Old Orchard Beach's Autistic Author, Artist, & Art Car Designer
Home of The Autism Awareness Car
Homepage for the Fantasy series: The Adventures of The Pink Necromancer, Quaraun The Insane -- ten MILLION copies sold and counting!
Founded in 1996, we are Maine's Oldest, Largest, & Most Trafficked Website.
Home to more than 10,000 articles aimed at helping young authors worldbuild, create characters, write novellas, edit manuscripts, design book covers, and self publish their work.
November 14, 2023 will be the 10 year anniversary of the November 14, 2013 murder of my 8 month old infant son, at BugLight Lighthouse Art Studio of Southern Maine Community College in South Portland, Maine. If you have any information about who his killer is, please call FBI Agent Andy Drewer at 207-774-9322
This website was started in 1996 and has 1 to 3 new articles (all written by me, I am the only writer on this site) published almost daily. In 2017 we crossed ten thousand articles published. As of 2023, EACH article gets MINIMUM 10 to 70 reads PER DAY, with the high traffic articles getting 500+ reads per day.
And since December 2019, my website now gets three hundred thousand to 7 million reads per month - well over ONE HUNDRED MILLION PAGE READS PER YEAR, making it not only the single most trafficked site in the State of Maine, but also one of the most visited websites in ALL OF NEW ENGLAND!
{{{HUGS}}} Thank you to all my readers for making this possible!
Now that we've reached 10,000 pages, it has become necessary to create a new method of indexing the pages, seeing how it's not possible to link 10,000 pages from the navabar... heck, I had trouble just linking the top 100 pages in the navabar! LOL!
Since moving to this new url in 2013, I've been linking the top 100 most visited pages in the navabar and then linking to everything else from them. As of October 15, 2017, that system is being replaced with this one, which, hopefully will make it easier for you to navigate around this massive site.
So, now I'm creating topic pages, which will contain this links to the pages, and I'll just link to the topic pages in the navabar instead. Hopefully this system of indexing the pages will make it easier for you to find the pages you are looking for.
Enjoy!
This page's topic is...
Fantasy World Building...
Writing Fantasy Books | World Building For Authors | The Zaharam-Chapelle-Parunas Ethnographical Questionnaire
If you enjoyed this page, don't forget to share it on social media (share links in the hovering sidebar to the left) or place a link to it on your own blog or website. Here is a code you can use on your site, just change the all cap parts to match the page you are currently read:
<a href="https://www.eelkat.com/INSERT-PAGE-URL-SLUG-HERE>INSERT PAGE NAME HERE</a>
Writing Fantasy Books | World Building For Authors | The Zaharam-Chapelle-Parunas Ethnographical Questionnaire
If you have never seen it before, you must go look at it immediately. It's wonderful.
I found it while searching for brainstorming ideas for world building. Every world builder should have access to this list. Every world builder should take this list and answer every single question about their world and see how well it is they really know the world which they have created.
This list is absolutely, positively amazing. I am so glad I found it. I mean, you know how much I love world building and answering questions and this is both of those activities rolled into one! Could anything be more perfect?
What the page is, basically is a massive set of questions to ask you characters about the world they live in. Cool. I figured it'd be a great exercise to use this against Quaraun world and see what we know about the world he lives in.
As there are too many questions to answer them all on one page and so many questions that it'll probably take me a few weeks at least to get around to answering them all, I'm making this page to index the questions, and as I answer them, I'll turn each of the questions into a link to the page where I answered it.
Who knows how long it'll take me to fill up this list and turn them all into links! LOL!
If you are building a world of your own, why not take these questions and answering them on your own site about your own world?
Need a place to share your pages with other authors? I got a FB Group just for that. Go ahead and join and post links to your books, author blogs, reddit posts, whatever else author related you have to share with us!
Writing Fantasy Books | World Building For Authors | The Zaharam-Chapelle-Parunas Ethnographical Questionnaire
The Space Dock 13 WebRing
What do you want to become? What did you do today to step closer to that goal? Whatever you do, be your best at it! And remember to have yourself a great and wonderfully glorious day!
If you ever made fun of or had any part in the destruction of my farm, and the illegal selling of half of my land to Colliard, you shall lose your land.
If you ever made fun of or had any part in my being homeless since 2006 - YES, I AM still homeless in 2023, you shall become homeless.
If you ever made fun of or had any part in the backhoe driving over my house, you shall lose your house.
If you ever made fun of or had any part in my car being cut in half, you shall lose your car.
If you ever made fun of or had any part in my becoming crippled, you shall lose your health.
If you ever made fun of or had any part in the murder of my son, your child shall die an equally horrible death.
Evil men go out of their way to try to drive a person to suicide.
Are you an evil man?
Are you sure you're not?
How many people have YOUR hate filled words killed?
