Loretober: A Fantasy Worldbuilding Challenge for October!

[Edgar Ironpelt]

Loretober 21: Sport
The stereotype, when it comes to halfling sports, is that they're all of the aiming and throwing sort, or even that they're limited to darts and to various forms or target archery. Wrestling, however, is also a popular halfling sport.

The halfling enthusiasm for wrestling is much less well known among non-halflings than their enthusiasm for aiming and throwing sports, due to halflings being insular about wrestling. Halflings will cheerfully compete with non-halflings when it comes to archery, darts, horseshoes, quoits, bowling, etc., but not when it comes to wrestling. It's understandable when halflings avoid pitting themselves against larger races, but they also have an aversion to wrestling matches with goblins, who are generally of the same size and weight as halflings.

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

Loretober 22: Coming of Age
In the Amphorian Empire (and in the Winesea Islands, after the Empire's fall) a coming-of-age ceremony took the form of a "Doomsday Party." In a Doomsday Party, the young person celebrating his or her coming-of-age wears clothing and applies makeup to appear as an oldster. The 'decadent' version has the young person cross-dressing as well, with a young man dressing as an old woman, or a young woman dressing as an old man.

 

[jaybirdthings]

# 20. Occupation
Subject: Item
Canvas: Dimensional

THE SAPPHIRE EYE

The Prince of Galdracken’s intelligence network, known as Ka Sanvirax or “The Sapphire Eye” in Common, are an order of spies, scholars, and psionicists. A small sect of the order nicknamed the Unseen are rumored to actually have eyes made of psionic sapphire, allowing them to see into other worlds and allow special scholars back at home to view through the agent’s stone eyes.

 

[jaybirdthings]

# 22. Coming of Age
Subject: Person
Canvas: Regional

THE GRAVESEEKER

There is a custom the Admasian followers of Saint Dumas partake in when their mentor has completed their training. Before being officially ordained by the Church of Absolution, acolytes must select a spot for their grave. There is said to be no choice in this matter; all acolytes who have returned claim that Dumas made the spot known to them. The acolyte writes detailed instructions for finding the burial sight, storing the note on their person at all times and giving a copy of the note to the Church upon their return. It is seen as a meditation on the finality of life and many acolytes find their Graveseeking to be a relaxing, swift journey.

For one acolyte, the journey is unending. They are known now as the Graveseeker, and to this day they wander Midval in a desperate search for their resting place.

 

[jaybirdthings]

# 21. Sport
Subject: Place
Canvas: Global

THE ARENA OF THE DRAGON

The town of Hultsfrid in Grimstad holds a large arena that powerful gladiators from around Verra migrate to in order to prove themselves as one of the greatest fighters in the world. The current champion of the arena and leader of Hultsfrid is former adventuring ally of King Mirus of Grimstad known as “The Dragon”. They are said to be a student of the Dragons, and wield the power of ancient dragons in the palm of their hand. Many of the challengers who travel to Hultsfrid seek to face off against the Dragon, but almost none get the chance.

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

Loretober 23: Boon
"Boon" is a term found in the northern dialects of various languages. It has a meaning of "blessing" or "answered prayer," with connotations of the blessing or answer being unusual or special in some way. Some theologians claim that all boons are divine, granted solely by the Golden Ones, and that it's a misuse of the term to apply it to favors granted by merely mortal authorities. Others argue that such favors can be the result of a Golden One acting through a mortal agent, and that "boon" properly applies to such favors. Few theologians accept that the common (in the north) use of "boon" for any sort of special favor is a theologically correct one.

The word itself is Old Dwarven in origin, spreading from there to the northern dialects of Mountain Dwarven and thence to northern dialects of non-dwarven languages.

 

[jaybirdthings]

# 23. Boon
Subject: Person
Canvas: Local

LAKE ELIOR

Along the edge of the forest Godholt that defines the edge of the Admasian Empire, there is a cluster of aspen trees all connected together beneath the dirt. This living singular tree system neighbors the small lake of Elior, named after the Alseid who lives there. Elior is a benevolent figure who some of the braver locals visit in search of their powerful blessings. Many of these visitors come empty-handed, often receiving a task or challenge from Elior in order to receive the gift they seek. Wiser travelers come bearing a gift, usually in the form of artisan foods and spirits, as Elior has a soft spot for the delicacies of the human lands.

 

[Edgar Ironpelt]

Loretober 24: Spell
"Minute-spells" are minor, flashy spells beloved of apprentices, street conjurers, and hedge mages. They technically can last as long as a day, but very few last longer than a minute.

"Day-spells" are the working spells of wizards and sorcerers. They are relatively easy to cast, but their nature strictly limits them to a duration of no more than one day - 24 hours.

"Enhancements" are the more complex and costly spells that exceed the 24 hour duration limit of day-spells.

 

[jaybirdthings]

# 24. Spell
Subject: Place
Canvas: Global

THE FALSE CHASM

The Final Hour caused all of the world’s latent magic to activate and become a rampant storm of arcane chaos across the planet’s surface. Afterwards much of this arcane energy burned into the atmosphere or was swallowed up into other worlds, but in rare situations the magic was trapped in its active state. One such location is the Maelstrom, a miles-wide vortex in the middle of the Yorman Ocean that swallows up ships who dare sail near it. Another exists in the hills of Niama, where illusory magic floods the air in a sprawling cavern complex. The caves used to be a treasure trove for pre-apocalypse mining companies, but now only the occasional foolhardy adventuring party delves into the False Chasm.

Reports from those who have survived the journey into the Chasm are scattered and unintelligible, as many of the returning delvers suffer from persistent hallucinations and unrelenting insomnia. One survivor said she saw the old gods reaching out to her for help, all trapped on a burning chariot. Another said they were chased out of the Chasm by ten figures, each identical in appearance but speaking in distinct voices.

What truly remains down in the False Chasm is uncertain. The Niaman Guard has discussed making an official expedition into it many times, but no Lord has ever volunteered to lead such a mission.

 

[Bohandas]

25.) Tome {and 12.) Cuisine}

There are several cookbooks that teach a more mystical and esoteric form of food preparation. These times include the following:

*The Omnomnomicon
*The Canape Scriptures
*The Gouda Purana
*The Pollo Parmigana Sutra
*The Book of Ecclescakes
*The Book of the Prophet Jambalaya
*The Vision of Charles the Morbidly Obese
*The Mahaburrito
*The Trip of Tacos
*The First Book of Mackerels
*Mysteries of the Tequila Worm
*On The Filleting of the Sole
*The Booberry Tales
*The Me-Gusta Codex
*The Song of Rolaids
*Codex Mayonaise
*The Seasoned Psalter