#eskero

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Let's talk about world's buildings - what's the typical building living arrangement for a person from culture to culture? what's the inside of a domicile like as in what are some common furnitures and gadgets and trinkets?

There's definitely a lot of variety in the homes of Eskerans. Open air pavilions, cluttered wood cottages, tower homes that make use of vertical space, the Ardent who carry everything they need on their backs, but are quick to turn any clearing into a homey gathering ground.

Most of the homes of the various affiliated kingdoms are full of rooms and various chairs for parties and guests. Family structures are more fluid and apprenticeship is common, so you never know when you'll be taking care of a friend or housing an apprentice. Of course whoever pays the taxes on the home to the kingdom feel more obligated to make the rules of the home.

Eskerans are prone to keeping weapons in their home just in case a wild demon intrudes. Old family arms are kept well maintained and are more than just decoration, sometimes holding ancient spirits in them from an old adventurous relative who watches over the home. So, if a sword hangs on the wall, it's only right to give it a nod or bow of thanks and respect. Even if it's just an ordinary blade, it's still the protector of the home.

As far as furniture, chairs are by far the most important. Being very numerous and of various builds. Having a special chair for a friend is common courtesy. To have matching chairs is tacky amongst the middle and lower class, since it's the mark of someone who has many guests but few friends, since they don't have anyone in mind when they purchase the set. Some like it that way though, and keep matching chairs as a formality to flaunt their lack of desire for close company.

Of course as you explore around and find other kingdoms and races, the customs change, but this is how things are done in the populous inland human kingdoms that are run by deities.

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whats the most popular kind of food or candy on Eskero?

It depends from culture to culture depending on what they have access to.

Locally, a region's more unique selections are a matter of pride. They'll include it in all their dishes and emphasize tales of its health benefits when travelers come by.

They have a lot to be prideful over though, as the touch of the deities on flora and fauna create interesting meals when harvested for ingredients. Rice so light that it might float away, water filled watermelons, glowing chile peppers that fills the mouth of anyone who eats them with smoke.

Candies are especially mischievous with willy wonka-esque alchemists pumping them with tricks and effects. Some are like an adventure in your mouth. Suckers turning into frogs, and taffy that sings as it's chewed. Others are like full on curses, turning kids strange colors, and changing their voices. Not entirely condoned by parents, merchants like to keep these as a sure fire way to loosen the savings of children who want to try their luck in a grab bag, or who have a bully that they need to prank. The next best customers are adventurers, who are let's face it: Kids at heart.

As far as carnivores go, Eskerans are driven to cook any beast that wanders the night. Giant insects who's chitin hides make good bowls for their protein rich innards, uppity birds, even some cooks who train to cook dragons if one ever needs cooking (Their actual abilities are pretty uncertain though). The most successful at this art, as well as the best cooks are amongst the Ardent, who make their living hunting beasts. It's rare to taste one of their meals as a non-ardent but the flavors are described as nothing short of legendary.

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Clockmaker, knight of the Ashes

Famous for plunging themselves into a volcano as an offering to choke those who betrayed them, the stratolord Oust, would become a deity of the ashes, a symbol of renewal and cleansing.

Their following was small but loyal, with the most trusted knight, Clockmaker wielding a band of molten gold Oust wore around their ankle as they were remade. It burns white hot to all but its master, the Binding of Oust forms a tongue of flame, sharp as a blade.

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Myself as an Orator of Dreams, dutifully employed under the enigmatic Goddess of dreams, Yawn.

Realized I should round out the characters with myself since I'm a part of the squad as well~ I thought I'd probably work under Yawn studying dreams across the land. Included bad fashion choices: Cloud pants, Yawn labeled Brassard, a cape because those are totally in fashion, and of course a captain's cap because those are swell.

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How does travel work with regards to vehicles? Are there mechanical methods like airships, cars or steamboats? Are there trains? Does it depend on the area?

It really does depend on the area, but for the most part the main mode of transportation is domesticated riding or hauling animals. Dogs in Eskero are much larger and have the same natural affinity for humans, so they're the most common mounts (See: Sundogs). They also have the added benefit of being good guards who aren't as easy to spook.

