'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[Astromancer]

Originally Posted by combatmedic

Reptoids! Reptoids, I tell you!

And as there are reptilian Aliens with Psi powers in the cannon setting, strangely reasonable.

[jason taylor]

Hearthfire culture:

In the Sword Worlds, the care and tending of Hearthfires is an art form with a mystique around it comparable to wine or to Japanese Tea Ceremonies or to Lambic Red Beer. Aromatic woods and herbs of several types are mixed and matched and the proper combinations are debated widely, sometimes with support from the Kenningsboken. Contests are often held to judge the skills of various tenders and it is as expected that a Sword Worlder noblewoman will be a connoisseur of firetending as it is expected for a nobleman to be knowledgeable in battle poetry. Even if in fact the matron of a household has servants to take care of her fire she is expected to at least know something about it.

[Hans Rancke-Madsen]

The Floating Medics

The Floating Medic Service of Forboldn (FMSF, informally known as The Floating Medics) is a charitable organization with the primary purpose of providing medical care for people living in the Forboldian outback.


History

The service began in 1098, originally as an experiment known as the Mobile Medical Service (MMS) which was to run for two years. This experiment was based in Gaudjuetj, a town on the northern edge of the Wueldn Plateau. It was formed by Reverend Floyd Jones, the first Superintendent of the Forboldian Outreach Mission (FOM), a branch of the Church of Regina.

The service was patterned on similar organizations on other worlds going back to pre-starflight Terra. These services all relied on radio to notify them of emergencies and arial vehicles to transport medics to the patient or the patient to a hospital. One problem was the absence of reliable radio technology on Forboldn and another was the limited speed of the zeppelins used for transportation. Initially the service was largely restricted to sheduled visits by clinics carried aboard the zeppelins; its ability to perform emergency work was very limited.

In 1100 the experiment was declared a success and a permanent service named The Floating Medic Service was founded with Ducal and national support and grants from several charitable institutions.

In 1102 the Reginan Red Crown donated 40 simple, sturdy radios to the service. These were distributed gradually to outposts, settlements, and other human residences north of Gaudjuetj, the base site for a 50-watt transmitter. Over the years more radios were donated by other charitable organisations or bought with the proceeds of local funding drives.

In 1108 Ducal funding was cut to the bone due to the demands of the Fifth Frontier War. The years from 1108 to 1110 were very tough and the service was forced to rely more on local community fundraising, volunteer support and donations, and this became the mainstay of the service's funding even after the Ducal grant was restore to its original size in 1111.

A second base at Naoshuedju on the eastern edge of the Wueldn Plateau was opened in 1112 to cover the region to the east and southeast.

Despite the success of its operations the service was unable to cover anywhere near all of Forboldn, and increasing public awareness of the important work it was doing resulted in a push for greater coverage. In 1116 a third base was opened at Ngosha Duj on the opposite side of Forboldn, despite doubts about the cost-effectiveness of this Farside Operation when more densely populated regions closer to the Wueldn Plateau were not yet covered.

As of 001-1117, the service operates 4 zeppelins, and 3 bases with 56 employees.


Cultural impact


The FMSF was the subject of a feature comedy recorded on Regina in 1112 called Those Splendid Young Medics and their Amazing Gravity-Defying Arial Vehicles. It was followed by a holodrama series called The Floating Medics. The series followed the lives of an FMSF crew based in a fictional town on the west side of the Wueldn Plateau.

"They float through the air with the greatest of ease,
they're coming to cure you of your disease.
If you are vomiting liters of blood,
your belly is aching and your breathing sounds odd,
they will provide you with treatment and care,
those splendid young medics in that zeppelin there!"

-- Excerpt from the theme song to the comedy
"Those Splendid Young Medics and their Amazing Gravity-Defying Arial Vehicles"

[jason taylor]

Victory in the Stars:

A holodocumentary series about the exploits of the Terran Navy up to the end of the Ninth Interstellar War. Patterned after a similar production made following the Terran Second World War it is known for it's combat footage and it's orchestral soundtrack. Later volumes, collectively titled "The continuing victory" details the history of the Terran Navy up to the final surrender of the Zira Sirka. The series was controversial during the Rule of Man because of it's blatantly pro-terran and pro-republican sentiments, the first of which were an annoyance to the Emperors Vilani subjects and the second of which were an annoyance to the Emperor. For the same reasons it remains controversial in the Third Imperium. Further controversy was caused by the rising of the Solomani Confederation which seized on the series as a propaganda production(as indeed it was originally in large part). However the series was never officially suppressed by either the second or third imperiums and indeed copies are on display at the Imperial Museum of the Interstellar Wars.

