Q&A Round XIV - Answers Published

[grimjim]

Minerals might not be required for life on atys. Atys doen't even need to have a periodic table of elements. It is fantasy ...yeah im sure the karavan needs the minerals for their weapons though. Maybe you can explain it with superstrings.

Its science fantasy, it needs at least a nod to science to maintain suspension of disbelief. Chemical processes in plants and animals demand you have at least traces of everything. So long as it was there and was what Atys grew out of, that's dandy

Who is worried about griefing leets? I would be happy enough just to see someone else.

There's plenty of people around. Where are you hiding away?
I'd rather not have problem children spoiling it, that would drive away the people that make the game great.

Agree with you on berserk though.

[thebax]

If there are no minerals, I wonder what the shells we use for blade and point are made of? They (and our bones) are on Earth, calcium carbonate, decidedly a mineral.

All food is composed primarily of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, as are those that consume it. None of these are minerals, but they require minerals for at least their catalytic properties, otherwise, they would simply pass through, providing no nutrition. Not to mention the sad (and dead) state creatures would be in without electrolytes and the trace minerals which keep our nervous system in operation. Remember, even if you do not take supplements, your diet must include vitaMINS (minerals which positively influence vitality).

Our food (if that exists as well) must be rather bland without the addition of sodium and/or potasium necessary for the existence of salt.

Perhaps minerals do exist on Atys, though they may be like the gold which exists in the oceans of Earth. Plentiful, but so dispersed as to be mostly unpercieveable, save for the actions of mollusks, renowned for their sifting ability, and presented to us in the forms of their shells.

OOC:

[sidusar]

Perhaps minerals do exist on Atys, though they may be like the gold which exists in the oceans of Earth. Plentiful, but so dispersed as to be mostly unpercieveable, save for the actions of mollusks, renowned for their sifting ability, and presented to us in the forms of their shells.

But like you said, bones are mineral too, as are teeth, nails, claws, shells... If there were only trace elements of minerals on Atys, then to name a few examples, kitin could have no shells (good), gingos could have no claws (good), and homins could have no skeletons (very bad). Needless to say no life would be possible without minerals. Unless all those things are made out of some wood-like material, which would mean every creature on Atys is half-plant.

I don't think it's possible to say that there are no minerals on Atys. One could perhaps say that there are no inorganic materials on Atys. Or that there are no elements heavier than iron.

[grimjim]

I don't think it's possible to say that there are no minerals on Atys. One could perhaps say that there are no inorganic materials on Atys. Or that there are no elements heavier than iron.

You need zinc.
Krypton occurs naturally in small amounts in the atmosphere, but that may be a byproduct of other processes that don't exist on Atys.
I've a feeling Iodine occurs in seawater, which we don't have - again, may washed out (though salt would be needed in at least small amounts - homins probably get it from drinking animal blood which is an unpleasant thought).

Fascinating to think about anyway

[calel]

So the desert consists of woodship?

I' m surprised those headstrong warrioresque inhabitants haven' t burned it down yet with their campfires and burning weapons.

[sidusar]

You need zinc.
Krypton occurs naturally in small amounts in the atmosphere, but that may be a byproduct of other processes that don't exist on Atys.
I've a feeling Iodine occurs in seawater, which we don't have - again, may washed out (though salt would be needed in at least small amounts - homins probably get it from drinking animal blood which is an unpleasant thought).

Yes, I need zinc. And you need zinc. But do homins necesarely need zinc? Isn't it possible that if humans were made up a little differently, they wouldn't need zinc? I don't know enough about biochemistry to answer that. But I'm sure it's a lot more likely that a humanoid could survive without zinc, than without a skeleton
Salt is sodium and chlorine, both lighter than iron, no problem there,
Either way, I'm aware that humans need a lot of elements heavier than iron to survive, but most of those we only need in trace quantities. So here you could say that the elements do exist on Atys, but not in large enough quantities to be noticed. To get back to zinc as example, we humans need to consume zinc, but that doesn't mean we need to eat large chunks of it. We get small quantities through our regular food. On Atys, there could be a tiny amount of zinc in everything, but it would be impossible to obtain an amount of pure zinc (for homins anyway, maybe the karavan could do it).

I' m surprised those headstrong warrioresque inhabitants haven' t burned it down yet with their campfires and burning weapons.

An excellent point I hadn't even thought of. Imagine a 'sandstorm' on Atys. Millions of tiny pieces of woodchip twirling through the air, a perfect combination of flamable material and oxygen. One little match and the Burning Desert is a crater. Maybe that's how the Scorched Corridor and Outlaw Canyon came to be?

[rushin]

An excellent point I hadn't even thought of. Imagine a 'sandstorm' on Atys. Millions of tiny pieces of woodchip twirling through the air, a perfect combination of flamable material and oxygen. One little match and the Burning Desert is a crater. Maybe that's how the Scorched Corridor and Outlaw Canyon came to be?

must get really soggy when it rains though

[sidusar]

must get really soggy when it rains though

The rain in the Burning Desert doesn't reach the ground

[forever]

Not all wood burns easily.

[thosholm]

And the Kitin shells might well be made of Chitin , a sugar--based polymer. The stuff is tough! No metals needed for that, just C, N, H and O.

The Fyros Desert could be ground down chitin, either from all those beasties they killed over time or from, you know, head and body lice. I mean, a Capital city with just one bathhouse....