trope-a-day
Sacred Hospitality: Absolutely. And even more so once spacer culture arose, because if hospitality was sacred when it was merely cold and hunger that would kill you, it’s even more so when you consider the very large number of ways in which space can kill you, given half a
meta
…for those also interested in the bits of eldraeic theology I’ve published now and again on this site. Slate Star Codex: The Goddess of Everything Else
bounty hunting
(previous) Fourth Directorate Bounty Office Imperial Services center Athra (Ringstars) “This gets you 2,730 esteyn.” “Th’ell it does! Th’reward’s ten thousand!” “The reward for bringing in the outlaw is ten thousand. The reward for proof-of-kill alone without an intact mind-state is three-quarters, 7,500 esteyn. And
trope-a-day
Ruling Couple: The Imperial Couple are – as really, you should have been able to guess from the name – this trope. Diarchies in which the co-rulers have equal authority and mutual veto was the governing tradition of Cestia long into pre-Imperial history (in fact, most Cestian political offices worked this way)
trope-a-day
Rubber Forehead Aliens: Averted. With the irrelevant caveat mentioned under Human Aliens, anything that looks like it belongs to/is descended from a particular species almost certainly does/is. See also Starfish Aliens.
diplomacy
Gal-sabra (Falish Traverse) System Peremptory-class diplomatic cruiser, CSS Occasionally Transigent “Lei’hudal, vizjeri,” Ambassador CĂĂ«n Lochran addressed her visitors, “be welcome here. May I offer you some refreshment after your flight? Something to eat, perhaps?” “No, thank you. Time is pressing: let us get down to business. You said that
worldbuilding
In a comment in the previous post, there is some curiosity as to how the Imperial Couple is selected. So, behold, I answer: It’s semi-hereditarian. The heir is notionally picked from among the members of the Imperial family, in an attempt to capture the hereditarian advantage of having someone
trope-a-day
Royal Blood: Averted, except inasmuch as those who know they’re going to grow up to be rúner are genetically engineered for a laundry list of desirable traits in people who are expected to hold sovereign authority and use it wisely, rarely, and with great caution. (Of course, given the
military
Kahrsh Pacification Zone Kaher (Yaffish Marsh) Even from within the thickly-armored Hellwind-class command tank, and at the entire river’s width, the yells and screams of the mob advancing towards the nearest island, and so the final span of the lengthy bridge were clearly audible. Lieutenant Vikal Karelian, Forty-Third Waserai
trope-a-day
Romanticism Versus Enlightenment: Go, Team Enlightenment! (Were you expecting something else?) Of course, just phrasing it that way is to greatly understate the influence, even dominance, of technepraxic philosophy in the Worlds in general and the Empire in particular, which riffs on the general theme of science and reason and
damnfool switch
damnfool switch (n.): Engineering / aerospace jargon. Damnfool switch is an alternate term for the Master Envelope Interlock Disable switch; i.e., that switch which disables the hardwired safety features preventing the pilot, sailing master, or other operators from commanding maneuvers or equipment operations known to cause damage to, or the
meta
Been a bit quiet around here for the last few days, as I’m sure you’ve noticed. That would be the running a big ol’ literary yard sale which I’ve been doing, keeping me away from my writing room all day and leaving me too exhausted to set