Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

??? Do you have a source for this?

I can not find it in the web.

And either way, a ban in a single ban in one country is not the same as a world-wide ban.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

In any case local bans are certainly allowed, even some highly eccentric ones.

Media that necessarily has to do with laws already in existence is obviously banned such as any art form involving psionics.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Here's a story from The New Yorker largely talking about a time of rioting in 1960s Detroit that mentions the rumor, as well as putting some context around the notion of the song as a radical anthem.

Just last year, Fort Smith, Arkansas, repealed their 1953 ban on public dancing on Sundays, but that applied irrespective of the music you might be playing. I don't know if Kevin Bacon had any comment on the news.

It is when the planet is one country -- as is the case for most worlds in the Imperium (all the non-balkanized ones).

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

"Dancing in the Street" and no it wasn't. Actually it was a number 1 hit there.

As for the Empire it's quite mechanically incapable of doing any large scale suppression of pop culture. There's too much local autonomy and too many virtually unregulated grubby little Free Traders who love compact cargo like computer memory loaded with cultural goods. The more dictatorial or oligarchic Individual planets can and do suppress popular culture, but that suppression ends at their atmosphere. One of the Patrons was actually a touring musical act, and not at all a high brow one.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Tramp Banking.

On frontier worlds banking is often not well established. To facilitate movement of capital and other abstract properties to and from, a tramp vessel is sometimes used. The small cargo space needed often makes this niche attractive. Some specialize in this, and others as part of a diversified business. The ship will carry records of the accounts of customers on different worlds and sometimes collateral. Sometimes they will carry cash from one branch to another to facilitate withdrawls or simply reinforce credibility.

Adventure seed: There is a run on the one bank of Boondocksworld which is franchised by the Bank of Decadentworld. A big store of cash is stuffed aboard your ship and sent to Boondockworld (that is based on a real incident on the East Coast in the turn of the century where Morgan stopped a collapse by the use of his name and the promise of a shipment).

Adventure seed: You find out that the money you are carrying belonged to a criminal syndicate. The law is likely to be after you. Plus if ANY of it disappears, your customers will be very, very, unhappy...

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Zhodani nobles generally wear turbans. Intendants generally wear headbands. Why?

Superstition. Many Zhodani believe that some substances, devices, etc. enhance their psi powers, so they incorporate them into their headgear. This has never been conclusively proved to be true, and although professional psi researchers pooh-pooh the idea, the beliefs persist. After all, it can't *hurt* to have a scrap of cloth that wiped away your mother's tears, or part of your umbilical cord, or a wire of electrum in your headgear.

Of course, getting, keeping, or recovering the right stuff for your headgear has adventure possibilites.

Proles have their own versions of these beliefs, often involving how to insure your child will be psionic. Or *not* psionic, since psionic prole children are adopted into intendant families, which makes having your prole child identified as a psi emotionally complicated.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Roamer's Ease, LIC:

A corporation maintaining spacer themed public houses found to Spinward. They are known for their highly trained baristas and bartenders and their copious library of cocktails, many of which use coffee as a mixer. Also served are various light foods including mixed nuts or fruits, chips (either potato or unleavened bread) of various flavors, sandwichs, etc. The normal music played is soft instrumental jazz, but on Karaoke night, customers are invited to sing; and on guest night an entertainer is invited to sing or tell tales. Often enough, given the nature spacer folk ballads are played or sung.

Decorations include the typical work used to decorate the interior or exterior of a starship (indeed it has been known for Roamer's Ease to buy retired starships and convert them). Typical is a cream-colored wall with various and sundry pictures or models.

Prices range from what is available to a plain spacer (a plain coffee, or drink if he is really pinched) to highly elaborate mixes with rare products for captains and merchant princes. It is not of course only spacers who come here but often ordinary citizens. Some come to "connect" with the feeling of adventure, but others just like the food and drink. Like Brubecks with which it is a close competitor, it cultivates regular membership often giving such things as discounts and free orders to those who enter.

Recreational facilities are provided. Power plugs are allowed for those who wish such for their electronic equipment, and as well books, board games, and so on are allowed. Roamer's Ease maintains it's own electronic equipment not only to allow patrons to rent, but to allow take-out patrons to enjoy the experience from a distance.

Roamer's Ease takes care of it's reputation as a dignified establishment. Security is well-trained and does not show itself but can handle most disturbances.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

The Grand Raceway of Mora:

This is the most famous horse racing center of the Marches. The greatest horses and jockeys have been known to ride here and powerful people both native and offworld visit to watch the sport, to wine and dine, gamble, as well as to negotiate deals on the side.

Surrounding the race way is a giant stadium. Each seat is provided with suitable seating, and equipment to watch it either visually or electronically. A drone hovers over to beam a top view to guests. The favored seats of course are within visual distance but that is not needed.

The Grand Raceway is also a social center with restaurants, drinking spots, stores, and so on all either inside the stadium or around it. Adventures around it could include, espionage or political based plots, organized crime, etc.

This was inspired by the Jockey Club of Hong Kong.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Blackwatch the Great

Alternate name for the Principality of Caledonia. According to legend the British Black Watch infantry was adopted into the Terran Marines and grew into a division. Along the Main Line of Advance it formed towns at every depot formed when a new base was secured. It was surrounded by civilians as fleet followers joined them both from the previous depot, and from local natives, and by merchants selling to the fleet. Many of whom were culturally assimilated. Each town was named "Blackwatch" with a designation of "second", "third" etc (much like Alexander naming a series of Alexandrias). finally ending up at the border of the Second Imperium named Blackwatch the Last. History is vague and contradictory at this point, arguably more tale than history. But it seems that for some reason or other a group of clans attached to the last Marine town, migrated to Caledon for some reason. The new colony was named Blackwatch the Great. Each clan settled on it's own territory and lived in a decentralized state (with no more than a nominal paramount chief who sometimes was overthrown of even his meager authority). Finally the Clans became united and the Principality formed under the name of "Caledonia".

The effect of this is still remembered. The national tartan is that of the original regiment. The Prince's Own in alternative to their individual regimental garb often wear ceremonial dress copied from a romanticized version of the ancient Black Watch when it served the Hanover dynasty. And of course nobility and chieftains claim to trace their ancestry to the original marine division, or even the original regiment on Terra.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

And doubtless immediately called for independence from the planet ;)

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Well they usually waited a LITTLE while.

Actually the army had to finish up the conquest of the world while the Marines waited to do more landings. The town was composed of those fleet followers attached to the Black Watch Marine division. Declaring of independence was not a viable strategy for most during the Terran Confederation and the Second Imperium, and certainly not for those on the main advance base with the Terrans right next to them and the Vilani all about.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

The inspiration for this was twofold. One was that there were a number of similarities between the Principality (as described in the Imperial Encyclopedia) and a non-canon society of my own (founded by Space Cossack sorts from the frontiers of the ISW) near the Spinward Marches that I had to figure out a way for them to have been in contact. This is an elegant solution-they were in contact, the Black Watch was simply ordered in a different direction.

The other is contemplating what would happen to the Terran Fleet campaigning for generations? It would become an ethnicity and sprout sub-ethnicities. And it would be a semi-nomadic one for going back to one's home after tour ended was often impractical. The most logical thing is that the Terrans habitually set up an advance base to support operations in a sector and as that was sufficiently secure dependents were brought up. Each base's inhabitants would identify more with other anchors of the Terran Navy than with the planet it is on.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Puppet Shows

Puppetry is a well developed art in the 3I. It's also highly influenced by technology mainly sophisticated Telepresence. Puppeteers act through their puppets like Bunraku puppeteers, and they are seen as artists in the same way.

Individual puppet robots are complex works of art and often of a quality any museum would be proud to display. Many playwrights write exclusively for the puppet theater. Stage designs for these small theaters are often made by the finest artists of the 3I.

There are individual plays with special puppet robots just for them, these range from faeries tales to epic romances like the tales of Arthur or Orlando to kitchen sink dramas. There is also a standard repertory group of puppet robots much like the Comedia dell'arte. many plays, especially by newer playwrights, are written for this group of puppets. Established playwrights can get troops to invest in specialized puppets for one role only.

As the telepresence motions of actors can be recorded by the puppet robots so that these performances can be replayed later. Much like we can listen to Beatles records or watch old films with Kathrine Hepburn or Humphrey Bogart. Some performers specialize in being the one "live" player in an otherwise recorded show. Such performances generally involve topical asides and comebacks.

The puppet theater is like the 3I's court jester. They can say thinks others can't. Mind you, sometimes they go to far.

Another wrinkle is that theater "troops" are often one or two people with a bunch of puppets and recorded shows. A great cover for smugglers or other people who need to move secretly.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

That's pretty good.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Chandler's Officer's Chest:

This is a chest produced for merchant and naval personal. It is called an "officer's chest" in recognition of it's comparative expense and the fact that common spacers and apprentices often have less space. Made to carry personal items, it has a deliberately "retro" look. It is, generally made of a wood or woodlike substance commonly used for artistry: Terran Cedars are widely favored. The metal bands are commonly of iron or brass. In general the price reflects the cost of the material and the craftsmanship which varies from model to model. Customization can also increase the price. Chests come with a functioning mechanical lock but this is usually cosmetic and an electronic one is usually hidden below. Two unique features are a side door that opens like the door of a landing craft in photos of the Terran Second World War. The second is three rows of eye bolts along the sides through which a rope may be threaded. This allows decorative objects to be displayed or just gives extra capacity. On each side is the Chandler's Compass Rose, with the inscription, "Chandler's of...World Where Sold" imprinted and dyed in the typical colors.

