1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Discussion Slann Royal Etiquette

Discussion in 'Fluff and Stories' started by Scalenex, Jan 15, 2015.

  1. Scalenex
    Slann

    Scalenex Keeper of the Indexes Staff Member

    Messages:
    10,293
    Likes Received:
    18,313
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Slann Titles of Address


    So far lesser Lizardmen refer to Slann by “Lord.” “Lord Desserex” and “Lord Merestar” are nice and simple, but are they too simple?

    Let’s look at some possible variants.

    If the Slann are called simply “Desserex” and “Merestar” (or simply "Sir' or "Boss") than this implies that the Lizardmen are no-nonsense people. The Lizardmen know the Slann are in charge, why waste time with pompous titles. The Slann are too focused on the Great Plan to need their ego stoked. OR only the top ranking and most trusted underlings can drop the title and/or only under great urgency.

    If Slann are just called “my Lord” that makes the relationship with Slann and their underlings less person, but very similar to underlings and human nobles. Drop it to simple “Lord” and you have divine connotations. Another way you can get divine connotations is by dropping the quasi-feudalistic “Lord” and replacing it with something like “Great One.”

    If Slann are addressed by titles such as “Lord Desserex Voice of Chotec.” Or even “Lord Desserex Who Serves as the Talons of Mighty Old One Tepoc.” Flowery titles implies that the Slann are somewhat vain or procedural, or at the very least that their attendants are.

    If different Slann have different forms of address that implies that the lesser Lizardmen are rank conscious. If the Slann are all addressed more or less the same, the lesser Lizardmen are not that rank conscious. Sure Mazdamundi is the top Slann, but even the lowest Slann is so far above a Skink that further differentiation is impossible. If Slann are referred to differently not by rank, but by job or aptitudes, this implies a caste system of roles. If Lizardmen have two forms of address for Slann, one for local Slann, one for foreign city’s Slann this implies a level of factionalism. If Lizardmen are more differential to foreign Slann than local Slann it suggest that Lizardmen have old school of hospitality that probably trickles down to interactions between Skinks and Sauri of differing locales.

    Small Talk

    In the Fifth Edition Lizardmen book, Marco Colombo found out his Skink translator was just translating everything he said as a bunch of empty compliments.

    That could be a sign that Slann like flattery, or it could just be the Skink’s bias towards lowly smelly Humans or could be a sign of what Slann are used to hearing from their own subordinates.

    Yet every time GW fluff has a Slann speak, it’s terse and to the point. Skinks quietly wait for long periods of time for the slightest utterance or gesture.

    So what is the norm? Respectful silence or over the top flattery? Is there room for a middle ground?

    Taboos

    It’s common in the real world that turning your back on a noble is highly insulting. It’s also common to not be able to leave politely without invitation to. Certainly one does not speak to the ruler without permission. On the surface these all makes sense, but that’s not practical given that Slann are not that communicative. Sure, if a Slann gestures or tells a Skink to do something, they do it, but if everyone had to wait for permission to leave or speak there would be ludicrously large crowds around the Slann at all times.

    So if needing permission to do things is not practical, what taboos should there be? Storytelling all but demands the Lizardmen have some taboos for what you should or should not do around Slann. The power gulf is too strong for there to be otherwise. Not to mention you are dealing with alien beings. There should be some odd behavior that does not make sense to lesser mortals.

    Origins

    Now here’s the tricky part? Where did the system of etiquette, titles, and taboos come from?

    Option One: The Slann (either collectively or individually) “Do x, not y.” They probably don’t micromanage. So Skink attendants and messengers could easily be following centuries old protocol. A polite suggestion archived two thousand years ago could have evolved into an ironclad taboo given that Skink scribes have nothing else to go on and latch on to what little they have. Culture would change pretty slowly.

    Option One: One or more sacred plaques could govern behavior between Slann and non-Slann. It could be very broad or very specific (Ten Commandments versus the Book of Leviticus). In either case this would likely lead to uniform etiquette across the various City States with very slight interpretation differences. Culture would be pretty stagnant.

