Daily Life in Gaea

As with life on Earth, ordinary life on Gaea is largely dictated by one's birth; place, parents, and natural talent. It varies by social class, by wealth, by the progress of a given society. Some are born to labor, war, or suffering, strife, and a short life. Others are born in the lap of luxury, wanting for nothing and facing no meaningful hardship. Most fall somewhere between. However, there are certain commonalities of life that are reflected in the lives of everyone.

## Society and Culture

Gaea has cultures and societies as diverse, or moreso, than Earth’s. Some are openly fantastic, such as the warring tribes of Mu or the Snakecharmer and Adderkin Humans born from mingling with the Serpentmen of Agartha. However, most of the world can be seen as being structured some form of Feudal or Guild system. Most nations are Monarchies, sometimes parliamentary, but often not. Especially for smaller nations. Many of these Monarchies are beholden to higher authorities; Emperors or High Kings dominate collections of Kingdoms, whose individual rulers are often Counts or other vassals of the higher authority. This authority generally doesn't prevent these vassal states from warring with each other over various disputes, so long as they continue to uphold their obligations to it. This sort of structure is commonplace throughout the Old World, though the terms and titles vary. Other areas employ a Guild model, where financial elites, often banking, merchant, or crafting guilds dominate the economy and wield as much power as the titled nobility. Or more, in some cases. Buying titles is not unheard of, both through forced marriages or the purchase of estates and properties that confer such to their owners. Even so, the Guilds in these models often serve as de facto nobles within a larger feudal model, and are most common in parliamentary monarchies anyway, where the royals serve as final authorities and military leaders while the parliament handles the day-to-day affairs of the realm. Said parliaments are usually comprised of titled nobles and guild leaders.

There are, of course, other models. From simple tribes to theocracies to magocracies and a wide range between, including some democracies and republics. However the feudal and guild models are most common.

## Travel and Communication

People don't get around much. Most stay within or near the communities of their birth throughout their lives. They travel under their own power, or with common mounts like horses, ponies, camels, mules, and other, more unusual, beasts of burden. They carry goods in wagons and carts, heavy packs or sleds, as the terrain and environment demand. They also rarely communicate outside of these communities without the aid of travelers; correspondence must be delivered, which usually entails turning traveling merchants into unofficial postmen.

For those with the good fortune or magical aptitude to have access to other forms of travel and communication, mobility is more common and long-distance communication easier to accomplish. Major towns and cities often have professional courier guilds or companies, magic can be used to communicate over great distances via both spells and items, and the elite can even send soldiers or exceptionally trained messengers to deliver communications. Likewise, protected carriages, caravans, and even magic such as flight and teleportation may be available to those with the wealth.

## Hierarchies

The most common hierarchies in Gaea are of class and religion. Wealthy elites tend to sit atop both as landowners, often in inherited positions such as royal or noble families, often with military titles in the latter case. These individuals tend to send their second and third born children to serve religious institutions, putting them in power in both secular and religious spheres. Depending on the area and overall piety and demographics, the government or the temple may hold more power. In either case, this ruling minority is usually divided into complex ranks based on particular roles in government or religious services, and there tends to be a lot of infighting between members and between the two authorities.

Under the elites are merchants and skilled craftsmen and tradesmen who create a middle class. They sometimes have the opportunity to rise socially, but are generally unlikely to do so without exceptional success. Common soldiers tend to be in this group.

Below them are the common laborers. These include farmers, ranchers, servants, military conscripts, sailors, and other manual and menial laborers. These individuals have minimal hope of ever rising above the station of their birth and generally serve at the whims of their social superiors. They are often seen as expendable, and are further divided into the higher-status serfs (or villeins) who are bound to a plot of land and generally have their own homes, and the lower status peasants who don't and usually live on the land and work for villeins as laborers.

Beneath them are the poor, the homeless, and the vagabonds; individuals without the means to support themselves legally. This is itself often illegal, and while killing such individuals is rare (unlike in Earth’s own history), it's common to remand these individuals to others as indentured servants or outright slaves. Many turn to banditry, as they have little else to lose, and there are in fact often illicit guilds and organizations that will take in and train such individuals to be capable criminals… or at least to better avoid capture.

## Time Period and Technology

The time period is generally Late Medieval in terms of technology, with some anachronisms due to the existence of magic and various plants and animals that do not exist on Earth, the influence of relics and reconstructions of now lost civilizations that were extraordinarily advanced, that of Wayfarers who have been transported to Gaea from Earth (across myriad time periods and to different points in Gaea’s history), and due to irregular (and usually secret) contact with advanced alien species (many of whom have outposts on one of Gaea’s three moons or the debris ring around the planet). The exact age of Gaea and of the current Age of Human history is difficult to determine, and does not map directly to Earth’s own timeline. That is to say, time is not the same in the two worlds. Various technologies viewed as more common in later eras, such as the printing press being widespread, firearms of various levels of complexity existing in different locations, and in some areas truly advanced technology and “magitech” that rivals or exceeds that of Earth’s own engineering can be found. However, these are exceptions and not the rule. Assume that the world and region, at least, is primarily Late Medieval unless otherwise specified.

## The Lure of Adventure

Life is hard in Gaea, and for the poor or the late-born, there are few opportunities to advance. For most, their course in life, their fate, is decided by their parents. For many, however, there is a way to shape their own destiny; become an Adventurer.

Standing outside the normal social hierarchy, Adventurers are able to rise in status and power through wealth, fame, and their accomplishments. However, it's dangerous work. By its nature, it's about going places and doing things that others balk at for a price. It's dangerous, dirty, grueling, and sometimes more than a little shady. It also demands ability and the will to use it. It's not for everyone. However, sometimes, it's those very things that lure people to it. If it's dangerous, it's also exciting, and lucrative besides.

Money, fame, glory, excitement, romance, the chance to make a better life, to see incredible things, to meet interesting and exotic people, to learn things one never could just hoeing in the dirt all day… it's not hard to understand why some would choose to live fast, even if they might die young.

Adventuring as a career tends to draw in the desperate, the eccentric, the downtrodden, and the deviant. It appeals strongly to thrillseekers, daredevils, glory seekers, refugees, exiles, criminals looking to turn their lives around, vagrants, people in hiding, those bereft of connections, vengeful survivors, loners, younger children, foreigners, téraphiles and other sexual deviants, social nonconformists, dissatisfied young nobles, and even Wayfarers in need of the support network or otherwise convinced that "Joining the Adventurer’s Guild is just what you do in a fantasy world, right?" No Adventurer's Guild is free of weirdos, fat egos, larger-than-life figures, brooding edgelords, and perverts of various sorts and levels of concern. Some just have more than others. These are also more likely to have more frequent brawls and higher repair costs…

## Sex and Sexuality

Considering the nature of the setting, and of Monsters, the topics of sex and sexuality are important. As with most things in this world, the cultural sphere, the region, plays a large part in this. However, it should be noted that the Abrahamic religions as we know them (the principal source of sexual conservatism in Earth’s history) never formed or rose to prominence in Gaea, and while a variation of the Greek Olympian pantheon wears trappings and terms similar to Catholicism, and with a similar influence over much of society, they are still very much the Greek gods. Some are chaste and restrained, but most are more libertine or outright deviant by Earth’s Medieval standards, and are less hostile to sex among the faithful. As such, there is generally more openness and acceptance about sex and desire, and identity, than is found in Earth’s Medieval period.

### Sexual Norms and Expectations

As with Earth, heterosexuality is the norm. Even individuals who aren't heterosexual are expected to marry and produce children unless they're far down a line of inheritance and have little to their name. Sex within marriage is therefore seen as an obligation, especially among younger pairs. Marriage itself is seen as nearly obligatory, especially among individuals with wealth, titles, or other inheritance, with those who voluntarily decline this norm often seen as wrong-headed. Those with something worth inheriting are often forced to wed by parents or organizations dependent on a successor, even if they don't want to or despise their future spouse. However, what, or whom, they do outside of this expectation is usually not seen as significant unless it’s perceived as disruptive to their own home life, that of their partners, or their family.

Sex for pleasure and recreation isn't frowned upon in Gaea. In fact, it's one of the few readily available pastimes that the poor and working class have access to.

