Frequently Asked Questions - Settings FAQ

[ryslighelpers]

◉ NAVIGATION ▼

SETTINGS FAQ

We have tried to cover the general vibe and broad strokes of the setting in these FAQs, and we encourage you to ask questions if you are unsure of something. However, we are very aware that Ryslig is a large game with a lot of lore and history, and we do not and will not expect players to know every detail! (Honestly, even the mods don't)

Please do not feel that because a topic or detail isn't covered in these FAQs, you can't use it! We are happy for players to play fast and loose with the setting, to assume things about the peninsula, to create their own NPCs, and to generally fudge the details. As long as it doesn't directly contradict anything below, and as long as it doesn't seem like a huge, world-breaking change to the setting, go for it! The Setting FAQs are guidelines, not hard and fast rules, and in general we encourage players to take ownership of the setting, including monster designs and NPCs, and shape their character's surroundings in a way that's fun to play and helps to move threads forwards.

If you would like to know more about the lore of this game, and what sort of information is available to characters, you can find more information regarding our stance on this in the August 2023 announcement.

If you don't see your question answered here or in the General FAQs, you can also check the player-made FAQ database (thank you, Nico!) to see whether someone else has asked it in the past. If you still have a question that hasn't been answered, you can always ask it using the comments on this post. However, we do ask that you check the FAQ database first, to avoid confusion and extra work for the mods. Thank you!

