- Pronouns
- They/Them
Worse, he was like twenty. At the time. Also, it's slightly smoother in Csiritan, probably.
The main takeaways are the use of cliches, the way the 9-count fucks with saying jack-shit, and what he's actually SAYING.
Behind the Serpent Throne (CK2)
- Thread starter The Laurent
- Start date
- Original Fantasy
Worse, he was like twenty. At the time. Also, it's slightly smoother in Csiritan, probably.
The main takeaways are the use of cliches, the way the 9-count fucks with saying jack-shit, and what he's actually SAYING.
Bakkasama
There is always a greater fool
- Location
- Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Pronouns
- He/his
The first five verses are not that bad, I think? I mean, the moonlight is overused in poetry but there is a reason it is so. Like, they could be the bad start for a good poem, if attached to another work? The rest though... blegh. They have nothing to do with what he was saying before, he explains what he is saying, he uses the snake twice, does not actually say anything meaningful but platitudes... the first five at least had nice images.
Turn 14--Part 1
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Turn 14--Part 1
He was reading the poems of a hated enemy, frowning over their lines, considering their meanings, glancing up at his horses every so often as they romped in the small grasslands that was their current space. He needed to ride them, to truly get their heart racing, because this area wasn't large enough for them.
All the spirits in the world couldn't make this a home for true Rassit horses, and his spirits too felt the tug and pull. He had been here for some time, and now that he had settled in there was the occasional melancholy sensation of being somewhere where Baozi wasn't offered, where the holy days of the Southlanders weren't there to witness, the dancing and singing that might not correspond to the truths of the Gods, but at least was interesting to watch.
He was in a different place, and while he had his horses, his beloved steeds, he also had this bad poetry, and company that was often little better.
"This is fine horseflesh, fine, fine horseflesh," Feng said. The young man fanned himself carefully. He loved horses, but he also loved second dinners, and it was Kiralo's carefully concealed opinion that given enough time he'd fall out of love, because you couldn't eat yourself silly and ride horses. It was something you watched. The young man was pretty in a very plump sort of way, and he was Kiralo's way in with more of his type.
Handsome, or capable of being rich enough to fake it, daring, people who carried daggers with them to clip their thumbs to swear dire oaths of friendship, people who, at least those who didn't know him and hadn't proved themselves, wouldn't ever face danger.
But some of their kind had done him good service in the war, and he now had contacts if he could only use them. Get to them, and it was a direct line to their fathers.
"Thank you."
"Would you breed them with my own horses?"
"We can discuss that," Kiralo said, which was not a no, of course. But he glanced down at the writing and then paused. "Ah, this is dreadful. Do you know what this is about? It's one of Hari's earlier poems." Thirty years ago.
"What is it?" Feng asked.
"Every cloud has linings silver, and
The moon does drop down its silent rays
And loyal streams do shoot, aplenty
Each abundent in its ways, set up
To make the old saying true, and clean
To put one's eggs all in a basket
Is a task that doom will find, and
thus the stream can be divided,
divine rain doth come to mind
Thus the princely virtue does not fail
For the snake sheds not but just dead skin
Those who think the snake is dying
Also think that grass is just greener
Upon the other side of his'try"
"Oh, Gods below and above," Feng said.
Kiralo smiled. "Yes. It's rather dreadful, and it seems to be about princes, but what else?"
"There was a controversy. The traitor's father was accused of treason, spuriously I believe. There were questions as to whether a branch family was safe, and also whether he was a traitor, for… what was it? I think it was marrying a woman without the Emperor's permission. This was the old Emperor, the one before the one before our current blessed Emperor." Feng was trained as a courtier, at least, that much Kiralo could appreciate, or at least note.
"Ah." Kiralo thought for a moment, then smiled. It was a slender poem by which to damn a poet, though its competence called much into question, and while he had improved with time and gone towards less political subjects, Hari was never going to be a great poet. Perhaps not even a decent one. But he was one with the Emperor's ear, and it was known that poetry was about virtue too, about philosophy and beauty.
Kiralo believed that just as much as Hari did. "He made a mistake, then."
Of course, if having a political opinion thirty years ago was grounds for removal from a position that in many ways… but of course it was. It had always been, and it always would be. That was the way the world worked. Kiralo's own opinions would be held up to equal scrutiny, and would be similarly questioned if anyone ever read some of his poetry.
Though he had avoided direct politics.