Next time you go to do a mean thing to a fellow human, stop and really think about the consequences of your actions.
Did you ever notice how every one has a story to tell about me, yet not one of them ever speaks the truth?
What lies has YOUR gossiping tongue spread about me?
Did you know...
October 16, 2006, bomb blew up my house because of YOUR lies.
August 8, 2013, the house which replaced the one the bomb blew up, was driven over by a backhoe.
November 14, 2013, my 8 month old infant son was murdered because of your lies.
November 14, 2013, I was beaten up, paralized for 5 months, spent 18 weeks relearning to walk, I'm now crippled for the rest of my life, because of YOUR lies.
Are you proud of what you have done?
Enjoy your eternity in Hell. You earned it. You've certainly worked hard for it.
~EelKat
If you have any information about any of these events, please call FBI Agent Andy Drewer at 207-774-9322
Writing Fantasy Books | World Building For Authors | The Zaharam-Chapelle-Parunas Ethnographical Questionnaire
Just look at how many questions there are on this thing! A few hundred! Wow! I don't know where to start.
But you know what? With as many questions as came with that list, I think, there still ain't enough and I'm just gonna go ahead and add me some more.
The original questions are in the list format under each section title header. At the bottom of each section I've added a little double row grid box. Those are the extra questions I've added to this list.
In all, with the original questions and the extra additional questions I added to it, there are more than 1,000 questions on this page.
1,000 questions about world building.
1,000 questions to help you build your fantasy realm for your novel.
1,000+ questions on creating a fictional society that is as realistic lifelike and as diverse as the real world, to increase your readers' perception of the level of reality within your fictional world.
What you are looking at it the ultimate questionaire to help you build the ultimate planet for your fictional characters to live on.
Now, the list, as it is, is a list of questions, for you to answer about your own world. The questions which are active links to other pages, are my own answers to the questions. As I answer each question, I'll turn it into a link to the page where I answered the question, if you are interested in seeing how I answered them for Quaraun's world.
But first, let's find out who the characters are who live in this here world...
Do they like to eat vegetables? What vegetables grown locally? Which vegetables do they export? Which vegetables do they import? What vegetables is considered a rare seasonal delicacy? How often do they eat fresh vegetables?
Do the utensils they use to eat affect the kind or way they prepare the foods they eat?
Do they notice any differences in the way food is served at the table when they travel?
Do they think that food defines a culture? If so, how?
How does the etiquette of eating together in their country differ from other countries?
Do they like to eat meat? What meat grown locally? Which meat do they export? Which meat do they import? What meat is considered a rare seasonal delicacy? How often do they eat fresh meat?
Which food in this region is overpriced?
Do they like to eat fruit? What fruit grown locally? Which fruit do they export? Which fruit do they import? What fruit is considered a rare seasonal delicacy? How often do they eat fresh fruit?
What food do people like to see in a restaurant in this country?
Name a spice or flavoring that their country/region/city is known for.
Do they like to eat fish? What fish grown locally? Which fish do they export? Which fish do they import? What fish is considered a rare seasonal delicacy? How often do they eat fresh fish?
Which food from this region/country do outsiders like the least?
If they were invited to a fancy dinner with the president or a celebrity, what do people do to prepare?
Are they vegetarian?
Do they think that fruits and vegetables are good for their health? Why or why not? Do they use any fruits and vegetables to help them cure diseases?
What are the major religious groups in the region?
What are some of their core doctrines, dogmas, beliefs and practices?
What is the overall cosmology and eschatology in religious terms?
Is religion a cause of dissatisfaction, dissention or hostility in the region?
Are religious traditions and any scriptures oral or written in nature or a combination?
Is there a set canon of what consitutes officially sanctioned scripture?
How are scriptural / traditional exegesis accomplished and by what hermeneutics?
What is the role of myth within the religion?
Is there a formal creed or set of credal statements that define the faith?
What are typical symbols used in the religion and their meanings?
What ritual objects are used in the religion (relics, talismans, medals, charms, etc)?
What religious officials are there? Is there a formal clergy? How are they organised?
Are there monks, saints, faqirs, nuns, prophets, apostles, disciples, preachers, friars, shamans, martyrs, mystics, seers, vates, sages, ascetics, religious heroes, saviours, redeemers, etc?
What do people believe happens to them after death? How, if at all, can they influence this?
What happens to those who disagree with the majority on questions of religion?
Are there any particular places considered special or holy? What are they like?
Is there a set religious calendar? What are the most popular rituals or festivals?
Are there liturgical, meditative, and contemplative aspects to the religion?
What is the basic structure of the religion (unitary, dualistic, etc)?
What is the basic theology of the religion (i.e., monotheistic, polytheistic, henotheistc etc)?
What do people have to offer to their Deity or deities?
