Worldember Prep 2023

Worldember isn't coming. It's been here all along.

— Ethnis Studio

Safe to say, both of us are very excited for Worldember. Since our first Worldember in 2017, it has always been a fantastic excuse to get some free-form worldbuilding out there and really just have fun. As always, we both are chomping at the bit with ideas ready to flesh out.

We aren't entirely sure of our streaming schedule yet, so stay tuned.

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Ethnis is currently a team of two writers (Ademal and Barron), an artist (Oscar), and a Musician, with additional art contributions incoming from DanoGambler

Areas of Focus

Ademal

My primary focus will be on the Arcology, a playable Ethnis module set in a lost Arcological City Ship once stationed in the upper troposphere of Br'rvaGishani, where it was designed to grow produce the biomaterials necessary for terraforming small colonies and deploying them along the coastlines. Why its distress signal has only now turned on is a mystery to everyone, and you've been sent to investigate.

My secondary focus will be on Yak'koli, the subterranean city with a 2km wide circular oculus through which they can see the sky. It's been a passion project of the last couple years, and WorldEmber is always the perfect time to add onto it.

Barron

My first focus this World Ember will be making flash fiction to bring slices of Ethnis to life. The reason for this is two-fold.

One, I think using short stories to illustrate a setting is a great way to get someone interested in a world. Ethnis is wild, wacky, and deep world, with enough alien and strange concepts that putting them all together just through informational articles can be a challenge.

Two, I really want to practice my ability to write quick fictions and Ethnis is my primary muse.

I have a few topics in mind already, but I am sure as I go through World Ember I'll find all sorts of stories ripe for fleshing out. I'm also planning on making 'template' characters with their own short tales that can be used by players to hop into games of E.N.Core.

WorldEmber 2023 Pledge by Ademal, Chloe, Oscar, and Midjourney

Mini Meta

Ademal

My scope will be focused to the Arcology and Yak'koli as much as possible, although I do anticipate branching out whenever I need to create an adjacent article. For the Arcology, I will mostly be writing about things which can be discovered or interacted with during the playthrough, or any tools and equipment which may be needed. For Yak'koli I will try to flesh out the lore adjacent to my primary storyline — details such as locations, potential starting builds, and the culture of Yak'koli.

In regards to themes and mood, the Arcology is designed to be a showcase of a vessel that held out for as long as it could before finally succumbing to overgrowth and decay, while Yak'koli is meant to be a wonderous metropolis with a seedy underbelly.

Both projects are influenced heavily by a love of cities and what makes them tick. The Arcology is an example of a city which failed, and draws more from my love of Urban Exporation, caves, and the Alien Franchise, while Yak'koli is a city vibrant of life and ancient with history — I'll be applying to it some of the feelings I got while exploring Greece, of beeing somewhere whose dimensions reach far back in time as much as high into the sky.

Barron

So I've got some old articles that I'd love to revisit now that I'm learned a lot more about modern military tactics.

Revisiting the Blood Snow Offensive , specifically from the eyes on Johnny, a Human migrant who volunteered his marksmanship to fight the Malisyk, and his spotter Noh-Rajh, a Euikan Nasyk who tires of the stereotype that Malisyk paint over their kind. I'd love to explore what it takes to survive out in the snowy glaciers and mountains, where the opposition forces are only one of your worries.

I'd also love to explore more in the Spokes of Ethnis. A short series of one-shot campaigns set within the region of Kajh-Tai. These will be a quick introduction to mechanics and play styles within E.N Core. Making flash fictions for base characters is going to be a fun way to take the character creation process out, allowing folks to get right into play.

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Inspirations

Ethnis isn't written in a void. World Anvil is a rich and massive multiverse of worldbuilders, and there's no shortage of inspiration to take. We are drawn to settings by the drive, motivations, and inspirations of their authors. While we have many friends among the Cheems server and our Chapter (The Eclectic Speakeasy), the following is a selection of people who directly fuel our creation of great things.

Yonderverse, by Mochimanoban

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For Enthusiasm

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Mochi's one of those fast-growing worldbuilders who learned early on how to pace himself, yet who still manages to expand his worlds at incredible speed. His enthusiasm forever endears and inspires us!

Vazdimet, by Morgan Biscup

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For Aspiration

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We've watched as Morgan had become posessed by a desire to write and publish stories with wholesome takes on grim topics, and it's this combination of storytelling, aspiration, and goodness which inspires us.

Istralar, by Hanhula

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For Determination

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If you want to see how someone manages to build their world for a TTRPG and stick with it for years on end, look no further than Han. Her ability to both stay ahead of her party and keep up with them is incredible.

JOY, by TJTrewin

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For Design

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TJ's projects always feel so composed and considered, and he makes such an effort not to overextend himself in the process. His ability to balance both while creating wonderful things inspires us!

Luridity, by DaniAdventures

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For Liberation

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Dani writes wonderful adult fiction with wonderful characters, something we aspire to do as well. Seeing her chart a course through that industry and headspace gives us inspiration to follow!