Today I will start with choosing options from the Sundaland Workbook to set the scene of the world I'm going to explore. Further details will be fleshed out as I play.
Each section has 3 options to choose from, but for brevity I've only written out the one I've chosen as well as the accompanying plot hook.
Each section has 3 options to choose from, but for brevity I've only written out the one I've chosen as well as the accompanying plot hook.
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Gods and Religion
People worship many different gods. Most religions are polytheistic but even the monotheists don’t deny the existence of other gods, just that theirs favours them in particular or is the most powerful above all others.
2. The gods exist but their direct impact on the world is limited. They work through mysterious ways. Communication with them is difficult to achieve and the results are often ambiguous and open to interpretation. Who is able to communicate with the gods and how do they do it? What are their messages and intentions for mortals?
Quest starter: The lands have not been yielding as before and the people fear the gods have abandoned their leaders. The people grow restless and some are openly questioning the ability of the elites to rule. What is the reason for poor yields and what can be done about it? Can the people be convinced that the gods still favour the rulers?
Magic
2. Magic is something that a select few have access to under the right circumstances or with the right knowledge and resources. Even then the results are not consistent or definitely identifiable as magic. Perhaps it is dangerous and maybe it corrupts those who indulge in its practice. What are the necessary conditions for magic to happen? What do the results look like? How does it affect the practitioner and the world?
Quest starter: A totem has gone missing from the temple and the priests are certain that calamity will befall the city if it is not found soon. What has happened to it and can it recovered before it's too late?
Human Species
Homo Sapiens Sapiens are not the first Homo species to arrive in Sundaland. Other species like the Homo Denisova and Homo Floresiensis inhabited the land before we arrived.
2. Our species rarely interacts with other types of humans since they are low in number. We are out competing them in many areas and it seems it won’t be long before we become the dominant type. However we have much to learn from them if we’re willing to. What special knowledge or abilities do other species of humans possess? Are they willing to share those or are they intent on keeping them to themselves? If the latter, what could persuade them to share?
Quest starter: A group of the "others" has entered our territory but it's unclear what their intentions are. The local people are weary and would rather they move on. What do the newcomers want and can they be convinced to move on?
Technology Level
I imagine that cultures will each be at a different level of technology, with some remaining as hunter-gatherers while others develop in a different direction. There’s also the possibility that cultures lose knowledge and regress in sophistication due to wars or natural disasters. This section described the average technology level for your setting.
I’ve left the question of the domestication of rice as a separate matter for now because it has such a big impact on the world. Rice farming is very labour intensive and requires a lot of planning and cooperation which necessarily requires or leads to more complex social structures. The current scientific consensus is that rice wasn’t domesticated until 13,500 - 8000 years ago in China. But you could imagine that rice was domesticated in Sundaland and then spread around the region after the floods.
1. Bronze Age
People have learned to cast bronze tools and weapons using copper and tin. Sources of food are early forms of horticulture (gardening) and agriculture (farming) supplemented by fishing, hunting and gathering. Some plants and animals are in the early stages of domestication. Examples of technologies include the plow, soap, oil lamps, rope and the wheel.
Writing has been invented but very few people are literate. Astronomical knowledge may be quite advanced with some cultures building monuments that reflect knowledge of precession, equinoxes and various planetary alignments.
Boats consist of various types of canoes and catamarans powered by oars or using sails such as the Crab Claw Sail. Commerce is facilitated through barter and various non-coin currencies. Coin currencies may be in use by some cultures but it’s not widespread or standardised. Most people live in wooden buildings but temples, forts and palaces are built with stone.
Quest starter: A nearby culture has advanced knowledge of the stars and their motions. This knowledge could be useful for your people so you've been tasked with acquiring their secrets by any means necessary.
Status and Hierarchy
Civilisation allows for the division of labour and role specialisation which can lead to the formation of class and caste structures, often hierarchical in nature. Each class or caste ranks in rights, power, wealth and status but there doesn't necessarily have to be a correlation between each of these. Some classes or castes might have a lot of status but no wealth or vice versa.
