'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Whitestreak

Oooohhh, I like this.

I think I may steal, er, borrow the concept.

I know that at one point in time the Soviet Spetsnaz did, indeed, train with their entrenching tools for close combat.

Yeah they did. That's where I got the idea in fact. That and Valentinian teaching Prince Rajiv to fight with improvised weapons in Belisarius Series. Thanks.

[Voltron64]

The Field of The Damned

A field on Jaeyelya said to hold a mass grave not of the Ael Yael, but rather employees and mercenaries for McAteer Mining LIC who were executed by the Imperial Marines during their intervention.

(You know what the Soviets did to Nazi POWs after WWII? Think something along the lines of that.)

[jason taylor]

Caddypen. From Islamo-Terran word for "magistrate", in reference to Turkish and Arab marketwardens who bore that title. Unrelated to the retainer for carrying the equipment for the traditional game of golf.

Caddypens are pen like devices containing a dedicated merchant's computer, a link to banks licensed or recognized by the issuing authority, and protection against electronic theft. They are analogous to checkbooks in more primitive societies. The term "cadi" references the fact that caddypens are certified and often directly manufactured by commerce-regulating bureaus such as the Imperial Ministry of Commerce, to ensure dependability.

Traditionally during negotiations the two merchants will place two dataholders on a surface, mate them to each other or simply place them side by side. The negotiators will make their bids. Each caddypen is harmonized to recognize the owner's voice and will adjust records accordingly. Primitive versions have been known to be confused by the heat of an enthusiastic bargaining session and programing them to distinguish an actual bid from the normal display of hyperbole, profanity, flattery, and claims of persecution that accompanies bargaining sessions is a delicate operation. Some merchants prefer to simply enter their bids by keyboard or touchscreen from a linked hand comp. When negotiations are settled the two caddypens are plugged into the mated pair of data holders and button will be pushed entering an electronic bill of exchange telling the agreed price. Then either the dataholders will exchange information or they will simply be turned around and each merchant will take the others. By tradition once the information is in the dataholder the contract is over and it is against Merchants CoH and often illegal as well to try to remodify it.

This custom has led to a simple gambling game in which several players will enter their money into a data holder, place it on the table and a computer program will redistribute it randomly.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Voltron64

The Field of The Damned

A field on Jaeyelya said to hold a mass grave not of the Ael Yael, but rather employees and mercenaries for McAteer Mining LIC who were executed by the Imperial Marines during their intervention.

(You know what the Soviets did to Nazi POWs after WWII? Think something along the lines of that.)

Not bad....

[Voltron64]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Not bad....

Thank you.

I mean, could you really blame 'em?

[jason taylor]

Probably not the most appropriate thing, but whatever. Besides weapons do malfunction from time to time.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

Trophy etiquette: The manners for dealing with battle trophies. Varies from place to place. In the Spinward Marches it is customary for officers swords and other such memorabilia to be ransomed by the vanquished units mess fund either at the cessation of hostilities or by cartel vessel. If the ransom is not forthcoming a trophy can wait for generations. Trophies are not normally mentioned in a peace treaty; it is up to the individual units to conduct negotiations for this, often by means of a corporation that specializes in such matters(the Ares corporation for instance is well known as a cartel broker and will do work for individuals and for units as well as for states). While it is common for a given state to subsidize the ransom of a trophy, it is often considered a matter of honor for units to handle negotiations themselves.

If a trophy is ransomed, often the victor will have a replica made to send to a military or naval museum in the place of the original. This will be marked with a heraldric stamp to show that the original was ransomed. During the return there is an elaborate system of ceremony to prevent the desecration of the redeemed trophy. If it is stolen or damaged in the process this is considered a disgrace to both parties. It is also considered a mark of philistinism even in the criminal world in some areas, at least according to rumor; while it is known for art thieves to attempt to steal ransomed war trophies, those that do lose respect even among their fellows. Cynics argue that this is just because it is impossible to fence such high-profile items. On the other hand it is not unknown for terrorists to make an attempt to disrupt the transfer for purposes of their own.