Hari hadn't, and even his indirect politics of peace and harmony, his contempt for military life and respect for nature as something balanced within the will of the Emperor… one could read a lot, but not enough to incriminate.
"Yeah, he did. He's a loyalist of the traitor Prince!" Feng yelled.
"Not… quite. But we could say he is," Kiralo admitted, frowning. The strange thing was that Hari was more or less right, if Feng wasn't leaving anything out. In times past, the princely lines had been loyal and had always been a source of distantly related marriage prospects and allies. Though they had failed a few times too many, all things considered: though often to just ends, such as with the Rectifying Emperor.
But nuance wasn't important, and it could be construed.
"Then I will," Feng said. "We can remove him and put someone truly noble in his place, that'll listen to what we have to say instead of some old-fashioned fool!"
"Truly noble?"
"My dog could write better poetry than him."
Kiralo, unable to help himself asked, "You have a dog as well?"
"No! But, the point stands," Feng said, pounding his fist into his fan, a harsh gesture. "And the poet falls."
Kiralo had to consider how to get out of this, or rather how to use these young men and yet not fall into their traps and games. He knew that none of their type should teach the Emperor Dai'so either.
But that was another matter, tutelage.
*******
He could not judge them on their merits, not as easily as he'd hoped he could. He could not truly grasp what the meaning of some of their academic arguments, and he couldn't get close enough as a courtier to them to learn of their nature without them getting suspicious. But he could watch the way they conducted statecraft, and from his father, with care, he obtained information on the planning of lessons, and a list of official and unofficial tutors.
From there began the complicated business of digging into their old essays and writings. Some of which would take weeks or months to get through, though with care he was able to find some of the degree examination essays of the men, and those itself were telling.
At the very least, they were shorter than they might be, and gave him an understanding, for instance, of the Tutor of Historical Works And Morals.
Huang Fu'dai, of impeccable lineage, had written a very typical essay of the old style. It was a style that had lost some of its strength in the last century, at least beyond examinations, but… it was a style so familiar to Kiralo, despite having never taken a degree exam, that he could analyze it in his sleep.
"Topic: How did the Recitfying Emperor, inheriting a broken system by the corruption of those who had weakened the Empire, lead such a revolution, even against the southern barbarians?"
When the ruler understands the will of the Gods, his strength is that of a million spirits as one, and nothing can deny such a will.
Through sagacity and wisdom, he chose people of good character, and by this character, held aloft by the fate of the Gods, no Empire could ever fall. Being by nature a moral affair, the unwise and the immoral are the same, and being an affair of Godly desire, no Emperor who is truly within the grace of the Gods and Judges can be defeated.
It is said that the Duke of Nansong, who advised the fourteenth Emperor, had many sons, and loved his sons as a father was meant to. But by this love, it is said by the philosopher Cs-Meng, did he fail to see the lack of virtue, and so it was said of his sons: "They ruined what their father had created, and took liberties that their father had won them."
Thus it is so in reverse: having stepped out of the flaws of the relatives of the Emperor who had corrupted him, the new Emperor was like new rains upon a dusty, dry desert.
In no way was the outcome in doubt, so long as the Rectifying Emperor took charge: In no way could the Rectifying Emperor be held in doubt, so long as the Gods took charge.
The enemy were barbarians that like chaff fell before the brilliance of the Emperor alone. The Emperor alone was the planter of the wealth and power of Csirit that won the war.
I know that:
in the end of the war, the Southern Barbarians were so weakened that the Empire expanded.
this expansion was not beloved by the heavens, and failed.
those who encouraged it were soldiers, who spoke with tongues of fire and who in the end weakened the Empire.
all that is given by the Gods may yet be taken away.
Thus we should learn from history, and know that it is sagacious prayer and understanding of the Gods, combined with virtue and character, that lead to success as a ruler.
Thus we should learn from the Rectifying Emperor, and know that it is obedience to the Emperor, as the Emperor must obey the Gods, that leads to success as a people.
There are those who speak of the necessity of expansion, or of generals, but what are their words but the "idle silver lies" that Men'shi warmed against? If truth is the manservant of virtue, then let my words ring. If it is not, then as Men'shi also said, "All shall be forgotten but truth."
Kiralo frowned, reading it. He couldn't comment on the use of the text, and not even on the history in some ways, but his own understanding, weak though it was, was that Hanae was very important to victory: and his own experience with war told him quite clearly that this was nonsense in another way.
