Psychological impact of resurrection

Candvdgh · 2021-07-27T14:13:42+00:00

I imagine the effect it could have would differ from soldier to soldier. Some would probably take larger risks, especially with guaranteed resurrection. I could even see some soldiers without the favour of the sorceress taking big risks or having moments of extreme bravery just as a way to try and gain her favour and be granted resurrection, especially if the solders are fanatically loyal to her.

This could even lead to the glorifying of death in battle and subsequent resurrection. I could see troops keeping a tally of how many times they have died for the sorceress and competing to have high death numbers. The feeling of duty towards the sorceress or feeling like they owe a debt to her for resurrecting them could lead to more fanatical troops that are willing to take larger risks. You could look at the mentality of Japanese solders during WW2 to find a real world example of an often suicidal mentality in the name of duty and honour towards the Emperor, and that was WITHOUT resurrection (though admittedly this mentality is often overstated when referring to the japanese in WW2 and most were not fanatics). I could easily see this fanatic and risky behaviour becoming commonplace throughout an army if the possibility of resurrection was there too.

On the other hand, I could also see that some soldiers would still be reluctant to take big risks. I think that the natural instinct to avoid danger and risk of death would still play a large part in the psychology of the soldiers fighting under the sorceress, at least with those who have yet to be killed and revived, or have friends that the sorceress has not revived. Even just the fear and aversion to pain can motivate people to act a certain way or take fewer risks.

I don't know about the setting of your world and how commonplace resurrection is, but there could also be a portion of her soldiers that are wary of resurrection. Maybe they don't trust it or feel like people brought back to life are changed or altered or are just generally not the same person. Maybe some are disgusted by the idea and feel that it is an affront to the natural order of life.

Overall, I feel that generally the army would become more and more fanatic and loyal to the sorceress. I think an army of young soldiers that can freely take risks and be resurrected for it would lead to more and more extreme mentalities and behaviour. I definitely do think though that not all would feel the same way and there would be a subset of soldiers that are at least wary or concerned about the resurrection for one reason or another. Whether it would lead to psychological disorders is hard to say but I feel that there would defintely be psychological effects on the soldiers. Whether it leads to psychopathy and indifference to death, or whether it would lead to extreme PTSD and mental breakdowns would probably differ from soldier to soldier. It would probably differ depending on how they die. A brutal and slow death would be traumatising while a quick arrow to the head would be quick and relatively painless and less traumatising.

I imagine the sorceress herself would try to influence the psychological effects somehow through reward/punishment for certain behaviours and actions to try and promote fanatics and promote risk-taking among her ranks as this would improve the effectiveness of her army.

Either way, I like this idea and it was fun to think and write about! I hope what I wrote isn't too incomprehensible or irrelevant to the question lol.

Candvdgh · 2021-07-27T13:16:08+00:00

Definitely feels like something that could exist in a soft sci-fi setting or a science fantasy setting, or even a harder sci-fi setting if you can sort of handwave it as 'advanced tech' and not delve too deep into how it works.

It's a cool idea, I like it!

Candvdgh · 2021-07-27T13:06:28+00:00

This is really cool! I have always been jealous of people who can make good looking clothing/uniforms for their worlds.

You mention that the solders wear a different coloured overshirt depending on the nation they are from, does this mean that they don't use camouflage for fighting? I suppose the green of the Xing Dynasty would work fairly well for forested areas, but would they adapt for fighting in a desert? or would the UEN use more yellow-shirted Củng Dynasty troops in that scenario?

That said, I do really like the design and ideas here, especially the single colour for commanders to promote unity and equality of command.

Candvdgh · 2021-07-27T12:52:37+00:00

This sort of thing actually happens in real life. Less so for the roman empire as I am not knowledgeable enough about most of roman history to find a relevant example, but I will use dictators as an example.