3. Your culture has a loose social structure with a lot of opportunity for social mobility which is either inbuilt or due to external circumstances (war, natural disasters, depopulation etc.). This is a dynamic social environment with both positive and negative consequences. The risks are are great but so are the opportunities. Why is the society of your culture not as stratified as others? Has it always been this way or did this situation come about recently? What are the challenges and opportunities?
Quest starter: Your extended family has been accused of shirking its duties and is in danger of losing respect amongst your fellow citizens. What is the accusation, who is making it and what can be done to restore the families' honour?
Population
2. There are numerous towns and city-states. The world is still a dangerous place but well prepared groups can explore far from civilisation. What are the incentives for venturing out into the wild?
Quest starter: It is time for your people to expand their domain so you've been sent out as part of an expedition to identify a site for a new settlement. Can you find somewhere your people can prosper and grow?
Resources
2. Some resources are scarce. Each culture has the basics of what they need but there are a couple of key things they need to acquire from outside sources. Sometimes those resources can be acquired through trade or exploration other times through raiding or conquest. Which resources are in need by particular cultures? Are they in need of food staples, luxury goods or strategically important materials such as tin and copper? What happens when a resource restrictions happens? How are conflicts over resources resolved?
Quest starter: There are rumours that a new tin deposit has been discovered in hills several days away. It is necessary for the production of bronze and could give your city the advantage over rivals. You've been sent with a scouting party to find out if the rumours are true and secure the site for your people.
Trade
3. Economies are interlinked and reliant on each other in a complex web of trade. Cultures have become specialised in what they produce. Everything from food to luxury resources are traded back and forth. A broken link in the chain could cause a cascading collapse of heavily interdependent economies. Which resources are most important to keeping the system going? Are there particular resources that are becoming scarce or about to be restricted in some way? What will the outcome of that be?
Quest starter: You are part of a trade envoy to another city state. The goods you transport are highly valuable and rivals are afraid the gift will upset the balance of power in the region. What is your envoy carrying and what are the implications if the mission succeeds?
War
2. The land experiences intermittent or ritual warfare. If there is a cold war of sorts then there are small skirmishes and conflicts erupting all the time. Things are in a precarious balance between the various factions that each strive for an advantage. How do the factions try to secure an advantage? Are they willing to risk an escalation? What are the potential rewards for the victors? What could change the balance of power between the factions?
Quest starter: Warriors from a rival city state have been spotted in our territory. You've been sent out to investigate the situation. Is this a planned incursion, have strayed into our territory by mistake or were they driven here for some reason?
Ice-Age Megafauna
2. Occasionally explorers and travellers encounter large animals and monsters far from civilisation. Is there any value in hunting or capturing these animals? What are the rewards? Do they threaten civilisation in any way? Are they likely to multiply in numbers or die out?
Quest starter: The animals of a local village have all been killed overnight and the villagers fear they will be next. They plead to the leaders of your city to find the culprit and end the danger that besieges them.
Floods
1. The tides are regular and predictable allowing settlements to exist safely along the rivers and coasts. Is there competition for the available living space? Are there any constraints on available resources? Are there any outside forces that seek to take advantage of this stability?
Quest starter: A group of sea gypsies has moved into the area. They are putting a strain on the local resources but insist they have no where else to go. Can you find a solution to their predicament before the locals take things into their own hands?
Elder Beings and Species
Elder beings originate from beyond space and time, older even than the gods and perhaps more powerful. Elder species are intelligent non-humans that developed culture and technology before any kind of human set foot in Sundaland.
2. Elder beings and species were banished from this world or mostly killed off in ancient times. They seek entrance or ascendance. For elder beings: How do they manifest in our world? How do they communicate their will and with whom? What is their ultimate goal? For elder species: What are they? Where do they live? What do they want? How will they go about getting that?
