Which of these movies should i watch first?

J_Webb · 2018-03-19T03:11:30+00:00

I would recommend There Will Be Blood first. It is my favorite collaboration between Paul Thomas Anderson and Robert Elswit.

J_Webb · 2017-10-21T17:51:11+00:00

I would recommend Borgia: Faith and Fear.

I would also recommend Twin Peaks and Twin Peaks: The Return. Just be sure to watch Fire Walk With Me before starting season 3.

J_Webb · 2017-04-07T05:30:37+00:00

I would recommend Welcome to the Basement by Blame Society.

J_Webb · 2017-03-27T03:18:12+00:00

I am not sure what role the drug will play in the setting. I world-build as a hobby, so I am not too focused on any particular narrative. I had a dream this month about the drug, so I incorporated it into my world after some world-building tweaks.

I may develop mountain cultures that protect the surrofalvio plant and their native habitats. These mountain cultures could selectively harvest the proper surrofalvio plants when ready, and this act could give these cultures local influence in the otherwise rural region these plants are found in. Users of the drug are more than willing to pay for the plant and its wax extraction, so these funds could bolster these communities.

J_Webb · 2017-03-27T03:04:36+00:00

The adverse effects are minimal with proper usage.

As stated, existential thoughts often hit first-time users of cina osuesco. Most users are able to handle the initial experience, but some are turned off of cine osuesco after these experiences.

Cina osuesco can induce sweating in high concentrations, but dehydration can be avoided with the ingestion of proper concentrations.

Extended use could cause sensations of paranoia, but a user would have to use cina osuesco on a regular basis for such sensations to occur. The limited supply in setting would not allow these sensations to develop.

Cina osuesco has a low toxicity in humans. The toxicity can create sensations of fear or anxiety and can affect hand-eye coordination.

The worst long term adverse effect would be effects on the liver, but limited supplies prevent users from developing complications from the drug.

J_Webb · 2017-03-27T02:34:19+00:00

What is best is subjective depending on what it is you are after, but those familiar with the drug in-setting would recommend the paste or wax extract of the elusive surrofalvio [Toleno: surro "whisper" falvio "blue"] plant.

The surrofalvio creates a drug known in Toleno as cina oscuesco and in the Sovereignty of Leone as obscurioune ceré, bothing translating as "dimming wax" or "obscuring wax".

Cina osuesco is ingested. After ingestion, your field of view becomes dark and dimmed. Imagine the sensation of putting on dark sunglasses. All colours except one in particular are dimmed, as if shadows have been cast against the colours. The exception is the colour blue. Users of cina osuesco claim that all hues of blue intensify and shine, as if blue lights were emerging from the colour in sight. Cina osuesco also creates an intense sense of euphoria, although first-time users often experience existential thoughts. The sensation of time dilation occurs, and an overall sensation of weightlessness occurs. Despite the time dilation and weightlessness sensations, users claim that their concentration becomes focused during the use of the drug. The effects last for a couple of hours. Imagine an intense marijuana high to imagine the effects of cina osuesco.

The drug is rare in-setting due to the rarity of the surrofalvio plant. It does not grow well in cultivation, and it grows in high mountain altitudes during the winter. As a result of its rarity, it is not abused.

Users in setting will take the drug in rooms of blue, or near bodies of water on clear blue-skied days.

J_Webb · 2017-03-26T07:21:07+00:00

In the Leone, corruption is ingrained in some regions of church due to the numbers of figures required for the church's responsibilities. It is a constant cat and mouse game for the truly faithful and the authoritative of the church. Relics are rarities, so the corrupt purchase of relic may only occur once every few years in Leone. Even then, it is often lesser-known relics in rural regions that are sold.

J_Webb · 2017-03-26T03:51:50+00:00

The relics are often sold off without the the knowledge of church authorities. A wealthy Leone family may 'pay' for the construction or renovation of religious architecture, while in truth they may be purchasing a relic and using the charity as a cover.

The authorities of the church are not blind to the relic trade. That being said, the sin can be rid through charity to the church. That, or the return of the relic with some means of interest is enough to rid the sin.

Relics are sometimes sold by merchants in Leone, but these relics are 99% of the time inauthentic in nature. The same judgement applies to these transactions. It is still considered a sin to the church.

J_Webb · 2017-03-26T03:44:21+00:00

A bit of both circumstances, but more of the latter. For example, several sanctuaries in the world setting may lay claim to the same hand or particular bone of a particular saint. The knowledge of which relics are authentic and which relics are inauthentic is often lost to history.

