Finally ended up making some maps for Diyar! A Google Earth style satellite map to show the physical appearance of the islands and an atlas-style map to give some political context.
I originally intended to include a legend on the latter map, but I ended up taking too long and decided to post it without.
Basically the context is that Diyar is politically divided into 5 "Boondocks" that are individually governed by the cities of the Chain, plus one extra boondock to the West that is semi-autonomous for a multiple reasons. Each of these boondocks are made up of a number of (currently unnamed) states that are then governed by appointed statesmen. Officially, the Chain cities and their respective boondocks are considered the same nation but in reality they function more as peer polities, like Hellenic Poleis. It isn't uncommon for cities to fight amongst each other and multiple regions in the country are disputed between city-states. What little federal government exists is limited to brief interactions between ruling families in each city.
All the names on this map are subject to change as the language gets more fleshed out btw.
I also did a number of geographic and climate maps. I find it funny how less pretty these ones are. I'm not sure if my science was right when making some of these worldbuilding choices, but I think it's passable. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
I may come back and do a few more maps at some point. I need to do a Köppen climate classification map and a general region map at some point. Plus, I would like to make some demographic maps (linguistic, ethnic, religious, etc.) at some point since that's something I completely skipped over while working on these.
Hi! I just stumbled upon your blog, and let's just say WOW!!! your worldbuilding for diyar is so beautiful and so detailed, I'm in awe 😍
I was wondering if you had any recommendations for beginner worldbuilders? There're so many different aspects you can focus on when creating that it's overwhelming haha
Thank you! I’ve put a lot of work into the project so far, so I’m glad people like it. :)
As for advice, I’ll do my best but you may have better luck somewhere like r/worldbuilding or on the worldbuilding stack exchange. I’m not that good a tutor :/
That being said, I’d say if you’re worried about being overwhelmed, just focus on the things you’re interested in. There’s no correct way to worldbuild, so if cartography or conlanging isn’t your jam, then ignore it and focus on what interests you, be it fashion or cooking or whatever you're into!
Also, the scale of your world doesn’t really matter either. It doesn’t have to be a whole galaxy or planet or even continent. A world can be as small as a village and still be fascinating. Diyar is partially an attempt at me limiting myself to one nation, actually, as I tend to go too big too fast.
A lot of stuff you’ll pick up over time, so don’t stress too much. It’s meant to be fun! Like anything, it’s something that you’ll get better at as you go along. I’ve been worldbuilding for the better part of 20 years and most of what I’ve made is shit. But I get better every time. I actually still have my first world in a notebook somewhere that I made when I was 7. I might post it sometime.
Finally ended up making some maps for Diyar! A Google Earth style satellite map to show the physical appearance of the islands and an atlas-style map to give some political context.
I originally intended to include a legend on the latter map, but I ended up taking too long and decided to post it without.
Basically the context is that Diyar is politically divided into 5 "Boondocks" that are individually governed by the cities of the Chain, plus one extra boondock to the West that is semi-autonomous for a multiple reasons. Each of these boondocks are made up of a number of (currently unnamed) states that are then governed by appointed statesmen. Officially, the Chain cities and their respective boondocks are considered the same nation but in reality they function more as peer polities, like Hellenic Poleis. It isn't uncommon for cities to fight amongst each other and multiple regions in the country are disputed between city-states. What little federal government exists is limited to brief interactions between ruling families in each city.
All the names on this map are subject to change as the language gets more fleshed out btw.
I also did a number of geographic and climate maps. I find it funny how less pretty these ones are. I'm not sure if my science was right when making some of these worldbuilding choices, but I think it's passable. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
I may come back and do a few more maps at some point. I need to do a Köppen climate classification map and a general region map at some point. Plus, I would like to make some demographic maps (linguistic, ethnic, religious, etc.) at some point since that's something I completely skipped over while working on these.
I love you speculative biology. I love you worldbuilding projects. I love you creature design. I love you fantasy biology. I love you speculative evolution. I love you science fiction.
I actually have more questions now, half because I'm a sucker for worldbuilding.
Looking at the few images you have for Diyar, it looks like their writing glyphs are on boats. My instinct is that each "boat" is a word and that the 1, 2, 3 dot symbols are likely vowel sounds. But I found it interesting in the picture of the Mage the "boats" are going back and forth. Does that mean that you would read one direction then the other?
