30 World Creation Questions: Callinus
1. What are the geography and climate of the area like?
Callinus is a completely artificial and controlled climate inside a hollowed out moon orbiting Archilocos. The climate sphere inside is kept at a nice steady temperature with moderate humidity, perfectly optimized for human life. The moon itself is barren, rocky, freezing and mostly dead, but the hollowed insides have been completely covered in a massive urban city. The middle of the moon hosts an artificial sun that burns brightly, providing the city both with light and gravity.
2. What kinds of animals inhabit the area?
Callinus has no natural fauna. All animals brought onto the moon are mostly small personal companions from other systems or planets.
3. Why is this city placed where it is?
The planet Archilocos is hostile to human life. Its surface burns with a skin melting temperature and is riddled with deserts of ash and molten stone and metal. While uninhabitable, it is rich with resources to be used in shipyards and industry.
The surface of the moon is also uninhabitable, but the early settlers noticed it had been partially hollowed out by some unknown forces, so they took on the massive job of finishing the hollowing and building the city inside of the crust of the moon.
4. What is the cuisine like?
The United Empire of Archilocos rules over multiple planetary systems with wildly differing cultures and cuisines. The capitol, Callinus imports a lot of produce and food items from the colonies to feed everyone, so the food market is a wild mixture of different cuisines.
5. What are the major religions and how is worship expressed?
Until recently there were no major religions in Callinus or the Empire, outside of native religions of the colonies, however roughly two decades ago a cult worshipping the Emperor started gaining popularity.
The Eyes of the Emperor have since established themselves as the major religion of Callinus. They peacefully preach the word of the Emperor and hold public masses to serve the people of the Empire. They also try and influence the local politics to ensure everyone gets equal treatment and do not forget their humanity during these times of technological marvel.
The most known figure of the religion is Saint Sinforosa, the three eyes psychic priestess, who is known for her burning devotion to the Emperor and her kindness towards the suffering of people.
6. What are some local folk tales/legends?
Back in the day, before the Empire opened its borders and allowed outsiders into the system, the Emperor was rumored to walk amongst people in very everyday clothes and do menial labor in the mines and ship yards.
An ancient tale from times before the Scream speaks of a space leviathan that nested in Callinus and partially hollowed out the moon, before humans settled in. The Leviathan, named Vastator, the great devourer, is said to be immensely huge creature, that could twist its entire body around a planet and eat anything that it saw with its eyes. It’s said that Vastator laid eggs inside of Callinus before disappearing for an unknown reason and that those eggs were taken down onto Archilocos by the original settlers and are in process of hatching any day now.
7. What are the major holidays?
The Emperor’s birthday, 28th of February is a national holiday, when everyone lays down their tools and quiets down to celebrate the gift of birth. It’s traditional to give gifts to mothers and women to thank them for blessing us with life.
New Years Eve 31st of December
Laborer’s Celebration, 1st of May is a national holiday celebrating the industry and mining and all the hard labor everyone has gone through to establish the glory of the Empire.
The Day of Mourning, 12th of December, memorial day of the dead and soldiers who’ve lost their lives while serving the Empire.
The Day of Light, 24th of June, is a national holiday celebrating the ancient midsummer and the nightless night.
8. What languages are spoken in the area?
Callinus is an lingua franca system, where English is the major uniting language, however the original languages of the colonies are also recognized as equals in the Empire space.
9. Are there variations in the main language–accents or dialects?
Miners and shipwrights who mainly spend their time down in the mines and forges of Archilocos have developed a sort of English variant that’s known as Tunnel Speak. It’s not very common though and they rarely share the secrets of it with those outside of the mines.
10. Are there any widely-used slang words or figures of speech?
Rather than day or night, time is usually expressed through cycles.
11. How far has technology advanced?
Callinus is one of the top technological wonders of the sector. At level 5 they have extremely advanced weapon and industrial technology, superior space ship craft and medical care beyond regular understanding.
12. What is the government structure?
Callinus is part of the United Empire of Archilocos ruled by the kind Emperor Augustus Rotkirch. The Emperor has the final say in most decisions, however he works together with an oligarchic council voted through a democratic process.
13. What are the area’s major exports/products?
As a military super power the Empire specialises in space ships and ship parts and high grade weaponry. Although, they have tight regulations for exporting weapons.
14. How is education carried out?
The Empire has a public school system from age 6 to 18, ensuring every citizen gets a wide basic education. After that there are higher level private universities, opportunities to become an apprentice, enlist into academies or leave the Empire to study in one of the numerous science facilities in the sector.
15. What is the situation/treatment of the lower class like?
Callinus is proud of their social welfare and equality. “Lower” class does “not” exist. There are some who are more unfortunate than others, but they are given some support, as long as they aren’t visible.
16. What are some notable laws?
To be allowed to purchase and carry weapons in Empire space you must go through both a mental and physical examination and apply for a special permit from the Peace Keepers.
Slavery is also illegal in Empire space.