What do people want from their Deity or deities? How do they try and get it?
Are there differing denominations or sects of the religion?
How do their religious practices differ from their neighbours?
Are issues such as orthodoxy, heterodoxy, heresy and apostasy keys in the religious life?
What gender, ethnic, national or racial issues exist within the religion?
Is ecumenism engaged in, or are other traditions treated as adversaries or enemies?
What is the most commonly broken religious rule?
What is the least-violated religious rule?
How are such infractions punished? Is it possible to expel a community member?
How can an outsider join the religious community?
Does the religion send out missionaries? What role(s) do they play?
What factions exist within the dominant religious institutions? How do they compete?
Are the differing groups a result of schismatism or mutual and cooperative separation?
Are there monastic groups? What do they do and how are they organized? How do you join one?
Are there cult groups within the religious community?
How are those who follow different faiths treated?
What relationship do religious and political leaders have?
What superstitions are common? What kinds of supernatural events or beings do people fear?
What kinds of supernatural or othernatural beings exist in this religion (angels, demons, devi, asuras, spirits, ghosts, sprites, etc)?
How are dreams and visions encompassed by the religion?
How is religious action expressed (spontaneous or ritual liturgy, song, dance, music, ritual action, sex, miracle plays, etc)?
Extra questions of Faith I've added to this list.
(As my series revolves around the life of a wizard-priest, a Demon, and Elder god, and a group od cultists, I've added a lot of faith type questions to this list.)
Does Religion reflect cyclical or linear thinking?
What are Religion's effects on the health of the planet and of the person?
Does Religion preserve or destroy biodiversity?
Does Religion preserve or reduce ecosystem integrity?
What are Religion's effects on the land?
What are Religion's effects on wildlife?
How much, and what kind of waste does Religion generate?
Does Religion incorporate the principles of ecological design?
Does Religion break the bond of renewal between humans and nature?
Does Religion preserve or reduce cultural diversity?
What is the totality of Religion's effects, Religion's “ecology”?
I’m mad at God about war! Does that make God mad at me?
Does God love the enemy?
Does the Sacred Text say when the world will end?
Does God exist?
Who is God?
Is there an argument for the existence of God?
What is God?
What is the name of God?
What does the Sacred Text teach about the Trinity?
Is there a God?
Is God real?
What does Religion make?
Who does Religion benefit?
What is Religion's purpose?
Where was Religion produced?
Where is Religion used?
Where must Religion go when Religion’s broken or obsolete?
How expensive is Religion?
Can Religion be repaired? By an ordinary person?
Is God man-made? Did man create the idea of God?
Is it wrong if I don’t want the world to end?
What is God like?
How complicated is Religion?
What does Religion allow people to ignore?
To what extent does Religion distance agent from effect?
Can we assume personal, or communal responsibility for Religion's effects?
Can Religion's effects be directly apprehended?
What ancillary technologies does Religion require?
What behavior might Religion make possible in the future?
What other technologies might Religion make possible?
Does Religion alter one's sense of time and relationships in ways conducive to nihilism?
Is seeking God important?
How should I understand the concept of the Father God?
Is God a God of justice?
Is God Almighty?
Is God the Ancient of Days?
What is God's relationship to time?
Is God eternal?
Is God's love conditional or unconditional?
Does God let war happen?
If Jesus is God, and if God is omnipotent, why did the redemption of humankind require Christ’s torture and execution? Why would a God with limitless power not simply forgive man his sin?
You were born with a sin nature. Do you deserve Hell? If so, why would God choose an eternal (and agonizing) punishment instead of a finite one?
Does God allow the innocent to suffer?
Does God love everyone or just believers?
Is God sovereign, or do we have a free will?
What are the different names of God, and what do they mean?
Where was God on September 11th?
Doesn't God still perform miracles like He did in the Sacred Text?
Does God hear / answer the prayers of a sinner / unbeliever?
Does God love us?
Is it wrong for a married couple to have sex just for pleasure?
What is/isn't a believer married couple allowed to do, sexually?
How often should a married couple have sex?
Is it acceptable to God for a husband and wife to have sex while the wife is menstruating / having her period?
Should a married person have a close friend of the opposite sex?
What does the Sacred Text say about oral sex?
What does the Sacred Text say about BDSM?
Matthew 10:29 states that not even a sparrow will fall to the ground apart from God’s will. If God’s will is already guaranteed to be done, what purpose does prayer have?
Is God so different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament?
Is God / the Sacred Text sexist?
Does God demand, seek, or request that we worship Him?
Is God fair?
Did God command the extermination of the Canaanites?
Is God male or female?
What is YHWH? What is the tetragrammaton?
Is Jehovah the true name of God?
What does it mean to be in the presence of God?
If God is omnipresent, then what is special about being in the presence of God?
Is God holy, holy, holy?