OVERALL VIBES What kind of place is Ryslig? In general, the Ryslig peninsula takes inspiration from Scandinavia and Northern Europe in its aesthetics, culture, and climate. Although there are cultural differences between the different locations, overall the level of technology and culture is roughly equivalent to 1950s Europe–although after almost a decade of outsiders coming into the peninsula, this has shifted a little, and some technologies and fashions from other worlds have started to permeate Ryslig’s population. [back to top] What's beyond the peninsula? Absolutely nothing. The outside of the peninsula is shrouded in fog, and any monster who travels into it will find themselves getting turned around and back where they started - that is, if they don’t drown in the ocean or freeze in the high mountains. Flying upwards will also not provide an escape. Eventually, monsters will reach a point where the air is too thin to breathe and will lose consciousness. Monsters who do not need to breathe will still pass out above a certain point, although they may not know why. By land, monsters can reach some areas in the deeper fog, the so-called "Wastelands". These areas are populated only by feral, mindless monsters - closer to a fog form than to the shapes most monsters on the peninsula take - and the fog is thick and poisonous, driving monsters to greater and greater hunger the longer they linger. [back to top] How big is the peninsula? The peninsula is around 100 miles (160km) end to end. Most of the cities are around 20-30 miles apart, or a solid day’s walk. [back to top] How do I get around? Ryslig has a fairly robust public transport system, at least in the cities, with buses, trams, and trains all commonplace. Take a taxi, or rent an automobile - just remember that the 1950s level of technology still holds here, so the cars may not go quite as fast or quite as smoothly as you’re used to. Some monsters may also have the ability to teleport, use travel forms, or fly. Flying monsters will be glad to know that they have the airspace mostly to themselves, as planes and helicopters are extremely rare in Ryslig - the only aircraft are one- or two-seaters, have a low altitude range, and are the preserve of the ultra-rich. [back to top] Is there a language barrier? There is no innate language barrier. By default everyone can understand each other, but deliberately using another language than your first would still work - for instance, a character whose first language was English could choose to use Spanish instead, and it would not necessarily be understood by non-Spanish-speakers. Deaf or mute characters can use sign language, and this will be instinctively understood by the people around them. The written word is in an alphabet that everyone immediately understands. [back to top] What calendar does Ryslig use? The month and day are the same as in our own world. The year is counted (according to the locals) from the abolition of the monarchy, around 160 years ago. You can calculate the year by subtracting 1860 from the current Earth year - for example, when it’s 2022 here, it would be 162 in Ryslig. Ryslig does not celebrate the same festivals and traditions as any other world, although there has been some bleed-through of celebrations over the years. The main Ryslig festival is Nattensfest (a December festival celebrated with feasting and giving presents), but other festivals are also celebrated. [back to top] What's the currency? A solar is made up of 100 crescents. For the sake of simplicity, assume that prices in solars and crescents are roughly equivalent to prices in current U.S. dollars (solars) and cents (crescents) - no need to consider inflation! [back to top] Why is the sky... weird? There are strange things about the night sky in Ryslig. The stars… move a lot. They seem to be in different positions every night, and there are very few constellations to speak of. Looking at the sky for too long, be it by night or day, fills you with a strange, unnameable dread. If you speak to locals, or to monsters who have been here a long time, you may be told that this is all due to the Sea of Stars, a mysterious place above Ryslig. What exactly the Sea of Stars is, nobody knows, but there are stories that it is filled with… bodies? That newcomers to Ryslig are somehow brought through or from the Sea of Stars, and that it has something to do with how monsters resurrect. Nobody knows what is above the Sea of Stars, if anything, and nobody has ever successfully passed through it. [back to top] What's up with the graveyard? There is a large graveyard outside of Bavan which is exclusively filled with monsters. Or… their headstones, anyway. This graveyard holds gravestones for characters who were previously in Bavan, but who have disappeared (i.e., characters who were dropped in the past). Characters who die normally will not appear in the graveyard. As such, the graveyard is a place where monsters may come to grieve those who they have lost. However, be wary! Spending too much time in the graveyard causes characters to become drowsy and disoriented, and can, at times, cause them to fall into a deep and dreamless sleep for days or weeks at a time. This even affects monsters like nephilim who may not usually sleep. Characters who have died may also resurrect here, but they will not have a gravestone. (In other words: the graveyard is a mechanism for characters to discover their CR has dropped, a place where your character can go if you want an IC explanation for a hiatus, and an optional place for your character to resurrect if you don’t want them to wake up where they died.) [back to top] GODS AND RELIGION Who are the gods of Ryslig? Ryslig is ruled over by two major, warring powers: the Fog God, and the Fourth God. The Fog God has historically had the upper hand, being the older of the two and, for a long time, the unchallenged ruler of Ryslig. She is the one responsible for bringing characters into Ryslig, and for their transformations into monsters. She has no physical form, but often takes the form of mist, shadowy figures, or a voice whispering gently in your ear. Her seat of power is Dyster, a town dedicated to her worship and populated by fog and ghosts (and also her followers, who get an apartment there as part of the deal). You can pray to the Fog through this page (threads are capped at three replies). The Fourth God (sometimes called Elias by those in the know) is a relative newcomer to the scene. He is a young boy, with all the immaturity and sometimes skewed priorities that entails. His powers tend to show themselves in ways connected to computers, games, and technology, and he typically communicates with his followers through the network, or by hijacking TV or radio broadcasts. His seat of power is the Arcade, a space