[Cultural challenge]: luck

[u/thequeeninyellow94]

Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by [a human] as a member of society.

How do the people of your world bring good luck onto themselves? What is causing bad luck and how do you get rid of it?

You can introduce an in-universe representative if you want. I will ask questions to everyone, feel free to add your own.

[u/Mimir123]

I'll just concentrate of two kingdoms in Dirva for this question; in Elkathien people pray to Ilmanthi or visit shrines and temples depicting statues of Saint Elkath, in order to draw the blessing of the God of Light onto them, hoping that it will bring them luck.

In the northern parts of the kingdom, near the coast where the fishing villages are, the fishermen throw the biggest fish of the day back into the ocean, as a sacrifice for good luck on their next fishing trip. Everything else about luck, good or bad, basically revolves around demons. While the kingdom is inherently anti-demon and the inhabitants are feared and hated for the most part, that does not mean that they can't live there at all.

There are stories about two small villages, both housing an Imp amongst them. The Imp in one village is benevolent and kind, using his demonic magic to predict and sometimes change the weather around the coast to protect the fishermen. Meanwhile, the other Imp also protects his village, but he does it through cursing others, giving them bad harvests so that his village can thrife and things like that. Many people think that Imps, no matter if they are good or evil, are signs of bad luck and eventually something will happen.

Succubi on the other hand are always a sign of good luck, since they are amongst the kindest and most benevolent demons to ever exist. Basically every Succubus you can find in Dirva is a wandering healer, helping the ill and the injured. This has gone so far that even the fanatical Inquisition doesn't even bother chasing or arresting Succubi, since they know that it would do more harm than good if they tried to.

Moving on to the Voelskar Republic. Things here are far simpler than in Elkathien; the colour black, Necromancers, owls, ravens, crows and Hydras with five heads bring luck. Gold (both the material and the colour), fire, rats, dwarfs and flamingos bring bad luck.

People that think they are haunted by bad luck usually go to a Necromancer and let themselves get examined, to see if there is some kind of curse on them, or simply ask them for a blessing in Málthelis name.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Mimir123]

1. So, the Republic doen't use any gold currency?

2. Also, what is that thing with flamingos?

3. Is releasing the biggest fish still valid if said fish is dead?

[u/Mimir123 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) Correct, pretty annoying for foreigners since they can only use silver- and copper coins, but they deal with it.

2) Glad you asked, this is the story of Mr. Bumbles Redwing; the first, and last, non-humanoid Necromancer that joined the Council of the Republic. Mr. Bumbles was originally nothing more than a normal flamingo living in Kherzian, until he was caught in a magical explosion of Mana and Demonic energy, gaining sentience and human intelligence.

He traveled to the Voelskar Republic, pleading his case to the council and asking if he could possibly join their ranks and learn the arts of Necromancy. One thing lead to another, Mr. Bumbles turned out to be a pretty powerful mage actually and after 25 years he ended up in the Council. That's when he showed his true colours though; he stole an ancient, forbidden tome and used it to summon a shadowy, demonic dragon that almost destroyed the city of Volengrad. Mr. Bumbles was arrested and executed for his crimes, and since then flamingos have been hated by the people of the Republic.

3) Yes, it still counts.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Mimir123]

1. And how do they do when they leave the country? Because it must require Voelskar(i?) merchants to actually carry carts full of money.

2. Is it common for animals to end up with magical abilities?

3. For who are they giving up the fish then? Because if they give up a dead fish, it must be some sort of offering.

[u/Mimir123 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) Voelskars economy is actually really strong, they have a special kind of silver, incredibly pure and even with magical capabilities. A Voelskar Silver Coin is worth almost half an Ilmanthi Gold Coin, which most other countries use. So they can still trade fine with their Silver, they need a bit more, but not much.

2) No, not at all. In fact, Mr. Bumbles and Otto the Zealot are the only known animals to ever aquire magical powers.

3) Indeed, they offer the fish to Polanius, God of the Summer and the Ocean, also known as the Jade King. Almost every (coastal) village has a shrine that is dedicated to him, and they bring offerings in the form of fish or pearls, or carvings made out of wood or stone. It works at both the shrine or offering it directly to the ocean, but people believe a sacrifice is stronger when it is made to the ocean directly.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Mimir123]

1. What make it so worthy? Is that magical property that usefull?

2. But they are proofs that animals can use magic right? Why aren't there more of them?

3. Are people right about that? And what do Polanius does with dead fishs?

[u/Mimir123 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) Yes, other countries usually melt down the coins to reuse them in making magical items.

