A letter from Dearan

Coren FrozenZephyr

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A letter from Dearan

« on: 28 October 2005, 16:19:00 »

Such much information has been passing through my eyes that I feel as if my brain is saturated with competing ideologies and theories. I know I said I would not be able to contribute for a couple of weeks, but last night I was exhausted from reading and took twenty minutes (which ended up to be thirty :rolleyes

) off to write this and clear my mind. I depended heavily on 'On Speech, critique and protection' by Gavin Jack to structure/outline the democracy/freedom of speech sections.

PS: I didn't have a time to re-read the letter yet. Please forgive any mistakes in language.

This parchment, curiously, was found inside one of the tomes bestowed to the Great Compendium by the Republic of Anis-Anpagan. It is a copy of a letter believed to be over more than two thousand years old (the reproduction itself, scholars argue, may be over two hundred years) written by the Krath Emperor Dearan Asaen at his early teenage years as an Imperial Appraiser. It offers intriguing insight to the ingenius political paradigm Asaen would later instigate. The letter also sheds valuable light on how Dearan Salador Asaen may have first found out about the pervasive corruption of the Empire's officialdom.

To my noble and learned friend Aeolus,

I am increasingly confronted by the idea that freedom of speech is central to the progress of discussion and critique, two practices, which – I think - are most valuable in that they not only expose a society’s greatest injustices but also can potentially change them (hopefully for the better. This, I believe, results from the intellectual trend of recognizing democracy as the pinnacle of the political process recently gaining force in the Zhunite plains (the roots of which, rather predictably, can be traced back to the Krean colonization of ca 3500). I presume we will be of the same mind when I state that the self-regulating mechanisms of many civilized societies hinge on the presumption that speech (or to put it in broader yet perhaps more accurate terms: expression) is and should be free: By protecting free speech, we are protecting the capacity for a transparent process of critique, and subsequently, a possibility for social change. Although, I must admit that I still harbour doubts on whether this assumed and unqualified merit of freedom is unquestionably sound.

This drift is indisputably guided by the fine oratory traditions of Cusca, which, I cannot help pointing with a degree of pride, were prompted by the Krean ideologies they were exposed to. It is of little doubt that the height of democracy in Zhun historically corresponds to the creation of the city-state (under which the characteristically Krean decision making structures for the regulation of public life, such the Assembly of State, flourished). As the spoken word became the chief instrument of power, public meeting places where decisions could be debated and agreed to by the public sprang into life. You are very correct in noting my rather sceptical use of ‘public’; I am still shocked at how frequently and habitually the word is employed interchangeably for men (or to be even more precise: men of a certain social standing) in ‘public’ matters here in Zhun. You may very wisely point out that such political definitions often reflect the perceptions of the society they arise from. Indeed it is no coincidence that children and the uneducated do not have a right to vote in the Twin Kingdom.

While I do acknowledge that democracy is probably the best political system humanity has so far come up with, clearly I do not favour the blind veneration of such evocative notions as freedom and democracy. Certainly I do not defend the idea of freedom without boundaries. Although it cannot be denied that with the Empire’s rise to power in Zhun, democracy and freedom of speech slowly faded from the political foreground, I am not inclined to say that this has been purely for the worse. Imperial supervision brought the stability and safety the arbitrary execution of an infant democracy failed to provide. In the end democracy is only a principle we employ to bring about the goals of certain policies (such as the betterment of life and prosperity in our societies).

However alluring let not these musings pall the real intention behind this letter. My dear Aelous, I fear I must rely on your support yet again! Following up on what must surely be a clerical error I have discovered (with great mortification) that my department is not in possession of the annual Cuscan budget. Can you contact the relevant authorities on my behalf and request a detailed account of the past seven years headed by an overview on: the main sources of income and heads of expense, how public funds allocated through the Regional Imperial Trust (Section I: Subsection III) have been put to use within the period, and a synopsis of their current long and short term schemes? It is imperative that the aforesaid records reach my hands by I'shati-xo-sha the seventeenth - promptly seven days from the calculated arrival of this letter – as I am to deliver a preliminary report to the Emperor in twenty-seven days. I am aware that asking for a statement to be delivered within such pressed time limits on such short notice must appear very exacting of me at first glance. However, assuming most of the reports must have already been completed, asking their scribes to reproduce copies by the end of the week I believe is quite a reasonable request. Along with this appeal, could you also inquire what may have impeded the timely delivery of these documents during the office of my predecessor?

I am very much obliged for your generous assistance at this hour of distress.

Please pass on my best wishes to your House,

Cordially,

Déárán Sáládor Asáén,
Imperial Appraiser to the Coastal Region of Southwestern Zhun,
Servant of the Light of the Land, His Highness Grand Karoth, Emperor of the Krath Realm

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Edited by: Artimidor Federkiel at: 12/18/05 9:19


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Bard Judith

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #1 on: 28 October 2005, 21:13:00 »

(the bard puts her head to one side, and her eyes twinkle dangerously... then, in her sweetest tones of innocence....)

