Send more coffee!: World building w. Martin Rauff

A couple of weeks ago I had a two week workshop on world building with Martin Rauff, who is mostly famous in Denmark for creating a kids live roleplaying tv show called Barda.

Here is an introduction to the world Moderne Royalty(working titel) that my classmates Bob Lundgren, Kristian Bay Kirk and Muir Jover and I created.

Along with some of the artwork we made for the presentation as well.

Modern Royalty Idea

(written by Bob Lundgren)

Introduction,

This is a world where all the basic forms of government were pushed aside, through changes in history, in favor of Monarchy. Today’s known religions never got organized and the monarchs of the world took their place as deities. To keep bloodlines pure the entire notion of marriage between royalties never happened. Instead if neighboring countries wanted peace they would arrange mass weddings and marry enormous groups of low class peasants, this would make it harder for nations to fight each other, when they would be marching against their own family. An idea exists amongst the nobles that they are better than their lower subjects because of their pure blood. They use the mass weddings as currency but also as a way to mix and muddy up the peasants bloodlines so they won’t be able to claim royalty.

To save bloodlines there is a lot of inbreeding resulting in physical handicaps and mongoloid features. This is fought by putting a lot of resources into medical science like plastic surgery etc. Nobles are made to look like their original ancestors. This medicinal advancement is purely done in secret. The royal families have secret castes of doctors who do these procedures and researches ways to keep the blood lines pure. The newest breakthrough in their research is the ability to clone the ancient kings and completely purify the bloodlines. This caste of doctors is publicly known as the clergy. They disguise themselves as priests and bishops serving the gods but in reality they are a collection of the smartest people from all the classes. This caste is behind all the technological advances made in this world.

Mood pieces ( by me ASR)

The hierarchy of this society is class based. On top we have the Kings and emperors acting as gods who rule with absolute power over state and government advised by their secret caste of doctors, this caste of doctors is a borderless organization that exists in every kingdom. Under the supervision of the royal family are the nobles. Some have distant ties to the royal family and others have earned their title and status by serving the crown. The function of the nobles consists of managing all the affairs of the state too insignificant for the royal family to handle. Like high ranking military positions or leadership within different industries. Next in line is the police force and the military, the highest position in society available to the common people. The police mostly consist of bastards and half-nobles whereas the military is a more diverse group of classes. Ranging from peasants and workers as infantry, middleclass as infantry officers (sergeants, lieutenants and captains), and trained Special Forces carry out missions with the use of modern technology.

Military and Bastard police design by Kristian

and a quick bastard police I did

High officer posts are controlled by the nobles and in special circumstances a noble will go to battle as a knight to fight for chivalry and honor. Lowest in the hierarchy we find the peasants and workers. The only way for peasants and workers to advance to a middleclass position in society is through military service.

In the judicial system the nobles and the royals have all the power. They act as judge, jury and executioner by voting through a reality show captured on a live video feed by the police force. This video feed is controlled by a national broadcast editor who gained this power by working in the shadows together with the Clergy.

just some of the clothes and char design by Muir ( she made a LOT)

Technology like ours today is present, but not available to the public because there never was any mass production. Industry is controlled by the nobles and corporations and companies are hereditary within the noble families. Industrial fabrication is all handmade in assembly lines which also further limit the availability of products. Because there is less waste of resources without mass production the world is better off. There is no global warming or lack of natural resources like oil etc. No pollution.

Modern technology like vehicles, radio, television and computers are controlled by the nobles and helps to keep control of the public. “The town crier” is a big monitor situated in the center of villages and gives information from the nobles to the public.

Registration and monitoring of the public is the job of the police, registration is done through a blood database that has the DNA of every citizen on record from birth. This database is a vital tool for choosing which families are fit to advance in society, but also as a way of knowing exactly where each citizen is currently within the kingdom. Whenever you enter or leave a city you go through a border control office that registers your movement.

The look and design of this world is filled with contrast, you have a lower class of people that lives like they did in the dark ages with poorly constructed houses with straw roofs (farms) and right next to them is modern technology (skyscrapers, glass buildings). Common people ride around in horse carriages and nobles have vehicles. The town center is modern with monitors conveying orders from the monarch but still surrounded by simple shops like blacksmithing or masonry. The police and military wear handcrafted uniforms with broidery and ornaments along with video cameras and communication devices.

War is more common than peace and it’s not rare for a country to fight on more than one front. Peace treaties and alliances are common but only if both parties gain a lot from it and it rarely lasts long. Protecting Denmark from the south is the legendary Viking line of defensive fortifications called Danavirki through the ages this place has grown into one with the oldest city of Denmark called Hedeby. (på norrønt: Heiðab) Together these two massive constructions protect the nation.

Rough 2 page story test by Muir. Written by Bob Lundgren