Accepted trophies can take a wide variety of forms. Traditional ones like swords and flags are often the most prized, however these are seldom taken into battle except in naval combat as such things are often to cumbersome for ground combat. Artillery pieces are valued as well, but they are also valued even more for their practical usefulness. Holographical representations of captured artillery pieces however are common. Other common items include plundered items from a government building or palace. Artwork is very often treated as a legitimate trophy of war when found in a captured ship, or a public building. Often times though, the conquerors will simply make a representation, especially if the artwork is easily damaged. Many cultures have a tradition of decorated weapons, sometimes including actual combat gear as well as the strictly ceremonial and these also are legitimate trophies of war. However the variety is remarkable, and some accepted forms of trophies are rather strange and even grotesque. Corpse mutilation is considered unchivalrous and unprofessional by most astralcracies in the Spinward Marches, but some places have a tradition of such, and even in civilized places one can find some rather odd trinkets if one looks hard enough. One regiment of Darrian Aslan has the skull of a Sword Worlder colonel as a flowerpot in it's officers mess; the more straitlaced Darrian humans and Aslan from other regiments think that rather distasteful but usually politely ignore it when invited as guests. Mercs, of course are often wilder about that sort of thing then government forces, but many mercs follow the accepted customs just as strictly as any standing military. If a trophy goes unransomed for long enough it might be captured by a third party. The record for this is the ceremonial throne of a Hertug that lived during the squabbling states era that was captured and recaptured eight successive times without once being ransomed. It is unremarkable artistically but according to legend it was made of cannibalized hull material from the Gram herself. Historians dispute that, but there is no doubt that it's history is interesting enough even if the legend is untrue. It is now sitting in the Imperial War Museum of Mora awaiting the conclusion of negotiations for ransom.

In the Imperial War Museum of Mora there is a large space dedicated to war trophies. Some of them are replications, either solid or holographic. Some are unransomed. The trophies are cataloged and sorted with a database telling when they were captured, what the significance of a given trophy is, and when, if ever, they were ransomed.

A war-trophy offers potential as a Macguffin with many possible adventures the most obvious being negotiating a delicate ransom, and carrying it back with due ceremony.

As an extra note, the spending of the ransom by the victor is also restricted; in some circles it is considered highly vulgar to spend honorable ransoms in a mundane manner. Rather the ransom is used in some manner as to highlight a given unit's mystique. Payment for the upkeep of dead and wounded is popular in Darrian and Imperial units. Other common themes are the decoration of unit dress wear, and music. Often the ransom is simply used to pay for a victory feast.

During the Fourth Frontier War the Eleventh Tizon "Roedhaender" rapid interface infantry regiment seized the palace of a Darrian affiliated local ruler on Entrope in an urban assault and held it until the cease-fire. The palace was ransomed back to it's original owner for a considerable sum. The Roedhaender's savvy colonel used part of the money to pay off his men; just in case his government turned out to be in arrears. The rest was used in a "viking-themed" feast as would be typical for Sword Worlders, including hiring one of the best Skalds in the Sword Worlds to chant Gramsmens Saga(the tale of the voyage of the gram) to the celebrants, and several bottles of fine Lambic Red. The beer was drunk but the bottles were kept and to this day on the aniversary of that victory the Roedhaenders drink lambic red from those same bottles.

[jason taylor]

"Joey" .

A legendary friend of spacers, who has tales told about him in many a culture. Amulets, badges, tatoos, and the like are seen marking the owner's profession. Many a Starport as well has a Joey totem of some kind; perhaps a statue or a heraldric symbol on the traffic control center or the like. This custom, like so many others started in the Intersteller Wars Era when members of the Free Trader's foundation were given a Joey medalion at the end of their first voyage. Variation's of this custom were spread throughout known space and remain to this day. Few of course know of Joey's origin in the lore of the Imperial Catholic Church.

And yes, St Joseph of Cupertino really is the Patron of Spacers. Look it up if you don't believe me.

[Agemegos]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

And yes, St Joseph of Cupertino really is the Patron of Spacers.

Originally Posted by Catholic Encyclopaedia

Everything that in any way had reference to God or holy things would bring on an ecstatic state: the sound of a bell or of church music, the mention of the name of God or of the Blessed Virgin or of a saint, any event in the life of Christ, the sacred Passion, a holy picture, the thought of the glory in heaven, all would put Joseph into contemplation. Neither dragging him about, buffeting, piercing with needles, nor even burning his flesh with candles would have any effect on him — only the voice of his superior would make him obey. These conditions would occur at any time or place, especially at Mass or during Divine Service.

Ouch!

I'm not sure I'd want him in the engine-room (or the control room) during a landing.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by Brett

Ouch!

I'm not sure I'd want him in the engine-room (or the control room) during a landing.

Well, yes. On the other hand, maybe they think him more useful in jump-space. It is a strange place after all.

Actually the poor fellow sounds like it was just as well he was raised in seclusion. And if he was really seeing visions I don't want to be Tempting Fate. And if he was just insane, which is likely enough, I don't want to Kick the Dog. But he was the only Patron Saint of Spacers I could find.