Zalanthan Furniture

[Nidhogg]

Over the last year Ashyom has made a great deal of progress with examing the clothing in game, weeding out those items that were inappropriate, and expanding the clothing selection. Along these lines, I'm considering taking on the task of doing the same with the furnishings in game.

If you would be interested in an ongoing discussion about furnishings, and/or writing up furniture submissions please let me know.

-Nidhogg

[crymerci]

So, are you mostly concerned with having inappropriate things reported to you (like too much wood in the south), or are you looking for new furniture submissions?

And if you're looking for submissions, are you looking for high-end noble quality stuff or junk for the dirt-poor commoner?

And what all falls under the category of "furniture"?  Do you just mean beds and couches and chairs and tables, or also things like vases or wall hangings or birdcages or wineracks?

[Nidhogg]

I would like to phase out those things which really do not work. Yes, wood in the south, and overstuffed armchairs that come straight from victorian parlours.

I want to see furniture that would appeal to the average commoner (who can afford furniture, thus narrowing the pool) as I think nobles often order directly from a pc merchant.

Finally, I'd like to develop a style that is distinctly Zalanthan.

[My 2 sids]

I've never really written any items up, but I would like to contribute a few things that I could see going well in the   Zalanthan culture.  But these are just off the top of my head.

Rope furniture – Built much like a swing chair or hammocks this stuff could be made by simple to complex weaving and then just attached to a ceiling or beam.  Rope is fairly inexpensive, it doesn't take much space, is very movable, and built fairly strong.  

Bag furniture – This would resemble more like bean-bags (loved furniture of colleges students all over).  Made with skin or cloth bags stuffed with sand, these pillow-like chairs would be a tad under what most associate with "Aladdin" movies.  Again, it would be relatively cheap (depending on stitching and cloth) to make, easy to move, and not take up a lot of space.  

Pebble-stone/muck – For some really inexpensive furniture, perhaps some people could come up with a sort of sand/rock/cement-type of mixture.   A lot like the mud bricks of OT times this sort of rudimentary muck mixture could be made into blocks and baked in the sun.  The blocks could then be slopped together to make very square looking (uncomfortable) chairs and tables.

Root furniture? -  For some really expensive furniture, perhaps something like wicker.  Perhaps using some very flimsy wood or perhaps a very fibrous root long strains could be woven together producing something more sturdy than rope, but still very light-weight and cost efficient.  

Kitchens – Although easily described in a room's description (or by-passed all together) I'd still like to see some coded kitchen type things.  Coded, if only for the reasons that I think people who spend the money and use their own cooking facilities should get a boost to their cooking skills.  Things such as the little grill, a stone oven (many native American cultures and Romans had this) which could function almost like a dutch oven, a spit for roasting over fires?

Safe-boxes – We all know how much locked trunks cost, so it would fit that many people may try to hide things.  One way to do this is to make a few furniture type items that appear normal, but can be opened (vases with false bottoms or something).

[sacac]

yes.
Instead of using leather for everything, I think you could trade the elather for cloth in descpritions, making it a lot cheaper, but still cute.

[blacksheep]

I think the leather is used as armor rather than clothing, and the help docs say that the material is prevalent in both northren and southern regions because alot of people hunt and hides are widely available. I don't think anything should be cheaper. Clothing and armor are usually one time purchases, not like food or water. If things were made cheaper, the game wouldn't be harsh enough.

[My 2 sids]

I'd like furniture less expensive though.  I think if people can afford to rent an appartment, they should be able to afford to put furniture in it.

[blacksheep]

I think if you are able to rent an apartment you should have enough money to be able to stock it with furniture. Or maybe there should be really crummy furniture, like twig made chairs or something.

[sacac]

Blacksheep, cloth instead of leather for Furniture. Noone is talking about armor.
an overstuffed sofa is 900, that is three+ years of pay for an average NPC commoner. Maybe a bone-made sofa with cloth sounds less exepnsive then the same with leather.