War was nothing if not unpredictable. His studies of Hanae's campaigns had been far too cursory in some ways. None of the histories fully captured the feeling of having a dozen lamed horses and a supply of grain half a day behind you when the enemy was out raiding. Or the feeling of being low on water for both the men and horses and having to consider calling off an entire day's march--as he'd had to during his campaign in the Southlands--for fear of what it would do to the men and the horses.
Of sweating, of desperately hoping that everything worked as it should, or considering just how many trees were dying for the arrows that were being used.
That he was skeptical of military men and war was at least a respectable and common position, but he underestimated the difficulties, and to Kiralo that was as big a flaw as any militarism, because it was fools who thought that the impossible would be easy that had led the greatest military disasters.
This and other signs spoke to more learning needed, and more study of just who they were and what they had planned. And what they were teaching. But without his own experts in such matters, he was going to be on the back foot, and he didn't have any way to contact them, especially in light of his unfolding plan to unseat one of their number, without suspicion…
Which left him still, despite all of this, outside looking inward when he went off at night to drink heavily with young men of ambition, scope, and very little in the way of brains. Picking them for their knowledge, writing down in the banks of his mind the names and favors and arguments they made.
They were so disconnected from men like Huang Fu'dai, for all that he disagreed with the middle-aged man. Scholars and bureaucrats. And yet some of these young men held, in their heads, thoughts that would have to be the wisdom of the future. Or they knew and employed men who would do that for them. It was that simple.
Kiralo kept at it, but as he did so, he also considered all of the other things he had to deal with. All of the other problems he had to fix.
Yanmae wanted for maids, and Kiralo knew that she might sleep easier, or not, depending on… how odd was this mission?
He took a breath, wondering whether to ask Yanmae about specifics or not, and if not, what to do?
What to do?
[] Ask Yanmae and try to get some picture of her ideal maid or pair of maids. This will be what is known as incredibly awkward, and what if she doesn't know? She's sixteen: he didn't fully know his tastes at her age.
[] Try to interview maids for her position based on criteria that any maid might be interviewed on: trustworthiness, keen sense of duty, and other elements that will make her good at her job, and have any focus on desire be secondary and only broached once the girl or woman is employed.
[] Focus on the other hand, on desire. How? Well, that'll be intensely awkward, but there are pools of people to search for if you're looking for one thing, and not the other thing.
[] He has several women in his employ, at the moment as common servants. He could send one of them. They have at least some experience as servants, and more experience as… concubines. But would such a gesture be suspicious? Or seen as immoral? Everyone had their assumptions as to what he was doing with them, after all.
[] Write-in.
*******
A/N: Here's some more stuff and things! However, please keep me to the promise of writing an Imperial Groupings naming and shaming the tutors/etc tomorrow. That's on my schedule. It's your reward for... sorta-kinda maybe-sorta succeeding in some small way? But I'm too tired to do that tonight. Don't expect this fast of a turnaround normally...
He was reading the poems of a hated enemy, frowning over their lines, considering their meanings, glancing up at his horses every so often as they romped in the small grasslands that was their current space. He needed to ride them, to truly get their heart racing, because this area wasn't large enough for them.
All the spirits in the world couldn't make this a home for true Rassit horses, and his spirits too felt the tug and pull. He had been here for some time, and now that he had settled in there was the occasional melancholy sensation of being somewhere where Baozi wasn't offered, where the holy days of the Southlanders weren't there to witness, the dancing and singing that might not correspond to the truths of the Gods, but at least was interesting to watch.
He was in a different place, and while he had his horses, his beloved steeds, he also had this bad poetry, and company that was often little better.
"This is fine horseflesh, fine, fine horseflesh," Feng said. The young man fanned himself carefully. He loved horses, but he also loved second dinners, and it was Kiralo's carefully concealed opinion that given enough time he'd fall out of love, because you couldn't eat yourself silly and ride horses. It was something you watched. The young man was pretty in a very plump sort of way, and he was Kiralo's way in with more of his type.
Handsome, or capable of being rich enough to fake it, daring, people who carried daggers with them to clip their thumbs to swear dire oaths of friendship, people who, at least those who didn't know him and hadn't proved themselves, wouldn't ever face danger.
But some of their kind had done him good service in the war, and he now had contacts if he could only use them. Get to them, and it was a direct line to their fathers.
"Thank you."
"Would you breed them with my own horses?"
