Questions mainly regarding Syliras

by **Jessamine Valenti** on February 18th, 2013, 1:38 pm

I'm in the middle of writing my character sheet but I still need some info for roleplay and character creation purposes that I couldn't figure out from the lore pages.

1) When is one considered an adult (human) in Mizahar? Reaching puberty, a certain threshold of age or skill?

2) Also, how's gender equality in Zeltiva and Syliras? I see women of high status, but what's the general attitude towards it? Will a girl have any trouble due to her gender?

3) How do people react to prostitution in Syliras? Are brothels and pimps illegal, and can a whore practice his/her trade openly?

4) I've interpreted Syliras as an overpopulated city of tight and narrow alleys and hallways, with harsh and uncompromising authorities. Crime does exist but with the overpopulation the judgements are quick and the punishments severe. That's why all the ''bad business'' is done carefully and covertly, thus not hurting the lives of most people. Sylirans' trust in the authorities makes them less careful and afraid of being robbed, raped or attacked - but also good targets for it. Provided one dares to try and risk having one's head lopped off.
Does this match the general view people have on how things work?

5) I don't quite understand the structure of the Syliran castle. Based on the lore, I imagine that inside the Syliran walls are some open areas with regular houses (the docks, the entrance area), but the Stronghold (all the areas in white on the map) takes up the majority of space, so people usually move through chambers and corridors rather than streets.
So for example the Nettle district is a wing of the castle, and the shops there are indoors? I'm thinking of the city of Vivec from Morrowind, if anyone's ever played that.

6) With the Syliran every man for himself attitude, where do all the poor people go, and those who get the short end of the stick? The knights can't have the resources to be everywhere, so where are the slums?

by **Vick** on February 18th, 2013, 1:51 pm

1) When is one considered an adult (human) in Mizahar? Reaching puberty, a certain threshold of age or skill?

18 for humans like real life I think.

2) Also, how's gender equality in Zeltiva and Syliras? I see women of high status, but what's the general attitude towards it? Will a girl have any trouble due to her gender?

As far as I know she won't have any trouble. Sexism is not really a problem in the cities.

3) How do people react to prostitution in Syliras? Are brothels and pimps illegal, and can a whore practice his/her trade openly?

The city has one or two places for adult times. As for doing it outside the buildings meant for it I am not sure however the overall view last I checked was indifferent.

4) I've interpreted Syliras as an overpopulated city of tight and narrow alleys and hallways, with harsh and uncompromising authorities. Crime does exist but with the overpopulation the judgements are quick and the punishments severe. That's why all the ''bad business'' is done carefully and covertly, thus not hurting the lives of most people. Sylirans' trust in the authorities makes them less careful and afraid of being robbed, raped or attacked - but also good targets for it. Provided one dares to try and risk having one's head lopped off.
Does this match the general view people have on how things work?

The city is the castle so alleys is a iffy term. Due to it being only 7,000 knights and 50,000 people the knights would just send anyone to jail if they think they are doing anything that does not follow the law. As for being robbed, it does happen now and then. Attacks are a lot less and rapes I am not sure the odds are. However the knights wont put up with it even if it is a hint.

5) I don't quite understand the structure of the Syliran castle. Based on the lore, I imagine that inside the Syliran walls are some open areas with regular houses (the docks, the entrance area), but the Stronghold (all the areas in white on the map) takes up the majority of space, so people usually move through chambers and corridors rather than streets.
So for example the Nettle district is a wing of the castle, and the shops there are indoors? I'm thinking of the city of Vivec from Morrowind, if anyone's ever played that.

I think the linkmap has a image or two of the layout but mainly the shops are in the lower basement parts of the castle.

6) With the Syliran every man for himself attitude, where do all the poor people go, and those who get the short end of the stick? The knights can't have the resources to be everywhere, so where are the slums?

The city has no slums and everyone works. You can read about a bit of that here: http://www.mizahar.com/lore/Drawbacks_of_Syliras

They will find work one way or the other as no one is "poor" or homeless. If they don't work than they either get kicked or jailed.

by **Jessamine Valenti** on February 18th, 2013, 1:57 pm

Woah, thanks for the quick response

.

by **Vick** on February 18th, 2013, 1:59 pm

Anytime. If you have any more questions feel free to ask

by **Jessamine Valenti** on February 18th, 2013, 2:42 pm

So if I want to have a mental picture of the Syliran castle, I can imagine it to be a large building with living quarters, stores and all the like in one big package. If one were to navigate within it, one would have to move through long hallways and corridors. A storefront would be a door with a sign and other props the shopkeeper might want to display, but it'd still be within the same building - a part of a big whole. Like some modern malls with apartments and services, all in one.

And a house would be a house... within a house.
(I apologize, but only for appearances' sake. I regret nothing :'D)

by **Vick** on February 18th, 2013, 2:48 pm

Yep pretty much

by **Jessamine Valenti** on February 18th, 2013, 2:54 pm

Okay, got it! Thank you again for your patience! *bow bow*

by **Imass** on February 18th, 2013, 3:12 pm

I would like to add one thing. If you commit a crime there is a huge chance you'll just be cut down on the spot. The law in Syliras is whatever a Knight says goes. If a knight asks you to do something and you refuse or rebuttal expect a beat down. Even if your character thinks he/she is in the right, the knights judgement always win. It is a martial city wi no nonsense policy. People go there to be protected but the only way to live there is to work your ass off. If you don't work they will throw you in the mining quarry or just kick your arse out!

Good luck!

Imass, the Zealot Knight

by **Kirvan Deepseeker** on February 18th, 2013, 6:03 pm

I always pictured it more like a bazaar, with crowds of people and open storefronts and stuff. Not claiming that's the case, but throwing that perspective out there to see it either accepted or chopped up.

by **Jessamine Valenti** on February 19th, 2013, 3:43 pm

Imass: Okay, I think I'm slowly starting to get a feel for how the city works

. Thank you, Ser Knight!

Kirvan: Ooh, that's right! I completely missed that possibility! That's a much less clumsy description about it, and I have the faint notion that the lore did say something along those lines (*cough*). Thanks for that, I'd have missed that completely otherwise!