Topics for August

This is the voting post for August's articles.

Please choose one topic from each of the three lists below, and reply with the respective letter and number of your two chosen topics in the comments below. Voting ends on 11:59 PM PST on July 21st.

Topics marked with the asterisk (*) have been chosen by backers at the $10-a-month tier. They will be available for voting this month only, unless they are suggested again for September.

Please reply with your choices in the comments below.

A Soldier's Guide to the Infinite Sea

A) Trade and Commerce: A description of the major trade routes in the Infinite Sea, as well as an overview of which power imports and exports what, and how this shapes their foreign policy.

B) Garing, Gutierrez, and Truscott - A History: A brief history of GG&T, from its humble beginnings during the Petty Kingdoms era, through its establishment as a major armsmaking firm during the Wars of Unification, to its current status as the Unified Kingdom's largest gunmaker.

C) Antagia's Rebellion: An overview of the last years of the Octovian Empire, the rising of the houses of Antagia and Khorobirit, and the final fall of the Heirs of Saint Stanislaus.

D) The Saintly Martyrs: An overview of the worship of the Saints in the Northern Kingdoms, including biographies of selected Sainted Martyrs, iconography, and cosmology.

E) The Curtain of Storms - A Primer: Very little is known about the Curtain of Storms, mostly because there have been no successful attempts to explore it. This pamphlet, printed by the Halford Foundation, ties together shards of fact with webs of speculation, but that is more than what most can offer.

F) Old Calligia - What We Know: The Kian poet J'eanne Lieux once said that "The only thing we know about Old Calligia are the lies". While not entirely true, very little of the long-gone northern realm has survived. This essay from the University of San'heu attempts to put together the pieces.

G) Warfare Then and Now: A relatively broad overview of the history of war and warfare in the Infinite Sea, taken from a part of a Callindrian children's book.

H) Edmund Garing, In His Own Words: An autobiographical account of the junior partner of GG&T, edited by the Countess of Welles for her report on the War in Antar.

I) Instructions to Traders and Travellers (Pt 3): The third part of a series of pamphlets issued by the Takaran Ministry of Barbarian Affairs, this one covering some of the minor powers in the Infinite Sea, including Azulae, Callindria, and Rathkurin.

J) Clerks and Commoners: Selections from a children's book written for the scions of the Tierran nobility, meant as their first real education in the classes and dynamics of the Baneless classes.

K) Tierra - Her Peoples and History: A "brief" overview of Tierra's ethnic groups, and how they have influenced Tierran history since the days of first settlement.

L) A Report on Tutors and Tutelage: Commissioned by the Royal University of Aetoria, this report investigates the education baneblooded children receive before they are admitted to the University itself.

M) A Call to Arms to the Faithful of the Tree: A religious tract summarising the worship of the Tree of Life, and calling for a renewed age of religious devotion in an age of Takaran secularism.

N) The Compleat Knight: A somewhat tongue-in-cheek guide to the behaviours expected of a Knight of the Red.

O) The Senior Service: A rather self-serving pamphlet extolling the virtues of the Royal Tierran Navy in the context of the army's new prominence following the Dozen Years' War.

*P) On the Use of the Bane as an Implement of Healing: An overview of the mechanics of banehealing, and how it's used by the Orders of the Blue.

*R) Excerpt -The NCOs of the Royal Dragoons: A list of non-commissioned officers serving in the Royal Dragoons through the War in Antar.

*S) Excerpts from the Royal Diaries: Passages from King Miguel's personal diaries through the Dozen Years' War.

*T) Reports on the Campaign of 605: A confidential Grenadier Square document reflecting on the Duke of Wulfram's campaigns in Southern and Central Antar.

*U) Excerpts from Some Observations on Soldiering: The introduction to Staff Sergeant Hernandes' rather unassumingly-titled book for NCOs.

*V) From the Notes of the Duke of Cunaris: Passages from the private records of the Duke of Cunaris throughout his career as Colonel of the Royal Dragoons.

An Adventurer's Guide to the Fledgling Realms

*1) A Brief Guide to the Eastern Territories: A document produced by the Khazari Office of Envoys and Embassies, describing the other countries of the Fledgling Realms.

*2) The Mountain that Walked Away: An account of the awakening, rampage, and defeat of the so-called Silverspur Horror.

*3) Siege Warfare in the Fledgling Realms: An account of siege engines and magic as used by the armies of the Fledgling Realms.

A Creator's Guide to Writing and Worldbuilding

A1) Using Genre Conventions: Every genre comes with its own traditions and conventions. Some of them can be helpful, others... less so. How do you tell the former from the latter?

A2) Ordering a Society, Pt 4: Continuing on from last month, it's time to talk about how societies also influence each other through mutual exchange, both voluntary and... less so.

*A3) Maps and Mapmaking: Some brief notes on making maps for your setting - though definitely not an art tutorial. You'll want someone who's actually good at visual art for that.