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Spacer Superstitions and other Quaint Customs

TNE2300 said:
ships in jump space are in total isolation

having a new crew member (never having jumped before)
stand watch at the airlock

just in case someone starts knocking on the outer door
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And, because of anomalies in jump space... about one in a hundred times there *is* some mysterious knocking on the outer hull, or a sound echoing like a voice calling just out of tune. Or, whatever.

Of course, there's nothing ever there.

Really. I wouldn't lie to you...
 
When someone dies in Jump Space, his/her/its spirit haunts the ship until it returns to normal space.

Then you also have the case of James Schmitz story, A Nice Day for Screaming, when a Jump Space civilization mistakes your ship for a cargo carrier and proceeds to load you up.
 
If a non corporeal spirit or essence is capturable in jumpspace, it changes fiction to fantasy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzkdc3LesbA

pPMOo3.gif
 
"non corporeal spirit or essence is capturable in jumpspace"

challenge magazine issue 46

HPPE
hyperspatial paranormal psionic entities
 
Without getting too heavily into some belief systems:

1. Consciousness are unique, but duplication is possible, but are themselves unique.

2. Consciousness are just a form of artificial intelligence, that can be copied; the new artificial intelligence believes itself to be the original.

3. Consciousness is unique and is caught in the process of transmigrating.
 
In Agent of the Imperium, the Vilani afterlife is real, and includes sophonts other than the Vilani. The protagonist obtains information during one of his interludes in the Dakhaseri (Audience of Stars) that he could not have learned any other way, and that information turns out to be correct.

There is no indication whether this is the only form of afterlife present in the OTU.
 
It's either or equation, not multi choice.

I'm pretty sure we have a consciousness that's self aware.

In most instances.

The form that takes is speculative.
 
But what if the Steward is a Droyne?

I've introduced two traditions/superstitions IMTU:

1) After Jump meal:
Normally meals provided to the passengers and crew by the Steward during Jump are simple prepackaged heat and serve fair. However after coming out of jump space (at the intended destination) there is a tradition of the Steward preparing the best meal they are capable of using the freshest/best ingredients. These ingredients are usually specially purchased at the previous port of call for this purpose. This is a celebratory occasion to mark a successful jump.

2) Droyne and Chriper crew:
Many old timers swear that having a Droyne or Chirper as a crew member greatly increases the luck of the ship. However neither race is usually interested in joining a ships crew, and no human can explain why having such crew provides any benefit since Droynes and Chirpers seldom have ship relevant skills. The truth (unknown to most Imperial humans) is that such crew members frequently have Psionic abilities that they use surreptitiously to aid the ship.
 
Madmax said:
I've introduced two traditions/superstitions IMTU:

1) After Jump meal:
Normally meals provided to the passengers and crew by the Steward during Jump are simple prepackaged heat and serve fair. However after coming out of jump space (at the intended destination) there is a tradition of the Steward preparing the best meal they are capable of using the freshest/best ingredients. These ingredients are usually specially purchased at the previous port of call for this purpose. This is a celebratory occasion to mark a successful jump.
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This is a nice idea, but I just have to think: "Yay. Week old lettuce."
 
Madmax said:
I've introduced two traditions/superstitions IMTU:

1) After Jump meal:
. . .

2) Droyne and Chriper crew:
Many old timers swear that having a Droyne or Chirper as a crew member greatly increases the luck of the ship. However neither race is usually interested in joining a ships crew, and no human can explain why having such crew provides any benefit since Droynes and Chirpers seldom have ship relevant skills. The truth (unknown to most Imperial humans) is that such crew members frequently have Psionic abilities that they use surreptitiously to aid the ship.
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Would Chirpers be treated as quasi-mascots? Fully sophont citizens?
But I like the idea!
Ditto some with having a coyn set aboard--if they are known as part of Droyne culture, perhaps only dimly and spottily known--maybe by some Scouts, or some Mercant houses or planetary cultures? And, of course, many sets would be partial. Most would be bogus--even badly done glyphs?
 
BRover said:
Would Chirpers be treated as quasi-mascots? Fully sophont citizens?
But I like the idea!
Ditto some with having a coyn set aboard--if they are known as part of Droyne culture, perhaps only dimly and spottily known--maybe by some Scouts, or some Mercant houses or planetary cultures? And, of course, many sets would be partial. Most would be bogus--even badly done glyphs?
Click to expand...

IMTU Chirpers are given full sophont rights under Imperial law. Of course sometimes the enforcement of the law is spotty. But even where there is no enforcement of Imperial law whatsoever, somehow no-one messes with Chirpers, or at least if they do the abuser disappears, or wakes up with massive headaches and loss of memory. Strangely, coincidentally, there are almost always unexpected sightings of Droynes nearby when such things happen.
Chirpers are often treated much as pets or mascots on ships, due to their low INT. According to the old superstition they bring luck to a ship only if they are well treated. If force is used to bring them into the ships crew, or if they are mistreated in any way, then the ship will quickly become one of the most unlucky ships ever known.
Are you suggesting that Coyn sets might also be seen as a source of good luck? That is an interesting idea.
 
Madmax said:
IMTU Chirpers are given full sophont rights under Imperial law. Of course sometimes the enforcement of the law is spotty. But even where there is no enforcement of Imperial law whatsoever, somehow no-one messes with Chirpers, or at least if they do the abuser disappears, or wakes up with massive headaches and loss of memory. Strangely, coincidentally, there are almost always unexpected sightings of Droynes nearby when such things happen.
Chirpers are often treated much as pets or mascots on ships, due to their low INT. According to the old superstition they bring luck to a ship only if they are well treated. If force is used to bring them into the ships crew, or if they are mistreated in any way, then the ship will quickly become one of the most unlucky ships ever known.
Are you suggesting that Coyn sets might also be seen as a source of good luck? That is an interesting idea.
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Yes--full sophont rights, but, as you say, low Int limits their effectiveness. As for good treatment, somewhere in the depths of history, didn't I see once where the Geonee (IIRC) men need to "adopt" a Chirper who trusts them enough to show themselves, and keep it up or they cannot marry/the marriage ends?

Yeah--a garbled idea that divination with coyns leads to discerning good actions to take to good luck? Nobody really knows why anymore, or how to do it, but the belief persists. Like having a lagomorph foot, or an equine iron shoe.
 
BRover said:
... didn't I see once where the Geonee (IIRC) men need to "adopt" a Chirper who trusts them enough to show themselves, and keep it up or they cannot marry/the marriage ends?
Click to expand...

Oh! I had never heard of that before, but I like it. I will probably try to include it in MTU.
 
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