In some places they have ceremonial usage. Aslan for instance find these popular as an "Honor's Chest".

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

I love the idea of something that screams seaside tourist trap memento ( to my born in 1960 sensiblities ) becoming a major ceremonial object for several cultures. Witty and brilliant.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Well, Freelance Traveller referred to the idea of a spacer showing off how well traveled he was by having a sticker with a "Chandler's of..." for each world he visited on his duffle. I just thought that was an interesting alternative for that.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Charlies Place: Chandler's (the company not the generic occupation) contracts out the right to maintain small concessions at it's various stores. The requirements are that match the companies opinion of "taste" and that it carry a theme appropriate to the store. Charlies Place is one example of such. The name comes from a nautical pun. It is called so because it's logo is an ancient semaphore "C" flag-red, white and blue stripes, code named "Charlie" for clear communication in difficult weather. The interior decorating includes maritime art, glass fishing floats ships-in-a-bottle and other things to invoke the Solimoni water-voyaging traditions. The food is usually seafood and they are known for their chowders including what they contend are genuine reconstructions of all the contending clam chowders of the Terran United States Atlantic coast. Other fish and shellfish can be had, some transplanted species of Terra raised from aquaculture and others local native seafood. The menu varies seasonally to ensure proper variety. Charlies also serves a fine black coffee. Cream and sugar are available but the waitstaff will look at you with disdain as unworthy of a true voyager.

Charlies is a typical place for patrons to unwind after spending time shopping at Chandler's.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Motmos Goldenslope:

Refers to three major products produced among the Goldenslope Mountains of Motmos.

The Goldenslopes are tropical highland region famous for the golden flowers that appear seasonally. One of the products produced is Octobee Honey. Octobees are an arachnid not an insect but they have many surprising resemblances to Terran bees including the production of honey and wax. The wax is brick hard and cannot be exploited without chiseling it out which is only done with abandoned hives. The honey however is much like Terran honey and can be used in pastry or in the heady local mead.

The second product is the scraps of the flowers after they are shed seasonally. They are exploited for fragrance and dye. Local artists often use the products for such things as painting and calligraphy.

The third product is not native but is widely popular. The upper slopes are planted with the descendants of Terran Arabicas. They were picked cultivars, carefully integrated with the ecology by planetologists. They have several varieties, sometimes adapted from cultivars of revered ancestry. They are graded by official Agworld tasters in 2-8 and "prime". Several primes are of so great of value that their packages are almost never opened except in the case of a high class feast. One of the most peculiar Is Goldenslope Prime Gemini for the "twinness" of the disproportionate number of peaberries.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Rutters:

Traveller's Almanacs especially for merchants. They can come in several forms. Some come in periodicals (famously the JTAS) from private interest groups of various kinds. Others from governments: it is common for consulates to sell collections of commercial and navigational intelligence as a service to merchants flagged on their world.

Most famously are the rich collections carried by various merchant houses. A common format is an illuminated codex-style carrier with sheaths for the dataholders of recorded debriefs of captains organized by date as well as space for side notes. If you did not know you might think you are looking at a religious manuscript.

It is common for a merchant house to maintain a regular service of analysts to refine the information for previous debriefs and issue them to captains bound for given regions.

The information contained in a rutter issued will likely include such things as contacts, resources of a given area, secret stashes of emergency wealth in whatever form, bank account codes, deposit boxes, etc, as well as navigational information and survival guides for a given system. Also might include political intelligence as well as economic as this can be relevant to operations. The head of a merchant house if forced to flee (say from a war or revolution at home), can often use the information within to revive corporate power.

The rutter of an extinct Merchant House is a priceless work of art and kept in museums. They are certainly unfencible and anyone who intends to steal one must work on commission.

A Great MegaCorp like the Tukeras might maintain an entire library of rutters at it's home office.

An adventure with this might involve using one to track down accounts. It could also be a MacGuffin a bounty hunter is hired to find. Or an Imperial investigator looking for unsavory goings on might be trying to find it and decipher the meaning. Or on the flipside if the PCs are looking to avoid Imperial Entanglements they might try to hide it.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

IISS Survival Archive: This is a library containing a collection, from various sources of writings on survival technique that date as far back to the Ziru Sirku. Aside from the articles on general methods they include the results of surveys of various worlds and areas of space. Most are open to the public to download as a general service but some parts of the Archive are forbidden namely those dealing with classified information: worlds that are still Red Zones, or clandestine surveys especially of worlds in rival astralcracies. The other area that is cordoned off is articles that have not yet been released for publication and are still under review.

The articles contained here are often produced by IISS personal. That is not a requirement and submissions from civilian services or even rival geostrategic intelligence agencies are welcome. The JTAS has submitted many contributions as has the AAB. There is often an exchange in that regard with such groups. The criteria for inclusion is whether the article, "seems right" and fits with the other sources available though authors must be willing to publish their identity (much as the US Army published German field manuals of the Eastern front after the Terran Second World War but made a point of identifying the source).

Copies of the results are sent to Imperial Consulates. They are given to Imperial Citizens for free and to non-Imperials for a nominal purchase price as part and parcel of the Imperium's avowed status as protector of interstellar commerce and travel.

The headquarters of the Archives is the archival section of the Order of the Arrow. It has an entire wing devoted to it and the decor is similar to the rest of the Order's complex, containing art and ceremonial objects representing cultures from various parts of the Imperium as well as exhibits of events and famous people of the history of exploration. The most famous exhibit is a series of full size portraits of Lorette Strider in her grand tour of Hawaii to visit and lecture at the Observatories and Traffic Control Stations of Mauna Kei, Spaceport Hawaii at Keeau, and the old Wet Navy base and spacer recovery station of Pearl Harbor. Reproductions of this are widely available and often used as screensavers or skins for handcomps.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Possible aspects of Starport Culture:

Backrooms:

These are places for preferred customers kept apart from the normal public. The Starport oligarchy of owners, investors, captains, builders, etc meets there to talk shop, gamble, and possibly negotiate some business arrangement. The room is decorated according to the tastes of the owner (this was inspired by Harbor and Town, a Maritime Cultural History by Wolfgang Rudolf). They will usually be kept by the owner of a local business with a good name.

Spacer Shrines: Religious Centers geared toward serving passing spacers. These can be of all sorts (this was inspired by the above, as well as mention of places like it in Moby Dick, and Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald). Not to mention a mild elaboration of the "chapels" in Starports. It is common for spacers to come wishing for a safe voyage and some leave a gift behind for propitiation.

Boarding Houses: Apartments for spacers off-season or while awaiting employment. Some provide meals with their services and they can be surprisingly good (again, a la Moby Dick). Others are fronts for nefarious activity.

The Board: This gives information about shiping schedules. It can be face to face or on the datanet. Usually it is both (obviously they have that in airports already, I remember the one in PDX).

Kintledge stores: stores that sell and buy general merchandise that was carried to fill up holdspace. Sometimes starships deal direct to the public from a temporary store at their berthing space but other times a specialty store will deal in this. These are often perused for the odd items that will turn up there.

Names and Logos: In the hospitality trade there will be all kinds of variation in the title and the sign of the business based on whatever whimsy of the owner. Just as equally it will receive a nickname which is a corruption of it's more formal version.

These are just some odds and ends

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Parasite banking. This is usually used for discrete transactions. Several accounts will be opened, usually at several different banking establishments to avoid notice by the host. The accounts loaned to patrons with an appropriate password. Someone managing such a system can in effect have a full scale underground bank.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Regimental Feuds:

A tradition in several polities going back thousands of years to before spaceflight. Military units will have a traditional rivalry expressing itself in practical jokes, bar brawls, unusual enthusiasm at contests of martial athletics, etc. Some of these date to some historical event like having spiritual ancestors on opposing sides in some ancient conflict. An example in Great Britain on Ancient Terra was assigning the Coldstream and Grenadier Guards to opposite sides in a general review because supposedly one had taken Parliament's side in the English Civil War, one the King's and parade directors didn't want the embarrassment of having them quarrel. Similarly several regiments in the Armies of the Third Imperium came from member states who had once been perennial opponents, and still remember it.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Cloverleaf Street:

At the waterfront of Lorton on Overnale. Officially part of Interworld Bazaar though one of the oldest. It is considered a historic sight and as a result no warehousing, heavy industry or other unaesthetic business are permitted to exist here, though trading in drafts for such products held elsewhere is common. The Cloverleaf guild, representing businesses along the Street is given special privileges by the government in return for keeping strict standards in the area.

It's peculiar name is from the local custom of dividing goods three ways, like clover petals. These include foodstuffs (now extended to include all biologically based products produced locally), raw minerals (especially from the belts), and offworld goods. In the beginning of the settlement of Overnale, this area was a strategic point and a business which established itself on the Street had a good chance of dominating much of the world's commerce, on a few occasions allowing leverage into interstellar shipping or offworld holdings.

Anchors include the Baron's Hotel, still owned by the planet's senior Imperial Noble dynasty. It also includes Chandler's of Overnale, also known as THE Chandlers, as it is the house flagship (the original Chandlers were allowed the distinction of having their name attached to their occupation by monopolizing the outfitting of the traffic that passed through the world in earlier times). Another anchor is one of the few Gigs not in a major port, though there are those who say this is a sign of anticipation. Favorite sites which are not noted businesses in themselves but kept by the guild collectively, includes Vintners Park. Despite the name, the park mostly exhibits varieties of Uffleberry bred chiefly for blossoms. However every year the Ufflewine and Ufflebrandy Festivals are notable attractions. Another sight is the Old Exchange which is centuries old, and still a noted place for traders.