filled with all kinds of TV and games, and staffed by robots. You can pray to the Fourth through this page (threads are capped at three replies). Both gods are constantly trying to build their armies against one another, and will offer certain benefits to monsters who pledge allegiance to them and work on their behalf. They especially love monsters who act against the followers of the opposing god, and will reward acts of war with special consideration. You may hear talk of other gods, too - the Day God, the Night God, or other minor deities without names. Whether they are still around, or anything to be concerned about… It’s probably fine. Don’t worry about it. [back to top] What does the Fog want? The Fog God stands for freedom, chaos, and doing whatever you want. At least, for monsters. More than that, though, she hates humanity, blaming the people of Ryslig for the war that destroyed so much of the peninsula and led to her killing her siblings, the Day and Night Gods. She is open about this hatred, and about the fact that part of her reason for bringing characters to Ryslig and turning them into monsters is to punish the human population. She views the Fourth God as an usurper, and a thief of her power, and wants him destroyed. However, this is not her only priority. Her bigger goal is to build a world of monsters, and punish the people of Ryslig for their transgressions. She considers the monsters of Ryslig to be her children, although because of her inhuman nature, she often treats them more like pets or toys. She loves them, though - in her way. [back to top] What does the Fourth want? The Fourth God, also called Elias, was originally human, but was turned into a god in a gambit to create a being strong enough to combat the Fog’s power over the peninsula. His hatred for the Fog and her followers was sharpened by years of imprisonment at his father's hands, shaping him into a weapon against the Fog's power. Above and beyond anything else, he wants the Fog taken down, and all her followers destroyed. He wants control over the peninsula, and is willing to go to any length to get it. He can be capricious, spiteful, and distant, and dislikes being questioned or disobeyed. Still, he'll happily be your friend if you play with him - provided you play by his rules. [back to top] Who were the Day and Night Gods? The Day and Night gods were the Fog God’s siblings. Before the god war, the three gods ruled together. Nobody knows quite what happened to cause the rift between them, but some time ago, the three siblings clashed in an immense power struggle, destroying or cutting off most of the world. This war ended with the Fog victorious, killing her siblings and absorbing (most of) their power as she took full control of the peninsula. However, some remnants of the Night and Day gods remain, in small pockets of power and the creations they left behind. [back to top] What does religion look like in Ryslig? Even now, the Day and Night Gods are the primary focus of Ryslig’s religions. Traditionally, they are both worshipped as halves of a whole, which must be held in balance to keep the Fog God - who is generally considered a malicious force - at bay. The Day God, in these faiths, represents things like life, creation, prosperity, and strength. The Night God represents things like protection, self-reflection, meditation, and endurance through tough times. The various churches and sects of the Day and Night enforce a range of rules and cultural expectations, with some being stricter than others and most being common-sense things like “don’t murder” and “love thy neighbour”, but all of them agree that cannibalism is the greatest sin of all, and eating human flesh aligns you with the Fog God. Of course, the god war did have some effects on how this faith is practised. There are apocalyptic sects which view Ryslig as already having sunk into irredeemable depravity, and other groups who consider monsters to be like demons sent by the Fog. There are also a lot more people who view the whole thing in a more metaphorical light, and will tell you that the Day and Night gods are less real deities, and more of a state of mind. Finally, many people have abandoned religion altogether, or practise it as a cultural tradition without actually believing the underlying faith. Equally obviously, new religions have arisen to reflect the very real and provable presence of the Fog and the Fourth. Both gods have their own human cults and followers, scattered through the peninsula. [back to top] LOCALS AND NPCS How many people live in Ryslig? Ryslig is not large, but it is not tiny, either, and Bavan and Vandare are both large cities with large human populations. Overall, the population of Ryslig is in the millions, and Bavan alone accounts for hundreds of thousands of souls. [back to top] How do local humans feel about monsters? Shockingly, they’re usually not that happy about the inhuman creatures who feast upon their friends and neighbours. Ultimately, the monsters are predators and the locals are the prey, and they are all brutally aware of that. As a result, with very few exceptions, local humans will approach monsters with care and caution, and are afraid of them. This can express itself in a lot of ways, depending on the person. Some people deal with their fear by trying to get on the monsters’ good side, offering freebies and help as much as they can in hopes of protection. Others are sullenly mistrustful, avoiding monsters where possible but not actively acting against them. Still others are determined to rid the peninsula of its unwelcome guests, and will hunt monsters or attack them when they see them. Having said that, there have been monsters in Ryslig for several years now, and the population has begun to adapt. Some monster businesses may gain a reputation as being safe for human customers, and see local custom as a result. Particularly in Bavan, monsters are no longer a novelty, and are just one of the (dangerous and horrifying) normal parts of life in Ryslig. They show up in TV shows and books, and are often considered exotic and exciting as much as they are terrifying. This also accounts for the still-thriving black market in monster parts, and the poachers who feed it. They are less organised and more underground than they were a couple of years ago, having been decimated by the monster population, but there are still plenty of enterprising monster hunters out there turning a profit by trapping monsters and, ah… stripping them for parts. [back to top] How do local humans feel about the gods? Again, this depends on the human in question, where they live, and what their religious beliefs are. However, in most cases, the Fog and her followers are viewed with suspicion and mistrust. Views on the Fourth vary a lot more, with some people