Survivor communities outside the known world

[mapmad]

Yeeees, I read it? I'm not sure what your point is with this comment.

My post was not a direct criticism of you or your ten page document, but just a note about how the isolation of islands help and which kinds of islands could have successfully survived. And yes, North America has plenty of islands like that. If you want me to make a detailed criticism I can do that, but I'll only do that if you really want.

[Kin]

Yeeees, I read it? I'm not sure what your point is with this comment.

My post was not a direct criticism of you or your ten page document, but just a note about how the isolation of islands help and which kinds of islands could have successfully survived. And yes, North America has plenty of islands like that. If you want me to make a detailed criticism I can do that, but I'll only do that if you really want.

I'd love a detailed discussion of this.  Over-analyzing fan theories is FUN!  ^_^

The topic "Disease Dynamics of the Rash" pointed out that the spread can be fairly slow and still have the catastrophic effect shown in comic.  Airborne + zootonic + 100% lethal = apocalypse.  Trolls are really just the icing on the cake.  Poisonous icing made of arsenic maybe.. but still not the main cause of everyone dying.  In fact the existence of trolls might actually HELP in America.  Give everyone something to fight - cut way down on survivor's guilt suicides.

Hm... you are right that there would be quite a large number of quarantined locations (like islands) in America.  They are isolated and remote and sparsely populated for a reason tho.  And most would be in need of resupply by Y2 at least.  Or fresh supply of gene pool eventually.  (Although America has a VERY varied gene pool - much better shape then Iceland that way)

The Rash by itself would not kill everyone.  Even 5% survivors is a high total number.  And even with surprise I don't see how the troll attacks finish the job.  I'm really, really looking forward to when Mina reveals the "discovery" she has been building up to.  *squee!*  (At this point it looks like the "ghosts" are far more lethal then Sigrun is giving them credit for - were the 'ghosts' the final straw that killed the world?)

[mapmad]

No, the survival rate is extremely low for a disease that seems to have a few percent of natural immunity, but that's the info we have been given. It's likely going to be the same in the US.

You have a point about the great plains though, they should be easier to cleanse. But on the other hand, are there any good sizable islands? If not there might not be any survivors anywhere near it.

[Gwenno]

A thread dedicated to the surviving communities outside of the known world. This is a place for discussion, fanart, fanfiction, and anything else you feel fits in.

While slightly overshadowed by the discussion on ethnic and racial diversity, it appears that surviving communities outside of the bounds of the Nordic countries are more possible than was initially thought to be the case. Maybe Minna won't be showing us much more of that (and that is a shame), but I see no reason why we can't do it ourselves 

For this thread we are going to assume that there are surviving communities beyond the Nordics. For discussion on whether or not a certain people survived you may use the Survivor communities outside the known world thread. So, where are these communities located? How did they survive? What is their culture like at the moment? What magic systems are in place? Have they managed to communicate with any other survivors? There is an entire world out there, so how about we explore it

[Róisín]

Great idea! I'd like to have a play with Central Australia, specifically the area around the Schwerin Mural Crescent. Won't be for awhile, because at present posting things more than a few paragraphs long isn't working, but eventually.

[Talimee]

This is a wonderful idea! Just the other day I saw two very interesting documentaries about Siberia and I am *sure* people must have managed to survive there.
Unfortunately I know zero about the indigenious cultures there and how they mix with Russians and Chinese, so I might not be able to actually contribute something here, without doing serious research beforehand (and getting in wrong nevertheless XD ).

[Gwenno]

Great idea! I'd like to have a play with Central Australia, specifically the area around the Schwerin Mural Crescent. Won't be for awhile, because at present posting things more than a few paragraphs long isn't working, but eventually.

I knew I could count on you to have some great ideas ^_^ Well I look forwards to it whenever it pops up

This is a wonderful idea! Just the other day I saw two very interesting documentaries about Siberia and I am *sure* people must have managed to survive there.
Unfortunately I know zero about the indigenious cultures there and how they mix with Russians and Chinese, so I might not be able to actually contribute something here, without doing serious research beforehand (and getting in wrong nevertheless XD ).

Siberia sounds like it could have a heckova lot of potential, and I'd love to see anything you did on it and not to worry, this is fantasy, there's room for getting it a little wrong if you do it correctly ^_^ also considering how scattered over the globe we all are, and how many people here are interested in mythologies and cultures anyway I wouldn't be surprised if someone would be willing to help you if you wanted

I accepted from the early days that my dear Wales was probably not going to survive without a miracle, but Japan seems pretty likely to me from what I've seen so far so I think I'm going to work on that. Heh, I am going to be asking the absolute weirdest questions at work for the next few days

[Superdark33]

Im currently thinking up a middle east scanerio, so far the tone is MUCH darker than the comic!

Its going to be VERY fantasy.

[Asterales]

I accepted from the early days that my dear Wales was probably not going to survive without a miracle, but Japan seems pretty likely to me from what I've seen so far so I think I'm going to work on that. Heh, I am going to be asking the absolute weirdest questions at work for the next few days

Sounds interesting,  Gwenno! What do you think? Revival of pre- or post-WW2 bushido? Would they use more specific names for beasts and trolls based on the many, many creatures from folklore? I can definitely see the potential for Kappa there!
(If you want me to join in with asking weird questions, feel free to tell me which ones and I'll make an effort)

[thorny]

Hmmm. I wonder whether some people could have built a wall blocking off Bluff Point, otherwise bounded by the two branches of the Y of Keuka Lake, and possibly have held out there.