Is it really true that ALL things are possible with God?
Does God expect us to have blind faith?
Is there any conclusive proof of God?
Is God a consuming fire?
Is God our Abba Father?
Is God Jehovah-Jireh?
Did God condone such terrible violence in the Old Testament?
What is an anthropomorphism?
How is the Trinity not tritheism?
Does God love me?
Does God hate me?
Does God killing people make Him a murderer?
Luke 12:7 declares that God is so intimately familiar with you as his child that he has numbered the hairs on your head. Psalm 121:7 says “The LORD will keep you from all harm--he will watch over your life.” Do you carry health insurance? Do you wear a seat belt while driving? Do you lock your doors at night? Do you own a firearm, taser or mace? If any of these apply to you, can you explain why such protective measures are necessary if you are guaranteed God’s omnipotent hand of protection?
Does God still speak to us today?
Does God allow natural disasters, i.e. earthquakes, hurricanes, and tsunamis?
What was God doing before He created the universe?
What is God's will?
What is the immutability of God?
Could God create a rock so heavy He could not lift it?
Does God refer to Himself in the plural in Genesis 1:26 and 3:22?
Does God require faith?
Does God help those who help themselves?
Does God allow birth defects?
Do you believe that the Sacred Text is the perfect, accurate and divinely-inspired Word of God? As the Sacred Text’s authors cannot be verified by sources outside of the Sacred Text, how do you know that this is true?
Does Scripture emphasize the right hand of God?
Does God have a physical body?
Can God sin? If God cannot sin, is He truly omnipotent?
Is God infinite?
Does God allow evil?
Where is God now? Where is God when it hurts?
Is it sometimes God's will for believers to be sick?
What is the key to truly knowing God?
How is belief in God any different from belief in a Flying Spaghetti Monster?
Why won't God heal amputees?
Is God cruel?
Is God imaginary?
In Matthew 16:28, Jesus declares to his disciples that he will come again quickly. “I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Yet the last of the disciples died 2,000 years ago. Why has Christ not fulfilled his promise?
Does God care about the little things that happen in our lives?
What does the Sacred Text mean when it calls God the "˜LORD of hosts'?
Does God get angry?
How should a believer respond to the characteristics of God?
What is the throne of God? Does God literally have a throne?
Does God works in mysterious ways?
Does God really forget our sins?
Why should I care if God exists?
Does God provides?
Is God not mocked?
What is the doctrine of the impassibility vs. passibility of God?
Does God allow people to be disabled / handicapped?
Was Yahweh originally a Edomite or Canaanite god?
Is God a megalomaniac?
Does God have free will?
Doesn't God heal everyone?
Did God create mosquitoes?
Does God refer to Himself as the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?
Is God an egomaniac?
What do LORD, GOD, Lord, God, etc., stand for in the Sacred Text? Why are they used in place of God's name?
Does God allow good things to happen to bad people?
Is it wrong to be angry with God?
Is it wrong to feel disappointment with God?
If God protects believers... why are there lightning rods on church steeples... and why does the Pope drive around in a bulletproof car?
Does Religion require, or institute a knowledge elite?
Is Religion totalitarian?
Does Religion require a bureaucracy for Religion's perpetuation?
What legal empowerments does Religion require?
Does Religion undermine traditional moral authority?
Does Religion require military defense?
Does Religion enhance, or serve military purposes?
How does Religion affect warfare?
Is Religion massifying?
Is Religion consistent with the creation of a global economy?
Does Religion empower transnational corporations?
What kind of capital does Religion require?
Does Religion serve community?
Does Religion empower community members?
Is Religion ugly?
Does Religion cause ugliness?
What noise does Religion make?
What pace does Religion set?
How does Religion affect the quality of life (as distinct from the standard of living)?
How does Religion affect one's perception of one's needs?
Is Religion consistent with the creation of a communal, human economy?
What are Religion's effects on relationships?
Does Religion undermine conviviality?
Does Religion undermine traditional forms of community?
How does Religion affect one's way of seeing and experiencing the world?
Does Religion foster a diversity of forms of knowledge?
Does Religion build on, or contribute to, the renewal of traditional forms of knowledge?
Does Religion serve to commodity knowledge or relationships?
To what extent does Religion redefine reality?
Does Religion erase a sense of time and history?
What is Religion's potential to become addictive?
Does God want freedom?
Does God like war?
Why are there so many wars in the Sacred Text?
Is baptism important?
Should we worship on Saturday or Sunday?
What values does Religion's use foster?
What is gained by Religion's use?
What are Religion's effects beyond Religion's utility to the individual?
What is lost in using Religion?
What are Religion's effects on the least advantaged in society?
What does the Sacred Text say about believer tithing? Should a believer tithe?
Is church attendance important?
Is God dead?
