'Imperial Culture' (non-canonista)

[jason taylor]

Cantors:

This job in the present evolution of Ganglic refers not just to leaders of religious liturgy but for narrators of traditional literature or poetry.

Cantors are the centerpiece of a performance called a "reading" or a "telling". They usually use writing as a prompt but some do so from memory. Viewers usually have e readers which download from the mainframe of the building where the reading takes place as an accompaniment. When the reading is original language subtitles are given. Readings often take place in rooms built for sonic effect. As the name implies they usually chant as opposed to singers who use a more balladic form, and often have small bands using traditional instruments like a Caledonian Pipes or a Sword World Hardanger. Cantors often use music too but in a different way, for instance alternating between a chanting phase and an instrumental. Readings are sometimes national events and broadcast across the country. Naturally nobles like this not only for their personal aesthetic taste but for the public relations it gives. There are however some cantors who are subversive, and in more repressive places perform underground, often in performances assisted by a professional cyber-warfare expert to make sure the performance gets through without it's source being discovered.

A Cantor might have Bardic Voice, Claim to Hospitality (in areas where his calling is a high prestige one), Patron, CoH Entertainers, Duty (provide entertainment that pleases employer), etc.

[jason taylor]

Corvee Ransom:

This was originally a Vilani custom. In ancient times and to this day there have been known to been a custom of lending labor from one Li to another for various contracts. This system began to be used for such matters, as ransoming captives and hostages, or redeeming inter-group offenses.

This custom is considered indentured labor rather than thralldom, unlike the similar and perhaps related Sword World "chains and gallows" (which actually is judicial thralldom). A worker paying his ransom has the same rights as any other worker including basic concern for safety and comfort. Mistreating such a worker is considered dishonorable-as the master already accepted his labor as payment it is considered being foresworn. However there are as might be guessed sometimes very high limits before reaching the point that might be considered "mistreatment". Not least because the indenture may be for some rather rough work, like building an outpost on a hostile world, whether or not there is extra mistreatment.

The custom spread to many peoples including the Aslan who regularly use it in payment of debts of honor-usually in tasks like soldiering in the debtholding clan's army, or manning it's merchant or naval fleet.

In a game this might be a vehicle for explaining why the PCs are going adventuring instead of staying at home like sensible people: they were loaned in a negotiation, or they are paying off the ransom of a captive, or a debt of honor.

[jason taylor]

Originally Posted by nickherym

Great approach! Every perspective matters, just like opinions on the "Most Dangerous Prisons in the United States" can vary. Respectful discussion is key, whether in Traveller or any other topic.

Quite true. Do you have any contributions?

[jason taylor]

Lawfare:

A common practice in all three imperiums. Waring factions will frequently use the Imperial status as "umpire" to their benefit. This can be such crude measures as calling law enforcement on ones enemy. Or as complicated as using courts of law as effectively a theater of operations.

While this is notable in the Imperium because of it's structure it can be found in any superstate with a large number of subsidiary states.

[jason taylor]

Vilani "Levels of war":

It has been often noted that the Ziru-sirku tradition is pragmatic about warfare, sometimes to the point of genocide. In fact like many peoples they have different rules for war, based on who is being fought. This can be roughly called, "'Amgad-ashushukshikhu' and 'Amgad-khagarii'." The first was for warfare between Vilani: Imperial succession wars, feuds between houses or guilds, etc, and the second was for outsiders. The first has certain rules some of which Terrans were familiar with such as the ransom of prisoners. Others were kind of odd such as how to conduct an assassination properly (doing any damage except to the target is considered inelegant and some assassins would even leave money behind if they unfortunately had to break a window in the process of getting to the target). Atrocities were less frequent in strife between Vilani as the winner if he conquers territory desires that the dependents of the worker be his dependents. In the second there were no rules: Khagarii by virtue of being Khagarii do not deserve such considerations and the only desire was for the Vilani to win as soon as possible. In either case there was less of the cult of honor of the Terran warrior tradition which remained strong even in the days of military bureaucracy. Rather it was bluntly pragmatic, in the first case because gaining power over the foe that he might be exploited was the priority and in the second place gaining power over him that he might be prevented from disturbing the social order was the priority.

