#aot worldbuilding

[lucaaazd]

Can shifters eat/drink in their Titan forms? They don’t have digestive systems nor a 🍑 hole so nothing comes out. I mean they can probably gobble up people and spit them out later like a hairball (like mindless titans do) but when it comes to actual food … hmm… I mean they don’t need sustenance anyways … but what about the human inside? Pieck said she can stay in the Cart for months at a time. Do u still have to eat/drink/piss/shit while ur in there?

Hmmmmm

[weird-fics-r-us]

Was writing for Whumperless Whump Event, when I got an idea-

So the people of the walls, sort of refer to each one as a kind of deity. But I was thinking that each one represents something different!

Maria- Benevolence, Generosity, Compassion. Patron goddess of healing, and the sick and injured.

Rose- Protection, Strength, Wisdom. Patron goddess of the poor, and shield to the weak.

Sina- Abundance, Prosperity, Regality. Patron goddess of wealth, and protector of the royal family.

There are also legends that say if a false king were to ascend the throne, she'd raise the dead from their graves and storm the interior wall.

:]

[canislycaon24]

Okay, okay, weird question, but... how hard do you think it'd be for one of the cadets to obtain organs from an animal that was slaughtered for meat? I know that meat is expensive because they generally can't afford to slaughter animals that could otherwise produce useful products(eggs, milk, wool, etc), but I assume that'd be the "desirable" muscle bits and not stuff like brains or eyes.

I just wonder if potentially, a cadet might be able to buy that sort of stuff for cheap(albeit not too much of it since meat is rare). Mostly curious because I'm trying to figure out how much hunting RBAM+Ymir+Eren would have to do to satiate the fact that they are obligate carnivors. :D

Would also give me some ideas for what Eren was eating in between [🪱🧓] and when he joined the scouts. 🤭

So in my take on the Cadet Corps, they get a monthly salary, but it’s REALLY low compared to the salary of a full, graduated solider. It’s assumed (though this isn’t always accurate) that the Cadets don’t have to support a family since they’re children, and since they’re given everything they need to surive by the Cadet Corps, they’re only paid enough for them to have the occasional shopping trip or night out.

The non-desirable parts of an animal are definitely cheaper than the parts most Paradisians prefer to eat. But still expensive. Any Titan-Shifters in the Calder Corps would have to save up to afford even just one meal of meat, unless they found a way to make a lot more money than most Cadets on a regular basis with the very little free time they have, like Ymir, who scams drunk men with her Titan powers. Eggs are a lot cheaper, at least. So in my fic, Ymir is able to buy meat as a treat for herself because she’s secretly loaded (for a Cadet), but the other Titan-Shifters just hunt in the forest around the Southern Cadet Corps camp or hunt rats in the camp itself, though if they get caught breaking curfew, they’d get punished.

This is just my take on their economy, though!

[canislycaon24]

Probably a dumb question, but do you think they had mead on Paradis? I'm outline a scene where Siades is drinking but I think wine might be a tad too high class for him(as in he doesn't strike me as a wine-o). :'] (Side note but in this scene we do get a mention of something interesting going on with Carla 👀)

I haven’t gotten very far in my resources watch-through of AOT where I write down the resources everyone has, because I’m trying to be extremely thorough 🥲

But from what I’ve seen in that watch-through so far, and remembered from my other watch-throughs, Paradis only has wine explicitly mentioned as a type of alcohol they have access to.

It’s readily available and seems to be their main alcohol. And though wine has high-class connotations in American culture (I point this out since tmk we’re both American), in other cultures it’s The Normal Alcohol™️ because grapes are used for alcohol production more than other sources. America has a more of a focus on beer as The Normal Alcohol™️, so that doesn’t really have high-class connotations, while other forms of alcohol do.

Jean explicitly mentions in season 4 when visiting Niccolo’s restaurant that they have fancier wine there, which is why he’s so excited to try it, so it seems likely that he’s used to drinking less fancy wine (wine affordable for the general population and/or cheap enough to be included in the Survey Corps budget), but there’s also wine produced for wealthier people like nobles and high-ranking military members. This implies a large and diverse wine industry on Paradis. The fact that we never (tmk) see any other type of alcohol explicitly shown/mentioned implies that wine is the main if not only form of alcohol available on Paradis.

That being said, I’ve confirmed that they also farm wheat. It’s entirely possible that they’ve made alcohol out of other things than just grapes, and wheat would be one of those potential things. But if that’s the case, they’d likely be more expensive. So beer or whiskey could also be made on Paradis. And also vodka, since they have potatoes too.

For mead, they have water and yeast 100%. But I haven’t confirmed if they have bees or honey (yes, I’ve been IDing the insects lol). So mead may not be possible for them to make.

Again, I’m still only on season 1 for my super thorough resources watch-through, so it’s entirely possible that these things are mentioned in the anime and I just haven’t seen them yet.

If anyone has any evidence to suggest that I’m wrong, PLEASE let me know!

[canislycaon24]

Paradisian name headcanons that I’ll be using in my fic.