"We can discuss that," Kiralo said, which was not a no, of course. But he glanced down at the writing and then paused. "Ah, this is dreadful. Do you know what this is about? It's one of Hari's earlier poems." Thirty years ago.
"What is it?" Feng asked.
"Every cloud has linings silver, and
The moon does drop down its silent rays
And loyal streams do shoot, aplenty
Each abundent in its ways, set up
To make the old saying true, and clean
To put one's eggs all in a basket
Is a task that doom will find, and
thus the stream can be divided,
divine rain doth come to mind
Thus the princely virtue does not fail
For the snake sheds not but just dead skin
Those who think the snake is dying
Also think that grass is just greener
Upon the other side of his'try"
"Oh, Gods below and above," Feng said.
Kiralo smiled. "Yes. It's rather dreadful, and it seems to be about princes, but what else?"
"There was a controversy. The traitor's father was accused of treason, spuriously I believe. There were questions as to whether a branch family was safe, and also whether he was a traitor, for… what was it? I think it was marrying a woman without the Emperor's permission. This was the old Emperor, the one before the one before our current blessed Emperor." Feng was trained as a courtier, at least, that much Kiralo could appreciate, or at least note.
"Ah." Kiralo thought for a moment, then smiled. It was a slender poem by which to damn a poet, though its competence called much into question, and while he had improved with time and gone towards less political subjects, Hari was never going to be a great poet. Perhaps not even a decent one. But he was one with the Emperor's ear, and it was known that poetry was about virtue too, about philosophy and beauty.
Kiralo believed that just as much as Hari did. "He made a mistake, then."
Of course, if having a political opinion thirty years ago was grounds for removal from a position that in many ways… but of course it was. It had always been, and it always would be. That was the way the world worked. Kiralo's own opinions would be held up to equal scrutiny, and would be similarly questioned if anyone ever read some of his poetry.
Though he had avoided direct politics.
Hari hadn't, and even his indirect politics of peace and harmony, his contempt for military life and respect for nature as something balanced within the will of the Emperor… one could read a lot, but not enough to incriminate.
"Yeah, he did. He's a loyalist of the traitor Prince!" Feng yelled.
"Not… quite. But we could say he is," Kiralo admitted, frowning. The strange thing was that Hari was more or less right, if Feng wasn't leaving anything out. In times past, the princely lines had been loyal and had always been a source of distantly related marriage prospects and allies. Though they had failed a few times too many, all things considered: though often to just ends, such as with the Rectifying Emperor.
But nuance wasn't important, and it could be construed.
"Then I will," Feng said. "We can remove him and put someone truly noble in his place, that'll listen to what we have to say instead of some old-fashioned fool!"
"Truly noble?"
"My dog could write better poetry than him."
Kiralo, unable to help himself asked, "You have a dog as well?"
"No! But, the point stands," Feng said, pounding his fist into his fan, a harsh gesture. "And the poet falls."
Kiralo had to consider how to get out of this, or rather how to use these young men and yet not fall into their traps and games. He knew that none of their type should teach the Emperor Dai'so either.
But that was another matter, tutelage.
*******
He could not judge them on their merits, not as easily as he'd hoped he could. He could not truly grasp what the meaning of some of their academic arguments, and he couldn't get close enough as a courtier to them to learn of their nature without them getting suspicious. But he could watch the way they conducted statecraft, and from his father, with care, he obtained information on the planning of lessons, and a list of official and unofficial tutors.
From there began the complicated business of digging into their old essays and writings. Some of which would take weeks or months to get through, though with care he was able to find some of the degree examination essays of the men, and those itself were telling.
At the very least, they were shorter than they might be, and gave him an understanding, for instance, of the Tutor of Historical Works And Morals.
Huang Fu'dai, of impeccable lineage, had written a very typical essay of the old style. It was a style that had lost some of its strength in the last century, at least beyond examinations, but… it was a style so familiar to Kiralo, despite having never taken a degree exam, that he could analyze it in his sleep.
"Topic: How did the Recitfying Emperor, inheriting a broken system by the corruption of those who had weakened the Empire, lead such a revolution, even against the southern barbarians?"
When the ruler understands the will of the Gods, his strength is that of a million spirits as one, and nothing can deny such a will.
Through sagacity and wisdom, he chose people of good character, and by this character, held aloft by the fate of the Gods, no Empire could ever fall. Being by nature a moral affair, the unwise and the immoral are the same, and being an affair of Godly desire, no Emperor who is truly within the grace of the Gods and Judges can be defeated.