[blacksheep]

Sorry about that. I just finished reading the fighting style help file, and the leather thing must have stuck in my mind. I have no problem with bone couches, but I don't think they should be TOO cheap.

[Nidhogg]

Furniture should be expensive. Imagine renting a new apartment, and having to completely furnish it. That would be an economic hardship. The average person in the twenty-first century is far richer than the average Zalanthan.

Would the average Zalanthan need to furnish an entire home? Perhaps most would choose to live, as people did on Earth in prior centuries, to share the family home. Furniture might be bought a piece at a time as things broke or wore out.

Currently, furniture prices on Zalanthas are quite reasonable. I would not like to see them drop.

[EvilRoeSlade]

Finally, I'd like to develope a style that is distinctly Zalanthan.

What, you mean like furniture that devours newbies and poisons the unwary?

[Barzalene]

That works.

[Xerokine]

I was just thinking while reading these various posts about crafters and furniture. A crafter can create everything from jewelry, wagons, armor, tanning etc etc.. But, I've never once heard of a crafter that could make various types of wood/bone/sandcloth (what have you) furniture. I believe it would make an excellent edition to the game world if there was the ability to create furniture as then PCs would have the option to open a furniture shop and what not.

Didn't mean to derail, just to lazy to begin another post regarding this subject. Please correct me if I'm wrong about crafters and furniture creations.

[House Rising Sun]

Bone frames that are lashed together to support large pieces of leather, forming cots and chairs and whatever else. Leather because it's sturdy, and for added awesome-itude you can just leave the fur on and you've got yourself the makings of a real pad. Woven strips of cloth suspended from similar frames. They'd mold to the body for comfort. Rag-stuffed cushions to pad molded brick bench-like structures, low to the ground (because they're heavy). Various animal bones, like mekillot ribs, lashed or pegged together in throne-like patterns for the rich and sinister. Curved bones (hips, skulls, sockets, whatever) from giant beasties with molded pads forming various sitting or reclining furnitures. It's all cool.

[Angela Christine]

Rope furniture – Built much like a swing chair or hammocks this stuff could be made by simple to complex weaving and then just attached to a ceiling or beam.  Rope is fairly inexpensive, it doesn't take much space, is very movable, and built fairly strong.  

Bag furniture – This would resemble more like bean-bags (loved furniture of colleges students all over).  Made with skin or cloth bags stuffed with sand, these pillow-like chairs would be a tad under what most associate with "Aladdin" movies.  Again, it would be relatively cheap (depending on stitching and cloth) to make, easy to move, and not take up a lot of space.

Beanbag chairs and furniture woven from rope . . . like macrame.  OMG!   Flower Power is coming to Zalanthas!  My parents were hippies in the 60s and 70s, I have blurry,  disturbing memories of macrame chairs.  Think of a very large plant hanger, except where the plant would go you have a rigid disk or hoop, the hoop provides structure to keep the chair "open" and also serves as the seat.  Come to think if it the chair might have used two hoops, one as a seat and one near the top, to keep the ropes out of your hair.  It could work with Zalanthan materials.  The only thing I wonder about is if it would be cost effective.  Making furniture out of rope takes a lot of rope, how expensive is it to make good rope?  I have no idea.


Sand would be a tricky filling for beanbags.  It would have to be sifted, because pebbles in the sand would make it lumpy.  A sand filled bean bag would also be very, very hard to move.  A bag of sand is even heavier than a bag of rocks.  


In the south I'd go for a minimalist approach to commoner furniture.  Rugs and cushions would probably be more popular and practical for most people than chairs.  A pillow or cushion can be used for sitting and sleeping, and can easily be moved around.  An average commoner family might have several people living in one room all day every day, so that multi-purpose room will be reconfigured throughout the day as a sleeping area, eating area, working area, and relaxation area.  Flexible furnature helps.  Cushions can be stuffed with straw or rags.  I like the wandering rug-seller NPC that was added to Allanak a while ago.  