Not sure what the current mix is of people living there; it's in my very general area, but not somewhere I usually go to. If they've had the Old Order Mennonite influx that much of the rest of the area has had, they'd have a fair chunk of people pretty well equipped to deal with disaster.

But I probably really shouldn't be trying to write this in the middle of the season. Unless it starts writing itself in my head while I'm going in circles on a tractor, at any rate . . .

[Tr]

Hmmm. I wonder whether some people could have built a wall blocking off Bluff Point, otherwise bounded by the two branches of the Y of Keuka Lake, and possibly have held out there.

Not sure what the current mix is of people living there; it's in my very general area, but not somewhere I usually go to. If they've had the Old Order Mennonite influx that much of the rest of the area has had, they'd have a fair chunk of people pretty well equipped to deal with disaster.

Quite possible, I'd say! I don't go out that way much~ I live in Rochester. Also, there could be survivors out somewhere in the Adirondacks.
I'm thinking that most American mages would go back to the original Native American (Haudenosaunee for that area, right?) traditions if they follow the pattern of going back to the old religion.

[Yuuago]

I'm currently in the preliminary research stages for a story set in my home region of Northern Alberta. Specifically, it's going to be set in Fort Chipewyan. Recent events have suggested to me that while Fort McMurray wouldn't survive the apocalypse, Fort Chip might very well pull through.

They have isolation on their side: the only way to get there is by water, air, or the winter ice road, which can only be used between mid December and early March. Not to mention, they're completely surrounded by forest, and have cold winters, short summers, and a population used to being at least somewhat self-reliant.

The population is primarily Chipewyan people, so there is zero doubt in my mind that in this scenario, traditional beliefs would make up their spirituality/magic system. (But unfortunately, I don't know much about Chipewyan/Dene beliefs, so this is one area where I'll have to research a lot.)

Communication with other areas would be difficult, because of how spread out everything is up here, but I do think that they would find some way to contact other populated areas - which, again, would mainly be isolated reservations (or rather, former reservations) like Fort Chipewyan itself. The Athabasca River system could be used for transport, but there are some parts of it that would make travel very difficult - mainly the fact that it passes directly through Fort McMurray, so anyone navigating in that direction would have to deal with trolls and rapids.

I'm kind of toying with the idea that, by Y90, they would have formed some sort of collective Athabascan trade alliance with the other populated areas. But it's something I need to think about more.

Because of the level of isolation, and the spread-out population, these people would be living in a very low-tech way. The early years would have been very, very hard. (As comparison - even Finland would probably have more resources available, or failing that, at least more places to loot from). So, traditional knowledge - both practical and spiritual wisdom - would be utterly crucial in all respects.

Unfortunately, our library has only just re-opened this week, so I haven't had a good chance to read up on things and develop these ideas in detail. But soon... < 3

[thorny]

I'm thinking that most American mages would go back to the original Native American (Haudenosaunee for that area, right?) traditions if they follow the pattern of going back to the old religion.

Haudenosaunee territory, yes; but if many of the survivors were Old Order Mennonites, I can't see them dropping Christianity whatever the circumstances. It would be easy to also posit Seneca / Onondowagah survivors -- even if there are few currently resident on the Bluff some might have thought of it as defensible and headed for it from elsewhere in the region; and mixing the two in the same refuge community certainly has the potential of producing some interesting stories -- though as I'm not a member of either group, they'd take some careful writing.

And then I got curious about islands in the Great Lakes and came up with this:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walpole_Island

I'd have to do quite a bit of research to write anything there. But I'd have to do some to even write the one on the Bluff. Maybe somebody else wants to take on Walpole Island, though?

[Purple Wyrm]

What with everything else I have going on I don't know that I'd have the time to develop anything much, but a bunch of survivors in Tasmania seems plausible, especially if the fanon about marsupials being immune is correct. Tasmanian Devils take the place of cats!

The story I wrote for the fic exchange a while back has Reynir run into a bunch of French Canadian explorers. In my head they hailed from Anticosti Island, although I have no idea how plausible this is. For the most part they're atheists like the Swedes and Danes, although religious belief - and hence magic - is preserved in a few families who keep their heads down. They mostly speak French- although English is taught - and their flag is the flag of Quebec defaced with the maple leaf from the Canadian Flag.

It's also a part of my headcanon that there are 3000-4000 Russians living on the Solovetsky islands, mostly around the Monastery. Their small population means they only get one or two mages per generation and hence don't have any kind of organised magic system - they just know that some rare people are 'special' and can do some strange things.

If anyone wants to run with any of these, please feel free!

[Minutia_R]

Im currently thinking up a middle east scanerio, so far the tone is MUCH darker than the comic!

Its going to be VERY fantasy.

What are you thinking?  I figure that Israel, Palestine, and Egypt are probably 100% screwed--too much population density and tourism, not enough geographically and socially isolated communities, and the local attitudes towards public health aren't going to help much either.  Lebanon and Syria might have survivors though (and since we are talking about geographically and socially isolated communities, it would be funny if Aramaic became one of the major languages of the Middle East again.)  Yemen also probably has a reasonable chance?  But I haven't put a lot of thought into it.