Smaller retail shops and restaurants are interspersed up and down the Street. Competition is stiff for a site, but the potential profits attract many.

The Street, is a hub of the negotiations between local political and economic leaders, and the luxury establishments their serve to lubricate. It is also the site for the artistic and academic life of the planet, with several establishments being noted gathering places, some of them serving rival schools of opinion and drawing their imagery from the clique that assembles there.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

La Mariana:

A chain of restaurants, bars, and cafes operated by the Seastar house, which name is an obscure etymological interpretation of Queen Mary (itself named after a famous Terran luxury oceanic vessel), the Empress Marava which was the foundation of the house's wealth once upon a time. As a pun La Mariana takes it's name from it's operators but also evokes a famous establishment on Hawaii of old Terra.

The specialty is reproductions of old Hawaiian Cuisine of various kinds, prepared by highly trained staff. There are also a line of drinks and the establishment prides itself in it's mastery of beverage making as well as foodmaking. Their Blue Hawaii is a cult classic among some circles of drink lovers. Curiously on the menu is an Irish coffee, from an obscure legend that the drink was invented to tide passengers over in the flying boat era of the early twentieth century (Gregorian system), an era with aspects impinging on Hawaiian history.

The decor is as might be expected Hawaiian in nature. Live singing performances are regular and on Karaoke night, patrons can sing themselves. A giftshop and bookstore is maintained, (or a simple rack or table carrying such things in a smaller branch) again based on Hawaiian themed topics including history, fiction, music, whatnot, including several versions of a classic serial drama set in Hawaii*, one version of which features the original bar. The decor is changed seasonally to provide variety, and includes still shots, paintings and moving art as well as stored artifacts and of course architectural style.

An offshoot of this is the catering business done by the establishment. It's best chefs, bartenders, and baristas have sometimes prepared food for high noble feasts, and worked with genuine product shipped expensively from Terra.

*This drama is a curious combination of the words for "type of chemically propelled projectile", and "hired personal intelligence officer" denoting the protagonist's name and profession.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

The Emperor's War Game

This is a military exercise, held once a year by the regiments of the Imperial Guard in a training area on Capital (Core). The only regiment that does not take part is, by tradition, the Marine Guard, that has the duty to guard the Palace at this time.
While it is a genuine exercise that should sharpen or at least maintain the skills of the participating soldiers, critical voices state that "The Game", as it is called, has become something off a circus act.
It is not only that the Emperor, his family (all holding the courtesy-rank of a colonel in one or more of the regiments) and the court watch the exercise, many members of the moot and a huge crowd of celebrities, remittance men and other oxygen-wasters discover their patriotism and "show support for our troops" at this time. To please the (very influential) crowd, ambitious staff officers often stage visual impressive manoeuvres with lots of noise and pyrotechnics.
Among the spectators are also diplomats of other nations, be it Zhodani, K'kree or Solomani. If the Emperors War Game impresses them or lulls them in a false sense of security is anybody's guess.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Pyramid Chess

Supposedly inspired by a throwaway line in a novel from Terra written the century they first landed on their moon. But not created until around the four hundredth anniversary of that event. This elegant chess varient is beloved by those teaching naval stratetgy because it is amazing at teaching three dimensional thinking in tactical situations. Plus the problem of handling more than one problem at a time is also stressed.

The gameboard is pyramidal in structure. Eighty-one squares on the bottom board and only one square on the top. The classic winning move is to put the enemy King in Checkmate while getting your Queen to the top square. However, as there are half a dozen ways to win or lose, focusing on those two alone is a quick way to lose.

The game has spread outside the Third Imperium because it's linked to the Imperium's admirals being good at lateral thinking and winning battles.

If, on a scale of one to five, Chess is ranked a difficulty 2 game, and Go is ranked at 5, Pyramid Chess is surprisingly a three because of the simple elegance of its rules. But it is as efficient as Go in teaching tactical and strategic thought.

Not is popular as chess or playing cards in cultural imagery or metaphor, but the striking imagery of the game gets used.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Kitlings:

Called so because a bag of these is often found in a traveller's "kit". Of unknown origin, these are a type of dumpling like food made with baked bread wrapped around an interior of some sweet, savory, or sour food of various types; preserves are an old standby as is cheese. Some versions have a softer space making it possible to penetrate with a kebab skewer.

They can be eaten plain as finger food, or dipped or covered with sauce and eaten with a spoon. Indeed there are a number of ways to eat this versatile standby.

Interestingly enough they have found their way off of ships and onto respectable tables. There they can be served in a number of ways. You can buy them at a stand in some Starports or at any number of stores and restaurants.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Sail Hockey

Nobody is sure of the origin of this sort. Nor are the rules universalized. But it has a rough similarity whereever it is played.

It is a water sport played in an estuary or a lake fed by a river of at least moderate size. There are two teams each with up to three Goalsmiter Boats, up to five blocker boats and up to three transit boats. The size of the crew is unimportant by itself: it is measured by the boats size and the manager's estimate of the crew's skill, etc.

Blocker boats and goalsmitters are given a different type of paddle. The first is for paddling the ball or thrusting at opposing crewmembers or parrying same (which is why safety gear is always worn). The second type of paddle is more sophisticated. It carries a net at the end similar to a lacrosse stick for grasping and throwing balls. It will hold a ball for several seconds before an embedded electronic device opens the net. Only Goalsmiters can actually score goals: blockers can run interference or join in defense. This sometimes includes deliberate ramming which is another reason for safety equipment.

Each boat can take on any of the three roles, as long as the minimum is not exceeded. A change in role is signaled by a change in the flag on the mast.

Each boat is powered by sail alone: grav moters or chemical engines are removed at the start. However modern communications both between boats and with shore are allowed as is the limited use of drones.

Balls are released into the stream at intervals and are declared "in play" when the enter the playing area. Each ball has a tracker installed inside it. In some rules being tangled up in brush renders a ball out of play but in others it is the responsibility of the players to seek out the ball.

The game is concluded by counting the number of goals at the end of one day though some go on two days.

Transit boats are one of the most unique elements. They are used to replace boats of other types. They can also bring supplies such as snacks or water, or replacement crew, equipment, and of course, new paddles. They are not allowed to otherwise interfere with the game and to do so loses a point for their team.

Estuarian matches are often favored over lake matches by students of the sport. The need to add tides to calculation is felt to add an element to an already sophisticated sport.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Zira Sirka Dikh Terra Uskamsii (hope I got that right):

Terran Golf is a sport that caught on early among Vilani. Though many old-fashioned (yes there are Vilani whom Vilani would call old-fashioned) and even some more up to date prefer uskamsii golf has gained a strong following not least because it had fewer inconveniences including sumptuary restrictions of access to courses: on conquered worlds Terrans often left Vilani laws place in an autonomous zone but refused to enforce them outside which meant many Vilani had access to golf courses that they had not to an uskamii course.

At the founding of the Second Imperium this practice carried over to Vland itself. While the name was politically sensitive, it was simply translated "Grand Imperial Golf Course of Vland." With due displays of politic respect (such as conspicuous hangings of portraits of the Emperors of the Second Imperium), the course was able to gain popularity. With the coming of the Long Night it was neglected not least because of the reawakening of Vilani Nationalism. However it was declared an Imperial Treasure Site by Cleon Zhunastu who was an avid golf player, and reconstructed.

The local rules are the same as in Terran golf, but the vegetation is native Vilani. It is immaculately kept by local groundskeepers. Playing here can require a reservation of several years for someone who is not of unusually high status.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Mt. Fafnirskin the Hateful:

Anglic name for a periodically active volcano of great height on Gungir known for it's spectacular eruptions. It is said to be inhabited by a descendant of Fafnir (there is disagreement on his personal name) who wages an eternal blood feud with men and that he will be slain only when a warrior mightier than Sigurd is born upon the Earth. Other versions say that Sigurd himself regularly comes down from Odin's Hall to do battle with him until he is quiet for a time. Irreverent jokes are made about him being a Sheriff putting an unruly drunk in a lockup over and over again.

It is said that he enjoys all kinds of humans preferring the taste of maidens as for some reason all monsters seem to do except of course for those monsters who prefer, um, extreme postmaidens. Fafnirskin is also depicted as sadistic and inflicts dreadful tortures upon mortals. Some have depicted Fafnirskin as a master of dark magic, or even a shapechanger. And it is generally agreed that he takes tribute from Dwarves and Alvar in shapely and beautiful things of great expense: not that he might enjoy them but that others might be deprived. These include tomes of wizardry inscribed in beautiful calligraphy on silver or gold sheets, skillfully made artifacts and jewelry, and glorious treasures some once possessed by rulers and warriors of old. Fafnirskin is known also for taking slaves and forcing them to work for him. These can be live Dwarves and Alvar or the shades of men but Fafnirskin treats men the worse as befitting his feud.

Despite the malevolent legend and the very real lava flow, and more to the point the mudslides, floods and poisonous fumes, Gungnirians have a perverse affection for Mount Fafnirskin. Tourists come for long distances to watch eruptions which is generally safe with proper precautions. This is ususually accompanied by the chanting and singing of sagas, the eating of feasts, and the lighting of pyrotechnics. During dormant phases the extensive ice fields can reform and some of those take fantastic shapes, as do the bizarre twists of igneous rock deposits. These barren but weirdly beautiful reaches are often said to be haunted by spirits, trolls and/or by the evil spells designed to keep the dragon's slaves from fleeing and keep watch on would-be thieves.

