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Salutes, oaths and vows

Started by Snargash Moonclaw, September 02, 2008, 04:27:06 PM

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Snargash Moonclaw

'Upon my Honor,
I shall strive my utmost
To perform my Duties
To Guild and my Contract,
To be Loyal and
To obey the Command of my Unit.'

Mercenaries' Guild Oath.


The various forms of salute on Panisadore, military, civil, or strictly civilian, are inextricably linked to common ceremonial formalities related to the rendering of an oath or vow. In this sense the term 'oath' refers to what is sworn to, and enforced by some secular authority; of greater weight than a promise rendered privately, but generally viewed as less significant than a vow. Vows, in contrast, are rendered to and enforced by the church or an associated order of a deity (not necessarily the same deity in certain cases,) through the agency of the institution's clergy or other invested representatives. Given that the deity(s) in question may themselves discover and direct their clergy to punish (or in those cases referred to previously, reward) someone who as broken their vow, most in the world consider these more important than oaths. Combining both (and so surpassing either) is a Solemn Oath, rendered in such cases as among units dedicated to Galenar, Nuhveen or Zhedarhe, as well as any oath by any Malenorian citizen to the Empire through the agency of the Emperor's representatives. Great Vows are similar in nature but rendered in service explicitly to the deity rather than the institution. Finally, the extremely rare Solemn Vows are rendered directly to  a given deity in that deity's actual presence, usually as an avatar. (In the Malenorian Empire at least, this is considered to include those vows declared to the Emperor personally.) The gestures of salute are those used when swearing an oath or vow and so, when subsequently used in salute, serve as reminders of what has been sworn.

The oath above is commonly sworn (like nearly all oaths of military service) while holding the weapon hand in the standard infantry (unarmed/sheathed) salute: with fist clenched by the shoulder, knuckles forward and middle finger extended upward (representing the drawn weapon held upward). While members of most sovereign forces place their shield hands over their hearts, mercenaries commonly place them over their genitals when swearing their oath. Members of both types of units will conclude the oath with the universal gesture for death/dying: drawing the weapon finger across their throat, signifying acceptance of the possible penalty of breaking this oath. Some standard acceptable variations are worth noting. Artillerists normally render the ancient 'Archer's Salute,' extending the index and middle fingers, slightly parted. Fusiliers (among those rare units willing to accept them,) render a unique 'Arty Muzzle' salute, holding their clenched weapon hands beside their heads, knuckles forward with thumb extended upward and their index fingers extended horizontally to touch their temples. They conclude their oaths by snapping their thumbs downward. (It is often rumored that they further conclude any religious vows with histrionic facial expressions of dying and Great Vows by falling to the ground in even greater histrionic paroxysms.) Law enforcement officers usually conclude their vows by jerking their fists backwards over their shoulders, thumb extended, in the universal gesture to 'lock 'em up!' (Depending on local penal conditions this may be a worse fate than execution. . .) Most salutes are acknowledged and returned by superiors by raising both hands with palms open and forward, representing the signaling fans commonly employed by commanders in battle, and concluding by placing both over their hearts.

Civilians in general salute with the dominant hand open beside their shoulder, palm open and forward. Mages tend to salute in a similar fashion, but with fingers splayed. In many places Civil Service oaths (such as those sworn by a mayor, bailiff or cabinet member) and their subsequent salutes are often distinguished from those of other civilians by holding the hand at eye level with the palm up, as if holding up or supporting something. Clergy and monastics both tend to clasp their hands before them (at chest level) with palms together and fingers extended (as if in prayer) while militant orders interlock their fingers, and all conclude by bowing. (Many accent the bow further by extending both hands before them, as in a civil servant's salute, and raising their hands then above the level of their heads at the deepest part of the bow.) Militant monastic orders which are not part of a specific church or broader order (essentially non-religious dojos which are usually very spiritual nonetheless,) tend to salute and bow with their hands together in the traditional 'Union of Sun and Moon' clasp with the dominant hand in a fist (representing the sun/solar energy) pressed against the palm of the secondary hand which is curved around it like a moon's crescent. Finally, in the Malenorian Empire, all oaths, vows and salutes are made with the palm of the dominant hand over the eyes (representing blind obedience) and the secondary hand over the heart. Oaths and vows are concluded by drawing edge of the dominant hand across the abdomen, as if committing ritual suicide, while bowing the head and bringing the edge of the secondary hand down on the back of the neck in a chopping motion, representing the hope for a swift and merciful death.