I also get the vibe that there are a lot of water features in this area, is that correct?
I'm deeply fascinated, and I appreciate the time you take ,should you decide to answer. :)
Yeah, so you’re pretty on point for how the script functions in its current state. It was originally a script for a poetry project that I did in college so in its current form it’s little more than a neography for English, but there’s still some aspects that make it interesting.
For one, yes, the script is a Boustrophedon, but mainly in regards to the heads of each boat/cartouche (the orientation of the glyphs themselves doesn’t really matter). You read towards the boat, so if the head faces left, like so:
then you read left-to-right, and if it faces right, then you read right-to-left.
You’re pretty spot-on about the vowels as well. They work as follows:
The other glyphs all represent consonant sounds in American English but can also be read logographically/poetically if the zoomorphic cartouche header is used.
Those meanings are as follows:
But yeah, I’m in the process of co-opting this script from its old project for use in Diyar, so a lot of changes are going to be made once aspects of the language itself are finalized. It’s mostly just going to be symbols and sounds changing, though, so how the script is read is pretty set in stone.
That being said, I’m still probably going to use this script in its current form for a few things. My watermark/logo/whatever is the Nautilus glyph, for instance, and I don’t plan on changing that anytime soon.
Good morning I was curious if there was any in world reasoning/plan behind the curves that are found in your swords for Diyar. Specifically the curve that is in your Bone and Floral swords and a few others. My guess is it's a motif or something similar to something found in nature since it's showing up so often. Just curious?
Well, it is a motif, but it’s one that’s fairly commonplace to the culture of the Chain and Eastern Diyar as a whole. Most abstract art and pattern work in the region is built from a few basic shapes that can more or less be boiled down to the following categories, though there is obviously a lot of overlap:
Of these shapes the only one with any deep spiritual or cultural importance is the spiral, as it is associated with shell gastrics, but the rest can be found on most modern non-representational art in the region.
These swords specifically have a pronounced S-Curve shape which does draw from the natural world. There is a large mountain range in the center of the main island of Diyar and as wind and clouds blow in from the East and hit the range, they deposit a large amount of water as they pass over. This creates a rain shadow in the West and a large amount of rivers in the east, from which oxbow and s-curves may derive. There are also a number of culturally significant animals in Diyar that one might describe as serpentine. Eels, annelids, myriapods, and velvet worms are all fairly common and hold varying roles of importance in Diyaran culture. It wouldn’t be a stretch to assume their shape has affected Eastern Diyaran aesthetic tastes.
Most of the time these shapes are a lot more subtle, especially in weaponry as they’re not really practical. The reason why they’re so pronounced in these two swords is because they’re both ceremonial. These swords are pretty much only used in ritual sacrifice during Lunar festivals (of the Milkmoon and Bilemoon respectively) and that only happens once a year for each moon. Practicality isn’t as important as symbolism in this case so long as the sword can slaughter a calf.
Of course, this is all more of a Watsonian explanation for why I used these shapes. A more Doylist reading would be that I drew from Art Nouveau aesthetics and Sub-Saharan African/South Asian weapons for my shape language on a number of these swords. The Floral sword, for instance, draws a lot from the Sengese throwing knife, which has that shape to easily rest on the shoulder (I think. I may be wrong about that, feel free to correct me if I am).
Khajiit caravan clothing, made by @sarsaparillaart and myself for Beyond Skyrim: Elsweyr and showcased as part of the project's annual advent calendar event!
We have disctinct styles for Anequina, Pellitine and a third style present across the province for ancient and religious things - the patterns on these clothes is near that third one, and a little bit to the Anequina side to refer to the nomadic nature of their bearers. The final clothes are also planned to borrow other less unique patterns that would be taken from other provinces.
The clothes were designed to look distinct from their settled cousins, with as much pouches and bags as possible! If they seem pretty empty on the back, it's on purpose, because they'll be wearing backpacks on top of them.
I meant to make this post over a week ago, but here is a self-indulgent tier list retrospective/critique for my Swordtember performance. The download quality of the tier list website is... lacking, so I'm gonna be linking the actual posts alongside my notes.
Hopefully this is a fitting sendoff for the month of September that I'm posting two weeks into October. Nonetheless at the very least this is a good archive for my past thirty posts.
So without further ado, here is my long and indulgent self-crit for each and every sword I drew.
Spoiler: I'm not a huge fan of most of them...
