Development Thread: Sacred Seed

[Cobalt]

@rucket said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

Nice, looks like it's based on rolling d12s?

@coin could probably explain it best, but the tl;dr roll <attr>d12 at <difficult-skill level> will be the system.

[Coin]

@cobaltasaurus said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

@bobotron said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

@cobaltasaurus

This is nice. Very direct and to the point. Are there other cognomen that one would add such as from posiitonals and such? As someone who spent a lot of time digging through how Roman naming conventions worked in relation to paterfamilias, position and station, I found that it was interesting to see how and what people who tack onto their names.

Um...

English kudasai!

Or...

@Coin All yours buddy

I haven't given it MUCH more thought but I do want to maybe overcomplicate it just a TAD to give it that, "god damn, fucking nobles" feel to it. So I will think of something.

[Cobalt]

Look! The beginnings of a +sheet!

[Rucket]

So how is this project coming along?

[Cobalt]

@rucket Chugging along, I'm working at spending 1-2hrs every day (that I'm not working), working on either theme or code stuff. I spent a good chunk of that the last time breaking a part a terrible scary giant page into smaller more manageable ones.

Currently I'm working on creating duchies for each of the courts, and then fleshing out the NPCs and rosters for those duchies, and then so on.

@Coin has been caught up with midterm stuff, but we're still plugging away at our system mechanics.

[Cobalt]

I'm tinkering away! I've worked out a little graphic to break down the social hierarchy, is it understandable?

• Note: Thorned Branch is the city guard, Gilded Branch is the Crafters, Flowering Branch is the courtesans.

[Rucket]

Nice flowchart.

I assume there are some levels in between just a plain guard and say the knight-captain? Or the artisans? Like if there is a Master Blacksmith, like someone who is clearly topnotch but isn't the Guildmaster, would they have a form of address on their own?

[Cobalt]

@rucket said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

Nice flowchart.

I assume there are some levels in between just a plain guard and say the knight-captain? Or the artisans? Like if there is a Master Blacksmith, like someone who is clearly topnotch but isn't the Guildmaster, would they have a form of address on their own?

Hhmm. I might tag @Coin a little bit on that. I personally don't want to complicate things too much-- if people have to remember too many titles and then someone forgets it, I don't want there to be drama for simple mistakes.

It might just be like: They'd still be master/mistress but noted as 'Master Blacksmith' as their full title, like: 'Master Blacksmith Ariel Fogsworth' or 'Master Performer Etienne Swansea', etc. The guards, yeah, will probably have like lieutenants and stuff, who might be considered the same as knights (sir/dame) but we'll see what @Coin thinks there.

[Coin]

@cobaltasaurus said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

@rucket said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

Nice flowchart.

I assume there are some levels in between just a plain guard and say the knight-captain? Or the artisans? Like if there is a Master Blacksmith, like someone who is clearly topnotch but isn't the Guildmaster, would they have a form of address on their own?

Hhmm. I might tag @Coin a little bit on that. I personally don't want to complicate things too much-- if people have to remember too many titles and then someone forgets it, I don't want there to be drama for simple mistakes.

It might just be like: They'd still be master/mistress but noted as 'Master Blacksmith' as their full title, like: 'Master Blacksmith Ariel Fogsworth' or 'Master Performer Etienne Swansea', etc. The guards, yeah, will probably have like lieutenants and stuff, who might be considered the same as knights (sir/dame) but we'll see what @Coin thinks there.

I can see an argument for a stricter hierarchical system within guilds and stuff, maybe modeled after the nobility hierarchy. It might even make a lot of sense if they directly mirror it, actually. I kind of like that.

Really, it depends whether you want to make the commoners mimic the nobility, or passive rage against it (or mock/parody it socially, which would be interesting too).

[Cobalt]

I’m without net right now, so I can’t share everything but I’ve pretty much hammered out all of the cultural aspects of marriage, fidelity, divorce and side pieces.

Marriage is one part business transaction, onenpart political alliance. You can take a Companion to be the person who sees to your emotional needs. But you are expected to only have children with your spouse, and only be with your spouse and your companion (if you have one).

Divorce is rare and usually the result of an alliance falling a part and the families demanding the marriage be dissolved or from one party producing a child outside of the marriage bed.

