Looking Closer At My Daydreams: The FSK

[Richard Quest]

(The map above is to the Free State of Kennedy, or the FSK, it is by far the smallest capitol in the world.)

(Street lamp at Johnson and Stratton Streets)

When I daydream, I immerse myself into the world in my mind. I spent a couple hours yesterday going through my mind to draw out an exact map of the FSK with street names and everything. I ask myself what would be the most convenient place for trade, learning, living, and thriving in this extremely cramped environment of less than a mile square in area. This is one of many cities that I have centered my Dreams around, since it was by far the smallest, I wanted to know what exactly goes within it's walls. 

The FSK was formed in the aftermath of the Green Plague, in the exact spot where a soldier and his team left to found another city called QueensLand, (more on that later). The people of the FSK are among the world's most diverse, they strive for knowledge in this dark world. 

A direct democracy that holds weekly meetings in the commons, every citizen has a vote in what goes on in the city. There are no leaders per se, only a mass of people. The only person akin to the presidency is the chief of police, who heads the FSK Defense Forces. When the United States came again, asking for their admittance into the Union, the people voted and declined. Thus creating a tiny nation-state in the middle of America. this is the FSK we know today. When the original wooden walls were burned and the city sacked by the Hoffman Empire, they rebuilt it to magnificent glory seen in the map above. They joined America in the war against the Hoffman Empire (look at my older posts to get caught up).

--RELIGION--

(Saint Leah Brighton among the trees in classical Kennedian dress.)

When constructing the FSK in my mind, I wanted it to be different from the other cities. Most of the rest of the world in my DD are Asteriskians, which is a prophetic faith based in Asteriskia (Green Bay), I wanted the FSK to be unique. I wanted a religion that reflected their ideals perfectly. A couple years after the Green Plague wrecked the Earth, a man who lived in the woods just outside the city walls received a vision. They called him the great editor, Saint Nicholas Woodman took his Bible and cut out all the misogyny, hate, racism, homophobia, and useless parts to make a reformed edition. He taught love and peace, and above all, respect for Nature; after all the FSK was surrounded by a massive forest preserve put there by the Americans to keep the Kennedians secluded. They thrived in this atmosphere, burying their dead in circular tree rings throughout the forest, each sapling growing from the life essence of the deceased. The forest for the Kennedians became a spiritual place, where families would go and wander on the weekends.  

Since the FSK was a direct democracy, their religion reflected that, when someone was martyred for their faith, their name would be brought up at the bi monthly ceremony in the commons, and they would vote for Sainthood.

--CULTURE--

(Kennedians have a great sense of family, these are the most prominent 25 families in the city)

Since the beginning of the country, people clung to their families for a sense of safety, people coming in later could join a family and work for them in their common houses. People in the same families tended to stay together in one building unit as seen on the map above, this is the traditional way of life in the FSK. There would be friendly competitions between the families every week and the family with the most points of the year was commended and given a house trophy. This evolved into sporting events held in the JFK Memorial Stadium, and eventually the onset of the country's favorite sport: Timberball. 

Timberball is a blend between hockey, soccer, football, and tennis. Padded players would have to get the ball through a ring at the other team's goal to score a point, and only defense could use paddles to swat away the ball. Originally made of hard wood, after many injuries the state changed it to a heavy ball. The teams must be made up of people from the same family and has to be co-ed, winning the Timberball Championship is considered the hardest thing a family could do together.

(Official rules for Timberball, the most popular sport in the FSK, and third most popular in the world)

Above all else, the Kennedians value education and knowledge. This was the first city to establish a school of any kind let alone make it compulsory for all voting members of society. the University of Kennedy, Woodclyffe is the most prestigious school in the world, the waiting list for non-kennedians is over 200 years long just for admittance. Universal truths are sought out here, world views revised, books written, among other things. The most important discovery of the university was the effects of the Green Plague on the carriers, rendering everybody biologically immortal.

 

(Seal of the University)

one of the most practical inventions of the school was the new armor for the FSK Defense Force, which is climate controlled, light weight, and very strong.

(A woman in the FSKDF's new armor that defined an era.)

After the fall of the United States, Kennedy spread to consume the entire midwest, but due to the overall decline of technology and communications, the rest of the world became unconnected. People had to revert to messenger on horse back for news. So the university sent out the man named Samuel Lincoln on a mission the chronicle the world's nations. He and he regiment of horse rode around the world, sharing knowledge and receiving information of the many cultures and countries that the U.S. left behind. The Kennedians are a powerful force until the end of days, the Western Wars. (look at my other posts to get that story).

TL;DR, This nation is completely in my head and I have chronicled its entire history and culture.

How in depth do you guys go with your daydreams?

[Richard Quest]

Awesome! Can you share any of those maps?

[The1andonlyAbber]

Wow, that's awesome! There are several countries (more like space empires) in my daydreams. The main one is called the Oakstream Empire(c) (copyrighting that name because I'm turning my daydreams into a book). The OE is the only one I go into very much depth with when it comes to history, geography, culture, etc. The other ones are only mentioned occasionally.

I've made some maps of the OE's main planet, but no maps of anywhere else in my daydreams.

[Richard Quest]

Thanks Fitri! I'll do another one on the other cities in my DD, I usually center it around 6 different cities.

That's cool! the documentary thing reminds me of how when I go places for vacation, I take pictures to get a better sense of what I'm drawing! 

Wow that's expensive! I'll have to get a cheap one then xD

[MatthewR]

Ebay has wacom cintiqs for around $500. The newer wacoms will cost over 1,000. It's a real investment if you want to consider digital art, 3D sculpture, or animation. You can buy plain wacoms without the built-in screen, but i think the whole point of having a digital artpad is that you can draw and see your work on it. 

As for digital painting it really depends on the software. Learning Photoshop has a steeper learning curve but you can do everything with it. For simplicity you can also try Corel Painter. I think maybe the Lite version is around $20 or so, and Paint Tool Sai is like $50. There are other programs specifically for comics if that's what you're thinking. Manga Studio comes to mind, but i've never used it personally.

[Richard Quest]

Thank you! Where can I get a wacom for cheap? That sounds like a great idea, I've wanted to do digital for awhile, but never actually figured out how to do anything.

I'm trying to write a novel for this universe that the FSK is in, but it is taking extremely long to do. I've always wanted my work to be published! I might do a mini comic series with the FSK too, or even more out there, a short old fashioned animated video about it! Thanks for the ideas!

[MatthewR]

This is so amazing! I love the details. You put so much thought into the maps, and the back stories are so rich and vivid. I really think you ought to consider going digital for your artworks. With a Wacom you can draw and save trees (of course the cost to manufacture wacoms might offset that, but you are the sort of person who could make the most use of one). I use Paint Tool Sai for painting and Sketchup for maps/buildings/architecture/etc. You can also get Photoshop, too, if you don't mind paying the monthly premium (I think it's like $10). Sketchup is free.

I say self-publish your own stories and illustrations. If you've got the tenacity to finish works like these (I love the coat-of-arms btw), you can certainly finish an entire saga, annotated and referenced as you please. It's an exciting prospect. I hope you consider it!

[Richard Quest]

Thanks! Do you do something like this?

[Kay M]

Woah that is awesome.