Fortunately modern Vulcanology can fairly well predict an active phase. The dormant phase can be long, sometimes long enough for such recreations as mountain climbing. Life does return and it is a well known nesting spot for the famed Gungnir Eagle which finds it a handing place to ambush migratory fowl and has an adept enough temperature sense to evacuate during an eruption's approach. The Eagles are highly valued for falconry. Adolescent ones, at the beginning of their skill and appearance are favored. But eggs and chicks are easier to harvest and will sell well to owners who already have a mated pair in their aviary (the species is noted for being able to adopt strays). Nonfertile eggs can be preserved and made into jewelry by various technological techniques. Harvesting is only done by special permission because of the threat of endangerment. Safaris set out into the area at dormant times, despite the attributed preternatural threats and more to the point the very real mundane dangers.

Other areas of possible economic exploitation are available, carefully regulated to keep them from playing out. Diamond deposits have been discovered. And of course there are always those few who take the legend literally and go seeking (or claiming to seek) to steal the Dragon's treasure. Another addendum to the legend is the mystery of Knut the Mad, a famous explorer of the area. Despite the legend, the historical Knut was in fact a disciplined scientist, but had a not unjustified reputation for mysticism like others of his ilk and left behind wild poetry and riddles causing him to have attributed to be in league with or even to be Odin himself. As seems to be always the case, Knut went into The Dragon's shadow and never came back, nor was his body or those of any member of his expedition found. As people of his sort never die in such comparatively uninteresting ways as having a dreadful accident, several causes have been attributed, a favorite of which is that he is searching for a hero to Slay The Dragon (or tame him, by other accounts as slaying him will take away the fun). Ever an anon people go on expeditions to seek traces, and no certain causes of the disappearance have been found. Cynics have said that the real purpose of these expeditions is to make and sell entertaining docudramas.

The Dragon's mountain is naturally enough a heritage site for the nearby and aptly named Jarldom of Volsung specifically and for the planet Gungnir in general.

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Microcorps:

The converse of mega corps. These are used to handle small investments. An example might be a Free Trader or Subsidized Trader which has a single corporation in an entire ship. Sometimes the user has a buyback option from the sponsor or a contract whereby shares shift to him at a steady pace. Another possibility is that the voyage is the corporation but the ship and crew is "loaned" to it for a percentage of shares (this is known for subsidized vessels where the government share is taken as tax).

Other uses are known. Sometimes a family or extended family will incorporate to make it easier to divide the patrimony on the death of the family head. At least one nation has the peculiar custom of making every citizen a Corporation Sole.

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The Grand Mosaic of Deneb:

This is a partially completed floor in a room in the latest expansion of Archduke Norris' Palace. Constructed by Dame Anastasia Truehaven a noted international artist, it uses as a base her Home People's tradition in decorative datacrystals and highly crafted artificial gemstones.

Each stone is luminescent and capable of a full spectrum of colors. The "home" scene will be a display of wilderness scenery from Mora though more than that has not been revealed. It will be displayed on the month when the floor is declared complete. In every month it will show a scene typical of one of the planets in the Domain.

As a bonus each stone is to be a dataholder and contain at least one item of information reflecting the culture of a given world in the Domain of Deneb. As obviously there are more stones than worlds and every one is planed to contain several thousand gigabytes to a terabyte or moreworth of information according to the palace seneschal there is considerably more than that minimum.

The ceiling and walls are intended to be a fairly normal virtual picture that reflects a geometric display, not unlike ancient Persian styles of architecture. At celebratory times, however it will be changed to reflect an appropriate image. The whole system is powered by an outside generator.

The rim of the system will be a solid color designed to be reasonably attractive. This part will be regularly open to the public as long as order is kept and a series of computers will be available to access the information hidden in the floor making it also a working library and museum. The only parts hidden will be such items as are considered sacred to their respective cultures and traditionally limited in access. Attempts to hack those will receive a severe fine if caught.

The mosaic itself is off limits as it is intended to be a working dance floor during Imperial festivities. As such it is to be properly maintained and cleaned by trained servants. Attendance at such galas will be by invitation only.

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Tenderleaf:

Despite the name it is not particularly tender. It is a treelike plant discovered by the IISS operative Jacob Tender. On the end of his term he got a hold of several seedlings and purchased a plantation to grow it becoming rich in the process. Tenderleaf can be grown in a number of binomes as well as in artificial environments making it a very useful food source. Normally the leaves are used in leaf wraps or salads while the bark is often made into snack chips or ground into a powder to be used for condiments.

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Fiyftahea:

A rendering from a Ganglic/Aslan Pidgin. Translated as "Man year" it is the currency of choice of many Ihaiti settled human worlds.

It is disputed when the practice started. In the basic system, when a world becomes open by negotiation to Ihaiti settlement a band of settlers is given a lump sum of land for a lump amount of Man Years plus a given amount in periodical tribute.

As time goes on, excess "Man-years" have tended to become available. When for instance a warrior does career service to the planetary government as an individual as opposed to as a member of his clan. This process creates circulating of cash and is often deliberately encouraged by the government. This conversion is also encouraged by the need to gain livestock, tools, seed for fodder, personal arms, or whatever is needed to turn a landhold into a viable economic system.

The denominations of "man-year" are based on a melding of the human and Aslan calendar. For instance on at least one planet a "Man-Year" is an abstraction of an exchange between nine months service (the campaign season in the Terran European continent) and enough of a landhold to support one Aslan family. Smaller denominations are based on factors of time shorter than a year with a year as the base.

This currency is widely respected by Ihaiti, backed as it is theoretically by land and military service, an exchange widely understood. However in worlds that have gained a large population it often exists chiefly as an abstract currency though traces of the original feudal service usually still exist.

In the Imperium it is mutually exchangeable with Imperial credits through agents maintained by the Imperial Treasury. The "Man Years" of various planets have not been standardized as they reflect differing planetary histories and cultures.

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Private Trading:

Several starships especially tramps allow spacers the right to private trading and free transport of goods thus acquired as part of their perks. Several Chandlary firms (including famously THE Chandler's of Overnale, and it's franchises) maintain general stores with a spacer-theme in decor and product for catering to such things. Lesser quality examples have to be filtered but are often purchased anyway to encourage traders while goods fit for the store are resold.

Goods sold for this can not only be goods acquired at a previous port but works of craftsmanship made by private spacers. Products include often such things as carvings, personal smithcraft, ropework, and sometimes even electronic software. Like many spacer customs carryovers from pre-starflight Terran nautical traditions figure strongly as do those of other cultures with a nautical tradition..

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Spacers carry a whole variety of arms for the purpose of self-defense on leave or holding their own in a brawl; these usually lean toward the less lethal to make it easier to negotiate with constabulary.

Aslan often find Fierahs useful for this as do others who trade with them. They have an old tradition and can have soft weights tied to them to "pack" a blow (actual hard weights like metal are not put in except when a deadly fight is anticipated).

One noticeable one is often associated with Reconciliationist spacers (adherents to the merger of the Latin and Greek Churches of Terra in the Great Compromise of the Second Empire Period). This is the "Maurice". It is essentially a Kara but marked to distinguish the religion of it's bearer. It bears the image of Maurice, the soldier-saint which is considered more appropriate for bellicose purposes than a Crucifix or Ichthys sign. Some models are made in animal hide or plastic for the purpose as again the original metal might cause more damage than is diplomatic. Other religions have similar traditions for this including Jews, Parsis, Maar Zon, etc; and the Sikh's who made it popular wear it plain or with the symbol of their religion. The popularity of the Maurice stems from the fact that it can be used both as a bracelet and a weapon.

A popular and simple one is a knotted rope. Some combine it with a cloak or similar tool for parrying.

Another one well known is a scrimshaw sap or nightstick. These can be carved out of raw faux-scrimshaw plastic or out of genuine animal bone or similar material as per the tradition. Some spacers actually use Kudy Horn for this and the lower grade of such is within reach of a common spacer if he has enough money.

A spacer's personal arms are a necessary part of his kit if he expects to go into port. Many are lovingly cared for with fine decoration and personal names. In some cultures handed down through families like many other spacer tools.

Hint: This was inspired by a photo I saw of a scrimshaw club at a museum inventory.

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Palace Hotels:

It is common for nobility and such dignitaries as guildmasters, taipans, religious leaders, family heads, etc (any of which might have an Imperial or Planetary title anyway) to invest in hospitality trade. This is considered a way of making an income without providing unfair conflict of interest with the local economy. Sometimes to further prevent that protectionary laws are imposed on nobles engaging in this practice which do not apply to hoteliers in private practice.

Social mores demand certain behaviors. The place must be "classy". What is classy is defined differently. However though a boarding house can be considered philanthropy a startown brothel is unworthy of a noble. The ideal though is a palatial luxury hotel of the kind that makes it into history and fiction.

Practice in this regard is different. Some nobles actually hold court here on occasion and save their workspace and residence for private buildings. Others do the reverse and live there incognito with permanent rooms. The practice is known outside the Imperium. It is quite well favored among the Sword Worlds though Aslan consider it undignified to give hospitality in such a commercialized way. Vilani have traditionally had similar traditions which is why it is less common in the Vilanicized parts of the Imperium.

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It's interesting information.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Thank's. If you want to make a contribution go to it.

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Orion Hotel. The original famed Orion Hotel served merchant and naval spacers, their dependents, as well as local dignitaries on Nusku in the beginning of the Terran Empire. It served a fusion of the best of the meals and beverages brought from the traditional spaceports of Old Terra as well as the local version of Vilani cooking. The lobby was based on a space exploration theme and contained a wallpaper of the latest discoveries. Music played traditional Terran and Vilani favorites and in general the hotel was known for a melding of cultures.

