with the Trade Caste and the wealthier your family was. Considering it would make good business sense to wed a daughter to a mate with advantages such as valuable contacts able to strengthen the merchants access to wealth and or possibly trade negotiations with formerly unavailable sources. With this as an underlying motivation it would be easy to understand why a family would strongly encourage an arranged marriage which could bring honor to the family as a whole and advance its position versus rival merchant houses.
    • Teenage Mutant Sarpah wrote:

      I didn't write Klinrah I wrote Kilarah, isn't that how her name is spelled?


      Oh! You're thinking of Krilárah,…the devah of the moons, magic, prophesy, and love… You just left out the “r”, which is why he was initially confused…

      Speaking about things love-related, there are several things we’re expanding upon in the eventual “World Guide” that I’m actually starting to work on again even now, which you may be interested in… Here are a few “Rite of Life” descriptions that are related, when it comes to talking about jánah marrying one another, including the “rite” that indicates one is ready for marriage and life as a caste-braid-wearing adult:

      Pratháma-Jaya – Literally meaning “First Victory”, the joyous celebration held for someone who has already been inducted into their caste, and who has successfully achieved some initial task deemed important to their future path. For someone of the Holy Caste, it may be their first holy ritual they perform on their own, or perhaps their first large goal as an Assistant to an Architect or Lawspeaker. For High Caste members, it may be the celebration held after their first successful battle in the Spiral Arena, or even their first sir’hibas ritual, if they are so inclined. To a Trade Caste jánah, this ritual may be to honor their first sale, or perhaps their first successful crafting while apprenticed to an Artisan. Even peasants celebrate their first successfully earned job in this way.

      Marriage Ceremonies – The blessed ceremonies of marital union represent a contract of honor and loyalty between two families and sometimes a bond of love between two individuals, almost always members of the same caste. Often marriages are promised as arrangements between families seeking alliances with one another through the union of their children. Such arranged marriages can be set into contract between the elders involved as early as the age of seven as far as the children are concerned, though the marriage itself cannot take place till after both young jánah have achieved Pratháma-Jaya. At this point they are both deemed worthy and the union may proceed as desired. It is traditional, in such arranged marriages, for the parents of the bride to present as a gift, to the parents of the groom, a dowry of treasures and monies which is to be used to help secure the couple’s futures, and to insure that she is well cared for as she becomes a mother and must be carefully kept by her husband. Older traditions dictated that an unmarried female was an ill omen for a family, and so it behooved them well to insure that marriages were successful and that their daughter could care for herself and her family in the unfortunate event that she became a widow. On the day of the celebration, the bride and her attendants perform rituals using blessed water and sanctified earth. These are offered to Krilárah, and in rural areas sometimes to Asha as well, to promote fertility. The groom meanwhile rides a chinti, followed by friends and relations, to the bride’s village or house. The groom and the bride both then travel to the place of the ritual, where a priest awaits to chant the mantras of union. Their clothing is then tied together in a nuptial knot, and as the ceremony is completed the groom dons an ornamental, crested headdress to demonstrate his new stature in society. It is then that the sacred fires are lit, and a feast is served at a glorious reception, filled with songs, dancing, and merriment.

      And speaking of holy days dealing with love (since you asked about an equivalent to a sort of “Valentine’s Day”), we will be presenting a write-up on two different holidays that have elements of love, motherhood, and birth within them:

      New Year’s Festival of Muhjíbh – The glorious festival held through the night before and on through the rising of Edü on the morning of the first day of the month of Sahásya, at the very beginning of Spring. This festival celebrates the works of Muhjíbh, messenger of the Devah and deliverer of the blessed news that the season of death is through, and the season of rebirth has begun. On the eve of this day (the night of the final day of Tuhína, thus ending the Season of Sheetál), amidst much celebration and fireworks, tiny blue candles are lit and placed in either waxed paper boats or upon cupped leaves to be set afloat upon nearby sacred waters (this is to call forth the rising of Edü on the morning), and a feast is held with revelry lasting throughout the night until the greeting and prayers of the sacred rising sapphire sun. On this day, after both suns finally rise, messages of love and desire are sent to significant others in the hopes of arranging trysts and to show other such signs of passionate affection. Gifts are exchanged on the dawn of this day as well between family and friends, usually toys of various kinds for children, and for adults there are gifts that are procured specifically to honor their place within their caste or their social status (tools of their trade, gifts of jewelry, fine weapons, etc.), for this is also the day when Muhjíbh rose to the Heavens on his cloud to announce the creation of the castes so long ago to the Great Mother and Father. It is They who proclaimed that this noble system should be honored with those gifts and blessings that are shared on this day by all.

      Flower Festival of Krilárah (Nagamíssa in the northern Sarpah nations) – At the height of the Spring season, on the first day of the month of Yauvánu, begins the week-long Festival of Flowers held in honor of the blossoming mother Krilárah. Though it is celebrated to some extent throughout the world, with bouquets and garlands of local and exotic flowers presented as gifts to adorn the home and the workplace, and to be worn on the body in carefully crafted display, it is to the nation of Ullésh that many people travel to appreciate the beauty of the season, and the celebration of flowering motherhood. The great bhavana trees, in which many of the capitol’s citizens make their homes, are in full and illustrious bloom, filling the air with their almost intoxicating aromas as they dazzle the eyes with various shades of pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows. Here (and in central and northern Nilám), the festival is a general festival of motherhood, and holy icons and statues of both Krilárah and Nagamíssa can be seen adorning the city and most homes. At the end of the Grand Avenue of Dushápa, on the last day of celebration and before an impressive public feast, two great wicker figures of Nagamíssa and Krilárah, both looking very pregnant, appear to dance together in friendship, festooned with flowers to hide what is inside. At the apex of the ceremonies, as chants and lively music begin to fill the air, the swollen bellies of the large figures open up to spill forth brightly-dressed laughing children who descend on rope ladders or climb down the wicker legs to dance among the crowd, offering blessings to all whom they touch. The dancing is then joined in by all before they finally settle for the feast, then more laughter, music, and dancing into the night.

      (Please note: all of the above descriptions are unedited, and may change in the final version of the upcoming "world Guide"...)

      Enjoy!

      Scottie ^^