Quest starter: A previously dormant volcano has started emitting smoke again. The priests believe that dark forces are working to open up the gates to the netherworld. Is someone or something responsible, and if so, how can they be stopped?
People worship many different gods. Most religions are polytheistic but even the monotheists don’t deny the existence of other gods, just that theirs favours them in particular or is the most powerful above all others.
2. The gods exist but their direct impact on the world is limited. They work through mysterious ways. Communication with them is difficult to achieve and the results are often ambiguous and open to interpretation. Who is able to communicate with the gods and how do they do it? What are their messages and intentions for mortals?
Quest starter: The lands have not been yielding as before and the people fear the gods have abandoned their leaders. The people grow restless and some are openly questioning the ability of the elites to rule. What is the reason for poor yields and what can be done about it? Can the people be convinced that the gods still favour the rulers?
Magic
2. Magic is something that a select few have access to under the right circumstances or with the right knowledge and resources. Even then the results are not consistent or definitely identifiable as magic. Perhaps it is dangerous and maybe it corrupts those who indulge in its practice. What are the necessary conditions for magic to happen? What do the results look like? How does it affect the practitioner and the world?
Quest starter: A totem has gone missing from the temple and the priests are certain that calamity will befall the city if it is not found soon. What has happened to it and can it recovered before it's too late?
Human Species
Homo Sapiens Sapiens are not the first Homo species to arrive in Sundaland. Other species like the Homo Denisova and Homo Floresiensis inhabited the land before we arrived.
2. Our species rarely interacts with other types of humans since they are low in number. We are out competing them in many areas and it seems it won’t be long before we become the dominant type. However we have much to learn from them if we’re willing to. What special knowledge or abilities do other species of humans possess? Are they willing to share those or are they intent on keeping them to themselves? If the latter, what could persuade them to share?
Quest starter: A group of the "others" has entered our territory but it's unclear what their intentions are. The local people are weary and would rather they move on. What do the newcomers want and can they be convinced to move on?
Technology Level
I imagine that cultures will each be at a different level of technology, with some remaining as hunter-gatherers while others develop in a different direction. There’s also the possibility that cultures lose knowledge and regress in sophistication due to wars or natural disasters. This section described the average technology level for your setting.
I’ve left the question of the domestication of rice as a separate matter for now because it has such a big impact on the world. Rice farming is very labour intensive and requires a lot of planning and cooperation which necessarily requires or leads to more complex social structures. The current scientific consensus is that rice wasn’t domesticated until 13,500 - 8000 years ago in China. But you could imagine that rice was domesticated in Sundaland and then spread around the region after the floods.
1. Bronze Age
People have learned to cast bronze tools and weapons using copper and tin. Sources of food are early forms of horticulture (gardening) and agriculture (farming) supplemented by fishing, hunting and gathering. Some plants and animals are in the early stages of domestication. Examples of technologies include the plow, soap, oil lamps, rope and the wheel.
Writing has been invented but very few people are literate. Astronomical knowledge may be quite advanced with some cultures building monuments that reflect knowledge of precession, equinoxes and various planetary alignments.
Boats consist of various types of canoes and catamarans powered by oars or using sails such as the Crab Claw Sail. Commerce is facilitated through barter and various non-coin currencies. Coin currencies may be in use by some cultures but it’s not widespread or standardised. Most people live in wooden buildings but temples, forts and palaces are built with stone.
Quest starter: A nearby culture has advanced knowledge of the stars and their motions. This knowledge could be useful for your people so you've been tasked with acquiring their secrets by any means necessary.
Status and Hierarchy
Civilisation allows for the division of labour and role specialisation which can lead to the formation of class and caste structures, often hierarchical in nature. Each class or caste ranks in rights, power, wealth and status but there doesn't necessarily have to be a correlation between each of these. Some classes or castes might have a lot of status but no wealth or vice versa.