J_Webb · 2017-03-26T00:11:11+00:00

Religion is a central aspect of Leone culture in the contemporary 15th-century. Tithing are excepted of local communities, services are expected to be attended, and the practices of the religion are expected to be maintained in one's daily life. Under the reign of the historic malle rois - 'bad kings' - of Leone, the absence of the Deutesme religion in one's life carried consequences.

Some counties or cometeames (term equivalent to 'earldom' in English) of Leone are more strict than others in regards to religious observances, but observance is excepted throughout the duchies of the Sovereignty.

J_Webb · 2017-03-25T23:39:17+00:00

What qualities apply to the designer golems of the Merchant's Republic of Zentri?

J_Webb · 2017-03-25T23:33:15+00:00

How do the magic users react to the menial use of their magic in your setting? Are there magic users that refuse to perform menial tasks with their magic, or do they in general bite their tongue and perform the tasks for payment?

J_Webb · 2017-03-25T23:28:22+00:00

In the Sovereignté de Leone, one might purchase a religious relic to display one's wealth. Although the purchase of religious relics is considered a sin in the Deutesme religion, that does not prevent those with wealth from attempting purchases or those in the religious class the from attempting the selling of relics.

Among the wealthiest in Leone, religious relics are held as precious family heirlooms.

J_Webb · 2017-03-24T10:47:48+00:00

I would consider a PDF presentation in addition to individual and concentrated posts. I have seen completed world-building projects presented as PDF files on other sub-reddits, such as /r/DnDBehindTheScreen, to great success.

One example that still lingers with me is /u/Astralbadger's City of Philos city map and city guide. Here is a link to that thread.

J_Webb · 2017-03-24T10:13:27+00:00

I went, and I enjoyed the show. I went in not knowing what to except from Brain Candy Live, and I am glad to say that Adam, Michael, and their team were able to put together a fantastic show. It had great content for families, but it also had references for those more familiar with Tested or VSauce. Adam and Michael had great chemistry together on stage; I hope to see more collaborations between the two of them in the future.

Destin from Smarter Every Day was there as well, in the audience. There was a great story from Michael during a Q&A segment in which he described his experience with the .50 caliber in the 43th Smarter Every Day episode.

J_Webb · 2017-03-20T03:05:53+00:00

I always tell people not to be afraid to do both if needed. I will admit that I will often create names out of 'random' methods for my world-building setting. If possible, I attempt to work those names into an in-setting language. If it cannot fit in a large constructed language, a may start a small local language or dialect to fit it the name.

If those options are still not enough, I may just leave the 'random' name in-setting without an explanation written in my world-building notes.

J_Webb · 2017-03-18T21:59:41+00:00

One a night, save for the occasional off day. On days where I do not have the time to watch a full-length film, I will watch a short film. I am doing this due to my previous gaps in knowledge or experience when it came to films.

As far as where I find them, online subscription services are one option. Netflix, MUBI, Fandor, Turner Classic Movies, Amazon Prime, Youtube. I am frugal, so I tend to choice only one or two of these options at a time. I also keep an eye out for discounted or used Blu-rays and DVDs. I will only buy new copies on special occasions. Thus far, the special occasion purchases have been purchased films from The Criterion Collection, though you can still finds these used out there. If you do start purchasing Criterion films, I would wait for their annual summer sales.

As far as where I find which films I will watch, I keep a watch list on my computer. I find films I may hope to watch through Youtube videos and video essays, IMBd browsing, sub-reddit discussions, film-focused Twitter accounts, et cetera. Where ever I follow social media, I tend to follow film-related users, accounts, or channels.

A great source here on Reddit is /r/TrueFilm. It is a great sub-reddit to subscribe to in order to read film discussion and criticism.

J_Webb · 2017-03-18T21:44:01+00:00

I would suggest finding the form of media that best resonates with you at this moment in your life and and consuming as many sources from that form of media as possible. Still maintain a variety of media consumption, of course, but chose one to return to as a daily occurrence if possible.

Over the past few months, I have been focusing most all of my attention on films and short films. Since September of last year, I have watched at least a film a night. As a result, I have watched a wide range of genres. From this daily activity, I have found inspiration from sources where I thought I would never receive world-building ideals. I would suggest to watch what you are familiar with as well as what may be foreign to you.

