Some Notes On Worldbuilding With Carnivorous Cultures:

Some notes on worldbuilding with carnivorous cultures:

Animals feed more people than you think. You don't kill a cow for just one steak, this is a modern misconception since we're removed from the actual animals we eat our meat from; a single cow has several kilos of meat. In fact, slaughtering a single cow often means a feast time for possibly dozens of people. Every part of an animal can be used, and you can see this in cultures that live by ranching and transhumance.

Here, you should look at the Mongols and the people of the Eurasian Steppe, the people of the North American Plains, the people of the Pampas (fun fact; Buenos Aires was called the "carnivore city"), European and Asian cultures that practice transhumance, and those of the Arctic circle.

There are many ways to cook meat, but arguably, the most nutritious way to consume meat is in stew, as it allows you to consume all the fats of the animal and add other ingredients. In fact, mutton soup and stew historically was one of the basic meals for the for people in the Eurasian Steppe, who are one of the people with the highest meat consumption in the world.

Of course, meat spoils away easily. Fortunately, from jerky to cured meats, there are ways to prevent this. In pre-industrial and proto-industrial societies, salted meat was the main way of consumption and exporting meat. This makes salt even a more prized good.

Often, certain parts of animals like eyes, the liver, the testicles, the entrails, are considered not only cultural delicacies but as essential for vitamins and nutrients unavailable in environments such as the poles. The Inuit diet is a very strong example.

Pastures and agriculture have often competing dynamics. The lands that are ideal for mass pasture, that is, temperature wet grasslands, are also often ideal for agriculture. So pastoralism has often been in the margins of agrarian societies. This dynamic could be seen in the Americas. After the introduction of cattle and horses, the Pampas hosted semi-nomadic herdsmen, natives and criollo gauchos. The introduction of wire eventually reduced this open territory, converting it into intense agriculture, and traditional ranching was displaced to more "marginal" land less suitable for agriculture. Similar processes have happened all over the world.

This also brings an interesting question to explore. Agriculture is able to feed more people by density. What about species that DON'T do agriculture, because they're completely carnivorous? The use of what human civilization considers prime agricultural land will be different. They will be able to support much higher population densities than pastoralism.

Pastoral human populations have developed lactase persistance to be able to feed on dairy products even in adulthood. This mutation has happened all over the world, presumably with different origins. In any mammalian species that domesticates other mammals such a thing would be very common if not ubiqutous, as it massively expands the diet. Milk provides hydration, and cheese, yogurth and other such products allows long lasting food sources.

What about hunting? Early humans were apex predators and we are still ones today. However, humans can eat plants, which somewhat reduces the hunting pressure on fauna (though not the pressure of agrarian expansion which can be even worse). An exclusively carnivorous species (for example some kind of cat people) would have to develop very rigid and very complex cultural behavior of managing hunting, or else they would go extinct from hunger before even managing domestication. These cultural views towards hunting have also arosen in people all over the world, so you can get a sense of them by researching it.

It is possible for pastoral nomadic people, without any agriculture, to have cities? Of course. All nomadic peoples had amazing cultures and in Eurasia, they famously built empires. But they traded and entered conflicts with agrarian societies, too. They weren't isolated. Most of nomadic societies were defined by trade with settled ones.

The origin of human civilization and agriculture is still debated. It would be probably completely different for a non-human carnivorous society. One possible spark would be ritual meeting points (such as the historical Gobleki Tepe) or trade markets growing into permanent cities. But in general, pastoralism, hunting and ranching favors low-density populations that would be quite different.

Fishing, on the other hand, is a reliable source of protein and promotes settled cities. One can imagine acquaculture would be developed very early by a civilization hungry for protein.

Other possibilities of course are the raising of insects and mushrooms, both very uncommonly explored in fiction besides passing mentions.

Of course, most carnivorous species have some limited consumption of plant matter and many herbivores are oportunistic predators. The main thing to ask here is what the daily meal is here. For most human agrarian cultures, it's actually grain (this is where the word meal comes from). What about species that cannot live with a grain-based diet? You will find that many things people take for granted in agrarian society would be completely different.

As I always say: the most important question you can ask is "where does the food comes from?"

I hope you found these comments interesting and useful! I would love to do a better post once I'm able to replace my PC (yes, I wrote this all in a phone and I almost went insane). If you like what I write and would love to see more worldbuilding tips, consider tipping my ko-fi and checking my other posts. More elaborate posts on this and other subjects are coming.

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Herbs & Correspondences A-F

This is going to be a looonnnnnggg post, I have gotten all the herbs I can find/remember the correspondences of herbs in alphabetical order, so I might actually break it down into sections and link them on each post at the top.

Acorn - Good luck, personal power, protection and wisdom. Dried acorns are a natural amulet for youthfulness. Associated with Litha. Element water.