It is said that the Duke of Nansong, who advised the fourteenth Emperor, had many sons, and loved his sons as a father was meant to. But by this love, it is said by the philosopher Cs-Meng, did he fail to see the lack of virtue, and so it was said of his sons: "They ruined what their father had created, and took liberties that their father had won them."
Thus it is so in reverse: having stepped out of the flaws of the relatives of the Emperor who had corrupted him, the new Emperor was like new rains upon a dusty, dry desert.
In no way was the outcome in doubt, so long as the Rectifying Emperor took charge: In no way could the Rectifying Emperor be held in doubt, so long as the Gods took charge.
The enemy were barbarians that like chaff fell before the brilliance of the Emperor alone. The Emperor alone was the planter of the wealth and power of Csirit that won the war.
I know that:
in the end of the war, the Southern Barbarians were so weakened that the Empire expanded.
this expansion was not beloved by the heavens, and failed.
those who encouraged it were soldiers, who spoke with tongues of fire and who in the end weakened the Empire.
all that is given by the Gods may yet be taken away.
Thus we should learn from history, and know that it is sagacious prayer and understanding of the Gods, combined with virtue and character, that lead to success as a ruler.
Thus we should learn from the Rectifying Emperor, and know that it is obedience to the Emperor, as the Emperor must obey the Gods, that leads to success as a people.
There are those who speak of the necessity of expansion, or of generals, but what are their words but the "idle silver lies" that Men'shi warmed against? If truth is the manservant of virtue, then let my words ring. If it is not, then as Men'shi also said, "All shall be forgotten but truth."
Kiralo frowned, reading it. He couldn't comment on the use of the text, and not even on the history in some ways, but his own understanding, weak though it was, was that Hanae was very important to victory: and his own experience with war told him quite clearly that this was nonsense in another way.
War was nothing if not unpredictable. His studies of Hanae's campaigns had been far too cursory in some ways. None of the histories fully captured the feeling of having a dozen lamed horses and a supply of grain half a day behind you when the enemy was out raiding. Or the feeling of being low on water for both the men and horses and having to consider calling off an entire day's march--as he'd had to during his campaign in the Southlands--for fear of what it would do to the men and the horses.
Of sweating, of desperately hoping that everything worked as it should, or considering just how many trees were dying for the arrows that were being used.
That he was skeptical of military men and war was at least a respectable and common position, but he underestimated the difficulties, and to Kiralo that was as big a flaw as any militarism, because it was fools who thought that the impossible would be easy that had led the greatest military disasters.
This and other signs spoke to more learning needed, and more study of just who they were and what they had planned. And what they were teaching. But without his own experts in such matters, he was going to be on the back foot, and he didn't have any way to contact them, especially in light of his unfolding plan to unseat one of their number, without suspicion…
Which left him still, despite all of this, outside looking inward when he went off at night to drink heavily with young men of ambition, scope, and very little in the way of brains. Picking them for their knowledge, writing down in the banks of his mind the names and favors and arguments they made.
They were so disconnected from men like Huang Fu'dai, for all that he disagreed with the middle-aged man. Scholars and bureaucrats. And yet some of these young men held, in their heads, thoughts that would have to be the wisdom of the future. Or they knew and employed men who would do that for them. It was that simple.
Kiralo kept at it, but as he did so, he also considered all of the other things he had to deal with. All of the other problems he had to fix.
Yanmae wanted for maids, and Kiralo knew that she might sleep easier, or not, depending on… how odd was this mission?
He took a breath, wondering whether to ask Yanmae about specifics or not, and if not, what to do?
What to do?
[] Ask Yanmae and try to get some picture of her ideal maid or pair of maids. This will be what is known as incredibly awkward, and what if she doesn't know? She's sixteen: he didn't fully know his tastes at her age.
[] Try to interview maids for her position based on criteria that any maid might be interviewed on: trustworthiness, keen sense of duty, and other elements that will make her good at her job, and have any focus on desire be secondary and only broached once the girl or woman is employed.
[] Focus on the other hand, on desire. How? Well, that'll be intensely awkward, but there are pools of people to search for if you're looking for one thing, and not the other thing.
[] He has several women in his employ, at the moment as common servants. He could send one of them. They have at least some experience as servants, and more experience as… concubines. But would such a gesture be suspicious? Or seen as immoral? Everyone had their assumptions as to what he was doing with them, after all.
[] Write-in.