Same sex marriages are a thing and not considered any different save that the heirs from such a union must be from the titleholders siblings or cousins, and not a third party entering the marriage.

Nobles caught being unfaithful will face consequences ranging from social ostracism to banishment depending on how far the injured spouse wishes to push it and how much social clout they have.

Commoners caught being unfaithful will face as much consequence as their community puts on them.

Clorians have both tea based contraceptives and plant based condoms, that both work pretty decently. To the point that accidents are rare and bastards are either willful or from the extremely careless— both players have to consent to baby making, staff doesn’t want to be involved in any way.

(If you ask us to GM anything about your baby it’s probably going to be a monster that devours everyone, rather than a Chosen One).

I worked up basic policies;

Alts can’t benefit each other, you can have one Seeded and one Seedless.

Be cool, don’t harass people, keep public areas SFW.

You have to be 18+ to play and all characters have to be 18+.

Staff encourages non-character death PvP, but consent is not required if all other options have been exhausted. (Be prepared to justify while character death is the only option left to you.)

Next I’m going to work on religion, laws, and etc.

If anyone has any suggestions or questions on what part of culture or the world they’d need to know to play, please let me know so I can get it cleaned out.

ETA: please forgive any typos or terrible grammar (worse than my usual) I’m writing this from my phone — hence why I can’t share the stuff I’ve written because it’s all on my laptop.

[Ganymede]

@Cobaltasaurus

What is society's reaction to heirs whose parent is involved in a same-sex marriage? Are they considered as legitimate as heirs whose parents are involved in a marriage?

[Cobalt]

@ganymede said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

@Cobaltasaurus

What is society's reaction to heirs whose parent is involved in a same-sex marriage? Are they considered as legitimate as heirs whose parents are involved in a marriage?

ETA: Misread your question a little, will leave the original response in case it clarifies for anyone else.

But as long as the heir for a same sex marriage is someone appointment from the titleholders family, and not produced from a third party entering the marriage they are considered just as legitimate as opposite sex marriages— because some heterosexual marriages might not produce heirs, infertility is a thing in Cloria as well.

——

ORIGINAL REPLY:

For same sex marriage the heir has to be a sibling or direct cousin or otherwise blood relative of the original titleholder, otherwise the heir isn’t considered legitimate.

For example:

Countess Mary and Lady Eliza decide to get married, Mary declares that her younger brother Jeff is her heir, his children would also be her heirs should something happen to him. — This is good, Jeff is the legitimate heir.

Vs

Countess Mary and Lady Eliza get married, and then invite Mary’s younger brother Jeff to sire a child on Eliza. This child would still be considered a bastard, and not a legitimate heir, because children are only legitimate if their parents are married.

The same would go for two guys getting married, they couldn’t have a female friend carry a child for them.

(There might be work arounds in the form of adoption of noble “orphans”. If you really want your own child and want to be sneaky and risk exposure.)

[Coin]

@cobaltasaurus said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

You have to be 18+ to play and all characters have to be 18+.

My only caveat here is that IC, 18+ is basically whern your character enters their "Summer". I think it's somewhere in this thread, but Clorians count by seasons and have internal seasons for themselves--

Spring is your infancy-childhood-puberty years.
Summer is age of consent and forward, roughly starting at the equivalent to our 18-21 years.
Autumn is your true adulthood--you're expected to have training in a profession or have finished your studies and lollygagging about by now and have a job, stability.
Winter is your twilight years, retirement age,

One thing we didn't discuss is how long the seasons are (apart from Spring). I think it might be interesting if each season is roughly the same, so if spring lasts 18-25 years (i.e. around a hundred seasons), then Clorians di anywhere between 72-100 years old (which is actually pretty accurate). But it DOES change how long their "studying and lollygagging" lasts, compared to us, which is a great way to make the society, and how it's built, unique.

P.S. I am also without net and I am moving this weekend so I will be back into it in like a week and a half, two weeks.

[Cobalt]

@coin yeah I need to theme-y up the age stuff, but figured for OOC reference it would be easier to say 18+.

[Coin]

@cobaltasaurus said in Development Thread: Sacred Seed:

@coin yeah I need to theme-y up the age stuff, but figured for OOC reference it would be easier to say 18+.

Yeah. it's just good to repeat it so when people drop into the game it's already something they've been brewing in their brainmeats.

