Ghuls, Ghuls, Ghuls! news - MyWorld: Cerria

So, with the basics of Ecosystem Development out of the way, I can concentrate on the Ghul Development, which is going pretty well. The Ghul is one of the six playable races in Cerria, MyWorld's world.
It lives in the western tundra-plains.

Oh, also, before this starts. I spoke to my programmer, and she is confident she can make the Leadwerks Engine into a MMO-capable engine. All hail Asakura!

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Location Analysis

Location Analysis is pretty much just taking a step back and looking at what environment the Ghul is evolving in. The weather, biome, predatory creatures and a few others are the key points here.

Biome Plains
Temperature Cold
Rainfall High
Wind Strength Medium
Altitude High

Extra Appearance Tags

Extra Appearance tags takes the Location Analysis and creates the Evolutionary Appearance Changes, then adds a few extras just for variability.

Evolutionary Appearance Changes
Thick Skin, Short Ears, Hairy, Large Chest, Short Fur, Dark Skin, Small Eyes, Large Brow.

Extra Appearance Tags
Stealthy, Short Legs.

Extra Psychological Tags

Extra Psychological tags is similar to Appearance Tags, in the fact that it takes the Location Analysis and creates the Evolutionary Psychological Changes, then adds a few extras just for variability.

Evolutionary Psychological Changes
Pack Hunter, Long Sleeper, Rarely Eats, Eats lots when eating, Stores water.

Extra Pyschological Tags
Patient, Territorial.

Extra Physical Abilities Tags

In taking all the above, the below is adapted. Creatures from the mountains may be tougher, have especially sharp claws for digging and so on, whilst creatures from the plains may have some internal water storage organ, or be especially fast in movement.

Abilities
Fast.

Extra Mental Abilities Tags

In taking all the above, the below is adapted.

Abilities
Resistant to Magic.

Basic Appearance

Once the basic information of the creature is taken down, an appearance can be created.

At first, the Ghul looked like a tiny Yeti, then an odd-looking dwarf, and now some sort of small Gorilla with strong arms, but cat-like legs without calf muscles. the back-end of the head is elongated and the spine is curved. All this allows the Ghul to be faster and psychically stronger.

Basic Travel Animation

Once the basic appearance of the creature is created, a movement mechanism is created.

It runs by lowering from a standing position to all fours, using its knuckles rather than palms, swings its legs through the longer arms, then brings the arms forth once more. Basically running on its knuckles and using the momentum of the swing to move forward.

Basic Attack Animation

Once you know how the creature is stronger than not, and how it can move, a tactic of attack can be created.

The Ghul charges from a hidden position in bushes, trees, and basically out of sight, at the unsuspecting victim. By the time the victim turns to see, the Ghul is charging at full speed, and at the last moment, pounces, using its hind legs as a spring, to wrap its arms or legs around the victim, latching on, then either pummeling with its strong arms or biting with its sharp teeth.

Ethics Design
With all of that out of the way, the actual interactions, social laws and morally-acceptable actions are worked out.

Actions with Ghuls (Same Species):

• Murder : The murder of a Ghul is unacceptable and would result in a Legal Punishment.
• Assault : The unprovoked assault of a Ghul is a terrible thing, and the perpertrator would find themself Shunned from society.
• Eat : Canibbalism in most cases is totally unacceptable and would result in a Legal Punishment.
• Break Promise : Breaking a Promise is one of the worst things a Ghul can do, to themselves and to others, and results in Exile.
• Lie : Lying is alike to breaking a promise, but without the agreement of a promise, which is not as bad for doing. Results in being shunned from society.
• Vandalism : Vandalism isn't that common, but can happen as an act of anger, or a side-effect of a raging Ghul. The loss of control in public is not smiled upon, resulting in being Shunned from society.
• Trespass : Trespassing into somebody's home or land is not appreciated, and rumours will spread that the perpertrator is not one worthy of the greatest respect - resulting in being shunned from society.
• Theft : Stealing is an act of cowardliness. Cowardliness is the opposite of one of the three commandments of the Ghulish society, and results in being Legally Punished.
• Slavery : The enslavement of a Ghul is a humiliating act, whereas the victim is being deprived of one, if not two, of the commandments. Results in legal punishment.
• Make trophy of : Making a trophy of a defeated Ghul is a dispicable act, whereas the perpertrator is mocking the dead ghul's spirit and name. Results in Capital Punishment.
• Insult : Insulting a Ghul is against the very nature of Ghulish society and is rarely enacted. Nethertheless, can cause the perpertrator to be shunned from society.
• Threaten : Threatening is just as bad as insulting somebody, causing a shunning.
• Torture as an Example : Being tortured as an example is highly acceptable if the victim is a Criminal. Criminals have broken one of the laws, whereas they have lost all respect in the eyes of a Ghul. Non-criminal victims will cause the perpertrator to be legally punished.
• Torture for Fun : Torturing a Ghul for fun is completely unacceptable and causes Capital Punishment.
• Torture for Information : If the whole of the Ghul Society is threatened, one Ghul is insignificant. This is an acceptable burden, although the torturer will live with the guilt his entire life.
• Sacrilege : Ghuls do not worship gods, but historical figures. Insulting one of these is an act that will cause the perpertrator to be sacrificed.
• Magic Usage : Magic is completely unnatural to the Ghuls and therefore is not practiced. If a Ghul were to practice magic, they are exiled immediately.
• Sport Hunting : Capital Punishment is one of two choices for a convict. The other is to be allowed to attempt an escape, whereas a hunt is enacted on the Convict whilst he attempts to escape the country.
• Discrimination : Discrimination amongst Ghuls is completely unacceptable. Any that have survived long enough to grow to adulthood are worthy of respect, and should be treated as so. Punishment is Legalalistic.
• Mercy Kill : Putting a Ghul out of pain is only acceptable if they are in considerable pain and have no chance of recovery. This task is an honourable thing, for their lifeforce is said to drain into the Mercy Killer. (In an ironic twist, Ghul are naturally magical, whereas they can suck the lifeforce out of a defeated opponent, although this is a passive thing, and has been misinterperated by the Ghuls).
• Prostitution : Indulging in sex is a natural thing, if not mandatory. To make your arm muscles stronger, you work out. To make your sex-organ muscles stronger, you "work out". Stronger Ghuls will breed stronger children, which goes onward. Therefore, prostitution is acceptable.
• Gambling : Gambling is a test of wits and intelligence, which is accepted.
• Incest : Sexual interactions with a family member does not expand the family tree and bond the Ghul Society, therefore being an act of selfishness, which causes the perpertrators to be shunned from society.