In accordance with Prophecy. . .

Have Fun, Play Well,
Amergin O'Kai (Sr./Br. Hand Grenade of Seeing All Sides of the Situation)

I am not Fallen. That was a Power Dive!


I read banned minds.

SA

This is really cool, dude.  Really, really cool.

Snargash Moonclaw

Thanks! I'm just waiting for someone to recognize the oath being paraphrased at the beginning. . .
A bit that I forgot to write up:


Another common variation upon martial salutes is seen when they are rendered to an opponent before engaging in combat. The salute is rendered normally but usually concluded by jabbing the extended finger(s) toward the opponent. (This is often followed by pumping motions of the saluting hand, either in the same direction or upward, accompanied by loud shouting. . .) The most notable exception to this behavior is among dwarven warriors. The Clans of Sorrow salute potential opponents very solemnly and conclude the salute with a downward chopping motion with their open hand accompanied by a loud wail of excruciating grief.
In accordance with Prophecy. . .

Have Fun, Play Well,
Amergin O'Kai (Sr./Br. Hand Grenade of Seeing All Sides of the Situation)

I am not Fallen. That was a Power Dive!


I read banned minds.

Steel General

It reminds me of the Boy Scout Oath
[font=serif size=1]Please come and visit Ghoraja Juun, my fledgling campaign setting where you can contribute to the world\'s development. Hopefully I have the Wiki Forum set up correctly now :D)[/font]

Snargash Moonclaw

actually Cub Scout - not sure what brought it to mind the other day while waiting for the bus, but it prompted some interesting ideas, even if derived from some silly seeds. . .
In accordance with Prophecy. . .

Have Fun, Play Well,
Amergin O'Kai (Sr./Br. Hand Grenade of Seeing All Sides of the Situation)

I am not Fallen. That was a Power Dive!


I read banned minds.

limetom

Quote from: Snargash MoonclawIn many places Civil Service oaths (such as those sworn by a mayor, bailiff or cabinet member) and their subsequent salutes are often distinguished from those of other civilians by holding the hand at eye level with the palm up, as if holding up or supporting something.
Just letting you know, this is insanely awkward; the arm really doesn't bend this way.  Try it: you'll see what I'm talking about and look very silly all at the same time.  :D


Otherwise: Wow... I know where way too many of these came from.  Nice job.

Nomadic

Quote from: CĂșchulainn
Quote from: Snargash MoonclawIn many places Civil Service oaths (such as those sworn by a mayor, bailiff or cabinet member) and their subsequent salutes are often distinguished from those of other civilians by holding the hand at eye level with the palm up, as if holding up or supporting something.

What do you mean? I can do this easily and it looks normal. Just hold your arm out and palm up with the fingers pointing upwards so that your hand forms an L with the palm as the base.

Snargash Moonclaw

I think I need to edit the sentence slightly. The arm is held rather like a waiter holding a tray, but palm flat and fingers together and pointing forward rather than back, splayed and curved upward. It is a little awkward for the wrist to bend that far back for most if the elbow is at a sharp angle - the lazy would hold the hand out much further in front of them. Thanks for the comment tho - it lets me know that my writing wasn't clear.

And thanks again - I had fun coming up with "legitimate" rationals behind some otherwise rude and/or absurd gestures! Fusiliers, btw, really are crazy by definition - tho I think I'll be introducing the beginning of a slow, reluctant acceptance of alchemical ordinance as a viable military munition. At present I'm wanting to keep it, esp. naval cannon, minimal in the setting so the association with the church of Behldamh was initially a ploy to do so in spite of the fact that physical technologies were reaching, and in some cases surpassing Renaissance levels. (Sailing ships actually surpass present technologies in many ways - they reached the level of the last clippers and windjammers a few thousand years earlier and no combustion engines have been introduced. . .)
In accordance with Prophecy. . .

Have Fun, Play Well,
Amergin O'Kai (Sr./Br. Hand Grenade of Seeing All Sides of the Situation)

I am not Fallen. That was a Power Dive!


I read banned minds.

LordVreeg

So tell me about greetings, since they are used constantly in a setting.  This was Oaths and Vows, which I liked alot (especially the fusilliers).  
Your second paragraph starts suddenly into salutes, and this is continued in the last one, then slipping back into oaths again.  SO I am thinking that the salute in this terminology is something of a formal greeting?  
Greetings are something I have delved into somewhat heavily in my own work.  But I have to ask, where are the physical greetings?  
A few examples from Celtricia here.