considering him an unnatural god who’s no better than the Fog, while others quite reasonably point out that only one of the two actively wants them to suffer and die. [back to top] Do I need to worry about local law enforcement? For the most part, human law enforcement keeps itself out of monster matters. This is practical, as much as anything: it’s hard to recruit police officers when they know they’ll have to go up against a berserking troll, or a soul-eating demon. The local human legal system has washed its hands of monsters. They won’t protect you, but they won’t come after you, either. Some characters, however, have tried to develop their own law enforcement to keep their fellow monsters in check. This culminated in the creation of La Forteresse, a specially-designed monster prison which dampens powers and is almost impossible to break out of. [back to top] Who is Mana? Mana is a witch of sorts, who can be summoned a maximum of once a month to grant a character’s wish, in exchange for the mysterious coins that appear under characters' pillows. Want something from home? A new power? A change of monster type? Mana is the one to help. Unfortunately, while she’s always keen to help, she’s not always the best at interpreting requests. It doesn’t seem to be malicious, but she quite often misunderstands or gets things wrong, and may end up giving you… not quite what you asked for. Ryslig veterans may remember that Mana wasn’t always the one in this role. Some years ago, she took over from Tikabalang, the horse-headed creature who used to serve the same purpose. Compared to her, he generally isn’t remembered with great fondness - but he is remembered. [back to top] What are the Kulen parasites? Kulen is a small village in the south of Ryslig. Once known for its insular and strongly religious population, it is now more widely known for the hive of strange, bug-like parasites which has moved into the area. These parasites are enthusiastic students of culture, although not particularly good at interpreting what they see. They share a hive-mind and serve their Queen (as they will tell you at every opportunity), and they seem to want to learn new ways to do so. They enjoy parties (which you may be “invited” to in the form of a kidnapping), celebrations, and deep-frying things which probably shouldn’t be eaten. They mean well. Apparently. [back to top] Who were the Tågevalgten? The Tågevalgten were a cult which briefly colonised the ruined town of Rota, led by an enigmatic woman who called herself Tage. They worshipped the Fog God, and believed that becoming a monster was a sign of salvation. As such, they took drastic steps to make themselves resemble monsters - tattooing, scarifying, and costuming themselves to represent a monster they felt they were destined to become - in the apparent belief that showing their devotion might convince the Fog God to truly accept them into her ranks and transform them. In keeping with this belief, they also ate human flesh and hated all other humans. Believing monsters to be divine, they were often enthusiastic to be eaten, considering this to be the next best thing to transformation. The Tågevalgten largely collapsed after Tage herself overplayed her hand and was killed by the Fog God. However, there are a few stragglers of the cult still remaining, hiding out in Rota and doing who knows what. [back to top] What's up with the poachers? Monster body parts are rare, and like any rare resource, there is a thriving black market for them. This, along with the parts of the population who hate monsters enough to risk hunting them, has led to an underground network of poachers who specialise in capturing or killing monsters for their parts. If you’re lucky, they will kill you first. If not, you’re in for a long captivity as they take piece after piece of your body. The poachers are less organised and less of a threat than they once were, but still very much present. So is their work - you may see high-end Bavanites showing off an illicit naga-skin jacket, or a necklace made of real vampire teeth. [back to top] LAPTOPS AND THE NETWORK How does my character use the network? All characters are given a laptop when they arrive. This laptop is solar-powered (think of the old calculators you might have had at school!) and quite a bit more advanced than most of the native technology, thanks to the Fourth God’s influence and work by characters from more technologically-advanced worlds. [back to top] What do our laptops look like? Like this! They’ll probably seem a bit clunky and old-fashioned to modern users, but they work well enough. Thanks to their solar power, they do not need to be plugged in to work, and the battery never seems to run down. They have full colour display, and come with nifty, cutting-edge features like: On-screen navigation! A (low-resolution) webcam! A trackpad! A built in speaker and microphone! 12 color options! Cool, right? Curious about what posts on the network look like? There’s a run-down here. [back to top] Can I post pictures/audio/video? Yes! The transfer rate is lousy, so your pictures and videos will be very low-quality (think dial-up internet from the 2000s), but multimedia content can be posted to the network. It will appear as a link to an external file, which characters can then download and open. [back to top] Does my character get to choose their own username? Your character will be assigned a network username the first time they log into the network (you, as the player, can choose whatever name you want - this is a great opportunity if you want to give your character a username they wouldn’t choose themselves). They can either choose to post under this name, or change their username to something they prefer. Usernames can be changed at any time, allowing characters to disguise their identity by using another handle. To make this kind of thing clear, it is common for comments on the network to put the character’s current username in the subject line, although this is not a requirement. [back to top] How private is the network? If you post to the main network, anyone with a connection can see it. That means every monster on the peninsula has access to your post, as well as both gods. Want to be a bit more secret? With a little finagling, characters might work out that it’s possible to private a comment or post. This will hide it from prying eyes, although it isn’t entirely secure. Nobody has quite confirmed, for example, whether the gods can still see it. Alternatively, you could message someone through their private inbox channel. This works like an IRC channel (if you remember those!) - you have to know their channel ID, which is a number that characters can give out, and then you can message them anything you like, and they’re the only one who can see it. (Again: probably. We