The same does not apply to other species. Whilst Ghuls may hold respect for life, they see themselves better than any other creature on Cerria. The murder, assault and all that jazz is pretty much acceptable, but this does not mean they go out of their way to do it. If it comes to it, they won't think twice.

Nature is the playground of the Ghul. They will do with it as they want, meaning all is acceptable with Animals.

Same-species Behaviour Design

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml> The Ghuls are enforced to respect others of their kind by blood, out of respect for their own race.
Breaking oaths between Ghuls is punishable by exile - even breaking oaths with the "pathetic" other races is considered a weakness.

Other-species Behaviour Design

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml> Slavery, murder and making trophies of other species is acceptable, though.

non-sentient-species Behaviour Design

Ghuls hold no laws over nature. What a Ghul does in nature is his own business, by Ghulish law.

Childcare Interaction Design

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml>

Ghul Fathers will show little interest in newborns, holding no respect for a creature that cries so much, so to speak. On the other hand, the fathers will show far more respect and interest for Ghul Children who are intelligent, brave and or strong. It is an often practice for fathers to take their children hunting, or to teach and train them in the martial arts.

Ghul Mothers are quite the opposite of the fathers - they are naturally bound to give attention to newborns, to care for them, to feed them. They will usher them into the Ghulish society by teaching them Bravery, strength and intelligence is important of all else but Loyalty.

Grudges Analysis

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml> The Rosephe is a near-impossible enemy to defeat.

Grudges Design

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml>

Worship Analysis

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml><xml> Normal 0 </xml> The Deethi is the smartest hunter in the Ghul's biome, capable of communication.
The Rosephe is their worst enemy since history began, if uncommon to attack the Ghul, making those able to kill them worthy of objectification.

Worship Design

Ghuls have a remembrance day each year for the warriors who have defeated the Rosephe.
Fahwis is a popular sculpture amongst the Ghul.
Deethi is a forbidden creature to be hunted or eaten.

Religion Creation

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml> Deethi is Smart.
Warriors who hunt Rosephe are brave.

These are the three tenants of Ghul Religion and Society. The Ghul Society is based around Loyalty, and being together as one. Because of this, the Ghul Religion is singular, paying tribute to a single Legend whom upheld the Tenants for all his life.
Any calling this Diety weak, stupid or cowardly is to be sacrificed to the Diety.

<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml>Religious Sacrifice Ceremonies
The accused is to be put through three phases, one as an embarrassment to the tenants in their own name.
First, they are proven stupid. The accused is asked simple questions that any Ghul would know, but the accuser would not.
Secondly, they are proven weak. The accused is stripped and beaten into submission.
Thirdly, they are proven cowardly. The accused is tortured with white-hot pokers till they cry for mercy.
The accused is then knifed from chest to pelvis.

If the accused can hold out for seven days through these events, then it is thought that their Deity either protects them, or the Ghulish Deity does not find them worthy. In either case, the victim is released and let go.

If an accuser is a Ghul, they are bound and burned alive, rather than the above ceremony, at dawn, face-down on a hilltop. They have no chance of escaping their fate, for any Ghul is worthy of their Deity.

Lore Design

Folklore is as of yet undecided, due to lack of information about Ghulish History... This should really be placed at the end of the process.