Omwo~ in Celtricia generally greet by touching left palm to left palm at chest level, unless greeting one of their own in which case both palms are touched.  In more formal situations, or in social situations wher respect could be given, the 'giver of respect', or subordinate will also decline their chin bringing their gaze downward.  In social situations, males will often take a female's hand to their lips by turning their hand slightly and grasping the females fingers gently.
Though this is ancient, it is still used by many Omwo~ and some few purebred old human families.

Ogrillites (Orcash, Gartier, Ograk, Gnollic, et al) bring their right fist held knuckles up from their chest outward, contacting the greeters right fist moving in the same outward arc.  Most of them take this as their own ritual, but it was actually taught to them by the Venolvians of the Whiskanis league some 900 years previously, when the Venolvians allied with the Ogrillite tribes in against the State of Winter.  This is still done in civilized areas today, giving almost a 'street credibility' since most civilized Ogrillites still feel outside the communities they live in.  
Anyone who parleys with a group of Tribals knows to start this way, or risk being laughed at (and sprayed).

The Arcanic Table of Orbi, before giving way to full-blown mageocracy and when it was still balanced by the old devilkin worshiping families of Orbi, generally started greeting each other by extending their left arm and gripping the left shoulder of the person they were greeting (necessitating a bent wrist), so that the greeters would also rub 'elbow to elbow'[note=Elbow to Elbow] 'Vitim Vas Vitim', the Harnic (Orbic) tranlsation of 'Elbow to Elbow', has also been in use for centuries as a phrase meaning, 'Hey, I'm on your side' or 'You Idiot! I didn't cast that, I'm your friend!'.  The origin of this comes from the fact this greeting gesture was first used in a mage-heavy area, where allowing someone to rub albows was basically allowing them to interrupt any spell you cast by jostling, so it was a greeting designed to say, " You are my friend, see, I'm not casting at you because I am letting you in a position to interrupt any spell" [/note]
This greeting, called 'The Vitim', is in very common use in Orbi, Trabler, The Bright Lands, Sembina, The Barony of Argus, and the Southern Grey March today.  It is udes by both genders, and interestingly, across genders.

So, since greetings are done constantly in society, I'm curious if there are no physical-contact greetings in Panisadore, and if by salute you meant greetings, or if that was more formal.




VerkonenVreeg, The Nice.Celtricia, World of Factions

Steel Island Online gaming thread
The Collegium Arcana Online Game
Old, evil, twisted, damaged, and afflicted.  Orbis non sufficit.Thread Murderer Extraordinaire, and supposedly pragmatic...\"That is my interpretation. That the same rules designed to reduce the role of the GM and to empower the player also destroyed the autonomy to create a consistent setting. And more importantly, these rules reduce the Roleplaying component of what is supposed to be a \'Fantasy Roleplaying game\' to something else\"-Vreeg

Snargash Moonclaw

Interesting social snapshots in there. I kinda wonder how many country or court dances are also performed (or at least begin) "elbow to elbow."

It's a really good question that I will have to let simmer on the back burner a bit. I hadn't really been thinking about the whole concept - kinda surprised that I was able to mine the random image of mercenaries bastardizing the Cub Scout Oath while holding their crotches and flipping off their CO's for as much as I did. (Still not sure where the hell the image even came from; not sure I want to know. . .) But, yeah, it bears exploring much further. I think that common greetings would probably show a lot more regional/cultural variation - the oaths, vows and salutes are all essentially institutional formalities and explicitly interwoven. "High fives" would probably develop from them in some more casual fashion but this leads to disturbing images of Khurorkh behaving like deleted extended scenes from a '70s blacksploitation flick with "Gotcha" by Joe Tex playing in the background. (I hope it's just the sleep dep' causing that, cuz once you go orkh you'll never. Um, it's the sleep dep. . .)

Pulling a long day at work (and tomorrow too - boss is taking a couple of vacation days) - I'll let it stew and see if I can't get some serious material.
In accordance with Prophecy. . .

Have Fun, Play Well,
Amergin O'Kai (Sr./Br. Hand Grenade of Seeing All Sides of the Situation)

I am not Fallen. That was a Power Dive!


I read banned minds.