September 1 - Wings
Moderate fan of this one. I think the core design and Iore are interesting, even if the piece didn't mesh well with the others. A tier overall, though I might change a few things were I to do it again.
September 2 - Floral
This one is another A. I really enjoyed rendering the gold, and the shape of the blade and carvings were very satisfying to do. Lore-wise I enjoyed writing this one a lot. I have a soft spot for any sort of religious worldbuilding and this is no exception
September 3 - Cursed
I like this one, but stylistically it doesn't really mesh with a lot of the other Diyaran swords. It's meant to be ancient, but it just doesn't feel related to me. I relied on a number of new rendering techniques for this sword that I admittedly abused a bit later on in the month. All things considered though, I really like this one. B for now though I would give a B+ if possible.
September 4 - Divine
Kind of a boring blade shape compared to most other days, but I think it works. I enjoyed rendering the handle a lot on this and I remember having a debate with myself about what color the stone should be. The fun part for this one is the lore blurb. I got to introduce a number of ideas that I've come to love about the setting including some neoplatonic influences which I think are fun. B overall
September 5 - Edible
Christ I hate this one. I took a really interesting cultural inspiration and failed to represent it properly and I failed to change it enough to fit into my setting. The rendering here is also terrible and just boring compared to most of the other swords, especially in the perspective drawing. This was an easy F.
September 6 - Smoke
First S tier of the bunch! This was a fun one for me. I really enjoyed rendering the hot metal and I find the shape language of this sword really satisfying. It has some of the best art of the month (even if I prefer the designs of sep 7 and 16 more), though the lore piece is a bit basic.
September 7 - Moon
I think this sword might be my favorite of the whole bunch. I got to mess around with rendering a few different materials and started to cement some of the design principles for Diyar. The lore was really entertaining to write as well. I enjoy writing poetic language and the format of "prayers" to each of the moons was really helpful for keeping me motivated. Overall this one was not only fun to make, but ended up looking the best. S tier for sure.
September 8 - Sun
Really mixed feelings on this one. I enjoyed introducing and rendering a sword from outside Pentapolitan culture, but I'm pretty unsatisfied with the results. I think the obsidian looks good, but the overall shape is weak. I was trying really hard not to just draw a macuahuitl but the result just doesn't work for me. The lore piece is alright, but there's a number of things there I'll probably change if I continue working on this setting. B tier, B- if possible.
September 9 - Ocean
Ugh. I had high hopes for this one but it just ended up boring. The shape language is on the edge of correct but isn't quite there; the materials have the same issue. It doesn't look like coral to me and it kinda pisses me off to look at it. The worst part is that the rendering isn't bad, but everything else about it is kinda forgettable. I don't even remember what the lore piece for this one was. Something about pirates? C tier.
September 10 - Ritual
This is another C tier, but one I'm a bit more fond of. It's not a sword and it can barely be counted as a blade but I really liked writing the lore for it and I think the concept of it as a sort of paralytic acupuncture is really interesting for an in-world medical practice. I think where this suffered most was in the art itself. It was a rushed piece, if I remember correctly, and I had a really hard time finding the right shape. It ended up being a really plain design that leaves a lot to be desired.
September 11 - Duel
In all honesty, the Thorn Forests are probably one of the least developed parts of this setting, which made designing swords for there difficult. I wanted to make it seem culturally related to the Pentapolis, but still feel distinct. I think I succeeded, but if I work more in the setting I'm going to try to further distinguish the two cultures without alienating either. An A for the art though, I find the shapes very satisfying and the lack of a sharp point helps distinguish them.
September 12 - Fire
This sword was a challenge as well, but I think I pulled it off. I really like flame-bladed weapons irl, but I didn't want this sword to resemble any existing weapon too much, especially with the amount I've been drawing from South Asia already—I don't want to remake the Kris. I feel like what I ended up with resembles a katana more than I would like, but it still looks really cool. Lore-wise I'm satisfied with my work, though I will likely change the name nDuongg to something else at some point. Easy A.
September 13 - Ice
Mixed feelings on this one. I think the rendering for the metal is alright and if it were just the normal sword without the ice on it I would be fine with the final product but the addition of the ice layer made it feel really flat in a way I am not super pleased about. It's my first time rendering ice like that so I'm not gonna beat myself up over it but I could do better. The lore section of this sword works, but I think it doesn't have the correct tone. B maybe.
