Re: Cock-ups in command

From: Mark Galeotti <mark_at_...>
Date: Thu, 21 Jul 2005 12:26:43 -0000

• In whitewall_at_yahoogroups.com, Jane Williams <janewilliams20_at_y...> wrote:
  > Yes, but: I think the point Jeff was reminding us of
  > (as he's reminded me in other contexts) is that there
  > are oath-bound obligations between guest and host, and
  > as such, Broyan has to be treated by the rest in
  > certain ways unless they want to be the target of
  > Divine displeasure, never mind about Broyan's.
  

Oh, certainly, and to be honest, I wasn't directing my comments against Jeff -- quite the opposite, as I think his Soprano analogy works very well. Everyone has the authority they can get away with asserting, and it lasts so long as they can force, persuade, inspire, bluff, cajole and buy people to accept it!

It's more that I have an instinctive dislike of essentially anachronistic words such as hierarchy (with our modern mental baggage around it) and even second in command.

One approach perhaps worth considering is that in a way there are two kinds of authority at work.

1. Directive. Broyan gives me an order, and I do what he says. However, in the absence of any specific orders (or when I think Broyan's too busy), I do my own thing.
2. Affiliative. I regard myself as Broyan's man: not only do I obey when he gives me an order, I try to do what I think Broyan would want me to do, and I check with him before doing anything major.

Many of the people paying lipservice to Broyan's kingship in WW will be 'commanded' by him in the former manner (when they obey him at all), while there are those directly beholded to him, or who simply accept the need to subordinate themselves to a single figure, who fit into the latter.

> I still think one reason
> Gyffur obeys Broyan is because he's scared of him!

I must confess that I like this idea. And not just because Broyan has seen through to his touch-feely soul. No, I like the idea that Broyan has a dark, brooding core and that in many ways, Shepelkirt has been the making and salvation of him. Without such an external enemy to focus his inner angers against and to give him a cause around which to rally people, then perhaps he might have slipped into the worst ways of an Orlanthi king, the bully who treats 'No one can make me do anything' as a commandment more pressing and liberating that the others which ought to counter-balance it.

To an extent, in this -- entirely fanciful and personal -- vision of Broyan, he is thus shaped not so much by his inner virtues as by the need to live up to the myths and expectations of those around him. And that may be an answer as why he does something so noble, heroic but irrational and dangerous, as teleport onto the Bat: because it's what people would expect of him.

Just a couple of thoughts.

BTW, I'll be away from my computer for the next few days, so don't think a lack of response means a lack of interest!

All the best

Mark