Prostitution is normally legal, both as established businesses and among individuals, and with little-to-no social stigma attached to those who patronize the profession. In fact, it isn’t uncommon for religious institutions to engage in divine prostitution as well. This is true of most temples devoted to gods and goddesses of love, beauty, sex, and fertility, including some among the Church of the Twelve and One and its myriad "saints," themselves often minor gods, demigods, or more powerful deities of other pantheons who've managed to win the status from the Olympians somehow. Prostitution is seen as a legitimate profession, though some sects frown on it. That said, prostitutes are viewed as promiscuous and the stigma that carries. Especially in recent centuries, as a tonal shift has begun to take place among the world's religions (unbeknownst to most mortals due in large part to the influence of the new, chastity-loving ruler of the Divines and in direct reaction to the rise of Lilith, the fall of Aphrodite, and the change that's overtaken Monsters). That said, it remains a common practice with no signs of being outlawed.

There is no age of consent in Gaea (or child labor laws, for that matter). However, those who pursue young children, especially prepubescent ones or individuals who are mentally incapable of making sound or informed decisions are widely recognized as vile. Such behavior is often criminalized, though normally such punishments are hard to earn unless the victims are nobles… and the social ostracization is often a more effective punishment than the official ones, which tend to be fairly mild unless they involve crimes against an individual of higher social status. Sex crimes in general see relatively little punishment without that class conflict in play. Even rape is often punished with little more than a short jail sentence or time in the stocks unless the magistrate who oversees the sentencing feels the need to hand out more severe punishments or it's a case of a repeat offense. Such crimes are often not seen as crimes when alcohol or existing relationships are involved, and as such aren't usually taken very seriously. Beyond that, they often go unreported.

Incest is surprisingly common, though generally stigmatized and kept quiet outside of noble families, extremely isolated populations, and lineages with unusual capabilities, such as a talent for sorcery or an unusual magical trait. A person's first sexual partner is often a sibling or other close relative (such as an aunt or uncle, cousin, or even parent), or a family friend or other respected member of the community. This often happens in childhood and may or may not be consensual. Such practices are most common among the poor and working classes as well as the nobility, but are less common among the middle class. Incestuous marriages are highly frowned on outside of the Nobility, who sometimes have traditions of "blood purity." Certainly anything closer than first cousins is seen as scandalous.

Sex and nudity in public are frowned on outside of specific circumstances. Public bathing is common as a poor man's luxury, with mixed bathing not unusual to save time and effort heating the shared water. As most individuals clean themselves with magic, however, this is often used more as a method of unwinding after particularly hard labor or as a form of ritual cleansing. Sex in these circumstances is taboo, but individuals sometimes try it. Especially young couples and would-be molesters. Public sex during community celebrations is surprisingly common, especially during long or exuberant festivals such as Saturnalia. Once the wine begins to flow, it's not uncommon for celebrants to indulge in each other openly. Though this is taboo and usually illegal otherwise, during such events people rarely concern themselves with enforcing such things. That said, even in settlements dominated by the Church, it's not unheard of for people to have sex in alleys or down side streets, out of ready view from the public but far from private. Likewise those who travel the wilds. It's surprisingly common for Adventuring Parties to be comprised of regular sex partners. Public spaces and places of business are usually off-limits (at least to non-staff outside of business hours), but even among the nobles it's common for men and women to find quiet places in the manors and palaces and gardens to slip away for a tryst. Likewise, it's surprisingly common among the poor to have sex in the same room, and even the same bed, as their own children (which is itself often a factor in the aforementioned frequency of incest and child molestation among the poor). Many peasant homes are single-room affairs with a sole large bed to serve the whole family, who usually sleep together at the same time. Children are usually expected to look away and keep silent while their parents make love, but that doesn't always happen. Particularly for noisy parents and inquisitive children. However, this hardly seems to stop the formation of large families in rural areas.

Discussions of sex are usually taboo in pleasant company, though common among cruder sorts, friends, coworkers, and the like. Both men and women are understood to be sexual and desirous, though the degree to which varies. The concept of "Original Sin," such as it exists, has less to do with sex in Gaea than it does in defying the commands of the Gods, so while sex and sexuality are considered inappropriate topics in some circumstances, they don't carry a concept of immorality, only of impropriety in the wrong places and times… and with the wrong partners.

Sex toys are not common among the poor, but can be bought in moderation by individuals with some disposable income and don't carry much stigma unless one has a partner… in which case they can be seen as a sign of a sexual mismatch. Nobles often buy them for personal use or as a means of ribbing or insulting each other… or as genuine gifts. Such things are usually not done in more formal situations, and are often reserved for bawdy fore-and-afterparties. The toys themselves are often made of wood, leather, polished stone, metal, latexes (harvested from a range of different plants and with different properties), silks, and in some cases even Beast materials, as well as magical materials like Occultite and Elementite, and come in forms that would be fairly recognizable to Earth’s natives.

Contraceptives are common among the peasant class and better, usually in the form of reusable condoms that may or may not require repair and cleaning with magic. Herbal and magical preventatives are also common… as are abortifacient drugs and spells. Such things are not seen as abhorrent, but rather, as normal practices in a harsh reality, and are famously popular among the more decadent elite even in places such as the Holy Reman Empire. Of note is the truth that just because these things are technically available doesn't mean they practically are… or that people will use them. Unwanted children are distressingly common in larger communities, giving rise to a range of orphanages and other solutions… including the sale of children into slavery (of various sorts). Not to mention so-called street urchins.

Kinks and fetishes are usually seen as very personal and not to be discussed except among close friends, family, or of course lovers, if they're discussed at all. Discussing one's particular likes and dislikes or behavior in bed is embarrassing, not because it is taboo, but because it's revealing and may affect their relationship prospects. As in real life, not all interests are shared or understood, and can lead to awkwardness in seeking a partner… or keeping one. That said, particularly brazen individuals are sometimes quite open about their interests.

Promiscuity is a complicated topic for Gaea with a gender double standard at work. Men and women alike are expected to pursue their desires to an extent, but women are expected to try to have fewer partners than men (ideally none in many cultures) and to keep them longer, before and after marriage. Men are expected to be, or at least try to be, more promiscuous both before and during marriage. Both genders hold chastity as an ideal, however, it's merely understood as unrealistic for most. Individuals who have an excessive number of partners, something that is often culturally defined and frequently vague besides, are usually seen as unfit for marriage. They carry the stigma of being likely to cheat flagrantly, to the detriment of the relationship. Prostitutes, though seen as promiscuous, often find this less of a hindrance than those who simply seek multiple partners for pleasure. In both sexes, having children before marriage with someone other than the marriage partner is almost always a negative… even if it may secretly help strengthen relations between families.

Pornography exists and is mildly accepted, though it's seen as salacious or humorous and often as a distraction from real relationships should people focus on it too much. It primarily exists in the form of block-printed media or traditional art, including sculpture and painting, and often has significant artistic value besides its erotic utility. It is most often found in the possession of the nobility, though cheaper prints and books can be found among the poorer classes. Erotica is also surprisingly common and likely to cater to a wide audience. Churches and temples of deities associated with love, sex, and fertility often distribute both to their devotees. Of note, those with the proper resources or magical talents can record live sex or the memories thereof into magical tools that can replay the events. They can also construct illusory scenes and use Divination to spy on the activities of others…

Interracial sex and marriage are generally accepted, so long as one isn't involved with a Monster and both parties are in the same social class. Racism and supremacist ideologies are common, but usually more restrained in Gaea than on Earth. This is largely due to the eons of conflict between Man and Monster, but also because most religions are eager for converts and expansion, and racism interferes with both. This doesn't stop more secular individuals from harboring such thoughts, or the adherents of the faith for that matter. However, it does make them less likely to voice or act on them… and there are instances in Gaea’s history, in the lulls of the Everwar, when wars between nations and faiths took on racial characteristics. These wounds still persist in many cases, but the historical and current state of having shared enemies tends to blunt the edge of racial animus.

### Homosexuality, Bisexuality, and Asexuality

Bisexuality is quite common on Gaea and carries no particular stigma, so long as one marries and produces offspring if in a social position in need of heirs. Homosexuality is roughly the same, but less common. Such individuals are still expected to conceive children, even if they don't enjoy the process or love their partner. Who one loves is seldom important in Gaea, but maintaining one's bloodline usually is. Some individuals do find Bisexuality and Homosexuality odd, but this is seldom cause to lash out at such people outside of parents raging at their children for failing to carry the line.