What are the attributes of God?
What are the communicable and incommunicable attributes of God?
Can monotheism be proven?
What is Theology Proper / Paterology?
Does God allow bad things to happen to good people?
Did God create evil?
What is the biblical understanding of the wrath of God?
What is Religion's impact on craft?
Does Religion reduce, deaden, or enhance human creativity?
Is Religion the least imposing Religion available for the task?
Does Religion replace, or does Religion aid human hands and human beings?
Can Religion be responsive to organic circumstance?
Does Religion depress or enhance the quality of goods?
Does Religion depress or enhance the meaning of work?
Is God omniscient?
Is God omnipresent?
Is God omnipotent?
Is God omnibenevolent?
Is God transcendent?
Does God love Satan?
Did God die? If Jesus was God, and Jesus died on the cross, does that mean God died?
Does God test us?
What does it mean to bless God?
Does God choose sides?
Is God really all-powerful? Omnipotent? Is it true that He can do anything? If this is the case, why has God not already defeated and destroyed Satan? Wouldn’t it have made more sense to conquer Satan before Adam and Eve could be tempted in the garden? Why do you think God is waiting?
Why was God so evident in the Sacred Text and seems so hidden today?
What should be a believer's response to a lack of sex in marriage?
What does the Sacred Text say about sex before marriage / premarital sex?
The conjugal family which consists of adult members among there exists sex relationship.
Premarital sex - why are believers so strongly against it?
Is it wrong for a believer to have a roommate of the opposite sex?
Is sexual purity so important?
Is sex a sin?
If an unmarried couple has sex, are they married in God's eyes?
What does the Sacred Text say about asexuality?
Does God punish us when we sin?
Is God a jealous God?
Who created God? Where did God come from?
How do I get the image of God as imposing and angry out of my mind?
Does God change His mind?
Has anyone ever seen God?
What does it mean to fear God?
Is it wrong to question God?
Is there anything God can't do?
Does God have a sense of humor?
In Genesis 22, God commanded Abraham to take his son, Isaac, to Moriah and sacrifice him with a knife upon an altar. Ultimately, God spared Isaac and revealed that this exercise was a test of faith. However, if God was truly omniscient (all-knowing), would he not have already known the measure of Abraham's faith? And wouldn't this edict have been traumatizing and cruel for both the parent and the child?
If God commanded you, as he did to Abraham in Genesis 22, to take one of your children and kill him/her upon an altar as a demonstration of your faith and obedience, would you do it? Can you explain what you might do in that situation?
What are Magic's effects on the health of the planet and of the person?
Does Magic preserve or destroy biodiversity?
Does Magic preserve or reduce ecosystem integrity?
What are Magic's effects on the land?
What are Magic's effects on wildlife?
How much, and what kind of waste does Magic generate?
Does Magic incorporate the principles of ecological design?
Does Magic break the bond of renewal between humans and nature?
Does Magic preserve or reduce cultural diversity?
What is the totality of Magic's effects, Magic's “ecology”?
What can magic users do?
Do they use tools, their body and/or sheer willpower?
Are there subtypes or specialties?
Is magic a born talent, a learned skill or both?
If there are races, which ones are most adept at magic and why?
Are there certain areas with high concentrations of magic? What happens in those areas, and how are people who inhabit those areas affected?
What does Magic make?
Who does Magic benefit?
What is Magic's purpose?
Where was Magic produced?
Where is Magic used?
Where must Magic go when Magic’s broken or obsolete?
How expensive is Magic?
Can Magic be repaired? By an ordinary person?
Besides killing them, what countermeasures can those without magical abilities take to prevent magic users from performing? (For example, silver shackles or handcuffs are often used to restrain werewolves).
If there are no countermeasures, why not?
Are there any circumstances where magic cannot be used? (For example, perhaps there are dead zones where magic does not function or certain holy days where magic is forbidden and/or unavailable).
Does Magic concentrate or equalize power?
Does Magic require, or institute a knowledge elite?
Is Magic totalitarian?
Does Magic require a bureaucracy for Magic's perpetuation?
What legal empowerments does Magic require?
Does Magic undermine traditional moral authority?
Does Magic require military defense?
Does Magic enhance, or serve military purposes?
How does Magic affect warfare?
Is Magic massifying?
Is Magic consistent with the creation of a global economy?
Does Magic empower transnational corporations?
What kind of capital does Magic require?
How complicated is Magic?
What does Magic allow people to ignore?
To what extent does Magic distance agent from effect?
Can we assume personal, or communal responsibility for Magic's effects?
Can Magic's effects be directly apprehended?
What ancillary technologies does Magic require?
What behavior might Magic make possible in the future?
What other technologies might Magic make possible?
Does Magic alter one's sense of time and relationships in ways conducive to nihilism?
