World-Building and Story Q&A Game

Does your fantasy world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?

I'm not sure.. if I'd consider it magic! It's more like... super powers? I guess?

XD Alien powers! For Jackie's species, they have the ability to float and make their force fields. While floating is just something that can naturally do, their 'powers' take actual energy that lies inside of them. So I guess sort of like a magical ability? At least that's what makes them unique! (Besides also being tiny little fish people who can swim and breath in/out of water XD)

For Derek's kind they also have special abilities that allows them to teleport and give the illusion of shifting shapes. Their powers I would relate more towards some strong kind of telekinesis - because while Jackie uses the energy living inside of her - Derek uses brain power! Their powers are a real technical ability. They sort of have a 'vision' of where to go, crunch the numbers and calculations in their minds and get there within minutes. Also the shift changing is basically a really good "mind trick" because they aren't really the new shape they've taken the form of. It just really looks like that have!

They also have much stronger "forbidden" abilities buuut I can't go into those yet 9u9

What makes your main character(s) the main character? How do they hold the focus of the story?

For Jackie's Story basically.. just by being the only characters in the whole thing itself ahaha. (For now at least) But honestly for this story, it's because I had already created the character Jackie who had a 'tragic back' story of her brother's death to enter into an OCT. Then after I lost my final round in that OCT I wanted to continue her story! And they hold the focus, being the main plot focus of it? Heh! My stories... don't usually have much plot - and are just mostly character interactions. (Maybe cause they're my favorite things in stories eheh oops)

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?

They all have their moments but most probably.. Jackie!

Who is your favorite character in the novel you are writing, and why?

Derek... because he is my baby and I DON'T PLAY FAVORITES-okay,I do. I'm not sure why though. It happened after I gave him a back story. Sometimes after I give my characters back stories, I just.. fall in love with them the most hee.

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?

As aliens, I believe - there is nothing BUT mythical creatures XD

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?

The most important one that comes to mind is Derek's staff. I always kind of wanted to talk about it somehow, but it's just silly boring side notes that don't fit in to well to just be randomly explained. But basically - it's just a special staff made by Derek's species. It basically just boosts their abilities of teleportions to the extreme, giving them the possibility to teleport necessary ingredients from all over the galaxy and quickly form them all together to create basically anything! (Best example - would probably be FMA's Alchemy ability, but without any hand claps or circles and the ability to bring your ingredients to you at ease XD )

It does take some talent and practice to control it though. While Derek is very good at using the staff, Val can barely make basic things with it.

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?

For Jackie's kind EVERY SINGLE CREATURE on their planet is a boogie monster XD There is no need to scare each other with stories because they're all already chickens about it.

For Derek's kinds they would probably have stories about the naughty Dorak's who used too many forbidden powers...!!

What social classes exist in your world?

Jackie's kind only has one class - and they're kind of a super rural group of people who don't do anything but live day by day trying to enjoy life in hiding. (Probably a good example would be cave people! Everything is new to them, and also scary.)

Derek's kind would have different classes in their society if they still had a planet at all! I'd imagine it'd be a world of middle class to upper class. No lower class because they think thats just disgusting for a planet to allow. You're either well off - or REALLY well off because you're one of the government officials and such.

Does your world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?

No magic. What makes it unique is that its a post apocalyptic type world in which animals are no longer around as a food source! 8'D You're best chance at getting some meat in your belly now is becoming a cannibal. (In which - most people choose to do)

I'm still trying to figure out the past of this world and how it came to be... the best I've got right now is that ... there was some sort of vegan war.. that went out of control.. XD And caused the death and extinction of many animals. And now we're at the point of there being a chance of zero to none animals left.

What makes your main character(s) the main character(s)? How do they hold the focus of the story?

Because they were the main characters of my original universe for them! XD No, okay. Because when it comes down to it - I just wanted a story that tells of how two characters who wouldn't normally be friends, due to series of events, end up becoming best buds.

My idea for the AU versions were just... HEY this story could be a lot more dramatic... if they were humans. haha

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?

Chester. Ferdie is only there for the cutes.

Who is your favorite character in the novel you are writing, and why?

Also Chester. Because he is my grumpy little tormented soul that I like to constantly poke at while giggling like a maniac.

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?

For AU world, noo none yet. It's pretty realistic-based-fiction.

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?

Nothing 'magical', but Chester's smoke gun is pretty spiffy and useful XD His philosophy is one he learned from Jira. Always choose flight over fight. Smoke guns will help in this quest.

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?

Haha. AS IF THEY NEED BOOGIEMEN. Parents are like CHILD I'M SO SORRY you're in this cruddy world with me now. Everyone might try to eat you. Be scared of everyone.

There is no longer such a thing as getting a good night's sleep.

What social classes exist in your world?

Really just Cannibals/Not-Cannibals.

The problem is trying to tell them apart.

Does your fantasy world have magic? If so how is it used?
Yes! Though most people would tell you otherwise; the human cultures think it's just old superstition, much like magic is seen in our world.
There are various types of 'magic' or superpowers and they're pretty much all hereditary. (Or at least, not just anyone can use them.) Magic tends to be pretty subtle and limited to certain uses, for example Luthe can only use a handful of plant-related abilities, etc.

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?
Nooo idea I mock everyone equally <_<
This question is most appropriate for readers I feel xD;;;

Who is your favorite character in the comic and why?
Hard to chooooose but probably Luthe hahaha. (Luthe/Maut is definitely my favourite interaction to write!) I also really like Tyr though.

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?
There are Witches and Tree-People and elves (like Tyr but IN THE WILD), and the Vandrailaans or sky-people (who are a big mystery).

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?
The main important one is that sword Luthe carries around! but that's a spoiler so I can't say what the deal with it is xD

-What initially inspired the story idea?
A couple of ideas came from the RP I was doing at the time (Tyr's character and the windboats); it started when I drew a Random Dude in pchat (this was in mid-october 2010) and liked the design so I decided to write a story about him! I wrote the first draft for nano 2010 and started the comic in january 2011; I still had no real idea where I was going with it but just decided to wing it anyway!

-What character design came easiest to make? Which one gave you the most trouble?
Tyr was the first character; I dunno if that counts as easiest? None of them really gave me trouble, exactly, though Maut's design has changed the most since the first designs (in the nano he was an adult; I decided him being a kid was more fitting).

-Does your world have any interesting taboos? Things that are simply NOT DONE even though there is really no rational reason not to do them?
Not really without reason. A lot of old irrational superstitions have been discredited by Science. The ones that remain have some basis in fact-- you don't harvest wood from the toxic forests because there is a vague lingering superstition that the Tree People might get you, same for invading the Southern Continent where there are supposedly Witches (no one has SEEN a Tree Person or a Witch in recent times, but people who go into those areas come back really messed up, or more often not at all).
One noteworthy taboo for Soldiers specifically is that they are not supposed to act on their own, or enjoy things, or have feelings or desires at all. Tyr's actions were unthinkable.

-What kind of body decorations are common in your world? Tattoos, piercings, etc
For the humans, some tattoos (most commonly in Mizar) and it's probably fashionable for ladies to have pierced ears. But pretty much all of the characters we see in-comic have no need for body decorations (and the militaries probably discourage or prohibit them). The elves (like the two who appear in chapter 6) are most likely to use body decorations, but we haven't seen much of their people yet. (Bia had multiple ear piercings, and the other guy's horns are decorative implants)
Side note; Luthe, Maut, and Shadi's markings are all natural, not tattoos.

-How do people get around? (Do they all just walk?)
The Eltanins primarily have ground transports and trains (like the Crawler used by 9th Izahran), and some of the Soldiers (like the Altyrans) have prosthetics that give them transportation; the Alkiddians have flying warships that are referred to as Dragons, and have been looking into developing smaller, faster planes, but without much success; the Mizarites have windboats, which hover just above the ground and mostly use sails for propulsion (but they can't fly). Mazin's transport is unique and she built it herself. Some of the more secretive peoples use other means of transport, but not gonna go into that cause they haven't come into the story yet. Luthe walks everywhere and dislikes transports (not that any would take him).
...tl;dr it really depends on the nation/culture because Alkaid and the Eltan are rival empires that jealously guard their tech.

