 January 6, 2011 - 6:37pm | RE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Athos found the above wikipedia page looking into the Gregorian vs Julian calenders (apparently Mt Athos is one of the very few places on earth where the Julian Calender is offically observed) at any rate I found the information on Mt Athos fascinating and couldn't help wondering how to recraft it for SF And just who would play the "monks" in the Frontier? Yazirians are an obviousl choice or humans; I dont see vrusk evolving a monastic society naturally but I could see vrusk really "getting" a classic earth monastery. As for drals, I can see the Abbot threatening to bring back the vows of silence I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
 January 6, 2011 - 6:57pm | Osakar! Osakar are always picking up fads, and doing weird stuff, so why not have a group of Osakar who have banded together in a monastic order. "Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words "Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words "You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words "Did you here that?" -Famous last words |
January 6, 2011 - 7:05pm | Yes thats true, osakar, work, but what about someone with the core 4? I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
January 6, 2011 - 7:20pm | I wouldn't discount the Vrusk. What about a deeply religious sect of Vrusk who found spiritual enlightenment, and turned to their religious convictions with the same fervor as they had business. The possibility of a Vrusk religious order moving throughout the Frontier trying to convert other Vrusk using the same tactics they used in the boardroom is frightening. But also I don't see any other race who have the dedication to place something above themselves and to live their lives only thinking about the betterment of that thing to the point that they lose their individual identitites like the Vrusk. Vrusk monks would be awesome. "Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words "Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words "You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words "Did you here that?" -Famous last words |
 January 7, 2011 - 5:33am | Yazirians with life enemy choice of struggling to save beings and adopting a Monastic lifestyle---good Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
 January 7, 2011 - 3:50pm | As for drals, I can see the Abbot threatening to bring back the vows of silence  I love that. But, I have to go with the Vrusk order as the most interesting to explore. -iggy |
January 7, 2011 - 4:36pm | I actually started writing an adventure a while back where there was a dispute between one of the races in my campaign and a Vrusk colony the Adrainians wanted control of a resource rich world that was the site of a Vrusk religious order, and in order to force the Vrusk to give up the planet the Adrainians stole a Vrusk religious artifact hoping to trade it for the deed to the planet. Needless to say the players had 24 hours to recover the artifact, while the party's diplomat stalled the Vrusk religious leader from declaring a holy war on the Adrainians. "Hey guys I wonder what this does"-Famous last words "Hey guys, I think it's friendly." -Famous last words "You go on ahead, I'll catch up." -Famous last words "Did you here that?" -Famous last words |
 January 8, 2011 - 9:18am | Deryn, neat adventure. et all, How do drals shave their heads like real monks? :-) Has anyone giving thought of making a list of religious piousness? Dedicated - these types of followers are dedicated to a common cause but will not lay down their life over disputes or protection of items, buildings, etc. Zealous - they believe everything they are told by the head honcho. The head dude believes everything he hears from his "god". They will lay down their lives for the cause. Abjected - these followers want the food or benefits of the religious order. They are cowards and will run at the first sign of trouble. |
 January 8, 2011 - 2:16pm | Deryn, neat adventure. et all, How do drals shave their heads like real monks? :-) They keep their head bulbs rounded instead of flat. View my profile for a list of articles I have written, am writing, will write. "It's yo' mama!" —Wicket W. Warrick, Star Wars Ep. VI: Return of the Jedi "That guy's wise." —Logray, Star Wars Ep.VI: Return of the Jedi Do You Wanna Date My Avatar? - Felicia Day (The Guild) |
January 8, 2011 - 2:21pm | Like the list but would make one change. Zealous - they believe everything they are told by the head honcho. The head dude believes everything he hears from his "god". They are willing to do almost anything for their beliefs. They will NOT lay down their lives for the cause. Fanatical - Total belief in cause and will do anything for it including suicide and murder (drink the Kool-aid and suicide bombers) Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
January 8, 2011 - 3:23pm | @rat. I disagree but your welcome to finish the list. :-) |
January 8, 2011 - 7:59pm | Ah so you want the ten stages of devotional levels? That will take a while so every one should jump in and expand it. Sounds like a great job but where did you say we had to go? |