[Cobalt]

Marriage:
Marriage is a promise of support and fidelity between two people. It is contract between two people to better both of their families by entering in a union. This is true for both the Seeded nobles and the Seedless commoners of Cloria. In practice this means that nobles are expected to marry someone who will bring a needed skillset, money, prestige, or some other benefit to their family. Marriage between two nobles is one part business contract and one part political alliance. Commoner marriages are much the same save without the political alliances (unless one is a member of a merchant family or a gang or some other powerful commoner family). A commoner will find pressure on themselves to marry someone who can help their family get ahead in the world, however, they will face less social backlash if they marry for love. A noble marrying for love will be seen as a foolish child who cannot do their own duty— especially since they could simply take a Companion.

Companionship:
Marriage is not for love, every noble knows this. Companionship is where you find love. Entering into a Companionship relationship with someone is almost as formal as getting married. Your Companion is the person that you love, that takes care of your emotional needs. You are expected not to have children with them, and you are expected to place them slightly below your spouse and your family, but you will not be ostracized by the public for being seen with them. You will not be spoken about and looked down upon for displaying affection and love upon this person. So long as you are clearly doing your duty to your family, you are permitted the happiness of a Companion. Entering into a Companion relationship is also a contract like marriage— a person declares to love and be faithful to their Companion (outside of their spouse). They are, after all, the person that loves them and takes care of their emotional needs.

Fidelity - Nobles:
When one is married one is expected to be faithful to their spouse. When you get married you are signing a legal document saying that you will not have children with someone else, you will not pass on your powers to another. While Clorians do have contraceptives and prophylactics they are not 100% successful and accidents happen (Clorians are humans and some are forgetful). Being with someone outside of your spouse or your Companion risks spreading your powers outside of your marriage and is seen as you being disloyal and unable to keep your promises, and should a bastard result from it— it is seen as you breaking an oath to your spouse (and potentially your Companion!). You are expected to be with your spouse and your Companion only, to do otherwise risks great consquences.

Fidelity - Commoners:
Commoners take fidelity just as seriously as nobles, but for different reasons. A Seeded bastard would tear a family a part. For the Seeded child and their parent would be uplifted in society but not the spouse in cases where there is absolute proof of who the true parentage is. Fidelity is also expected because two families come together to try and uplift themselves, being unfaithful suggests that when one “makes good” they will abandon their spouse. Such is unacceptable in the eyes of the Seedless populous. They must stick together and be good to each other.

Side Pieces & Adultery - Nobles:
It happens. There’s always someone who thinks they can get away with it, or someone who just doesn’t care. It is incredibly shameful and adultery is a serious issue. It is technically a crime in Clorian, as an adulterer is breaking the legal oath they swore to their spouse (and perhaps their Companion). The consequences of being caught are not absolute, of course, nor are they equal from person to person. The consequences of being caught being unfaithful to your spouse and/or your companion range from the dissolution of your binding oaths (marriage, companionship) to being cast out of your family to being denobled and banished from {The Grove} depending upon how much political power the injured party and their family possesses and how much they wish to press the issue.

Side Pieces & Adultery - Commoners:
Commoners by virtue of their station have less power to deal with adulterers. So it usually comes down to social consequences. It is considered shameful to be unfaithful to your spouse or your companion to the point that a commoner who is caught will find themselves clipped. They may find themselves divorced and then spurned by the people in their community; shopkeepers will not sell to them (or will grossly over charge them), their birth family may turn their back on them, people will turn away from them in public, they may find their wages being cut, the guard may even be disinclined to help them unless they are being outright murdered. The community decides just how far too take this clipping, and just how long it will last. A beloved fop who is caught may only face the consequences for as long as it takes for the community to be charmed by them again. A disliked merchant who is seen as overcharging may have to move to another domain completely to overcome the consequences of being caught being disloyal.

