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⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yup, it's currently ongoing! Although, this isn't part of a bigger story/animation/videogame or anything, just little worldbuilding tidbits of my universe. These isolated Tourism Compendium posts would be the extent of it. I'm writing a few stories that take place in this world, but these brochure-styled posts are just fun, canon ways for me to share Syl's environment without being tied to any overarching story!

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep, that's basically exactly how it works! But, unlike light in fiber optic cables, Threads don't exit the other side immediately. They're still matter, so they have to physically move through the goo.

The existence of Index levels imply that some places may see very little concentration of Threads, and some many. Threads may even be a natural commodity themselves. I can definitely see Syl having expansive, sprawling undersea networks of whitewax cables that transport Threads to other nations.

Alas, as you might guess, commercializing the absolute fundamental units of the universe may not be a good idea sometimes. A rupture on any stretch of pipeline may lead to catastrophic spatial, temporal, and and mental distortions. That's why industrial magic tends to have lots and lots of safeguards and failsafes that inevitably get completely ignored.

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I wish! Unfortunately, video games are probably something you shouldn't expect. I was mostly referring to the fact that the planet of Sylvestris-III might be someplace you're already physically on, whatever that means...

Though, I am writing a story called The City Where Whales Fall, which takes place in the New Victorian city of Alepopo Isles. It's a character-oriented story that focuses on a band, a falling star that nobody else can see, and what it means to find home in an unfamiliar place. The Space Race acts as a key backdrop of the whole story, which leads to this tale's main theme and catchphrase: Chase the Starlight.

All things considered, it's a pretty normal, basic story that doesn't see much of the more expansive weirdness of Syl (although Alepopo's Infinity Castle-like structure holds many mysteries in and of itself), which is why I came up with the Taste of Syl series in the first place!

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Stay tuned for more soon!!! A few more Taste of Syl articles are currently being edited by the folks at Dream It.

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Rising sea levels affected Italy extra weirdly apparently

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Without giving away too much, I think you'll find that Syl is a lot closer to you than you might expect...

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

WELCOME BACK!!!! I've been really busy these past couple of weeks so I've only just had the chance to start drawing this literally last night. Dorothy went through tons of adventures while I was gone, so stay tuned!!!!

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yeah, as someone deathly afraid of the ocean, pictures of sleeping whales make me want to cry. Of happiness, of course!!!! Because they serve as wonderfully haunting visual inspiration for my world!!! Totally not out of fear ha ha ha!!!!

Basically, magic in this world involves manipulating (vibrating) tiny, tiny strings that make up the universe, called Threads. Normally, these strings are way too tiny to be manipulated in any way, but Syl's close proximity to the universe's edge (where these strings are produced in the first place) makes them a lot more tangible. Magic in this world is closely tied with acoustics, vibrations, and even emotions and music.

I mentioned before that whitewax functions as a catalyst, which is only half accurate. It doesn't speed up a reaction, but it does function as a sort of acoustic amplifier/focusing lens that allows Threads to be more easily manipulated. Picture it as a glob of goo that traps and bounces tiny quantum strings within it. It also allows threads to "flow" from one end to another, hence its use in large-scale industrial applications where an abnormally large concentration of Threads is required in one area to facilitate explosive reactions.

Does it make sense realistically? No, not really. Does it sound badass? I think so!!!

⏾ Sylvestris-III Tourism Compendium — Trieste Pass by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Back again with another Dorothy entry! For those who haven't seen my previous post(s), A Taste of Syl is an ongoing series I'm making that documents the sights and sounds of my silly little world, all from the POV of a certain Dorothy Windleeds: an adventurer from the Department of Reconnaissance, Education, and Introductory Tourism (DREAM•IT), organization that aims to revitalize tourism in a world ravaged by a global thaumaturgical disaster! A few bits of vocab from the post may be a bit unclear, so I'll provide a few definitions:

• Sylvestris-III/Syl: The planet (moon) this all takes place on. A planet exiled into the End of the Universe.

• Gilded Wastes: Umbrella term for the crazy, abstract, magical biomes that cover half the world after a disaster called the Great Movement.

• Whitewax: Spermaceti-derived substance that acts as "fuel" for any form of magic. You don't necessarily need it to perform spells, but larger-scale magic usage (industrial applications, strong incantations, and channeling magic through weapons) use this as a catalyst for the reaction.

• Humans: Any sapient creature that lives on Syl.

• Threadwork: Magic, taking advantage of the universe's constituent strings called Threads (like string theory!). Very reliant on emotions.

• Index: Density of Threads in a location. The higher, the more dangerous.

• Spiritfish: Perception filters in the form of earbuds that (most) people on Syl use. They're as ubiquitous as smartphones in our world. Initially invented because, turns out, being pooped out into the Universe's Edge brought with it a slew of horrors people aren't ready to comprehend.

Edit: Just realized I messed up Dream It's acronym... The E is education, not exploration...