A step up from that would be cots or hammocks for sleeping, so you can be up off the floor and away from the vermin while you sleep.  Likewise tables and shelves would be helpful for keeping perishables away from the rodents and insects on the floor.  I would still prefer to sit on the ground though, the floor cushions the working class can afford are probably more comfortable than the chairs they can afford.  Mats and cushions can also be made or re-stuffed by anyone with a little needle skill, so much of that work could be done by family members.


Up north wood would still be expensive, but perhaps not too expensive.  Wickerwork furniture could be made from scrub woods and slender branches, relatively inexpensive materials, and it can be quite attractive if done skillfully.  Woven grass would also be useful and common up north.  Grass can make for a sturdy, comfortable seat on a chair or stool, or form the shelves on a wooden frame.  A cheaper, less skillfull version of this would be the grass stuffed pallet, which is little more than a bag of grass squashed flat.  


Ac

[spawnloser]

Numut vines are often easy to come by for the right people.  Interesting ideas for chairs and the like...yes...papa-san chairs too?  Oh yeah.

[ShaLeah]

I think Tuluk is good, it's a rich land, lots of trees and branches and stuff.  I always think of Tuluk when I see those adirondack (sp?) chairs and wicker.  
Way too much wood in Allanak. Wood should cost too much for the average commoner to buy.
I'd like to see more stone furniture in Allanak. No. Not a whole living room set but smaller things. Heh. Needless to say a stone bed would be out of the question for a measly peasant.
I'd also like to see furniture made of the chitin of beasties, take that beetle shell and shape it!
More cloth: linen chairs and hammocks with bone frames, think director's chairs and yes, damnit, macrame.
Swings, why don't we have swings?

I'll throw some items your way if you want.

[captjak]

Uh oh, Swing Chairs Shal?  I can see the ones like they got at Ren fests hanging in most everyone's apartment  now.  And for those freaky people, those ones above the bed... *ducks oncoming fruit*

[Nidhogg]

You guys have a lot of great ideas. I'd like to again invite you to come work on this project with us.

You write them, I'll build them.

You can write me with your gdb name, or just post here that you'd like to be added to the forum.

[Seeker]

I'd like to added to the forum in a totally non-binding, un-obligating type of way.

Seeker
(who also wants swings and hammocks and hanging baskets)

[Delirium]

I enjoy writing up objects. I'd like to be added.

[spawnloser]

Yeah, count me in.

[marko]

I would like to phase out those things which really do not work. Yes, wood in the south, and overstuffed armchairs that come straight from victorian parlours.

I want to see furniture that would appeal to the average commoner (who can afford furniture, thus narrowing the pool) as I think nobles often order directly from a pc merchant.

Finally, I'd like to develop a style that is distinctly Zalanthan.

I like the idea of a style that is distinctly Zalanthan.  

That said, I am not certain as to the reasoning behind removing wooden furniture in the South.  For over fifty years the North was subjected to Southern Rule - during this time frame a massive undertaking of stripping resources and shipping them to Allanak occured.

In a desert climate there is no moisture for wood to rot and since it has only been 36 IC years since the switch over of governments - wooden furniture in the south wouldn't suddenly be dissapearing.  This stuff would last for hundreds of years before being completely worn away.

On the flip side - for new furniture - sure, wood will be an expensive material but it is still being imported from the North unless Kadius has changed its trading ways.  And as such, I still do not see why it would be removed or not available.

Furniture for the common folk would likely be made of bone framing and with leather ties.  I'd also expect to see a lot of stone work - especially in the south.  

Or am I missing something?

[Nidhogg]

Marko, you make lots of good points. I think our positions are not so far apart. When I say no wood in the south, I'm making a generalization. What I want to see is a reflection that local furniture manufacture would use local goods. Wood should be less available, perhaps not goods made from wood, but wood to make new goods. I want to see less wood SOLD.
Additionally, each major city should have a distinctive feel.