Aha! we finally have a functional discussion instead of a random post by a sleep deprived mind. There is yet hope for me (I think).
So then I got to thinking and realized there is so much about cultural development that we take for granted. It seems anymore that just about every setting has taverns, inns, noble courts, etc etc. I am guilty of almost doing this (again) with UR. So then I think a fix is in order. Not just a twist things around and wrap them up in pretty new bows. An actual fix that could realistically result from cultural progression.
As a start I think I will address the tavern problem.
QuoteNobles of old soon realized that catering to the common man was in their best interest. Perhaps it was the revolts (indeed the current court was the result of a successful coupe), perhaps they just didn't want to be stabbed to death. It might even of been something in the local drink. Whatever the case, it resulted in a new trend.
The grand entrance halls of noble estates began to cater not only to the elite, but to the regular masses of the city (provided they were well behaved and didn't track too much mud). Nobles got into contests in order to garner the favor of the most people in their never ending quest for supremacy. The meeting halls became more and more elaborate until they were attracting large crowds of people. This eventually became too much of a strain and the upper classes began moving their Congragariums (as they were now called) out onto well tended lawns. From here the race took off yet again. Tents and pavilions appeared and eventually became permanent buildings. The current trends tended these constructs towards a roof and supporting pillars in an open air environment. That trend for the most part stuck (though a later trend of enclosed buildings would find its own hold years later).
Originally the meeting areas had served as a place for people to meet and interact with both the higher class as well as their fellow common men. These nobles found it tolerable, especially since much of them had once been peasants and militiamen themselves. Furthermore it elevated them in the public's eye as representatives of the people. Eventually tables of food and drink were mixed into the occasion. After all mingling is hungry work. Over time the drink surpassed the food and became a primary staple of daily interaction (the invention of Ghelie Ale is commonly blamed for this).
Years since have gone by and things have changed. The noble scene has taken on a new shape and different forms of government have become the norm (over monarchy and the like) in most places. However, whether your a noble or a senator chances are high you still maintain some form of Congragarium. For most it has become more a place to interact with family and fellow upper class members (not to mention the lavish festivals). Yet it still remains tradition in most areas that the current leaders maintain public Congragariums where they interact with the everyman. In more recent times some have taken to hosting guests in large guest houses. Most nobles though are happy now days to host these since charging a small fee on the food and drink is generally acceptable. And after all, one can never have too much gold (not to mention the prestige of being a hospitable person).
So a new look on the tavern (and to some degree inn) anyhow. So then its your turn. Pick something, a castle court, a guard barracks, anything that we often find ourselves just plugging in like a puzzle piece instead of thinking of new and interesting ways to do it. Then take that thing and develop it a bit into something new.
Perhaps unacceptably large downside to this from the Senator/Noble point of view: Risk of assassination or kidnapping/ransom (or just death) from constant exposure. There's a reason that the wealthy hide themselves away from the world.
Personally, I've always been a fan of the old tropes. They're at once comforting and instantly recognizable. There are taverns in every fantasy world because if you go to any city in the world, there are taverns there, too. We like our booze, we humans. Even when it's illegal, there are still taverns (Speakeasies)
Now what I could see happening is that the nobles/senators/whomever get into a contest with each other to create the most wonderful taverns for their people: that's called ego-driven competitive socialism. But we've seen how that plays out in the real world to: you'd get Potemkin Taverns.
I do like the idea, though, of the Noble's getting prestige for this. The question is, in whose eyes are they after prestige? Their subjects? Other nobles?
In any event, this is thought-provoking, and it made a fine read!
(PS - Try Congregarium with an "e"; I think a CongrAgarium is a place where you go to recognize someone's accomplishments. OK, so I'm kidding about that last part. ;) )
I figured it would be kinda taken for granted that the nobles would of course have their own security and safety setup. Guess not :P . Well the simplest is that the common room is for the common man. There is another room with guards and such where nobles and trusted commoners can mingle (and express their concerns). The advantage of course is pretty basic. You are more likely to find favor in the populace (and thus protection from assassination or a coupe) if you interact with them and work with them to settle their concerns. That favor translates to popularity with the masses and thus jealousy from fellow nobles. So it becomes a contest to see who can garner the most favor.
