DC Lore AMA

[Drinking_Water]

Do people in this world hate Mondays?

Is there even Mondays?

[nlechoppa]

Is neutral mana possible?

[zaverxi]

I don't think so, no; it's probably several layers abstracted away from reality: Views do something (represent people warming the egg? Iunno, certainly not something that actually happens), creating fog simply prevents people from being able to find an egg.

Perhaps views represent the visits of friends and well-wishers who come to see the egg. Maybe some sort of psychic boost, similar to how talking to plants helps them grow. As people visit and look at the egg with good intentions, it helps the developing mind out with a feeding of psychic energy. After all, the dragons are supposed to be psychic as well.

 

That could work for both views and overall views. Unique views are for people who've never come before, overall views could include multiple visits. It can help bind communities together if there's some encouragement for people to visit each other for a good reason.

 

Clicks could be a nice, friendly pat on the shell.

[TJ09]

Perhaps views represent the visits of friends and well-wishers who come to see the egg. Maybe some sort of psychic boost, similar to how talking to plants helps them grow. As people visit and look at the egg with good intentions, it helps the developing mind out with a feeding of psychic energy. After all, the dragons are supposed to be psychic as well.

 

That could work for both views and overall views. Unique views are for people who've never come before, overall views could include multiple visits. It can help bind communities together if there's some encouragement for people to visit each other for a good reason.

 

Clicks could be a nice, friendly pat on the shell.

For something that is, at least at the very early stages, little more than a goop of non-sentient cells and chemicals that are busy rapidly forming into a conscious being, that's a bit of a stretch.

 

Especially the part where they die without this interaction.

[TJ09]

Do people in this world hate Mondays?

Is there even Mondays?

I haven't come up with what I think the Valkemarian calendar should be, but I can say fairly confidently that it doesn't mirror the Gregorian calendar (though it may have similar levels of division).

[TJ09]

Is neutral mana possible?

Yes. Non-elemental mana is entirely possible (and IIRC mentioned in the encyclopedia).

 

It was one of the collectable types of mana in last year's holiday event.

[zaverxi]

For something that is, at least at the very early stages, little more than a goop of non-sentient cells and chemicals that are busy rapidly forming into a conscious being, that's a bit of a stretch.

 

Especially the part where they die without this interaction.

Huh. But doesn't every single egg page say 'Unborn dragons are actually ready to hatch early on in their development cycle.' ? To me this means that they actually do mature physically, able to hatch right away, but they're waiting for something. And it's dangerous to give freshly laid eggs a lot of views in the first day anyway, since it'd make them sick.

 

And dying due to being ignored... that sounds a lot like Neglecteds to me. Lack of attention making them die? *shrug*

 

Oh well, it makes sense to me... guess I'll keep this as my own personal headcanon then!

[TJ09]

Huh. But doesn't every single egg page say 'Unborn dragons are actually ready to hatch early on in their development cycle.' ? To me this means that they actually do mature physically, able to hatch right away, but they're waiting for something. And it's dangerous to give freshly laid eggs a lot of views in the first day anyway, since it'd make them sick.

 

And dying due to being ignored... that sounds a lot like Neglecteds to me. Lack of attention making them die? *shrug*

 

Oh well, it makes sense to me... guess I'll keep this as my own personal headcanon then!

Regardless of what the timeframe is, there is a time period in which they are not conscious/self-aware. During that time period, in DC-/game- land views still apply.

 

Neglecteds are the result of a disease that affects creatures with weakened immune systems--which is a pretty common side effect of neglect.

[Dewdropmon]

Huh. But doesn't every single egg page say 'Unborn dragons are actually ready to hatch early on in their development cycle.' ? To me this means that they actually do mature physically, able to hatch right away, but they're waiting for something. And it's dangerous to give freshly laid eggs a lot of views in the first day anyway, since it'd make them sick.

 

And dying due to being ignored... that sounds a lot like Neglecteds to me. Lack of attention making them die? *shrug*

 

Oh well, it makes sense to me... guess I'll keep this as my own personal headcanon then!

Maybe the attention encourages them to want to come out? Maybe if they think no one cares they get depressed or apathetic and think "why bother?" and just stay there until they die from lack of nutrition? I dunno. That probably makes no sense.

[Pixxelation]

If it hasn't already been asked, is Galsreim divided into different nations? If so, what types of government are present? I'm assuming there are kingdoms, given the medieval setting of the site, so one more question: is there a king named TJ anywhere present in Valkemare?

[TJ09]

If it hasn't already been asked, is Galsreim divided into different nations? If so, what types of government are present? I'm assuming there are kingdoms, given the medieval setting of the site, so one more question: is there a king named TJ anywhere present in Valkemare?

I believe the working assumption is that it's roughly one kingdom--it's not a particularly large area, relatively. But there was a bunch of thought put into it a year or two ago that I don't clearly recall, so I could be wrong on that.

 

There is the concept of nations, yes. Mostly divided by geographic boundaries and the difficulty of trying to maintain control across them.

 

I do not have any self-insertion plans in DC lore.