can’t be sure. The gods’ eyes are everywhere.) [back to top] Can we talk to local humans on the network? No. Only monsters and monsters-to-be have access to the network, since they are the only ones with the laptops. [back to top] What other programs are available? The laptops come with a few applications pre-installed: The RSDOS network client, and an additional inbox application for your private channel MoonNote, a text notes application, which allows you to write, format, and save text files to your laptop. MoonPresent and MoonTable, applications similar to Powerpoint and Excel respectively. Scribble, an art programme that works more or less like Microsoft Paint. Screensavers! WordMoonMini, a coding programme that runs separate from the main system. Characters with enough coding knowledge can use this to create new applications for others to use. As that last point suggests, crowdsourced applications are also available to download through the network. [back to top] What if my character doesn't know how to use a computer? There are enough people around Ryslig who are willing to show you how! Besides, it’s pretty intuitive, and accessibility functions like text-to-speech and video capability mean that the learning curve is pretty gentle. The laptops don’t currently come with a manual, but maybe in the future…? [back to top] Wait, my character can’t go out in the sun. How does the solar power work? Don't worry about it. [back to top] TECHNOLOGY AND CULTURE Does [insert technology] exist in Ryslig? In general, assume that any technology that was available in the 1950s-1960s is available in Ryslig. Some later technology, from up to the 80s, is also available through the Fourth God’s power and contact with Felfri. Of course, there have also been incomers from other worlds here for some time, bringing their ideas and sometimes buying or building futuristic technology. This means that Ryslig’s technology level is a bit nebulous. As a general rule of thumb, most technologies from the 20th century do now exist in Ryslig in some form - although not necessarily the form you’d recognise. They may look a little “off”, with more of a 1950s or 1980s aesthetic, or be patched together from older parts, or seem to have been put together without a blueprint. It’s a bit of a mess, to be honest with you. (OOCly, provided that technology remains roughly within the aesthetic of the world - i.e. not hyper-futuristic or something that would give your character a massive advantage - we aren’t going to be precious about what technology is and is not available. Use your imaginations!) [back to top] Can my character find media from their setting in Ryslig? No–although they may find something that’s almost, but not entirely, like it. For example, Ryslig bookstores may stock the adventures of Perry Hotter, boy wizard; record stores have albums by The Smash and Modiste Fast; and the cinemas show such classics as Punch Group and When Henrik Met Signe. If your character wants to get music, books, or films from home, they will have to go to Mana and purchase them directly using their coins. (NOTE: You still cannot buy media from our own world. As a rule, if a character from that medium would be appable, then the version of it you will get would be… just slightly off) [back to top] What is local TV and radio like? Most of the TV and radio stations, along with music labels and movie studios, are based in Bavan, and the city is very proud of its thriving media landscape. You can tune in to Peninsula of Passions, the smash-hit soap opera about one suspiciously wealthy (and suspiciously rich in secret twins and amnesiac relatives) Bavanite dynasty as they navigate the complex world of monsters, money, and… love? Or flip over to Bavan 24, where local host Kaspar Andersen will walk you through all the news that’s fit to print: financial, sports, politics, and whatever local property damage and mass magical hysteria is going on at the moment. There’s reality TV, too. Who Wants To See a Monster Scared?, The Great Bavan Bait-Off, Kelpie Tank, Snailed It! and, of course, The Bachelor. There are a limited number of channels, unless you pay for cable, but there’s certainly plenty to watch. On the radio, you can tune in to a variety of local music, news, and talk radio stations. Outside of Bavan, especially as you get closer to Rota, you might start to hear more and more religious stations: a woman declares that the sacred time is upon us, when all the faithful will be welcomed into Her glory; a man slams an unseen pulpit and shouts that all who still follow the false prophet will perish. The scientists of Haftesal also have their own station, although it’s mostly dead air until you’re almost on top of the buried city, and once there, it’s more of a numbers station than anything. [back to top] What are sports like? The most popular sports are hockey, football (European), and baseball. Bavan generally has 4 teams: North Bavan, South Bavan, East Bavan, and West Bavan. Vandare has two teams: Coastal Vandare and Inner Vandare. Vandare has various water-related activities such as surfing and canoe racing. Bavan has basketball teams. Roller derby and skateboarding are also popular in Bavan. Kulen doesn't believe in competition. They do some weird synchronized exercises, though. Games are commonly broadcast over radio, and everyone is technically in the same league. Even Rota. But they really suck. [back to top] How do people dress? It depends on where you are. On the whole, while some more modern fashions have crept in through contact with monsters from other worlds, and from Felfri for that matter, most Ryslig fashions will look quaintly vintage to a modern eye, ranging from suits, ties, and poodle skirts in Bavan, through to aprons, flat caps, and bonnets further out in the smaller towns and villages. New fashions spring up, just as they do anywhere, from time to time. For a while, it was very fashionable to wear clothing made from monster parts, but now, it’s mostly seen as quite gauche, and a good way to get eaten. Currently, the big thing is, inspired by the bleed-through from Felfri, to get down with the disco style. Not that the great and the good of Bavan high society approve, of course. [back to top] Do monsters appear in Ryslig's pop culture? Media in Ryslig, especially in Bavan, has grown more and more inclusive of monsters. After all, they make for an eternal goldmine of drama and conflict. There are several monster characters on Peninsula of Passions, and a Monster Correspondent on most reputable news shows. There is also a thriving market in books about monsters, particularly of the romantic variety. Not all of them are safe for work. In fact, most of them aren’t. [back to top] ASK A QUESTION ASK A MONSTER QUESTION

◉ MEME◉ OOC ◉ NETWORK◉ MAIN◉ NAVIGATION▲