Worldbuilding the Eldred part two of five
The second in a five part series on Worldbuilding the Eldred race.
Using Ideas that change everything I applied it to the Eldred race. What we know about the eldred is that they were romantic dreamers and explorers with a passion for life that was almost wiped out in the war against the Slavern. Postwar Eldred have taken very pragmatic approaches to their survival, the mandatory period of conscription in the postwar navy has created as many highly qualified merchant captains as it has infamous pirates.
The Eldred aren’t Tolkien Elves,they aren’t aloof from the affairs of the galaxy, they aren’t one of the older spacefaring races and their way of life was nearly destroyed very recently. The original Eldred people were an ash grey stock, as they moved into the stars the long voyages tinged some explorers with a yellow pallor. One of the first colonies brought on a freakish but harmless purple color, the scientists sent to study the phenomenon were themselves affected. As the best and brightest chose to stay in their adopted new home a culture of science and learning developed and the home of the purples became home to innovation. Most of the colonies developed a warmer tan skin tone under different suns and atmospheres. A culture of pseudoscience and dietary restrictions trying to avoid everything that was discoloring the new colonists lead to a very pale subculture on the homeworld. A freak and unpredictable event (a toxic gas released by asteroid collision) on a remote colony lead to people turning red with very unstable neurological changes. In a broken mirror image of the problems on the purple homeworld, the military ships sent to contain the reds were almost immediately converted themselves. The reds call themselves Crimson Elves.
The Eldred Admiralty are somewhat inspired by the British Navy of the Age of Sail era. As mentioned below the Admiralty must come to terms with changing their at all costs wartime strategies to one that judiciously spends the lives they are sworn to protect. Another theme is how do you manage a growing colony of individuals, there aren’t any natives to exploit and you don’t run it quite like a business when the workforce and the product are one in the same.
| Idea | Eldred |
| Cannibalism | Primitively long ago |
| Signs Symbols | The Eldred recognize Language |
| Illusion | The practice of Deception, Renaissance |
| Pacifism | After the Slavern war the Eldred adopted a mandatory period of conscripted service. The roles for pacifists in their society are very limited. |
| Animism | Primitively long ago |
| Vision Quests | Primitively long ago, the Dreamer’s Draught is a hot beverage made from a mixture of psychedelic drugs that was often used to conjure visions. During the war a non hallucinatory Draught was created to keep crew awake without the jitters of a stimulant. The basic recipe varies from crew to crew. |
| Magic | Primitively long ago |
| Mana | Primitively long ago |
| Orderly Universe | Primitively long ago |
| Timekeeping | The practice of modern Timekeeping, dates back to the Eldred Renaissance. |
| Ceremonial Burial | Very Old Tradition |
| Buried Wealth | Very Old Tradition |
| Dynastic Inheritance | Very Old Tradition, the shakeup of the war destroyed many old power structures. People still pass wealth to their children. |
| Restricted Diet | Various Traditions existed among the free people and though rations were somewhat standardized during the war, the postwar colonies are planting crops and cooking meals according to older traditions and some new alien influences. |
| Interbreeding | Very Recent Concept, the science of genetics AND the bizarre effects of planets environments on Eldred skin colors have created some odd cultural beliefs and pseudoscience. |
| Artistic Expression | Very Old Tradition |
| Astrology | Very Old Tradition |
| Good and Evil | Very Old Tradition, the Eldred people did many unsavory things during the war and has left many questioning their actions and others firmly in the ends justify the means camp.
The Eldred people were on a total war footing and now that the war is over they have to adjust to civilian life as well as the Admiralty has to reconcile the fact the only resource they have to spend to protect their people is the very thing they are supposed to be protecting. |
| Black Magic | Very Old Belief |
| Animal Magic | Primitively long ago |
| Ritual Feasting | AVery Old Tradition |
| Trade | Very Old Tradition |
| Sacrifice | Primitively long ago |
| Portents | Primitively long ago |
| Agriculture | Very Old Tradition |
| Cities | Very Old Tradition |
| Hard Work | Very Old Tradition |
| Goddess Worship | Primitively long ago |
| Women’s Equality | Modern Tradition, the pre-war Eldred were a liberated people with strong views on equality. The war only crystalized those views into practical matters. |
| Massacre | Very Old Tradition |
| Writing | Very Old Tradition |
| Government | Very Old Tradition |
| Divine Right | Primitively long ago |
| One World Government | Modern Tradition that was transitioned to local autonomy for the colonies and mutual support among the Eldred aligned worlds. The older more developed worlds bemoan the expense of defending new colonies, but undefended territory is what invited the Slavern invasion in the first place so they send ships. |
| Marriage | Very Old Tradition, the Eldred were explorers with wanderlust, marriage included a range of possibilities from arranged marriages to elopement. |
| Law | Very Old Tradition |
| Honor Code | Various Traditions including dueling. |
| Allow Surrender | Various Traditions |
| Compassion | Various Traditions |
| Oaths | Various Traditions |
| Obligations | Very Old Tradition |
| Pride | Very Old Tradition |
| Individualism | Modern Tradition, though certain individuals were honored before the modern era such as the age of exploration, war heroes and holo-news have raised the stature of certain individuals. |
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Paul
Evilrobotgames at Gmail.com