Author Topic: Exotic realm cultures  (Read 29627 times)

songqu88@gmail.com

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Exotic realm cultures
« Topic Start: March 07, 2011, 05:53:23 PM »
I have only been playing since late September 2007, and I have encountered relatively few realms. I know that BM is generally based on Medieval Europe, but that certainly doesn't stop people from deviating from such.

What realms, if any, have you encountered that you can look at and immediately think, "No way is that Medieval European. That's not even Medieval anything!". For example, ancient Greek-themed realms, east-Asian, north-African, American, etc. This list is just a very short list of random examples. If possible, please share the realm name and what you best remember was the premise of the realm.

Perth

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #1: March 07, 2011, 06:48:49 PM »
I think a Roman Empire-esque type realm is fairly common in many realms, complete with Emperor/Prime Minister and Senate, etc. Mostly these are Republican or Democratic realms who have carved out large empires for themselves. The Cagilan Empire comes immediately to mind, though I know little of their actual internal atmosphere/culture.

The various Pirate realms are interesting as well, and probably not exactly "medieval" so much as 17th and 18th century-based. Madina comes to mind, and I think there used to be one on the Far East out of Batesoar.

I don't know of any Asian or African themed realms, though that could be pretty cool if done and thought out well.
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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #2: March 07, 2011, 07:15:52 PM »
Even though Batesaors part of Zonasa now it still remains loosely Piratical in make up, and likewise we intend try make it more so soon, in the hope turn it into a hot bed of scurrilous, villainous and merrily wicked sorts for chars from "any realm" to RP in ;)

It would be easy and likewise historically correct to have an african or asian themed realm, being as was not just a strong moorish presense in spain, but likewise all frankish and goth culture emanated from at least the near east. 
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LilWolf

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #3: March 07, 2011, 08:01:42 PM »
Not sure how exotic it is, but Darka has a habit of throwing people into the nice volcano we have. Part of the sacrifice rituals for Darkanism too.
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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #4: March 07, 2011, 08:12:15 PM »
Barony of Makar--Vikings, which means a lot of talk about drinking, and Sordnaz's mother. Sordnaz's Mother

Assassins--self-explanatory, I think.

Outer Tilog--evil/depraved. See some nice torture descriptions:
Brittiany_Torture
Valion_Torture

Lukon--supposedly barbarian, which I think is mostly an excuse to go attack others. Still, fun for their players, I think.
« Last Edit: March 07, 2011, 08:14:31 PM by egamma »

songqu88@gmail.com

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #5: March 07, 2011, 08:24:24 PM »
Actually, I was wondering, when were the Vikings around? I mean, Scandinavia is still Europe.

Vellos

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #6: March 07, 2011, 08:26:27 PM »
Irombrozia had a fun culture in its early days that slowly died out as it aged.

I find Terran's culture fun as well. I would say it has large similarities to the Roman Republic in terms of mood and power dynamics, as well as ethos of its leaders.
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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #7: March 07, 2011, 11:07:25 PM »
Sultanate of Asena springs to mind, through from my time there it seems the only things different about it are the names of the realm and the various council positions. Other than that, it has zero culture :P

De-Legro

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #8: March 08, 2011, 12:24:18 AM »
I believe Tom has said he would prefer a focus on European style realms, which is why Asian and African type realms are kind of rare. Arcachon has the whole Clan Lords thing going on, which seemed interesting.
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Revan

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #9: March 08, 2011, 01:32:46 AM »
The first incarnation of Vice was pretty interesting, or at least, fairly different. Lots of festivals. Lots of silly RPs about orgies and all manner of other depravities and pleasures one could think of. When Religion was introduced, Vice founded Hedonism, which says it all really. It was a good place.

In Heen, a desert realm, they had a good crack at making the culture and styles more realistic to their position rather than continue to act like a typical European medieval realm which is what it had essentially been founded as. In came some delightful new titles and a re-imagining of Heen culture. All the brainchild of Martana Curs and it was a brilliant idea. Though later it was ruined by a lot of guff about being Celts and the Celtic Order by a few players there which just clashed horribly with the entire realm. I'd gone by the time of all that though. Maybe the players there made it work, but from afar it didn't look too good.

Also, I swear I read somewhere that when Beluaterra was originally formed, the realms in it had, or were supposed to have had an Eastern/Asian theme? Tell me I'm not making it up.

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #10: March 08, 2011, 01:37:09 AM »
Also, I swear I read somewhere that when Beluaterra was originally formed, the realms in it had, or were supposed to have had an Eastern/Asian theme? Tell me I'm not making it up.

I heard it was the Far East Island.  From what I understand, it didn't last long.
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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #11: March 08, 2011, 01:58:48 AM »
I heard it was the Far East Island.  From what I understand, it didn't last long.

No, he's talking about Old Grekh.
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songqu88@gmail.com

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #12: March 08, 2011, 03:00:00 AM »
No, he's talking about Old Grekh.

The lands that make up the eastern and central parts of Morek on Dwilight have Chinese themed names. They were somewhat taken into account with Xinhai, though I'm not sure whether that was in name only. From my time in Morek I recall that the natives there were referred to as Dongese and are based off the Chinese. But I think Morek itself is like a European nation that would have existed during the Crusades.

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #13: March 08, 2011, 10:16:34 AM »
Barony of Makar--Vikings, which means a lot of talk about drinking, and Sordnaz's mother. Sordnaz's Mother

The BoM was an offspring of the Barony of Icegate, a long-dead realm that initiated that culture, including raids across all of the island (which after a loooong time resulted in retribution).

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Re: Exotic realm cultures
« Reply #14: March 08, 2011, 11:04:15 AM »
Melhed is certainly a good example of a roman (pre keasar) themed realm, i've found my characters in the same situation as great historical figures from that time, or characters of there literature.
It's fun and somewhat diferent, allthough sometimes a little frustrating.

Madina is also very difirdent but not so much a ' pirate'  realm. it's just a bunch of greedy land owners with lots of individual power and ambitons.
Alot happens but because of that, allot less hapens on realm level, because people just keep fuzing and fighting over there properties.
Theres basicly alot of freedom that alows for funny and intresting situations, there also quite isolative and sometimes cling on to there old colonies as there rightfuly claimed land.
Many lords involve them selve in some other 'criminal'  or less honourable business, such as slave trade or prostitution and the nobles drink alot and go to place they shouldn't, to statisfy there lusts.
It's a tropical climate and people are lazy and not as motivated to be imperialistic as the northern realms.
plus they drink, alot.
Every citizen has to right to plunder somewhere, but they simply don't bother anymore...

Then there was thulsoma on dwilight(it still exists under the sumerdale banner.), who offered a really different culture from the rest BM has to offer, with even it's own language.
I always found it very intresting to follow this realm and believe even after it's fall it will stay a cultural center in dwilight and alot of different than the rest.

Than there  is also archanon, they seem to be somewhat different from the rest as well, with there exotic religion and there isolation on that northern island on the far east.
I perosnally never been there but heard some good remarks on them.

Also this got me thinking, we acttually don't have a real monarchy in BM.
I have't seen a realm yet that worships it's king and family as decendants from god and have the throne passed from father to son or daughter.
I am brainstorming with a few players on it right now.
That would be the first realm that actually truely resembles a north european monarchy.
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