[jason taylor]

White Star Fellowship:

An interstellar club for the families of voyagers harking back to a Solomani custom from the Terran Second World War, it has representatives on several worlds both inside and outside of the Imperium. Membership is normally limited to the immediate family of voyagers though dispensations are given; saving the lives of family members plying their duty has at times, naturally gotten honorary membership. As with the original, a gold star meant having a family member in service, a white star meant having a family member dead in service, and added to this was a grey star meaning missing. One star can be displayed for every season of voyaging. In some areas this requires nine months, a holdover from Terran planetary trade which often followed weather patterns(seasonal patterns on some planets are of course quite different and some chapters measure a season by their primary world's climate patterns).

Superimposed on this are heraldric emblems. Families of merchanters have crossed stylized starships. Navy and marine families have crossed starship and sword. Army families have crossed swords. And scout families have crossed starship and sextant. Other complexities are added for local circumstances; lists of the heraldric usages are given in the White Star Fellowship's Periodical, "They Also Serve".

Aside from providing social interaction the White Star Fellowship provides certain concrete services including mutual protection for dependents of families, one or both of whose members are away voyaging, and sometimes lobbying or collective bargaining with employers.



Note: The reason I put this in, is that it seems an almost universal law that "Penelope" suffers almost as much as "Odysseus" and seldom gets any glory for it.

[jason taylor]

Wayfarers Rest:

A historical inn on Glisten traditionally serving passing starship officers. Known for the custom of patronizing oral storytelling, sometimes by professional Entertainers, sometimes by guest.

Note: Used as plot lever to introduce me into at www.fanfiction.net I have two stories already in the Traveller category(games) and am slowly working on a third.

[jason taylor]

Note: This was inspired by rereading parts of Warriors Apprentice and watching Miles lawyering his way through the intersection of Barrayaran and Betan law to save Arde. However it makes sense in the Third Imperium.


Imperial Institute of Comparative Jurisprudence:

A think tank sponsored by the MoJ and dedicated to the study of the legal traditions of myriads of cultures, the philosophies behind them, and how they would interact with each other and with the Imperium. It has collected a library of cases and precedents from thousands of worlds with the opinions of numerous scholars.

The IICJ regularly provides guidebooks to Imperial Legates and Port Directors among it's services. Most information is available to private persons for a fairly small fee as well. The IICJ has also provided expert witnesses in world-to-world disputes, and world-to-Imperium disputes on a number of occasions.

There is a chapter of the IICJ in every sector as well as a central chapter in Capital.

Personal recruited for the IICJ are often retired lawyers and judges. Some of the personal however are promising researchers who have made a career in Comparative Jurisprudence. A few as well are specialists in various traditions outside the Imperial mainstream; many of the last are retired scouts.

While a large part of the policy of the Imperium is to provide reasonably standardized law within the specific territory through which interstellar commerce operates it is incumbent, both to Imperial ideology and to Imperial interest to be able to respect the local self-determination of individual worlds. The objective of the IICJ reflects both these purposes.

[jason taylor]

Polisophance:

Legal term for "judged to be competant to understand the laws and customs of society(as regards a specific case)and make decisions thereby"
From Polis(city-state) and Sophant(intelligent)

A term legal custom held on several worlds for such cases in which individual competence is an issue. Typically used with regard to family law but also with regard to cases involving disputed assets or with controversial medical procedures such as genetic or cybernetic surgery.

On worlds which use this term the concept is kept distinct from that of legal adulthood which usually involves obligations and priviledges of citizenship. For instance a Polisophant youth may be able to ask to be readopted into a different family yet not considered able to vote because of age.

[AndreaVallance]

The Moot Spouses' Sewing Circle

Supposedly simply a social meeting group for the partners of members of the Imperial Moot. Usually known simply as the Circle, it is one of the most influential bodies in Capital politics, Known far more for cut-throat politics than the quality of any needlework produced. It originiated in the 200's with the Incorporation of the Second Luriani Protectorate. Lord Peter Chaundhray, spouse of Barnoness Sara of Secord, formed the group (patterned after the Protectorate Council spouses' tapestry circle) in 216. While Baroness Sara was at best a medicore politician, her husband raised backroom Machievelian politicking to a high art form, using his influence to advance the careers of his favourites and hinder those he disapproved of.

The Circle grew in both size and power and now membership is almost required for any spouse wishing to have influence at Court. The concept has spread and many similar groups can be found throughout the Imperium. The Spinward Marches Spouses' Book Club was known to be particularly influential under the 'leadership' of the previous Duchess of Mora's husband.

[jason taylor]

One custom I alluded to in another thread was using electronic art as heraldry. For instance someone from a clannish culture can carry a whole list of all his ancestors and all their deeds everywhere he goes. With such perks as elaborate poetry and decoration.