Homesick:

Answers 1

So, I’m here, and I’m ready to answer all the questions you’ve asked me! (With the exception of a few questions about pronunciation I was asked a while back, as there were some unexpected roadblocks in that endeavor.) So not counting that, your questions total… none. Well, it’s to be expected. I’m an amateur writer, with a very small following, and I didn’t give any real advanced notice. Besides, it’s not like everyone that reads my series will have questions.

How about a quick overview of the seven races that live in Lewis’s little world?

 

So, let’s start with humans, why don’t we? You probably already know a lot about these folks, considering you likely are one if you can read this. However, you might be wondering how the other races view humans. Humans have the shortest lifespans, but also breed the fastest. The human realm is absurdly large compared to the others, but that’s only if you count the whole universe. Just counting Earth, the human realm is actually only a third of the size of the other realms. Humans are insanely creative, and are known to quickly adapt to unusual or unexpected circumstances. (Whereas the other races are more likely to fall into a panic.) They are also far more diverse. The other races are mostly the same when it comes to personality and abilities, but no two humans are quite the same. (Despite there being so many of them.) Although they don’t have too many outstanding or unique abilities (aside from their creativity), they don’t have any clear weaknesses either. Humans, alongside gremlins, are the only two races to be physically incapable of using magic. Lastly, humans are the only race that does not worship “The Nine.” (A pantheon of gods revered by most of the seven realms.) Even gremlins carry the tales of The Nines exploits close to their hearts, despite believing them to be fictional.

 

Gremlins. They are communal by nature, and love to be with others. There is simply no such thing as an introverted gremlin. Even thinkers love to spend time with others, although they prefer a mellow chat to a boisterous celebration. They instinctively want to please those that they view as superiors, and love praise. They care deeply about their fellow clan members, and instinctively broadcast pleasurable sensations over the “network.” Gremlins will instinctively approach problems using teamwork and numbers. It isn’t unusual to see dozens of standard gremlins working in harmony to solve even the most mundane of tasks. However, they can be skeptical of outsiders, as their inability to detect their emotions with the network makes them nervous. Finally, gremlins have an entertainment culture. Since they have no actual “needs” (aside from their need for a king), they spend almost all their time fulfilling “wants,” and place more weight on whims and desires than other cultures.

 

Dwarves are workaholics, who believe that manual labor is the meaning of life. More specifically, they believe that gold is capable of carrying “the spirit of labor,” and said spirit of labor is key to the afterlife. Through gold, the spirit of labor is transferred from person to person via any legal transaction. Theft or deceit cannot transfer the spirit of labor. Upon death, all of a dwarf’s belongings are given to the government, and used to pay workers for community services, imbuing it with a new spirit of labor. (Such as maintaining the caverns in which the dwarves live.) The spirit of labor can also be obtained by mining gold directly. (Although the gold ore is often exchanged for a near equal quantity of gold coins.) Dwarves have no concept of social class or white collar labor. All newborn dwarves are separated from their parents at birth and raised by government employed caretakers. As soon as they hit 20 (roughly equivalent to a 10 year old human in physical and mental development), they are expected to fend for themselves, usually by working in the mines or by growing moss and mushrooms. Dwarves hoard their gold with ferocity, always seeking to earn as much as possible and spend as little as possible. Although, they would never cheat someone out of their money by paying less, or asking for more than they thought something was worth to obtain or save said money. This is because doing so would be considered deceit, which would prevent them from gaining any spirit of labor at all, which is the entire point of their hoards. The reason dwarves want so much spirit of labor, is that it is believed to be the currency of the afterlife. A land of near infinite pleasure, where you can drink and be merry alongside Darron himself. However, when your spirit of labor runs dry, you reincarnate and must work once more. As a result, dwarves do nothing but work non-stop their entire ~240 year lives, breaking only for sleeping, eating, and the occasional tavern visit. Living a life of dedication until they finally collapse and die of exhaustion, ascending to their 3 century long weekend. (Or, at least, they hope it will last that long.)

 

Demons are a fearsome species, possessing incredible magical and physical power, and lacking any form of natural lifespan. They don’t need to eat or sleep, and they never get tired or scared. However, you wouldn’t think so if you talked to one. They are cheerful, fun-loving, and charismatic people, and would be completely harmless if it weren’t for one thing: “The game.” You see, demons hold the belief that having a fun life is infinitely more important than having a safe one. They also believe in an uncompromising freedom. The result? Bloody, chaotic, unstoppable, anarchy. People are murdered in the streets with startling regularity, people steal things so much currency is meaningless, and anything even resembling fidelity or chastity is looked at with utter confusion. Despite what others may say though, this doesn’t mean demons lack a concept of morals. They actually follow their ethical code quite vigorously. Demons enjoy having friends they can rely on, like to have more peaceful conversations at times, and most importantly: They have absolutely never harmed someone who wasn’t a part of “the game.” So, what is the game? A series of murders, thefts, and misdemeanors that span all the way from the start of the universe to the end of the world. Anyone, and I do mean anyone, who has ever committed what the demons see as an “evil” worthy of the game, is a part of the game. So beware thieves, murderers, and con-men, “for once you’re part of the game, no matter what happens; you can’t complain.”

 

Well, that’s enough for now. Next week, I’ll explain faeries, elves, angels, and the relationships between the seven races. Then, the week after that, I’ll explain The Nine in more detail. Assuming I don’t get enough questions, that is.

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Comments

  1. Beautiful writing. It drew me in immediately – to the extent that I probably will have to read the stories. You have an amazing grasp of the ‘human condition,’ even though that does not appear to be your intent. Can’t wait to see what comes next.

    1. Thank you!
      Unfortunately, only three of the seven races have had a chance to appear in the series. (Counting humans.) So I hope to somewhat remedy that problem with these Q&A posts.

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