Does your fantasy world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?
Lots! The Daimon magic (Alizaron) is really important to the story. (The elves also have magic of their own, though it's a lot more subtle.)
Alizaron is an ambient force that is closely tied to the Daimonen; it sort of originates from them and is a part of them, and it can be almost sentient at times. As for how it works, each curse requires a form of anchor and a sacrifice, but beyond that it's super vague-- the anchor can be a drawn sigil or written words, or a song; the form itself is not important as long as the caster has a strong intent that they as an individual can associate with the intended outcome. The sacrifice is what initiates it; this can be either the caster's blood or part of their spirit (which is less bad than it sounds). But then sometimes the Alizaron has a will of its own; a newbie might do something extremely advanced and an experienced mage might fail at the simplest thing.

What makes your main character(s) the main character? How do they hold the focus of the story?
Phantom and Shru are the main characters because ADORABLE. Also ironically they're pretty much the most sensible characters in the entire cast?? (And because they are The Kid and The Outcast, no one will ever listen to them, haha.)

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?
Lin maybe??? He entertains me, at least <_<

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?
lotsss! I don't feel like listing them all though (and would forget things if I tried...)
Though I will say that most of the strongest predators in this world are winged! Dragons are historically the worst enemy of the Daimonen (cause their favourite prey is wee Daimon kids).

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?
spoilersssss
a couple important ones are the Cube (which winds up in Lin's possession at the end), and a mysterious device that Phantom recovers from a secret cave.

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?
The older Daimon kids come up with all sorts of tales to scare the younger ones! evil elf warriors and evil dragons (and sometimes both at once)! among numerous other beasts, real and imagined. (in Daimon culture, it's usually the older kids taking care of the younger ones; adults are usually too busy and for an adult to be assigned babysitting duty is pretty demeaning.)
As for the elves... they tend to have really safe environments for their kids and don't generally find it necessary to scare them into obedience. That said, Lin tried to scare Phantom with stories about how their forest eats people. Phantom did not find this even remotely frightening. (Lin is a terrible storyteller.)

What social classes exist in your world?
Daimon classes are based primarily on battle skill, though other useful non-combat skills are also considered important and can give you a higher status (but very few people can obtain a decent class without some level of skill in combat). In most Daimon groups, kids are considered sort of classless until they accomplish something useful for their tribe, at which point they are given a name and accepted as an adult (meaning it is possible to never accomplish anything useful and get perpetually stuck as a 'kid'; these people are viewed with contempt and it can result in the individual being expelled from the tribe). The chief of a tribe is one of the strongest warriors in the tribe, though they must also have good leadership skills or they won't hold the position long; a chief can be challenged and deposed at any time. There are a few Drifters who aren't part of any tribe; the tribes are territorial but they will almost always give free passage to Drifters, as long as the Drifter doesn't steal from them.
Elves are sort of classless; they have leaders but the leader isn't considered to be better than anyone else; they are essentially a normal citizen with additional responsibilities.

What initially inspired the story idea?
Noooo idea this story has been around forever... like 10 years maybe??

Does your world have any interesting taboos? Things that are simply NOT DONE even though there is really no rational reason not to do them?
For the elves, killing anything unnecessarily is Wrong (and they're all vegetarian for that reason). They also don't lie outright because they are all pretty good at detecting untruths, so they obfuscate the truth with cryptic language instead, and speaking too frankly is impolite. Overt promiscuity and casual sex are frowned upon as well; there's a strong emphasis on establishing a meaningful relationship first.
For the Daimonen, touching someone else's wings without permission is a HUGE taboo. While all sexualities and multiple relationships are accepted, it's expected that you be honest with your partners about what's going on (they don't really have a concept of 'cheating' on a partner the way we do). And there are certain rules for duelling; if it's a duel to the death it's considered terribly dishonourable to spare your opponent (and likewise killing an opponent in a non-death-match)... and it's bad form to challenge someone who is a lower class than you.

What kind of body decorations are common in your world? Tattoos, piercings, etc
The Daimonen do pierced ears; earrings are a mark of status and strength in battle. Tattoos are also pretty common; many have tattoos indicating affiliation with a certain group, mages will sometimes have tattoos for their most frequently used spells, and decorative tattoos aren't uncommon either.
For elves, piercings are rare and tattoos pretty much unheard of. (Phantom's father has pierced ears but that's far from the norm... and their group of elves (the Eldath) are by far the most open-minded.)

How do people get around? (Do they all just walk?)
The Daimonen fly everywhere obviously. Elves walk or ride animals (usually horses); there was one elf who invented devices that could fly but he disappeared and no one else could figure out how to fix them as they broke over time.

Does your world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?

Chirault does indeed have magic! Technically anyone can use it (there's no specific magic caste or whatever), the trouble is getting it to do what you want it to do. The mage guild jealously guards all information on controlling it; they remain in power in part because unlicensed magic users have a tendency to either blow themselves up spectacularly early on or get caught as soon as they start trying to do it regularly, and because they do distribute complex enchantments among the general population that help make life easier (home security spells, things that help prepare food, stabilize walls, strengthen and temper metals, and so on). These usually take the form of scrolls or enchanted objects with the premade spells marked into them; these objects can be easily bought and sold, and anyone can activate the spell without fear of it backfiring.


What makes your main character(s) the main character(s)? How do they hold the focus of the story?

Teeko and Kiran are the main characters because the story is told from their POV XD

...Well okay, there's a little more to it than that. Teeko is probably more of the main character because she actively gets things done or is reponsible for them getting done (getting all these other people to help her, etc); Kiran is just along for the ride, although he has some connections to certain other elements in the story that are important to the central plot in ways I cannot go into here. Those connections do drive the plot to a degree, although as it's not through his intentional actions (more just... existing) I'm not sure how much that counts.

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?

Hmmmm, that's tough. I really like Kiran and Teeko, but they're definitely funniest when they're bouncing off one another-- I guess maybe Kiran's the funniest, as he's the most entertaining to mock.

Who is your favorite character in the novel comic you are writing, and why?

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm also tough. I LOVE ALL OF THEM but I guess Kiran is my especial baby :B

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?

Hahaha I dunno if they count as 'mythical'-- there are a lot of weird freaky monsters in the world of Chirault, some of which are well known and some of which are regarded as being just legends (usually because it's been over a hundred years since they attacked anyone and were witnessed at it).

If you mean does my story contain any of the creatures considered mythical for us in the real world (dragons, unicorns, etc), then.................. no. :P

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?

A buuuunch! As mentioned earlier the mage guild makes it their trade to distribute such artifacts (most of which have very mundane, practical uses) around widely, to make sure people stay dependent on them. Things like the collars they use themselves to control rogue magic users by preventing them from channeling any magic, bags that can fold space on their insides so that they can contain far more stuff than should really fit inside, etc... Then there's the orb that was supposed to let the mage wielding it perform selective acts of deforestation that would not leave any magical residue so as to sneakily get around an old treaty with the tree spirits, but may actually do an awful lot more...

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?

There's plenty out there to frighten children with if they step out of line, people don't need to make more up <_<

What social classes exist in your world?

Most of the population lives in the cities, of which there are only four but they are quite large (though perhaps not very by today's standards). There are slums and wealthy areas, and wealth is definitely distributed unevenly; there isn't really any aristocracy, though, because the mages' guild controls everything. They create and maintain all the technology that allows for inter-city communication and travel, facilitating trade; they provide the spells that help in construction as usable wood is scarce and expensive (as tree spirits control the woods and are quite powerful, wood can only be acquired if the tree spirits allow it, which they regularly do, but not in large enough quantities to make wood be a viable construction material).

The guild itself is pretty egalitarian-- the main requirements to become a mage are to be clever, interested in magic, and willing to follow the rules. They'll give anyone a chance, although anyone caught breaking their rules will face dire consequences.

The Kyrion, a species of demon that is very close to human, comprise most of the poorer classes-- they are generally stereotyped by humans as being dull or criminally-minded, and tend to be merchants because they are not allowed to be mages (due to instabilities in their magical auras making it dangerous for them to channel). They don't tend to live outside of the cities because in the rural countryside there is a lot of stigma against them; they have trouble fitting into human settlements.

What initially inspired the story idea?

I had a vague concept of an object that, if mishandled, would sort of have a corresponding horrible effect on parts of the world-- causing earthquakes if it got jostled, moving mountains if it got nudged, etc. In the original vague idea, a character would get stuck with it and have to travel with this thing (bringing it to someplace?), all the while terrified of accidentally dropping it or something.