September 14 - Poisonous
This is one that I actually really like, but I don't think was as well received as some of the others were. Shell gastrics are a major symbol of Diyar and being able to make a weapon that more or less represents that was fun, even if some of the rendering on the shells and handle leave something to be desired. This sword calls back to the first piece of art I did in this setting, too, which I appreciate. Giving it an A, even if there is a lot of room for improvement.
September 15 - Liquid
Funnily enough, I think that this sword marks the point where I was getting burnt out. Some of my favorite swords came after the 15th, but the overall quality goes down and there's a lot I'm really not happy with. This sword in particular disappoints me. Unlike the sword on the 12th—which belongs to the same culture—the design feels disjointed and uninspired to me. It looks flat and the colors are all wrong. I'm fine with the metal being pink, I still think that's cool, but the shade is bad. It doesn't look like a copper alloy at all. Lore-wise this sword is... fine. I guess. I might come back to redo this design at some point (probably not) but for now it is at best a D.
September 16 - Bone
In major contrast with the last sword, the sword I did for day 16 is one of my favorites. I think the design is the best representation of Pentapolitan art that I have done so far and I'm genuinely really happy with it. It is excessive and fun and was a good time to draw. There are some flaws with it, of course. I think the lore is a little bit lacking and the rendering on the bone could be better, but overall I'm really pleased with this sword. I'm giving it the last S tier spot.
September 17 - Glass
This one I'm mixed on. I like the design overall. Eccentric flints are really cool and I think turning them into ritual weapons is really fun. I also think that the design for this better represents how I wanted Mudwarren usage of obsidian/desert glass to look like. I also think the lore for this was interesting and touches on topics I haven't written about yet. The rendering on the glass and handle are disappointing to me, though. I have learned throughout this month that I suck at rendering obsidian or any glassy surface really, and this is no exception. The handle as well just feels off to me. I think it fits in with other Mudwarren art but overall feels like its missing something. I think the positives outweigh the negatives for this sword, though, so I'm giving it an A.
September 18 - Jester
I don't like this sword, which is sad because this is a concept that I've had kicking around in my head for over a year. The idea of a mock sword used in clowned fights may not be exciting, but I found it charming and I was excited to work it into the religious and metaphysical structure of the setting. Of course, when it came down to drawing the sword, I was very short on time. I ended up scrapping and redrawing this sword at least twice and I'm still not pleased with it. I think the shape is bad, the rendering weak, and it completely lacks any sort of cohesiveness. I think the only part of the actual piece I like is the shells hanging from the handle (but not the closeup of the shell, which I find very ugly). This is another D for the pile.
September 19 - Forest
Eh. I like this one but I feel like it struggles to differentiate itself from the dueling swords, which means that it has the same overall lack of identity. I think that the rendering is fine. The carvings on the blade are cool but overall a bit too messy for my taste. I think the sword looks good but could be more interesting. I like the lore though. It has a more general feel than a lot of the other lore pieces, but the information is interesting to me. Rereading this lore piece did make me realize that—in my rush to write a long enough piece each day—most of the lore-bits are riddled with grammatical mistakes and weak prose. Embarrassing, but whatever. B tier overall for this bad boy.
September 20 - Fragmented
I don't love this one, but I remember I wasn't very inspired on this prompt. I think that a kintsugi sword is interesting, but my execution was poor and it doesn't really mesh very well with my inspirations for Diyar. I like to think I justified it okay in the lore-bit, but the resulting art is lacking. More than the blade though, the part of the render that I'm disappointed in most is the handle. It just looks ugly and flat and I don't know why I thought that was good enough for a final product. it certainly isn't the worst thing I made this month, but I'm really not a fan. C tier.
September 21 - Eyes
Christ this one is lame. I was going sort of high concept with the mothwing blades but my God it didn't work out. The decoration on the blades doesn't really match Diyaran art and the eye motif isn't super clear. I could have done a lot better here. I think the lore is okay but overall everything is sort of half-baked. Gotta give myself another D here. It did lead into day 27 though, which I like a bit better.
September 22 - Mechanical
This one is kind of a spiritual successor to one of the swords I did for last year's swordtember. I think the concept is fun and the lore interesting. The shape works, but I'm not sure if it's as utilitarian as I wanted it to be. I drew on a lot of different entrenchment tools but I think it could use some more work. The rendering is passable. It isn't as good as it should be but it's better than a lot of the stuff that I did in the latter half of the month so I'll give it a pass. B overall.
