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【 FAQ 】
FAQ
Character Arrival
Character arrival is flexible. You can assume your character has been in the setting for a while or play out the process within the community. Some months will have a special arrival event, so check the most recent mingle to see if that appeals to you.
The only universal parts of arrival are that characters do not know how they got here and that natives of Starsand will help them settle in. Characters from another world are called "Fallen Stars," in reference to how they seem to have fallen from another world like shooting stars.
The only universal parts of arrival are that characters do not know how they got here and that natives of Starsand will help them settle in. Characters from another world are called "Fallen Stars," in reference to how they seem to have fallen from another world like shooting stars.
!Instant Arrival
It can happen in a blink, waking up from sleep, after blacking out... But regardless of how it happened, characters don't remember how they got here. Locals will describe the same experience, saying that they blinked and your character was just there. They can appear anywhere in the city. Characters who freefall will usually begin to float right before they would impact the ground; This is because the spirits are looking out for newcomers.
!Locals Will Provide Free Help
You can easily handwave a local catching them up on the lore and telling them what has happened. If they are pressed or intimidated by the new arrival, locals will usually point them in the direction of the nearest shrine. Local spirits are just as happy to help however they can with explanations.
Characters will be able to get free housing, food, clothes, and even some cheap entertainment just by expressing that they are a Fallen Star. The locals generally take pity on them and want to help them feel comfortable. There's a mix of guilt and kindness behind these actions, because the local population feel sympathy for the Fallen Stars' situations. These kind gestures will continue for the Fallen Star's entire stay, but they are only survival-level freebies. In order to have luxuries, they will need to work around the community.
Characters will be able to get free housing, food, clothes, and even some cheap entertainment just by expressing that they are a Fallen Star. The locals generally take pity on them and want to help them feel comfortable. There's a mix of guilt and kindness behind these actions, because the local population feel sympathy for the Fallen Stars' situations. These kind gestures will continue for the Fallen Star's entire stay, but they are only survival-level freebies. In order to have luxuries, they will need to work around the community.
The Role of Kami & Spirits
The world of Starsand is made unique by the existence of kami and spirits. According to this world's lore, a spirit is a soul born without a body. They cannot be seen, heard, or touched, except with the help of faith. Faith magic comes from normal humans believing in things. This faith gives spirits forms and abilities in accordance to how humans believe that they should be.
Faith is often directed towards a shrine, which can be anything from a literal building to a name, folkstory, or treasured item. Spirits then attach to these shrines and get faith magic from them. Most spirits can only hope to gain power from a handful of people and are thus weak and powerless, though happy to exist.
Powerful spirits become kami. A kami has more extreme powers, often able to control and be the explanation for entire world concepts. They are well respected by the native population.
Faith is often directed towards a shrine, which can be anything from a literal building to a name, folkstory, or treasured item. Spirits then attach to these shrines and get faith magic from them. Most spirits can only hope to gain power from a handful of people and are thus weak and powerless, though happy to exist.
Powerful spirits become kami. A kami has more extreme powers, often able to control and be the explanation for entire world concepts. They are well respected by the native population.
!Spirits Have Affected The Standard of Living!
Spirit magic has replaced electricity, for example, and made it nearly free. By praying to your neighborhood's spirit of electricity, you power your neighborhood. Similarly, spirits can make gardens grow quickly, build homes from nothing, cure common illness, and make creating goods much faster. Spirits cannot create from nothing nor cure every condition, but they are certainly helpful.
Because of this, the native citizens will take any hostility towards the spirit population very seriously. They are also especially kind to spirits. You can find small shrines on the streets or inside shops. Most households have a house spirit to protect and help them.
Because of this, the native citizens will take any hostility towards the spirit population very seriously. They are also especially kind to spirits. You can find small shrines on the streets or inside shops. Most households have a house spirit to protect and help them.
!The Danger of Rumors
There is a darker side to this faith-based magic, and that is the power of a Rumor. Rumors that are spread among the population can also gain power, much like a shrine. However, unlike a shrine, the spirit that becomes attached to a Rumor has no control over their abilities. They become chained to the whims of their Rumor.
As of this time, Rumors are not public knowledge. However, there is often a Rumor in the monthly mingles that needs to be taken care of. Some Rumors are harmless little pranks, but others can be dangerous and even lethal. The issue of Rumors is quiet now, but how long can that be expected to last?
