>What I was trying to do was use the basis of roman military
>punishment and conflate it with the idea of the 'elite, honourable
>executioner', to provide something a little different. A 'hero' that
>would be an interesting foe for Humakti and others, and could build a
>a (perhaps honourabe) relationship throughout the siege, from initial
>skirmishes, through to death... or dispatching his foe on the
>chopping block.
>
>Could the crucible of battle forge a respect that went beyond
>ideological differences? That meant the Lunar 'Septimator' refused to
>deliver the final blow, and instead tossed the Humakti a sword before
>the shocked gasps of the amassed Lunar army, to finish it mano a
>mano... or at least let him die with a sword in his hand? [Okay, I'll
>stop now before it starts getting even more fetishistic about
>military honour ;)]
>
>Still a possibility? The idea of comrade-inflicted fustuarium for the
>Lunars is great (if that word is remotely appropriate), but I wonder
>if the Septimator motif cannot be used elsewhere? [from the execution
>of prisoners to the 'decimation' of other cultural forces and units].
>Most dramatic conflicts have some element of the 'noble enemy' to
>play on.
That doesn't need the invention of a special postion, any YT officer could have that attitude to honour which might not go down too well with his superiors.
Then again exactly how do the Lunar generals view Broyan and his followers? Are they an honourable enemy who refuse to surrender or criminals who deserve execution?
Perhaps Jorkandros's first action to crucify a party of suspected rebels in front of WW and announce to the defenders that that will be their fate unless they surrender immediately in which case they will merely be sold as slaves.
-- Donald Oddy http://www.grove.demon.co.uk/
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