Is there a ranking and/or caste system for different kinds of magic users?
Is there a specific form of address for magic users? (For example, knights and noblewomen would be addressed as Sir or Dame as a sign of their high status).
How does Magic affect one's perception of one's needs?
Is Magic consistent with the creation of a communal, human economy?
What are Magic's effects on relationships?
Does Magic undermine conviviality?
Does Magic undermine traditional forms of community?
How does Magic affect one's way of seeing and experiencing the world?
Does Magic foster a diversity of forms of knowledge?
Does Magic build on, or contribute to, the renewal of traditional forms of knowledge?
Does Magic serve to commodity knowledge or relationships?
To what extent does Magic redefine reality?
Does Magic erase a sense of time and history?
What is Magic's potential to become addictive?
What costs and limits affect the use of magic?
Are there personal costs like running out of energy or the possibility of physical/mental damage?
Are there societal restrictions like actual laws affecting magic use? What is the main goal of these laws? What are some of the consequences like for disobeying these laws?
How do magic users learn to control their powers and obey the above laws?
What values does Magic's use foster?
What is gained by Magic's use?
What are Magic's effects beyond Magic's utility to the individual?
What is lost in using Magic?
What are Magic's effects on the least advantaged in society?
Are there schools, like in Harry Potter?
Do they have one-on-one apprenticeships, like in Star Wars?
Do they teach themselves?
What is the relationship between magic, magic users, and non-magic users?
Is there prejudice, or general acceptance?
What aspect of the inner self does Magic reflect?
Does Magic express love?
Does Magic express rage?
What aspect of one's past does Magic reflect?
Does Magic reflect cyclical or linear thinking?
If there are more specific types of magic users, or races defaulting to magic use, how do magic users treat different magic users? Do they band together, have a friendly rivalry, or is there infighting?
How do families with magical ability treat those born with no magical abilities? How do families with no magical ability treat those born able to manipulate magic?
What gifts are considered appropriate or inappropriate for a wedding?
How are marriages celebrated?
What is considered too great a difference in age for a couple?
Do relationships allow multiple partners?
In what ways is a marriage considered broken?
How can a marriage be terminated?
Extra questions of Marriage I've added to this list. Because much of my series focuses on the polyamourose relationshiop of a bi-sexual transvestite main character, I've added a lot of questions to this section.
When should a believer couple seek marriage counseling?
What does it mean to be a godly wife?
What does it mean to be a godly husband?
What does the Sacred Text say about being a believer wife?
What does the Sacred Text say about an open marriage? Does the Sacred Text address polyamory/swinging?
What does the Sacred Text say about spousal/marital rape?
Should I tell my spouse about my pornography addiction?
What should be a believer's response to a lack of sex in marriage?
What does the Sacred Text say about a wife changing her last name at marriage?
What does it mean that a wife is supposed to be a helpmeet / help meet?
Is the divorce rate among believers truly the same as among non-believers?
If marriage is so difficult, why should I even consider it?
Is it possible to marry the wrong person?
Does the Sacred Text say anything about making a second marriage a success?
Does the Sacred Text say what is the proper age for marriage?
What does “what God has joined together, let no one separate” mean?
What biblical principles should be applied to a believer marriage ceremony?
What is the difference between dating and courting?
If an unmarried couple has sex, are they married in God's eyes?
How can I prepare myself for marriage?
How can I overcome feelings of rejection?
Should believers of different denominations date or marry?
What should I be looking for in a husband?
What should I be looking for in a wife?
Is born again virginity possible?
Is it possible to love a person without liking that person?
What does the Sacred Text say about asexuality?
What should I do if I cannot decide who I should be dating?
What are valid reasons for breaking up with a boyfriend/girlfriend?
How important is physical attraction when looking for a spouse?
Why is virginity so important in the Sacred Text?
What does it mean that iron sharpens iron?
Why is living together before marriage considered living in sin?
Why is sexual purity so important?
Should a believer wear a purity ring?
Does marriage concentrate or equalize power?
Does marriage require, or institute a knowledge elite?
Is marriage totalitarian?
Does marriage require a bureaucracy for marriage's perpetuation?
What legal empowerments does marriage require?
Does marriage undermine traditional moral authority?
Does marriage require military defense?
Does marriage enhance, or serve military purposes?
How does marriage affect warfare?
Is marriage massifying?
Is marriage consistent with the creation of a global economy?
Does marriage empower transnational corporations?
What kind of capital does marriage require?
What does the Sacred Text say about falling in love?
Is it wrong for a believer to have a roommate of the opposite sex?
Is it a sin to elope? What does the Sacred Text say about eloping?
