When The Truly Ancient Gods Were Rediscovered, They Didn't Seek Vengeance On A World That Had Forgotten

chilly mornings in piltover

a perfect excuse to lend your partner your jacket

(also available as a print!)

Fantasy Guide to Building A Culture

Culture is defined by a collection of morals, ethics, traditions, customs and behaviours shared by a group of people.

Hierarchy and Social Structures

Within every culture, there is a hierarchy. Hierarchies are an important part of any culture, usually do ingrained that one within the culture wouldn't even question it. Hierarchy can be established either by age, gender or wealth and could even determine roles within their society. Sometimes hierarchy can may be oppressive and rigid whilst other times, ranks can intermingle without trouble. You should consider how these different ranks interact with one another and whether there are any special gestures or acts of deference one must pay to those higher than them. For example, the Khasi people of Meghalaya (Northern India), are strictly matrillineal. Women run the households, inheritance runs through the female line, and the men of the culture typically defer to their mothers and wives. Here are a few questions to consider:

How is a leader determined within the culture as a whole and the family unit?

Is the culture matriarchal? Patriarchal? Or does gender even matter?

How would one recognise the different ranks?

How would one act around somebody higher ranking? How would somebody he expected to act around somebody lower ranking?

Can one move socially? If not, why? If so, how?

Traditions and Customs

Traditions are a staple in any culture. These can be gestures or living life a certain way or to the way a certain person should look. Traditions are a personal detail to culture, they are what make it important. Tradition can dictate how one should keep their home, run their family, take care of their appearance, act in public and even determine relationship. Tradition can also be a double edged sword. Traditions can also be restrictive and allow a culture to push away a former member if they do not adhere to them, eg Traditional expectations of chastity led to thousands of Irish women being imprisoned at the Magdelene Laundries. Customs could be anything from how one treats another, to how they greet someone.

How important is tradition?

What are some rituals your culture undertakes?

What are some traditional values in your world? Does it effect daily life?

Are there any traditions that determine one's status?

Values and Opinions

Values and Opinions are the bread and butter of any culture. This is the way your culture sees the world and how they approach different life hurdles. These may differ with other cultures and be considered odd to outsiders, what one culture may value another may not and what opinion another holds, one may not. There will be historical and traditional reasons to why these values and opinions are held. Cultures usually have a paragon to which they hold their members to, a list of characteristics that they expect one to if not adhere to then aspire to. The Yoruba people value honesty, hard work, courage and integrity. Here are some questions to consider?

How important are these ethics and core values? Could somebody be ostracised for not living up to them?

What are some morals that clash with other cultures?

What does your culture precieved to be right? Or wrong?

What are some opinions that are considered to be taboo in your culture? Why?

Dress Code

For many cultures, the way somebody dresses can be important. History and ethics can effect how one is meant to be dressed such as an expectation of chastity, can impose strict modesty. While other cultures, put more importance on details, the different sorts of clothes worn and when or what colour one might wear. The Palestinian people (من النهر إلى البحر ، قد يكونون أحرارا) denoted different family ties, marriage status and wealth by the embroidery and detailing on their thoub.

Are there traditional clothes for your world? Are they something somebody wears on a daily basis or just on occasion?

Are there any rules around what people can wear?

What would be considered formal dress? Casual dress?

What would happen if somebody wore the wrong clothes to an event?

Language

Language can also be ingrained as part of a Culture. It can be a specific way one speaks or a an entirely different language. For example, in the Southern States of America, one can engage in a sort of double talk, saying something that sounds sweet whilst delivering something pointed. Bless their heart. I have a post on creating your own language here.

Arts, Music and Craft

Many cultures are known for different styles of dance, their artwork and crafts. Art is a great part of culture, a way for people to express themselves and their culture in art form. Dance can be an integral part of culture, such as céilí dance in Ireland or the Polka in the Czech Republic. Handicrafts could also be important in culture, such as knitting in Scottish culture and Hebron glass in Palestine. Music is also close to culture, from traditional kinds of singing such as the White Voice in Ukraine and the playing of certain instruments such as the mvet.

Food and Diet

The way a culture prepares or intakes or treats certain foods are important to a culture. In some cultures, there is a diet yo adhere to, certain foods are completely banned. With Jewish culture, pork is prohibited along with fish such as sturgeon, along with shellfish and certain fowl. Meat must also be prepared in a certain way and animal byproducts such as dairy, must never be created or even eaten around this meat. This is known as kosher. The way one consumes food is also important to culture. In some cultures, only certain people may eat together. Some cultures place important on how food is eaten. In Nigerian culture, the oldest guests are served first usually the men before the women. In Japanese culture, one must say 'itadakimasu' (I recieve) before eating. Culture may also include fasting, periods of time one doesn't intake food for a specific reason.

What are some traditional dishes in your world?

What would be a basic diet for the common man?

What's considered a delicacy?

Is there a societal difference in diet? What are the factors that effect diet between classes?

Is there any influence from other cuisines? If not, why not? If so, to what extent?

What would a typical breakfast contain?

What meals are served during the day?

What's considered a comfort food or drink?

Are there any restrictions on who can eat what or when?

Are there any banned foods?

What stance does your world take on alcohol? Is it legal? Can anybody consume it?

