From: Nick Brooke (Nick_Brooke@compuserve.com)
Date: Fri 07 Nov 1997 - 10:37:20 EET
____
Jean writes:
> IMO, ship captain is a noble caste occupation and ship pilot is a
> wizard occupation.
Hmmm... this sounds like the start of something good. Of course, there
won't be anything in Holy Writ about this (because, by the Book, *all*
naval occupations are left to the bastard Waertagi "caste"/race). But
Jean's suggestion *does* sound sensible and progressive, and could well
be the Way Things Are in some parts of the West.
The Captain could be treated as a Lord, aye aye Sir!
The Pilot, I'd have said was a Peasant: it's a Crafter-type occupation,
like steering other vehicles (which is done by other kinds of Peasant).
Remember, a Peasant at the top of his caste deserves respect, but is
still a Peasant.
The Navigator, now, would be a Wizard, as this is a knowledge-based
skill -- and one where the ability to read the stars, comprehend the
properties of lodestones and tin needles (and dried-up pieces of sea-
weed), and tamper if necessary with winds, waves and currents, etc.
will be vital to the crew.
Of course, the various navies of Nolos, Pasos, Handra and Loskalm (to
say nothing of the lake-bound fleets of the Safelstran city-states)
could each have their own "take" on this sensible set-up. Handran
ships might all be run by "peasant-caste traders", in the tradition
of the Merchant Princes; Loskalmi vessels are unlikely to have a Lord
or Wizard on-board, but very likely to be commanded by a Knight (seems
to fit their world-view). The focus on Caste makes it likely this is
the Nolos/Pasos Rokari POV, and also probably the way they'd treat
the crews of foreign ships coming into Seshnegi harbours.
::::
Nick
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