September 23 - Banished
The Banished sword is another example of something that I think has potential but was poorly executed. The lore is passable and I love the concept of Damnatio Memoriae in any culture, so there isn't much I would change in that front. The big issue here for me was translating the lore concept into an actual weapon. I think the connective tissue was honestly pretty weak and the sword design could have gone with any other prompt. It's just sort of generic and middle-shelf. Even the rendering is nothing special. It is far from the worst of the month but it doesn't impress me. I'm giving it a C, which may or may not be generous.
September 24 - Jeweled
Ah, here is another thing that is 100% not a sword but I wanted to include anyway. The idea behind this one was actually given to me by my lovely girlfriend and it fits super well for the setting. Pearls and nacre are so important in Chain culture and economy that it really makes sense to dedicate a post to them. The tools are maybe a bit plain, but I'm satisfied with them and they're meant to be utilitarian so anything more than a touch of excess might be a bit too much. B+ for its work in the pearl industry.
September 25 - Woven
This sword was tough. The Braidlands was the first glimpse I gave to the larger world outside of the chain and I honestly think I fumbled it. The sword and sheath feel a bit too flat and the colors too bright, but overall it isn't terrible. The lore here also isn't exactly what I wanted, but I was trying to give the Braidlands and air of mystery without leaning too far into the esoteric. Overall this sword and the lore that comes with it is passible, but I really wish that I had put a bit more work into it as it's an important part of the setting and an expansion on what the Silkmoon is capable of. C overall.
September 26 - Storm
I think this one is rad. I was trying to make something that plays off of the mambele without being just a 1-to-1 recreation of the knife. I think I did pretty well. The final result has a pretty good render, looks utilitarian while still having that curvy Diyaran swank, and it evokes the shape of lightning without being a cartoon bolt. I'm proud of it, which isn't something I can say about a lot of these later swords. A for sure.
September 27 - Insect
This is the last sword that isn't exactly a sword. I realized when the 27th rolled around that I used the best answer for this prompt on day 1. Spec bio is a big leap from any of the other pieces this month, but it's something I want to do more of for the setting and I think the concept of a hemophagic moth is pretty interesting. That being said, I think my render could have been a lot better and the format that I've been using for all the other swords doesn't really fit for this one (but I wasn't about to break theme). This is another one that I may come back to at some point, but I think it works for now. B.
September 28 - Crystal
Day 28 shares a lot of the same issues as day 13. The sword has an interesting shape and I think that the blade underneath the salt is actually really cool, but the crystals look really flat and chunky in a way that doesn't really work for me. I was having a hard time finding references for the sort of salt crystals I was trying to draw—most of what I used came from Dead Sea photos—so I winged it a bit. It isn't bad per say but both the art and the lore could be a lot better. Maybe a B for this one.
September 29 - Necromancer
This sword is really boring to me and doesn't look like what a necromancer would carry at all. Part of the reason for this is because of how magic and the afterlife works in this setting, but to be honest it's mostly due to burnout. I think that the art is fine but there is so little going on with the sword that I have a hard time giving it anything higher than a C. It just feels really uninspired.
September 30 - Glowing
And here we are at the pathetic end to my month. The lore here is deeply important to me and what the piece hints at is something that I've been working on for longer than anything else I've shown so far, which is why the art and lore are so disappointing. This is an ugly, ugly knife; both in design and in render. I honestly hate looking at it and it doesn't resemble the culture it's meant to come from in the slightest. The mold on the blade looks wrong and—once again—flat. Even the lore piece kind of sucks with this one. I'm just really disappointed with this one is all. I don't think it's a good way to end the month. D.
...The first thing I noticed were the knives. They were strange, triangular things and at first I wasn't sure they were blades at all. The way they were pointed at my throat told me exactly what they were for, though.
I could barely make out the owl-eyes of the warriors in the dark; their tooth-white faces illuminated only by the pathetic light of their knives.
If I were a pagan woman, I may have thought this a hell and labeled these people demons. But no. The people of this Karst are something different, yet just as strange...
— from the Journal of a Peregrine
Swordtember 30 - Glowing
Finally caught up! Just need to rewrite a bit of lore then I can call this a done deal.