Agrimony - Shielding and hex-breaking, aids sleep, brings luck towards you and is powerful in spell reversal. Element Air.

Alder - Helps you to face up to things you are avoiding, divination, teaching especially anything arty and weather magic. Element Fire.

Alfalfa - Money, prosperity and a happy home, also anti-hunger. Generosity and luck. Element Earth.

Allspice - Draws money and business success. Aids compassion, luck and healing. Element Fire.

Angelica - Also called Archangel. It is a very powerful protection herb, healing, creates harmony and courage and helps in exorcisms. Aids vision. Element Air.

Apple - Garden magic, love, healing and wisdom, also vanity, marriage and beauty. Associated Mabon & Samhain. Element water.

Ash - Spells relating to the sea, protection, and luck. Make your Yule log from ash and burn to bring prosperity. Yggdrasil was an Ash tree. Element water.

Basil - Also called witch's herb. Use in spells for Love, exorcism, wealth, sympathy, and protection. Associated with Imbolc. Aids astral projection. Element Fire.

Bay Leaf - Protection, success, purification, strength, wisdom and healing, also increases psychic powers. Element Fire.

Beech - Happiness, inspiration and divination. Represents the Green Man. Element Air.

Belladonna - Also Called: Deadly Nightshade. Toxic. Use for forgetting past loves. Protection, beauty and original flying ointments. Adds energy to rituals. Element Water.

Benzoin - Purification, prosperity, and helps to soothe tension by dispelling anger and lessening irritability, de stressing, helps depression, concentration and astral projection. Element Air.

Bergamot - Money, prosperity and sleep. Protects from both evil and illness. Good luck and wealth. Increases magical power. Element Fire.

Birch - Protection, exorcism and purification. Dispels lightning, infertility, and the evil eye. Associated with Yule. Element Water.

Black Pepper - Banishing negativity, exorcism, and offers protection and help with inner strength. Element Fire

Blackthorn - Exorcisms, warding off negative spirits and general protection. Associated with Samhain. Element Earth.

Bladderwrack - Protection, sea and wind spells, attracts money, psychic powers, and customers to your business. Element Water.

Blessed Thistle - or Holy Thistle. Purification, protection against negativity and evil, hex breaking and aids vitality. Carry on you for strength and protection. Element Earth.

Blueberry - Protection of children, keeps evil out, and strengthens the aura. Associated with the Great Spirit. Element Water.

Borage Flower - Self Courage, peace, calm, self-love and strength. Element Air.

Burdock - Also called Beggar’s buttons. Used for cleansing magic and warding off negativity. Protection, healing and persistence spells. Element Water.

Calendula - Also called Marigold. It attracts success and justice in legal matters. Increases psychic/spiritual powers and aid prophetic dreams. Dispels negativity. Element Fire.

Cardamom - Lust, love, and fidelity. Sweetens the personality Use in handfasting's. Element Water.

Carnation - Protection, strength, healing, enhancing magical powers, and achieving balance. Element Fire.

Catnip - Also called Nepeta. Use when working with animals. Draws love, luck and happiness, also used in beauty magic. Associated with Bast. Element Water.

Cedarwood - Luck, strength and power. It helps increase money and protection. Also healing. Associated with Mabon. Element Earth.

Cedar Berries - Also Called: Juniper Berries. Protective, cleansing and repels negativity very well. Used in healing rites. Element Fire.

Celandine - Cures depression, treats piles, improves circulation. Brings about Joy and happiness. Solar Magic. Element Fire.

Chamomile - Love, sleep, protection and purification, also reduce stress. Use for meditation work and to attract money. Solar Magic. Element Water.

Chervil - Helps healing, flatulence and superstition. It is considered the herb for bringing in new life. Element Water.

Chickweed - Also called Witches Grass. Use in moon spells. Also good for animal magic, relationships, love and fertility. Element Water.

Chili - Fidelity, love and passion. Also hex breaking. Element Fire.

Cinnamon - Also called Sweet Wood. Use for Solar magic. Meditation and astral projection. Increases spirituality, success, healing, protection, power, luck, strength, and prosperity. Element Fire.

Clover, Red - Also called Trefoil. used in any spells relating to marriage, love, lust and fidelity. Success is linked to money. Element Air.

Clove - Use to protect, banish negative forces, and divination. It also helps with any teeth spells. Aids money and draws love. Element Fire.

Coltsfoot - Aids wealth. Works with peace, tranquility, prosperity, and love. Associated with Brighid. Element Water.

Comfrey - Also called Slippery Root. Supports magic healing and safe travel. Use for money, endurance and stability spells. Element Water.

Coriander - Love, lust and health. Used as an aphrodisiac and to heal migraines. Brings peace & protection to the home. Element Fire.

