Agreed. I'm looking at doing the same thing with "To Serve The Petal Throne", as I strongly doubt it'd even pay for itself if I went with an 'anything else' version. I'm writing the thing for my grandkids, nieces, and nephews more then anything else at this point. If other people like, then so much the better.Originally Posted by Gronan of Simmerya
I suspect that a few others may also be interested in your tales.If other people like, then so much the better.
=
While I know that priests and followers of Ksarul jealously guard information and tech,
how close to Deathworld 2 by Harry Harrison are things in general?
Is it hard to leave a clan on good terms if you know their secret knowledge?
Would a clan try to win away members from clans that they want knowledge from?
I assume there is less issue between allied clans but not all are allied.
If this assumption is correct then can I also assume this holds true for Temples?
Priests can follow the teaching of multiple allied deities but opposing ones are not as welcomed?
The higher they rank the more focused they become on one, and also following opposing causes more drama?
=
Well, I'd like to think that my book might be of interest to people...
Taking it from the top:
Not as bad as that; yes, clans, temples and the Imperium don't give away their secrets casually, but for the right price...
Normally, you don't leave a clan; you are born into one, live your life in it, and die in it. The only ways to 'leave' a clan are to die, or be expelled for really serious issues - and for which the clan usually makes sure you get dead, before you can say much of anything. Your death will be recorded by the clan as having come from 'natural causes', and the taxes will be all paid up.
You can certainly join a clan; see also Gronan's career. You get invited to join a clan by the clan, after they get the idea that you will be A Valued Asset to the clan. If they find out that you are not what they think you are, it's normally off to the farm in the country, where you are kept out of sight. Treated decently, but kept out of sight. If you're a real cad, it's off to fight the Ssu with you at best, or a hole in the basement floor at worst.
Or my career; Phil forgot to give me a clan for years, and it was always assumed around the table that I was from some poor but decent clan in the Chakas. When the subject finally got dealt with - Mirusiya asked about it - Phil mumbled a lot, mouthed his cigar, and told me that I was Eye of the Flame. Like a good clan boy, I made sure to forward a portion of my pay to the clan, and all was good. Later on, after Mirusiya wanted to do 'something nice' for me, I was invited to join Iron Helm; Iron Helm had to pay Eye of the Flame a fee for the loss of my services, and I did have to pay both clans some fees for all the paperwork. Eventually, the two clans negotiated a deal where I was actually in both, for tax purposes, and I made sure that a portion of my Tsolyani revenues went to both clans for their percentage. (I'm still carried as a staff officer with Searing Flame, and I think with Mnashu of Thri'il - ask Gronan, it's his legion. I also get a stipend from the Temple of Vimuhla, too.)
One clan usually does not try to 'poach' another's members; it's considered rude. If one has skills that another clan wants, the two clans will negotiate a deal and you'll be told to drop by such-and-such a clan to help them out. You'll be told by your clan what you can and can't talk about, and this is normally very well respected. The clans take a very long view, and today's ally may be tomorrow's opponent - and vice versa. This kind of deal also will happen - albeit rarely - between opposing clans, when they have a problem that requires cooperation; both clans will grit their teeth and try very hard to play nice, but both will be very careful about the whole thing.
Priests and Priestesses of a Temple do not follow (in the sense I think you meant) anything other their their own deity. The Temples really get bent over the idea, and will throw a fit. This does not include things like a Priest of Sarku making an offering at the Temple of Avanthe to help his pregnant wife, or a Priestess of Dilinala making an offering to the Temple of Thumis or Ksarul for help on that exam she's got coming up in the temple academy. In either case, both would be welcomed to the temple grounds as a respected colleague; they would not be shown around the place freely, and they would not expect anything like that.
Regarding rank and focus, it all depends on the individual. Yes, we do get hardcore fanatics in the temples, but they can be of any rank or status. Usually, the clergy is pretty tolerant, as the Imperium regards any violations of the Great Concordat with the utmost seriousness - and severity, too!
Is this helping? Am I explaining things intelligently for you?
You better believe the pay chit for Chirine's stipend as aide-de-camp to the Kerdu of the Legion of Mnashu of Thri'il is faithfully logged on time and in full. I have no intention of hunting for a new aide-de-camp at this stage of my career. Besides, they're all so green.