Divorce - Nobles:
Divorce is sticky for nobles. It happens, surely, but it is rare. It is seen as something very tragic. It’s regrettable. Divorce happens only when a political alliances has fallen apart so badly it cannot be salvaged. This typically comes about when one party has a bastard, and thus cannot be trusted to fulfill the terms of their marriage agreement. Or it happens when two houses have come into a dispute that cannot be solved easily. Such as a dispute over land if the two houses are near to each other and are both expanding, or a dispute over trade rights. If two houses are on the brink of warring with each other a divorce may come into play … and is usually at the behest of the family heads rather than the spouses themselves. If the union has not produced any children yet (which especially makes a divorce because of a bastard particularly shameful on the one who produced the bastard) then the divorce is typically easy — it is just a formal dissolution of the agreement. If the union has produced children it becomes trickier. The divorce then must be approved by either the Ruler or the Second of their court, for the two families must decide what to do with the children. There is not such thing as co-parenting in Cloria. They must be considered members of one family in full, not partially members of two. Divorce when children are involved is considered incredibly tragic and to be avoided at all costs.

Divorce - Commoners:
It is slightly more common for commoners to get a divorce, for they do not have to deal with inheritance issues (save for in the case of rich merchant families or the like), and usually do not have political alliances to think of. It is still seen as regrettable and tragic, and if it comes about in the case of infidelity the adulterer will be clipped. Divorce without children is as simple as dissolving their agreement. Divorce with commoner is tragic but not nearly as bad with a noble family. They decide who the children will stay with but the children are still allowed to see their other parent.

Companionship Cont’d:
Companionship is a fully accepted part of society. Both commoners and nobles may take Companions, both men and women may take Companions. It is not shameful or forbidden. It is, also, far easier to break a Companion relationship than it is to break a marriage, at least legally. It is just a matter of dissolving the agreement. It can get messier, however, emotionally since Companionship by virtue involves the heart. A jilted Companion may make life hard for their ex-lover if they are feeling vindictive. There is a degree of danger to taking a Companion in that accidents do happen and if one conceives a child with their companion … that child is seen as a bastard and a shameful mark against the pair for being irresponsible. However, since Clorians do have contraceptives and prophylactics it is a rare occurrence, and usually avoidable with carefulness. Companionship is also one of the few ways that it is socially acceptable for a commoner and a noble, a Seedless and a Seeded, to be together. For no reason can a Seeded marry a Seedless, but they may enter into a Companionship. Though they may be looked at as immature on the Seeded’s part or as attempting to climb the social ladders via sex on the Seedless part. People might whisper about them behind their backs, but wouldn’t try to stop them (save where someone might have concerns that the Seedless is being pressured into it by the Seeded).

Marriage - Same Sex:
The people of Cloria do not care about one’s sexual preferences as long as one is doing their duty to society and are harming no one else. Same sex marriages do happen and no one particularly cares. In the case of titleholders entering in a same sex marriage they are expected to name a sibling or a cousin as their heir. Bastards are not permitted to be heirs— this means that a third party cannot enter the relationship to provide the heir. It must be a relative of the titleholder who becomes the heir of the title.

Sex:
Those not married are not expected to be celibate. In fact, most unmarried young adults are assumed to be exploring and being sexually active. No one particularly cares as long as they are being responsible and not producing children, and not sexploring with married people.

Gender Identity:
Clorians are physically male or female, usually. However, they are tolerant of those who feel as if they should be different than how they were born. They have no social mores against those who identify as a different gender or somewhere between. In fact, the current Monarch of the Mountain is gender neutral, preferring to be referred to as “they” or “she” or “he”.

Contraceptives & Prophylactics:
Generally speaking, there is male and female birth control available in the form a plant brewed into a tea. It’s called “Lover’s Shield” and is widely available, cheap, and very effective. Perhaps one in a million might find that the tea had failed them. There are also condoms made from thin but strong membranes of a plant that grows offshore. It isn’t as effective as “Lover’s Shield” but it is effective enough, when used together it is perhaps one in ten million that would find they had an unwanted children. OOCly, these methods are as close to perfect contraception that no one should have a “surprise” baby sprung on them. It must be both players’ choice for a child to be conceived, doubly so in the case of IC bastards.

Conception & Pregnancy:
Clorian conception works just the same was human conception. You know how it works! …Yes that means that Clorian women probably have periods. But staff isn’t ever going to ask you to RP that out. Same as staff absolutely does not care about pregnancy RP. As a warning: Terrible things are likely to happen if you ask staff to get involved with your pregnancy RP. Special children will be Mary Shelley’s Babies that tear their way out of the womb rather than a Chosen One type infant.

