Homebrew cultures -- what do you want to know?

[Nifft]

Quasi-mythic great cultural leaders (e.g., for the USA: Paul Bunyon, "Founding Fathers", George Washington). People with places named after them.

Taboos. Social, religious, etc. -- what is winked at, what is frowned upon, what is done only secretly in basements late at night (like D&D ).

Tensions. Racial, class, cultural, ethnic, religious, sexual, political, age-based. What groups have power now, what groups are coming into power soon, what groups were in power... all three have darn good reason to dislike the others.

-- N

 

[krichaiushii]

Naming conventions (matriarchal, patriarchal) and common first, last, and nicknames. Though this might be rolled into Cultural "quirks".

 

[Wild Gazebo]

Technology: Aquaducts, waste desposal, architecture, communication, transportation, ect.

Even minor differences can mean a great deal. Also, I have a penchant for creating meals and table customs for interesting interactions with PCs.

ART: How could I forget art!? Doh!

 

[diaglo]

ART: How could I forget art!? Doh!

probably b/c it was Simon who had the career afterwards that produced so many solo hits.

and Paul also married Princess Leia...

what did Art do? nothing memorable....

 

[Wild Gazebo]

But he had such a great perm.

 

[Fangorn Athran]

I am not sure if this was mentioned or not but how criminals are dealt with and what sort of punishments that sort of thing

 

[Thornir Alekeg]

How about racial demographics -assuming this is a fantasy world with multiple races.

This could be tied into religion and/or cultural personality, but how about a few legends and mythology?

 

[Desdichado]

Cool stuff, guys, thanks. I'm going to issue a modified and expanded list, and post it as a template for anyone who's curious, or who might think it's useful. I like to build campaign elements with templates, personally.

 

[RangerWickett]

Magical traditions. I've always been a fan of making magic in different lands highly distinct. I mean, if I were a Norse warrior priest of Odin, and I traveled to Ireland, China, and Africa, the magic I'd find in each place would be wildly different from anything I knew.

How do they feel about other cultures?

 

[Tonguez]

you need to include settlement patterns (urbanisation, family compounds, individual households, nomadic camps et) and family structure (nuclear or extended, matrilocal, virilocal, avunculocal etc). A tie in to sex and reproduction fits here too (eg IMC Orcs reproduce via 'ritualised rape')


As a simpler sytem you could group them as
Politics Authority and Enforcement (military, Police)
Economy production, distribution and consumption
Society Settlement patterns, family structure, social hierarchy
-Education - including 'scientific view' and all knowledge
-Religion - including magic

TRADITIONS
Myths of Identity (who are we, where are we from
and why are we here. Who 'belongs' and who doesn't.)
Myths of Virtue (what is good (or Evil) and why, how to treat others)
Myths of Authority (Who has the right to rule, how society should funtion ie maintaining the Status Quo)
Myths of Change (The Trickster and how to challenge/change the status quo)