And again, we see how Temple, Clan, Legion, and political party can interact; though Chrine and I were from different and technically "opposite" temples, we were both Imperial soldiers, and politically speaking, both members of the "Imperialist" faction; that is, "we serve the Petal Throne."
"The Emperor says, 'Chirine, fight,' and you fight."
"Oh, I do, I do."
"Well then, let us go be killed as we are ordered. Is life worth so many questions?"
I don't care if you respect me, just buy my fucking book.
Formerly known as Old Geezer
I don't need an Ignore List, I need a Tongue My Pee Hole list.
The rules can't cure stupid, and the rules can't cure asshole.
Hoy Uncle,Well, I'd like to think that my book might be of interest to people...
Taking it from the top:
Not as bad as that; yes, clans, temples and the Imperium don't give away their secrets casually, but for the right price...
Normally, you don't leave a clan; you are born into one, live your life in it, and die in it. The only ways to 'leave' a clan are to die, or be expelled for really serious issues - and for which the clan usually makes sure you get dead, before you can say much of anything. Your death will be recorded by the clan as having come from 'natural causes', and the taxes will be all paid up.
You can certainly join a clan; see also Gronan's career. You get invited to join a clan by the clan, after they get the idea that you will be A Valued Asset to the clan. If they find out that you are not what they think you are, it's normally off to the farm in the country, where you are kept out of sight. Treated decently, but kept out of sight. If you're a real cad, it's off to fight the Ssu with you at best, or a hole in the basement floor at worst.
Or my career; Phil forgot to give me a clan for years, and it was always assumed around the table that I was from some poor but decent clan in the Chakas. When the subject finally got dealt with - Mirusiya asked about it - Phil mumbled a lot, mouthed his cigar, and told me that I was Eye of the Flame. Like a good clan boy, I made sure to forward a portion of my pay to the clan, and all was good. Later on, after Mirusiya wanted to do 'something nice' for me, I was invited to join Iron Helm; Iron Helm had to pay Eye of the Flame a fee for the loss of my services, and I did have to pay both clans some fees for all the paperwork. Eventually, the two clans negotiated a deal where I was actually in both, for tax purposes, and I made sure that a portion of my Tsolyani revenues went to both clans for their percentage. (I'm still carried as a staff officer with Searing Flame, and I think with Mnashu of Thri'il - ask Gronan, it's his legion. I also get a stipend from the Temple of Vimuhla, too.)
One clan usually does not try to 'poach' another's members; it's considered rude. If one has skills that another clan wants, the two clans will negotiate a deal and you'll be told to drop by such-and-such a clan to help them out. You'll be told by your clan what you can and can't talk about, and this is normally very well respected. The clans take a very long view, and today's ally may be tomorrow's opponent - and vice versa. This kind of deal also will happen - albeit rarely - between opposing clans, when they have a problem that requires cooperation; both clans will grit their teeth and try very hard to play nice, but both will be very careful about the whole thing.
Priests and Priestesses of a Temple do not follow (in the sense I think you meant) anything other their their own deity. The Temples really get bent over the idea, and will throw a fit. This does not include things like a Priest of Sarku making an offering at the Temple of Avanthe to help his pregnant wife, or a Priestess of Dilinala making an offering to the Temple of Thumis or Ksarul for help on that exam she's got coming up in the temple academy. In either case, both would be welcomed to the temple grounds as a respected colleague; they would not be shown around the place freely, and they would not expect anything like that.
Regarding rank and focus, it all depends on the individual. Yes, we do get hardcore fanatics in the temples, but they can be of any rank or status. Usually, the clergy is pretty tolerant, as the Imperium regards any violations of the Great Concordat with the utmost seriousness - and severity, too!
Is this helping? Am I explaining things intelligently for you?
I have found you. Auntie sent me to find you...She said something about having to post on the workbench...!!!
Seriously. Chirine and OG, Gentlemen et all, thank you for this wonderful thread. I have become a member because of it. I have questions. I will keep you busy. If you like...