The present Orion Hotel is a reconstruction. It is based in Glisten and serves a variety of customers including scouts, merchants, and belters.

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Title Exchange.

On exchanging of emissaries the Imperium and foreign powers sometimes grant honorary titles equiv to Imperial Rank Nobility.

For instance a Sword Words Consul at an Imperial Subsector Capitol bears the title of Rank Count, and Similarly the Imperial Ambassador's to Sacnoth and Gram have the titles of Jarl.

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Lunion's Bottles.

In an expression of his interest in the patronage of traditional agriculture, the former Duke of Lunion, on his Ascension served at the feast a large number of genuine Valais Arvines astounding those guests who knew and embarrassing those who did not. Not only was this a rare vintage in itself, it had been freighted all the way from what had once been Switzerland on Terra. It was not only intended to make a spectacular show but to provide paternalistic largesse to those engaged in the production of such products.

During the feast the head of the waitstaff paid careful attention to who was sitting in what seat. He marked the bottle they had poured their drink out of unbeknownst to the Duke. Then he begged the Duke for permission to keep the bottles. Which he was granted.

After this the head of the waitstaff sold the bottles to a retailer of rare items for a lump sum and used the proceeds to resign and partner with said retailer. The bottles were resold for a fortune and while the ownership of some is known not all of them have been tracked.

Bottles of the wine from Lunion's Ascension Feast are a prized collectible. Depending on the status of the drinker they could be ten thousand to hundreds of thousands of credits.

P.S. This is an elaboration of an actual reference at the beginning of the volume Far Trader.

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Affiliated Tramps:

While the "lone-wolf" free-trader is a stereotype, many find it useful to form alliances with others. These will typically have some common feature as a connection. Classic models are kinship or membership in an ethnicity, registration at the same starport, guild membership, etc. Obscure worlds might have all the shipping operating from their port in such an alliance but equally typical are those that have numerous such. A distinguishing marker is that they are generically referred to as "circles" rather than lines to show that they continue to specialize in speculative cargo and wayward contracts which cannot be the business of a scheduled line.

Typically they will have such infrastructure as credit associations, shared warespace and planet based factors, and trustees for the administration of such. They will often also have their own livery and rent a section of the city as their own. Sometimes they will meet regularly to discuss common policy though this may only be dividing up trading space to make sure no member competes for the same market.

Some circles of tramps have evolved into major corporations or similar groupings. Perhaps the most famous circle of affiliated tramps at the present time is what is now the Oberlindes Corporation in the Spinward Marches. The Principality of Caledonia is also known for this custom: the modernization of the Celtic clan system that is fashionable there is easily adapted into making trade circles.

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Spacer's Fairs:

On many Starports it is the custom for regular gatherings to take place. They will be places where goods from large numbers of places can be counted on to be traded and it will be a time of intense bargaining. They typically take place at times that have significance on the local calendar. Typical will be the end of the agricultural cycle on worlds where that is an important economic feature. On some worlds, weather is prohibitive to travel at times of the year (this mainly is relevant to planetary trade of course but traditions can be applied to offworld trade), there is a regular arrival of a trade convoy, a radiation storm at a given time, etc. Or just a cultural event. Any excuse can be made to put a fair at one time of the year rather than the other and the most important point is to get traders to come in.

Aside from trading in goods there will be all sorts of events. It is a typical time for matchmaking among Freetraders and interstellar nomads as there are often few other times to see those outside their ship who are not dirtsiders. For similar reasons pets are often bred, and exchanged at this time; as all starship pets are out of need implanted, and many gengineered to remain close to the homeship they are likely to have few opportunities to mate. Other events include recreation, such as singing, dancing, storytelling, athletics and so on.

Spacers Fairs are typically attended by tramps and out-and-out nomads like The Forlorn. Scheduled Lines might arrive by coincidence but it is rare as they have a definite priority to keeping a dependable rate and less to scrape up goods. One group that does often attend is the IISS. Keeping track of shipping not least shipping from outside the Imperium is a prime source of intelligence.

A Spacer's Fair can be the source of all kinds of adventure seeds. Goods and people will be passing through, any of which can be the focus of a plot.

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Fun idea. I think I will use it during one of the PCs landfalls.

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Thank you.

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Gestural Dance Poetry:

Among the people I center on there is an ancient tradition of poetry by gestural dances. According to stories the language used is an elaboration of hunting signs by native hunter-gatherers and has a similar niche to infantry signals. Using it at home or in camp created the luxury of making it into a more stylized art form as did contact with urban dwellers, and eventually spacefarers. In point of fact some dances purport to be actual "after action reports" of hunts or war expeditions long ago and were used for the mundane purpose of training (in the militia they still are as they are by the descendants of said native peoples). Others are full scale epics or mythical/allegorical representations of any aspect of life.

The native forms of dance are still used for this. But the gestural poetry traditions can be attached to many styles including some imported from Ancient Terra. As often a system of gestures is effectively another language there is usually a reader card provided to members of the audience. A chanter also accompanies the dance. Various musical instruments are used, some of them universal among Humaniti (like the drum) and some highly specialized (like the lyre or the bagpipe).

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The Empress Marava-class Far Trader is in truth named not after the Flag Empress, but rather after the wife of Cleon I, whom the former was also named from.

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In any case the tradition of naming after Empresses is constricting. There weren't that many in the history of the Imperium. Powerful females is a better generic (a famous Caledonian Marava was Scottian Huntress, which is kind of vague).

With that you could have Maravas named after any female who has ladylike or queenly qualities including fictional ones. This might make some amusing ironies like a worn down retired junkheap named Elbereth Gilthoniel. There could also be an elaborate joke like one with the name "Bloody Mary" that was christianed with a bottle of said ancient cocktail.

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Aslan Tartans:

Aslan on Stirling in the Principality of Caledonia often make cultural exchanges with neighboring humaniti. This is especially easy because the clan structure based on heroic legends that local humaniti favor, is a form easily attuned to the Aslan mindset.

Customs adopted by humans include such things as using Ayloi to duel, and building noble residencies in the Aslan fashion. Aslan took up many human traits such as maintaining clan credit pools. They have also taken eagerly to some human sports and one of the highest placers in caber tossing at the last clan games was an Aslan. Aslan of Stirling have also used adopted human traditional music formats such as the harp and the bagpipe.

One custom that was taken up was the use of geometrical abstract decoration on kilts. These are called "Aslan Tartans" though purists point out that the term rightfully applies only to those that use right angles. Aslan of course favor curves creating a different effect.

While it is not legally required to register a tartan with the Prince's Order of Heralds it is commonly done, not least because that allows clans to file suit when their garb is used outside the rules set by a clan. The heraldric rules for Aslan tartans are the same as for humans. Tassels are issued by the Prince for conspicuous achievements and worn at the belt on formal occasions. It is theoretically possible for a tartan to be proscribed, but the one time that happened it was a human clan that suffered that fate as punishment for being associated with a war crime.

Aslan serving as noble retainers wear the tartan issued to them by their patron. For instance, the regimental garb of the third battalion of Princess Karen's Royal Stirling Regiment of Guards, is Aslan style rather than the human style of other battalions in the regiment.

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Subsidized Peoples:

With multi-thousand world societies sometimes conducting policies involving whole planets for centuries (like a terraforming project) it naturally comes to be that workers laboring for such will be in essence "ethnicized". The Terrans first saw this phenomenon when they met the Vilani and called such groups "castes" and sometimes they did resemble the groups in East Asia the term was meant to evoke. But as they expanded they developed similar groups in their own system.

In the Third Imperium the most obvious example of such is the network of contractors and suppliers that keep the Imperial Defense Forces going. But the civil service has examples too as do many groups associated with megacorporations. Several ImperialLines luxury passenger ships have a hereditary crew that marries by preference endogamously or at least with crews of other liners.

Members of such groups have a feudalistic relation to their employers and it is considered a point of honor to maintain a reciprocal relation. Which of course does not mean there are not treacherous employees or miserly or tyrannical employers. It means simply that such behavior is disapproved.

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The security service would really devour the workforce a lot. Even in a mercantile culture, other aspects can be automated much more easily.

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The use of melee weapons like blades and cutlasses aboard starships and among the various Imperial services has its roots in the Ziru Sirka. The Vilani of course, being so traditionalist and hidebound to actively use swords and polearms even in the days of automatic firearms.

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It's actually practical for such things as excercise and grudge matches. I once (I think in an earlier entry) invented a scoresuit: a purpose built armor set for martial arts contests that records the blow as well as protecting from it. Thus contests can be done without artificially prohibiting the most efficient blows. There is a variant called a pain suit. It was really adapted from a torture device that delivers electric shocks to a someone forced to wear it. It was adapted to the more honorable usage of free people settling disputes without causing enough damage to lose their labor to their families.

In ISW the Legion of the Frontier does in fact use hand-to-hand weapons according to the book.

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Stephenshold:

This is a deliberately created society centered around a centuries old Terraforming project by descendants of refugees from the fall of the Zira Sirka living near the Spinward Marches. When budget ran out it was sold to an ally the Commonwealth of the Peoples of Acer. The later is a constitutional monarchy with a clan based culture and an Archducca as head of state. The system was bought whole and the primary star renamed Buda. There are two habitable planets. One was named Legion; the project failed and so it is dedicated to military maneuvers. Soldiers like to tell tales of the monstrous genetic failures there and there are some natural dangers, but the biggest danger is expended ordinance, which is carefully charted on maps.