The basic name structure on Paradis (and previously in the Eldian Empire) is:

[most relevant title] [first name] [last name] of [hometown]

Any part of this name can be legally changed through the proper official channels, including hometown. For example, Hange legally changed their entire name from their deadname to Cadet (then Private, then Section Commander) Hange Zoë of the Survey Corps.

The Paradisian government does not like it if you are missing any part of this name, which was why Ymir had to very quickly make up a last name and hometown when she joined the Cadet Corps (she panicked, and her full legal name became Ymir Freckles of the 104th). Levi got away with not having a last name because he is Levi and because he is very close with Erwin.

So you know how in most cultures, depending on context, the same person can be called different versions of their name? Now, I’m going to use Jean as an example for how this works in my fic.

Jean = very casual and informal contexts

Jean Kirstein = somewhat more formal contexts when more specificity is needed, such as casual introductions

Jean Kirstein of Trost = full legal name, used on official paperwork, also used for formal introductions before gaining a title

[title] Jean Kirstein of Trost = used for formal introductions (Jean did not have a title before joining the military, which is why this is only relevant for him once he gained the title of Cadet- his other titles included Private, Captain, and Ambassador before his death)

Kirstein = in contexts when someone is mad at him or reprimanding him, especially when that someone is a superior

Cadet Kirstein = used in military contexts when he is in the Cadet Corps

Private/Captain Jean = used in military contexts when he is in the Survey Corps, exclusively used by other Scouts (first names are used in the Survey Corps as a symbol of closeness and trust)

Private/Captain Kirstein = used in military contexts when he is in the Survey Corps, used by people who aren’t Scouts

Ambassador Kirstein = used in diplomatic contexts during his ambassador career

After retirement, the most recently gained title from the retiree’s career is used when titles are necessary. When multiple titles are available due to multiple careers, the title is chosen based on context. Once retired, Jean can use Captain or Ambassador, and the title is chosen depending on whether he or whoever is introducing him wants to emphasize his implied skills in combat or his implied skills in diplomacy.

Nicknames are used in extremely casual and informal contexts, usually between people who are very close with each other. They are also usually very individualized to specific relationships. Jean is nicknamed jeanboy by his mom, horseface by his close friends from the 104th Cadet Corps, and probably additional nicknames I can’t think of right now.

[canislycaon24]

Okay, so the Paradisians and the Marleyans both speak Eldian, but use different forms of writing.

Like, one thing that I was thinking, was what if they had different dialects. Like certain words or phrases mean one thing in Marleyan-Eldian, but another in Paradisian-Eldian. Similar to how there's soda(west coast US), pop(east coast US), and fizzy drink(Britain).

Also I wish there was a bit more put into the Marleyans having an accent. Like, you cannot tell me that Paradis and Marley don't have seperate accents. Sasha has a noticable way of speaking, why cant the warriors and Grisha? <:3

I know right?! This isn’t something that gets a lot of focus in my fic, but their accents and dialects are briefly mentioned when characters notice them! I just don’t write out the accents because I don’t want to 🥲 In my AU:

The Eldians in the Liberio Internment Zone have both a distinct accent and dialect from both non-Eldians elsewhere in Liberio (though it’s still very close) and Paradisians (very distinct).

On Paradis, talking “fancy” is generally based on the way most people speak in Mitras/central Wall Sina, and “proper” for the Cadets in the Southern Cadet Corps is based on the way most people speak around south-central Wall Rose. Sasha’s village was particularly isolated, which is why her accent/dialect is distinct from other Cadets with nearby hometowns, who speak with the accent/dialect of most people in Trost/southern Wall Rose. In fact, there are many isolated pockets of people within the Walls, which led to a diverse number of Paradisian accents and dialects.

The accent of Shiganshina/southern Wall Maria has the same connotations to Paradisians in general as the Appalachian accent does to Americans in general. So the way Armin talks often makes people assume he is kind of stupid until they actually realize what he is saying.

The Liberio accent/dialect sounds really “exotic” and “modern” and often also “sexy” to Paradisians, which was part of why Carla was so into Grisha lol. Doctor money, mysterious origins, handsome as fuck, wonderful personality, AND sexy voice? She said sign me the fuck up! It’s also part of why Reiner had so many admirers in the Cadet Corps, in addition to his early physical maturation and generally kind and helpful personality (which both alters had). However, RBA ended up trying to hide their Liberio accent/dialect by picking up the speaking habits of both residents of southern Wall Rose and refugees from southern Wall Maria and combining them with their base speaking habits from the Liberio Internment Zone, which led to some very unique speaking habits!

However, Soldier Reiner never had the base speaking habits of the Liberio Internment Zone because he didn’t go there until he was 17, so he speaks noticeably differently from Warrior Reiner. Characters pick up on it early on once they get to know him, but for the Paradisians it quickly just becomes one of Reiner’s quirks that they accept because he’s just such a reliable and good friend. Bertholdt and Annie pick up on it too, but it adds to their concern for him because he never used to suddenly switch to an entirely different accent, which also came with a way more genuinely confident and proud personality. So while both Reiners have to hide the ways of speaking they picked up on Paradis once they return to Marley, Soldier Reiner in particular really struggles with it because he doesn’t really know any other way to talk. 