Cornflower - Used primarily as an Ink for your Book of Shadows. It is the patron herb of herbalists. Use in rituals to give honor to the mother of all nature, also connected to Rainbow and Crystal children. Element Earth.

Cumin - Fidelity, protection, and exorcism. Also used in love spells and food which can also promote fidelity. Element Earth

Cypress - Associated with death and mourning; stimulates healing and helps overcome the pain of loss. Other properties include self-esteem, protection, love and banishing nightmares. Element Earth.

Damiana - Lust, sex magic and attracting love. It is thought to be an aphrodisiac. Use for astral projection and spirit quests. Element Fire.

Dandelion Leaf - Used to summon spirits, make wishes on, healing, purification and defeating negativity. Element Air.

Dandelion Root - Magical uses include divination, wishes and calling spirits. It also enhances dreams and works well in astral projection. Element Air.

Dock Root- (Yellow). Used to release baggage no longer needed. Also, fertility, healing and money magic. Clears blockages and cuts bindings. Solar Magic. Element Air.

Echinacea - Adds a boost to clairvoyant and psychic abilities. Adds powerful strength to spells used in money drawing magic, fertility and abundance and provides the user with protective power. Element Earth.

Elder Tree - Sleep, releasing enchantments, protection against negativity, banishing.

Elderflower & Berry - Peace, protection, and healing, plus aids in exorcisms. Element Water.

Elm - Energizes the mind and balances the heart. Aids love spells and offer protection from lightning. Element Water.

Evening Primrose - Ideal for moon magic. Also use in love charms and to attract fae. Element Water.

Eyebright - Increases mental power, psychic ability and inner vision. Element Air.

Fennel Seed - Helps with meditation. Healing, purifying and protection. Also linked with new motherhood and offers inner strength. Element Air.

Feverfew - Aids poor health. Protection against accidents when travelling and protection when working with spirit. Carry on you for inner strength. Element Water.

Flax Seed - Also called Linseed. Used for money spells and healing rituals. It helps with beautiful spells and offers protection. Element Fire.

Fleawort - Healing, Cleansing, strength and power. The Goddess' herbs. Element Earth.

Frankincense Resin - Use in solar magic. Associated with Beltane, Lammas, and Yule. Use in rituals and magic associated with self-control, spirituality and protection. Also regulates emotions and helps depression. Element Earth

Fumitory - Associated with the underworld and used at Samhain. Linked to spells for monetary gain, consecration and protection. Element Earth.

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foggedupforsaken

10 months ago

say what you will about gotye's "somebody i used to know" but i gotta appreciate a song that ends with a second party rebutting the entire rest of the song, while still in the song. imagine if more songs did this. incredible.

12K notes View Post

foggedupforsaken

1 year ago

Parts of PTSD that no one talks about

Not knowing who to be angry at.

Being angry with yourself for letting it happen even if there was no way to stop it.

Crying and not knowing why.

Flashbacks where nothing bad is happening but it feels bad.

Denying that it ever even happened because your brain doesn't want to process it.

Wanting to go back to it so it feels "bad enough."

Intentionally triggering yourself to feel like your suffering is real.

Being angry all the time at every little thing.

Getting triggered by minor things and then being treated poorly because of your reaction to said trigger.

Hating change.

Being scared to sleep because you know you'll have nightmares.

Struggling to find hobbies that you enjoy.

Feeling like you're barely human.

Struggling to be positive about anything at all.

Feeling like you may be manipulating people around you into liking you.

Feeling like no one believes you because you barely even believe yourself.

Treating your past self as a "dead" version of you and feeling like a completely different person.

Being tired all the time, both physically and mentally.

Feeling like if you talk about it, your safety will be at risk.

Feeling the need to hide your trauma from everyone, including professionals there to help them.

Being paranoid everyone is going to hurt you.

Being physically incapable of talking about it.

Feeling like you're stuck reliving your trauma.

Having to skip classes or work days because of flashbacks.

Mourning your past self.

Wanting to hurt others so they feel what you feel.

Wondering why it had to be you and it wasn't someone else.

Chronic pain.

Clinging to "safe people."

Not being able to find a solid sense of identity.

Forcing yourself to be around people who trigger you for the sake of politeness.

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foggedupforsaken

10 months ago

here’s the mp100 opening recorded onto vhs and back ;)

86K notes View Post

foggedupforsaken

1 year ago

i know we're all sick of self-care being a marketing tactic now, but i don't think a lot of us have any other concept of self-care beyond what companies have tried to sell us, so i thought i'd share my favorite self-care hand out

brought to you by how mad i just got at a Target ad

176K notes View Post

foggedupforsaken

1 month ago

I hate when I say things like "oh I want an ipod classic but with bluetooth so I can use wireless headphones" and some peanut comes in and replies with "so a smartphone with spotify?" No. I want a 160GB+ rectangular monstrosity where I can download every version of every song I want to it and it does nothing except play music and I don't need a data connection and don't have to pay a subscription to not have ads and don't have popups suggesting terrible AI playlists all over the menus.

