Name Change and Building World Culture

Some of you (R&G) may notice that my blog is no longer called Too Drunk To Be In Love. It's now called Domasphere. Why the change? Well, as much as I like my original name I didn't want people to think I was some kind of drunken louse. Also there's a spacey element to Domasphere, which I just happen to have an interest in - http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ Very cool, sometimes nerdy, but always pretty stuff.

Had an interesting conversation today about the different cultures sampled when creating societal structures in a fantasy worlds. There are many to pick from, the same way you might pick at a chicken carcass in the hopes of creating your own unique salad of a culture that fits your story. I myself have dipped my finger into the Mongolian nomads, licked the spoon of Egyptian hierarchy and gluttonously devoured from the plate of medieval England. But what I find most fascinating is the culture of animals. Animal society, though perhaps not always as obvious, can be just as complex as human society.

Take for example lions: Highly skilled, bold, lethal, hunt to kill with very little thought for anything other than filling their bellies and surviving.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion 

Gorillas: Peaceful until provoked, protective, wary, powerful when the need arises, otherwise happy to sit, eat and pick bugs off each other.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gorilla

And my fav, killer whales: Cunning, never miss the second time around, rarely miss the first time around, hunt for the thrill, curious, intelligent and yes wolves of the sea.

 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killer_whale 

So my point is, when building your world and the societies that fill it don't be afraid to extend beyond the boundaries of ordinary existence. You don't have to restrict yourselves to humans only. Even ants have a complex society with rules and hierarchies that they have to live by. In my opinion, humans are just glorified animal. And if you need proof of that just watch a football game.