I fiddled with the idea for a day or two and then put it down... about a month or so later, I doodled a face in paintchat and really liked it, and started drawing the same character more often; after awhile of drawing this guy and having other people interact with the character (in a manner similar to our doodle rp thread), I started really liking him and decided to try making a story about him (and Teeko, who was one of the characters who interacted with him a lot in the paintchat).

What character design came easiest to make? Which one gave you the most trouble?

Kiran was the easiest because he just sort of... happened. XD All the other early characters that were introduced, I didn't spend that much time on either... (though I have since regretted that, I could have done something WAY more interesting for any or all of them)

I've spent more time thinking over character designs on recent pages, which is a little embarassing since almost all of the important characters were introduced early on so I spent more time and trouble on background characters and set dressing. XD;;;

(I did a few doodles of Trillia before introducing her in-story but that was fun and I still ended up running with the first design so it doesn't count as trouble XD)

Does your world have any interesting taboos? Things that are simply NOT DONE even though there is really no rational reason not to do them?

Hm... relationships between Kyrion and humans are seen as taboo, because of the perception of Kyrion as being mutants or tainted somehow (this may be an accurate perception, as the animalistic features that mark someone as being Kyrion vary wildly within family lines and new weird traits pop up all the time).

What kind of body decorations are common in your world? Tattoos, piercings, etc

Tattoos and piercings are relatively common, though the former tend to be simple designs. Some mages tattoo spells into their skin, which makes them more stable (skin contact with the caster is important when working magic).

How do people get around? (Do they all just walk?)

There are boats, animal-drawn carriages, powered vehicles, and airships-- all of these are powered by magic, although things like airships (or other high-power vehicles) only work in areas where the inherent magical field is strong.

How do you come up with your character's names? c= Do any names you use have special meanings?

Ummmm none of them really have any particular meanings; a lot of them are just names I thought sounded mostly right and just sort of stuck with.

Astrid always struck me as a unisex name, by the time I found out it wasn't it was too late but WHATEVER I DUN CARE.

How accepting are the cultures in your story of outsiders?
It depends on the clan you are in and the individual. Some people are tolerant and involved with people off planet but almost all of them are distrustful of people not in their clan to some extent. Your clan is everything.

The wind riders (the dragons) don't care about outsiders. They didn't see humans as a threat for a long time and are still skeptical about their ability to harm them.

How common is crime? What acts are considered criminal within the culture, and what are the punishments for these crimes?
Very common. The clans don't follow international laws at all since for a long time the intergalactic government had no ability to enforce the laws/saw it as a waste of time to send troops to what they saw as a dying planet. Hence it is a hotbed for illegal research and experimentation on humans.

What festivals does the culture celebrate? Are they tied to a religion, or secular?
They often celebrate birthdays in a big way. Often the clans have individual holidays to celebrate the clan as a whole. They also celebrate the day that breathers were invented in a kind of truce since it saved everyone on the planet...the family that invented them (Ryuu's family actually) is the one family that has some degree of planet-wide respect.

The Wind Riders celebrate the day that their god, the one who rides upon the earth, created the world.

What kind of person is looked up to within the culture? (Or, what qualities are valued in a person?)
Someone who has a lot of physical strength, someone who is good at tricking others, someone who is able to protect or lead their clan (clans are EVERYTHING here).

What religions exist in your world? Do the people believe in an afterlife or reincarnation?
It varies...this is a science fiction story and the colonists are hodgepodge from everywhere so not everyone believes the same thing.

The Wind Riders believe in their god and think you become part of the wind when you die. They believe if you listen you can hear the voices of those who have died in the wind.

Do the people rely on myths to explain things they don't understand, or do they prefer logic and scientific reasoning?
The humans mostly prefer logic and science. Even most of my half wind rider's powers are based on things traditionally thought of as psychic powers rather than the concept of magic.

The wind riders do have myths.

What are living conditions like for your people? (Do they live in cities or small settlements, or are they nomadic? What are shelters (if any) made of? Are they materialistic, or do they live simply? Do they keep livestock/farms, or import food, or are they a hunter/gatherer culture?)
It depends on what class you are in. The clans usually have their own areas which are a collection of buildings where it is safe to live and the air is filtered for their members. They do their own trading off-world and produce their own food. They are largely self-sufficient.

There are cities where trade is conducted between clans and the people who do not have clans tend to live there...but life is terrifyingly difficult for those not in clans since they are essentially on their own. They don't just have to worry about food but finding somewhere safe to sleep where they can breath, and the poor can usually only have the cheaper masks that cover their faces. Most of the things you can trade off-world for supplies are found in the desert where the wind riders and other various forms of death live. And they have to worry about getting caught in a clan war while they dance between the clans. Cities are thought of as neutral ground but that doesn't mean it always ends up that way.

There are rain forests and other types of terrain on the other side of the planet but the only people that settled on the planet still living are the ones near the desert. Criminals and people who didn't have money but came as volunteers to a new world were dumped there originally. So when people started dying they were the ones who could not evacuate.

How are children educated? Is there a school system or individual lessons/apprenticeships, or are kids expected to just pick everything up on their own?
Some of the clans do have lessons taught to children by actual teachers but the planet does not really have a huge quantity of people on it so the children tend to be different ages. They have computer AIs that are specifically designed to teach children so often the children study alone in their rooms or in small groups with individual lessons. Special skills are often picked up alone or taught through apprenticeship type situations. The technological skill they learn is immense since this is a science fiction world.

Wind Riders are taught by their family members when the parent thinks it is necessary but mostly left to figure it out themselves. After reaching young adulthood they tend to live alone in pairs because they are big and require their own expansive territory in order to find enough food, although they often come together to visit.

The clan-less (Alice is one) are not educated at all.

Did you pull from any real-world cultures for your fantasy world? How about mythology/fairy tales?
Both haha. The people on it come from real-world cultures but modern culture is a LONG time in the past. The alien races are all inspired by things from mythology. The wind riders are based on dragons and later in the story you get to meet a race based off of fauns/satyrs. Although when I say it that way it does sound kind of silly. -_- Oh well.

What kind of beliefs about the afterlife are there in your fantasy world? How widely agreed-upon are those beliefs?
The wind riders think you become one with the air and they all tend to believe it since they claim to be able to hear the voices of the dead on the air in certain situations.

The humans are hodgepodge and can be atheistic. So heaven, reincarnation, and nothing are all present beliefs.

How about beliefs surrounding the sea, the sky, and the earth? Is there a spirit world or another dimension of existence? Religion?
The sky and flying are holy to the wind riders. The earth also has a large importance to them.

The sky and earth are scary to some humans and others feel a strong bond to the planet and would not want to live elsewhere...it feels safe since they know how to survive there when others wouldn't.

I don't want to comment about one religion being the right one or there being another spiritual dimension since it takes the mystery out of it, but I like to think that something beyond exists that will interpret itself to suit the beliefs of each individual.

Do you think, on the whole, the world you invented is one you would want to live in?

Not on the world it is set on in the beginning...it would be awful. Although if I lived off-planet it would be pretty cool.

Does your world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?
Yes but they are based on the idea of psychic powers although I was a bit lenient to allow powers typically associated with dragons in there as well. The wind riders have them but humans do not. Humans have badass technology instead.

They can all use different powers if they train hard and thus all usually train mind to mind communication which is super useful when flying. Usually different families tend to have a special power that is strong. Ryuu's is creating illusions. Albert can erase/reconnect lost memories. Isabelle can control people's bodies. Calvin has a unique ability that isn't present in wind riders to manipulate electronics. Twelve can influence people's thoughts...they don't figure this out possibly ever though, it isn't very strong. Jack's has her mother's power but for a long time they think she doesn't have one.

There are all the other fun ones: moving objects with your mind, reading/manipulating emotions as well as thoughts, creating and manipulating fire or other elements, unusual speed or strength, etc etc it's fun to think of new ones I won't limit it.

What makes your main character(s) the main character(s)? How do they hold the focus of the story?
Jack is just...noisy. She couldn't stand it if she was not the center of attention. But really I picked her because I myself am not very confident so I needed a character who will tell me, " I don't care. Shut up and do it anyway." It seems to be helping, as are you fellows in the forum.