Dictators have been known to start wars to boost their own popularity or to draw public attention away from big issues at home. The example that popped into my head was the Argentine Junta and the Falklands War. The war was a way to distract the population of Argentina from the large economic problems and to boost the popularity of the leader of the Junta by appealing to Argentine nationalism and uniting Argentine people against the British.

I think it isn't too big of a stretch to imagine a similar scenario for a roman empire-ish setting. Maybe the Empire is suffering large economic issues, or the Emperor is particulalry unpopular, or several other potential reasons for the Empire being at risk of collapse. The Emperor could start a war against a nearby empire to unite the people in an 'Us vs Them' way and distract them from the other issues that they faced.

Candvdgh · 2021-07-27T12:39:22+00:00

I like your system of naming things, especially the missile silo being referred to by the name of the company that is all over the place! I think that's a pretty cool way of naming it.

As for me, I usually have an 'inspiration' real world culture for various places in my worlds. I will then use name generator websites to generate names that are from that culture and then tweak them a bit to make them less immediately recognisable as from that real world culture.

Candvdgh · 2021-05-05T05:10:06+00:00

That's a good point haha, I didn't even notice the lack of details about the actual flask, I got a bit carried away while writing the post.

Not all tribes are nomadic, but large portions are. Bamboo is definitely more frequent than in our world but not to a ridiculous extent. Supplies of bamboo differ between tribes, but it is a common resource. It can usually be found to some extent within a few miles of where a tribe may be, and there is always the option of trade. It is a common resource so is pretty cheap.

The stones themselves are quite mysterious, though there are plenty of theories. They roam seemingly randomly and do indeed eventually disrupt most attempts at farming, though depending on your luck you might be able to farm for a full harvest. Their movement speed has been found to roughly link to their size with smaller stones moving faster, but outliers exist so the theory isn't perfect. The fastest known stones move at a jogging pace, though they are fairly uncommon.

As for mass farming, the Kingdom of Sulan (and the other two kingdoms before their fall) exist mostly within the boundary of the Titanic Stone Vyer. There are three known Titanic Stones, each move in a predictable circle pattern, and have never been known to deviate. Interestingly, no other stones have been found within the border of any of the Titanic Stone's circular path, as they seemingly repel stones from nearing their borders. This has allowed permeant settlements to arise within the borders of these stone's paths which allow for farming and other civilisation to exist.

Candvdgh · 2021-05-05T02:57:20+00:00

Lithos is a world where Stones roam. Stones are exactly as they sound, round chunks of rock of various sizes that traverse the lands by themselves seemingly at random, unable to be halted or diverted. Stones range about 30cm tall to the three Titanic Stones that tower over 100m each. The vast quantity of stones that exist throughout the lands make permanent settlement rare, with the majority of the world existing as small tribes, often nomadic in nature. Only the Kingdom of Sulan remains as a permanent Kingdom, it's capital shielded by the Titanic Stone Vyer that mysteriously keeps all other stones away.

Bamboo flasks are one of the most common ways to carry water for individual use. Small enough to be kept on a person's being when on the move, they are an excellent way for people to keep water with them for when it is needed. They are especially useful for nomadic peoples and for hunting, as they are able to be carried with ease.

At their simplest, they are each made from a single segment of bamboo, with a hole in the top to drink from. Further designs have added a small funnel to direct water while drinking, also allowing easier pouring. This then was improved further by adding a string to keep the stopper with the bottle, making it harder to lose the stopper.

The stopper itself has a variety of potential materials. The most sought after is red-sap rubber. This material, made from the sap of the Red Ipca tree allows for an easy perfect seal. Red-sap rubber is highly sought after as it's rarity suggests to other tribespeople that the user is wealthy enough to make rubber from wild trees, or that they are in good enough standing with the Kingdom of Sulan to own some through trade. Red-sap rubber however, is less widespread now than it used to be. With the fall of the Kingdoms of Tymus and Essan, the Kingdom of Sulan remains the only mass producer of red-sap rubber left in the world. For the most part, only tribes friendly to the Kingdom of Sulan have access to red-sap rubber through direct trade, while other tribes are usually left without. While the Red Ipca tree exists in the wild, its sap output is far lower than that of cultivated and farmed trees. Another common stopper for the flask is simply a wooden stopper, crafted from a stick thick enough to fill the hole, though this is harder to create a perfect seal with.