There are a lot of animals with a high intelligence in Eskero though, so there's a wide variety of creatures who can either be ridden or trained to pull carts. They're less popular in the larger capitals though since a lot of them are still considered wild beasts. Even sentient creatures can be convinced for a price or trade to offer their swiftness to a human, but they aren't as patient with bearing loads.

In larger more sophisticated cities though, they have small rail systems to move people and supplies around and some even use canals as a solution. Though rails have a hard time being maintained between towns due to forces in Eskero commonly uprooting them.

Boats and ships are of course popular options to handle trade, but are quickly overtaken by airships, which are chunks of floating earth uprooted and levitated by powerful sources. During some ages entire towns are made up of these floating landmasses being tied together. The sky is the kingdom of the birds though, so they aren't devoid of their own troubles.

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Another quick thing about birds is that they're natural at casting songs (as in spells) and are able to cause elaborate illusions and control the wind when in groups. Their lords in the high skies can clear the sky with an utterance and summon rain with another. Their good faith in the deities of the weather pays off well.

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WBW: Approximately how many dragons are there? They don't sound like they're very common - or are they?

They aren't very common no. They're the reaction of a deity gaining an immense amount of power compared to the others. Usually it's leaders of larger groups of deities, isolated deities who are allowed to allocate power unchallenged, or those who just so happen to stumble on an ancient artifact,

So it really depends on the density of deities and what their power structure is like at the time. In a time where there are just about 100 or so deities who are in the world, there may be 5~10 dragons who form. In other times when deities are in the thousands, that may be bumped up to 50~100 or so dragons through the world. With an even distribution throughout the world that makes them pretty rare,

No matter their numbers, a lone dragon is a serious thing to consider for even an entire kingdom. They have powerful songs, have the unique ability to sing two songs simultaneously, are immensely tough and swift, are extremely driven, and are smart to boot. A dragon's scheme may break down an obstacle over generations if that's what they decide is the best course of action. While a deity's scheme may just be mischievous, a dragon is always up to something that will get them to their ultimate goal of either crippling or killing a deity, before they can rest.

The most rare trophy in all of Eskero is the mask of a dragon, the face that has their liar's mouth that can only be obtained by slaying a dragon. To defeat a dragon is to both figure out how to successfully mortally injure it while subverting their cunning plans to stay alive long enough to see their mission through. It is the mark of someone with both power and wisdom.

[yawngoddessofdreams]

Eskero class junk

Gossipers are those who follow a deity and through devotion and communication have been given protection under their patron deity. They are like clerics, though follow some odd rules and ethics determined by the deity they follow. They are unable to learn destructive or manipulative songs (Spells), but gain benefits for all others, especially curative and protective schools.

They're useful healers, strong protective knights, invaluable explorers who can hide the presence of the party from malicious deities and dispel wards and illusions with ease. Some even learn to summon the aid of a deity's creatures to protect or help them. Rounded off with their ability to ask for divine advice, they are the rock of any group who are venturing into places where few men dare enter.

Alchemists are scholarly types who tear apart the mysteries of the domains and rework them for their own needs. Preferring to unearth the secrets of dead deities who have left remnants of their power about, alchemists are less associated with deities themselves than the others. Unable to unlock the spiritual necessities to control sub-domains that are curative or protective, they instead excel in destructive arts. They have the ability to shape their songs more intricately, swapping effects and fine tuning anything they do to suit the moment. 

An Alchemist can become a force of nature, or be a trickster who deceives and dazzles with their skills, Many are scholars who unlock secrets of the world through their adventures and can learn tricks through a keen mind and careful observation. An Alchemist is always creative and flexible, making them to go-to mind of any group.

Aspects are avatars of a deity. Their domain encompasses their body and mind, being directly influenced by their emotions desiring control and balance as the power slowly grows in them. They are usually normal folk who are deeply connected with a domain already through their personality, or maybe even just fate. A deity can see this and will plant a bit of their domain in that person to awaken them to this connection. It's absolutely not rare for someone who goes through this to be more than a bit bitter about the whole ordeal.

They are not limited by which sub-domains they can use. They can learn every song within their domain, and are particularly balanced in their abilities. Their body changes as they grow stronger, and learn to control these changes till a powerful Aspect of fire can go from having just an exceptionally warm touch, to erupting with fire when they need to. Having an Aspect in your group is having a literal force of nature on your side.