    Option Three: It’s entirely possible that the Slann never told anyone their preferences. Either the Slann do not care or they assume their underlings will give them proper respect. Etiquette practices would be the result of centuries of tradition established by long-dead Skink Priests. Slann would (wittingly or not) shape policy by how they react to their underlings. Relative to the other two option, culture would change relatively fast.

    If Slann are indifferent to the politesse of their underlings, Skinks will eventually realize they are not going to be punished for not breaking some ancient Skink Priest’s rule. They’ll stop following it. If a Slann (independently) says or does something the Skinks like, they may (correctly or incorrectly) assume the Slann was pleased by their behavior and a new etiquette norm is created.

    Inter-Slann relations

    Most Slann communication is telepathic. It’s possible they communicate on a level we can’t understand at the speed of thought. I’m going to assume that is not the case. If that is the case the Slann are truly pathetic beings for senior ministers of the primordial gods of order. It’s one thing to be hung up millennia long debates, but if they can communicate much faster than humans can fathom, that means that their millennia-long debates would be the equivalent of a million-year debate among real-world humans. Therefore, I am going to assume that their telepathic confabulations are at least vaguely relatable to humans talking or writing to each other.

    Slann are super geniuses and it would not be hard for every Slann to know the name of every other Slann, what city they live in, their typical priestly jobs, their generation, and probably even their general personality traits. That means Slann could easily be on a first name basis with all other Slann and talk casually. This implies they have decent froggy solidarity. Forms of address such as "Spawing Brother" show very tight solidarity.

    Slann are also beings of immense power that are controlling the fate of the world. They could easily come to strong agreements with their kin. Slann can also be highly formal. Perhaps I’m cynical, but I believe manners are a byproduct of human conflict. Politicians and their spokesmen tend to trash each other on cable news networks and at political rallies, but if you ever watch C-SPAN, political rivals tend to be polite to each other. That’s necessary for most governments, without basic political protocols, those with differing views can’t interact at all. I’m going to go out on a limb and say if one Slann says, “Mazdamundi, I have a request” and another says, “Mazdamundi the Wise and Mighty Ruler of Hexoatl, the City of the Sun, I have a humble request,” then I bet the first Slann is on better terms with ol' Maz than the second.

    The Rabble

    Once you figure out people address the almighty Slann, you can figure out what the lesser First Children of the Old Ones do. I doubt every Skink has a “What Would the Slann Do?” bracelet but stuff would trickle down. The more formal the treatment of the Slann is, the more formal the treatment of Skink Priests would be…or maybe not. Skinks are a lot chattier they are probably pickier than Slann about social nuances. Skinks, Sauri, and Kroxigor are all closer to human understanding than Slann so we can make extrapolations about their society based on our common sense. Whereas I see Slann etiquette as a pile of mysteries, I see more certainty with lesser Lizardmen.

    Skink life is probably relatively close to human life in that there are formal and informal settings. In one setting you call a Skink Teyish. In another he his Teyish, Lieutenant High Priest of the Temple of the Stars. His closest spawning siblings might call him “Tey” (okay probably not a priest, but you get the idea).

    A Lizardman is more likely to use a title/name when addressing a superior than an inferior though you don’t need unique titles. A worker leader could be called “sir” a Scar Veteran called “Mighty One” and a Skink Priest called “High One” (or use body language like head bobs or tail slaps). If a superior uses the full title of an inferior they are probably either about to praise or dress down said individual. I figure most Skinks and Sauri would have a formal title based on their spawning. something likw Plorat of the Southwest spawning, Plorat of the 37th spawning of the southwest pool, Plorat of the 15th Spawning of Chotek. A more important Skink or Saurus would have a title based on their job. Tykornis Master of the Watch for the head of the Terradon Riders or Teresh the Charging Render of Foes for a Scar Veteran who usually leads Cold One cavalry (or just “captain.”)

    Sauri are simpler than Skinks. They are probably do not care for etiquette much. I’m sure a Skink can point to one and say “Saurus, I need you to carry this to Stegadon stables!” without causing an issue. A Scar Veteran or Oldblood can probably grunt at most Skinks to get them to do stuff and said Skink better follow through. If Sauri were not predisposed to taking direction from Skinks, then Skinks couldn’t restrain predatory fighters well.

