Re: Loren's Dart War Questions

From: Brian Dickinson <Brian.Dickinson_at_def.bae.co.uk>
Date: Wed, 14 Dec 94 15:03:30 GMT


Mike Dawson:

> There are a couple of good models for dart warriors in fiction.
> Steven Brust's "Jhreg" series, including titles "Taltos" "Yendl" and
> a bunch of others are all good reads and offer several possible
> insights into how professional assassins may exist inside a society
> as a recognizable force independent of the "ruling" noble class.

The Daughter/Servant/Mistress of the Empire triology from Feist/Wurts is very good as background for noble houses warring through intrigue, plots and assassination on the fringes of the 'law'. Its called the Great Game and is a direct extension of politics, succession, blood feuds and in-house rivalry. All the noble houses have extensive spy networks to gather intelligence on both internal and external family rivals and to practice economic sabotage and harassment.

Assassination is carried out by an assassins 'guild', mercenaries (dart warriors?) are used more as personal bodyguards, "no-come-back" raiding parties, mundane guards etc.

In the Empire triology, house honour is everything, if a house is seriously dishonoured or defeated then ALL the family and house retainers are expected to commit suicide or be massacred. Hence the entire house can and is destroyed, presumably to avoid later blood feuds with survivors.

This could be applicable to lunar dart wars - all mercenaries are sworn to the service of a particular house and show allegence by wearing house colours.
You wouldn't expect the ruling family to have much faith in mercenaries at first, so new hirelings would be employed as merchant guards or minor raiding parties, to supplement the existing family guards. Only if the dart warrior has shown extreme loyalty, and great skill, would they be recruited into the families personal bodyguard or be inserted into another house as part of a spy network or for direct assassination.


  "It's been lonesome in the saddle since the horse died"


Powered by hypermail