Polygyny
Sororal polygyny
Non-sororal polygyny
Polyandry
Fraternal polyandry
Non - fraternal polyandry
Monogamy
Serial monogamy
Straight monogamy
Group Marriage
Endogamy
Exogamy
Isogamy
Anisogamy
Hypergamy
Hypogamy
Orthogamy
Cerogamy
Anuloma marriage
Pratiloma marriage
Marriage by exchange.
Marriage by capture is where a man forcibly marries a woman.
Marriage by intrusion is where a woman forcibly marries a man.
Marriage by probation allow a man to stay at woman place for weeks together after which if they decide to get married.
Marriage by purchase or giving bride price. A man is required to give an agreed amount of cash/kind to the parents of the bride as price which usually varies according to the physical beauty and utility of the bride.
Marriage by service is where the man serves at his father-in-law's house before marriage.
How do people get from place to place? Does this vary at all in different places?
Do people make long journeys? If so, what are they like?
Is there a public transport system? Who uses it? How much does it cost?
What are the roads like? How do they vary from place to place?
Do individuals or families own and use their own vehicles?
How safe and clean is the typical transport system?
What major fuels are used?
Apart from face to face, how do people communicate with each other?
Is there a postal service? How fast is it? How much does it cost to use? What restrictions are there on packet delivery? Does the post operate internationally? How likely is it that an article sent in the post will reach its intended destination?
What technical or mechanical means of communications exist?
Extra questions of Transportation and Communications I've added to this list.
Does Technology enhance, or serve military purposes?
How does Technology affect warfare?
Who makes laws?
Is Technology massifying?
Is Technology consistent with the creation of a global economy?
Does Technology empower transnational corporations?
Does torture serve community?
Does torture empower community members?
How does torture affect one's perception of one's needs?
Is torture consistent with the creation of a communal, people's economy?
What are torture 's effects on relationships?
Does torture undermine conviviality?
Does torture undermine traditional forms of community?
How does torture affect one's way of seeing and experiencing the world?
Does torture foster a diversity of forms of knowledge?
Does torture build on, or contribute to, the renewal of traditional forms of knowledge?
Does torture serve to commodity knowledge or relationships?
To what extent does torture redefine reality?
Does torture erase a sense of time and history?
What is torture 's potential to become addictive?
City Watch & Sheriffs
Is there a civilian police force, or is law enforcement the province of the military?
Is the police force a nationalised one, or are there multiple regional forces?
How militant or vigilante are they? Are they usually or ever armed?
What is the extent of their authority? Can they shoot you? Can they use magic? Can they torture or otherwise force a confession? Can they use telepathy?
Are there individuals or groups who are above the law?
Is there a secret police?
What is the role of police informants, if any?
Extra questions of City Watch & Sheriffs I've added to this list.
As there are now more then 100 articles for this series, it now has it's own index page on which to list them all, as there are just too many to keep adding them to this end of article list. You can find the complete listing of all the World Building articles here now:
*UPDATE: ADDED November 7, 2013 -
I suppose one thing I should point out at this point, before we go any
farther, is my use of the word fantasy throughout this series. The bulk
of this set of articles was written 7 years ago in April of 2006, parts of it appearing on EK's Star Log and other parts of it appearing on my personal Squidoo account. In the 7 years since writing this I've received hundreds of emails regarding it. A common question asked being: "Why do you talk of building a fantasy world if you don't write Fantasy?"
ANSWER: Fantasy with a capital "F" is the name of a type of fiction, in other words Fantasy is a genre. I do not write Fantasy fiction of the Fantasy genre, that is correct. I do however create fantasy realms for my Science Fiction and Horror works. I write Dark Fantasy, which is a sub-genre of Horror and Space Fantasy which is a sub-genre of Science Fiction.
Did you see it? No? Let me point it out: I write about fantasy worls as the exist in Horror and Sci-Fi but I do not write about fantasy world as they exist in Fantasy Fiction.
If it is not real it is fiction, if it exists only in fiction it it fantastical, if it is fantastical it is a fantasy item, because it is not a real item, however being fantastical does not make it part of the Fantasy genre, just as not everything in the Fantasy genre is always fantastical in nature.
The word "fantasy" with a lower case "f" is a word that means "not real" and has nothing to do with the Fantasy genre (capital "F") at all. And therefore when I say "fantasy realm" I mean a world that is NOT the Earth on which you and I live on in the real world, and am in no way, shape, or form referring to the Fantasy genre.
The methods I use to create my fantasy realms can be applied to ANY genre: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Horror, Romance, Western, etc.
2013 World-Building Series UPDATE:
Due to issues with content scraping, outright plagiarism, some of my articles appearing on OTHER Squidoo member accounts without my permission, and many of my "Squidoo articles" being stolen off Squidoo and posted without my permission on various blogs and sites including Wikipedia and Helium; all of my articles are in the process of being removed from Squidoo.