[Cobalt]

Overview:
As far back as recorded history suggests the Clorians have worshiped a quartet of concepts. Very ancient texts sometimes suggest that they once worship beings as Gods but the Church of the Grove insists this is heretical and a lie. The Gods of Cloria are things so vast and so large that they cannot be fully understood, and instead the Clorians worship the representations of them. A quartet: the Seed (Clora), the Sun (Photosynthesis), the Rain (hydration), and the Soil (growth).

The Seed:
It’s rather simply put, the main “God” that the Clorians worship is the Sacred Seed itself, Clora. The Seed is the source of their powers. They treat the Seed with reverence and only Gardeners are allowed to tend to the growing of it, and only specialized Chefs who have gone through intense and religious training are allowed to prepare the Clora for consumption. While blackmarkets might exist… it is considered heretical and a serious crime to prepare Clora when one is not a Garden Chef.

Rites & Rituals:

• Prayer of Feast: A short prayer that is said before most meals, giving thanks for the bounty. Those meals that include Clora have thanks given for the powers and strength of the divine fruit.

• Dance of Harvest: Most plants are considered sacred in some way to the Clorians, and as such when it comes time to harvest a large festival is put on. This is typically for large harvests in farming communities and the like. This ritual often devolves into a large party full of revelry and drinking, but it is said to have started as a way to pray to the crops that are being harvested. When the Clora is being harvested in bulk by the Gardeners the sponsor a massive festival that lasts for a week within the city, where none are allowed within the Gardens for the week and instead are urged to make merry for the bounty will be ready soon. This is called the Grand Dance of Clora.

The Sun:
All plants need some sunlight. Clorians know enough about plants to understand that they gain their energy from the Sun, and thus they see the Sun as life sustaining…. And indeed some Seeded claim that they feel more energetic and stronger after having been in direct sunlight for a time. While the Seedless tend to roll their eyes at this everyone agrees — the Sun deserves reverence and respect. As such the Clorians see the Sun as an aspect of Life itself, and worship it as an energy and life giver.

Rites & Rituals:

• Prayer for Sunshine: Most Clorians do not mind the rain, for they also worship The Rain. However, all things must be taken in moderation. As such when one feels as if they had had too much rain and they are out of balance they may given the Prayer for Sunshine. This may be literal or allegorical. A farmer may pray for literal sunshine if they have had a long rainy season and are worried for the wellbeing of their crops. Or a man who has suffered hardship after hardship may offer up the Prayer for Sunshine to bring some good luck or good news his way. The prayer is traditionally a beseeching for the clouds to clear and the Sun to shine down.

• Festival of Sun’s Return: Every year when the long, cold months of fall and winter have finished the Clorians put on the Festival of Spring Sunrise. A celebration of the return of the sunny warm months. This festival lasts from Sunrise to Sunset on the first warm day of the year.

The Rain:
Just as a plant cannot grow without the Sun it also cannot grow without the Rain. Clorians see the Rain as the other side of the duality with the Sun. It is another lifegiver. Another aspect of growth. As such the Clorians worship the Rain and the Rainfall as well.

Rites & Rituals:

• Prayer for Rainfall: Some consider the Prayer for Rainfall to be just the opposite of the Prayer for Sunshine, but it isn’t. Like the Prayer for Sunshine it can be literal or allegorical. A farmer who has suffered a drought would perform the Prayer for Rainfall in the hopes that the Rain would hear him and grant him some rain. Or a man who feels his life has been too “hot” and “too fast” might perform a Prayer for Rainfall for some peace and for things to slow down just a touch.

• Season’s Growth Festival: The rainy season is largely considered the season of growth in Cloria, and as such a Festival is put on usually in spring but sometimes in fall as well to celebrate the rainfall that is so good for their crops.

The Soil:
The Soil, is of course, the final piece of the Quartet that the Clorians worship. For the Soil is where a plant grows. Without Soil there can be no life. As such most Clorian sees the Soil as home and hearth, and the place that allows them to grow. This is how the Soil is worshipped, as an allegory for growth and home.

Rites & Rituals:

• Prayer of Welcoming Soil: The Prayer for Welcoming Soil is done during the sowing of crops, but also when one builds a new house, or purchases a new dwelling. Whenever something is taking root the Prayer of Welcoming Soil is performed— a short rite that beseeches the Soil to make growth and home.