"There is no afterlife but the ones we build ourselves."
Swordtember 29 - Necromancer
Necromancy is an infant science, and the tools of the trade aren't yet properly codified. The hook and the blade are proven essentials, but what strange complications may arise and what tools are needed to overcome them?
There are only a rare few "successful" attempts at resurrection* and yet each have raised thousand questions with no answer. How best does one remove the brain? How best to pack the skin with salt? What Hunger, if any, is needed to raise the dead?
The most common attempts revolve around a combination of Saline and Mnemonic influence to record the mind of the dead. But what happens next is hotly debated. Does this new Salt-stained mind get put into a body? How? Is it better to leave it alone and manifest the mind on its own?
In this historical moment, necromancy is a futile pastime of the rich and morbid. It's theoretically possible, sure, but hardly worth the effort. If one were to ask the commonfolk of Diyar, they'd say that true immortality should be sought in faith, not the fatuous mixing of lesser moonlights.
*And this necromancy isn't truly bringing back a soul anyway, instead it's simply imprinting a copied mind onto a corpse or object.
"They came at me spear in hand, blade and body wreathed in greater salt."
Swordtember 28 - Crystal
When fighting a Volatile enemy, it's important to be prepared. Too many good men have had their swords turn to burning dust in the face of what seemed at first a lesser foe.
The obvious answer is to seek the immutable, right? Body forms cannot be changed and there are many to choose from. Honey on the spear's edge should guarantee the Sun not change it; a thick coating of Oil should prevent a burning hand from destroying the weapon outright; a knife pre-coated in a soldiers blood should keep the point razor-sharp. But these solutions rarely work.
A warrior desiring divine change is often so deep into self-starvation that such substances can be ignored. The oil cannot be changed, but the blade beneath it can be made fire.
In truth, there is only one true way to make sure a mundane weapon is kept safe from the act of violent change. Solders expecting to do battle with such a foe should suspend their blade in a vat of water that outsalts the sea. The slow accumulation of crystalline salt will preserve the blade both physically and metaphysically. Very few things change the unchanging and no normal man has hunger enough to rend Impotence itself. A salt-crusted blade is the only guaranteed way to even the odds.
"Despite their beauty, these creatures are predators and one of the most common disease carriers in the Warrens."
— from A Cityfolk's Guide to the Mud
Swordtember 27 — Insect
Though they are often nicknamed "mosquito-moths" the approach that the barbermoth takes to hematophagy is quite different from the common bloodsucker. Instead of penetrating the skin using their proboscis, the moth instead relies on their highly derived forelimbs to lacerate the skin and produce small droplets of blood for consumption.
The forelimbs of barbermoths differ greatly from most lepidopterans in a number of ways. They are typically larger than that of their peers and have a specialized tarsus covered in saw-like protrusions. The moth uses these blades to gently saw into their prey at night. The blades are sharp enough to penetrate the skin without alerting the animal that the moth is there. Often it isn't until much later on that the prey (human or otherwise) realizes they're covered in small (but suprisingly deep) cuts; the telltale sign of a hungry moth.
The clade is relatively small, containing only a dozen or so species, but the diversity within that number is notable. The largest barbermoths can have a wingspan of up to 8 inches, whereas the smallest scarcely reach a quarter inch.
Most species are limited to the Mudwarrens, but there are a few extant in Northern Diyar and a single known species that resides in the Pentapolitan Region.
"At the very least, the impact will sound like thunder."
Swordtember 26 — Storm
Throwing irons are a common sight in the Chain, especially as one ventures further out from major cities. They are eccentric throwing weapons used mainly for hunting (though they are not uncommon in wartime either. The tool holds a deep cultural importance in the Chain; even being considered a weapon of gods in some Pre-Henoite practices.
Styles vary wildly, with each village often having their own unique shape and collection of blades. That being said, throwing iron shapes are usually put into one of three categories: Elbow irons are the most simple, resembling a boomerang in many ways (though of course the ends are bladed); Keraunomorphic irons (as pictured above) are the most common and by far the most iconic with their sweeping shape and abundance of points; lastly, stellamorphic irons fall somewhere between the first two categories. They usually have 3 or more blades arranged concentrically around the throwing handle and (unsurprisingly) resemble a star.
"I am the consequence of a threefold culture. A braided nation that should not exist. I see from three eyes and speak with three mouths. I feel three pains in one body."