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?
I am not sure who to pick. The comedic situations usually arise from the interactions between characters rather than any one character being comedic. I have an intelligent dog character that I think is pretty funny but almost all of my characters have darker undertones that stop them from being outright comedic.

Who is your favorite character in the novel you are writing, and why?
It changes depending on what my mood is for the day. I hate/love them at different times. I like the dog a lot though.

Maybe Jack's father....I just....love him. He's so cool.

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?
"Dragons" and "Fauns" and some unique alien lifeforms/monsters.

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?
No I don't think I do in this one. Objects with power are science based usually. There are tons of interesting guns and ships and..and...just a lot.

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?
Don't wander into the desert or the wind riders will eat you.

What social classes exist in your world?
Humans: Clan head families, clan members, the clan-less, offworlders.
Wind Riders: Depends on how strong your power is. They have speakers/elders they respect a lot. The more power you have the longer you tend to live and sometimes people are born who live a very long time... although all wind riders live a much longer time than humans do. They live alone mostly and there really aren't that many of them so it isn't as necessary to have classes.
"Fauns": They live in herds. The rulers of the herds are those who prove their strength through combat.

How accepting are the cultures in your story of outsiders?
The Daimonen are pretty respectful of anyone who can hold their own in a fight, though it takes a lot more for an outsider to actually gain their trust and be fully accepted. (for example, Shruikan is respected as a strong fighter and a skilled flier, but because he's half Elvish few people will truly accept/trust him outside a battle context. He's never joined a group as more than a temporary alliance.)

How common is crime? What acts are considered criminal within the culture, and what are the punishments for these crimes?
There.... aren't many things that would be considered a crime? Tampering with someone's wings and murder are not accepted, or leeching off the tribe's resources without contributing anything in return.... and I suppose invading another's territory counts, though then it's an intertribal affair. 'Cheating' in an honour duel is also bad.
Punishment for wing-tampering is generally eye-for-an-eye; the criminal will often be expelled in addition to suffering what they inflicted upon the victim (wings are essentially sacred and most would never dream of doing it, making this crime extremely rare-- and an exile with broken wings is as good as dead). Punishment for murder can be exile or execution. (Note that these crimes do not include battle wounds or other accidents.) Leeches are expelled (even injured or disabled people are expected to make some contribution, whatever they are capable of-- the punishment is given to people who make no effort). Cheating in a duel voids the result; the cheater automatically loses-- all honour duels (duels with high stakes) are watched by people who will intervene if they catch a cheater, and this is taken very seriously... though what constitutes 'cheating' varies depending on the specific duel. (Exile can also involve stripping of one's name.)

What festivals does the culture celebrate? Are they tied to a religion, or secular?
They celebrate the winter solstice; this also serves as a new-year's celebration (they follow a lunar calendar; the new year technically begins on the first new moon on or after the winter solstice). There are also smaller celebrations when a new member comes into the tribe (usually a child being accepted as an adult and receiving their name). Sort of their equivalent of a birthday celebration, since almost no one remembers their birth-date (and their calendar format makes exact birthdays impossible); though this naming-day is a one-time event, not an annual one.

What kind of person is looked up to within the culture? (Or, what qualities are valued in a person?)
Desired qualities include combat skills (whether physical or arcane) and being a skilled flier, loyalty to one's tribe/clan/companions (especially in battle), and contributing to the overall success of one's affilated groups.

Do the people rely on myths to explain things they don't understand, or do they prefer logic and scientific reasoning?
The Daimonen are not too concerned with explaining things; the general consensus about the Alizaron is that it is mysterious and inexplicable and rarely makes sense so why bother trying. As long as they know what the 'rules' are, the 'why' is not considered necessary knowledge-- for instance it's important that you know gravity exists and what all the types of wind are, but what causes gravity or the wind isn't particularly significant. That being said, they also have a great love of storytelling, and will blur known facts with fiction. (Some stories do 'explain' certain natural phenomena or traditions/customs, but they're not taken as fact.)

What are living conditions like for your people? (Do they live in cities or small settlements, or are they nomadic? What are shelters (if any) made of? Are they materialistic, or do they live simply? Do they keep livestock/farms, or import food, or are they a hunter/gatherer culture?)
The Daimonen are primarily nomadic-- while the tribes have set territories, it's pretty uncommon for them to stick around in a single place, though there are a few who do. Shelters tend to be natural (such as caves), though they'll often just sleep outside; most of them tend to be pretty claustrophobic, and their wings are inconvenient indoors. They don't really own more than they can carry on their person; weapons and maybe a couple spare garments, tools, sometimes small instruments. Anything they own that doesn't have a useful function would be small (and most likely shiny). Sometimes individuals will cultivate and trade crops and medicinal herbs; livestock are less common but not unheard of. Most simply live off the land, and warriors double as hunters when not defending the tribe.

How are children educated? Is there a school system or individual lessons/apprenticeships, or are kids expected to just pick everything up on their own?
Kids are put in the care of older kids, essentially without adult supervision, and are expected to look out for each other and learn to survive. Older kids help the younger. There is little or no official teaching; a Daimon kid pretty much picks things up by observation. Practical knowledge (straight-up survival skills, fighting and flying, and other skills like hunting and cooking, basic first-aid, simple crafts, etc...) are valued over purely intellectual pursuits. After a Daimon is accepted as an adult, they will continue to learn and improve their skills, and at this point the younger tribe members sometimes share a mentor/student-type relationship with an older member (this most common with the more technical crafts, such as curses or medicines or advanced weaponsmithing).
It's uncommon (but not unheard of) for an adult to teach a kid, and many kids don't even know who their parents are-- a parent raising their kid unaided is rare and usually only happens in the case of drifters, though in smaller, particularly tight-knit clans there will be stronger family bonds.

How about beliefs surrounding the sea, the sky, and the earth? Is there a spirit world or another dimension of existence? Religion?
The Daimonen see nature as a force to be respected. In their language, words relating to flying, the sky, and weather patterns are given their own grammatical class, and there is a specific and fairly technical language related to flight; these forces are very important to their daily life. But natural forces are not seen as spirits/gods or as having a consciousness/will of their own, except possibly the Alizaron-- some believe it to have a consciousness, and it could be seen as a religion of sorts (it does have a sort of spiritual aspect, though it's not worshipped, exactly).
While there are other dimensions, the Daimonen have no knowledge of their existence. (They know that the Elves came from a Far Away Place, but they don't know where, or that this place was not of their world.)
What kind of beliefs about the afterlife are there in your fantasy world? How widely agreed-upon are those beliefs?
The belief that the souls of the dead return to the Alizaron is pretty common, and there is some evidence that this is in fact the case (Phantom talks to a dead person in their dreams). But it's likely that, if this is in fact the fate of all souls, most do not retain their identity after death (ie, Phantom's ghostfriend seems to be a unique case).

What are the gender roles within your culture? How have these evolved over time, and what has made them the way they are?
There isn't much of a distinction; a person's occupation is dependent on what they're good at, not their gender; members of any gender may achieve positions of power within the tribe. Females are not expected or forced to have children if they don't want to; the Daimonen evolved to have a greater ratio of females to males to ensure their survival-- and while their lifestyle is dangerous, they have naturally long lifespans.

How does the economy function? Is a form of currency used, or do people trade directly, or are supplies shared freely with whoever needs them?
There is no currency; business is conducted by trade. Sometimes this may involve trading favours to be called in at a later date, though it's a bit of a risk (the person who owes the favour might be killed, for example, in which case you get no reimbursement).

What are the naming conventions within the culture? Are they relevant/do they have a deeper meaning, or are they just there as a means of identification? When are names assigned-- are they given at birth (or at a later time), or do they need to be earned?
Got into this one a bit already, but a daimon isn't given a 'real' name until they accomplish some sort of feat that earns them a place in the tribe. Kids are given surrogate names by the older kids; these are generally not very respectful or pleasant (things like Snotnose or Fishbreath or Buckteeth; you get the picture). It's sort of a taboo to pick your own name; they are important and must be given by someone else. Their 'given name' is assigned at their naming-day, the celebration of their acceptance to the tribe; it's given by an authority figure, sometimes the Chief but more often a powerful warrior or mage/shaman/medicine-person. They might earn additional titles after that, as they make further accomplishments. (A high-ranking daimon will often only be referred to by title; addressing them by given name is a privilege, and is insulting if you were not given permission.) Some titles can be lost if their bearer loses rank, and stripping of the given name is a punishment that often accompanies exile.

