More Desert like clothing

[Barzalene]

I remember someone mentioned recently that they would like to see less westernized clothing, and clothing more suited to a desert theme. I definitely agree.

So, I did some research and found some interesting sites.

http://www.reshafim.org.il/ad/egypt/timelines/topics/clothing.htm
http://almashriq.hiof.no/general/600.technology/640/646/costumes_of_the_Levant/
http://www.geocities.com/ladysveva/clothing/Persian.html
http://www.uky.edu/ArtsSciences/Classics/agfc-moyrsmith.html
http://www.bigchalk.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/WOPortal.woa/Homework/Elementary/History/Costume_Fashion/Clothing_Costume_by_Period/Ancient_25570.html

There are tons more on the web.

Now, let's say I don't play a tailor and wanted to introduce more desertlike clothing into the world. Would I submit items to the mud and hope someone made them? Would I submit the items to kadius? Does anyone else feel strongly about shifting the clothing, atleast in the south, to a more desert motif?

[halfbreed]

Very interesting links... but just want to add a couple thoughts here, even if they aren't taken warmly.

I'd add a few items perhaps for flavor, so folks could have the option of spicing things up.  But I'd try not to get too carried away with desert garb with strange-sounding names...  mainly for the sake newbies.  Zalanthas is bewildering enough without people's ldescs needing a seperate guide or directory of link-references to decipher.

A few items with exotic names can really do a lot to spice things up in the world, but if a new player comes in and the majority of players are garbed in completely otherworldly-sounding (and unidentifiable) clothes/armor, it may make things pretty confusing.

(Though I'm pretty sure that's not what anyone's suggesting.. just thought I'd mention it anyway.)

[Kauket]

That was me who mentioned wanting to see a less western approach to clothing styles on Arm.  North or south, I think clothing could be a lot more realistic if it wasn't typical pants and a shirt and a cloak.   It makes me think of medieval times, something I envision Zalanthas wholly unlike.  A lot of the books I read mention people in cossacks and caftans and so on, and I always have to look these words up to see what they are.  After a definition and, sometimes, a picture, I'm really quite enthralled.  It beats the monotony of cloaks and boots and such.  Some of the room descs of Allanak seem to suggest that, by and large, most Allanakis wear abas, but I'll be damned if I ever see anyone other than a Bynner in an aba, and even then it's not by their own choice they're in an aba, they just wear it because someone gave it to them.

I cringe when I see words like "robe", because I think there are so many better words to help create a desert atmosphere to the game.  Turbans, keffiyehs, djellabahs... they're great!  So I'm right there with you.

Honestly, I think Tuluk is as much of a desert as the rest of the game.  It's not a lush, tropical forest.  Many of the "Agafari Forest" rooms are described as having sand dunes which climb halfway up the trunks, and what little trees that actually exist they are few and far between.  It's lush by comparison to the rest of the world, but probably similar to the Nile during Ancient Egyptian times.  Because of this, I think desert clothing suits the whole game, not just the Vrun Driath.

[Anonymous]

Good points both of you. As far as the weird names, yeah. I definitely see your point. But a even if we use the words trousers, shirt, skirt, dress, the description could be more geared to the less western interpretations of these articles.

And Kratuk, YES! I wish the players were less drawn to those more medievil modes of dress

[Barzalene]

Best link of all:
http://www.indiana.edu/~librcsd/etext/tilke/

[Sanvean]

Feel free to send items to mud, I usually pass them along to staff who have volunteered to make them.  This fits with recent staff efforts to make the world feel less Western, as well as to remove some anachronisms from the database.