Less common still is Asexuality, which is generally seen as a sickness and a flaw outside of certain religious sects. Such individuals often pursue careers in these organizations for that reason, and may become quite successful.

### Transexuality and Intersex

Transexuality and the Intersexuality in Gaea are something of an anomaly.

Transexual individuals are often a product of a "hiccup" in the process of reincarnation, where a Monad has not fully lost its identity from its previous life or lives and has reincarnated in a body that doesn't match the Soul's perceived sex. This can be deeply troubling to the individual, but isn't unheard of, and isn't usually seen as a problem. In fact, due to the manner in which this affects Mana recovery, such individuals are often prized as magical apprentices, as they recover Mana both as a male and a female, much like a Divinity.

Intersexuals have a similar situation, though they can result both from the same type of karmic anomaly as Transexuals and from purely biological causes. Like the prior category, they recover Mana as if they were both sexes, and are sought after for it.

In both cases, magic can go a long way towards helping dissatisfied individuals get the physical form they feel suits them. However, this can be costly, as it involves spells of not-insignificant complexity to make such transformations permanent. This can drive many poorer individuals to pursue careers in major institutions or dangerous fields in the hopes of earning enough money to pay for the procedure. Others may volunteer for magical experimentation or take other extreme methods to feel comfortable in their own skin or be the person they want to be. That said, there's little actual stigma against either Transexuals or Intersexuals… after all, one of the Gods of love and marriage within the Church of the Twelve and One, and a child of Aphrodite as well, is Hermaphroditus.

### Sex and Magic

Humans will be human. Just as they bring every aspect of their lives into the bedroom on Earth, they bring magic into it on Gaea. However, magic and sex are inherently connected on a deeper level than simply erotic exploration; Mana is a part of the Soul and the essence needed to create life. It is shifted through sex in the attempt to conceive, successful or not.

As mentioned elsewhere, males generate Mana and females absorb it, but in truth, everyone leaks it, and during orgasm, both sexes expel significant amounts of it into or onto each other alongside other discharges. This energy serves as the fuel for creating a new life.

Beyond this fundamental aspect, magic is widely used in sex. Prestidigitation is commonly used to clean up before, during, and after the act, including to douche, as well as to heat or cool objects and body parts, or produce cheap lube. Many more complex spells see use in sex and seduction.

Abjuration tends to be used to prevent unwanted pregnancies, the spread of diseases and spellblights, attention from undesirable suitors or unwanted onlookers, last longer in bed, reduce sensitivity, and to prevent injury during especially rough play.

Conjuration is commonly used to recover more quickly, to create temporary sex toys (or sex partners), and otherwise set the stage for the event.

Divination is normally used to better ascertain compatibility, determine chances of conception, check genealogies, determine preferences, kinks, and fetishes, sexual histories, illnesses, and conditions, and particularly for voyeurism; it’s commonly used to spy on others having sex, disrobing, etc…

Enchantment is often used to enhance oneself… but unfortunately is more commonly used in a manner similar to alcohol or drugs in order to make potential partners more susceptible to someone’s advances. The classic Love Potion is a form of Enchantment, for example, that’s designed to induce infatuation and lust in another. This School tends to be employed for manipulation of another’s desires and emotions more than anything else, to the point that people who specialize in it are often seen as frightening or potential sexual predators. That said, it also often finds use in BDSM…

Evocation is usually used in a restrained manner. It’s often used to provide lighting, set the proper temperature, and the like, to be sure. However, it’s actually most commonly used to do exactly what it normally does; cause damage. It’s just tweaked to be Erotic Damage instead of standard… meaning that the caster has essentially transformed the spells into things that cause sexual stimulation instead of physical harm. Flames become arousing heat, for example, or acid a tingling liquid instead of a flesh-corroding substance. Evokers are often known for being able to bring their partners to climax extremely quickly, even if they have multiple partners simultaneously. Dropping an Erotic Fireball into an orgy is just as effective at inducing little deaths as the normal version is for big ones.

Illusion tends to find use in stage-setting, concealing unpleasant features of those involved, creating phantom stimulations, roleplay… and making recordings of encounters, especially when used in conjunction with certain forms of Manatite that can serve as recording devices. Among the wealthy, there’s something of an underground market for such records, including copies made after the fact. Such products can fetch a high price to the right buyer, with many among the elite making their own for personal use or sharing among certain circles. This can of course be scandalous should they end up in the wrong hands, but since it’s a fairly common practice and the content can be edited and falsified, it’s often less damning than one might expect.

Transmutation is used extensively to modify participants, sometimes in extreme ways. While Alter Self and variations thereof are commonly used to adjust one’s physical features and endowments, or even gender, temporarily, and the various Ability-augmenting spells to bolster one’s performance in bed, Polymorph and the various Form spells are frequently used to engage in some extreme (and often dangerous and highly corruptive) acts. Permanency often finds use in individuals who know it and aren’t satisfied with what nature gave them, so to speak, when combined with the above spells

Necromancy is commonly used in a manner similar to Evocation; to bring a participant to climax faster through Erotic damage. It’s also used to weaken their performance, making it popular with less physically capable practitioners who want to avoid being overwhelmed by their more vigorous partners. It’s also popular with certain types of kinks and fetishes, especially those pertaining to sex with sick people… however, it forever carries the worse stereotype of being used to have sex with the dead and Undead. Between its Summoning spells and spells that actually create Undead, as well as what’s generally assumed to happen to the corpses used in this process beforehand, Necromancers are often seen as degenerate scum of the lowest sort.

Alchemy primarily finds use in the creation of various potions, drugs, and other “aids,” in the bedroom, resulting in ready access to certain spells for a wider portion of the population. Alchemists tend to make decent money with this kind of activity.

Artifice is mostly involved in the creation of devices and toys, especially magical ones. Their work is often high-end, and so out of reach of normal people, but still lucrative.

Other forms of magic also find use in the bedroom, as do Psionics. However, they tend to have similar uses to those described above. Only Binding and Mediumship are particularly notable in this regard, as such practices generally involve bring one or more additional Souls into the mix and can result in some unusual impacts on the behavior of those involved.

### Sex and Taint

*Main Article: Taint*

Sex under normal conditions includes a natural transference of Mana between those involved. However, when one of those people is a Monster and another isn’t, something problematic occurs. The Mana of Monsters carries their spiritual nature and is predatory towards the Mana of Man. When Man and Monster exchange Mana through intimacy, the Mana of the latter clings to the Soul of the former even in conditions where it wouldn’t otherwise if both participants were human. A Human man, for example, would be unlikely to absorb the Mana of a Human woman during sex, or that of an Elf, Dwarf, Halfling, or the like, while the woman would absorb that of the man over time. However, if the Human man were to have sex with a Monster, be it female or otherwise, he’d run the risk of absorbing the Mana of his partner. And that Mana, called Taint, is a problem for Men.

The Races of Man cannot naturally remove Taint, except through a few specific methods. They cannot expend it on magic. They cannot use it to bolster their natural capabilities. They cannot use it to sustain themselves. And they cannot naturally release it over time. Instead, they must expel it by learning and practicing certain rituals or techniques that allow them to purge the energy or use it as if it were their own… methods that are often secret, forbidden, or frowned-upon by both Men and Monsters. That, or through sexual stimulation. Taint flows readily into new hosts who lack it, as well as into certain “pure” materials. It carries the instincts of Monsters to prey upon Man and his works, even if it is no longer as destructive as it once was. As such, those Men who are Tainted can reduce their own Taint by giving it to another, uncorrupted member of the Races of Man through sex. It can also be expelled through masturbation, but only if the Tainted person can manage to expel all of their Mana first while resisting the Taint’s influence on their mind… and somehow remove themselves from any emissions that this produces, as these will carry Taint. This is often harder for women than men, as their natural process of recovering Mana makes them more susceptible to reabsorbing it (they must generally time their natural Mana cycles to avoid absorbing the energy back or otherwise make a Will Save against a DC of 10+the Points of Taint lost, where a failure on the Save indicates they’ve reabsorbed the amount of Taint they failed by, potentially including more as their sexual activities actually manage to feed the Taint, making it grow).