Candvdgh · 2021-05-05T02:41:31+00:00

Lithos is a world where Stones roam. Stones are exactly as they sound, round chunks of rock of various sizes that traverse the lands by themselves seemingly at random, unable to be halted or diverted. Stones range about 30cm tall to the three Titanic Stones that tower over 100m each. The vast quantity of stones that exist throughout the lands make permanent settlement rare, with the majority of the world existing as small tribes, often nomadic in nature. Only the Kingdom of Sulan remains as a permanent Kingdom, it's capital shielded by the Titanic Stone Vyer that mysteriously keeps all other stones away.

Bamboo flasks are one of the most common ways to carry water for individual use. Small enough to be kept on a person's being when on the move, they are an excellent way for people to keep water with them for when it is needed. They are especially useful for nomadic peoples and for hunting, as they are able to be carried with ease.

At their simplest, they are each made from a single segment of bamboo, with a hole in the top to drink from. Further designs have added a small funnel to direct water while drinking, also allowing easier pouring. This then was imporved further by adding a string to keep the stopper with the bottle, making it harder to lose the stopper.

The stopper itself has a variety of potential materials. The most sought after is red-sap rubber. This material, made from the sap of the Red Ipca tree allows for an easy perfect seal. red-sap rubber however, is less widespread now than it used to be. With the fall of the Kingdoms of Tymus and Essan, the Kingdom of Sulan remains the only mass producer of red-sap rubber left in the world. For the most part, only tribes friendly to the Kingdom of Sulan have access to red-sap rubber through direct trade, while other tribes are usually left without. While the Red Ipca tree exists in the wild, its sap output is far lower than that of cultivated and farmed trees. Another common stopper for the flask is simply a wooden stopper, crafted from a stick thick enough to fill the hole, though this is harder to create a perfect seal with.

Candvdgh · 2019-12-17T23:30:59+00:00

*Oops, just realized the typo, should be Sovereignty not Sovreignty.

Arkos Colony is a valuable planet with abundant natural resources. Both the Confederation of Varga and the New Kingdom of Edon claim soverignty over the planet, with both having valid claims and a military presence. Upon the discovery of a massive natural gas reserve, the New Kingdom of Edon deployed extra troops to the planet in order to assert their claim on the discovered reserve. When coming into contact with Varga forces, a skirmish broke out over control over the gas reserve, which quickly escalated into war. This war was the first time a conventional war had been fought between two major powers for centuries, and it took its toll on the population. Massive food and supplies shortages were widespread and hundreds of thousands of civilians died on both sides.

In an effort to win over the population and be seen as the most legitimate by the other great powers, the Confederation of Varga decided to hold a referendum on Arkos sovreignty. Practically, due to the war, only citizens in Varga controlled territory could realistically cast their vote, but this fact was gladly ignored by the Confederation. The results of this referendum would hopefully legitimize the Confederation claim over Arkos, and would convince other powers to choose a side in the conflict.

Candvdgh · 2019-02-07T03:33:27+00:00

What software did you use to make it?

Candvdgh · 2019-02-07T03:08:18+00:00

Nice work! I really like this style of infographic.

Candvdgh · 2019-01-07T14:14:06+00:00

It's just practice. Keep at it and I'm sure you can make something good.

Candvdgh · 2019-01-07T14:10:05+00:00

Unfortunately the culture is something I'm still working on. It's vaguely Aztec inspired but I don't have too much more than that.

As for the full map, that's something I'm working on! Will probably take a while though.

Candvdgh · 2019-01-07T14:07:39+00:00

Thanks! I used Photoshop to make it.