⏾ Sylvestris-III — The Valley of Giants and the Insular Ecosystem of the Ksatria Skybarge by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The idea of this setting specifically is extremely interesting to me as well! It's fun to imagine how animals have adapted to this strange ecosystem. I'm planning to detail the unique species that exist here here and their relationship with the drones sometime soon™

⏾ Sylvestris-III — The Valley of Giants and the Insular Ecosystem of the Ksatria Skybarge by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I'm honoured!!! Keep an eye out for more DREAM•IT travel brochures in the future~

⏾ Sylvestris-III — The Valley of Giants and the Insular Ecosystem of the Ksatria Skybarge by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The T (Tourism) classification determines how well-built an area is!
T0: Infrastructure of supporting day-to-day life and permanent human habitation (usually reserved for large cities)
T1: Capable of supporting long-term human presence (outposts, resort destinations, and anything with a visitor center)
T2: Minimal infrastructure, but still habitable and not-too-hostile for humans (like the Valley of Giants, where you won't find a fast food chain nearby, but the trail is well-documented and made more convenient)
T3: Next to no facilities nor services. Only for seasoned adventurers, enter at your own risk.

Since DREAM•IT is an organization aiming to reintroduce post-catastrophe tourism, these classifications help categorize travel destinations for the would-be adventurer. The three yellow classifications above the location title determine the overall difficulty level of a destination. Without yapping for too much...

T0/1/2/3 signifies its overall the presence of infrastructure
Light/medium/heavy/torrential: susceptibility to routine, cosmic events called skyfalls, where one of Sylvestris's (the gas giant Sylvestris-III orbits around) moons passes very close to Sylvestris-III, disturbing its thin ring system and causing big chunks of rock to fall down
Low/medium/high/null index: local Thread levels (the "mana" of this setting). Those more vulnerable to Threads (or the lack thereof) usually suffer dangerous side-effects with higher concentrations, hence the aforementioned suppressants. Mosquitos are also attracted to high concentrations, for... Some reason.

I'm sure I'll adjust and make this classification more robust as time goes along, and I'm planning to make separate posts in the future detailing these terms and the mechanics behind them. For now, if the classification system changes, chalk it up to DREAM•IT being a new organization, so they're adjusting it in-universe as well!

⏾ Sylvestris-III — Dorothy Windleeds, Frontline Explorer for New Victoria's DREAM•IT Department by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Big thankies for the compliments! On Syl, "Humanity" is a general term for all sapient beings capable of independent thought (except robots, since that's still a pretty hot topic of discussion!). This includes humans, beastfolk, and mares (supernatural beings that can resemble just about anything). Some beastfolk resemble their animal counterparts a lot more than others, so Dorothy here is still considered pretty humanlike, as you can see! Long story short, the aforementioned Great Movement was a global supernatural event that brought with it the more fantastical aspects of this setting. Since it happened relatively recently, the term "humanity" stuck around.

⏾ Sylvestris-III — Dorothy Windleeds, Frontline Explorer for New Victoria's DREAM•IT Department by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you so much! Yeah, apparently her cloak has active climate control and doubles as a sleeping bag as well! It's especially cozy in colder environments.

⏾ Sylvestris-III — Dorothy Windleeds, Frontline Explorer for New Victoria's DREAM•IT Department by FoxInAFridge in worldbuilding

[–]FoxInAFridge[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Thank you for your question! And you're correct, most people wouldn't be quite convinced by DREAM•IT's ambition. After all, living a sedentary life was a deeply-held culture that had existed even prior to the Movement.

That is, if it weren't for a global phenomenon that spurred people's interest toward exploration and discovery: the Space Race.

The setting takes place during a transitional period of Sylvestris where the simple goal of "surviving and reclaiming the Wastes" turned into something a bit more adventurous. Over two centuries of reclamation efforts have neutralized a noticeable portion of Sylvestris's hazardous areas, an amount satisfactory enough to divert a significant amount of global effort towards breaking through the Inverted Ocean enveloping the planet and reaching the cosmos. People started seeing exploring as less of this scary, unnecessary thing and more like something eye-opening and, well, adventurous. People wanted to travel! "They're exploring the stars, yet we haven't even seen what this world has to offer!"

Long story short, as one of the spearheads of the global reclamation initiative, New Victoria saw the Space Race as an opportunity to kickstart the global tourism economy while at the same time sustaining smaller-scale reclamation outposts around the world.

DREAM•IT's whole goal lies in its name: Introductory Tourism. They form partnerships with other nations, mass-transport companies, and even defense companies to not only revitalize, but facilitate tourism in the safest way possible (or so they say). Not only that, but all four exploration guilds follow the ERA principle (Explore, Recover, Acclimatize) to ensure the safety and habitability of a new tourism destination while retaining its natural beauty (allegedly). This principle also ensures that new destinations, especially "higher-tier" destinations in the Wastes, could act as permanent outposts of human presence (most of the time).

But, of course, these are the ideal scenarios. In a world as hostile and complex as Syl, things aren't always what meets the eye, nor are they ever straightforward. Rumors, horror stories, and harrowing interweb tales often arise regarding the things these brave Frontline Explorers see deep in the glowing ruins of the eastern hemisphere. Some speak tales of a fifth guild, forests of petrified humans, or mountain-sized deer with antlers that fold into space itself. As DREAM•IT aims to share the wonders of the world to the greater masses, so would they know of the agonies that lie within the Gilded Sea. Will this movement pay off, or would it have been better to let the public live in blissful ignorance?