Saturday 4 May 2024

Complicated Characters

The Winter Of The World, III.

Sirdir has become fluent in Arvannethan but still speaks both it and Rahidian with a Barommian accent. He has a first wife in Barommian territory and a second, younger, wife of old Rahidian nobility at the Imperial court in Nais. Sidir, Barommian, and Yurusson, Rahidian, are the co-governors of Arvanneth.

Ercer en-Havan is a "Wiseman," (p. 26) addressed as "'...your Wisdom...'" (pp. 25, 27) but not "...the Grand Wiseman of the Council..." (ibid.)

Arvannethan religion has become:

inter-Temple intrigues;
superstition;
corruptions of the faith;
unbelief;
worship of strange gods.

(Sounds good to me. Each of us would be able to follow his preferred practice and engage in discussion if wanted.)

Skeyrad was the Barommian who led the conquest of Rahid two generations previously. The present Emperor is his grandson and Sirdir's grandmother was a Rahidian concubine. 

Arvanneth has lords spiritual and secular and merchant Guilds. The new conquerors favour the Guilds which welcome Imperial rule. 

And we have not yet mentioned the Seafolk.

1 comment:

Sean M. Brooks said...

Kaor, Paul!

I also recalled how Ercer en-Havan at least partly welcomed or was willing to accept the Rahidian conquest of Arvanneth. Because the ancient theocracy of Arvanneth had become so ossified it was hard to get anything done, including such elementary basics as police work. He noted with approval how the new Barommian/Rahidian authorities were cracking down hard on the criminal guilds, which had hitherto won a grudging degree of quasi-legal acceptance.

Ad astra! Sean