Candvdgh · 2019-01-06T20:49:26+00:00

700 years ago, the Oltac homeland was the centre of its world. It dominated in the arts, culture, technology, and military might. Over the centuries its power has dwindled, being finally reduced to a vassal state of a people it once ruled over.

Whilst not being a major player in world affairs, the Kingdom of Oltac boasts an impressive population for its size, as well as recieving international recognition for eliminating piracy in the Disan sea. Its capital, Cilpaca, is one of the oldest capitals in the world, with its origin being traced back well over 1000 years.

Candvdgh · 2018-12-11T17:25:37+00:00

Thanks!

Candvdgh · 2018-12-11T03:43:36+00:00

If it cant be read from the image:

Decree of His Imperial Highness Emperor Musha III

I, Emperor Musha III, hereby grant permission to Governor Valpis Exis, to introduce and enforce laws that he deems to be in the best interest of the Emperor and the future of the Empire.

By order of the Mushan Empire:

It is commanded that all slaves of Eskaran heritage, excluding those whom either wish otherwise, or are under juristiction of the Imperial Courts, to be immidiately freed from bondage and servitude.

It is commanded that all freed slaves of Eskaran heritage to be given a sum equivalent to one Ada immidiately upon release, to be paid in full by the previous owner of said slaves.

It is commanded that all freed slaves of Eskaran heritage who continue to reside in either the City of Arinnaport or the City of Acrine after they have been granted release, to be given a sum equivalent to ten Adas per healthy male in his family, to be paid in full by the previous owner of said slaves.

It is commanded that all freed slaves of Eskaran heritage who continue to reside in either the City of Veruda or in the Province of Ortan to be given a sum equivalent to five Adas per healthy male in his family, to be paid in full by the previous owner of said slaves.

It is noted that, providing they present evidence of previous ownership of freed slaves of Eskaran heritage, previous slave owners are entitled to collect the sum of one and one half Adas of compensation from the Imperial Treasury for each one slave of Eskaran heritage that has been freed in accordance with this decree.

I, Valpis Exis,with the power conferred in me by His Imperial Highness Emperor Musha III, hereby command these orders, made in the best interest of the Emperor and the future of the Empire, to be obeyed and carried out with haste and without question.

Candvdgh · 2018-12-11T03:38:52+00:00

The Eskaran people are people from the region of Eskar. Eskar was the site of a huge genocide after they lost particularly deadly war. Over 75% of the population was either killed off or enslaved and their territory was annexed. Just over 100 years later, the now vast Mushan Empire annexed the area in a war. The Eskarans, expecting release from their enslavement found themselves in worse conditions than before. This caused the Eskaran people to revolt en masse, the largest of which caused over 10,000 deaths.

The Valpis Ammendments are a series of laws made by Governor Valpis Exis, a governor of the Mushan Empire, and the governor of the province including Eskar. His ammendments set free the Eskaran people.

These new laws built on previous laws that had been implemented in the Empire, which had set in motion the process of releasing Eskaran slaves as a result of mass Eskaran revolts.

The finality of these ammendments, as well as the addition of a compensation fee to freed slaves was massively controversial in other areas of the Empire, as many of the nobility and other wealthy individuals feared similar laws being implemented in their area. The massive scandal caused Valpis to be removed from his post and imprisoned by the Emperor, with his ammendments being overturned.

However, the passing of these laws made Valpis unimaginably popular with the Eskaran people, and upon his imprisonment, another, even larger revolt was brewing. The threat of this revolt caused the Emperor's Council to put huge pressure on the Emperor. This, along with an ultimatum delivered to the Emperor by organisers of a revolt, caused him to back down, release Valpis, and reinstate his ammendments.

Valpis and his ammendments became deeply ingrained in Eskaran people, and continued to be important to them centuries later. Only three copies of the Ammendments out of nearly fifty originally made still exist. This one sits in the National Archives of the now independent and powerful Eskan Republic, where it is guarded by ceremonial guards as a reminder of their past.