• Festival of Tilling: Every year when it comes time to till the fields and begin sowing seeds, there is a large festival put on. All able bodied are expected to participate in the tilling of the fields, and at the end of the day they are rewarded with free merriment and drink and food.

[Cobalt]

Age Restriction:
You are required to be at least 18-years-old to play on Sacred Seed. All characters must be emotionally and physically of 18-years or older.

Alts:
Players are allowed one Seeded and one Seedless. Your alts may not benefit each other in any way.

PvP vs Consent:
Generally speaking Character Death PvP must be justified. One must make a clear case as to why the only option is to kill another player’s character, rather than engage in another form of conflict. Players are encouraged to engage in politics, resource denial, and (ic) social campaigns against their enemies rather than to kill them. This isn’t a consent game, you do not need consent to (icly) make life hell for another character, but you do need to make certain you are exhausting all other options before taking another character out of play forever. This is not limited just to Character Death but also imprisonment, banishment, etc. That being said if all other options are exhausted the player’s consent is not required. Staff will adjudicate as needed.

Sexual RP:
Sexually explicit RP needs to be kept off of the public grid. Please do that in your private rooms where someone isn’t likely to accidentally stumble upon your RP.

Rape RP
No. Staff has a zero tolerance policy on rape RP. If two players are found to be engaging in rape RP they will be asked to leave the game. If one player is trying to pursue rape RP that player will be asked to leave. Do not tolerate anyone pushing that sort of RP at you, contact staff immediately and it will be dealt with.

Player Conduct:
Be kind to each other. Try not to be rude, hurtful, or otherwise inconsiderate of other players. Sexually explicit or heavily innuendo banter is not allowed on public channels. Nor is excessive swearing. Public channels should be kept “Safe For Work” as much as possible. (When sharing links please label them as NSFW if they are in fact not safe for work). Hate speech of any kind will not be tolerated either on channels, ooc talk, or in pages. Harassment of other players will not be tolerated. Don’t be a jerk, don’t be a creep. Staff is the judge of what has gone too far.

Staff Conduct:
Staff will be considerate and respectful to players. That is not to say that staff will tolerate abuse from players but neither will we dish it out. Staff is expected to follow the same guidelines as players for conduct. But adding onto that while staff should be active with NPCs — both protagonist and antagonists — these NPCs will not be used to benefit certain players over others unduly, nor will those who are in romantic relationships be used to engage in on-screen sexually explicit RP. (Such as Sera being married to Elijah, while Sera is an NPC and Elijah is a roster PC there will be no on screen sex between the two, even for private RP between the two). On the subject of staff’s personal characters: They are not required to tell people who their PCs are, but they are expected not to handle any staff business on those characters. They are expected to go through the same application process of as everyone else.

[Cobalt]

I’m going to be working on a general “what you need to know to play” page (to help guide me in what needs to be documented and written)—

If you have questions, or ideas of what you would need to know about an original fantasy game to play, please drop’em here!

[Pyrephox]

@cobaltasaurus Ooh, very cool!

• What are the major guiding values of the culture(s) that are playable? Like, is the concept of good stewardship /super/ important, since so much of the culture revolves around the idea of this sacred agricultural product?
• What playstyles are supported (i.e., political, chef-crafting, intrigue, adventure, direct CvC (personal and direct organizational conflict), indirect CvC (by means of competing for limited resources or boons))?
• What characters does the game explicitly not support? (Not just things like rape, but also, like, I think you've mentioned Gardeners aren't PC-playable, so things like that.)
• In broad strokes, how do people of this land Not Think Like modern American folk? Not in every little detail, but just if there are any major ways in which they significantly diverge, such as an expectation that an adult isn't an adult until they've done some specific ritual, or that there's a certain class of people who are untouchable, etc. (And what consequences can characters expect if their players decide that they will stand in opposition to these cultural mores - is it more of a 'the NPCs roll their eyes and gossip' or something stronger?)
• What are the absolute coolest things about this setting/theme in staff's eyes, and how do they see PCs interacting with those things from the start?
• Finally, what does staff think are some of the character types who are going to be able to jump in and get involved the /easiest/, especially if you're a brand new player and just starting to read up on theme?