Setting Inspiration

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I've heard Kassandra's retelling of the stories of the Younger Races before they came to Zihæt. I must admit that I have trouble believing her!
— Member of the Order of Akadimía

Understanding Akadimía and Zihaet

The setting of Akadimía is intended primarily for use in role-playing games that explore complex, adult themes (see Themes). As a result, it has many mythical, fantastic, or otherwise fictional elements designed not to present scientifically valid assumptions or accurately represent any particular nation, culture, religion, or physical place. To be clear, the setting outlined in this material is not historical fiction; it is fantasy. As a fictional world, it could never be fully explored or detailed. Akadimía draws heavily from our history to make the world more accessible, immersive, and playable. This shared history creates a more familiar frame of reference for readers and players alike, and at the same time, focus on the points of difference. These points of difference construct a fictional scenario that allows for the exploration of our themes.

Alternate History

None of the events portrayed in this setting are real. They are inspired by history, myth, and fantasy role-playing games. The foundational myth of The Great War brings these elements together and forms the foundation of the setting of Akadimía. This myth describes a great war that spanned the cosmos, with Earth being one of its final battlegrounds near the bronze age collapse . Following that war, many from the civilizations affected by the war migrated to Zihæt, a fictional planet far from Earth.

Avoiding Defaultism

Defaultism, as defined by Whitney Strix Beltrán, is the idea that we fall back on the status quo when something is not defined. In her article Why Minority Settings in RPGs Matter , she describes this common pitfall as a side effect of "role-playing games have an established history of leaving setting and characters a blank slate, while often loosely drawing inspiration from Western themes." To avoid defaultism, Akadimía attempts to define the inspiration for each of its regions. See the list of inspirations in the sidebar for more detail. While I expect this to help inform your understanding of the setting, no amount of background can completely describe a fictional world. Where this ambiguity exists, I challenge you to think outside of your own experience. Do all of the humanoids in the area you explore need to look, think, and act like yourself? Are there cultures left unexplored? Or can you unearth hidden pasts or explore current-day challenges? Whatever you decide, I ask that you make it intentional and respectful.

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Zihæt Inspirations

Foundational Myth Inspiration

Multiverse Inspiration

Planetary System Inspiration

Geography and Geology Inspiration

Flora and Fauna Inspiration

Peoples & Cultures Inspirations

Language Inspiration

Magic System Inspiration

Narrative Inspiration

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