Worldbuilding Wednesdays

Every week, the Lorekeepers spend a day brainstorming and coming up with cool lore and facts about the setting according to a theme. When the day is done, the lore will be presented as a teaser on the bulletin board, with the full version here on the wiki. These things are all considered to be canon.

Week #1: The citizens of Puerto Dorado
Think about the normal folk that live in the town, the thousands of people that aren't pirates themselves but are likely still involved in it one way or another. Who are these people? What jobs do they have, what do they eat, what clothes do they wear? How do they feel about the terrifying creatures and literal gods that walk among them? Let's pay a little attention to all the NPCs that live in the town we inhabit.

- Citrus: oranges, tangerines, grapefruit, and hybrids of them - Fruits: akee, bananas, breadfruit, coconut, pineapple, mangoes, plantains, soursop, melons - Legumes: gungo peas, red peas, peanuts - Spices: ginger, cinnamon, cardamom, turmeric - Tubers: arrowroot, sweet potatoes, yam, cassava, dasheens - Vegetables: calaloo, sweet and hot peppers, onions, tomatoes, cucumbers, corn, pumpkin - Other: cocoa, coffee, cotton, indigo, onions, pimento, rice, sugarcane, tobacco
 * A staple food is salt pork. It was very popular in the eighteenth century. Salted pork can stay good for months at a time, and is sold in the marketplace in large casks, usually containing the whole pig. This includes everything - heads, hooves, and tail. More expensive casks would usually contain better cuts of meat. An interesting note: fresh pork was cheaper than salted pork because salted pork was more desirable. Salt pork can also be eaten raw if you really needed to. (Cornilis)
 * Salt beef is another preserved food. It is not as desirable as salt pork but is cheaper and more common. Salt beef is extremely tough, so tough that it can be carved with a knife like wood. It cannot be eaten raw and needs to be boiled for a while to be consumed without breaking your teeth. It’s essentially beef jerky but in bulk and way tougher. (Cornilis)
 * Other interesting preservable foods include cheese, butter, hardtack/ship’s biscuit, pemmican, and sometimes eggs. (Cornilis)
 * Pork is fairly common meat since pigs were brought over to the Caribbean and do well enough there. (Cornilis)
 * The most common drinks are beer and water. Both are stored on voyages. (Cornilis)
 * Puerto had a very weak government, hence why they never bothered forcing the pirates out. But the pirates aren’t the only ones taking advantage of this. Over the years, a small number of merchants have amassed wealth and influence, becoming the true oligarchs of the island that the Pirate Lords aren't even aware of. They have complete control over the food supply, the incoming resources, and the land on which people live and work. They own groups of thugs to help protect their property, which, besides the militia, also serve as guards for specific areas. (Stray)
 * Linen was used for just about everything – underwear, linings, caps, aprons, and other millinery, men’s and women’s clothing, you name it. It was cheap, readily available, and came in all sorts of weights. Most townsfolk are wearing linen of some sort. Wool is used for rougher, outer clothing garments that need to withstand both summer and winter. Think of a baker's apron, for example. (Miku)
 * Cotton and silk were used for the upper classes mostly since it was quite expensive. To show off wealth, the richest used prints on their textile. Floral and simple geometric prints were in existence, although solid colours were only introduced circa the 1790s. (Miku)
 * The townsfolk are terrified of the Nightwatch. The dead coming back to life doesn't sit well with them, even if they're supposedly protectors. They're glad that the skeletons rarely interfere with matters in town. (Jane)
 * Religion in Puerto Dorado is quite a mixed bag due to the nature of the island. A majority of the citizens are at least partially Christian in some way, and many regularly attend the various churches in the town. However, most have incorporated polytheism (the belief in multiple gods) and animism (the belief in spirits). Religion is a touchy point for most of the townsfolk, so most avoid discussions about it. (Jane)
 * Magic isn't just used among the pirates -- the common townsfolk have it too. Those who have it mainly use it in their day to day goings, to make things just a little bit easier. Think of a glassblower with fire magic, a doctor with calming abilities, or other such things. Magic often runs in the family and how to use it is passed down through the generations. Experienced mages might also take apprentices, for a price. (Jane)
 * Magical creatures are also quite abundant in the town. With how Isla de Oro is practically a lure for the supernatural, more than a few interesting creatures have ended up amongst the townsfolk. Countless spirits inhabit the island and thus the town as well. The people of town often leave out little offerings to appease them. Some families have made long-lasting deals with them and are on good terms with the spirits of their home. (Jane)
 * A good number of crops were grown in the Caribbean and thus also on Puerto Dorado, although as of right now (21/04/2022), the large farms haven't yet been restored. This means most farming is quite small-scale currently, more like little gardens. The crops include: