Post by Isawa Mitsuru on Apr 20, 2012 21:43:00 GMT -5
Let’s talk for a moment about how court works. Or rather, let’s talk about how I think court works. Which is to say nothing herein is officious or necessarily even factual, but is based upon my comprehension of the situation. Perhaps others feel differently or even have more information than I do. I’m open to discussion and better defining what court entails in a stricter sense for Rokugan.
From what I understand there are two types of court: a larger court and a smaller court. This smaller court (we shall call it court 1 for now) is the most official type and is the sort of thing that would be presided over directly by someone like a daimyo or the emperor. It is essentially a business meeting. The person in charge or perhaps some assigned conductor, like a herald, calls the court to order and runs down an agenda. People are called before the court and may make reports and perhaps official decisions are announced. It is a very strict and ordered sort of thing where there may also be a large audience in attendance. However, most topics are not open to discussion and many of those who attend are just watching.
Now let’s talk about court type 2. Court 2 is a much larger affair and is the sort of thing we talk about when we refer to winter court. The court as an entity and/or event is comprised of many nobles in attendance and is significantly more than a single ordered meeting. This is a series of meetings, public events, and parties where people have a large chance to interact with others. In any of these social events there are opportunities to "wheel and deal" with people from other clans and families.
Both of these are going to be yet different from something like a council type meeting wherein a select group of people will come together to make some set of decisions or discuss one or more topics. These sorts of meetings are probably the bread and butter of Rokugan’s official bureaucracy. This is when a daimyo would meet with other clan elders or perhaps some of his military officials.
To give examples, court 1 is very well exemplified by the opening scenes of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty where things are done in an orderly procession. Any business is officially announced before the group and everything is more or less prescheduled (with the notable exception of Maleficent’s very rude interruption.) However in all instances everything that is done is technically addressed toward the king and queen. They stay as the central figures of the entire event.
Court 2 will be better seen in things like a ball held in Disney’s Cinderella. Many people are talking and interacting, and there are even some official events taking place. It is clearly a place for political scheming (As when the step-sisters are trying to gain the attentions of the prince.)
For Council meetings we can see two examples in Disney’s Mulan. Toward the beginning of the movie, the Emperor discusses the invading Huns with his head general and in a later scene the general is talking with Captain Shang about troop dispositions. While these are both sparsely populated examples they fulfill the basic idea. Another good set of examples is in Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. Pretty much anytime all seven samurai are together discussing war plans they are enacting this same council meeting "trope".
All these types of events occur with regularity in Rokugan and all are good times to role-play. However, we should be aware of our settings so that we can role-play properly. That said, I can’t really think of an example of someone grossly misplaying their character in one of the above type of situations.
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu
From what I understand there are two types of court: a larger court and a smaller court. This smaller court (we shall call it court 1 for now) is the most official type and is the sort of thing that would be presided over directly by someone like a daimyo or the emperor. It is essentially a business meeting. The person in charge or perhaps some assigned conductor, like a herald, calls the court to order and runs down an agenda. People are called before the court and may make reports and perhaps official decisions are announced. It is a very strict and ordered sort of thing where there may also be a large audience in attendance. However, most topics are not open to discussion and many of those who attend are just watching.
Now let’s talk about court type 2. Court 2 is a much larger affair and is the sort of thing we talk about when we refer to winter court. The court as an entity and/or event is comprised of many nobles in attendance and is significantly more than a single ordered meeting. This is a series of meetings, public events, and parties where people have a large chance to interact with others. In any of these social events there are opportunities to "wheel and deal" with people from other clans and families.
Both of these are going to be yet different from something like a council type meeting wherein a select group of people will come together to make some set of decisions or discuss one or more topics. These sorts of meetings are probably the bread and butter of Rokugan’s official bureaucracy. This is when a daimyo would meet with other clan elders or perhaps some of his military officials.
To give examples, court 1 is very well exemplified by the opening scenes of Disney’s Sleeping Beauty where things are done in an orderly procession. Any business is officially announced before the group and everything is more or less prescheduled (with the notable exception of Maleficent’s very rude interruption.) However in all instances everything that is done is technically addressed toward the king and queen. They stay as the central figures of the entire event.
Court 2 will be better seen in things like a ball held in Disney’s Cinderella. Many people are talking and interacting, and there are even some official events taking place. It is clearly a place for political scheming (As when the step-sisters are trying to gain the attentions of the prince.)
For Council meetings we can see two examples in Disney’s Mulan. Toward the beginning of the movie, the Emperor discusses the invading Huns with his head general and in a later scene the general is talking with Captain Shang about troop dispositions. While these are both sparsely populated examples they fulfill the basic idea. Another good set of examples is in Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai. Pretty much anytime all seven samurai are together discussing war plans they are enacting this same council meeting "trope".
All these types of events occur with regularity in Rokugan and all are good times to role-play. However, we should be aware of our settings so that we can role-play properly. That said, I can’t really think of an example of someone grossly misplaying their character in one of the above type of situations.
Yoroshiku Onegaishimasu