As one absorbs more Taint, a Man becomes more like a Monster. Physical and mental changes take place as the Taint comes to dominate their natural personality and transform their body to reflect their twisted Soul. While the Monad remains unchanged, the thoughts and emotions of the Tainted become more like those common to Monsters. Their values and drives change, and their bodies become more adapted to sex, much as Monsters themselves became when the current Overlord took power. Some may even begin to transform into Monsters in body as well as mind, mutating and acquiring new abilities at the cost of their human appearance and physiology. Eventually, such individuals wholly transform into Monsters or Sineaters, sometimes losing themselves completely to their new natures. Others have the strength of mind, or the simple desire, needed to retain who they are and keep their values intact against the onslaught… but no one changed is ever fully the same again. Even purified, even transformed back through magic, the memory remains in body, mind, and Soul.

### Sexual Taboos

Gaea is not so different from Earth’s past in terms of what is and is not taboo when it comes to sex. While orientation and gender issues are not much of a concern, prostitution is unremarkable, and virtually anyone old enough to menstruate or ejaculate is liable to be seen as old enough to have sex in the public perception, things like bestiality, necrophilia, rape, incest, pædophilia, abuses of power through status, exploiting people who aren’t sober or otherwise in control of their own minds, sexual slavery, and the like all carry some degree of stigma. How much varies tremendously depending on the taboo and where one happens to be (and in whose company), and some were covered above.

Slavery is fairly common in Gaea, though usually reserved as a form of punishment or for war captives, and with certain standards and regulations. Sexual slavery is generally a crime unless the slave consents, and those who have sex with slaves are often seen in a less-than-glowing light in public. This doesn’t stop such activities, especially when it comes to slaves who are offered better treatment in exchange for this type of activity in order to earn their consent. Ironically, this often has more to do with the reason why it’s taboo than the idea of raping a slave; slavery is usually a punishment, and criminals are often awarded as slaves to those they’ve wronged, so this sort of arrangement is considered akin to taking a bribe from a criminal in exchange for leniency.

Necrophilia is reviled for multiple reasons; it desecrates the dead, which can cause the disturbed soul or violated body to rise as an Undead Monster, it runs the risk of spreading a range of diseases, and it generally horrifies the families and friends of those who were so defiled. Necrophilia is almost always a crime, except in certain depraved or Undead-friendly societies.

Pædophilia is almost always a crime, but often one that goes unpunished… or only lightly so. However, it is very taboo, and those who are known or believed to engage in it are usually shunned by society. This often proves fatal in Gaea.

Bestiality is generally seen as disgusting, but often isn’t actually illegal, and may or may not explain the existence of certain types of Monsters. People who are thought to practice it are often shunned, even if they don’t, though in some cultures it’s viewed more as embarrassing than vile. Few would choose an animal over a human partner, after all, so those who do such things are usually seen as extremely desperate and unwanted.

Exploiting one’s status to force lower-status individuals into sexual acts is considered taboo, especially by the lower classes. It still happens regularly, resulting in nobles, politicians, priests, and the like who have especially unpleasant reputations for exploiting those beneath their station. This dynamic often stretches into other fields as well; magic colleges often have faculty with the exact same sort of reputation.

Taking advantage of people under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or magic is generally taboo, and sometimes illegal. It is, however, very common for both men and women. This can, and does, end up as accusations of assault or rape, especially when the victim is of higher status than the perpetrator.

Most Races of Man consider sex with a Monster to be taboo… and it is often illegal in more conservative or traditional cultures. Monsters are viewed as the ancestral enemy in such societies, and with good reason. When they breed with Men, the results are always more Monsters. Their Mana corrupts and transforms those who have carnal relations with them, spreading like an insidious disease among the population. They are infamously addictive to bed, have a constant sexual appetite, and certain types are prolific breeders who birth litters or clutches of eggs and can grow to maturity in a fraction of the time it takes even the swiftest-growing of Men. They are associated with wantonness, public indecency, seduction, homewrecking, degenerate values, and sexual depravity. They are frequently seen as criminals and squatters on the properties of the elite. More liberal societies are often fine with Monsters, but such communities tend to become Monster communities rather than ones of Men within a few generations without laws restricting Monster behavior. In more moderate communities, where Man and Monster coexist uneasily, there are always laws that regulate how Monsters may behave in public, forcing them to conform to more human standards of dress, behavior, and sexuality. Usually with extreme punishments for failing to comply.

## The Norms of Monsters

### Monsters and Sex

While sex is an important, if normally private, aspect of human society, it is central to that of Monsters. Due to the mystical influence of the current Overlord, a Succubus, Monsters have taken on the aspects of sexual, corruptive Demons, bolstering their sex drives in the process. The instinct to prey on Man, to destroy his works, to devour him that is intrinsic to all Monsters now manifests itself in the manner of the Overlord herself; to feed on the Mana of Man through sex. Hunger and lust are, to Monsters, inextricably linked; while a Monster may lust without hunger, they may not hunger without also becoming lustful. This is an unfortunate truth that now applies to all Monsters regardless of age, species, or development, and not merely Succubi as it once did. This has led to a drastic change in how Monsters think, feel, and behave… and in how their various cultures operate. Their values in regards to sex are fundamentally inhuman, leading to some severe culture clashes when interacting with Man.

Monsters are able to derive the whole of their dietary and reproductive needs from sex with a member of one of the Races of Man, and so long as they aren’t also hungry, they can satisfy the latter with other Monsters. Since Monsters can still consume normal food to fulfill the former, most will readily engage in sex with other Monsters to quiet their lust. However, their instincts to prey on Man, hunger, and sex drives align to push most towards human partners over other Monsters, despite the greater chance of conception that Monster-to-Monster pairings carry. The Races of Man are delicious to them, even addictive should they find one with good compatibility, while other Monsters can only satisfy their need to breed.

The high libido of Monsters and the manner in which their appetites have bonded leads those born as such with a very open attitude towards sex. To them, sex is akin to eating; there's nothing wrong with doing so when hungry, be it in public or private, alone or as part of a communal "meal." Sex with other Monsters becomes a sort of "empty snack," or "scratching an itch," while Men provide a hearty meal. Monsters are almost always ready to have sex, either with any given partner or their chosen mate if in a dedicated relationship. Sex for a Monster carries no shame or stigma whatsoever. If anything, it's something to be proud of. Especially if their partner is of the Races of Man or otherwise very desirable or satisfying. People often brag about good meals, after all. Sex, and their sex lives, are popular topics for discussion among Monsters.

The heightened libido and capacity to derive virtually all of their basic needs through satisfying it leads many Monsters to a very relaxed lifestyle once they've secured a human mate. They have little incentive to work, especially if their partner has become a Sineater, so labor often takes a secondary role in their lives to mating. Monsters frequently abandon their work for sex, even if this requires some degree of travel. This usually changes once they have children, but remains a persistent lure. Even without a stable partner, Monsters tend to have difficulty maintaining focus on tedious or repetitive work without breaks to masturbate or have sex with an available partner. The vast majority of Monsters are bisexual despite a strong drive to produce offspring, and generally aren't concerned with appearances, so virtually anyone they don't actively despise is a potential mate for at least the occasional tryst. This tends to make Monsters poor workers in terms of productivity in spite of their often exceptional physical capabilities… and they can just as easily distract others from their tasks as well, both by targeting them for mates and by triggering the appetites of other Monsters (and Men) due to their amorous activities. This has resulted in most Monsters being relatively primitive, culturally. They lack the focus to advance much of anything in their societies unless they can somehow develop the discipline needed to control their urges. Instead, they tend to just mimic the societies of Man without fully understanding them.

Through Lilith's Mana, Monsters have been infused with a bit of her romanticism. Monsters love the idea of love, of being in love, and everything that goes with it. However, their Succubic nature often makes it difficult for natural Monsters to properly understand forms of love that aren't sexual. Hospitality, friendship, and familial love usually have sexual elements.

Monsters tend to view invitations to care for them, or for them to care for others, to implicitly include sexual options. An invitation into one's dwelling is almost synonymous with an invitation to sex. Most learn that this isn't the case with humans, but many find this to be akin to false advertising.

Friendship, likewise, carries the expectation of "benefits," should the need or desire arise. This is often seen as a potential gateway to marriage when it involves humans. Someone that a Monster is willing to be friends with is also someone the Monster is willing to sleep with.