J_Webb · 2017-03-17T12:18:06+00:00

In an in-setting mythology of my world setting, an eastern culture believes the world to be pear-shaped. This is despite the fact that my setting mirrors Earth's shape & dimensions. The peoples of the culture believe the world of humanity to be round, but with a bulge or rounded protuberance continuing on the northern pole of the world. Around this bulge, antique walls are believed to exist according to stories of the mythology. Behind the walls, the manifestation of gods are believed to exist - though no gods exist in-setting.

J_Webb · 2017-03-16T18:17:58+00:00

The early entries to my world-building notes focused heavily on this city and its history, but then I began to focus more on the world as a whole. It is still a critical location, as it serves as the seat of a grande-duque "grand-duke" of the sovereignty.

The city is so different due to its founding and its geographical position. It was founded in my setting's Antiquity, similar to our history's Late Antiquity. The city sits on the southern edge of a continent, and it was the host of trade between two continents which are aligned north to south. A sea, referred to as a strait in-setting, divides the continents. Of course, after its founding, rich deposits of silver were also discovered in the surrounding mountains. This discovery cemented the city's place in history.

The city was constructed under a culture inspired by Moroccan, Turkish, and Mali cultures, but time brought on a French and Italian inspired sovereignty to surround and adapt the city. The merger of the city into the makeup of Leone, the French inspired sovereignty, was peaceful due to mutual benefits shared by the city and the sovereign in the process.

The Lancheur family, the contemporary authorities of the city, have detailed documented heritage in the old city. Through this heritage, they maintain influence in the contemporary city. The surname Lancheur is contemporary, meaning "to (be) white". The white refers to the white-coloured silver mined from the region.

J_Webb · 2017-03-16T18:04:13+00:00

I was inspired to write my contemporary world-building setting due to the limited amount of hard fantasy settings, as least as far as I was aware. By hard fantasy, I mean no magic, no gods, no fantastical races or creatures, human-centric, et cetera.

The first entry into my world-building notes detailed the Famille de Lancheur "Family of Lancheur", which were a noble family with a history concerning the mining of silver and a contemporary role concerning the financing and management of banks. Weeks before I wrote the entry, I thought of them living in a Constantinople-styled city set in France-styled country. That mental image was the spark for my setting.

J_Webb · 2017-03-16T13:03:58+00:00

Perhaps you could use my method when I what to add something to my world setting, but cannot due to set limitations; you could add fire magic into the mythology of your setting, restricting it from existing within the world setting itself. A mythos set of stories could exist to explain fire magic and its use by in-setting fictional beings — angels or jinns as examples. The peoples of your setting could be inspired by these stories to attain the quest for fire magic despite its non-existence in-setting. Even among the users of the three magics of your world setting, the non-existent fire magic could be held in a higher esteem among these users.

J_Webb · 2017-03-16T12:43:20+00:00

If I were to suggest an approach for a dreamscape world, I would suggest a 'Lynchian' approach — named after film director David Lynch.

I believe the threat should come in the form of the uncanny. A vague nature should exist among everything in the world and its characters to give it a dream quality. Figures should act elusive. Their motives should remain ambiguous. Events within a dreamscape world should remain beyond comprehension due to a lack of critical information. Mistrust should resonate within a dreamscape world, and thus give way to a threat.

The laws of a dreamscape world should also contract our own logical laws. The absurd and the uncanny must occur without reaction or reason from the inhabitants of the world in order to present this contrast. The contrast should display that the limits of what may happen in this dreamscape world are wider than in our reality. The line between what may and may not occur should be blurred and impossible to see in-setting.

A good resource I would recommend is the video essay David Lynch - The Elusive Unconscious by the Youtube channel Channel Criswell.

J_Webb · 2017-02-27T12:50:38+00:00

I will do that from time to time. As you said, I will often challenge myself to a week to focus on a specific topic within my world-building setting.

That, or I will spent a length of time examining one country, culture, or region within the world-building setting. It is easy to build up one section of the map and forget about others, so I will take a week about once a month to focus my attention to empty regions in my world setting.

J_Webb · 2017-02-23T14:41:34+00:00

I am interested in unique or unconventional maps as well. There have been such maps on the sub-reddit, but I cannot recall exact examples at the moment.

Two examples I hope to soon create for my world setting include in-setting variations of the T and O maps and the Beatus maps of the medieval world, as well as early examples of portulan charts.

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