*******
-[] Unseating the Poet x2
Need: 35, Rolled: 1d100+9=13, 14, but each of these rerolls once… as to what the rerolls were? Well, you'll see within a few updates
-[] Mayhaps to learn
Need: 35 (Diplomacy), 60 (Learning), and 45 (Stewardship), also, 20 (Martial), Rolled: 1d100+12=25, 1d100+6=48, 1d100+8=80, 1d100+15=30
-[] Young Snakes, Sharp Fangs
Need: 25, Rolled: 1d100+12+1=95
-[] Maids!
Auto-Sux
Need: 35, Rolled: 1d100+9=13, 14, but each of these rerolls once… as to what the rerolls were? Well, you'll see within a few updates
-[] Mayhaps to learn
Need: 35 (Diplomacy), 60 (Learning), and 45 (Stewardship), also, 20 (Martial), Rolled: 1d100+12=25, 1d100+6=48, 1d100+8=80, 1d100+15=30
-[] Young Snakes, Sharp Fangs
Need: 25, Rolled: 1d100+12+1=95
-[] Maids!
Auto-Sux
A/N: Here's some more stuff and things! However, please keep me to the promise of writing an Imperial Groupings naming and shaming the tutors/etc tomorrow. That's on my schedule. It's your reward for... sorta-kinda maybe-sorta succeeding in some small way? But I'm too tired to do that tonight. Don't expect this fast of a turnaround normally...
Zeitgeist Blue
Currently Made of Metal
- Location
- Manila, Philippines, GMT +8
[X] Ask Yanmae and try to get some picture of her ideal maid or pair of maids. This will be what is known as incredibly awkward, and what if she doesn't know? She's sixteen: he didn't fully know his tastes at her age.
- Location
- Actually pretty lost
I think this needs a write-in, but damned if I know what to write in.
[X] Write in: Focus on the truly important things. Discretion, loyalty and trustworthiness. They must be servants who can be trusted to keep their mouths shut whatever they see, hear, or are party to. This will be used against Yanmae and by extension the family otherwise.
I think her tastes go second to the ability for all the maids to keep mum. ALL the maids.
I think her tastes go second to the ability for all the maids to keep mum. ALL the maids.
Random Member
Gardener of Human Happiness
- Location
- Behind You
I agree, but wouldn't this be the same as the second option?
[] Try to interview maids for her position based on criteria that any maid might be interviewed on: trustworthiness, keen sense of duty, and other elements that will make her good at her job, and have any focus on desire be secondary and only broached once the girl or woman is employed.
"Trustworthiness, keen sense of duty etc", being able to keep secrets is one of the main requirements of maids.
[X] Try to interview maids for her position based on criteria that any maid might be interviewed on: trustworthiness, keen sense of duty, and other elements that will make her good at her job, and have any focus on desire be secondary and only broached once the girl or woman is employed.
Imperial Groupings: The Emperor's Tutors
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Imperial Groupings: The Emperor's Tutors
Few are the child-Emperors who have ruled, in a history that depending on who you ask goes back man, many thousands of years… certainly, in recorded history, thousands. And few are the child Emperors who have ruled well. Imperial Tutor is an important position, but it's often usually very, very much a position of honor for an old scholar. "Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince" was given as a non-hereditary honor. It had power, yes, but most of what a person would be taught by an official tutor is rather obvious things.
One learns the classics, one learns history in a limited sense, one practices poetry, and little else.
But with a child Emperor, and one who is in theory reigning, Kuojah has broken with tradition to create a sort of council of tutors, with greater power than is usual, and yet who are not truly any sort of 'council of regents.'
The head of the council, in charge as the Grand Tutor among other things, is Kuojah, though he only sometimes personally tutors Emperor Dai'so.
In addition to that, he has:
A tutor on the classic writings, Yang-lao, who is known to be a stickler for just what does and doesn't qualify as the classics. But his grasp of ancient classical Csiritan is said to be excellent, and he doubles as a written language tutor for the very specific old styles of writing common among scholars.
A calligraphy tutor, Caoren, who is entirely competent. It is hard to find much to say about him, as Kiralo is himself only somewhat familiar with calligraphy beyond the minimum required to seem cultured.
A tutor of history, Huang Fu'dai, who had the typical prejudices and biases. He was perhaps not the best choice, but Kiralo would need to look carefully to find a better man. Or perhaps better men. Perhaps the history of the Empire was a topic that required multiple people for multiple subjects.