3. Your culture has a loose social structure with a lot of opportunity for social mobility which is either inbuilt or due to external circumstances (war, natural disasters, depopulation etc.). This is a dynamic social environment with both positive and negative consequences. The risks are are great but so are the opportunities. Why is the society of your culture not as stratified as others? Has it always been this way or did this situation come about recently? What are the challenges and opportunities?
Quest starter: Your extended family has been accused of shirking its duties and is in danger of losing respect amongst your fellow citizens. What is the accusation, who is making it and what can be done to restore the families' honour?
Population
2. There are numerous towns and city-states. The world is still a dangerous place but well prepared groups can explore far from civilisation. What are the incentives for venturing out into the wild?
Quest starter: It is time for your people to expand their domain so you've been sent out as part of an expedition to identify a site for a new settlement. Can you find somewhere your people can prosper and grow?
Resources
2. Some resources are scarce. Each culture has the basics of what they need but there are a couple of key things they need to acquire from outside sources. Sometimes those resources can be acquired through trade or exploration other times through raiding or conquest. Which resources are in need by particular cultures? Are they in need of food staples, luxury goods or strategically important materials such as tin and copper? What happens when a resource restrictions happens? How are conflicts over resources resolved?
Quest starter: There are rumours that a new tin deposit has been discovered in hills several days away. It is necessary for the production of bronze and could give your city the advantage over rivals. You've been sent with a scouting party to find out if the rumours are true and secure the site for your people.
Trade
3. Economies are interlinked and reliant on each other in a complex web of trade. Cultures have become specialised in what they produce. Everything from food to luxury resources are traded back and forth. A broken link in the chain could cause a cascading collapse of heavily interdependent economies. Which resources are most important to keeping the system going? Are there particular resources that are becoming scarce or about to be restricted in some way? What will the outcome of that be?
Quest starter: You are part of a trade envoy to another city state. The goods you transport are highly valuable and rivals are afraid the gift will upset the balance of power in the region. What is your envoy carrying and what are the implications if the mission succeeds?
War
2. The land experiences intermittent or ritual warfare. If there is a cold war of sorts then there are small skirmishes and conflicts erupting all the time. Things are in a precarious balance between the various factions that each strive for an advantage. How do the factions try to secure an advantage? Are they willing to risk an escalation? What are the potential rewards for the victors? What could change the balance of power between the factions?
Quest starter: Warriors from a rival city state have been spotted in our territory. You've been sent out to investigate the situation. Is this a planned incursion, have strayed into our territory by mistake or were they driven here for some reason?
Ice-Age Megafauna
2. Occasionally explorers and travellers encounter large animals and monsters far from civilisation. Is there any value in hunting or capturing these animals? What are the rewards? Do they threaten civilisation in any way? Are they likely to multiply in numbers or die out?
Quest starter: The animals of a local village have all been killed overnight and the villagers fear they will be next. They plead to the leaders of your city to find the culprit and end the danger that besieges them.
Floods
1. The tides are regular and predictable allowing settlements to exist safely along the rivers and coasts. Is there competition for the available living space? Are there any constraints on available resources? Are there any outside forces that seek to take advantage of this stability?
Quest starter: A group of sea gypsies has moved into the area. They are putting a strain on the local resources but insist they have no where else to go. Can you find a solution to their predicament before the locals take things into their own hands?
Elder Beings and Species
Elder beings originate from beyond space and time, older even than the gods and perhaps more powerful. Elder species are intelligent non-humans that developed culture and technology before any kind of human set foot in Sundaland.
2. Elder beings and species were banished from this world or mostly killed off in ancient times. They seek entrance or ascendance. For elder beings: How do they manifest in our world? How do they communicate their will and with whom? What is their ultimate goal? For elder species: What are they? Where do they live? What do they want? How will they go about getting that?
Quest starter: A previously dormant volcano has started emitting smoke again. The priests believe that dark forces are working to open up the gates to the netherworld. Is someone or something responsible, and if so, how can they be stopped?
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