This series of World Building articles in one that has been heavily plagiarized over the years and as of September 2013, it can only OFFICIALLY be found here on EelKat.com - if you find it posted elsewhere, know it was stolen and I am not receiving royalties for it.
2014 Update:
As you know, or not, Squidoo owners Bonnie and Kimberly-Dawn stole thousands of Squidoo articles from Squidoo members, and tried to pass them off as their own, resulting in the lawsuit against Squidoo owners for the theft of tens of thousands of articles.
More than 100 of my articles were transferred off my Squidoo account and moved to Bonnie's account,
I am shocked and flabbergasted at what these 2 women have done. That they thought they could get away with stealing so many articles from so many authors! Buying Squidoo from Seth Godin, did not give then the rights to our articles and these two horrible women had no right to delete them off of our member accounts and republish them on their own accounts, trying to pass them off as their own.
More then 100 Squidoo authors have gathered together in lawsuit against Squidoo owners, Bonnie and Kimberly-Dawn. The result of that is, Bonnie and Kimberly-Dawn, to avoid their asses being sued to hell and back, have now transferred the Squidoo lenses back to their original owners and deleted the entire Squidoo website.
Squidoo is officially gone. It exists no more. Squidoo is dead. Most Squidoo writers have opted to move to Hub Pages as HubPages has bought the remaining shambles of what is left of Seth Godin's Squidoo after Bonnie and Kimberly-Dawn massaquered it in their article stealing frenzy.
While I do have a HubPages account and my remaining Squidoo Lenses can be found there temporarily, they are being moved here and deleted off HubPages as I move them
April 2017 UPDATE:
As of now, all on my 600+ Squidoo pages are now moved here to EelKat.com and no more are remaining on HubPages.
I am wondering why has Amazon moved the Quaraun books to the category "Transgender Romance" and also "Gay Erotica"? The base story is a deeply depressed, suicidal, drug addict Elf who's lover commit suicide and he's trying not to do the same. It's an old Elf in a tavern, monologuing a lot of flashbacks and back story scenes of his youth. These stories are dark, bloody, angsty, full of drug use, murder, rape, Medieval torture, mental/physical/emotional abuse, and references to depression and suicide - no romance in it, unless you count the occasional (and usually brutally violent) rape scenes that show up in nearly every volume - sorry - no clue what Amazon is thinking or why they moved these to Romance and Erotica, but these books are NOT even close to being Romance or Erotica on any level at all. When I published these books I put them in "Dark Fantasy" and "Yaoi". If they show up in any category other then "Dark Fantasy" and "Yaoi", it's because Amazon put them there without my authorization or approval.
The 4 door white truck continues to sit at the end of my drive way (146 Portland Ave, Old Orchard Beach, Maine) near every night around sunset, reeving it's engine and squealing it's tires, with the driver yelling anti-gay threats and obscenities out the window. He continues to do the same thing at my dad's apartment building (Biddeford Maine) a few times a week, usually in mid to late afternoon time. He continues to follow me to shopping to various stores in various towns throughout the states.
Phrases he yells from the truck include:
"Kill or be killed remember Saco Shaws all transsexuals are alike"
"I keep a gun under the seat of my truck, I'm gonna use it to shoot you in the head, you transvestite freak"
if cars are going by he yells to them: "that thing is Ken's son, look at how's it's dressed; it's insane, it has autism, we can't allow that thing and it's gay cars in our family friend town of Old Orchard Beach"
He often babbles deranged ramblings about something he calls "the gay-pocalypse", raving lunacy about how "all the gays are gathering" on his doorstep. He raves some crazy nonsense about how Armageddon is coming and the war to end all wars will be "the gays against the Christians" and Christians have to be ready to "kill the gays"
My car is the Autism Awareness Car and had 2.5million marbles glued to it (I have Autism - savant - Kanner's syndrome) he claims tat my car "is gay" because of what it looks like. My car has been vandalized several dozen times, including to have the tires slashed 7 times in 6 months.
After dark often around 10PM, he stands at the end of the logging road across the street from me and shoots at my motohome (in February 2014 he shot holes in my neighbour's barn while doing this). I have video footage of 3 of his shootings at me here: https://youtu.be/NUebzJ9sz9U and here: https://youtu.be/C4dZbgG-Smw
This has gone on since August 2013 now, in addition to all the vandalism, hate crimes, pet beheadings, etc that has happened, including the bomb that blew up our house in 2006.
As you know, that whole time I had not been able to get a plate number on the truck. He as just here again, and I just realized why I could not get a plate number... there are no plates on the truck, either on the front or on the back. However, as he was driving away today... I noticed, there is a plate, stuck up in the back window of the truck, where it can barely be seen, deliberately obscured from view behind a silver tool box.
If You Like The Quaraun Series You Might Also Like:
Writing Resources I Use When Writing The Quaraun Books: