I think we are all agreed that there are many Yelm worshippers who are not nobles. The point of disagreement is wether the Yelm worshippers who are not nobles are 5-10% of the urban population or less - basically the upper classes and descendants of the upper classes (the view of Pam and myself), or 80% or so of the urban population (everybody except the servants etc.) (Peters view).
Pam said
>I'm proposing that they are restricted to the higher classes, but I
>agree that those classes can include people of all levels of wealth.
I think that most Yelmies are also reasonably well off, but there are probably quite a few poor hard working families keeping alive their good name. I think the 100 penny fee to enter Yelm the Youth is there to keep the really poor out, though - not many Yelmite beggars.
A couple of other Dara Happan snippets I found when reading The Fortunate Succession this morning.
I found at least one answer to my own question about what the Dara Happan Senate does. I think Tribunes are appointed from within the ranks of the Senate, and the Tribunal is able to review the performance of appointed officials. I don't think they can remove higher ones if the Emperor really doesn't want them to, but I imagine their criticism is something that the Emperor worries about. The Tribunal did remove an Emperor once.
Also, for Pam and Peter Metcalfe especially, I found the source of the Berneel Arashagorm as a draconic cult idea (and confirming Peter about Darsen being the cults center). Its in TFS pg 74 "The disempowerment of Yelm Imperator into Yelm Arraz forced those strong in solar power to find new object of worship for their powers. One of these was in Berneel Arashagorm, an ancient deity whose worshipped was centered in Darsen. It was soon associated with the southern Golden Dragon, whose cult was spreading quickly from Dragon Pass."
So at one stage BA was considered to be draconic rather than just serpentine. Of course, this may just be EWF misinterpretation. Which doesn't mean it wasn't quite valid at the time.
Martin Crim raised some interesting points about being an Orlanthi chief. I think Orlanthi chiefs are in general supposed to be obeyed, but not without question. To some extent he is important because he is the tribes representative. I think the chief is expected to go along with any decisions made at the clan moot, and they are able to be criticised there, and most chiefs find Clan Moots to be fairly irritating experiences. But defying the chief outside the moot or other clan decision making event is, to a large extent, defying the clan, so I don't think its the sort of thing that anyone takes lightly.
The chiefs power is not above question, and certainly is a lot more fragile than a Yelm Imperator or similar - but the chief usually has the tacit support of clan elders and the priests, especially when he is rounding up young troublemakers or similar. Defying the chief when clan elders and advisors are willing to support you is one thing (and likely to cause big trouble for the tribe), defying him when most of the elders and priests are supporting him is another (and likely to cause big trouble for you).
Cheers
David
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