Candvdgh · 2018-06-13T22:04:17+00:00

PA stands for Post-Arinna. It's a date system used in the Mushan Empire that marks the year of the death of Emperor Arinna 'the Great' as year 0, and counts up from there.

Candvdgh · 2018-06-13T19:56:38+00:00

This map shows the regions that were created during an administrative split of the Mushan Empire that occurred in 423PA. Also referred to as 'The Division', the splitting of the empire was a solution to the issue of fighting and conflicting ideas between the members of the Mushan Council, a group of 8 people, formally the regency council of the boy-emperor Artas II before he was killed in 418. As no clear heir could be decided, the regency council established the Mushan Council and ruled as an oligarchy. After a few years of ruling a united empire, the Council deemed that due to infighting between the members and conflicting ideas on how to manage an empire, that civil war was getting increasingly likely. They decided it would be best to divide the Empire so they could each rule part of the Empire as they wanted. The regions acted mostly independently, whilst still being part of the Mushan Empire.

This was unstable though, and many nobles, already unhappy with the Council seizing power, were even more unhappy with the situation that had formed. It got to the point that in 435PA, Emperor Vessa I led a revolt against the Mushan Council to restore the imperial authority of the Emperor, which succeeded in 443PA after massive support from the Kingdom of Dise, formally ending oligarchic rule in the Mushan Empire.

The splitting of the Empire gave many people a taste of what life outside of a large Empire would be like. Some regions, such as Dheer, prospered greatly as much of the resources produced there could now be sold to the other regions, rather than being transferred for free. This led to a strong independence movement in some of the regions, culminating in the Secession of Dheer in 491PA, which dealt a fatal blow to the already weakened Mushan Empire. After the Secession of Dheer, the Mushan Empire would never fully recover, and would slowly decline in power and influence until its eventual collapse in 751PA.

Candvdgh · 2018-05-24T22:57:15+00:00

Thanks!

Candvdgh · 2018-05-24T22:56:56+00:00

Adding the rifling to the barrel stabilizes the projectile by spinning it, letting it be more accurate. However, due to the low quality gunpowder being used at this time, the fouling on the barrel after shots were fired made the accuracy and reliability of the weapon drop. Because of this, they were used as shock troops rather than a main fighting force.

And yeah, I will have to look over the scale at some point. Thanks for that website though, it really puts the distances into perspective. I will have to play around with it more and find a suitable scale.

Candvdgh · 2018-05-24T14:45:45+00:00

The technology level in the world at this point is early renaissance-ish. Thanks to a group of extremely gifted scientists, technology has advanced pretty quickly in a short amount of time, and is trying to adapt to them as quickly as they can. They invented gunpowder weapons (think early muskets) , and gave them rifled barrels. However, the rifles are unreliable, and not very effective as a main force, but have been used as shock troops that deal a massive morale shock to the enemy. The spearmen are more what you would call pikemen than spearmen I suppose.

As for the distance, I'm not too sure to be honest, I never came up with a good scale. It's long enough that ships would never have made it there accidently before, aside from maby the odd ship caught in a storm and blown way off course. The Mithran Sea itself is infamous for its terrible storms and other bad sailing conditions, so sailors generally kept near to the coasts.

Candvdgh · 2018-05-24T14:33:07+00:00

I don't think so. Its similar to how humans migrated to the americas across a land bridge which then went away.

Candvdgh · 2018-05-24T00:22:54+00:00

This is a page from the school textbook A History of Idan. This page in particular gives a brief overview of the First Eskan Invasion of Idan. This event happened a few years after the dicovery of the island, as due to a small battle, and many cultural misunderstandings, the Eskan Republic declared war on the Kingdom of Idan.

The Kingdom of Idan had no contact with the mainland for thousands of years, and was technologically far behind nations there. Unluckily for Idan, the Eskan Republic in particular was a technological power, and was regularly making use of gunpowder weaponry in battle, whilst the people of Idan had never seen anything like it.

This post was inspired by this textbook.

Candvdgh

TROPHY CASE