Now then... stop waiting and post your own ideas :P
I'm at work and may not get through too much.
And not to use the tavern again, but Celtricia has a certain slant.
But I use Bardic Taverns as a cross between a salon, a performance hall, and a watering hole. There are more traditional taverns in Celtricia, many of them. But the 'Bardic Tavern' is a different animal, and is seen as such.[note=BBCN] The BBCN uses a special initialization and communication spell through the Sacred Pool (scrying) Spells and the 'Comforts of Home (scrying)' spells. A city like Igbar has some 20-25 such conduits have created by casters. Lower level casters can cast the communication spells, though the capacity to create the conduit is beyond all but a few in the town. [/note]
News and politics are found mainly through the Bardic Broadcast Communication Network (BBCN), which is the scrying communication network. So nightly, each of the major Bardic Guilds send their main faces to the Bardic Taverns where they are contracted. And those contracts include political commentary, paid satiric performances (Those are lulus), history and historically famous songs and poems. Each Bardic Tavern has a definite politcal bent, and so the bards, while trying to preach impartiality, pander to their audience.
Haha Vreeg that's brilliant. Would be funny if the guild that oversaw the system was called the Bardic Broadcast Corporation (BBC).
that was the intent, my artistic friend.
Quote from: NomadicI figured it would be kinda taken for granted that the nobles would of course have their own security and safety setup. Guess not :P . Well the simplest is that the common room is for the common man. There is another room with guards and such where nobles and trusted commoners can mingle (and express their concerns). The advantage of course is pretty basic. You are more likely to find favor in the populace (and thus protection from assassination or a coupe) if you interact with them and work with them to settle their concerns. That favor translates to popularity with the masses and thus jealousy from fellow nobles. So it becomes a contest to see who can garner the most favor.
Now then... stop waiting and post your own ideas :P
Caesar had his own security setup, and look what happened to him :P
As for my own ideas, hmm. I don't really have Taverns in Wonders. The closest you can get is a Semé'diis, which is generally a courtyard, partially roofed over with canvas, full of burning hallucinogenic herbs. These are an open forum for elves and other Hariiji speakers to express political beliefs, have religious debates, and simply meet friends. Other races don't really have taverns at all - Duer drink amongst family, for example.
hallucinogenic herbs eh? That should make for some interesting sessions. I wonder how one effectively debates while seeing purple rabbits.
A question about the Duer lack of taverns though. Are they open hosts (willing to drink with a stranger who needs a place to rest... perhaps in exchange for some stories from them)?
I find that incorporating tropes helps introduce a setting to an extent. A wild departure from 'the norm' is a kind of culture shock that can be obnoxious if it happens too often. The tavern with the emo elf bard can almost be a place to retreat to when flying ships, gear golems and boomsticks become too much. I introduce the setting via tropes but drop hooks everywhere to try to lure player's interests. Once hooked I can hit 'em with the boomsticks and it ain't too rough.
My favorite trope to hate is the dour scottishesque dwarf. Dourness ain't genetic, man. It may happen when your kingdom gets jacked by a dragon but you ain't born with it. I try to portray dwarves more as a samurai with a sense of humor. Which gets me to the race personality tropes in a general sense. The beautiful, graceful elves with their love of sorcery and swordplay, art, music and all woodland crafts in peace with the now... YUK! Playfully mischeivous gnomes with their big pointy hats and eye for fine details. The jolly halfling jongleur-hey, where's my wallet- ha ha..! It's like saying all Californians are coked-out nip-n-tuck junkies, or that all Louisianans are bayou rednecks. Stereotypes exist but building a race around crap like that completely takes my enthusiasm and flushes it. I don't need to get all crazy opposite and have Gnomish serial killers or dwarven aerobic instructors but for the love of the Triad, the Eight and One, the Mitre of Justice or whatever you call holy, JUST STOP!
Ahem, pardon. It kinda gets me all Yosemite Sam hoppin' mad, though.
I find whenever I attempt to rationalize a world beyond a certain minimal point my brain shuts down. I think it has to do with the fact that I draw on Earth myths for how I perceive stories, and most of the time those myths are not presented with rationalizations no matter how fantastic. So it feels much more unnatural to explain things rather than just take them for granted.