Domestic creatures Analysis

The biome and ecosystems are analyzed to find viable creatures for the below. Creatures of prey that are smaller than the Ghul would be used to help in a hunt, whilst large, stupid, easily-lead creatures would be used in labourous tasks.

Mount Adaption

Pets
Hrex (land_carn)
Vapere (Land_Herb) (Forest #1)

Mounts
Iseil (land_herb)
Situcc (aerial_carn) (Forest #1)

Food Sources
Aceas (land_herb)
Talecodo (Land_Herb) (Forest #1)
Wamiko (Land_Herb) (Forest #1)
Taposa (Land_Herb) (Forest #1)

Labour Domestics
Ebier (Land_herb) (Large)
Verrapa (Land_Herb) (Forest #1)

Vehicle Technology

Vehicle technology takes the form of the Ghul and sees how it sits and what aid it may require in travel. Obviously any race needs a sort of Cart or Ship, but the design of the vehicle should be according to their evolution.
Aggressive creatures may have crude vehicles, spewn with shards of metal and slots for firing arrows out of, whilst a peaceful artistic race may have beautiful vehicles adorned with sculptures and art.

Government Development

Please note that most of the words (Courts, Leaders, Candidates, etc) are not the permanent names, but the language of the Ghul needs to be developped before actual titles can be made, so they are temporary for the most part.
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> Normal 0 </xml>Rite of Leadership

When a Candidate believes he is ready to challenge the leader for leadership, he challenges him to a test of Intelligence, Bravery and Strength.

If the Candidate fails, a vote is made by the remaining four candidates and the leader if he should be allowed to stay in the country as a civilian, or if he is exiled - this is mainly as a check to see if the Candidate still has any respectability to stay.

If the Candidate succeeds, the Leader must step down as a "Retired Leader", whereas the winning candidate then becomes the Leader. Usually after this event, the other four may attempt, on at a time, to challenge the new leader - but some may not, in fear of the consequences.

When an empty slot is present in the Five Candidates, any civilian may apply to fill the place, but must first be voted in by the populace, and then they must complete a challenge of Intelligence, Bravery OR strength, rather than the Leadership Rite of all of the three. If he completes just one successfully, the applicant is then a Candidate.

City States Each settlement is fully self-sufficient, not only in agriculture and commerce, but also in law and order, but the Council (Candidates + Leader) can overrule the settlement.

Each settlement's own "Leader" is a Minor Leader, with Minor Candidates.

Levels of Government Council Council is the Leader and the Candidates who handle any disputes, legal and otherwise, with a sub division that handles the "courts".
Home Home handles agriculture, commerce, employment, and so on.
Military Military handles all aspects of aggressive and defensive war, the training of recruits, and so on.

Laws

It is against the law to:
Murder a Ghul.
Eat a Ghul.
Break a Promise with a Ghul.
Steal from a Ghul.
Enslave a Ghul.
Use magic.
Torture a Ghul for no legal reason.
Make a Ghul a trophy.
Have sexual relations with a relation.
Falsely accuse a Ghul.

Punishment Process
Accused is reported.
Accused is collected by Officer of the courts.
Accused crime is discussed by Minor Council.
Minor Council either punishes accused or accuser, according to the trial's findings.

Whipped.
The accused is whipped in a public square.
Jailed.
The accused is put in Jail.
Shamed.
The accused is labelled as a Shamed.
Exiled.
The accused to made to leave the country.
Capital Punishment.
The accused is killed in a public square.

Offenses + Punishment number.
Murder a Ghul. 3
Eat a Ghul. 3
Break a Promise with a Ghul. 4
Steal from a Ghul. 1
Enslave a Ghul. 2
Use magic. 4
Torture a Ghul for no legal reason. 5
Make a Ghul a trophy. 5
Have sexual relations with a relation. 4
Falsely accuse a Ghul. 1

Remaining Components:

Education Development
How are Ghuls Educated? What are they taught?
Entertainment Development
How do Ghuls relax and enjoy their free time?
Civilization Spread Patterns
Where does a Ghul Civilization spread? What biomes do they avoid, or quickly adapt to?
Civlization Spread Borders (Requires Year count)
Where has the Ghul Civilization spread, and how far? How developed are these further colonies?
Magic Design
Obviously the Magic Design would be nearly-entirely skipped.
Clothing Design
What do the Ghuls wear? What is the current trend?
Architectural Design
What do Ghuls live in? Do they build them, dig them, or adapt to their surroundings?
Weapon Design
What type of weapons do Ghuls use? How do they use them?
Armour Design
Alike to the Clothing Design, but what do Ghuls wear to war? What protects them best? What is it made of?
Item Design
what type of items are Ghuls creating? Arts and Craft? Furniture? Potions? Swords? Shields? Trinkets?

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I hope you guys enjoyed read all of that as much as I disliked the amount of time it took to write it up! Anyway, that's the "basic" run-down of the Ghul Civlization thus far - five more to go, afterwards.

Last, but not least...