I'm calling my story a fantasy although it has no magic because it's set in a fictional country and region. I need ideas on courtesy and social customs, specifically as regards the warrior class.
My main kingdom (an absolute monarchy, more or less) has a well trained and very professional military that is loyal to the kingdom, not the king himself. Most of the time this does not cause conflict, but it's important in my story. The technology level is roughly medieval, but culturally it's pretty different (not especially European). There are also mercenaries, who fight for various nations because although the militaries are quite professional, they are very small for economic reasons (men are needed more for agriculture than for a standing military).
MC1 - youngish prince who fled an assassination attempt, bad guy seized power on his father's death, a little wimpy, kind of spoiled, kind of cowardly at first, well-educated
MC2 - the narrator, ex-military, now mercenary warrior, older (not old, just older), kind of cynical, not very sympathetic guy who helps prince get his throne back
It sounds a little cliche, but I'm actually kind of pleased with a lot of the twists I've put in. One of the ideas I'm working in is that the two main characters have to deal with a pending invasion of the country (the prince actually debates NOT taking back his throne because he's not confident in his ability to defend the nation, whereas the bad guy is actually battletested and a good strategist). The prince and narrator speak with the invading army's leader several times as well as members of their own country's military.
I have this idea that the prince as well as peasants do not have to be as courteous because it isn't dangerous. Warriors (military and mercenaries) are unfailingly courteous as part of the warrior code and because it makes sense - don't mess with a man who'll cut your head off (yes, there are swords. I like swords.). The narrator wants to teach the prince to be courteous like a warrior would be, on the theory that he'll be a better king by establishing better relations with neighboring nations.
The question: What sorts of things should be courteous vs. discourteous? What sort of elaborate things should be considered necessary for two warriors to treat each other with respect and courtesy? I've already taken a little from bushido, but I don't have the same lord/vassal politico-economic setup so not all of that works. What else? Help! I need ideas.
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51,692 / 50,000
Okt 19, 2007 - 15 25
courteous
-helping ladies. :]
-being handsome. xD jk.
-polite
-the regular things in our word
-leadership
-etc.
-add some ridiculous things as needed
-a sword salute? or mebe a hand salute of some kind.
-greetings [elaborate rituaic greetings]
-suffixes: like shyviolet-sensei or sumat.
-recognisation of something done - a rituaic or polite congratualation. etc.
discourteous would be the opposite of these, etc.etc.
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~*clicky here for photography
87,051 / 50,000
Okt 19, 2007 - 17 12
"The question: What sorts of things should be courteous vs. discourteous? What sort of elaborate things should be considered necessary for two warriors to treat each other with respect and courtesy? I've already taken a little from bushido, but I don't have the same lord/vassal politico-economic setup so not all of that works. What else? Help! I need ideas."
For a warrior to turn his back on another warrior would be the ultimate discourtesy, it shows he doesn't consider him to be a threat. You could use a ritualistic form of this.
Normally the showing of the right hand in some way is a form of courteous greeting, it shows that the weapon hand is empty, hence the custom of shaking hands.
1,572 / 50,000
Okt 19, 2007 - 17 26
Things such as not not deliberately turning your back on someone (ie, "You're so weak that you couldn't even stab me in the back right!"), very elabourate forms of adress that become more simplified the 'friendlier' they get, established rules as to who can speak to whom (ie, low-ranking newbie warrior can't just walk up to head honcho type guy and start chinwagging)...maybe you could look at a patronage type system where an older warrior could be responsible for a younger man's education in courtesy and introduces him to people so he doesn't offend anyone by accident.
A lot of rules in situations like the one you propose tend to do with hospitality- when you let a man into your house as a guest you aren't supposed to kill him, that sort of thing. The ancient greeks had a very complicated form of guest-friendship like that. Food is also important, as sharing a meal or a drink is symblolic of friendship.
The only other two things I can think of is that you could make it forbidden to start combat unless a formal duel is declared (stops any incidental brawling and could be quite showy and tension-buildy) and the 'fan-language' that some European courts allegedly had- snap your fan in a particular way and you compliment so-and-so's bosom, fold it another and declare war on someone...