Gimme the clicky wheel and song titles like "My Chemical Romance- The Black Parade- Blood (Bonus Track)- secret track- album rip- high quality"

97K notes View Post

foggedupforsaken

1 year ago

17K notes View Post

foggedupforsaken

3 months ago

Can't afford art school?

After seeing post like this 👇

And this gem 👇

As well as countless of others from the AI generator community. Just talking about how "inaccessible art" is, I decided why not show how wrong these guys are while also helping anyone who actually wants to learn.

Here is the first one ART TEACHERS! There are plenty online and in places like youtube.

📺Here is my list:

Proko (Free)

Marc Brunet (Free but he does have other classes for a cheap price. Use to work for Blizzard)

Aaron Rutten (free)

BoroCG (free)

Jesse J. Jones (free, talks about animating)

Jesus Conde (free)

Mohammed Agbadi (free, he gives some advice in some videos and talks about art)

Ross Draws (free, he does have other classes for a good price)

SamDoesArts (free, gives good advice and critiques)

Drawfee Show (free, they do give some good advice and great inspiration)

The Art of Aaron Blaise ( useful tips for digital art and animation. Was an animator for Disney)

Bobby Chiu ( useful tips and interviews with artist who are in the industry or making a living as artist)

Second part BOOKS, I have collected some books that have helped me and might help others.

📚Here is my list:

The "how to draw manga" series produced by Graphic-sha. These are for manga artist but they give great advice and information.

"Creating characters with personality" by Tom Bancroft. A great book that can help not just people who draw cartoons but also realistic ones. As it helps you with facial ques and how to make a character interesting.

"Albinus on anatomy" by Robert Beverly Hale and Terence Coyle. Great book to help someone learn basic anatomy.

"Artistic Anatomy" by Dr. Paul Richer and Robert Beverly Hale. A good book if you want to go further in-depth with anatomy.

"Directing the story" by Francis Glebas. A good book if you want to Story board or make comics.

"Animal Anatomy for Artists" by Eliot Goldfinger. A good book for if you want to draw animals or creatures.

"Constructive Anatomy: with almost 500 illustrations" by George B. Bridgman. A great book to help you block out shadows in your figures and see them in a more 3 diamantine way.

"Dynamic Anatomy: Revised and expand" by Burne Hogarth. A book that shows how to block out shapes and easily understand what you are looking out. When it comes to human subjects.

"An Atlas of animal anatomy for artist" by W. Ellenberger and H. Dittrich and H. Baum. This is another good one for people who want to draw animals or creatures.

Etherington Brothers, they make books and have a free blog with art tips.

As for Supplies, I recommend starting out cheap, buying Pencils and art paper at dollar tree or 5 below. For digital art, I recommend not starting with a screen art drawing tablet as they are more expensive.

For the Best art Tablet I recommend either Xp-pen, Bamboo or Huion. Some can range from about 40$ to the thousands.

💻As for art programs here is a list of Free to pay.

Clip Studio paint ( you can choose to pay once or sub and get updates)

Procreate ( pay once for $9.99)

Blender (for 3D modules/sculpting, ect Free)

PaintTool SAI (pay but has a 31 day free trail)

Krita (Free)

mypaint (free)

FireAlpaca (free)

Libresprite (free, for pixel art)

Those are the ones I can recall.

So do with this information as you will but as you can tell there are ways to learn how to become an artist, without breaking the bank. The only thing that might be stopping YOU from using any of these things, is YOU.

I have made time to learn to draw and many artist have too. Either in-between working two jobs or taking care of your family and a job or regular school and chores. YOU just have to take the time or use some time management, it really doesn't take long to practice for like an hour or less. YOU also don't have to do it every day, just once or three times a week is fine.

Hope this was helpful and have a great day.

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foggedupforsaken

1 year ago

a couple of my fav non-true crime related mysteries:

Cracks: a bunch of people remember a creepy Sesame Street short from their childhoods that seems to have been buried by the network. sounds like some kind of Candle Cove nonsense but is actually real.

Geedis and the Land of Ta: someone stumbles on what seems to be merch for a piece of 80s fantasy media that does not exist.

The Case of the Missing Hit: a guy vividly remembers a song he's convinced was a big hit in the 90s; no-one else has heard of it & he can't find any evidence online

The disappearance of William Cantelo: ok stretching the definition a bit here bcos i guess this guy might have been murdered but this is genuinely such an odd story about a guy who straight up had a doppelganger

Who is the world's biggest purchaser of glitter? guys. who is buying all the glitter. it might have been solved but the glitter manufacturers aren't confirming or denying anything so i will be thinking about this until i die.

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