There are restricted zones clearly marked in sector maps where you require special permits from government to access. One example being the perimeter of the system’s actual Sun, which makes harvesting jump fuel from the star illegal without a government permission. Travel and access to the surface of Archilocos is also regulated for safety reasons as the planet is very dangerous for civilians.
17. What are the rules of etiquette, spoken or unspoken?
Respect the freedom and space of your fellow human being. You aren’t allowed to touch them without them giving you a permission or them reaching to touch you first.
You do not speak ill of the Empire or the Emperor.
Be efficient and go straight to the point. Nobody has time to dilly dally for small talk and unnecessary chatter.
Don’t be tardy. Tardiness is extremely rude.
18. What are the most readily available careers?
Technicians of different types, miners, forge workers and smiths, ship wrights, space techs, engineers, all sorts of technical and industrial careers are highly regarded and supported.
19. What do people do for entertainment/recreation?
3D experience movies, hologram decoration, attending masses, loitering in parks, eating in one of the self serve or automated restaurants, tinkering, armature racing or boxing, going to a bar, staying at home and enjoying virtual reality entertainment. Callinus isn’t known for having much entertainment options.
20. What does the architecture look like?
The city is built to be extremely efficient. The buildings are modern and often can spawn multiple levels. Roads go completely around the inside of the city and floating buildings and the transit system create an additional layer into the sky. Many of them have glass windows that darken to almost black during the night cycle. Most everything is built from metals, ceramics and light stone.
To make the city look more appealing, some buildings, parks and common areas use heavy application of hard light emitters and holograms to create different effects and “natural” environments and make up for the lack of actual flora and fauna.
21. What are some significant landmarks?
The artificial sun in the middle of the moon and the facilities related to it are some of the most profound sights of Callinus.
The transit system up in the air that goes across the inside creates an intricate web of hover trams and trails.
The Peace Keepers head quarters, a big multistory floating building made of darkened glass and carbon steel looms on north western hemisphere of the moon.
The GNN head quarters, a multistory glass dome with a never closed first floor is a popular tourist attraction as it is a hotspot where many news stories get produced.
The Soul Park is the biggest holographic park in Callinus. It is meant as a refreshment zone for the inhabitants and has a theme that changes every two months, created by the famous holo artist Salvador.
The Emperor’s Embrace is an artificial lake in one of the quadrants. The lake is the crowning grounds of the Emperor and also a popular tourist site, as it serves as a massive hot spring.
22. How are people dressed?
Being the capitol Callinus has a lot of people from all around the Empire, so the fashion varies quite a bit basing on where the citizen originates. Local Callinians often prefer to dress very comfortably and suitably for their profession, so it is not uncommon to see a lot of engineer outfits or worn out mining garb on the streets. Callinians aren’t much for high fashion as much as efficiency.
23. What is the political climate?
The Empire enforces an iron peace into its space and the systems it rule. However, some of the colonies have been a bit restless lately and the political strifes in neighboring systems have created a bit of instability on the moon. The Emperor has a steady following though and rival political parties and movements are drowned out swiftly and without remorse.
24. Is there a war ongoing or upcoming?
The Empire is in a constant state of alarm. Keeping up peace in a massive area like the colonies creates a lot of tension though, so it could be said that Callinus and the Empire are currently locked in a never ending passive war.
25. How large is the population?
Callinus itself is a rather mediocre settlement by population. It holds roughly a hundred thousand permanent residents, however a lot of people pass through it because of its status as the capital of the Empire. The Empire itself has a lot more inhabitants due to being spread out on multiple planetary systems.
26. What are the major gender norms?
Callinus and the Empire consider all genders equal to one another. There are no set norms on how either should behave. Your individual strengths are more important than gender.
27. General views on sexuality?
An average Callinian doesn’t really care who you sleep with. We live in the 33rd century. As long as you’re not abusing children or animals or sexually assaulting anyone, what you do in your bedroom is your business only.
28. How do societal expectations change with a person’s age?
The Empire appreciates a person’s talent more than anything, and understands talent isn’t necessarily tied to age. A young person is of course expected to complete their education and work on perfecting their talents and skills, however when potential is seen, they go above and beyond to try and push it forward.
When you get older you are expected to have perfected your craft and become an effective tool for the Empire - That you will find a way to be useful. Nothing is worse than an inefficient person. The older you get, the busier you are expected to be. There is no official age of retirement really, Callinians tend to work as long as their bodies and minds allow them to, though at later years they opt to optimize their work so that they can focus on working on things that they enjoy rather than what they must do to live.
29. What does the average household look like?
A basic household in Callinus is usually either two adults of either sex accompanied with 1.27 children or adolescents or two adults on their own. Youth usually move out immediately when they turn 18 and their basic education ends.
30. What are the standards of beauty?
Callinians tend to enjoy a slightly rugged, but physically fit body type gained from hard work, though it may vary based on profession. Cybernetics aren’t necessarily averted, but they are viewed more as a tool rather than an accessory so cybernetically enhanced beauty isn’t very common or considered to be very flattering.