Just my 2c :)
----------Needs more WOMBAT!
50,657 / 50,000
Okt 20, 2007 - 09 03
I'm very fond of the chivalric courtesy - and you have the setting where it doesn't jar as much as mine sometimes does, since I've got a modern-day California setting (just an old-fashioned character). It's tough sometimes to tread the line between courtesy and patronizing in this particular case, but I think it can be done without the character coming off as just annoying.
Between two warriors there's always the salute (visor up), hand-clasping, speaking well of the other's family, in general being polite could boil down to simply a total lack of insult - or just "being nice." Much of the warrior's code could spring right from the golden rule: Do Unto Others. "I do not want to be stabbed in the back, so I will not stab my enemy in the back."
10,156 / 50,000
Okt 20, 2007 - 12 19
Well, I strongly disagree that princes and peasants don't need to be courteous- every class has its own criteria for polite behavior, and dealing with the powerful requires courtesy or results in unnecessry conflict.
That said- "an armed society is a polite society" :D
You might look into the idealized code of the West- Owen Wister, Louis Lamour are good sources
Some cowboy no-nos I remember;
never imply a man is lying- or false in any way
never call him by any name but the one he gave-this includes courtesy titles used without permission-but DOESn't include assigning nicknames or tradenames-like Doc, or "the fox", unless they're obviously insulting. These are to be used only by colleagues, however, not by noobs and idiots who don't even know what reputation the nickname implies.
never ask for more background info than he offers- this includes questions like "What's your name? Where do you come from or where've you been recently?" (It is ok to ask, What should I call you, and have you been having fun recently?)
never imply he didn't -or can't, do what he said he'd do.
-includes implying that he doesn't support his employer, or isn't loyal-it's called riding for the brand, but every one of these groups has a special code of loyalty and obedience.
never back out of a fight or refuse to fight-that's contempt, and a judgement on the other's character or ability.
never insult or attack anyone who's unarmed or otherwise can't fight back- in the middle of a job, etc.
And of course, If you must call him a bad word
SMILE when you call him that. XD
50,472 / 50,000
Okt 21, 2007 - 06 29
Remember that courtesy is at least in part about regulating social relationships between comparative strangers: if there is a standard way of acting towards people, then there is less risk of causing offence inadvertently (and so many hilarious ways of doing it on purpose). It's also a matter of status: Typically, there will be a certain way that you behave towards your superiors, another way of behaving to your inferiors and a third way of behaving with equals. There may also be a separate code for members of the opposite sex.
Courtesy can be manipulated. If you know your stuff, you can actually dis someone really badly, while seeming to be faultlessly polite. You can also use courtesy as a means of asserting magnanimity, by displaying undue courtesy towards a social inferior. Your prince would have been brought up to behave in a certain way towards other nobles and peasants (all his inferiors), which would no longer fit with his apparent status as a wandering apprentice warrior. He would only be expected to be polite to people of close or equal status (family, foreign royals, dukes); towards anyone else, courtesy is a mark of favour.
"I have this idea that the prince as well as peasants do not have to be as courteous because it isn't dangerous."
You've never seen Dangerous Liaisons, have you? Some key rules of manners: Never insult someone you might be having dinner with next week; never insult someone with nothing to lose; and never, ever insult someone who can afford to buy good assassins. Just because someone doesn't have a sword doesn't make them safe to bad mouth.
Really, you're looking for at least two overlapping codes here. There's the noble code, which would be based on social status and control. Elements of this would include bowing (a nod to your social inferiors, getting deeper and deeper depending on how many degrees above you the other party is), social arrangements (e.g. seating at table and the key matter of who is allowed to speak to whom without a formal invitation) and of course, not bad-mouthing anyone if you can't back it up with facts. The important thing in this code would be knowing your place in the world, hence the prince could be in a lot of trouble if he rides up looking like a vagabond and expects everyone to get their foreheads on the floor.
Then you have your warrior code, which would be much more about respect between equals. That would include a lot of left-hand shaking (so you put down your shields and leave your dagger hands free in a gesture of trust), not turning your back, making eye contact and keeping your word (at least to another warrior). You may also have an ethos of service.
----------Five years of NaNo, first Frenzy.