'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

IMTU, things like folk magic are usually ignored by the Imperium as local matters. Only if verifiable psionic acitivity is reported does the Imperium deign to get involved in 'local customs', as a general rule. Of course, the situation may be very different on some worlds or in some sectors. IMTU, there aren’t very many ‘Imperial Courts’ set up to try crimes of any sort other than treason against the Imperium, space crimes, and offenses committed in starports or other Imperial possessions. Dealing with dirtside magicians suspected of psionic activity would most commonly be handled by an Imperial noble telling the local rulers to crank up the pressure on the suspected psionicists.

Now, if the suspected psions are fooling about in space, a starport, or other Imperial jurisdiction, then that’s a different story…

The Imperium would have neither the power nor desire to bother much about the back country. Just like the Grand Mogul didn't go out of the way to eliminate sutee, nor for that matter did the John Company until well into the nineteenth century even though if you asked a given Mogul he would likely have theoretically voiced his disapproval.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

That opens up another question: How prevalent is the belief in ghosts in your Imperium?

IMTU, that sort of thing varies a lot by world, and often by class and culture on a given world. On some worlds belief in ghosts is common. People may also believe in angels, demons, djinn, saints, loa, and fairies. On other worlds, such beliefs might be seen as 'superstition' or simply as alien. Note that higher TL does not necessarily equate to a rigidly materialistic worldview.

We've already dealt with supernatural beliefs to some extent in the Religion in Traveller Universe' thread.

Psionics tends to throw a monkey wrench into vulgar materialism, being as it is a mind over matter set of phenomena that cannot really be explained by the merely physical sciences.

YMMV and YTUMV

Pretty much the same IMTU.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

You wrote ghost stories and fantasy stories. Beowulf is a fantasy story to us because we do not believe in monsters the way Saxons did, or we believe in different kinds of monsters. I am not clear if it is properly defined as fantasy if it was not originally intended as such.

Nope. You are confusing two sentences. I never claimed that 'fantasy' was an ancient genre--- although it is pretty old. I simply wrote that 'ghost stories' are common across most cultures and have been for a very , very long time.

Ghost stories have been told in pretty much every human culture, for as long as anyone can recall.

Beowulf is your example. I never mentioned it. It’s also not a ghost story. You don’t seem to regard it as a "fantasy" (by which I assume you think that most of the audience took it literally- which I’m not so sure about, not by the time it was written down by Christianized Saxons).

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Beowulf is your example. I never mentioned it. It’s also not a ghost story. You don’t seem to regard it as a "fantasy" (by which I assume you think that most of the audience took it literally- which I’m not so sure about, not by the time it was written down by Christianized Saxons).

Actually I don't think they bothered asking whether they took it literally or not. Pagan or Christian, they would have been more interested in having a good tale to go with their mead. But I do think they would if asked the question, have thought that swamp-monsters were literally possible up north with those strange folk in Denmark even if their weren't any in the places where sensible folk live.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Actually I don't think they bothered asking whether they took it literally or not. Pagan or Christian, they would have been more interested in having a good tale to go with their mead. But I do think they would if asked the question, have thought that swamp-monsters were literally possible up north with those strange folk in Denmark even if their weren't any in the places where sensible folk live.

Sure.


Plenty of people alive today, right here in the Good Ole U S of A believe in crpytozoan critters, ghosts, demons, angels, aliens, fairies, djinn, etc.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Sure.


Plenty of people alive today, right here in the Good Ole U S of A believe in crpytozoan critters, ghosts, demons, angels, aliens, fairies, djinn, etc.

It occurs to me that, in the 3I, the line between darring thinker and crank, on any of these subjects, would be far burrier than on modern day Earth. You might not know you were dealing with a 3I David Icke until you're humiliated or otherwise in trouble.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

It occurs to me that, in the 3I, the line between darring thinker and crank, on any of these subjects, would be far burrier than on modern day Earth. You might not know you were dealing with a 3I David Icke until you're humiliated or otherwise in trouble.

Indeed. Of course, I wasn't implying that belief in things like angels or djinn made a man a 'crank', anymore than belief in God or gods makes one a crank. I poop on positivism and vulgar materialism.

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Indeed. Of course, I wasn't implying that belief in things like angels or djinn made a man a 'crank', anymore than belief in God or gods makes one a crank. I poop on positivism and vulgar materialism.

Still, the line between crank and daring thinker would be far burrier and more political in the 3I. Which leads to adventure senarios.

[combatmedic]

Originally Posted by Astromancer

Still, the line between crank and daring thinker would be far burrier and more political in the 3I. Which leads to adventure senarios.

Reptoids! Reptoids, I tell you!

[jason taylor]

Prince(cess) of Honor(local not imperial custom):

Adoption is widely used for a number of purposes including sealing interclan alliances and giving fictive dynastic significance to authorities chosen by tannistry. Honorary adoption is a sometimes a means of giving recognition; unlike other forms of adoption it confers no specific obligations on the adopter or adoptee not already possessed. To be a Prince or Princess of Honor is the highest distinction. It involves being officially given an honorary adoption into the High Chief's family.