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

[Jerry Friedman]

Sorry about the duplicate post, Jon.

--- Jon Lincicum <lincicum at comcast.net> wrote:

> Jerry Friedman wrote:
> > --- Davdi Silverrock <davdisil at gmail.com> 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.
> >   
> 
> In a feudal society, a Lord has pretty much free reign within his own 
> demense.
>
> Assuming that the entirety of the war between Fornia and Morrolan occurs
> 
> within their respective territories, there is no reason for the Empire 
> to be involved in any way.
> 
> (IIRC, Sethra and Morrolan's plans for the war called for them to invade
> Fornia's lands, then camp out and wait for a counter-attack, so it seems
> likely the entire affair was conducted within Fornia County.)

As I mentioned in my last post, Sethra gets Vlad's company and
presumably others in position to march to the heart of Fornia's
territory, so she's at least threatening to do more than camp out.

> Any interference from the Empress, in what, in this case, is an entirely

> internal affair between Fornia and Morrolan, would likely be seen as 
> unacceptable intervention by every other landholder in the entire 
> Empire. Unless one or both of them asked for Imperial Assistance or 
> mediation.

I think you're agreeing with me that the Empire doesn't claim a
monopoly on violence.  Instead, lords have free rein.
 
> > 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.
> >
> > In any case, there seems to be little delay between provocation
> > and war, so we don't know whether the time of year is
> > particularly suitable in any way.
> >   
> 
> Well, the timing of the events that set off the war were up to Fornia. 
> Since he probably would have figured the engagements would be fought on 
> his own territory, he had a vested interest in making sure it happened 
> at a time when an invading army would not be as well provisioned by his 
> own agriculture. So, it would make sense for it to be early spring, 
> prior to planting season. This would also match up pretty well with the 
> rain and mud described by Vlad.

Fornia acts quickly, before Baritt's memorial service.  He might
have some strategic reason for that and if so it might involve
crops, or he might just see no reason to delay in going after
what he wants.

Vlad's unit does take food from the locals and stops paying
when they cross into enemy territory, but there's no mention
of whether there's a lot or a little, or whether they're taking
from recently harvested crops or grocery stores or households
(beginning of Chapter 9).

> >  (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.")
> >   
> 
> I find it extremely unlikely someone would say "a hundred seventy Orbs" 
> rather than just "ten Imperials".  ;-)

If I kept track of how the money worked, I probably would have
said "a hundred and seventy imperials".

> > In fact, I don't remember anyone ever needing a license for
> > anything except prostitution.  And gambling and selling
> > psychedelics?
> >   
> 
> Hmm... I don't recall prostitution requiring a license, either. Was this
> 
> mentioned someplace I'm not remembering?

The same two places I mentioned in another context in my previous
post: the beginning of /Taltos/, and toward the end of the
prologue of /Dzur/.  I found them by searching Amazon for "Steven
Brust unlicensed" (or something like that).

Jerry Friedman


       
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