You may have noticed in one of the snippets I previously shared that Gabi notes how Freaky Fake Falco™️ spoke with a very similar strange accent to what Reiner sometimes speaks with 👀

[canislycaon24]

Headcanons about the horses in AOT

The Eldians were historically master horse breeders. The number one reason why they were so militarily successful was obviously the Titans. But the number two reason was their horses! Their very dedicated breeding of domestic horses resulted in a breed referred to in modern-day Marley as the Eldian horse. The Paradisians have continued to be master horse breeders and have improved the Eldian horse even further.

The Eldian horse is on the smaller end of horse sizes without being a pony. They are around 160 cm tall and weigh 450-500 kg. Their color is bay the vast majority of the time, with occasional grey, black, and chestnut individuals. They completely lack any white markings. They typically have a calm temperament, and do not react to loud noises and sudden movements as much as other horse breeds. The Eldian horses of the modern day have been bred by Paradisians to be even faster than their already very fast mainland ancestors. Their speed is now faster than any other horse breed, with a maintained speed of 35 kilometers an hour, and a top speed of 75-80 kilometers an hour. But what truly sets them apart from other horse breeds is their stamina. Eldian horses can run at a gallop for a very long time compared to other breeds without needing a break. And Paradisian breeding has elevated this stamina even higher.

Currently, there are not known to be any purebred Eldian horses left outside of Paradis. After the fall of the Eldian empire, most places where Eldians, and thus Eldian horses, could be found, did everything they could to eliminate the Eldian cultural identity. And part of this involved destroying the Eldian horse breed. Usually, this was done by breeding Eldian horses into their own horse breeds to increase their speed and stamina, and avoiding breeding Eldian horses to each other. However, these mixes never produced horses that had the full speed and stamina of a purebred Eldian horse. Other times, the horses were just straight up killed. And thus, outside of Paradis, the Eldian horse ceased to be a distinct breed.

In Marley, it’s illegal to say or do anything “in support of the Eldian Empire.” So it’s very much not allowed, legally OR socially, to say that anything about the Eldian Empire was “good.” But of course, Marleyans are not a monolith. Different groups believe that the specific thing THEY’RE interested in about the Eldian Empire was actually the only good thing about it. For horse fanciers, many secretly or not-so-secretly believe that the Eldian horses shouldn’t be blamed for the crimes their human masters made them commit, and that the breed should be revived, since no other horse breed has been able to match their speed and stamina despite many attempts to do so.

Some horse fanciers have gone all over the world (at least, the places they can get to) in search of Eldian horses they can use in a breeding program to revive the breed, but with no luck. It’s well known in Marley that the Paradisians took Eldian horses with them to Paradis, and that their horses are most likely the only true Eldian horses left. There are Marleyan horse fanciers who are willing to break any laws they have to in order to get their hands on a breeding group of purebred Eldian horses. If it wasn’t for the Pure Titans roaming around on Paradis, some brave individuals would absolutely try to sneak to the Walls behind Marley’s back to steal or buy some horses from the Paradisians. And some horse fanciers in other countries feel the exact same way!

On Paradis, a horse is very expensive. Usually, only wealthy people, the military, and people who breed horses for the government are able to own horses. Horses trained for military use are even more expensive due to the training they need to go through to prepare them to stay calm and follow orders in battle.

All horses in the military have the rank of “Horse Commander,” which ranks below Commander/Commandant and Premier, but above Cadet, Private, Captain, and Section Commander. This is to make sure that the horses are treated with the respect owed to a commanding officer and to prevent them from being abused. If a horse is found to be abused or neglected, the perpetrator won’t just get punished for animal abuse/neglect- they’ll also get punished for harming a military superior.

In the Survey Corps, every Scout is assigned a specific horse to be their main horse. Scouts are expected to try to form a bond with their horse to ensure full obedience in battle. A bunch of extra horses are also kept for reserves if a Scout’s main horse is unavailable for whatever reason.

Horses used in the military are trained to always run towards any person who whistles a loud and long whistle of a specific pitch and allow the person to ride them, unless they are already being ridden. Jean’s horse during the 57th expedition, Buchwald, was also trained to do this- he’s just unusually disobedient compared to most Survey Corps horses.

In the Survey Corps, there are a lot of rituals done before an expedition that have been established over time due to superstitions regarding returning home safely. One of them involves personally giving the horse you’ve been assigned to ride a treat before you leave for the expedition.

Feral horse populations exist both inside the Walls from farm escapees and outside the Walls from survivors of Survey Corps expeditions who ended up separated from any riders who could take them back to the Walls. 

[mrmcsilly]

I think personally in AOT after the great Titan War ended, the reason why there were so few countries is cause due to the eldians killing every other race they could get there hands on, the different Ethnicities never had enough population on their own to form a nation, so different Ethnicities and races merged themselves and their resources together as to form a nation and survive the new world.