 December 10, 2011 - 12:54am | I myself have used words like the inquisition and seen other distinctly catholic words used in connection with the Fo1 but they have not sat well with me. Perhaps its the Imperial Lord's influence on me in his insistence to not let the core four races just be humans in culture (unless of course they are humans). So the question is what words should be used for yazirian clergy, within and without the Fo1? Re: priest- this is not a distinctly Catholic word. A priest is one that stands before god or gods on behalf of one or many others. Its that very definition that is the reason that the reformation rejected the word priest since it took the verse "and you hath he made to be kings and priest" literally and enshrined the priesthood of the believer in most protestant theology. I believe that the yazirians would have a word that would meet this definition and thus would be translated priest in Pan Gal, whether for a primitive blood rite pre-Fo1 religion or for the Fo1. My read on the Fo1 is that control is paramount and thus the idea of having one who controls access to divine mysteries would appeal to this organization. "Monks" has been used by me and others in connection with religious yazirians though mostly with the idea that they are perhaps not full on supporters of the Fo1. Its a generic term with wide use and perhaps best to keep it. Bishop and Cardinal are way too catholic and their use, if combined with a autocratic model of the Catholic church could smack of an attack on that that institution. I'd prefer to not use them. Minister- I'd hate to use this as it sounds very un-yazirian to me. I don't think it would set the right tone for this race. Perhaps for a dralasite religion but not for a blood and guts battle raging yazirian. Prelate and Prime Prelate could work but I'm unsure. There is no doubt that two words are required to describe at least two levels of authority above that of priest (or the equiv. word for priest that may be suggested by one among us). If prelate was used I'd use it as the word for cardinal and Prime Prelate for the Pope of clan chief of the clan controlling the Fo1. but we could use words for both the bishop and the cardinal as well as pope. Don't like the Inquisition for two reasons 1) every time I say or type it I hear a Monty Python sketch in my mind and 2) its very distinctly catholic. A pro for this word is that if it is use most people will clue in right away as to what the group it represents and is about. I do think we need a word to represent a secret or thought police (when I say thought police it is with no connection to mentalism or telepathy but more of a George Orwell kind of thought police). RE: Mentalism and a Psy police inquisitor- I'm of the mind that these are indeed interesting but knowing the general temper of the community concerning mentalism it seems best that a Psy police within the Fo1 be much like the mentalism rules currently are: optional. Now could there be Psych-social skilled inquisitors that are very very good at reading people and almost similate the ability to read minds? Oh Yes and every evil GM needs a handful of these guys IMO just to screw with the players a little and because when one of these guys gets his come uppance by the players its very satisfying for them especially if he has been a long running foil. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
January 11, 2012 - 8:58am | Sum up: Fo1 clergy- priest, overseer (think bishop), prelate (think cardinal), and Prime Prelate (think Pope). Monk is a generic term often used of organized and unorganized religiously minded individuals. I hate to use abbot for the leader of a group of monks so various titles that could be used are elder brother, overseer, primus. Within the Fo1 there are the Inquisitors (haven't come up with another name for them that I like) officers within the inquisitors could be senior, chief and grand inquisitor. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
