Re: Con-other

On Friday 30 May 2008 11:01, Mark J. Reed wrote:
> The subject of con-currencies came up on the other thread, and made me
> wonder what other concultural artifacts people have created?
> Orthographies (that might not yet have an associated language),
I have yet to do an orthography for Yhe Vala Lakha

> calendars,
only the outlines for the Centaurian Great Year and Ordinary Year

> currencies,
iron bars for ordinary transactions, decorated porcelain discs for great
expense

> games (board and sport);
There's a board game somewhat like chess, but where the board is separated
into several regions, and some pieces have much greater flexibility on
certain regions than others - for example, the Lakhabrech has unlimited
roaming on the green surrounds, but very little control of the central
characters all the same; there is a central massif, which controls the game -
once you have the Central Massif, you can take the opponent's City even with
only half the number of men your opponent has; there is neither a king or a
queen, but a city.  The pawns can only attack within three squares of it,
though if they are on the Central Massif with the Mounted Guard, they are
permitted to attack there as well.  But that three square distance
surrounding the city are crucial for attack and defense of the city, since
the city can move within that space.  The trick experienced players use is to
move the city such that the only way an attacking player can move when coming
off the Central Massif, is directly into the green surrounds, where the
Lakhabrech are supreme, and all pieces that are not Lakhabrech are demoted to
pawn.  the only way out of that trap is to move your own Lakhabrech onto the
green surrounds immediately next to the opponent's Lakhabrech, when they will
be effectively neutralized.  Attack is straight ahead; different pieces have
different distance for attack, depending on where they are - all
non-Lakhabrech pieces have only one square attack compared with the
Lakhabrech's three squares attack inside the green surrounds; the player
controlling the Central massif has three squrea attack towards the opponent's
City, but no sideways attack, whereas the opponent's pieces can come out of
the green surrounds "sideways".  the City cannot more outside its
three-square space, but it can supplement its own move with its pawns, and
can move both together.  (Perhaps I should make a computer game out of this?
Any takers?)

As far as sport goes, the Lakhabrech would argue that their liveliehood - the
hunt - is sport as well.  In the Cities, sport for the lesser ranks, is
frequently chasing around an inflated bladder or thumping a ball around with
a stick; for the upper ranks, it is most often chasing game, playing with
weaponry, or fighting each other on the feeblest of excuses the most
feeble-minded of the gentry can fabricate.

> vehicles,
boats of all shapes and sizes, within limits, primarily coasters; vehicles
drawn by seleuks, usually a cross between a wheelbarrow and a travois.

> weapons;
Lakhabrech and Rakhebuityan have their teeth and claws - what need for
anything more?  The City humans have their staves, their knives, their
swords, their spears, their bows and arrows.  There are some ancient weapons
dating back from the Yhe Farr days, but their capabilities aren't known to
any great degree, so they are left alone - wise indeed.

> religions....
Usually the worship of the Mother the Sun, and her Sister the other Sun;
wordhip of family gods, placation of ancestors, placation of spirits of place
and history.

No one's yet been sacrificed on the altars of greed and ambition "Dieu le
vult!"

Wesley Parish

--
Clinersterton beademung, with all of love - RIP James Blish
-----
Gaul is quartered into three halves.  Things which are
impossible are equal to each other.  Guerrilla
warfare means up to their monkey tricks.
Extracts from "Schoolboy Howlers" - the collective wisdom
of the foolish.
-----
Mau e ki, he aha te mea nui?
You ask, what is the most important thing?
Maku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.
I reply, it is people, it is people, it is people.