Pyromancer
Mongoose
Who is the mother of Harrick and Rao? Where is she? Is there a Queen hidden somewhere on the Floating Palace?
[Drinax] Where is the Queen?
- Thread starter Pyromancer
- Start date
The Sindalian (and Drinaxian) rulers are clearly autocratic in nature, and an autocrat rules alone without a partner. Therefore, Oleb had consorts*, NOT queens, and if one of the PCs gets to marry princess Rao, he's just another consort, NOT the ruler of Drinax.
*Harrick is aged 54 and Rao is 28, I strongly suspect Oleb got multiple consorts during his *long* reign.
*Harrick is aged 54 and Rao is 28, I strongly suspect Oleb got multiple consorts during his *long* reign.
Pyromancer
Mongoose
But where are the mothers? Being the mother of the heir is a powerful position, if not formal, then at least informal. And as far as I'm aware, they are never mentioned. Given the medical technology, I don't think they died.
Perhaps it is custom to exile them, to prevent them from becoming too powerful? Then they might resurface in the campaign. :twisted:
Perhaps it is custom to exile them, to prevent them from becoming too powerful? Then they might resurface in the campaign. :twisted:
ShawnDriscoll
Cosmic Mongoose
Baldo said:
From someone that knows 57th century cultures.
Pyromancer said:
The quickest option is turning lady Hil (already an influential noble and a Rao supporter) into the mother of princess Rao. I keep thinking Harrick and Rao have different mothers (Pirates of Drinax says Scholar Voha, and not some other noble, is Harrick's *biggest* supporter, for example), and having the living mother of the princess opposed to the regal son of a former (and probably dead, in my opinion -high technology notwithstanding-) consort is very plausible.
ShawnDriscoll said:
Oh, you noticed? :lol:
Pyromancer
Mongoose
I thought of Lady Hil, too. But now that you mention it: Scholar Voha could be Harricks mother! That adds another tragic touch to the story. A mother refusing to believe her son was dead, and fighting for 20 years to bring him back to life.
It would also explain the pressure on King Oleb a little bit more to make Rao his heir. The public might simply not believe Voha that the Prince is still alive, since being his mother clouds her judgement.
I think that's the way I will go.
It would also explain the pressure on King Oleb a little bit more to make Rao his heir. The public might simply not believe Voha that the Prince is still alive, since being his mother clouds her judgement.
I think that's the way I will go.
Pyromancer
Mongoose
Upon further reflection: This campaign seriously lacks married couples, or couples at all. There are a few parent-child relations, but it's only ever a single parent mentioned.
PsiTraveller
Cosmic Mongoose
You could throw in the Heinleinesque contract marriages that last for X amount of time. The Liaden clans universe also has fosterlings and contract marriages. Maybe the mother is simply a political ally for a contracted time and it is the offspring that are important.
For darker threads you can have clan wars and assassins sneaking about the underlinth of the Floating city. Vendettas as old secrets are exposed etc. Turn the hallways into a battlefield. :twisted:
For darker threads you can have clan wars and assassins sneaking about the underlinth of the Floating city. Vendettas as old secrets are exposed etc. Turn the hallways into a battlefield. :twisted:
Pyromancer
Mongoose
I think I'll go the boring route and just introduce a few husbands and wives, since the concept of marriage is clearly known on Drinax.
legozhodani
Banded Mongoose
Maybe she's just fine, and it's just never mentioned or reported. One of those weird local customs that the mothers are never metioned for some reason. Could be custom, fear or religious or plain arrogance. Wouldn't be the first time whole swaths of society are written out of history for some reason.
Pyromancer
Mongoose
There are a total of two couples in the campaign (according to my research):
1) There's a husband-and-wife team of free traders mentioned as background characters in "Treasure Ship".
2) Lady Telwax, the governor of Asim, has a wife and children, although no further details beyond their mere existence are given.
So, 100% of mentioned Drinaxi couples are same-sex, and reproduction doesn't seem to be a problem for them.
That might be the reason the King himself isn't married: On Drinax, only same-sex marriage is allowed, and since the King likes women (red-headed women!), he stayed a bachelor.
I'd really like the author's thoughts on that topic...
1) There's a husband-and-wife team of free traders mentioned as background characters in "Treasure Ship".
2) Lady Telwax, the governor of Asim, has a wife and children, although no further details beyond their mere existence are given.
So, 100% of mentioned Drinaxi couples are same-sex, and reproduction doesn't seem to be a problem for them.
That might be the reason the King himself isn't married: On Drinax, only same-sex marriage is allowed, and since the King likes women (red-headed women!), he stayed a bachelor.
I'd really like the author's thoughts on that topic...
Bulletsponge
Mongoose
Pyromancer said:
Except for the fact that Scholar Voha is a man. "Voha sees his role as protecting the knowledge of the ancient empire of Sindal"
Pyromancer
Mongoose
Bulletsponge said:
Either, I make Scholar Voha Harrick's other parent (in the book, the only mentioned Drinaxi couple is same sex and has a child, so technology has solved the problem of reproduction), or I just change the fact, and Voha's a woman.
Both options are way better than to omit the other parent altogether.