PS there are those out there who share the same loves you do :0)
Certainly, to both. It is good to know how far my branch is from the main trunk.
Speaking of fire and flames... if a wildfire is started, how is it handled and who is held responsible?
Arson is clear but accidental fires?
How far up the social ladder do you have to be to get something besides Dna-grain porridge with tea three times a day?
=
I assume that people are just as deceitful as anywhere else but how does honor fit into this framework?
Is a person's word their bond or do things need witnesses? documented?
Is the spirit of an agreement upheld or only the actual wording?
Would an honorable person outright lie or just twist the truth?
When caught in a lie, how is that handled?
Is lying to further the goals of the clan accepted? at least by the clan?
=
Gods. Save us from young officers. Anyway, being carried on the rolls of the Glorious General's legion is a nice status symbol for me and my clan(s), and the same is true of him and his. Once one has a reputation for doing heroic things - or in my case, being very, very good at logistics - one is a hot commodity. The commute can be a bit much, but with the late civil war over it's not so bad. And the Glorious General gets his legion allied with mine, same as the 1st The Royal Dragoons were allied with the 2nd Dragoons (The Royal Scots Greys) were fast friends on the battlefield and friendly rivals in garrison - something about that little charge at Waterloo...
Well, hello! Welcome to our little portion of the forum; please do feel free to ask anything you'd like - it's why I am here, and thanks to Bren for starting this thread. (Did I get that right, sir?)
I will be trying to get back to my little Blog as soon as I can. I'm having some issues with Google's Blogger, and also we just had a new internet provider come in and get us connected to their service. The Work bench is not dead, just in a little hiatus.
The nice thing about this forum is that it feels more 'conversational' to me; the blog is a lot of fun for me, but I think it's a little bit more 'static' in feel as I tend to do wordy little articles and then people are kind enough to comment on them. Great way to show photos, though!
Understood. The analogy that I like to use is a broad river; Phil's novels and short stories are the 'deepwater channel' in the middle of the river, and his two game groups were just to either side of that. My two campaigns that ran in parallel with his in the late 1980s would be to either side of those, with my later 2000's game group picking up where they left off and in parallel to Phil's for as long as his gaming lasted. My book about gaming with him starts in that deepwater channel, and flows along with his as a subsurface current since the story is being told from my personal viewpoint and not really from his. The events are the same, but you get my 'take' on them as well as all of the surrounding 'backstory' that we saw go by in his 'meta-game'.
Accidental fires are everybody's problem, and everybody turns out to deal with them. There are no organized 'fire brigades' in cities to deal with this problem so you can lose an entire quarter or even a city if things get out of hand. The only good news is that because cities are pretty spread out, you get lots of natural firebreaks to hep stop the flames.
Responsibility for accidental fires is pretty diffuse, unless there's a very clear culprit - "It's the Gods." Now if Mrs. O'Leary was the problem, her clan would likely face some tough demands for shamtla from any injured parties.
You're right about arson; the Imperium will execute the culprit, assuming that there's anything left of the culprit after the injured clans and temples get through with the arsonist.
Food! Glorious food!!!
Actually, good question! You can be all over the social spectrum on this. I get grain porridge three times a day when I am on campaign with the legion as part of my daily rations; we add to this whatever we can carry up in the baggage train or can forage from the locals. (A good stew is considered A Very Big Deal, on campaign!) Back in garrison, or in the clanhouse, the food is usually much more varied - and hot, too!
This varies a lot - urban poor are lucky to get the tea (there are various varieties, with a Yan Koryani version very highly regarded and highly priced - I think it tastes like turpentine, myself), while a low status farmer will have a pretty good diet as he or she is right at the source. So, I guess the best way to answer you is to say that the good stuff starts pretty low on the ladder, especially out in the country, but pretty high in the Foreigners' Quarters of cities. Same thing out in the 'sticks'; most people eat pretty well, at about the same level as you'd find in Ancient Rome or South Asia, but the supply chain is pretty shaky.
I hope this helps; I can get really detailed, and drive you quite mad - Tekumelyani cooking is a really strong interest of mine, and we do experiment every now and then. Try 'Naan', if you can get it...
Posting Permissions
Bookmarks