A part-time set of tutors whose job it is to introduce works of art and grace outside of the literary fields. These include Bai-yung, Qing of Lineage Ha-song'ro (an old lineage of northern Hari-Su), and Mao Ren, who is said to be an appreciator of vases. Their job is simply to present and show art to the Emperor while talking to him about how to appreciate them, though some have also tried to teach him about tea and about delicacies of food.
Ming'sa, a mid-level figure in Rituals in general, his area of expertise is religious education, as well as teaching him some about religious rituals in general, ones that he will have to perform. In this he is aided by Hung, of Lineage Ishino, an impeccably dressed middle-aged man who teaches the Emperor etiquette and manners. Hung is known to be very, very strict and there are those who whisper against his methods in general. Ming'sa, on the other hand, is widely respected, and does have the training of a priest, making him a decent expositor of traditionalist theology, albeit in a form that Kiralo doesn't entirely agree with at some points.
Ping'tao, who is currently teaching the Emperor to play a musical instrument as part of his cultural education.
Xiang, of Lineage Xang, the son of a prominent scholar, and something of a non-entity, is teaching mathematics.
Hari, who needs no introductions.
There are potentially others, in the future. Certainly, these are not the only topics Kiralo might want an Emperor to know, but it's a pretty full set of teaching, albeit with some noticeable gaps.
And in some cases with a clear ideological bent.
Few are the child-Emperors who have ruled, in a history that depending on who you ask goes back man, many thousands of years… certainly, in recorded history, thousands. And few are the child Emperors who have ruled well. Imperial Tutor is an important position, but it's often usually very, very much a position of honor for an old scholar. "Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince" was given as a non-hereditary honor. It had power, yes, but most of what a person would be taught by an official tutor is rather obvious things.
One learns the classics, one learns history in a limited sense, one practices poetry, and little else.
But with a child Emperor, and one who is in theory reigning, Kuojah has broken with tradition to create a sort of council of tutors, with greater power than is usual, and yet who are not truly any sort of 'council of regents.'
The head of the council, in charge as the Grand Tutor among other things, is Kuojah, though he only sometimes personally tutors Emperor Dai'so.
In addition to that, he has:
A tutor on the classic writings, Yang-lao, who is known to be a stickler for just what does and doesn't qualify as the classics. But his grasp of ancient classical Csiritan is said to be excellent, and he doubles as a written language tutor for the very specific old styles of writing common among scholars.
A calligraphy tutor, Caoren, who is entirely competent. It is hard to find much to say about him, as Kiralo is himself only somewhat familiar with calligraphy beyond the minimum required to seem cultured.
A tutor of history, Huang Fu'dai, who had the typical prejudices and biases. He was perhaps not the best choice, but Kiralo would need to look carefully to find a better man. Or perhaps better men. Perhaps the history of the Empire was a topic that required multiple people for multiple subjects.
A part-time set of tutors whose job it is to introduce works of art and grace outside of the literary fields. These include Bai-yung, Qing of Lineage Ha-song'ro (an old lineage of northern Hari-Su), and Mao Ren, who is said to be an appreciator of vases. Their job is simply to present and show art to the Emperor while talking to him about how to appreciate them, though some have also tried to teach him about tea and about delicacies of food.
Ming'sa, a mid-level figure in Rituals in general, his area of expertise is religious education, as well as teaching him some about religious rituals in general, ones that he will have to perform. In this he is aided by Hung, of Lineage Ishino, an impeccably dressed middle-aged man who teaches the Emperor etiquette and manners. Hung is known to be very, very strict and there are those who whisper against his methods in general. Ming'sa, on the other hand, is widely respected, and does have the training of a priest, making him a decent expositor of traditionalist theology, albeit in a form that Kiralo doesn't entirely agree with at some points.
Ping'tao, who is currently teaching the Emperor to play a musical instrument as part of his cultural education.
Xiang, of Lineage Xang, the son of a prominent scholar, and something of a non-entity, is teaching mathematics.
Hari, who needs no introductions.
There are potentially others, in the future. Certainly, these are not the only topics Kiralo might want an Emperor to know, but it's a pretty full set of teaching, albeit with some noticeable gaps.
And in some cases with a clear ideological bent.
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How do you teach an eight year old boy "Administration"?
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Other than the gaps, this is the most important thing. Learning history shouldn't literally be about learning history (though there is that), it should be learning how to be a historian with all the skills those entail. It should be critical thinking, analysis and synthesis of information, rhetoric, understanding cause and effect, learning about the truth via subjective sources and more.