Monsters as a category almost never suffer from negative mutations due to inbreeding, save in the cases of a few "afflicted" species, so the latter category carries no stigma with most of them beyond conflicts more akin to territorial disputes over food sources than anything else. They tend to expect the same of humans, leading to some surprising culture shock when Monster mothers ask their human husbands to assume feeding duties for their offspring; a problem Monster fathers don't face due to their Mana being unsuitable as food for other Monsters.

Self-love always carries a sexual element; Monsters are proud of their sexual identities and appeal unless convinced otherwise and are prone to frequent masturbation besides due to their  high sex drives. Agape and Platonic love are largely alien concepts to them. Worship is seen as an obligation or method to gain some form of compensation, while love without intimacy feels painfully cold and empty.

Monsters tend to be indifferent towards their own nudity and that of others, and when they have cause to clothe themselves (be it by incentive, compulsion, or simple practicality), usually favor attire that grants "ease of access." This is not to say that they won't dress to fit the situation, but their general eagerness for sex causes them to avoid dress that they can't do so in or otherwise quickly adjust to allow them to. They also don't really understand modesty as a concept, at least when it comes to sex and attraction, and will favor attire that accentuates their perceived assets rather than conceals them.

Monsters have a complicated relationship with the concept of consent. Sexual arousal in the face of their attention or advances, words or gestures of admiration, attraction, affection, or respect, admissions of sexual frustration, or even simply paying too close attention to one is often construed as consent or proposition for sex. Especially among Monsters unfamiliar with human social norms. They generally do not view inebriation, intoxication, or magical influence as disqualifying the validity of this perceived consent. Furthermore, once a Monster has begun to make its move, it can be extremely difficult to dissuade them for humans, as the same instincts that once drove their kind to fight to the death now drive their libidos. That is to say, they are all potential rapists, at least by human standards. Prevention is the best policy for those who value their chastity… that, or the will and ability to subdue a Monster.

Monsters are usually very promiscuous unless they're in a dedicated relationship, something that female Monsters tend to seek out over males. Their conflated appetites and lack of a real childhood drive most to become sexually active very young in life unless prevented by the peculiarities of their species, culture, or personal preferences. Most have sex with other Monsters, of any gender, readily and frequently, and will often go through several human partners before finding one that truly suits them and settling down.

Monsters have few sexual taboos.

Monsters that were originally human tend to retain their human identities and values… mostly.

## Common Knowledge

#### Life is Dangerous

The most basic is that life is dangerous. The common Man has little control over the forces that impact his life, and those in positions of power are often constrained by politics, economics, and intrigue. War is ever a possibility, as is crime, drought, famine, plague, revellion, and the predations of Beasts have only added to these risks.

#### Life is Unfair

The poor toil long, grueling hours to benefit the wealthy, who sit in the lap of luxury by the good fortune of their births, or, more rarely, their own exceptional talent and effort. Many of the former have little knowledge of what they lack, spending their entirety of their often short lives without ever seeing the full opulence of their leaders' lives, or much, if any, of the rest of the world.

#### One is Usually Born to Their Career

Most societies, especially Human and Dwarven ones, expect careers to be multigenerational. Parents teach their children valuable skills and knowledge passed down from personal experience through the generations with the understanding that they will carry on these practices by inheriting the family occupation. This is particularly true of first-born children or first-born sons in most cultures. Children beyond that are expected to either help their elder siblings, marry into a nearby family with similar practices and status, or seek special training that can benefit the family or community through formal education, an apprenticeship, attempting to marry above their station, military service, or seeking membership with an Adventurer's Company or Guild. Travel is rarely fully restricted in Gaea, so many young adults not expecting to inherit strike out in search of opportunity.

#### Most People Have few, if any, Opportunities to Advance in Life or Society

While many pursue careers outside of those they might inherit, realistic options are often scarce. Education is costly, and while arrangements can sometimes be made (including indentured servitude), more often would-be apprentices or students are turned away without a solid display of talent or comprehension on behalf of the applicant. Military service, while stable and lucrative, is dangerous regardless of whether it's through a noble's house, service to a ruler, company, or institution, as a mercenary, or even simply as a town guard. Adventuring is even more so, unless one is aspiring to serve solely as a direct employee of a Guild or Company, which usually entails very little actual Adventuring and a great deal of labor for relatively little financial compensation against normal market rates. Some may find work as laborers, but this is physically demanding and often only viable in towns, requiring potentially dangerous travel for more rural individuals.

#### Marriages are Often by Necessity, Dalliances and Affairs by Desire

Romantic relationships and true love among the Races of Man are often the stuff of fairytales. Instead, marriages are frequently determined by pragmatism; partners are chosen with the intent of furthering the status and wealth of the family. The higher one climbs the social ladder, the more likely this becomes. Loveless marriages are common, especially among elites, resulting in high rates of infidelity on all sides. Likewise, both the poor and the wealthy tend towards high levels of promiscuity prior to marriage… when they can get away with it. These truths are often covertly accepted, even expected, as a natural result of the particular pressures of life at the top and bottom of the hierarchy. However, it can be very damaging to all involved, especially if conducted openly.

#### Big Families are the Norm for Rural Communities

More children means more laborers, even if it means more mouths to feed as well. It also means more potential survivors to adulthood, especially in recent years. There are no child labor laws, nor any other real, meaningful protection for them in most legal systems… and often less than those afforded adults, which are themselves often scant. That said, most people treat children reasonably well, even if the outliers can be particularly egregious. In the instance that a pregnancy is unwanted (especially among the lower classes, who may be subjected to fines for children born out of marriage), it tends to be ended discreetly in the home via herbal concoctions or magic… or with the assistance of certain magic practitioners or alchemists. Some have even been known to accept the unborn or newborn child as a servant or apprentice instead, though others are known to use them as a resource. At other times, parents may simply abandon the newborn in the wilds or kill it immediately after birth. However, abortion is generally preferable, as it isn’t usually seen as a crime, is not normally regulated, and is often quite a bit safer than the actual process of childbirth for the poor.

#### The People Know the Gods are Real

Between the existence of Divine and Primal magic (the literal answering of prayers), the existence of Oracles and Favored Souls, Heroes, Demigods, Aasimar, and the often very clear presence of lesser Divinities like Angels, Valkyries, Agathions, and Devas, most people have a strong belief in the existence of the Gods. Those that don't are usually seen as insane or traumatized in some fashion. There are a surprisingly large number of people who actively talk to, and with, the Gods via magic, though these communications are often rather limited and require notable magic under normal circumstances. Others have actively met them, either within their own Divine Realms, or through Aspects (essentially weaker copies of the God in question that have a physical body and can interact with the world normally). This is not to say most people are aware that’s what they’re dealing with when they encounter one, but it’s not unheard of. Especially in the earlier days of the current Age.

#### People Know the Gods Reward the Pious and Virtuous and Punish the Wicked... Sometimes *En Masse*

People have very little understanding of the past three Ages of Man. What they do know of them is that each was ended due to the folly of humanity. The Gods either withheld their protections from the impious people or meted out punishments to the actively sacrilegious… and in so doing wiped out civilization and humanity. The Gods are usually seen as just despite this; common wisdom is that the failings of Man in those eras was so terrible that it warranted a tabula rasa scenario.

#### Most People Believe that Monsters Were Created by Human Sin... Except for the Monsters Themselves

Most of Gaea’s pantheons (who are almost all actually one giant extended family, unbeknownst to nearly all mortals) have distinct mythologies. Most of these are varying degrees of half-truth, propaganda, outright lies, and genuine fact, coupled with or couched in metaphor and allegory. Most claim that at some point early in the history of the world, the first iteration of Man committed a terrible sin that manifested itself as Monsters. In other words, Monsters were originally human failings, vices, given tangible form by the nature of the world, Mana, or Man at the time. This is, in fact, an utter falsehood. However, very few Men native to Gaea are aware that this is in fact a giant cover-up by the Gods. The truth is that Monsters were originally created by the Primal Titan Gaia, the personification of the planet itself, as a way to punish her son Cronus for mistreating his younger siblings. Knowing that she could not effectively target him directly, she instead aimed her creations at Cronus’s own personal treasures; his carefully controlled world and his little human playthings. Monsters then went through a complicated series of alterations and overhauls, captures and releases, victories and defeats, until arriving at a satisfactory state that persisted for millions of years… right up until it changed again five centuries ago, with the ascent of a Succubus to the status of Overlord. The Monsters themselves are fully aware of their origin and function, having never been purged in the manner that Men have been, historically. However, they also generally don’t care about such things.