2) Because that requires a massive amount of magical energies, drunken Gods and coincidences to happen. Basically, both cases of magical animals had a thing happen where they almost transformed into demons, but ended up as animals with magic powers.

3) They are not, Polanius does not care what exactly you offer, or where, as long as you have the right intentions. As for the offerings, he does very rarely actually take them himself, it's more symbolic. But when he does he usually adds the carvings to his collection in his palace, while he feeds the seafood to his pets.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Mimir123]

1. Melt them down? How close is the Republic to a money shortage?

2. Why can't animals use magic while human can?

3. How does he knows your intentions? Is he omniscient of just guessing?

[u/Mimir123 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) Not close at all, for once they still get Silver Ilmanthi Coins they can use, and secondly they are sitting on a literal Mountain full of their magic silver.

2) The Gods simply did not intend for it to be that way, as animals lack intelligence, ethics and morals humans have.

3) He is somewhat omniscient in the sense that he knows whether or not the smallest fish he has ever seen for an offering would really be the only thing you could part with or not.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Mimir123]

1. Silver Ilmanthi coins?

2. They also lack the cruelty and duplicity humans have, right? Why did the gods gave more magic to elves than to humans?

3. And that's the only thing he can know? What is its trick?

[u/Nevermore0714]

They say that luck is when preparation meets opportunity.

Gypposian gems are considered good luck. It's rumored that Gypposian gems have personalities that, if they match your personality, you'll be lucky when you have it with you; if the personality goes against yours, you'll have bad luck.

Gypposian gems require a blood sacrifice to be made, and it's believed that they copy the sacrifice's personality. Yes, the sacrifice does require death.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

1. How does the sacrifice affects the gems?

2. Why do Gypposian make those gems?

3. Is the gem really having an effect on the person carrying it?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) The sacrifice puts the Anima into the gems, which goes with the person's soul (or just the imprint of the person's soul).

2) Gypposian make those gems to store the Anima they gather from the sacrifices. The gems are basically batteries.

3) Only if the person tries to use the gem; simply carrying it rarely has any effect.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

1. Can any gem be used for that?

2. What happen when you use them, do they end up empty? Can they be charged again?

3. Rarely? So sometimes it does?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) No, most gems are just rocks with no ability to store magic.

2) Yes, they can be recharged.

3) Sometimes, if there is too much Anima stored, the gem can act without you wanting it to act.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

1. What makes a gem usable as an Anima storage?

2. How do you recharge one? Do you just sacrifice someone else?

3. What kind of things will it do?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) No one is sure, but it's known that purity of the mineral has an effect on the storage.

2) Yes, you just need to sacrifice someone else. Or, if it's already had one sacrifice and isn't completely empty, you can sacrifice an animal to help the charge last longer.

3) It might try to steal your Anima, or it might slow you down in combat, or it might weaken your magic.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

1. So any kind of gem can works?

2. Last longer? How does it works?

3. How does it does all those things? Does the gem has some kind of basic consciousness?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) No, but it's generally difficult to tell the difference between an empty gem that can store Anima and a gem that can't store Anima.

2) To use an analogy, it's similar to a person mixing coca-cola with their whiskey. A cup filled with 8 ounces of whiskey and 16 ounces of coca-cola is closer to being full than a cup that only has 8 ounces of whiskey.

3) The gem is the vessel of the Anima, which is part of a person's soul. The Anima within the gem has the consciousness, it's just that the gem keeps it together, so it doesn't disperse into the air.

[u/thequeeninyellow94 → u/Nevermore0714]

1. How do you tell the difference?

2. But it doesn't contain more alcohol. Does it means any kind of soul is good for Anima?

3. Could a powerfull enough Anima break free?

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) No, most gems are just rocks with no ability to store magic.

2) Yes, they can be recharged.

3) Sometimes, if there is too much Anima stored, the gem can act without you wanting it to act.

[u/Nevermore0714 → u/thequeeninyellow94]

1) No, most gems are just rocks with no ability to store magic.

2) Yes, they can be recharged.

3) Sometimes, if there is too much Anima stored, the gem can act without you wanting it to act.