How interesting! The Krean empire uses 'Friday' as a denoter for a specific day of the week... I wonder what that could stand for?

(grins mischievously and elbows Coren gently in the side)

Don't mind my teasing, dear - I'm very impressed that you could be so eloquent in such a fatigued state, and if that's the only error I could find, you have little cause for complaint!

Here, have a handful of these roasted sunseeds with seasalt - they are very tasty, especially with a cup of stimulant kafe!


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Ta`lia of the Seven Jewels

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #2 on: 29 October 2005, 11:15:00 »

Yeah, Judy, thanks to his fatigue it was not as long as his others entries!

*pats Coren on his shoulder*

One of these letters each night is enough, if you are so busy in RL :lol

***Astropic of the day***
"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"


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"For me there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel looking, breathlessly. ~Don Juan"
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Coren FrozenZephyr

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #3 on: 03 November 2005, 13:02:00 »

Btw, I still don't have a name for this Emperor i've been writting about for the past two years...

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Bard Judith

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #4 on: 27 November 2005, 21:57:00 »

Coren - a bit of brainstorming on your behalf...

If we assume a seven-day 'division' existing over Caelereth (which I think has indeed been assumed for reasons of clarity and natural human biorhythms just as it has on our planet) then may I suggest the following Krean names (in the original and transliterated to Tharian) for those weekdays?

Of course, since I know little of the culture, and less Krath-melar'ian, I can only trust that my crude efforts will not entirely displease your Lordship...

-----------------------------------------------------

1. FirstDay: (day of rest, devotion to gods, etc..) "I'salitheen" - 'Petal on the Water' (lit. 'Day of Petal on the Water')

2. SecondDay: (beginning of new work week) "Kheir'h'i" - 'Goes Fast'' (lit. 'Quickly Passing Day')

3. Third Day: "Velo'ath-da'i" - 'Bud from (Fertile, Moist) Earth'

4. Fourth Day: "I'bel-hro'nil" - 'Light still With Us'

5. Fifth Day: "Kea-wuun'lit'i" - 'Persistent Sparrow'

6. Sixth Day: "I'shati-xo-sha" - 'Merriness Comes Near'

7. Seventh Day: "Ajo'i" - 'Sweeping / Preparation' (lit. 'Making Ready Day')

In practise, and over long usage, these day-names have become abbreviated (save for elders who keep the old traditions and in formal documents) to unique two-syllable titles:

I'sal - rest day - most businesses closed, save inns and taverns.
Kheir'h'i - first day of regular work
Vel'i
I'b'nil - mid-week - often market day
Ke'i
I'sha - end of week, usually very busy to take care of the needs of the following two days as well
Ajo'i - day free from business or politics to take care of one's personal affairs - traditionally no money changes hands on this day if it can be avoided.

:worship


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Coren FrozenZephyr

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #5 on: 28 November 2005, 14:14:00 »

JUDITH! Let me give you the most earnest of virtual hugs! You have filled my soul with bliss! This fits so perfectly and harmoniously into the world of the Krean

I LOVE the concepts!

Don't worry about Krath-melarian; it is supposed to be the common tongue of the Krath Empire - an amalgamation of phrases, words and rules from the various languages found within the empire. We can always attribute these beautiful words to the language of the Krean as spoken in the Twin Kingdom! And your taking the time to actually go through all my messy entries!!! How gratifying it feels!

Indeed be most welcome to continue to make such magnificent proposals - by all means! I can always tweak, bend and shape my existing works to accommodate such brilliant perceptions.

In fact... Let me make this binding... :devilish

Be it conferred upon Lady Judith, Masterbard of Bardavos, the exalted title of Imperial Brainstormer by His Ankra-Anroka-Karoth's Most Excellent Majesty, to work and function independently of any pressure as Head of the Ingenius Idea Generation Department for the Grand Empire of Krath - from this day and henceforth!

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Bard Judith

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #6 on: 28 November 2005, 17:44:00 »

(accepts hug from Coren quite happily and grins at him, then hastily straightens her face and smooths her skirts as the dainty bronze chain bearing her new title is dropped over her head by one of the court functionaries...)

I am greatly honoured, no less by the hug than the title, and shall serve in my new capacity as best I may for his Imperial and most Excellent Majesty!


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"Give me a land of boughs in leaf / a land of trees that stand; / where trees are fallen there is grief; / I love no leafless land." --A.E. Housman

Coren FrozenZephyr

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Re: A letter from Dearan

« Reply #7 on: 29 November 2005, 14:14:00 »

LOL that makes me sound very megolamaniac... It's just the way statutes/titles were usually enacted. Note, Coren FrozenZephyr is not necessarily the Grand Karoth (he lives in Santharia for one!)

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