#### Most People Know Monsters are Now Human-Like

Monsters were horrific creatures that preyed on Man and destroyed his works, pitted him against his kin, and wrought havoc on the natural world, as if they were wild animals driven by madness and a taste for human flesh. That changed with the ascent of the current Overlord, Lilith, a former Human who had been transformed into a lesser Succubus known as an Alu Demon, and was eventually elevated to her current status by several powerful and intelligent Monsters who wished for peace between their people and Man. Few among Men know the full details of this, or how Lilith came to power, but most know that she did. They also know that Monsters are now very human-like in terms of looks, intelligence, behavior, and desires. This is not to say that everyone knows. There are places where this knowledge is intentionally suppressed, though such communities are generally quite small and sheltered. More commonly, there is a belief that Monsters still eat people despite their current forms. Unfortunately, there is actually some truth to this; while most Monsters are human-like in appearance, not all are, and some are, but are not human-like in mentality. They are very much mentally what they used to be, and can and will kill and eat Men. Thankfully, however, such Monsters are comparatively rare and usually tied to a particular location due to the manner in which Monsters are organized. The vast majority of Monsters are as safe to be around as other Men… which, unfortunately, isn’t always that safe.

#### Most People are Aware Monsters have Large Sexual Appetites

Just as most people are aware Monsters have changed significantly from what they once were, they’re also aware that Monster society now revolves primarily around sex. They know that Monsters crave sex almost constantly and have vastly different standards from what is normal for most societies. They also know that Monsters prefer sex with Men than they do with other Monsters. Even of the same species. Few understand precisely why that is, though those who are learned about Monsters understand that it’s a function of their predatory drive towards Men; Monsters’ sexual appetites and dietary ones are now inextricably linked under the influence of Lilith. To be hungry is to crave sex, to crave sex is to be hungry. Men are their natural prey, and also capable of engaging in sex and procreating. This means that while male and female Monsters are biologically more compatible and have an easier time reproducing with each other, Monsters find sex with human men and women more satisfying and enjoyable. Men excite them more easily, fulfill them more easily and thoroughly, and are often easier to wrangle into stable relationships, as male monsters tend to have a strong instinct to reproduce with multiple females rather than pair-bond. Unless they can find a human female, anyway.

#### Most People Think Monsters and Humans can Coexist... *Sometimes*

Despite the propaganda spread by many traditionalist societies and institutions, most people who’ve actually dealt with Monsters reach the conclusion that Men and Monsters can coexist. This may involve sacrifices on one part or the other, allowances and changes in behavior, but it’s not impossible. However, most humans also find certain aspects of Monster society to be deeply disconcerting. This is especially true when it comes to their values, as Monsters don’t natively have a concept of “age of consent,” or a good idea of consent in general. Rape is often seen as acceptable, especially by Monsters that don’t interact with human cultures very often. This is partly due to Monsters’ views about sex itself when it comes to interacting with each other; they’re almost always willing to indulge with nearly anyone as long as they’re not in a committed relationship. They also tend to have few negative perceptions about incest outside of the perceived threat to another Monster’s “territory.” Monsters in general do not suffer negative effects from inbreeding due to their metaphysical properties imposing on their biology, and sometimes fail to understand why this sort of activity bothers Men. Monsters are also notorious for having a miserable work ethic, in large part due to their hypersexual natures. Their appetites often make it difficult to focus on work for extended periods of time without having to stop to masturbate or have sex. Their productivity is generally low unless it’s a task they enjoy, and lust often serves as a constant distraction. This is worse for some species than it is for others, but it’s a common enough problem that humans can recognize it readily. Monsters’ worldview also tends to revolve around sex, which can lead to misunderstandings. The single biggest issue for most Men, however, is not a matter of different values or views, but Mana. The Mana of Monsters has a capacity to corrupt others and the environment, altering the thoughts and feelings of Men, reducing their capacity to use their own Mana. Known as Taint to Men, this energy is a potentially serious hazard that is unsurmountable for some.

#### Most People Know Men and Women can Become Monsters

As most people are aware of Taint, they’re also aware of its effects. It holds the power to alter one’s mind, body, and Soul, as it lodges in one’s Aura and prevents the Monad from fully recovering its protective layer. Should it peel away all of the Monad’s defenses, it can seep in, transforming the person into a Monster. This is most easily achieved with women due to the manner in which they regenerate Mana, but it can also happen to men as well should the Taint align well with their own spirits. Even without fully transforming a person, it can cause permanent changes; strange mutations and partial transformations, warped values, new or amplified desires, and more. Similar changes can occur to the environment and objects, but it is always those changes to people that are the most distressing to Men. This is made worse by the fact that normally only those with noteworthy training in spellcasting and similar practices have an understanding of this process. To everyone else, it’s an unpredictable occurrence made worse by the fact that once it begins, few wish to reverse it. For this reason, it’s commonly called Corruption.

#### People Know that Man and Monster Have Always been at War

While few have anything close to a strong grasp of Gaea’s history as a whole, and often relatively little of their own local history beyond a few major events and those recent enough to be remembered, everyone knows of the conflict between Man and Monster. Commonly called the Everwar, this perpetual struggle has defined most of the world’s history. Seen as an endless conflict with periods of relative peace won through exceptional victories and the sacrifices of countless Heroes and common folk alike, the fear of the conflict’s resumption is never too far from any dealings between Men and Monsters. Monsters themselves are almost always seen as the aggressors, though in truth that has changed somewhat in recent centuries. Many see the conflict as inevitable, however… and to the most bloodthirsty and avaricious, desirable, as it creates opportunities for those with the ambition and strength to seize them. For most, however, these past few centuries of relative peace have become a respite. Few alive today, outside of Elves and other long-lived peoples, have first-hand knowledge of the way the world was before the current era. Such things are normally known only to powerful mages or those who’ve somehow been transported to this era from the distant past.

#### People are Aware of the Everwar's Cycle, but Often see it as Local to their Community Unless they are Educated or Travelled

While the Everwar is the single most prominent conflict in the world’s history, the way it is perceived by local populations is often skewed. Few people outside of scholars and other learned individuals understand the full scope and scale of it. Instead, there is a tendency to conflate local conflicts with the war as a whole, dramatically overstating the importance of a given battle or series of engagements that happen to have been locally important, but insignificant in the grand scheme of things. For example, a small community may have a tale of how a local farm boy became a Hero and defeated a terrible Demon Lord, the Goblin King, that menaced the whole of the world with his vast armies. In actuality, this was just a local conflict; a minor Demon Lord who happened to be, say, a Hobgoblin or Bugbear and raised a small army of other Goblinoids that terrorized the local community centuries ago. He was slain by a minor Hero from the local population, as well as a few allies who may or may not have also been blessed as Heroes, and who went on to become local champions and protectors or otherwise faded into obscurity. This event passed into the collective memory of the community as a legend and became much embellished over time and retellings, with the local Hero sometimes being equated with other, more prominent figures and the neighborhood’s woes being seen as affecting the whole world. This is especially true if the individual Hero in question actually was or did become prominent on a larger scale; communities tend to overstate their own importance on the global scale, and so whenever someone comes in to save them, they often see it as somehow of critical historical importance. It usually isn’t, but because of the overall lack of awareness about the outside world had by most populations, they will likely never be dissuaded from this misconception.

#### History is a Cycle of Expansion, Expulsion, and Resettlement

The perpetual struggle between Man and Monster, the repeated claiming, loss, and reclaiming of territory, has created a strange environment. This pattern, repeated throughout the world, has left the wilds dotted with the ruins of homesteads, forts, castles, towns, cities, labyrinths, towers, remote labs, lost mines and camps, forgotten tombs and temples and shrines, isolated manors, and all manner of other strange locations. Many of these are cannibalized by resettlers or become the foundations of new communities built atop the ruins of the old.

#### The Undead Can Appear Anywhere

Due to the world’s long history of large-scale violence there are a great many places where the dead sleep lightly. The Undead can rise virtually anywhere, particularly Zombies, Ghosts, and Skeletons. One needs only disturb them or reawaken them from their torpor.