This is relevant to the ISW period. The first phase of the war was in many ways an ideological war-an "Amgad-khagarii." The notorious nuclear bombardment during the Siege of Terra was in part caused by this assumption. As the decades went on Terrans became Villanicized, Villani became Terranicized and they not only adopted many of each other's cultural assumptions but intermarried across the frontier, thus having many families with cousins on each side when there was a war. The Interstellar Wars became less ideological and more geopolitical To Vilani it started to seem less like a war against Khagarii and more like a typical Vilani civil conflict: an Ambad-ashushshukshikhu. It remained an ideological war in the propaganda sheets naturally enough. But the closer one got to the front line the less real that seemed. As time wore on the officers of the rival fleets treated each other with an elaborate professional respect that had been less obvious in the first phase of the war.

[jason taylor]

Amgad-argushii

Vilani "Ninja".

These are the guilds of assassins and spies which handle odd jobs for Vilani houses. They are also sometimes diplomats oddly enough: the heavy regulation on communication between the three castes did not eliminate irregularities but did mean they often had to be clandestine. In this role they are sometimes rather more like the "fixers" of Terran tradition.

Whether Vilani "Ninja" count as Khagarii is a matter of ambiguity: as almost every house avails itself of their services it would be a loss of face to admit their non respectability. In any case they have guilds of their own, some of whom claim to be millenia old. They also often have a curious code of honor which not only includes a sort of chivalry but elegance. Obviously few actually life up to it but the heroes in legends about such shadow warriors always do.

[jason taylor]

Immunity Tickets:

The ISW was known for it's peculiar rhythm. In peacetime the more flexible Terran system would become effectively an interstellar version of the Vilani black market. In time it would dominate so much that the interstellar culture would see it as their economy and even if the Ziru Sirka wanted a subsector back they would be regarded as invaders. In war the Terrans would shut off trade while plundering shipping loyal to the Ziru Sirka, creating a shipping desert and increasing dependency once peace broke out.

The Terrans soon realized it and realized that it not only was a handy warfighting opportunity but a means of economic profit. As a result they issued "immunity tickets". Vilani merchants who were not yet ready to reflag could purchase a number of these. Any Terran privateer who made a "pullover" could be given one-and Vilani merchants were allowed to sue for violation in Terran courts if they were captured. An immunity ticket could be redeemed by a privateer at a port for a profitable price. The effect which was intended was make sure given sectors had captured economies. A side effect was that immunity tickets lost validity if a merchant carried goods for the Ziru Sirka armed forces.

The effect is that more and more Vilani merchants rebelled against the Three Castes, even those not inclined to reflag, as they learned the profits to be made in the Terran system. In the meantime loyal merchants during wartime were more and more requisitioned for military duty, infecting the Vilani economy further.

[jason taylor]

Guardian:

This is a line of security drones produced by Ling-Standard products. Each has a variable programing that can be varied according to a principle's room. It also has a variety of sensory systems. The biggest attraction though is the cheap and disposable memory bank which can be removed, destroyed and replaced with another. It can transmit to other security systems, robotic or sophant, but cannot itself receive transmissions making it impossible to hack without actually handling the programing equipment oneself. This programing equipment changes orders to allow the drone to recognize new guests, new possessions, and other variables.

The different variant models come at differing levels of complexity with expense appropriate but the basic idea remains. The most expensive serve at the Imperial Palace. Less expensive versions are available to anyone of barely status enough to be assassinated such as an Imperial knight, a merchant line's shore factor, or a minor celebrity.

Note: I got this idea because I rewatched the Costner and Houston "The Bodyguard" last night and naturally wondered, "How do people live like this."