Gestaltist's Conworlding Scratchpad

Discussions about constructed worlds, cultures and any topics related to constructed societies.
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elemtilas
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Re: Gestaltist's Conworlding Scratchpad

Post by elemtilas »

gestaltist wrote: 21 Jun 2019 14:02
This is as much as I had the time to answer right now. Will come back later to answer the rest of the questions. :)
Yay!, because you know very well, I'm just going to heap on more questions until you start ignoring me!
I don’t know that much about them, I’m afraid. Tjenne is Beuz’ betrothed. They are both from aristocratic families from the northern part of Iver. Beuz’ family has lost much of its influence and they are trying to become relevant again by investing in the new hot thing right now - colonies. And everybody knows Svartenvaut is the place to be for this kind of affair.
How so? Is Svartenvaut some kind of gateway to the colonies?
Are the apartments in the train bigger than they have a right to be because they are actually bigger on the inside than the outside?
Yes, they are actually bigger on the inside thanks to the marvels of symbology.
Oo, impressive! I'm not familiar with kind of magic! What is it and how does it work?

I'm guessing that if they install this kind of magic on trains, it must be pretty stable. More stable or at least less likely to do weird things with the train than anything similar I'm aware of in The World.

What other applications does symbology have?
Well, the Transiveric Train is one-of-a-kind so nothing on it is a typical accommodation. Its main purpose is to haul goods across the Iveric Peninsula. If you’re a passenger and not cargo, you’re likely rich and powerful.
Reminds me of a cross between the Trans-Siberian Railway and the Orient Express.
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gestaltist
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Re: Gestaltist's Conworlding Scratchpad

Post by gestaltist »

elemtilas wrote: 14 Jun 2019 19:34 What's in the bathroom?
I imagine the train has some basic plumbing so a sink with running water is to be expected. Nothing too fancy though. No bathtub or toilet - rather expect a chamber pot.
What's in the restaurant waggon?
Think a 19th century Parisian restaurant put on a train, and you won’t be very far off when it comes to the visuals and atmosphere, although the fashion and the cuisine is going to be rather different.
You mention an orchestra --- what's its (typical) instrumentation and what kinds of music do they play?
That I haven’t figured out yet - due in large part to my speculative evolution for this world still being in flux, and domesticated animals have a big impact on the evolution of musical instruments.
That's quite a train for a three day excursion. Is the home to Svartenhaut just a leg of a much longer rail line?
Svartenvaut is actually the final station. The train runs across the Iveric Peninsula, some 1500 miles or so. At 30mph and with frequent stops, it needs about 4 days for the whole trip. Railway is not exactly commonplace yet - the Transiveric Line is in fact the flagship undertaking of the budding railway industry which explains the over-the-top facilities. Other lines are few and far between.
What's in Svartenhaut, anywhat, and why would anyone want to go there!?
Oh, man, where do I even begin? Svartenvaut is an ancient city indeed. Laying in a natural bay enclosed by rocky cliffs, it’s been one of the most important ports of the region for millennia. It is situated in the southeastern part of the Iveric Peninsula, and has been founded by ancient Yasmi - the speakers of Īsmay. The name itself is what soundchange did to Ismaic “suvratun åhaut”, meaning “Above the Bay of Gulls”.

Ever since Iver had gone on a colonizing spree some decades ago, Svartenvaut has been the most important base for such undertakings. I’ll hopefully write more about the city a bit later.
What are gull drakes?
“Dragons” are a clade of flying animals sharing a common ancestor with sharks. Gull drakes are small piscivorous “dragons”. I can talk about those at length if there is interest but I know conbiology is not up everyone’s alley.

Are you going to describe the Svartenhaussian parties in great detail for us? (hint!)
Maybe later. Currently, too many details of Iveric culture are not set in stone yet.
Just a couple questions to get us up to speed!
Oof. I’ll stop here for now. Will respond to the following posts in a bit.
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