#### Disease is a Source of Fear and Death

For all that magic exists which can cure virtually any disease, it is often impractical, if not impossible, to administer the same in the case of major outbreaks… especially when dealing with magical diseases. Therefore, people tend to fear disease and sickness, especially the poor, who are unlikely to be able to afford treatment. Major outbreaks still kill large numbers of people, though the Church, Alchemists, and many others do their best to treat the sick.

#### People See the Divinities as Protecting them from their Own Sin

Monsters are understood as the manifestations of mortal sin and vice according to most religions' dogma in Gaea. The Gods, who offer protection in the form of miraculous powers, holy magic, divine revelations, and the power of Heroes, are generally seen as helping Man overcome his own evils.

#### People Fear and Hate Beasts

Where Monsters have become far more benign in recent centuries, Beasts now fill the gap they vacated. Sources of misery, pain, death, and loss, Beasts behave much as Monsters once did, and have been forcing Man and Monster alike to remember more thoroughly how to live by sword and spell. Beasts are therefore almost universally loathed.

#### Pragmatism Usually Outweighs Idealism

People in this world have as many and more vaunted ideals as Earthlings, but as with life on Earth, results tend to speak louder than pretty words, and a wider range of the population faces significant threats to survival on a daily basis. Pragmatism usually wins out in the decisions of ordinary people here.

#### Magic is Normal and Widely Accepted

Magic is ubiquitous in Gaea; all but the most mentally substandard know a spell or two, or something similar. As such, it's generally not something that anyone fears by itself. Certain types of magic are frowned upon in different cultures, but magic itself is generally just fine.

#### Some Forms of Magic are Taboo

As mentioned above, some forms of magic are often forbidden. Magic that summons or creates Monsters is generally frowned on. Magic that manipulates the mind is also often banned. Necromancy is often shunned, as is Occult Magic, which is often not well understood. In particular, Binding is seen as taboo, as it involves dredging up the remnants of past Overlords and other tormented spirits. Incarnum is often misunderstood, and Necrocarnum is feared and reviled. Witches and Warlocks are also often not well understood, and frequently equated with the Baphomet cult despite this not always being the case.

#### Almost Everyone Knows *Prestidigitation*

The single most common spell in the world, to the point that not knowing it is often taken as a sign of mental deficiency, Prestidigitation is critically important to ordinary life for most people. It is used to heat and cool food, for toiletries, bathing and cleaning garments and tools, interacting with various magitech devices in wealthier or more advanced societies, and more. Someone without it will find ordinary life challenging.

#### Literacy is High

Literacy is strangely high in Gaea, especially for Common, or Koine, the primary language used by the Church of the Twelve and One. This was the case even before the advent of the printing press, as the Church (the only religion to exist on every continent) made it a point to spread the ability to read and write Common. The reasoning behind this is far from benign. It is part of a tactic to better identify Wayfarers, whom the Church covets. Wayfarers possess a range of unusual capabilities, including some interesting ones pertaining to language, but they universally cannot read Gaean languages without learning them first… which they often find difficult without magic.

#### Everyone Knows What a Wayfarer is

Wayfarers, individuals drawn into Gaea from Earth by a range of different mechanisms, have played a major role in the world's history. Even without accounting for their unnatural strength and versatility, they have introduced countless ideas and innovations to the world. So many, in fact, that it's probable more have been lost to the Everwar and history than remain. Many have gone on to become legendary Heroes or scoundrels, the founders of businesses, cults, guilds, religiond, and nations and small, extraordinary inventors, and even the creators of whole new lands, peoples, and Monsters. They have changed the common vernacular, introducing terms and phrases that are often utterly inscrutable to the natives and sometimes develop unusual meanings. This reputation for greatness has lead to high expectations of Wayfarers… and similarly high demand. Virtually every organization and individual with serious ambitions will cast aside morality and ethics for a shot at bringing a Wayfarer to their aid. However, few understand that the vast majority of Wayfarers are actually just ordinary people dragged to an alien reality against their will, plucked from random points in their own world’s history, robbed of their connections and subjected to a fundamentally different norm than their own. Most have little grasp of their newfound capabilities, as the process of shifting between worlds amplifies their existing abilities, empowers their bodies and minds, grants them new capabilities, and imbues them with a tiny spark of the Divine. Most Wayfarers have no understanding of this, they only see it manifested in their performance, their instincts, and the rapid changes to their thoughts and bodies after entering. Those who are reincarnated on Gaea often retain no memories of their past lives, and only find their exceptional natural talent as a sign of something unusual. Virtually no one in Gaea is aware this is even possible, let alone that it's actually fairly common, outside of a few beings specialized in studying the process of reincarnation. Mortal or otherwise.

#### Most People Know how to Identify a Wayfarer, but Relatively Few Actively Try

Most Wayfarers are easy to identify, especially early after transferring to Gaea. They almost always lack common knowledge of the world, region, and society, often dress in strange attire that may not fit their body type, the weather, or the environment, are frequently unarmed or wield weapons of odd design or function, frequently have excellent combat capabilities but are unaware of the fact, often are shocked, frightened, or overly excited by even the most unremarkable of magic and are mildly resistant to it, do not age and sometimes seem to have reversed aging temporarily, normally possess capabilities that defy the normal careers and methodologies of Gaea, and are frequently abnormally resistant to harm, with similarly deep reserves of Mana. However, the easiest method of identifying one has to do with language; Wayfarers can seemingly speak and understand any spoken language on Gaea… but cannot naturally read or write any of them. In truth, one can observe their mouths and find that their lips do not align with the forms of the words spoken, and should two individuals with different native languages both hear one speak, they will perceive the Wayfarer's words as being in their own native tongue. However, few common folk have a desire to out a Wayfarer, for while there are usually profits to be made, making an enemy of a Wayfarer, befriending one, earning a measure of gratitude from one, or simply avoiding the trouble that inevitably follows them is often enough motivation not to.

#### Most People Know that Wayfarers have Impacted Gaea's Society, but not Always How

As mentioned above, Wayfarers have made dramatic changes to Gaea’s history. Few, however, know enough about the world to judge which traditions and institutions actually trace their origins to them. History is often clouded by the Everwar, but also by the simple fact that Wayfarers sometimes hide their nature successfully, and natives sometimes feign the status for the power and influence it can bring. Especially organizations that may have invented their own origin stories to conceal less interesting or outright unsavory beginnings.

#### People Tend to Solve Their Own Problems

Gaea is dangerous and authorities often unreliable. Self-reliance is normal, especially in outlying communities and among pioneers and homesteaders. When problems surface beyond their means, turning to the institutions of government or religion are common, but often meager in response, in part due to how many these organizations normally tend to. Those wanting a more robust response tend to turn to Adventurer’s Guilds. Even if it means pooling resources with others to afford the assistance.

#### Travel is Dangerous

One of the reasons why responses from conventional authorities are so often underwhelming stems from the simple danger of travel. While this was not the case six decades ago, with simple bandits, wild animals, natural hazards, and amorous Monsters being the worst risks. However, since the appearance of the Beasts over fifty years ago, the wilds and the roads have become truly dangerous again, as they were in the days of past Overlords.

#### Almost Everything is Local

Due to the above, trade is difficult and dangerous, and while magic can handle the preservation of perishables, it's uncommon for goods of any sort to travel long distances from where they were harvested. Foid, therefore, is usually local. Building materials are locally sourced. Communities are usually totally self-sufficient or otherwise linked to several geographically-close settlements that work together to protect their own interests in a manner not unlike a small-scale nation.

#### Communication Over Long Distances is Difficult Unless You are Wealthy or Magically Gifted

All of the above makes sending letters and packages to relatives, superiors, business partners, allied commanders, and the like difficult without the use of magic or the ability to pay Adventurers or send troops to deliver it. Some communities, including Mogerdwnn, make arrangements with flying Monsters like Harpies to help alleviate the costs, often turning these places into a hub of communication, but the sky isn't free from Beasts, either, making such delivery runs risky.

#### Most Communities are Defensible

Historically, virtually every human settlement was made to be defensible. These defenses began to soften when Lilith took power over and it became clear to most that Monsters were more threatening to one's chastity than their life. However, this softening has reversed in recent decades, resulting in some often imperfect or inadequate restorations of fading defensive measures. Many communities have expanded beyond their originally defended boundaries, creating disparities in who is and is not safe these days.

