Babikiye

Created by

AsterVela
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Scope

The motivation behind building Babikiye

Discover Babikiye

 
Two worlds, five sophont species, vast history, and an infinite number of stories - all inextricably intertwined by fate and by choice in a universe they named Babikiye.
 
Genre: Science Fantasy
Magic is science that the people of Babikiye haven't quite figured out yet, if you ask a scientist. Science is magical research projects that magicians started and scientists stole, if you ask a magician.   The laws of physics which define our universe are almost the same here, with a handful of significant differences which allows magitech to flourish for those with the means to harness it.
Tone: HopePunk
Babikiye is a large world. Both its past and future are full of possibilities to explore. It is neither totally bright nor dark, though different stories within may be more biased towards one or another.   At the end of the day, Babikiye champions those who fight for their hopes and dreams, even if they themself may not live long enough to see their work come to fruition.
 

Recurring Themes

Up to Interpretation
Was a storm caused by a cold front or a deity? Babikiye is one universe, and its communities and civilizations have rarely come to the same conclusions. One world, many perspectives.
Opposites Attract
Sky vs sea, magic vs science, choice vs compromise, stability vs freedom... Babikiye flourishes on exploring the lines that people draw between each other and between contradictory concepts.
Stories and Legacies
One thing in life is certain for everyone: time passes and there is no going back. Everyone leaves their mark in the stories they share and the legacies they leave behind, no matter how small.
Where Hope Goes
The world runs on faith and it comes in many forms. For some, religion plays a role. For many others, they put their faith - or hope - in magic, science, their lover, their bank account, or any number of things.
 

Foci

1. Environmental Influences
  Societies and individuals are molded by their environment, physical and social. Babikiye strives to represent that within its worldbuilding by taking extra care that nothing occurs in a vaccuum.  
2. Exploration and Discovery
  The universe of Babikiye primarily consists of two worlds with opportunity to expand, both of which are ripe for exploration and new discoveries even after a million years of evolution.  
3. Historic Preservation
  As stated above, some civilizations have evolved over the course of a million years. This codex is predicated upon one Yashelin person's determination to archive as much information about Aravu, Kivria, and its peoples as it can.  
4. Hierarchy of Authority
  Social stratification is a major focal point of cultural organization and strife within the world of Babikiye. For example, the Aravun Yashelin are organized by age and skill while the Zylperians emphasized bloodlines and gender. This focus also considers power on a larger scale, such as the blurry line between person, folk hero, and deity.

Gossip Corner Headlines

1. Normalcy on the Horizon?: Heyir Returns from Exile, Immediately Picks a Fight with Uri
 
2. From Nothing to Nanatu: Astris Named by the Ida in Historic First
 
3. Defenders of Creation Disbanded in Egregious Overreach by the Ezekoru
 
4. Drowning in Duck Poo: a Blessing in Disguise!
 
5. Your Yashelin Neighbor: Reptile, Bird, or... Secret Dragon?!
 
6. No One Asked the Leader of the Yashelin To Create a Codex of Aravu and Kivria, But It's Here! Learn More Below:
 
Our Babikiye: a Bird's-Eye View
Generic article | Jul 20, 2024
 

About the Author

About AsterVela

Hi, y'all! My name is Aster (he/she). I am a writer and worldbuilder in my spare time, a historical educator/farmer in my professional life, and exhausted pretty much all the time. Also, I love birds and study ornithology. A parakeet once bit my hand and it was the highlight of my birthday. I also tend to a sizeable flock of ducks and chickens.  

What is one of the main things that inspired your world(s)?

I find this question difficult to answer due to the longevity of Babikiye's existence. The world of Babikiye is my personal creative sandbox where I practice my skills and process the things that have inspired and challenged me throughout my life. While it is undeniably a major work in progress, its rudimentary form has followed me ever since childhood. Obviously, everything about it has evolved since its first conception. Don't even get me started on poor Nanatu, who really deserves her existential crisis considering how many iterations of her I've gone through to get to this point.   That all being said, the reason Babikiye exists is because a tiny Aster asked herself Wouldn't it be cool if bird people existed?, ransacked folklore bird-adjacent mythological creatures like angels, griffins, and dragons for inspiration, and declared that permanent death is an exception, not the rule, in my world. Everything about Babikiye evolved from there.  

What is your favorite aspect of your story/world and what inspired it?

My favorite aspect of my world on WorldAnvil is the prose that I try to pepper throughout my articles. I find it difficult to worldbuild without doing it through the lens of my characters. By finding little stories even in the most mundane parts of my world, I'm able to inspire myself to write more than I would have otherwise with the added bonus of adding a little bit of liveliness to otherwise rote information.
Cheese, the Boss, and I by AsterVela
  My favorite aspect of my worldbuilding is where the main themes Up to Interpretation and Opposites Attract meet. People love building boxes for themselves just as much as people love defying them. In my world, the Yashelin have a relationship status for Opposites. Opposites are two Yashelin with contradictory purposes, such as to challenge complacency and to maintain integrity. They might drive each other batty, but they undeniably complement one another when they do manage to find a middle ground. For a light-hearted example from the real world, many people think that pineapples and pizza should never meet... and yet. How a person or a culture responds says a lot about them. Do they live and let live or do they burn their restaurant down? This sort of thing is an inspiration goldmine!  

What are some writers/worldbuilders that inspire you to write/worldbuild?

Literature
  • The Reader Trilogy by Traci Chee
  • Roma series by Steven Saylor
  • The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
  • Akata Witch series by Nnedi Okorafor
  • Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes
  • Kushiel series by Jacqueline Carey
  • Peter Darling by Austin Chant
  • The Death of Vivek Oji by Akwaeke Emezi
  • The Star by Jane Taylor
  • Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman
  • The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs
  • If Venice Dies by Salvatore Settis
  • "Myne Owne Ground" by Breen, T. H.
  • They Were Her Property by Stephanie E. Jones-Rogers
    • Other
    • Tales of Symphonia (video game)
    • Tales of the Abyss (video game)
    • Persona 3 & 4 (video game)
    • OneShot (video game)
    • Grimm's Hollow (video game)
  • Welcome to Nightvale (podcast)
  • Avatar: the Last Airbender (show)
  • Fullmetal Alchemist (show)
  • Coco (movie)

    • The goal of the project

    Babikiye's Unique Selling point

    Theme

    Reader Experience

    Reader Tone

    Recurring Themes

    Character Agency

    Focus

    Drama

    © 2023-2024 Aster Vela. All Rights Reserved. Unless otherwise credited, all images were created by AsterVela.

    Global Background: Kyle Johnsonp
    Global Cover: Aster Vela
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