The other world Stephenshold is named after the Patron St of Hungary to associate it with a Terran nation famed for plains. Stephenshold in fact has considerable plains for though parts were formed with Terra as a model, as a whole it was more Kuzuformed than Terraformed. In fact the planet has been called a giant recruiting poster for it was originally intended to settle Ihatei in return for military service a habit that was continued by the Commonwealth. The first settlements were planned carefully. Spaces which were declared ready were opened. Clans were tested as diplomaticly as possible for military effectiveness and compatibility with Commonwealth methods of war (meaning just to start clans that reject the use of special forces, which the Commonwealth makes much use of were rejected, as were clans which saw no dishonor in atrocity). The remaining clans bid for landholds with the first choices going to the highest bid in manyears (meaning one years service for a warrior: one warrior serving five years equaling five serving one for instance). Land gained by such service is called honor land and a minimum of honor land is required to be able to purchase land on the open market. Honor land is not taxed (the tax was already paid), and cannot be sold though it can be rented for a contract lasting up to 49 years before it is renewed or reverts to owner.

A natural result of this was a government with a vested interest in conservation and ecological management. Such emphasis attracted soldiers wanting a home for their families and willing to fight for it. The result has been held in admiration by many with interests in the subject. Stephenshold proved a bonus as well having several economic benefits. It is a net food exporter, mostly of animal products Aslan preferring ranching and hunting to farming. Each Aslan landhold maintains a herd, of whatever kind of animal it prefers. Most of the planet still has not been cleared for settlement because of the policy of opening land slowly. As a result Stephenshold has proved a boon for tourists, such as scientists or outdoor enthusiasts.

There are also a number of humans in Stephenhold. Usually they live in mountain, wooded, or coastal country of which there is ample as well as the plains are already settled by Aslan or reserved for projected future settlement either by the immigration of new clans or the expansion of old. Human territories often have such transplanted Terran life which was compatible with the stress on Kuzuforming. There is however little racial strife between the two species, there being plenty of room. The Head of State of the planet up to now is human though that is not mandatory in the Constitution. He goes by the title of Rajah, a common usage in the Commonwealth for a citizen holding nominal or active lordship over a client polity (borrowed from the Brooke dynasty on ancient Terra which ruled in a similar fashion). Several candidates for Rajah are chosen by a panel of chiefs with the final selection made by the Archducca. As a footnote the Rajah is always a member of the Archducal clan-because adoption is often used to maintain fictive geneology in the Commonwealth so that even if he was not before, he would be automatically adopted.

The Rajah's personal landhold is in the far north. It contains large portions of forests, fresh and salt water fishing areas, and much game for hawking and hunting. There are also large herds of Terran reindeer kept by the Rajah to sell for meat, hide, milk, and antlers. One of the more curious parts of the landhold is Mystic Manor which was Terraformed by special request into a model of North America's Northeast Coast. This supplies much of the food for the Boston Commons restaurant chain owned by the Archducal clan. The Rajah's hall at Mystic Manor is commonly used to receive guests including chiefs or their envoys come to pay homage.

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If a warrior is killed in service, does his contribution stop, continue indefinitely, or continue until the end of his enlistment term or some other endpoint?

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You know, I never thought of that, I really should have. I should probably posit that honorable early discharge from inability to serve due to such things as death, wounds, or sickness is equiv to full time served. That would be the honorable thing to do and the practical thing as it would reinforce loyalty. He would also be granted such trophies as are dear to the Aslan heart (for instance stylized weapons or survival equipment and-a local favorite-tickets to exclusive clubs) varying according to the distinction of his service. And of course descriptions of his service on both the clan's and the regiment's (when they are not the same thing), role of honor. One distinction is for territory to be opened early by special decree of the Rajah. Usually it is given to a chief for disposal with the request that it be bestowed on a given warrior. This indirect method is meant to uphold traditional Aslan authority structures. Normally the opening of land around the nucleus settlement of a clan is phased at intervals of enough time for a an Aslan to be born, grow to adulthood, and do military service while land for new immigrants is opened at a slower rate. There have as of yet been three waves of settlement. Intervals between waves are irregular as these depend on ecological surveys of land to be cleared.

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Shopping guide:

A guide for shopping as a mountain guide is a guide for mountains. Not a booklet but an actual person although often a nominal task. Male Aslan at least in civilized areas are unlike stereotype actually able to survive in a marketplace: they would not be functional if they weren't. While less educated in matters of money and seldom taking on large mercantile tasks they are able to know from street smarts how much a given item should buy or sell for. When they shop however they tend to take along a female relation as a face-saver. If a male Aslan wants something he asks "Can we afford this" and gets a "yes dear" because the male really knows the answer and if he is wrong they will not disagree in public. Any haggling to be done however is done by the female, as it is undignified for a male to haggle at trade (political haggling is different somehow).

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Ao Kuzu: This drink is a long favorite of Aslan origin. It goes by many names and whether this one is originally of Aslan origin is debated. It is of varying alcoholic proportion.

Some have compared it to Terran Kumis and like Kumis it is from fermented milk, in this case from a mammaloid species native to Kuzu. It comes in "vintages" of various types from the common which can be had in the Aslan version of taverns to the very fine. Knowledge of the later is considered a mark of an Aslan noble, much as knowledge of other fine drinks is among humans, and many such, especially if they have a particular interest in the subject will expound at length about the symbiosis between the soil, the seed for pasturage, and the breeds grazing on it as well as such things as storage, ageing and how they absolutely SHOULD NOT take shortcuts like todays money-mad youth who do not care for such a fine tradition, etc.

While the finer quality is often cultivated by a high noble, curiously the cheaper versions are a mark of a new landholder. Such often find it more profitable to invest in a continually producing product than in meat animals which must be slaughtered.

The taste of Ao Kuzu is usually salty or sour which reflects the Aslan taste, which while sometimes partial to the sweet is less inclined in that direction than omnivorous humans. It is sometimes used as a sauce as well as a beverage either poured plain onto meat or incorporated with other ingredients to make something like a barbecue sauce. Oddly enough it is known in both forms among humans. However it is usually incorporated into cocktails rather than drunken plain.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

What is "real" land:

Aslan discussion over what constitutes "real" land is Serious Business. The ideal of course is something like the imagined heroic past on Kuzu: a grassland ranch and/or hunting park. Aslan are not as fond of dramatic elevation features as humans though they do not mind them as a way to occasionally diversify terrain. Other rural biomes are less than ideal but acceptable. Urban land is not really land unless it is an actual park-like estate. Land at the bottom of a body of water or on a world with an uninhabitable atmosphere is in the best-one-can-do category. Space stations are never land.

Westerns and Aslan. Aslan actually have a fondness for the Western genre of ancient American cinema. The features such as rolling plains, and other natural visages and heroic fights appeal to them. They also like some of the things culturally associated with them like country music and the meat-heavy cuisines like Texan and Barbecue. In certain cases the subculture has been painstakingly preserved by artists and scholars and kept alive at theme saloons.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Now I am wondering about Aslan and the really large K'kree ships, which have living areas simulating open plains. Would a captured K'kree ship count as land?

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

What an abomination suitable for dishonorable barbarians!

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Transrift Corporation:

This is a company that operates on the route between Reavers Deep and the Spinward Marches. It is largely a passenger line but diversifies into cargo and banking as well as maintaining a corporate armed force for security and some say to coercively carry out an ambition to become the market leader along this route.

It began with a demographic upsurge among cisrift Aslan and consequent increase in Ihaiti demanding transport facilities. The Fleet Dispatcher for Reaver's Deep approached the Prince of Caledonia to negotiate transit rights. Faced with the prospect of having a flood of undocumented foreigners and the genuine opportunity of making a profit the prince summoned the various lairds and chiefs to raise capital. The result was the Transrift corporation.

It shares many of the qualities of a charter corporation, with the Caledonian royalty and nobility, and the Fleet Dispatcher for Reavers Deep jointly owning a controling interest. It has however no official royal monopoly, a practice that would be repugnant to the commercially minded Caledonians.

The Transrift Corporation maintains a regular series of convoys. Non Transrift vessels can buy a place in the convoys which gains protection of escort vessels. Another source of profit is the regular auctions held among planetary governments to be the subsector and sector refit stops for the next convoy. Demand for this is high as it is an opportunity to hold a trade fair on that world.

The transition to banking as a secondary specialty was an easy one. It came of the need to have a system for safely handling the possessions of travelers. The Transrift Bank maintains safety deposit boxes and manages bills of exchange as well as handling deposits and withdrawls into accounts. The cargo side specialty evolved both from the trade fairs and the realization that the long voyages of convoys gave a chance to traffic in exotics of the kind that get their value from rarity. Caledonian Whisky, and Lambic Red beers and Ufflewines appear on the tables of distinguished persons at the opposite ends of the route. Caledonia has received Kudy Ivory and sold traditional musical instruments such as harps and pipes. Another product widely sold is Aslan handicrafts. One notable example of this is the leather covered fierahs still used for hunting on some planets. These are made kernmantle style with the core of several strands of biphase rope and a sheath of artistically dyed leather gotten typically from hunting beasts near the landholds on several cisrift worlds. Other side businesses are to varied to count, usually involving service industry in various starports.

Transrift has from the beginning engaged in a number of trade wars. The competition for the rift route is fierce and new competitors are not always welcome. Despite that it has become one of the most successful business enterprises in the area. It has also become a cultural symbol. It has brought the ways of Reavers Deep and the Marches into contact with each other. Caledonians with their mindfulness of Scottish history like to nickname it Jardines after a company active in the Asian trade on pre starflight Earth that had a number of Scottish officials.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Hardanger:

This is the national instrument of several of the Sword Worlds. It is a revival of a varient of the violin popular in Norway on ancient Terra. Luthiers in the Sword Worlds often spend long lengths of time on individual Hardangers and decorate them elaborately. If it is made on commission or a special edition made for advertising it may incorporate expensive materials.