Swordtember 25 - Woven
Despite its growing place on the world stage, there aren't many expats living in the Chain. It is often considered an alien place by the cultures of the mainland, and those who choose to move to Diyar usually leave their birthplace for a good reason. A large number of these people, especially in coastal Pentapolitan cities, hail from what is now known as the Braidlands. These foreigners appear much like many other mainlanders, but can be recognized by the rare “tangles” in their form; malformations caused by the Plait. The most common of these is often called the braided eye, and appears in most Braidlanders.
Though their fate is tragic, especially for those with tangles of the mind, the people of the Chain weren’t responsible for the Plait and have no qualms with locking them inside trade cities unless they have a very good reason for entering the country. In the mind of the average Diyaran, the Braidfolk did this to themselves. It’s not the responsibility of others to separate them back out to their constituent parts. There are many routes to seek self-division if they truly regret what they’ve done.
Thus most Braidfolk have become trapped; unable to return to their half-real half-home, but also unable to be accepted in the lands of others. It is not uncommon to see them working as pirates and privateers, or serving in the Pentapolitan Host in hopes that the company to recommend them for citizenship in a Polis.
"There are no gemstones in these islands but the ones you make yourself."
Swordtember 24 - Jeweled
Some pearl harvesting gear! A bit of a stretch to say this is a sword but I've done worse.
Despite the immense number of luxury goods the nation produces, the Chain is not known for producing many gemstones or crystals. There are some mines in the South, but those goods are few and far between in the islands. The closest thing that the Chain has to a gemstone industry are the pearl farms that exist in the Southwest of both major islands.
Pearls occupy a special cultural place in the Chain; they are both a fruit of a national symbol (Gastrics) as well as body forms for Mnemonic. There are two types of pearl: keshi pearls; which form naturally and are highly valued by those seeking the Nacremoon, and cultured pearls; which are intentionally farmed on a large scale. Cultured pearls are less valuable since they can be created artificially, but they still reflect a fair amount of the Nacremoon’s power.
Both types of pearl are body forms, thus both types are highly resistant to Change—a fact the Pentapolis has historically taken advantage of in order to produce a controlled currency. As added security, government owned pearl farms carve their pearls and use specially constructed cores for their cultures, further ensuring that they can’t be counterfeit.
"They took my home, my fortune, my name, and my want. If they left anything, it was the memory of my sins and the knowledge that I could never be redeemed. "
- from The Record of Whom
Swordtember 23 - Summoned/Banished
To a culture obsessed with their own memory, there are few punishments as severe to the Diyaran people as Damnatio Memoriae. It is a rare occasion that the law is enacted, but when it is, the punished is stricken from all records. Any sign that they existed is destroyed and they are cast out of their homes. Sometimes, when this Damnatio Memoriae is enacted on a member of a Ménage or other wealthy family, a person Starved by the Silkmoon is hired in order to rewrite the past of the punished so that they never existed at all in the eyes of their loved ones.* For obvious reasons it’s difficult to tell how many times this measure has been enacted.
A famous poem exists called “The Stricken Son” which tells the story of a wealthy woman meeting a strange man who looks exactly like her deceased husband, not knowing that in reality she’s speaking to the son that killed him.
*Sometimes the punished’s own memories of existing are stricken as well.
The ekkyed* is a common farming tool in most parts of Diyar. It is an ancient tool, having evolved from simple adzes over hundreds and hundreds of years. While it can still be used for its original purpose, the ekkyed has built up a reputation for its universal nature. The bladed end is most commonly used for cutting wood, but it doubles as a defensive tool for farmers travelling to and from major cities in order to sell goods. The pick end can be used as an adze, but also for entrenching and breaking rocks. It is a tool of the common folk in Diyar and its image has become synonymous with that of the worker. Many Henoites are depicted with an ekkyed, particularly those who stand to protect the poor.
In recent years, the tool has begun to pick up further symbolism. As Diyar transitions from a largely agrarian state towards a commercial power, the ekkyed has become a symbol of rebellion and protection of the peasantry. This is particularly true within the last few years as the influence of mainland trade consortiums has created sentiment for the repealing of anti-slavery laws. The workers and tradesmen of the Chain are invaluable; at times one must remind the city Ménages that the ekkyed has two ends.
kianamaiart
snowghoul
gummygunk
discoholicmusic
titsay