#### Rural Communities are Usually Walled Homesteads

Even without Beasts, life far from civilization is dangerous. Bandits, brigands, and Monsters frequently raided farms and ranches before Beasts were an issue, stealing food and resources and kidnapping people to fulfill their own needs. Such frontier dwellers naturally build fortifications to protect themselves and their property, from stone barns and walls to wooden palisades and powerful magical wards, when they can. They buy and breed dogs and other animals they can train to protect their grounds, hire guards and learn to defend themselves, post watches in towers, travel in groups, work in groups, and formulate defensive plans and practice them. However, it's often still the walls that keep them safe more than anything else. A rural community without a sturdy wall around it is inherently suspicious, especially now that Beasts are a concern.

#### The Wilderness is Dangerous

The defenses of rural communities and urban ones alike speak to a simple truth; the wilds are dangerous. Few venture out alone for long willingly due to Beasts, Bandits, Monsters, and even just common wild animals and natural hazards. Only those familiar with the wilds dare brave them, and even then they're never truly safe. Exile into the wilderness, a punishment enacted in many communities, is sometimes used as an alternative to a formal execution, to put it into perspective.

#### The Roads are Not Safe

The roads are little better than the wilds, though one is more likely to face bandits than Beasts on them. They usually are policed, after a fashion, by Knights-Errant or Knights-Tutelary, retained Adventurers, Defenders of the Realm, Church Exorcists, local militias, mercenary bands hoping to bolster their reputation, criminal syndicates interested in "tolls" that are likely to keep more rapacious criminals in line. Monsters will sometimes defend the roads as well… particularly while trying to win over a partner from the Races of Man. However, these groups are often only a short step removed from the common bandits, brigands, and highwaymen that would otherwise prey on travelers. Of course, virtually all will set aside their differences in the face of a Beast attack… so long as it's not obviously going to be a rout. Unfortunately, for all of the forces that may be protecting the roads, whether or not any happen to be around during a given time of need is another matter. They are often few and far between, and while they are a deterrent, they are by no means a guarantee of safety.

#### Law Enforcement is Usually Nonexistent

Law enforcement is not something most nations have as we would understand it. Police generally do not exist. Most governments rely on their state or personal armies for this purpose, with the troops answerable only to their liege or superiors. Few states bother with a true penal system, either. Punishments are often decided by the local feudal lord or their representative, or the highest ranked officer of the local garrison.

#### Everyone Knows What a Beast is... *Generally*

Beasts have become such a common threat to the lives of Man and Monster in the past few decades that everyone knows about them, even if they’ve never actually seen one. Most commonly found on the frontier and in the tracts of wilderness between settlements or lurking at the edges of civilization, Beasts are terrible creatures that behave much like Monsters of old. They are hateful things, despite seeming to lack any higher intelligence; these instinctive horrors are driven by some kind of primal drive to slaughter anything more intellectually complex than a common animal. Man and Monster alike are subject to this animus, a terrible impulse that the Beasts are well-equipped to act upon. Armed with a plethora of natural weapons and defenses, capable of using innate magical abilities, totally immune to the gentling effects of Taint yet able to benefit from its empowering properties, frequently resistant to magic, and able to assimilate elemental forces and control territory in a primitive manner reminiscent of Demon Lords, Beasts are a terrible foe to all. Their hatred even extends to the creations of Man and Monster; given time, they’ll destroy manufactured objects and structures as a way to vent their malice. They also know that Beasts almost always resemble natural animals, even if sometimes ones that are thought of as being extinct or foreign. However, they’re always twisted, like some kind of horrific mutation. They’re normally oversized, with very few Beasts being the size of the natural animals they resemble. Though, that said, resemblances are often… remote. A Beast that superficially resembles a wild boar may be covered in quills and vestigial eyes that weep diseased puss, with twisted tusks like drills, and be the size of a dump truck. A Beast deer may have hide like steel, with muscles so thick that they still manage to rupture it, legs structured like a flea’s, a long, barbed tail, a protrusible jaw filled with dagger-like teeth, and antlers that can hurl lightning bolts, and be a solid three stories tall. A Beast seagull may be covered in parasitic Beast lice it can rain down on unfortunate victims, have wings studded with razor-sharp spurs, have talons and feet capable of grasping as well as swimming, and be able to vomit disease-spreading acid bile at will, while also being large enough to grasp a person in each foot, while a Beast squirrel might be the size of a short human with hide like leather armor, a barbed tail it can uses as a spear or whip, raking claws, and teeth like knives. This is not accounting for ones with elemental or distinct magical properties.

#### People Know Beasts Started to Appear a Little Over Fifty Years Ago

No one really knows what caused Beasts to first appear, or how they continue to form, though there are many theories. What is known is that they weren’t an issue at all until a bit over fifty years ago, when they first began to appear around the world. This means that there are actually many people alive today that never had to fear such things in their youth. However, most Men have never known a day when these creatures didn’t exist.

#### Most People Will Readily Use Beast Materials

For all that Beasts are incredibly dangerous, their incredible physical and magical composition also makes them a valuable resource. Blood, flesh, bones, hides, fangs, claws, shells, scales, horns, beaks, spikes, quills, spurs, myriad organs, all of them have potential uses in various forms of crafting… and are usually superior to more common materials. As such, weapons and armor made from Beasts are coveted by Adventurers.

#### Most People Know Not to Eat Beast Flesh Without Careful Preparation. Those that Don't Often Regret it

Beasts are a source of a great many potential resources, from magical components to construction materials and beyond. This includes food, but consumption of Beast materials is not without its risks; whatever foul force causes them to exist seems to be mildly contagious. Animals that consume Beast flesh without special protections often mutate, and people that do so, both Man and Monster, likewise. However, this latter group also tends to go insane in the process. Generally, thoroughly cooking Beast meat and avoiding the organs is a safe bet, but undercooked it can lead to a rather unpleasant form of corruption.

#### Most People Use Local Names for Beasts, There Are No Widely Accepted Standards

Beasts are still a new phenomena; one whose appearance has caused all manner of disruptions in traditional communications and travel. As such, there are no formal names for Beasts, even when similar types recur. Beasts themselves are often highly unique. They have diverse mutations and methods of attack and defense, even within the same community, and sometimes seem to manifest similar capabilities from different base species. For example, the previously mentioned characteristics describing a Beast squirrel might also occur in a Beast rat. Due to these variations, categorizing and naming Beasts is difficult outside of unique individuals. There is no common terminology to describe them. There are no consistent species names for them. They are just called “Beasts,” and whatever term the locals have cooked up to describe a given type. Most people tend to think of them as Beast versions of whatever organism they most closely resemble, but particularly notable individuals often earn unique names.

#### The Western World Knows Aboout the Gloch Afon Massacre

Few recent events are so widely-known in this world as the Gloch Afon Massacre. Also known by its translation in Common, the Bell River Massacre was one of the last major events to be widely communicated prior to the collapse of travel and communication caused by the advent of the Beasts. At the time, Beasts were still poorly understood and not widely believed to exist or be a serious threat, in part due to their relatively remote activities, as the creatures would normally only lurk on the fringes of civilization and attacked only isolated targets. Bell River changed the understanding of this nascent threat. Over the course of several months, the delta town of Gloch Afon in Cymry experienced an increasing number of sightings of Beasts in its hinterlands, some of them of significant size. Adventurers from the town’s Guild who had largely grown accustomed to less lethal threats from Monsters had suffered significant casualties investigating reports of sightings or attacks, or in attempting to kill the creatures. Their reports had not been able to sway Bell River’s Baron to request aid, nor the Diocesan Bishop and his forces to mobilize, or even prepare. Instead, they were presumed to have run afoul of more common wild animals or violent Monsters, as some could be quite dangerous in the area. The Beasts built up in the wilds over time as the Adventurers refused to cull them or lost the ability to do so, slowly isolating the town from outside interactions by land. By the time the town’s leadership began to move, too many of their able-bodied fighters were no longer such, and timely aid was beyond reach. The Beasts, emboldened by their numbers, overran Gloch Afon, killing the vast majority of the residents. Those who survived did so by fleeing on what ships had been at port at the time, carrying with them the tale of the disaster. The town remains lost to this day, overgrown and overrun with Beasts, a ruin, a tomb, and a warning against complacency in the face of the threat that “idiot” Beasts can pose.