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Gungnir Eagle: This is a bird found in the mountains of Gungnir. It is part of the lore of the planet and has many legends told of it including a tale that these were descended from the Eagles of Manwe.

Despite the fact that they have been on Gungnir as long as any can remember they are actual eagles, that is they are large raptors with a genetic connection to the bird on earth. Those fond of cliche mysteries ascribe that to "meddling by the Ancients" but others shrug their shoulders.

Like other raptors it is capable of semi domestication at the hands of a trained falconer. They can be bred in captivity on other planets but wild Gungnir born eagles captured in adolescence draw the best price and there is a local subculture of expeditions high in the Mountains to make captures.

Gungnir Eagles are found in the aviaries of prominent people throughout the Marches and beyond.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Impernet: regular periodical of insights from Imperial personal on tactics and fieldcraft. Other states like Caledonia, Darian, Sword Worlds, etc have similar institutions for the same purpose.

Personal Datacaster: This is the personal version of the naval variety datacaster used by light vessels. It has two basic forms, the civilian variety which is widely available on the open or at least the black market and used for cyberdefence. There is also the military grade variety used by soldiers and marines. This is a purpose built "fighting" computer used at it's most benign to protect one's own electronics but sometimes for the more nefarious forms of Black Hat hacking. As a footnote, any device with internet access can be used as an improvised data caster but professionals prefer a purpose built version.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Mannerheim Corporation: a maker of a wide variety of small arms of average tech level. Popular for their durability, user-friendliness and adaptability to different functions different models are sold both for military and civilian usage within and without the Sword Worlds. Though it failed to get the contract for the standard issue militia piece it remains popular in Gungnir and elsewhere. As with many Sword World products it has extensive guidebooks as well as repair shops where advice on potential mods can be gotten. It's logo is a quartered shield with a picture of General Mannerheim and a Finnish private soldier of the Terran Second World War on opposite corners and the Finnish flag on the other two.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Clan Champions:

A common custom among Aslan and many Humaniti especially those who are in close contact with Aslan. A clan champion's responsibility is to represent his polity in affairs of honor. Often he carries some sort of regalia. A ceremonial weapon is common or an artistic rendering of a dual from epic literature.

Taking up the quarrels of individuals is usually forbidden: often if a clan member is incapable of representing himself the Ko will pick a noble male's son for the duty. Equally a Champion cannot be insulted and so is not required to duel himself. If he insults someone, taking advantage of the privileges of his office he is likely to be deposed.

In between fights a Champion trains. Sometimes he doubles as trainer, schooling younger clan members in martial arts.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Imperial Standard Military Grade Handcomp, Arbellatra Model:

This is the latest issue of handcomps specialized to the needs of the Imperial Military. It is hardened to protect from the rigors on campaign and has the added bonus of a similarly hardened holster with separate compartments to contain additional devices or accessories. It is made to be capable of mating with any device that might be used for military duties, such as a Scout PAC sensor unit, or handheld datacaster. Other possibilities are to link to a target spotter (either independent or mounted on a small arms accessory rail), and a helmet mounted HUD. With this system a link can be forged with unit personal up to platoon level to share information and the locations of different combatants. Access to battalion, regiment and brigade is automatically locked off except at the subaltern's discretion, both to compartmentalize the system and to avoid the natural data flooding of combat.

It is forbidden to sell to the civilian market and surplus units are usually stored or destroyed. That said a number do trickle outward. Furthermore not only do states not under Imperial jurisdiction often have similar devices but there are "copycats" adapted for civilian usage. Said copycats are often to specialized to have wide popularity but some versions can link with a standard civilian handcomp built to proper specifications. These copycats are often used by militias, mercenaries, partisans and other such ad hoc forces.

Adventure: The PCs are inspectors dealing with a report that several devices are stolen

Adventure: the PCs accidentally buy a computer with a bug-ap on it calling back to the Imperial law enforcement, organized crime group who specializes in the theft of military supplies, etc. Someone is coming after you.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Folklore and Legend:

Sophants have not given up their need for myth. Some myths are connected explicitly to a religion or ideology, some to a famous epic and some are acknowledged to be fictional.

Different cultures have traditions based on their ancestral or cultural (often an "adopted culture") background and sometimes on a widely revered author. Caledonians for instance have a liking for Celtic tales. Similarly Swordies have not only bloodthirsty tales similar to the work of Scops and Skalds but local imitations of old traditional fairy tales. Water and forest spirits, monks and hermits or druids (for those who wish to evoke prechristian traditions) with mysterious abilities and so on are beloved by Caledonians, while Swordies predictably have tales of dragons, trolls, Alvar, and Dwarves. Aslan as is well known have tales of their ancestors as well as of mysterious creatures which some have compared with fey.

Some tales are held among starports, and common among crews and service personal. The "Allyfolk" are a type of fey that enjoys labyrinthine things and fears what is broad and straight. They are also according to most legends afraid of the light and avoid sunlight, as well as artificial lighting. Gremlins are known to anthropologists to have been invented just before starflight. Now it is a catch all for creatures that inhabit software. These are of various types from the benevolent to the harmless trickster to the malicious.

Loyal machines of various types are even more popular with the advent of computers and extend the precedent of anthropomorphized ships and weapons. Some inhabit one given user's computer system and some are as big as the guardian spirit of a starship. Many cultures have esoteric rituals for the naming of ships, or in some cases other types of objects (both Aslan and Swordies name practically everything).

Some type of ancestor veneration is popular among many peoples even among Caledonians whose official religion is either Reconciliationist or Neopresbytyrian in imitation of ancient Scotland. Modern computers make that easier: a journal by a past military or political hero, spiritual leader, or simply a respected entertainer is often made into an icon and future generations can know their appearance and modes of speech.

The uses for those ideas can range from mere decoration to a full on space-fantasy. Another idea is to stop in the middle of an adventure and tell stories (this is really better done in a book perhaps but might be a way to have an intermission to a campaign).

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Privy land vs common land: Among Aslan especially those in contact with humans it is common to effectively incorporate parts of the land to make room for massive projects (stereotypically a ranch). Furthermore, if they are Ihatei, they often make covenants of vassalage with the occupants of the world that involve service-and no one can individually do enough service to merit enough land to handle a Clan's investments while it is often considered vulgar to demand land earned by others for private usage. The result is to divide unassigned land into commons and privy land. In fact this is a misnomer: usually the Ko at least has the legal fiction of owning the commons and indeed the land of the various vassals. But the Ko's privy land is actually treated as personal property of the Ko while the commons are the property of the clan in actuality, that is they are treated as corporate property.

Gift Chests: While Aslan males often have a sentimental romance for heroic gift economies of the supposed past, they know perfectly well that money is more efficient for most needs. Male Aslan are in the difficulty of not being able to admit to knowing how to handle money and need face savers. The favorite one is to use a female relation as an agent. Another is to use ornate gift chests. These are boxes that are works of art in themselves, decorated with caligraphy, painting, and other such means, sometimes including gilding. Inside are carried the type of geegaws considered to be honorable. Among these gifts, will often be given a check. Supposedly the check is a by-the-way. But in reality the check is often the main good exchanged and the gifts are a face saver.

Regifting: As among Humaniti precious and unique artifacts are a common lubricant to commerce and politics. Gifts given by this method are often unfortunately rather like "white elephants": it is impossible to liquidate them without insulting the giver. Giving them again however is perfectly honorable as long as done carefully. Indeed as with similar customs among Humaniti the artifact will often gain in value as it's "ancestry" is lengthened and sagas will be told of their history.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Roger's Grenadiers:

This is a well known mercenary unit active in the Spinward Marches. It specialized in boarding actions and urban (including underground) warfare. This is an unusual specialty for mercenaries who generally do not like such high-casualty tickets, but it is in high demand for most states are unwilling to field large regular forces for such a specialized mission.

The Grenadiers are the size of an independent brigade. They usually serve in smaller task forces and many of their tickets are to provide a battalion or so on call. They provide a collection of highly trained infantry and combat engineers as well as specialists like electronic warfare, recon, and other such things and are regularly trained in the difficulties of operating in a 3d artificial environment. They also have the attraction of having an efficient counterintelligence and courier system which allows them to be assembled without detection: this last capability has caused the Imperium several times to hire them for anticorsair missions. Their equipment while effective is not up to the level of Imperial level warfare: for instance while they have basic body army and hazardous environment suits they do not have battlesuits. Their basic weapon is the gauss rifle with disintegrating rounds and grenades of various types, purpose built for close in work. They also have a line of engineering tools designed to overcome obstacles.

They have a highly professional attitude about the tickets they take, refusing all tickets against a polity which has agreed to billet them (such polities also are allowed discounts when they wish to hire as are long time customers). They have also of late, in between major contracts taken duties as Swat for municipal police. For this work they have begun hiring professional hostage negotiators which in fact proved useful in military duty on more than one anti-corsair mission.

Personal are primary mixed humaniti-aslan. There are no rules about this other than obeying articles. The group is officially an LIC but Grenadiers can buy shares at a discount increasing with rank, seniority, and other distinctions. Officers can receive a commission on completing the Regina Free Lance Officer Candidate School, which takes subcontracts from various mercenary bands to train officers. The Brigadier and Council of Colonels however are either ceremonial leaders or business administrators rather than professional officers. Actual operations are in the hands of the Senior Lieutenant Colonel and his staff.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Caledonian College of Heralds:

This is a committee constructed by the Caledonian House of Lords based on powers granted it under the Second Constitution. It deals with matters involving coats of arms, trademarks, patents, corporate names, etc. It also deals with the naming of warships and the giving of military honors.

