09-25-2019, 07:18 PM | #121 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Curious Local Customs
Maybe if they won't do what they are supposed to before battle, the admiral can throw them overboard with an invocation about imbibing seawater instead of catnip.
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"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison |
09-25-2019, 09:20 PM | #122 |
Join Date: Feb 2007
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Re: Curious Local Customs
You know the old idea that a painting or photograph can capture the soul?
Imagine a society that takes that for granted, but only for a specific image. Say, a painting or a statue. Call it in a painting for convenience. This 'special' painting is made at coming of age time, and it's the person's responsibility to keep it safe. His rivals and enemies will try to capture it. If they do, he's been enslaved to them until he can get it back...one way or another. Disobeying someone who's captured your painting it considered very, very socially unacceptable, maybe illegal. But just about anything goes as far as getting it back, and as soon as it's back in your hands, you're allowed to tell whoever had it where they can get off. Destroying someone's painting is prosecuted as if he murdered the person, and the person so treated becomes a pariah, something like a untouchable, until he can get another painting made, by whatever special procedures are socially expected.
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09-26-2019, 08:42 AM | #123 |
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
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Re: Curious Local Customs
I would go with a small statue, to make it portable. In a mystical campaign, casting spells on the statue/painting may ignore range penalties to the subject.
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09-26-2019, 05:13 PM | #124 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Curious Local Customs
I don't know if this has anything to do with that or not, but I was reading last night how Italians used to have a custom of pranking, to get the better of each other. For instance they would put graffiti on the door of each other's family mansion or whatever. It was kind of an equiv of counting coup.
That could in fact be related to that. People could do things to each other's totems to show that they COULD have ran off with it or destroyed it or damaged it. Other possibilities are having more than one totem. Personal weapons, mirrors, etc are things that different cultures have made closely associated with the bearer. There could be a main one and a subordinate ones. There could be regular feuds over that. Now that I think of it, I wonder if the notorious Easter Island Terns Eggs got involved in something of the kind.
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"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison Last edited by jason taylor; 09-26-2019 at 05:21 PM. |
09-30-2019, 09:35 AM | #125 | |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Udine, Italy
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Re: Curious Local Customs
Quote:
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09-30-2019, 01:27 PM | #126 | |
Hero of Democracy
Join Date: Mar 2012
Location: far from the ocean
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Re: Curious Local Customs
Quote:
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10-01-2019, 04:26 AM | #127 |
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Udine, Italy
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Re: Curious Local Customs
Yes, I think so.
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10-04-2019, 05:29 PM | #128 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Curious Local Customs
I guess so, but the way I read it was that, depending on the mood of the participants it could be one step below vendetta. In Italy like Okinawa, honor was very important.
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"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison |
10-15-2019, 11:54 AM | #129 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Curious Local Customs
Upon marriage, newlyweds have olfactory attraction toward each other gengineered into them.
Ceremonial objects captured by a military unit are kept at it's museum. If they have provenance (the enemy's provenance does not count as they gambled and lost and they have to pay ransom but neutrals are treated differently), then a reproduction is kept. All retiring politicians are treated to a parade meant to insult their profession in the most ingenious ways. I already mentioned it elsewhere but that is just so cool a tradition. "Joining" is an important aspect not just of social life but of politics and business. Many a high policy decision was made at a tavern (that is actually not far from many real life examples). High Nobles are honorary members of more than one guild or fellowship. Many use make endowments to their favorites. Conversely, noted guildfolk are often ennobled at the recommendation of their Fellows. This especially takes place at retirement but an unusual accomplishment can change this. Amateur scholarly and artistic efforts are conducted in all manner of occupations. It is to be understood that "amateur" does not mean "bad" for many are quite renowned, simply that they are not primary incomes. Conversely, as prizes, purchases, and patrons are not hard to get, even a homeless person if he is reasonably good can get a suppliment. A wall covered with canvas is kept in the city square. Artists are given a share of the wall by lottery and take turns painting it. When they are done the canvas is taken down and judged. The head of state takes the one he likes best and gives appropriate reward. Others are auctioned off. It is to be noted that the head of state never takes a blatantly countercultural piece (for that is undignified) but making them is permissible, and those who wish to are allowed to where disguise if they are paranoid.
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"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison |
10-19-2019, 05:30 PM | #130 |
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Portland, Oregon
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Re: Curious Local Customs
Swordbearers:
A swordbearer is someone who has the right to bear a sword. This is not as simple as that. What it really means is to bear it in the presence of the monarch. It is of course tied down (unless the monarch orders that it not be which is considered a bonus compliment) and only the rulers guard are allowed modern ranged weapons. But the sword though highly polished and often with a stylized sheath is usually quite capable of combat. Great noblemen and dignitaries as well as ordinary citizens with some accomplishment or other are swordbearers. Some prefer icons of the vocation in which they distinguish themselves. Such as a cauducus for doctors, etc. These are still called swordbearers and still have the right to wear a sword in the monarchs court though may only do so when it is bestowed.
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"The navy could probably win a war without coffee but would prefer not to try"-Samuel Eliot Morrison |
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