As of this time, Rumors are not public knowledge. However, there is often a Rumor in the monthly mingles that needs to be taken care of. Some Rumors are harmless little pranks, but others can be dangerous and even lethal. The issue of Rumors is quiet now, but how long can that be expected to last?
Living in Starsand City
As previously stated, the basics of living are freely provided by the native population. You can handwave free housing, food, clothing, and most items purchases as acts of charity. All of this is provided in exchange for some prayers to nearby shrines or a simple "thank you" to nearby spirits.
But if you want your character to have luxuries, they will need to work.
! Housing
Characters will be able to get a one bedroom apartment for free simply by being a Fallen Star. These apartments can be anywhere in the city and handwaved. There are entire apartment complexes decided to Fallen Stars. In other cases, characters may be able to stay in a room above a shop or live in a citizen's spare bedroom. If a character has a roommate, they may have a larger apartment. No one will be left homelesss.
It is also possible to buy property or rent higher end apartments. In some cases, this can be done by teaming up with a spirit who creates the property in exchange for faith. In others, it may be possible to buy these upgrades by working a part-time job. All of this is free to be handwaved. Give your character what you feel is appropriate for their lifestyle. While bigger places aren't free, that doesn't mean they aren't possible for a character to obtain.
!Employment & "Stars"
Because most things are free (/provided by faith magic,) a lot of jobs are just... optional. Characters will find it is quite easy to get the appropriate business licenses to open their own shops.
Jobs will pay a special kind of currency called "stars," which looks an awful lot like konpeito. Stars are crystalized faith magic and are usually exchanged for luxury items. One star represents an hour of intense praying and they are made on the spot through the act of working a job. The mystery of how Stars are made has not been fully cracked yet, but they can only be made at special locations (aka certified and licensed businesses.)
While it is possible to form a contract for a long-term, guaranteed job with a schedule, a lot of businesses will take on-the-spot hires for some hourly work. Because working is more or less optional, the locals are mostly working for love of their specific craft or love for the people around them. They're very happy to teach Fallen Stars their trades and share their passion for a craft.
Employment can easily be handwaved. If you wish for your character to run a business that hires fellow PCs, please contact a mod about setting up some business informaion.
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- what does the library have to say about the kami? specifically kami history, how many there are, their abilities? what types?
- are there history books and what history can be found out about them?
- i hate that i'm asking this but if inaba were to ask the spirits to bring her books on "forbidden knowledge", would they. if yes, what would she find. and yes, she will 100% test this to see what is possible and what isn't
- also what info on spirits can she get from the books too
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Kami History
This page needs some rewrites but the information in the sections "Spirits, Shrines, Kami," "The Era of Awakening," and "Modern Sacred Children & Spirit Magic" would all be ICly available with some digging. Inaba will find that it is hard to find information on the history of kami directly, with most of the books being written very recently.
Regarding the section on Rumors, Inaba may have access to information on Rumors from past months but they won't be called "Rumors." The books write about them like they're out-of-control spirits.
History Books
The world's history more-or-less reflects the real world up until 5 years ago, when spirits and kami were revealed. The map looks like the Earth that Inaba is used to, with some land masses and islands being in different locations. Water levels look higher than the modern day.
Forbidden Knowledge
The spirits are naïve and will get confused by this request. They don't comprehend the concept of forbidden knowledge, because they think the library gives all information freely.
If Inaba insists and stays good to them, they will bring her Shugo's personal journal/diary. He will come to retrieve it before she gets to read very much of it and he will be too flustered to wonder why it was brought to her.
Spirit Info
The spirits will bring Inaba folklore, ghost stories, and fairytales. They treat these like fact, implying that the books they are bringing her contain incidents of spirits that were misunderstood by the writers.
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actually follow up question, what year is it in game?
and also yeah, she'll be good to the spirits, she'll feed them all the weird stories (i'm so sorry)
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The year is 2025.
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Thank you!
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also is there something like twitter or instagram? i'm so sorry to be the one to ask this
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Social media exists, but again it is local to the city.
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If someone had an accessory that already had magic coursing through it, would they need to make a contract with one of the kami to use it again?
hi it's me i'm trying to figure out how pmmm soul gems work here
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Anyway, I remember former gods having to work their way up to becoming Kami was a thing, but I don't remember the exact process. Can you remind me or send me a link to an info page that explains this? Also, are there explicit power nerfs in place other than "don't bring game breaking powers?"
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As for humanizing: I am happy to work this into the game setting for you & will consult the mods about it.
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