Appropriate disadvantages for Ghurka?

[mr beer]

Writing up a Ghurka as a Monster Hunter in Victorian England. What are some appropriate social Advantages/Disadvantages/Quirks/Perks?

Social Stigma: Minority Group seems reasonable since he will definitely be viewed as a second class citizen. I don't think Courtesy Rank applies since native officers weren't equivalent to British officers. But some kind of recognition should be available for ex-military who recognise a good solid chap when they see one.

[Farmer]

Not a Gurkha, but this may be of some interest to you:

https://www.migrationmuseum.org/a-ne...orian-england/

[dcarson]

I think Courtesy Rank does make sense. Yes they get less respect than a British officer would but that is what the Second Class/Minority Status is for.

Medals equal Reputation so did they earn any?

[Anders]

Soldier's Code of Honor? Sense of Duty (Unit)?

Social Regard (Feared)?

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by mr beer

Writing up a Ghurka as a Monster Hunter in Victorian England. What are some appropriate social Advantages/Disadvantages/Quirks/Perks?

There is a full template for a WWII-era Gurkha in GURPS WWII: All the King's Men, available in PDF from Warehouse 23.

[WingedKagouti]

Originally Posted by johndallman

There is a full template for a WWII-era Gurkha in GURPS WWII: All the King's Men, available in PDF from Warehouse 23.

Given the time between Victorian England and WWII and the shift in sensibilities between peace and wartime, I'd probably go a bit heavier on the social disadvantages for the Gurkha in Victorian England than what those involved in WWII face. Nothing dramatic, but enough to signify that people were a bit more tolerant towards allied soliders of a different colour during a war.

[Michele]

In a pretty rigid societal structure like that, it's possible that a Gurkha just out of his native region also gets Social Stigma: Uneducated. It's possible that this continues even after he's been in London for months or years, because most of the people he'll meet will expect him not to be "book-learned".

Also, as to social behavior (again, a rather rigid etiquette is in place in that society), it's possible he learns how to behave, and that he'll "know his place" - or not. This can be managed by the GM based on whether he learns the local Savoir-Faire, or not - or, worse, whether he has Incompetence with that (he'll then face frequent bad Reactions).

[David Johnston2]

Originally Posted by Michele

In a pretty rigid societal structure like that, it's possible that a Gurkha just out of his native region also gets Social Stigma: Uneducated. It's possible that this continues even after he's been in London for months or years, because most of the people he'll meet will expect him not to be "book-learned".
-.

That's still social stigma "minority group". Uneducated isn't a stigma when it's what it is expected of you. In fact sometimes when it's expected of you, "educated" becomes an additional social stigma, although probably not in this case.

[jason taylor]

What if his day job is as the bodyguard of a Rajah who is coming over to Europe for the gambling (or whatever)? That will make him less noticeable. After all a Rajah is going to have a bodyguard and what better choice?

He would have to be a Gurkha who had served his time in that case.

Or his principle could be a Rajah's dependent. There could be some amusing instances trying to keep little prince/princess out of trouble. Double the amusement if the principle is female and thinks him handsome. And what if she wants to go monster hunting with him?

[The Colonel]

Originally Posted by jason taylor

What if his day job is as the bodyguard of a Rajah who is coming over to Europe for the gambling (or whatever)? That will make him less noticeable. After all a Rajah is going to have a bodyguard and what better choice?

He would have to be a Gurkha who had served his time in that case.

Or his principle could be a Rajah's dependent. There could be some amusing instances trying to keep little prince/princess out of trouble. Double the amusement if the principle is female and thinks him handsome. And what if she wants to go monster hunting with him?

Batman, or otherwise retainer to an English officer might also work - if the officer is not to be a character in his own right he could serve as a patron. Doubly so if the two had already fought monsters together East of Suez.

Serving a rajah would, IIRC, not make him a Ghurka as is commonly understood in Britain, although the name would still be technically correct and I suspect it would be hard for a lot of people to tell the difference.

Originally Posted by David Johnston2

That's still social stigma "minority group". Uneducated isn't a stigma when it's what it is expected of you. In fact sometimes when it's expected of you, "educated" becomes an additional social stigma, although probably not in this case.

This might work - once people have adjusted their expectations downward for you being a) foreign and b) "a primitive" you probably can get away with a lot. Doesn't matter if you pick up the wrong fork at dinner if people assume that you usually eat with your fingers.

Also, for people that know the India scene, the fact that he is a Ghurka could well be good for some social regard - they got a positive reputation for integrity, courage, loyalty and applied violence quite early and retain it into the current era.