    Sauri are not chatty. Amongst themselves, Sauri are probably excellent at communicating non-verbally and probably follow the oldest and strong Saurus among them without complaint. You might get some exceptions like the prodigy Kaitar, but Sauri instinctually recognize leaders when they see them.

    Kroxigor are workers first and fighters second. They probably have no problems taking direction from Skinks. One could picture Skinks ordering them around like obedient dogs but since Skinks and Kroxigor are often brothers I believe that Skinks and Kroxigors generally appreciate each other more often than not and Skinks are benevolent dictators.

    Like many WHF races, I see Kroxigor have a might based stratification system of social standing. Given that they are a bred to take direction, I imagine their might based system is pretty peaceful. Once they know who the strongest Kroxigor Ancient is, there is little reason to constantly challenge him like with the case of an Orc warboss or Ogre Tyrant. The strongest should lead, but not every Kroxigor has a burning desire to be the strongest. Likewise, Scar Veterans and Oldbloods do not need to continuously cuff Kroxigor to get them to behave. They recognize that Saurus leaders are stronger than them and follow their lead.

    Addressing L-O moderators

    Always be deferential. "Lord Scalenex" is acceptable if the manner is urgent but "Lord Scalenex, Handsome Keeper of the Tactica Index" or "Lord Scalenex, Almighty Smiter of Third Act Characters" is preferred.

    Nevermind that last bit, someone hacked my system. Just don't throw in gratuitous apostrophes into my username. That's the Saurian equivalent of prolonged stare, rapid head bob, and tail slap to the face. Challenges such as that will be dealt with swiftly.
     
    spawning of Bob likes this.
  2. lordkingcrow
    Temple Guard

    lordkingcrow Active Member

    Messages:
    249
    Likes Received:
    107
    Trophy Points:
    28
    Honorifics:

    I always imagined there is a heavy amount of reverence given to all Slann, regardless of spawning. Though I'm sure more respect is given to older/more powerful Slann. That being said, I imagine Slann can have a wide variety of preferences. I haven't read the fluff in depth for a while, but from what I remember, some Slann are more active than others. Mazdamundi is amongst the most active while some just meditate for long periods of time without saying a word. I think you might get some leeway with this, though I'm sure most ancient creatures that existed when the Warhammer World was create are going to be somewhat vain.

    Then again, some might care less and the Skink (which I believe are the shortest lived) create a good deal of the culture. Skink cannot comprehend what it would be like to live so long or know so much. They do not have the martial prowess of the Saurus warrior class or the Kroxigor. Add to this, the extremely long life spans each of these three races have... They sort of get the short end of the stick. In order to compensate for this, they have sharp minds which bring the culture aspect to Lustria. It is they who pass write and pass on what is known. This also gives them power. After all, the Saurus aren't going to really care about anything outside of the protection of the Slann and leading in times of war. Krox aren't all that cleaver and generally follow skink. So, who really runs the inner workings of the temple cities?

    Small Talk

    Again, I think this is dependent upon the Slann. The Marco Colombo example may have been the Skink trying to keep the human alive or perhaps keep it from being killed. After all, Slann are known for ordering the death of trespassers. Sometimes the messenger get's killed as well. Wasn't there a High Elf group that had to fight their way out after a Slann looked at them and ordered them to be executed?

    Taboos

    I see taboos being found in Skink, Saurus, and Krox culture, but not so much with the Slann. My reason for this isn't because there wouldn't be taboos amongst them, but I think every one of the three races that serve them would wonder if their actions were taboo in the eyes of the Slann. I picture a huge gap between the Slann and the other three races, so much that, they basically tip toe to avoid any misunderstanding. Hell, who wouldn't? You have a handful of beings that have been around, literally, since the planet was formed, with enough Ju Ju Juice to turn you into a smoldering pile of nothing with less than a thought.

    Origins

    I like Option Three and I think it ties into the section in Honorifics where I talk about Skink.

    I'm going to leave this here as I have a meeting to go to. I'll try to respond to more later this week.
     

Share This Page