What are the gender roles within your culture? How have these evolved over time, and what has made them the way they are?
In the human society...females do tend to be more protected than males do. But anyone who is strong can usually gain recognition. It's just harder for females.

Wind Riders don't care. Their bodies are't really different in strength between male/females. And because they lay eggs the children aren't particularly dependent on the female parent.

How does the economy function? Is a form of currency used, or do people trade directly, or are supplies shared freely with whoever needs them?
In the cities and off planet you can use credits which were originally a currency used in space travel. It was designed to make trade between planets possible.

In clans you can still use credits for fun or research projects but most of the basic needs are provided for free, and you can request other resources if it is for something that will benefit the clan as a whole. They have people whose job is managing different kinds of resources to make sure everyone is using them the way they should, but it is almost taboo to take more than you need from your clan. They had to evolve that way of thinking or die when things turned bad, and they still have that same mentality.

What are the naming conventions within the culture? Are they relevant/do they have a deeper meaning, or are they just there as a means of identification? When are names assigned-- are they given at birth (or at a later time), or do they need to be earned?
I would like the names to have deeper meaning but at the moment they are just forms of identification. I think it depends a lot on the families and names are chosen for various reasons...ie it sounded pretty, it had a meaning I like, it was my mother's name. Names are given at birth.

If the people in your world are nonhumans, what physical features, abilities and weaknesses do they have that set them apart from ordinary humans? Do some individuals have additional special/uncommon abilities, whether magical or scientifically-explained 'superpowers'?
Wind Rider:

Yet un-named Faun people: They have hooves and bent legs, tails, curved ram-like horns, and are covered in very fine hair.

Their culture is interesting. They can communicate telepathically and usually only use their actual voice for singing/very important conversations. Using your physical voice for normal conversations is considered "indecent." Their planet has been colonized by humans and they are only beginning to gain rights since humans thought they were not intelligent for a long time. Needless to say they generally do not like humans, but are beginning to understand the need to adapt to human ways since it is too late for them to get them off their planet.

Like the wind riders they do not have advanced technology. They also do not have any powers other than mental communication. Physically they are slightly faster/stronger than humans but primitive sword vs gun = fail. They also live in herds and tend to raise the children of the females in the herds and not even their own children, as only the strong males breed and they normally choose not to leave their herds if they breed with a female in a different herd. You can see how they wouldn't get along well with normal humans but would potentially get along better with my half wind riders. ^.^

If the world contains multiple different 'races', can they interbreed? (what abilities/weaknesses do the half-bloods inherit?)
And, if the above is possible, how common is it? Is it accepted, or considered a taboo?
Sort of. One Wind Rider power is the ability to transform their bodies into other forms but as they cannot gain back mass they give up to change form most of them would not do that. It's VERY rare anyway so most of them don't have the ability to do that even if they want to. If they changed themselves into human there is no reason they could not breed with one.

The half wind riders in the story were created using genetic manipulation...which is not only taboo but illegal. Not that most people on the planet care if you follow what they view as the laws of the offworlders. In general most of the people on the planet don't approve of this idea because they are afraid of the wind riders and think of them as the most terrifying of the monsters that lurk in the desert. They get a portion of the power of their wind rider parent, but stronger powers are rarer depending on where they were "made."

The fauns would probably be disgusted by the idea of breeding with humans, they don't get along well. I think genetic manipulation would also be required to pair them with another race so a half breed would be unlikely as their planet has the full attention of the intergalactic government at the moment, any illegal activity there would be crushed.

What initially inspired the story idea?
I think I remember talking a little about this somewhere... but! Basically Jackie's story started off as just a silly IDEA to play with. She originally was created for an OCT (Original Character Tournament). And then after losing in the second OCT I had entered, I was missing playing with the character - and wanted to use the same formula I had been using for story writing with the OCT's - but in a way that I won't have to suddenly stop working on the story if I lost a round!

So that's what sparked the idea. And that's all I needed I guess to just JUMP RIGHT IN! ((Something I MAJORLY regret now XD; )) in which I started it off as a spoof of how OCT's are - and just make a short story of how Jackie wins her brother back. Originally I figured this would be something short .. like three to five parts at most!?

14 parts later I realized.. this was way bigger than I realized - and hated that I had jumped in SO QUICKLY to it XD; Because now I had better and bigger ideas for it and desperately tried to change some things around whiille still working on it..annnd weell! It at least accomplished it's goal: Gave me a project to work on after OCT's. Told a story of Jackie and her brother.

Most important it taught me how important it is to plan ahead! AND NOT JUMP RIGHT IN so quickly XD Haha whoops what a long answer:

TL;DR - Jackie is a character I created for an OCT, and then wanted to make a non-OCT related story for!

What character design came easiest to make? Which one gave you the most trouble?

Val and Nic were the easiest- Because after figuring out my alien deisngs for Jackie/Derek all I basically had to do after that was make a female/male version of them basically.. X3

JACKIE I remember thinking on her design for DAYS... and I remember FINALLY getting the BEST idea for her while I was laying in bed about to fall asleep so I FORCED myself out of bed and FORCED myself to sketch out and write down the notes for her design XD

Derek gave me problems too - but I don't really remember what they were..! Other than trying to figure out how to make his eyes. (Originally I wanted to give him black eyes with white pupils - but I ended up changing that. But NOW I get to switch him to those eyes when he uses those bad powers of his heheh!)

Does your world have any interesting taboos? Things that are simply NOT DONE even though there is really no rational reason not to do them?

For Z'narnians: Do not leave the safety of home. DO NOT! DO NOT! One that Nic broke too often, and Jackie would always follow along and break too haha.

Guess that kind of ended up getting him killed. Maybe there was a reason for that rule! (It is pretty important though: Since they are a strange group of aliens that use a 'recycling of life' sort of system - they really have to rely on staying alive so there will always at least be one left to bring the dead ones back to the swamp.)

For Doraks: Don't use the forbidden powers! (Basically stronger powers that aren't using just brain power, but rather some source of dark energy). On one hand you get really cool time altering powers, on the other... you might turn into a monster or something? Mehh!

What kind of body decorations are common in your world? Tattoos, piercings, etc

For Z'narnians: Originally it was nothing. They were naked and fine with it XD Then once clothing were introduced it was the BIGGEST most AMAZING fad ever. And now everyone is wearing 'the clothes'. I'm sure if you were to introduce any other means of decorations to them it'd become the best newest thing.

For Doraks: Their source of style is greatly influenced by Earth. At least - the dapper side of Earth clothing. They're really into suites and silk hats and everything fancy. Tattoos and piercings are generally frowned upon though. Not very 'elegant', those things.

How do people get around? (Do they all just walk?)

For Jackie's kind, yes. They all just walk around. Which is fine- since they never go anywhere!

For Derek's - they DID actually have sooome cars/planes/pathways for those who would prefer to walk or drive someplace. But when you're a bunch of aliens with teleportation powers.. you generally.. just teleport everywhere XD

How accepting are the cultures in your story of outsiders?

Z'narnians: Run and hide and don't make eye contact. Hopefully they aren't here to kill us.

Doraks: Generally pretty snooty about being their planet non-integrated. While some other aliens were allowed on their planet - they first had to through very long and tiring paper work processes. (But now their planet is no more! And any Doraks left have bounties on their heads for extermination. So I guess most of them probably feel like no interaction with outsiders at all is best XD Unless you're Val and Derek.)

How common is crime? What acts are considered criminal within the culture, and what are the punishments for these crimes?

Z'narnians: Crime? What's that?

Doraks: With great power comes great responsibility. And there were a lot of irresponsible Doraks. If you were caught using your 'common' powers for crimes they had specially made jail cells to keep Dorak criminals locked up. If you are caught using 'forbidden' powers, the penalty is death. (But now it's a crime to just be a Dorak and be alive hahah)

What festivals does the culture celebrate? Are they tied to a religion, or secular?

Z'narnians: The only thing close to something like this is just their rebirth ritual. Putting the body of your fellow fishy kind into the swampy waters of Rehtom, waiting for a new baby to come out.

Doraks: I think the only thing they ever really celebrated were birthdays, and advancements in careers/schooling. Don't have any holidays like we do - nor religions.

