Dynastic Egypt

[Ran Targas]

Just got back from seeing an exhibit of relics from Pharonic Egypt, mostly from the Amarna period (Akenaten, Tut, etc.) with some early dynastic statuary mixed in. Some of the artifacts were absolutely captivating, the craftsmanship unbelievable, but I still found my mind wandering while I was herded past them. I kept thinking about how I could shoe horn the whole ancient Egyptian culture into Traveller; go figure.

So, I'm thinking of superimposing this on the Vargr. I figure dynasties ruled by royal houses claiming direct descendence from the gods (Ancients?), funerary cults, court politics and priestly intrigue, et all could be dovetailed nicely into canon Vargr culture. I really like the image of Vargr princes, decked out head to toe in gold and fine linen, surrounded by scribes and priests vying for status, holding court amongst granite columns the size of sequoia and 20m tall statues of their fathers and grandfathers.

I'm thinking of either placing this world either deep in the Vargr's past (much like our own) or maybe far enough away from the main body of Vargr space that it has existed undisturb for an extended period.

Any suggestions? Maybe another race would be better?

 

[kafka47]

Certainly that makes for an interesting Vargr polity and would nicely dovetail into the Church of the Chosen Ones. However, if this polity need something more than force to keep things together...for the Vargr are a fractious lot...slavery would be abhorent to a fellow Vargr for very long. Also, Pharoahs tended to be stable...despite frequent poisionings, assassinations, or so the historical record tells us...also, scribes which held the Empire together have no equiliant other than Emmissaries (or is that the Lions who have those).

 

[Ran Targas]

Perhaps more ideas could be applied:

1. The majority of slaves are human or other non-Vargr species; Vargr slavers sell their wares to the planet for their building projects in trade for precious metals or even food. As the slaves are not considered Vargr, whether physically or as punishment, there is no reason to expect revolts to survive long

2. As you stated, ancestor worship is not unknown in the Vargr Extents so a funerary cult isn't difficult to imagine.

3. I would think dynastic stability could come where something other than individual charisma affects the social structure; perhaps a caste system of divine kings, scribes, priests, and warriors may be stable enough to last several generations. Then, when an individual of sufficient charisma does rise up, a new dynasty is formed. The story of Akenaten, who tried to redraw the entire social structure of his empire, whose children fell to the pressures of the displaced castes, could be a model for this.

 

[DaveChase]

I kind of like your idea of it being part of their distant past and that a small region or a single planet still hods on those ideas and is living by those rules.

It might make for an interesting adventure for several unknowning humans.

They take Vargr parton who needs help getting to said planet. If they wonder why no other Vargr with take this passagner/patron that might discover the following

It is a backwater, old fashion idea planet.
Only those who dream of the past go there.
They use to trade in slaves and the stigma still exists.
No respestable Vargr would ever go there.
You think our ways are different, just wait until you get there.

This patron is trying to get back to prove his ancestory and this planet has acient documents that might help.
If and when the playes land, they had better act like the Vargr's slaves or else they might be breaking the law and be sold as slaves.
Of course the Vargr could either explain this after they go into Jump or they just might not care about what happens to the players.

Interesting ideas you have there, Ran.

Dave Chase

 

[BlackBat242]

To incorporate Charisma into this, modify the "Hereditary Pharoah" concept with the Roman concept of "Adoption of Sons".

In ancient Rome, even the first son could not inherit unless his father formally "adopted" him as heir. Also, even if a man had several sons, he could pass over them and "adopt" a total stranger as heir, if he so desired.

Have the Vargr Pharoah "adopt" his heir based on multiple factors... including Charisma.


Or you could incorporate the Norse "Thing" concept (also present in ancient Celt society)... where all the close relatives of the noble (Pharoah in this case) are gathered together and the whole bunch vote on who becomes the new Pharoah. Charisma would be very important here.

 

[epicenter00]

Ancestor Cults of Personality, ie; ancestor worship should do it nicely to hold things together.

Vargr of great charisma and actual skills in rulership, upon death, would be withdrawn from public view. The priests would explain that the Vargr in question had "transcended to the sky" or something where he still watches his population and guides them through his priests.

Now, GDW has stated repeatedly that Vargr don't react well to abstract authority figures, but this might be where representational art comes in. All those huge statues of the ruler and bas reliefs on the walls and so on unconsciously create a connection with the late ruler's personal charisma, extending it far beyond where he could have ruled in life and even into death. The local priests use a variety of methods to "interpret" the ruler's will. Steeped in ritual to awe the commoners (and more of the nobility and royalty than they would like to admit), such "interpretations" would give the priestly caste enormous influence, but not direct power.

While the royalty themselves might take a more jaundiced view, it's a delicate balance - anger the priests too much and your great ancestor Wolfhotep XVII might cast you out. On the other hand, a charismatic living Pharaoh will always have an easier time swaying the Vargr populace than the memory of some dead one, but if you purge the priests the social cohesion that keeps the Pharaoh on the throne breaks down and nobody wants that.

The nobility are the third power in the equation. While they can't openly rebel against the priests (who control the population's religion and confirm the "divine right" of the nobility to rule as a whole) or the Pharaoh (technically the head of the religion but often at odds with his priests but is the one who confirms individual noble houses and heirs), they'd seem like they'd have little power. But again, a noble has much closer day-to-day contact with Vargr population, thus his charisma rubs off on them a lot easier. Also, perhaps the nobility are less concerned about lineage, freely adopting (some would say co-opting) very charismatic Vargr into their clan as their heirs to "keep the blood vigorous." This serves the dual purpose of helping the nobility keep legitimacy over the populace which helps the Pharaoh and the priests (and justifies their luxurious living standard) but also is the force that helps guide and pacify the population on a daily basis. Most Vargr are content to be the head of a gang of workers or a village headman as the extent of their charisma, but some have greater dreams, and the talents to fulfill them. Being adopted into the nobility gives such "do or die" Vargr a hope of excelling while still being "in the system."

 

[Spinward Scout]

...how I could shoe horn the whole ancient Egyptian culture into Traveller

...and 20m tall statues of their fathers and grandfathers.

Wouldn't they all look like Anubis? But then, that could be an interesting twist as well - just what WERE the Vargr doing on Earth 5,000 - 10,000 years ago when the Egyptian culture was started/flourished? And which other races were there, too?

o:

:devil:

 

[BlackBat242]

Well, as mentioned by someone else in the "Aslan, defelinization thereof" thread... where do you think the Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet (Bast) came from?

 

[Ran Targas]

Well, as mentioned by someone else in the "Aslan, defelinization thereof" thread... where do you think the Egyptian cat-goddess Bastet (Bast) came from?

Oddly enough, that was me.