 January 8, 2011 - 10:15pm | You'd have to make it an autonomous area on a planet other than Hentz, since that is already a theocracy....or, maybe you can make it an autonomous region on Hentz, a community of monasteries established by religions other than the Family of One, with a governor appointed by the Family overseeing the civil institutions. Of course, sticking the community of monasteries and hermitages on a moon, a space station, or another planet in a civilized system works as well. Or...sticking the monastic community in the middle of the Volturnan desert, silently contemplating the divine and mixing their religion with elements of the Ul-Mor religion in an attempt to achieve commune with their divine. Or...the monastic community could be a collection of monastery space stations and hermitages set up on drifting bits of space debris, all orbiting/falling into the Ebony Eyes, which they see as a Celestial Temple(yes, shades of DS9, but it works)opening itself unto the mysteries of their god(s). The community would be autonomous, with maybe a UPF governor to oversee what secular civil institutions exist, and mainly coordinate the annual scientific study of the black holes(the poor sod might actually be a scientist himself, not really cut out for administrative duties), and make sure to keep things civil between the scientists and the monks. Also, the civil governor would probably be in charge of maintaining the trade infrastructure within the community, as monks historically have either cultivated certain marketable skills or lend the skills they have to bring in money to keep all those monasteries going. " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
January 8, 2011 - 10:32pm | Or...the monastic community could be a scam, a cover for enterprising beings to exploit the resources of an uninhabited or uninhabitable system, without having to render unto Caesar(or the megacorps), as it were. Take that group of Vrusk monks. Their monasteries and hermitages all orbit Snobol in the Belnafer system, ostensibly to commune with/study the Matrix as a means of getting closer to their gods. Of course, to support themselves, they have to exploit the planet's natural resources, ala the Moneyspider project, and sell what they harvest on the open market. They barely make enough to keep the monastic community going, or, at least that's how it appears on the surface, and, besides, who's going to suspect a group of monks of trying to make money hand over fist. I mean, they all took vows of poverty, for gods' sake, and it's not like they're wearing Armani or anything.... Meanwhile, they pay no taxes, nor do they have to give up any share of what they harvest to any greedy, grasping hands other than their own. On top of that, they have no employees to pay, least not on the books, since the monks weren't hired to harvest Snobol, they were "called" for a higher purpose, and only the most skillful snooping can say otherwise. " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
 January 28, 2011 - 9:49pm | Monk-like or hermetic societies and groups could manifest themselves among the Vrusk and Yazirians, but I think they would be quite rare. Perhaps a refuge for Disinherited Yazirians? However, with the Frontier being what it is, there are many other options than walking up some mountain top. I think that some Yazirian Clans might live in a monestary-like structure, fusing the Clan life with these kinds of traditions. Maybe wayward Yazirians would seek to be guests in such Clans, to atone for sins known only to themselves. Others may just seek peace and contemplation, such as when warriors return from war and need that kind of environment to decompress. In terms of the Vrusk, more unlikely. But I could see a tiny minority finding identity in that kind of society as opposed to a Corporation. Perhaps a small number that find themselves "just not fitting in" although, similar to the Yazirian outcasts, there are many other options around the Frontier for that kind of mentality. The idea of a Dralasite monk is not in keeping with my interpretations of their mentality. The Dralasites are far too social to desire that kind of isolation. Vows of silence? Out of the question! A Dralasite who can't laugh is not alive! The closest entity I could see to a Dralasite monestary is some sort of building in the community that Dralasites go to and behave that way temporarily - maybe a few days or so - before getting back on the roller coaster and eating some pudding in the steam bath with their blobby buddies. |
January 29, 2011 - 12:12am | A Dralasite who can't laugh is not alive! Maybe an order of Dral monks similar to ones of the order of the Laughing Buddha? " 'Beware the Beast, Man, for he is the Devil's pawn. Alone among God's primates, he kills for sport, for lust, for greed. Yea, he will murder his brother to possess his brother's land. Let him not breed in great numbers, for he will make a desert of his home and yours. Shun him; drive him back into his jungle lair, for he is the harbinger of death." |
January 29, 2011 - 4:44am | Not all orders are predicated on vows of silence and the monks evlove forms and rituals and practices that obviously meet the social needs of their group though it generally becomes a very tight knit group. I could see a dral monk- sort of a Friar Tuck like or even a chinese style of monastic order with martial arts being an important part of how the dral experiences his enviroment. I think the philosophical side would have strong appeal to the drals. I might not be a dralasite, vrusk or yazirian but I do play one in Star Frontiers! |