What kind of person is looked up to within the culture? (Or, what qualities are valued in a person?)

Z'narnians: If you're a normal Z'narnian it is being the most cautious one you can be. If you're Jackie/Nic it's being the bravest you can be. Any scars or 'battle wounds' you get from adventures are like the best things you can obtain. ((Jackie has a missing tooth because she lost it back in the OCT days. When she realized she had lost it from an adventure she was OH SO PROUD of her amazing battle wound XD))

Doraks: There were lots! Scholars, scientists, politicians, pretty much close to things you'd try to strive for here in Earth. But on an alien planet - heh!

Do the people rely on myths to explain things they don't understand, or do they prefer logic and scientific reasoning?

Z'narnians: FOR SURE big on myths. Scary stories about the world around them and the creatures that live in it is all they need to want to never leave home - ever!

Doraks: Logic! They're big on science and that anything they can't understand can be proven and understood with it.

What are living conditions like for your people? (Do they live in cities or small settlements, or are they nomadic? What are shelters (if any) made of? Are they materialistic, or do they live simply? Do they keep livestock/farms, or import food, or are they a hunter/gatherer culture?)

Z'narnians: They live in little burrows they call home. Some underwater, and some above! All usually near some sort of water source though. And all very close together - for extra caution reasons! They're made up of sticks and twigs and probably really close to looking like beaver den's do.

Doraks: Generally live in big cities, but they do have little country side areas with smaller houses for those who like to live simpler lives. Pretty much made of the same things our houses are made of here in Earth since they have the same resources on their planet. The only special material is some buildings have special energy wave admitting devices that makes it too irritable for Doraks to use their teleportation. Only used in special places they don't want people teleporting out of. Places like jail.. or sometimes even SCHOOL. Heh!

How are children educated? Is there a school system or individual lessons/apprenticeships, or are kids expected to just pick everything up on their own?

Z'narnians: Live and learn!

Doraks: They do have a schooling system on their own planet. But most Doraks (Like Val and Derek) can choose to transfer to other planets and learn there instead.

Did you pull from any real-world cultures for your fantasy world? How about mythology/fairy tales?

For Jackie's not reaaally. Their world is very primitive and basic. For Dereks' kinds, basically his whole planet is mostly real-world-cultures XD Neither of them really have any mythological fairy tales though.

What kind of beliefs about the afterlife are there in your fantasy world? How widely agreed-upon are those beliefs?

Ah WELL having a zombie-ish character I can tell you, pretty much - if you are a Z'narnian at least - if you don't get your dead body to that swamp within a certain amount of time, you become a lost little ghost soul doomed to forever wander in a black void of a place XD (Or maybe come back as some sort of undead thing if someone creatures something that looks like you using vivid memories!)

Doraks just die if they die. They don't come back! (As far as I know) Maybe there is an after life for them. I don't know - they never bothered to research it. They're pretty accepting as a culture knowing once you are gone you are gone.

How about beliefs surrounding the sea, the sky, and the earth? Is there a spirit world or another dimension of existence? Religion?

Maybe! But neithor Doraks nor Z'narnians care/know about these things XD

Do you think, on the whole, the world you invented is one you would want to live in?

Considering Jackie's planet has no internet and Dorak's planet is destroyed... no! :B But I guess living in the alternate Earth that is somewhere in their galaxy wouldn't be so bad.

What are the gender roles within your culture? How have these evolved over time, and what has made them the way they are?

Ah, I already answered this for Jackie's kind. But for Doraks - the only real difference between males and females is the small anatomical things. (Like boobs/no boobs, wider shoulders/thinner shoulders). They've never really taken on any gender specific roles like "Only man can do this/woman do that" and have always been generally equal about it. Because of way of reproduction - you can even be the same gender and have children together haha.

How does the economy function? Is a form of currency used, or do people trade directly, or are supplies shared freely with whoever needs them?

Jackie's peeps have none of those things. Doraks DO have a form of currency, but that system is capoots now that their planet is gone XD

What are the naming conventions within the culture? Are they relevant/do they have a deeper meaning, or are they just there as a means of identification? When are names assigned-- are they given at birth (or at a later time), or do they need to be earned?

Originally Z'narnians didn't really have names at all! That was another new thing introduced to them. (And why they're a bit backwards about it XD) Before names they would just call each other things by their description. "Small one, big one, Little foot, Big Hands, etc etc"

Dorak's are named by their parents. They can change their names later too if they wanted.

If the people in your world are nonhumans, what physical features, abilities and weaknesses do they have that set them apart from ordinary humans? Do some individuals have additional special/uncommon abilities, whether magical or scientifically-explained 'superpowers'?

Kind of already touched on both of their powers - but not their weaknesses! For Jackie it's pretty obvious stuff though. Their kind of was built for flight, not fight. So they're pretty weak when it comes to muscles and strengths as a whole. Their powers help them for self defense, not for offense. They're also FISHY THINGS so don't do especially well in very hot and humid places.

Dorak's physical features are pretty close to human kinds. They have their mind powers - but they also have weaknesses. The contraptions used in their buildings to keep them from teleporting send waves that irrate their brains. Basically, discouraging using teleportion because it is simply now toooo painful to use. (Imagine something that could just instantly give you headaches. Fun!)

If the world contains multiple different 'races', can they interbreed? (what abilities/weaknesses do the half-bloods inherit?)
And, if the above is possible, how common is it? Is it accepted, or considered a taboo?

For both of their species - no. Not possible. Not organically at least. I guess if you wanted to like.. make some strange lab hybrid creature someway you could do that.. XD But otherwise - nope! Z'narnians don't reproduce at ALL and Dorak's have a very specific way that can only be done with other Dorak's.

There's always adoption though, right? :3

Does your fantasy world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?
It's... sort of magic I suppose, but it's not really considered to be 'magic'-- the important cultures in this world are too scientifically minded for mysticism. Everything must be explained with Science!!! (...That said there is a lot of crazy and hard-to-explain shit that goes on.)

What makes your main character(s) the main character? How do they hold the focus of the story?
There are sort of two main plot threads so far; I'm not entirely sure how they will connect yet!
The spacepilot is looking for a way to repair an android he found abandoned in some ruins. She is different from other androids; she was made using some sort of unknown technology and is fully sentient, not just an AI program. They are close friends; she's sort of big sisterly to him.
The other plot follows two dudes called Alrinach and Zadkiel who are looking for their former Captain within the mysterious organisation, a woman named Evey. (She had grown dissatisfied with the group and disappeared; this led her two most loyal subordinates to defect and try to find her, which the organisation let them do so the agents could swoop in and pick her up once the two guys had done all the hard tracking work.)

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?
Probably the Alrinach/Zadkiel dynamic. Rin is an asshole who loves getting on people's nerves; they are friends but they're always arguing about stupid things. xD

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?
Space vampires! and the organisation has all sorts of creepy things in containment, both experiments and things they found. Spacepilot is technically dead; Alrinach, Zadkiel and Evey all have the same type of creepy eldritchy power.

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?
Yes and no? They're not seen as 'magic' but there are lots of weird things (the organisation collects weird artifacts as well as weird living organisms).

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?
They tell stories about the real-life monsters; no need to invent a boogieman!

What social classes exist in your world?
Depends which planet or space station you live on. There's an interplanetary council, sort of like a UN, that tend to step in if living conditions get too poor anywhere, or if people start committing genocide or something; but there are always stations and settlements that slip under the radar.

What initially inspired the story idea?
I.... have wanted to make a space story for a really long time? Some of the characters were around before that and I realised their plot fit perfectly into the space story!

How do people get around? (Do they all just walk?)
Walking isn't possible in most cases, hahaha. They fly spaceships or space planes. Some of the planets have other transports used for on-world travel, though off-worlders will often just use their space planes or shuttles.

How accepting are the cultures in your story of outsiders?
You have to at least pretend to be accepting of others if you want to maintain trade relationships; often trade is critical for survival, since not every planet is able to sustain everything necessary for survival on its own.

