[CWBP2] Races

[Azélor]

Now that we have our own section, I don't feel guilty to spam the forum with threads about the project. I encourage you to do the same if you would like to discus a topic.



Some questions to help the reflexion:

What races do we want to include in our world?
Do we have only one race,a mostly human world, a handful of major races with some minor races or a very diverse world?
If we have multiple races, why? Have they evolved together? Do they come from another world? Were they created by the gods?
What makes each race unique (biology)
Are each race tied to a particular environment (elves=forest)?
How do they interact with each other?
Do the races have sub-races or different ethnicities? Elves and dark elves for example
If so, what are the differences? Why have they evolved differently? Are they getting along with each other?
What is the geographical distribution of each race
(Maybe it's too early for that question)
Are multi racial states common?

Note: I'm talking mostly of sentients races here, but magical beasts like dragons could also fit in this topic.

[Corilliant]

I know I'm not exactly part of this project at all, but can I please just say that maybe you could do some concept designs of some new races. I feel with all the elves and dwarves this world has, they'll swoon be coming out of my ears

I remember reading three books by D. M. Cornish; they were based in a world where humans rule the ancient half-continent by the means of arcane science and alchemy, but have been fighting hundreds of other races of 'monsters' since the dawn of humans...it's hard to explain; has anyone else read them too? (The books have some awesome maps inside as well ) Consider a 'World Race' perhaps.

And another question for you guys: how old is this world?

[Azélor]

And another question for you guys: how old is this world?

What do you mean by old? The age of the planet is somewhere between 4 and 6 billion years probably.

[Chick]

The solid Earth is known to be over 4.04 BY, zircons that old from Australia have been dated by uranium radioactive decay methods. And there is no guarantee that these are the first rocks that formed, only the oldest that we have found so far. Meteorites of the type that formed the Earth are typically about 4.54 BY old, so it can't be older than that.

[Azélor]

The solid Earth is known to be over 4.04 BY, zircons that old from Australia have been dated by uranium radioactive decay methods. And there is no guarantee that these are the first rocks that formed, only the oldest that we have found so far. Meteorites of the type that formed the Earth are typically about 4.54 BY old, so it can't be older than that.

Why this world couldn't be older than 4,54 BY ?

[Chick]

I only wished to refine your "4 to 6 billion years" estimate

The early universe formed only stars of hydrogen and helium. Those stars had to go through a life cycle to produce heavier elements in their supernova destructions. Those heavier elements had to rejoin into second generation stars, and that was the earliest that solid planets could form. Those planets formed of smaller pieces of solid matter called asteroids (chunks of rock in space formed themselves by accretion in the second generation star disk). The oldest of those are about 4.5 BY, suggesting that to be the earliest that solid planets could form.

Of course, in fantasy, anything you want to be true can be ....

[Falconius]

I was thinking the world was human centric but it doesn't have to be. It could just as easily be a world where humans are a minority (which would have to be explained as that is not our natural tendency). Other than that I was thinking we approach them on a case by case basis, in that if you include them in your map they are part of the world. Perhaps we should see what starts coming in on the maps and go from there?

Full disclosure I was putting a race unique to my island derived from humans who have evolved there separately for a while (mostly as a horror element).

[Azélor]

I was thinking the world was human centric but it doesn't have to be. It could just as easily be a world where humans are a minority (which would have to be explained as that is not our natural tendency). Other than that I was thinking we approach them on a case by case basis, in that if you include them in your map they are part of the world. Perhaps we should see what starts coming in on the maps and go from there?

Full disclosure I was putting a race unique to my island derived from humans who have evolved there separately for a while (mostly as a horror element).

Are you talking about cannibalism ?


Yes we could do that with the mapping but:

1- We don't have maps right now.
2- It's harder to create a believable world.
3- This question is still broad.

[Corilliant]

Sorry, I meant civilisation.
Depending if you delve into fantasy or not, you can evoke the power of author's license and make civilisation as old as you like...what period of history are they in? How advanced is the world?
Decide the metal composition of the world, so as to mark the places that would have gained abilities with bronze and iron first, and from there, depending on how old the world is and how much one country could affect another, decide how old human civilisation is...if it's old enough, you could end up with some very interesting political structures. Remember the younger the world is, the less it has been explored...

[Azélor]

Sorry, I meant civilisation.
Depending if you delve into fantasy or not, you can evoke the power of author's license and make civilisation as old as you like...what period of history are they in? How advanced is the world?
Decide the metal composition of the world, so as to mark the places that would have gained abilities with bronze and iron first, and from there, depending on how old the world is and how much one country could affect another, decide how old human civilisation is...if it's old enough, you could end up with some very interesting political structures. Remember the younger the world is, the less it has been explored...

It's a fantasy world but we are staying close to the real laws of physics. How old is the planet and how old is the stars around is tied to the laws of physics right now, unless someone states otherwise for some reason. This means that the estimates of Chick and Deadshade are possibly what we will follow on that particular topic. Of course, the creation of the world might be helped by the Gods, but I'm not too found of that as a serious explanation. The civs on the planets probably believe the Gods made the world but the real explanation does not need to be religious.

The era is late middle ages and for more details: http://www.cartographersguild.com/co...tml#post240381
although I'm not sure if this post is up to date...

That is about the highest level of technology for the most advanced countries. Some might be a little ahead but most are lagging behind.

We still do not have any countries, not officially. And I don't know where civilization developed first or how they would spread.

Good question: How old is the oldest civilization?