A Dreamer's Guide to Derse

The notes, thoughts and sketches of a Derse dreamer compiling my discoveries on the Dersite people, their culture, and their planet.

[ask-derse]

Hi, my name’s Jasmine.

I never met the previous caretaker of this blog, Celia Warden, the Maid of Blood, but from reading her old entries, it seems like we have a lot in common. I’m pretty sure she was in a completely different session than me and my friends. I learned about this blog and got the log in from what I guess is her final message, that I found in paradox space.

She asked the reader not to share the full contents of that message with her blog, but to let her readers know that she, and the people she love are okay, and found a happy ending (so much as there ever is an ending).

Celia gave permission to the person who found her message to take over her blog if they wanted, and since I kinda do, that’s what I’m going to be doing.

I know that my Derse is a little different to Ceilia’s and I know that I am for sure a lot different from Celia herself, but we both love Derse, and the Dersites, so I am going to keep the spirit of her blog alive.

There are a lot of messages still in the inbox from seven years ago, and I’m gonna start answering those questions, even though I know the people who asked them may or may not be long gone.

– Jasmine Harley, Mage of Rage

[ozmodai]

🌕🌑

==>

[ask-derse]

So you spend a lot of time on derse, what do you do? For fun or just to pass time.

Well, personally, I like to spend time hanging around the palace, bothering the Black Queen and the Agents <3 Hehe :3

There’s lots of things to do on Derse though, in general.

Gambling is very popular, both legal gambling in big casinos, and under the table betting in dark rooms and back alleys.

Boxing is a very popular sport, probably the most popular on Derse, which plays into the under the table betting.

There aren’t any parks because Derse doesn’t have any wildlife to speak of and plants are extremely hard to keep alive there, but instead there are public squares that often host artistic displays. Things like hung lights and streamers and things.

Drinking and dancing is very popular and I admit I’m a big fan. :)

[ask-derse]

Spy vs Spy exists in the Medium and it is the only comic strip that is published in both Dersite and Prospitian newspapers.

[ask-derse]

Hey, my friend has awoken on derse recently, he is a prince of void, and suddenly all of the carcapeces (how ever it is spelt) seemed to have disappeared? Is it because of him?

Oh dear... that sounds bad honestly. Well, bad for the Dersites anyway... As I understand it a Prince of Void destroys void or destroys through void, so like, it’s unfortunately possible that your friend somehow might have just winked all the Dersites on Derse just... out of existence.

I hope that’s not true though. There’s probably another explanation for it!

[ask-derse]

What is the Derse attitude towards prototypings? Does they change anything other than the queen and their attire?

Like with many things related to the game, the Dersites have a complicated relationship with prototyping.

On the one hand, when prototyping happens, it’s essentially a harbinger of doom. It’s the signal that, for them, it’s time for the end of the world.

On the other hand, the prototypings are also the Dersite’s potential for salvation within the game, by using the abilities given to the King and Queen to defeat the players and stop the Medium from being destroyed by the end of the game.

Prototypings don’t seem to cause any material affect to Dersites who are not wearing the Queen’s ring, or in possession of the King’s scepter. However, my session mates have theorized that prototypings may actually retroactively affect the appearance and details of a player’s land.

On Derse there’s a law that declares that Dersite citizens must ‘celebrate’ by wearing something on their person that’s representative of one of the prototyings.

I’m not actually sure whether that law is part of the governing laws of Derse that pre-exist the session, or if the Black Queen just decided to do it because it was funny and she wanted people to suffer with her...

[ask-derse]

What's the relationship between the King and Queen like?

Oh gosh. This is sadly not a pleasant topic to address.

The relationship between the Black King and the Black Queen-- at least the ones from my session and the other session’s that my session i connected to-- is icy at best, and terrible at worst.

I’ve never met the King in person, but I’ve heard the Queen talk about him. He’s a tyrant and a bully, obsessed with nothing but destruction.

While the Black Queen talks about wanting to stop our session from completion in order to preserve Derse and it’s people, the Black King is just full of hate an malice, and a desire to conquer and destroy.

Luckily, I suppose, the King and Queen are always far away from each other, with the Black King permanently at war on Skaia, and the Queen managing the kingdom’s day to day affairs from Derse.

[ask-derse]

Actually, the player can, if they have enough Mangrit/Vim, slowly dissolve the fabric of the Dreamer Outfit with polycarbonate acid and Iridium syrup mixed together.

As I said, the material is difficult to damage, not impossible. However, dissolving the fabric is not suitable for the goal of tailoring the outfit to customize it. It will merely ruin it.

[ask-derse]

What is Derse's population? How dense is this population?