How common is crime? What acts are considered criminal within the culture, and what are the punishments for these crimes?
There is quite a bit of crime; smuggling of illegal substances or artifacts, science pirates... pretty much everything we consider to be criminal. Law enforcement is stretched pretty thin and local agencies are restricted to their own sectors, and as you may imagine setting up and maintaining a tight border control is extremely difficult and expensive. They rely a lot on mercenaries and bounty hunters to track down criminals. Most crimes will land you in prison or a work camp; few regions practise a death penalty once the criminal has been brought in alive. (Bounty hunters don't get paid for a dead criminal.)

Do the people rely on myths to explain things they don't understand, or do they prefer logic and scientific reasoning?
It's all about the science. Some isolated backwater settlements have myths, but if they went to any decent-sized city they'd be laughed at.

What are living conditions like for your people? (Do they live in cities or small settlements, or are they nomadic? What are shelters (if any) made of? Are they materialistic, or do they live simply? Do they keep livestock/farms, or import food, or are they a hunter/gatherer culture?)
Space stations and settlements on some planets where conditions are harsher tend to import a lot, and the focus tends to be on big cities, though there are some entirely self-sustaining communities.

How are children educated? Is there a school system or individual lessons/apprenticeships, or are kids expected to just pick everything up on their own?
Most places have public schools, with some private options, and all kids are required to attend school. Pretty much like our world, haha.

What kind of beliefs about the afterlife are there in your fantasy world? How widely agreed-upon are those beliefs?
Not agreed-upon at all; there's a wide variety of views ranging from afterlife to reincarnation to nothing.

How about beliefs surrounding the sea, the sky, and the earth? Is there a spirit world or another dimension of existence? Religion?
There is a type of hyperspace travel that involves entering a 'dimension' where time and distance aren't quite the same. The technology itself is sound, but the space it occurs in is not fully understood-- every now and then strange things will happen during these 'jumps'. Some believe that some of the strange and creepy things in the world sort of leaked in from the inter-space. In some cases they may be right.
Religion varies widely; people range from extreme devotion to atheist. However, atheist/agnostic views tend to be more common in the big capitals, and religion is kept to a private/family affair.

How does the economy function? Is a form of currency used, or do people trade directly, or are supplies shared freely with whoever needs them?
Currencies are used. There is a 'universal' currency that any place that wants a decent trade/economy needs to adopt, though some places will also have their own local currencies. The universal currency is almost always handled through digital transactions, like using a bank card.

Does marriage exist in your world, and if so are there any specific practices associated with it? Do people marry for love or for a different reason? If there is no marriage, how do people pair up and procreate? Is it a monogamous society?

For Jackie's kinds, nope. (They have no idea about romance at all even XD)

For Derek's kinds, yes! Ideally I'd like to say they marry for love - but I'm sure there have been Doraks who married for other reasons :B

How is child rearing dealt with? Does one of the biological parents raise the children, or both? Or someone else entirely? Are there any special/unusual practices associated with raising children in your world?

For Jackie's kind, they sort of have the whole "takes a village to raise a child" approach - in which when a new Z'narnians is born everyone tries to help out in the raising processes in helping to protect them, keep them safe, and teach them all about hiding and how to survive :3 They're all just one big family after all. (Even if Nic/Jackie are kind of detached from the others for being different)

For Doraks children are raised by their biological parents! (Unless the parents die/don't want them and they're sent off to orphanages.) Mm an unusual note I could also mention is that Doraks are born from eggs~!

There was already a question about the afterlife, but what kind of practices do the people of your world have associated with death? Do they bury their dead? Cremate them? Hold a funeral? Is there anything special they do to honor their fallen?

Ah yes - already spoke of how Jackie's peeps need to be sent back to their swampy swamp after they pass on so they can be reborn. That's a pretty big event for them! (Especially since they don't die from natural causes. So their deaths could only happen from unnatural ones. Meaning: If you're a good cautious Z'narnian you can live forever!)

Doraks hold pretty Earth-like traditional funerals for their kind. The biggest difference is they don't wear black for funerals. They wear white - because they don't think funerals should be seen as dark and gloomy. But rather, try to stay happy and remember them fondly.

Is there a main antagonist in your story and if so, what is their role?

Technically Derek is mostly the antagonist for part one of Jackie's XD Kind of ends up as an ally now that we're nearing the end though.

A TRUE antagonist will show up in part two though. But - I want that to be a surprise for now 9u9

Which of your characters do you find is the easiest (or most fun) to write about? Are any of your characters more challenging to write about than others?

Mmm honestly they're all pretty easy for me to write about - except when it comes to their dialogue! Jackie/Nic are suppose to be really primitive and not know much about anything. And I constantly have to keep catching myself and changing their dialogue because I'll have them say things that I forget they have no knowledge about XD;

And Derek and Val are the opposites being a challenge trying to make them sound pretty smart and intellectual.

What initially inspired the story idea?

Simply drawing out Chester and Ferdie as humans just to play around with the idea. Then going hey, now how would that work so the story would be almost the same? And then ideas kept on sparking heh!

What kind of body decorations are common in your world? Tattoos, piercings, etc

Eheh for the AU world, those who have taken a liking to cannibalistic acts like to try to dress up as animals.

How accepting are the cultures in your story of outsiders?

I think the closest thing to cultures left in this universe are the forts. The forts are places that have been bordered up and take extra caution in trying to allow people who do not and WILL not consume human meat.

Since these types of traits are hard to confirm in others - everyone is pretty much on the super offense and not keen on trusting ANY outsiders.

What are living conditions like for your people? (Do they live in cities or small settlements, or are they nomadic? What are shelters (if any) made of? Are they materialistic, or do they live simply? Do they keep livestock/farms, or import food, or are they a hunter/gatherer culture?)

If you're lucky enough to live in a fort - depending on how well that fort is set up and its location you might be lucky enough to have something close to a home. (Maybe a bed, and a place to get some privacy without fear of always being under attack)

Most who live outside of the forts settle for constantly camping out and always being on the alert of running into others.

How are children educated? Is there a school system or individual lessons/apprenticeships, or are kids expected to just pick everything up on their own?

Survival training 101 since day one of birth. If you're lucky, you'll have at least one parent to help you grow while you're very young. If your parent dies, hopefully you can find someone else to take you under your wing or else your most likely career oath is becoming a delicious treat

Do you think, on the whole, the world you invented is one you would want to live in?

ahahhhaaahahah....NO.

How does the economy function? Is a form of currency used, or do people trade directly, or are supplies shared freely with whoever needs them?

I figured there would be at least SOME people smart enough to get themselves a secured enough place to stay and try to take up some sort of merchandising business if they could. Money is pretty useless now though, and all transactions would be done through trading things you've scavenged up.

Otherwise - the world is a mess. Take what you want - whatever you want! If you can find anything left to take..

Does marriage exist in your world, and if so are there any specific practices associated with it? Do people marry for love or for a different reason? If there is no marriage, how do people pair up and procreate? Is it a monogamous society?

Pretty much don't have time for marriage anymore these days. People still fall in love though, and babies will keep being born. Hopefully you're falling in love within the protection of some fort though, otherwise raising a family is going to be a pretty deadly thing to try.

There was already a question about the afterlife, but what kind of practices do the people of your world have associated with death? Do they bury their dead? Cremate them? Hold a funeral? Is there anything special they do to honor their fallen?

No time for funerals either. If you die outside of a fort, you're now food. If you had a traveling companion - they may choose to try cremating or burying you out of respect. However, being buried gives the possibility of someone else finding the grave, digging it up, and eating your friend still anyways. And cremating might attract attention if you're not careful. Or maybe your friend will eat you... because they know you would want them to get a nice meal from this friendship, ya? ;D

Forts constantly struggle with the concern of how to handle deaths that happen within. Tossing the body out of the fort will invite more cannibals near. Setting up a grave yard may tempt people in digging it up for a good meal. Most usually settle for, as long as the person died of a natural cause, their remains should be used to feed the village in return for all that the village has done for them. Other forts frown on this since it is going against the "No cannibals" allowed" policy. (Also might give those a taste for it and cause outbreaks within)

TLDR; Dealing with how to handle deaths now be hard. Unless you're the one who killed 'em because you wanted to eat them right then and there.

Is there a main antagonist in your story and if so, what is their role?

CaF AU has the same antagonist as the original story! Those being: Mysterious Bird Killer Man, Kamie (While, we've never learned her name - she is the female lynx), Mister Hunter Dude, and White-Handed Gibbins Gang

We haven't gotten to all these antagonist yet in the AU story (And actually, in the original version they haven't technically physically dealt with those monkeys yet XD ) But they are there/will be there etc

Which of your characters do you find is the easiest (or most fun) to write about? Are any of your characters more challenging to write about than others?

