[Dragaera] States and violence (was Re: OT: Ray Bradbury)

[Davdi Silverrock]

On 7/22/07, Jerry Friedman  wrote:

>
> I suppose that's true.  However, Morrolan tells Vlad, "A formal
> declaration of war isn't called for in an action of this type.
> I'll just send him a message demanding the return of the sword,
> or accusing him of stealing it, and that will accomplish the
> same thing" (Chapter 3, p. 55 of the paperback).  I find it
> hard to imagine that if Fornia and Morrolan need a war
> license, they don't need a formal declaration of war.

Hm.  I think I have to concede the point about a literal war license.

However, consider the following:  Duels in the Empire require a
neutral party to act as Imperial Witness, as well as other individuals
to provide for all of the required form.

So by analogy, while there may not be a literal license that is
required to wage a private war, it would make sense that there are
nevertheless forms that must be followed - probably an Imperial
Witness for each battalion, or something like that (perhaps a neutral
Lyorn, recording the events for the sake of history, and verifying the
propriety of the fighting?)

> >  I am trying to recall the state of the fields that Vlad marched
> > through.  I seem to recall that they were empty, meaning after the
> > harvest or before planting of crops.  This would imply that the timing
> > of the war was critical so as not to damage food generation.
>
> At first there's not a whole lot about vegetation, cultivated
> or other.  In Chapter 10, after the first battle, the army
> reaches the near-desert west of the mountains, with "harsh,
> rocky ground".  Then in Chapter 12 there's a long march, always
> west of the mountains, till they reach Baritt's Tomb, with "a
> few hills here and there, and off to the southwest a flat plain
> covered with rocks and low grass, then a tall hill beyond."
> They're definitely not in cropland most of the time, and they
> may not be ever.

I think this might be in favor of "Imperial rules that must be
followed", as in, no battles held on cropland.

> I can imagine the Warlord could be allowed to fight as a private
> individual.

I am trying to recall the conversation that Vlad heard about rank in
the Phoenix Guard, and out of it, and if there was any discussion
about how one joined an army outside of the Phoenix Guard, if one was
in the Guard at the time.

> But Savn doesn't think about going to any authority after he
> gets beaten up.

I'm not sure that proves anything. The Empire is feudal, and he's a
kid way at the bottom of the pecking order.  And really, who is he
going to go *to*?

Hm.  As a counter-example, consider that Aerich got involved when two
of the (adult) Teckla who worked his lands got into a violent
argument.

> Not only does no one mention getting permission for the
> threatened Dragon-Jhereg war in /Jhereg/, but I don't think
> anyone even mentions the possibility that the Empire might like
> to stop it.

Given that the war was by assassination on the Jhereg side, I'm pretty
sure that it was illegal on its face, and the perpetrators would have
been in trouble if caught and tried (recall the Executioner's Star...)

It's a very different thing from Morrolan's and Fornia's war.

>  (I'm enjoying the image of the Demon showing up
> in the Adrilankha office of the Department of Large-Scale
> Armed Conflicts and Morrolan showing up in the Southmoor office
> to request their war licenses.  "A hundred seventy orbs,
> please.")

Heh.