The planet of Derse has a stable, resident population of around 700,000. This is exactly equivalent to Prospit’s population. This may seem very small, but remember that both the medium, and the planet of Derse are small to begin with. Likewise, at any given time there are around 500,000 further Dersite soldiers at war on Skaia.

As for density, the population is fairly concentrated into a small area of the sprawling city of Derse, which covers a chunk of the small planet (what is not covered by uninhabitable mountains). However, buildings within the city are fairly spaced apart, and spacious, giving the city a much airier feel than many.

[ask-derse]

Two questions, 1. Is there weather on derse? 2. Is there any little creatures like rats or mice on derse?

There certainly is weather on Derse, as there is on any sort of planet with an atmosphere. You can find more information about Derse’s weather here.

As for creatures like rats and mice, the short answer is no, Derse is hostile to most natural life, and it is only by virtue of ectobiology and technology that the Dersites are able to inhabit it.

The longer answer is that there are some small populations of pests, such as mice, which survive entirely by scavenging Dersite food supplies, as they have no natural foodsource. These invasive species have come from shipments of goods and food from offplanet, and are generally wiped out, or domesticated within several generations.

[ask-derse]

What is the temperature and climate of derse?

This question I have touched on previously, if slightly, here.

Derse is typically quite cool by my Earth standards, and its climate and weather do not vary as much as is typical on Earth.

During the time of year when Derse is furthest from Skaia, the temperature often approaches, or dips just below freezing, and it has been known to snow occasionally during these times, accompanied by thunder and lightning.

During the rest of the year, Derse is closer to Skaia, and warmer, though I believe that the record temperature is recorded as 67° Fahrenheit (converted). Typically the temperature hovers between 45-55° most of the year. Not quite beach weather, I am afraid.

In addition to having a very cool climate, Derse is often very wet. Thunderstorms are common, as is fog and mist, and the sky is often overcast- which can be a blessing, given the sight in the sky.

[ask-derse]

is it possible to wake up on a planet only to die very quickly? or do you have any advice for such a situation? my first night awakening on prospit was my last, and ended suddenly with a very bright flash of light

It is certainly possible, however sad that may be- though unlikely on Prospit without other mitigating factors. Have you dreamed a return? If not, it is possible that you have died in the medium.

[ask-derse]

I just wanted to ask if their are any jobs that will accept dreamers to work in them & if there are tailors are allowed/willing to "customize" a dreamer's Pajamas?

pokestar14 in my experience if you are on Prospit, the inhabitants of the golden moon will allow you to work any job you like. If you are interested in a job on Prospit as a dreamer, I recommend that you show up, smile, and ask if the boss can show you the ropes. I am certain they will be happy to oblige.

On Derse of course you are likely to be met with fear, and suspicion, at least to begin with. The boss will likely assume that you are simply there to take all of their money, and he or she may offer you a large amount of money simply to go away. Another deterrent is that they will likely, rightly, believe that your presence will scare away customers. I recommend establishing yourself as a friend of Derse before attempting to gain employment anywhere.

As for Dreamer Pajamas, I am certain that many tailors would be willing to embark on the challenge of customizing them. However, it may be difficult, as in my experience the pajamas are nearly indestructible, and resist being torn or cut. It may be more advisable to have your tailor create a copy of the pajamas out of normal fabric and modify those.

[ask-derse]

How common are mutated sessions? What are some mutations of derse that you have heard of or researched?

Interestingly enough, it seems that mutated sessions are almost more common than ‘vanilla’ sessions. This seems a likely consequence of the medium’s strange temporal properties, as effect often comes before cause.Thus creating quite unique situations in the medium as a result of future actions by the session’s players.

Mutated sessions with which I am familiar are sessions in which no one has prototyped their kernalsprite. Sessions where the carapaces appear to be larger or smaller than normal seem to be common, as discussed in several instances on this very blog. Sessions which interact with one another appear to be common as well.

[ask-derse]

Aside from the towers, whats on the chained moon of derse?

The chained moon is used primarily for storage and shipping. Out of a combination of respect and fear, no Dersites actually live on the moon, although there a number of small restaurant and entertainment districts in the area that serve the shipping workers when they are off duty.Of note are a small number of lower class casinos dubiously connected to organized crime.

[ask-derse]

I've been taking the quiz that tells me what planet I'm on multiple times and it keeps fluctuating between Derse and Prospit. Both are asymmetrical. Do you think I have a dream self on both planets?

I think that a quiz is not going to tell you what planet your dreamself is on.

[ask-derse]

I would very much like it if you "dug up the details", as you put it.

For all those who wish to know, I am using this custom theme

in combination with this background. 

Do with this information what you will. On the matter of the custom theme, I have found this one particularly clean, functional and easy to navigate, in comparison with other themes available for the platform.