[Nerei]

I feel like this has been asked before, but: What languages are spoken in Valkemare? Have you made up a name for one, and are there similar roots in the language, such as Latin and Greek? Or has language somehow evolved parallel to that of Earth? This is connected to the train of thought "is it possible that there is a ruler named TJ?" I believe your name is Theodore (correct me if I'm wrong), which is derived from Greek roots and means "gift of God." So I was just wondering if that would be possible. Are popular names on Valkemare the same as here?

Edited June 26, 2015 by Niyaka

[TJ09]

I feel like this has been asked before, but: What languages are spoken in Valkemare? Have you made up a name for one, and are there similar roots in the language, such as Latin and Greek? Or has language somehow evolved parallel to that of Earth? This is connected to the train of thought "is it possible that there is a ruler named TJ?" I believe your name is Theodore (correct me if I'm wrong), which is derived from Greek roots and means "gift of God." So I was just wondering if that would be possible. Are popular names on Valkemare the same as here?

Humans have their own language (at least one, but a lot of that depends on the nation boundaries/geographic isolation mentioned above), dragons have their own language (that probably doesn't have much of a written component). For simplicity, most things will be kept in English/some normal language, with the assumption that it's actually being spoken in the native tongue. Naming would, similarly, evolve based on that language, and not our languages. e.g. Thuwed would be based on something in dragons' language. (like "Ancient One" or something).

[Sundew]

Do some dragon species have their own spoken languages?

 

Does telepathy work by transmitting words, or feelings/images/impulses?

[TJ09]

Do some dragon species have their own spoken languages?

 

Does telepathy work by transmitting words, or feelings/images/impulses?

I haven't decided if dragons are physically capable of verbal speech.

 

My current headcanon is that telepathy works by transmitting direct thoughts, which are naturally understood by the target(s). That seems consistent with other things.

[dragongrrl]

I haven't decided if dragons are physically capable of verbal speech.

 

My current headcanon is that telepathy works by transmitting direct thoughts, which are naturally understood by the target(s). That seems consistent with other things.

Since Ochredrakes can sing, and Howlers "almost never stop chattering," I've always assumed that the verbal ability is there, even if it is largely unused because of the general telepathic preference.

 

Is this a valid assumption?

[Drinking_Water]

How do Red Dragons incubate eggs? By sitting on it? Wouldn't it crack? Breathing? Certain eggs would die...

Magic?

[lundfamily3]

Chattering could be just noises. My cat will mewl at me when she has been cared for and simply wishes to "talk" to me. This often happens when she finds me crying and its suddenly just "mew mew mew mew mew" *headbuts* *flops on chest* *purrs loudly with more mewls*

 

My question though: When it comes to knowledge about dragons, how far spread is this knowledge? I don't mean like knowledge of existence, I mean specifics. Like how researchers and breeders know calico cats are always female but they aren't the only ones who may know this.

[TJ09]

Since Ochredrakes can sing, and Howlers "almost never stop chattering," I've always assumed that the verbal ability is there, even if it is largely unused because of the general telepathic preference.

 

Is this a valid assumption?

Both of those require making verbal noise ("chattering" doesn't necessarily imply language). More fine-grained control is what's under debate here.

[RecycledHeart]

Are dragons capable of taking mana into their bloodstream?

[Sundew]

Both of those require making verbal noise ("chattering" doesn't necessarily imply language). More fine-grained control is what's under debate here.

Verbal noises are also used for communication, though, albeit not nearly as precise as formal language. Is it reasonable to assume that dragons have similar unique verbal noises that they use for primal communication?

[Shelybear]

Not sure if this has been asked since I don't really want to go through the whole thread. But the past new release made me curious: Is there any chance that some manas/elements are derived from others (e.x. Ice mana might come from water mana)?

 

The spirit said the it would be too many works to draw one for each type of elements accordingly and as a result we see only 6 wyrms associated with 6 types of elements specifically. So could the reason be: they are 6 fundamental elements/manas?

[TJ09]

Verbal noises are also used for communication, though, albeit not nearly as precise as formal language. Is it reasonable to assume that dragons have similar unique verbal noises that they use for primal communication?

Humans are capable of communicating through a series of grunts, but there's no reason to when we have higher order forms of communication.

[TJ09]

Are dragons capable of taking mana into their bloodstream?

Probably. I think the way I heard someone phrase it was a "mana limbic system," with a series of "glands" that store mana.

[TJ09]

Not sure if this has been asked since I don't really want to go through the whole thread. But the past new release made me curious: Is there any chance that some manas/elements are derived from others (e.x. Ice mana might come from water mana)?

 

The spirit said the it would be too many works to draw one for each type of elements accordingly and as a result we see only 6 wyrms associated with 6 types of elements specifically. So could the reason be: they are 6 fundamental elements/manas?

Not really, no. Ice and water, for example, are inherently incompatible with each other in the current system (one is change, the other is creation). Ice element more encapsulates cold and chemical phase chances than ice as in frozen water.

 

Unless you want to say each element is a combination of an aspect (creation, change, destruction) and a triad. (e.g. fire, water, ice are all one triad). But the triads don't have names, and even in that case, the elements would be made up of something more primitive. The elements that exist certainly aren't derived from each other.