Are there any dining customs? Are traditions?

Is there a difference in formal meals or casual meals? If so, what's involved?

Are there any gestures or actions unacceptable at the dinner table?

How are guests treated at meals? If they are given deference, how so?

storm prompts ˗ˏˋ ꒰ 🍊 ꒱

⋆ “you should’ve told me you were afraid of storms.”

⋆ “i can’t sleep either through it either. wanna talk?”

⋆ “calm down, i’m not leaving- i’m just going to grab another blanket.”

⋆ “seriously? you’ve lived here for how many years, and you still can’t find your way around without the lights on?”

⋆ “god, you’re freezing! come here, let me warm you up.”

⋆ “please forget every time i’ve ever been irate with you over your candle collection.”

⋆ “i don’t care if it’s red weather warning outside, if you try and warm your icy little feet on me one more time i’m kicking you out.”

⋆ "don't worry, i won't tell anyone that my big bad partner/roomate/xyz is afraid of a little thunder."

⋆ "shit, is the power out?"

⋆ "was that lightning?! that was definitely lightning, right?"

⋆ "come here, i'll keep you safe. swear."

⋆ "god, please don't choose now to be the time you tell me you're afraid of the dark."

⋆ "you can sleep in my bed, if it'd be of any help."

I call upon the fan fic writing gods to bless you with the perseverance to finish one of your unfinished drafts. 

May your fingers dance along the letters upon your device with ease, may the devil of distraction stay far from you, and may your work not need much editing.

I pass this blessing upon every fan fic writer out there.

"not too close!" - some sickfic scenarios for your otp

prompt list by @novelbear

gently placing a hand on their forehead periodically throughout the day to check for fever.

falling asleep almost everywhere because they're just so exhausted

"can i have another blanket?" "do you really think that's a good idea, love?"

remembering little details when shopping for them (certain brands of tissues that don't irritate their nose, flavors of cough drops/lozenges they prefer, etc.)

wincing when they speak for the first time after a while and their voice is so hoarse/rough

"what are you doing out of bed?" "for the love of god, i need to pee."

sacrificing their own comfort for the one that's unwell (ex: they usually need the a.c on at night, but they sleep without it to keep the other warm)

"if you're like this tomorrow, i'm calling the doctor."

massaging their head/stomach when in pain

protecting their peace when friends and family are around ("no, don't wake them! they're sick.")

giving in to anything they want because they feel terrible for how they're feeling

^ "can i have a popsicle?" "you really shouldn't..." "please?" "ugh fine.."

not letting the sick one move an inch.

"you're going to get sick if you keep coddling me." "and you're just going to get worse if i don't..."

"i don't deserve you." "yes you do, now go to sleep hon'."

Very brave of me to make a set of illustrations that's 90% hands

Anyway. This is about my personal theories/headcanons about the vision requirements

EDIT: I made a post elaborating on my theories/headcanons! Check it out if you wanna know a bit more :D

EDIT (again): Just so you know (bc ppl keep mentioning it in the tags), I am well aware Archons don't personally give out visions😅 The Archons' hands are supposed to be more symbolic, since it IS heavily implied they have a subconcious affect on who gets one, even if they don't actually have any active say in it

DUMPING ALL MY ABANDONED GOOD OMEN WIPS BECAUSE I DONT HAVE TIME TO FINISH IT!!!!!!!!!!

KOKAY BYEE

thinking about that post of people assuming ao3 has an algorithm and also about how bonkers persistent the view is that ao3 is social media lite. like with startling regularity I get comments saying something along the lines of "it's probably weird to comment on a fic this old--" no it isn't!!!! this is an archive I am literally just assuming you searched for a selection of specific tags or sorted by kudos or looked back on my pseud or any other number of completely normal ways to use an archive site ?? kill the tiktok ghost in your brain and comment on old stuff it's NOT weird

⋆˚࿔ august prompts 𝜗𝜚˚⋆

¹⁾ orange peels

²⁾ blood under fingernails

³⁾ glimmering pools of gasoline

⁴⁾ burnt coffee

⁵⁾ a martini glass

⁶⁾ jasmine perfume

⁷⁾ a knotted gold chain

⁸⁾ whiskey on someone’s breath

⁹⁾ blue lace trim

¹⁰⁾ a cornfield

¹¹⁾ an arm draped over shaking shoulders

¹²⁾ messy handwriting

¹³⁾ a chef’s white coat

¹⁴⁾ cherry pits

¹⁵⁾ a tie on a bedroom floor

¹⁶⁾ an overgrown garden

¹⁷⁾ boxer shorts

¹⁸⁾ sweet incense

¹⁹⁾ an early phone call

²⁰⁾ a chaise lounge in a dark room

²¹⁾ cheap cocktails

²²⁾ birthday candles

²³⁾ torn curtains

²⁴⁾ the snack aisle in a gas station

²⁵⁾ a riverbank after a storm

²⁶⁾ the radio shows on at 2 am

²⁷⁾ vermouth

²⁸⁾ a cold necklace against warm skin

²⁹⁾ ruined mascara

³⁰⁾ a home-cooked meal

³¹⁾ an orange-tiled shower

passing that single brain cell back and forth between them