As someone who didn't take history beyond the tenth grade, this skill set is one of the most important things you can learn.
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Random Member
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Pretty useful to know actually. Mostly cursory information, but we didn't exactly roll well enough for more, and this will give us more options to influence the Emperor's education in the future. At first glance, the history teacher might need to be replaced though.
Back to the vote.
We could perhaps combine this with the first option, but finding someone who is both loyal and conforms to sis' ideal (assuming she has one) is obviously going to be harder than just finding one or two loyal girls. If she doesn't have any particular tastes, we can just fall back to this option though.
Honestly, I'd just go with loyalty, maybe combined with trying to find out what Yanmae's tastes are.
@The Laurent Since the second option already mentions trustworthiness and sense of duty, would veekie's write-in do anything more? Would Kiralo concentrate even more on their loyalty and ability to keep secrets and less on their capability to do maid stuff?
Back to the vote.
Awkward. Still, if she does have a preference, it would make her happier.
We do want them to be loyal and for them to keep their mouth shut, so this would be best for that. The potential downside is that Yanmae doesn't like them.
We could perhaps combine this with the first option, but finding someone who is both loyal and conforms to sis' ideal (assuming she has one) is obviously going to be harder than just finding one or two loyal girls. If she doesn't have any particular tastes, we can just fall back to this option though.
This sounds like a really bad idea.
On the one hand, they certainly are qualified for the task, they'd be doing what they were trained for in the first place and with their lives basically being in our hands, they might think twice about telling anyone anything. On the other hand, we haven't exactly done anything to earn their loyalty and the scandal is going to be that much worse if this gets out.
Honestly, I'd just go with loyalty, maybe combined with trying to find out what Yanmae's tastes are.
@The Laurent Since the second option already mentions trustworthiness and sense of duty, would veekie's write-in do anything more? Would Kiralo concentrate even more on their loyalty and ability to keep secrets and less on their capability to do maid stuff?
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Also, consider the time period and all. Or at least, what you can guess about it.
Random Member
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Economics? Accounting? Sounds like counting coppers! That's for filthy merchants, not the Emperor.
I'm exaggerating a bit, but I wouldn't be surprised if this was indeed the general opinion.
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Even Yanmae herself considers discretion as necessary, so we need someone who can keep her mouth shut. On the other hand, just hiring a capable maid is missing the point. I would assume that Yanmae has no problem in acquiring skillful maids herself in some way; she wouldn't need Kiralo for that.
So I will try a write-in:
[X] Focus on trustworthiness and discretion. Carefully try to gauge their willingness to engage in a close relationship* with a female employer without mentioning Yanmae's name. Actual competence as a maid is less important.
*I am assuming that Kiralo knows the proper euphemisms.
@The Laurent, would this be a viable write-in?
So I will try a write-in:
[X] Focus on trustworthiness and discretion. Carefully try to gauge their willingness to engage in a close relationship* with a female employer without mentioning Yanmae's name. Actual competence as a maid is less important.
*I am assuming that Kiralo knows the proper euphemisms.
@The Laurent, would this be a viable write-in?
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That's work.
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Hmm, on one hand, there's plenty that could go wrong, even if Kiralo is unlikely to say or do anything dumb. On the other hand, hiring someone and then dropping on them why you actually hired them.... On the third hand, how likely are we to find someone actually willing to have a "close relationship" with another woman?
I agree that finding someone discreet should be our main goal though.
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[X] Focus on trustworthiness and discretion. Carefully try to gauge their willingness to engage in a close relationship* with a female employer without mentioning Yanmae's name. Actual competence as a maid is less important.
*I am assuming that Kiralo knows the proper euphemisms.
This seems like a better option than any of the others, so long as we're careful not to let word get out about what we're looking for.
*I am assuming that Kiralo knows the proper euphemisms.
This seems like a better option than any of the others, so long as we're careful not to let word get out about what we're looking for.
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Let's clarify here: I have an undergrad in history, and I also am going to graduate school for the same. Which might mean potentially pausing this Quest, the jury is still out there.
But when I talk about the nature of history and think about it, I'm doing so from a perspective that understands what the purpose of history in that era actually was.
But when I talk about the nature of history and think about it, I'm doing so from a perspective that understands what the purpose of history in that era actually was.
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Vote closes Monday.
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Vote closes tomorrow!!!