Chester and Ferdie are always easy, they are just babies haha. The only challenging thing is trying to figure out new situations for them to handle/interact with.

Does marriage exist in your world, and if so are there any specific practices associated with it? Do people marry for love or for a different reason? If there is no marriage, how do people pair up and procreate? Is it a monogamous society?
Elves don't practise any official form of marriage, but they do take lovers or life partners, and the relationship is generally based on an emotional connection with the sex being secondary. It's a personal/private manner... I suppose it's essentially the same as marriage but without the ceremony or legal proceedings. And it's almost exclusively monogamous, though I assume there would be exceptions.
The Daimonen don't have marriage either, and pair up however they please. Their culture is not monogamous but you are expected to be open about what you're doing. Some pairs will become mates for life, but the deepest bonds in their culture aren't based around sexual relationships.

How is child rearing dealt with? Does one of the biological parents raise the children, or both? Or someone else entirely? Are there any special/unusual practices associated with raising children in your world?
Elves are raised by their parents; both share the role equally. And because elf kids are rare, the whole community will help out if needed; no kid would ever be abandoned or ignored.
As previously mentioned, the Daimonen leave their kids in the care of older kids. It's really uncommon for a parent or other adult to take care of a young kid, though they will if there's no other option (like if the parent is a lone drifter and doesn't want to just leave the kid with a tribe). But Daimon kids learn fast and aren't helpless; they stick together and look out for each other, and make sure none of the others does something stupid.

Is there a main antagonist in your story and if so, what is their role?
There issss! I still don't have a name or design for them, but they are trying to harness the power of the Alizaron for their own use (and doing this will pretty much destroy the world).

Which of your characters do you find is the easiest (or most fun) to write about? Are any of your characters more challenging to write about than others?
In Alizaron, Phantom and Shru are definitely easiest. Lin is also a lot of fun!

If the world contains multiple different 'races', can they interbreed? (what abilities/weaknesses do the half-bloods inherit?)
An elf and a daimon could have a kid if they wanted to, but the offspring wouldn't be able to reproduce. A half-blood kid would only have wings if their mother was the daimon, and any half-daimon would be able to use the Alizaron at least a little. They would probably receive a mix of other traits and abilities. (Though as with a full daimon, the kid would tend to take after the mother.)
And, if the above is possible, how common is it? Is it accepted, or considered a taboo?
It's extreeeemely taboo; not common at all-- sort of beyond a taboo; most people would be too repulsed by the very idea to ever consider doing it. (Shruikan may be the only elf/daimon half-blood alive, not counting Phantom-- The only reason Shru's father was tolerated by the other elves was because he was an important general; it was a huge scandal and if he were less important it would have got him exiled. But Shru's mother was still treated poorly, and she left them because she couldn't take the hate. She was eventually killed for having taken an elvish lover.)
(Side note: While technically also a half-blood, Phantom is a product of the Alizaron and thus is an anomaly.)

Does your world have magic? If so how is it used? If there is no magic what makes your land unique?

Yes! This world is actually full of SO MUCH MAGIC. So much that the main characters don't ever use it and only run into a few people who actually do use magic ahaha.

Basically so far I've figured there's light magic, the "good healing helps people" type of magic, and the dark "destruction, manipulates, destroys things" type of magic. It can be used by all an any who are up to learning it.

What makes your main character(s) the main character(s)? How do they hold the focus of the story?

They are the main characters because the story is told by a narrator in which they explain that telling this story about THESE TWO specific characters is very important. Who knows why though - maybe we'll find out by the end. >n>!

Who would you imagine is the most comedic character in your story?

Mmmaybe Drake.. since the only characters I have known is either Drake or Oliv. And it can't be Oliv, because she is a serious party pooper XD I believe there are much more comedic characters that will show up later on though.

Haha I'm realizing it's going to be hard to answer questions about this story since I want to keep the spoilers to the minimal! >>;

Who is your favorite character in the novel you are writing, and why?

Oh gosh... I love them all. But I just realized, I think maybe it has to be my villain. Because I tortured him so much with his backstory that I just fell IN LOVE with the poor thing.

Have some baby doodles of him: http://fav.me/d5awqe9
(His name is Devlyn)

Does your world contain any mythical creatures? If so, what are they?

Yes, a lot. The important ones we get introduced to is a dinosaur looking thing, some crazy forest protector person or something, poisonous little buggers, and a shape shifting friendly thing! Oh wait - and some fun little evil sprite things.

Yes these are their official names. No-I-need-to-think-of-names-for-them-all-still-aaaahh

Basically though their world is full of strange creatures. Like crammed full with 'em.

Do you have any magical artifacts in your novel? What are they and what can they do?

Yeess! I can't tell you about the most important ones - but there is a 'magical' one Drake and Oliv find in the very beginning. It may be some sort of contraption that locks away evil beings. They may accidentally release this bottled up evil and get themselves a nice curse in the process!

What stories do parents tell their children to try and get them to behave? Is there a boogieman equivalent in your world?

Oh yes, there IS a boogieman! And I'm STILL not decided on a name for them. It's driving me crazy since it IS the boogieman I want it to sound scary XD But also unique? A combination that is impossible for me. I'll probably end up calling them demons.

They are what Devlyn is. They're said to steal bad little children's hearts when they run off to the woods alone and disobey their parents. If you're really bad sometimes they just GOBBLE YOU UP WHOLE!

(maybe they really do steal hearts though)

What social classes exist in your world?

Oh man, a lot. That's another thing with this story - it has soo many different creatures and cultures. I'll just stick to Drake and Oliv's for now.

Oliv's class is very tribal in that they have the hunters, the gatherers, and the head priest. Pretty basic. If you are a woman, you are a gatherer. If you're a man you are a hunter. If you're magical you are the head priest.

For Drake's tribe the only class is really just chief and his villagers. Everyone pitches in and works as a team. If you're good at making weapons, make those weapons. If you're good with food, feed the village. The most ideal position is to become a warrior though. In which you go off and fight monsters and come back home to brag about it and maybe share some meat and trophies.

-What initially inspired the story idea?

Oh man! A dream! Dreams seem to spark most of my ideas. The dream was basically about two little kids who were both blind/deaf or something and tried to help each other get into this village because it was really important or something. And it was sad because I think they got separated... I can't remember too much of it anymore haha.

Somehow that turned into Contact.

-What character design came easiest to make? Which one gave you the most trouble?

Easiest: Oliv. I've never really had to change her too much from the first concept idea. Drake started off as a bird boy at first. I also played the idea of making them humans since there isn't really a need to be animals. Then I realized animals is more fun and there isn't really a need to be humans in a fictional world either XD

All the other characters yet to be introduced are butts to design though and may be mostly the reason I don't really want to introduce them yet >>;

-Does your world have any interesting taboos? Things that are simply NOT DONE even though there is really no rational reason not to do them?

Haha yes, for Oliv's tribe it is WOMAN CAN'T GO ON HUNTING TRIPS. Because woman bring bad luck. There really isn't a rational reasoning for it. Also only boys get to do the 'becoming of men' ritual. Something Oliv also goes up against and how she ends up meeting Drake.

For Drake's I don't think they really have any taboos. Except for the general don't steal/murder/disobey parents and such? Heh!

Fun little bonus taboo I will tell you about Devlyn's kind. They're not allowed to be kind. It goes against all they stand for. Give someone a compliment and to them you might as well just given your whole species the finger.

-What kind of body decorations are common in your world? Tattoos, piercings, etc

For Oliv's tribe, woman tend to wear the little strange clothey/scarfy looking thing she wears.

For Drake's, everyone has their "spirit orb" that they're encouraged to carry around with them always. It is a special orb given to them when they're born, and sometimes has markings painted on them that stand for something. (Like "brave", "kind", etc) They're nothing too special though, it's mostly just a ritual/tradition type thing. They do glow if you touch them though!

-How do people get around? (Do they all just walk?)

Mostly, just walking yeah. Most of the tribes/cultures in this world aren't big on traveling and prefer to stay amongst their own kind. Nomads and travelers though may wish to ride on animals of some kind. (Nothing like cars or planes have been invented though)