In Caledonia, honor is a serious business and no mere politician is to be allowed to pollute it for reasons of their own calling. To grant peer representation, the College of Heralds is composed of spokespeople from each legally registered guild (the military counts as a guild for this purpose) as well as a chief-at-arms chosen by the House of Lords. The Chief-at-arms always has a noble title: if a commoner before he is given a (usually non-heritable) title. At the present time it is common for the Chief at arms to be an adopted Derbsman/Derbswoman of the Prince which gives rise to the colloquialism "Prince of Caladonia's Own College of Heralds (never used officially lest monarchial usurpation be implied). In practice the Lords leave much of the matter of administration to the chief-at-arms but the real business is conducted effectively by peer review and candidates for honors are intended have to face the opinion of fellows of their profession.

Each guild member is required to have a minimum status in their respective vocation to even be selected as a candidate. Candidates are selected by popular vote of all guild members or almost all: whether or not apprentice equivalents vote varies. Each guild chooses recommendations for honors as well as for knighthood or more rarely ennoblement. Final selection is at the discretion of the House of Lords (as per the Second Constitution) and ceremonially bestowed by the Chief-at-arms or his deputy.

The College of Heralds is carefully organized to distribute rewards in a way that respects their sanctity and of all the institutions of Caledonian government is one of the most respected.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

The Prince's Ancient and Honorable Shanachie Academy.

This is a college patronized by the Prince of Caledonia to train chanters and singers, harpers and pipers to perform in the Prince's Court. The establishment picks entertainers to tell poetic tales in High Gheldaght and Ganglic to the accompaniment of the Clarsach and Great Pipes.

Skilled entertainers are chosen for the school from all over the worlds of Caledonia and occasionally from outside. The most successful graduates are picked as permanent members of the Court Orchestra but just passing the course is enough to guarantee performing once before the Prince as well as pretty much assuring a career in Noble's courts' or before public media. Some graduates have become chieftains and/or nobles for their achievement.

Favorite subjects for performance are renditions of the pre-starflight works of Scot, Stevenson, and Burns as well as more ancient works including early medieval poetry. Also included are the songs of the Canadian bard Loreena McKeenitt. Other songs include heroic epics about the history of the Black Watch from it's formation in Ancient Britain to the colonizing of Caledonia, and heroic traditional tales from all through Caledonia's past to the present. It is customary for a Caledonian subject receiving honors to have a verse composed in his name. Aslan as well as humaniti often become members and sagas from clan histories are often rendered in Aslan fashion.

One of the most notable occasions for performance by members of the Academy was upon a diplomatic envoy to Capital to negotiate with the Emperor. Sheila PrinceDaughter of Michael III* was sent as leader both to lend aristocratic prestige and to give her experience for future political occasions. On this event the Emperor gave a feast prepared by some of the greatest chefs in the Imperium while the Academies bards played a series of heroic epics.

*In Caledonian usage only the Sovereign Prince is "Prince". The heir is "Tanist", the Consort is either Crown Prince (ess) or"Consort" and the other children are Prince's Sons or Daughters. Siblings and Cousins are referred to as Derbsman or Derbswoman.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Arthur:

Despite ruling over a larger realm than any pre-starflight empire the Prince of the Caledonians is not called a king. As Caledonian historians of constitutional theory know there was an argument that the title King would be a claim to all realms once held or claimed by a British King (including France and India) and so the title prince was chosen. However the reason according to Caledonian legend the rightful High King of All Britons and by extension all Caledonians is Arthur The Once and Future King, who still awaits his return. According to legend the illegitimate son, or nephew or daughter (depending on the story) of Arthur deposited the regalia of Camelot at Avalon which is now known as the Isle of Iona. Most of this was lost but according to tales the Stone of Scone was the very one from which Excalibur was taken. This by the way provided a minor diplomatic kerfuffle between the Prince and the Pariochial King of Britain on Terra over the rightful possession.

Because this the title "King" is a title held in high esteem. No mere man will hold it (though lower case "king" is allowed for a chief as he is "head of kin": it is often considered uncommonly pretentious though). The monarch of the Principality of Caledonia reigns under the title "Prince". Similarly there is no "MacArthur" Clan in the Registry of Nobles and Gentry and never has been for many a generation, even though the Prince might logically claim that surname if the legend is followed through (in fact the MacArthur dynasty did just that in the past). The present Monarchs rule as MacEdward in memory of the victor in the last succession crises. Implications of a claim to Arthur's throne are not illegal. They are just regarded as to hubristic for a gentleman.

Arthurian legend is encouraged and several versions of the epic are played in poetry, song and opera. It is of course regularly performed by the Shanachie Academy. The whole idea is an appeal to Caledonian tradition which takes an aesthetic delight in heroic lineage and does not care much if some of it is fictional as long as the proper distinction between history and legend is maintained. When cynics point out that this is a propaganda gambit Caledonians shrug their shoulders because they know perfectly well that it is. A living head of state only serves his purpose incompletely because his flaws are obvious. A legendary one is simply an extension of the custom of making clan founders out of legendary heroes some of which have nothing to do with the clan who took their name. In fact there was competition to be granted such titles as Chief MacBruce. But no one bears the name MacArthur, even the Prince.

It must be acknowledged for historical accuracy that Arthurian enthusiasm has not been around for all of the history of the Principality to such a degree. However it has long been part and parcel of the fondness for ancient British folklore.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Interspecies Relations of Humaniti with Aslan Vassals:

Despite the stereotype among racists of the "hairy peril" and the real life aggressive tendencies of Aslan, not all are immigrants are unwelcome. They are often very useful for security needs and for such things as settling sparse lands particularly those amenable to food production. Relations between Humaniti and Aslan can be tricky however and have many subtleties.

One of the needs of relations is cultural. While it is hardly unknown for Aslan to fully go native among humans it is more common for them to retain elements of their traditions, often strong elements. This is not wholly to the bad, humans being after all not completely unsympathetic to a philosophy that involves such strong emphasis on headcracking. Nonetheless arrangements have to be made. Stephenshold has one of the best arrangements: Aslan usually choose someone known for skill at arms and political talent and as every Ko is a member of the Electors they can depend on choosing a Rajah to their liking. The feudal system of the Imperium is also to their liking especially if their interface between the Emperor and themselves is a warlike noble. A similar dynamic features in the Principality of Caledonia. Despite their fame for employing Aslan, the Darrians have some troubles in that department having a philosophy centered around intellect rather than warfare and land. Nevertheless there are ways to relate such as choosing nobles who are sympathetic to Aslan ways. There is also a point of contact in the fact that Darrians have a belief in conserving natural resources which many Aslan with their pastoral heritage, are not unsympathetic toward.

Despite the stereotype, piety as humans know it is not unknown among Aslan. Usually they tend to regard religion as an extension of feudalism/tribalism. The religion their lord adheres to is the liege of their liege and they tend to give the same regard to it as they would to an Aslan paramount Ko. They also naturally prefer religions compatible to traditional Aslan philosophies if they adopt human religion. Sikhism is a popular choice but in Caledonia most Aslan are Reconciliationists as not by chance are most Princes. The array of Saints pleases them because they associate that with ancestor veneration, while the bloodthirsty tales of religious wars on old Terra pleases them no end.

Other adaptations between Humans and Aslan are many. On Stephenshold, it is for instance the duty of the local Count (head of a military district appointed by the Rajah) to arrange for the supervision of duels either by personally serving as referee or appointing a deputy. The Rajah keeps a wide series of rewards for achievement, like jewelry, decorated weapons and survival equipment, invitations to a feast or athletic display or so forth. Land is however seldom directly granted at an individual level by the Rajah lest the authority of the Kos be threatened. The reciting of epics is quite common in many courts with Aslan visitors; both Humans and Aslan have similar tastes in that department. One odd problem is the distinction between omnivorous humans, and carnivorous Aslan. Many Aslan for instance do not get a taste for human alcohol which is usually plant based.

Adaptations for games are obvious. A PC might find himself for whatever reason lord of an estate with a number of Aslan, commander of a unit with Aslan personal, etc. There are all sorts of possibilities for "Lawrence of Arabia" like social challenges.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

In the novel Dune they have a syncretic holy book The Orange Catholic Bible . It's an amalgam of the major religious texts from the Abrahamic faiths, Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, and some other faiths.

An attempt to create a universal scripture for all Humanti would fit some versions of the Imperium's past.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Soda Flavors

Carbonated water with a flavored syrup added has been a popular treat for millennia.

At this time in the history of the 3I roast beef, roast pork, and grilled salmon, are by far the most popular flavors of soda pop. Older sweet soda with flavors based on fruit or spices are seen as vulgar by the high aristocracy. Many local cultures see meat flavor soda pop as weird. They keep this opinion to themselves as they don't want to be laughed at.

Re: 'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)
 

Library Sticks

These are old artifacts, not truly ancient, they would have been made during the early days of the Long Night or towards the end of the Ramshackle Empire. Basically these are databases with the equivalent of a 21st century University Library encoded into them.

Although most of the contents are well known in the 3I books long thought lost have been found. In one Library Stick the literature of an entire Asian culture was recovered. So these are sought out.

On the other claw, these items are found mainly in the Solomani Rim. Many reactionary nobles have a paranoid view of these things and fear ancient evils may be returned to the world. They point to the recovery of the writings of Ben Franklin and Tom Paine from Library Sticks. They'll kill to prevent further discoveries.