SEVERUSMAX
Benevolent Master
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2004
- Posts
- 28,995
This is an SRP based on an ongoing novel of mine about Hellenistic civilizations and heroes in an alternate North America colonized by ancient Greeks.
This SRP is set in the city-state of Posidonis, a commercial more than a military power, and a true plutocratic/mercantilist commonwealth rather than a democracy, monarchy, or tyranny.
There are relevant issues.
1. No one plays a Politarch, a member of the ruling executive body. The highest rank that one can play in this is a guild magistrate or deputy. The government is composed of the Council of Politarchs, the Council of Guilds, and the Council of Judges. These 3 councils form essentially three branches of government, but this isn't your classic republic. There is no "one man, one vote" here. Everyone who votes, does so through his or her guild, which helps elect guild officers and determine how that guild votes in the Council. The Council also elects the Politarchs and Judges.
2. Because there are guilds for women, too, but not as many as for men, women do have the franchise. However, they can't hold any office above guild offices. There are no female Politarchs or Judges. Some guilds, such as the Guild of Prostitutes, have female majorities, but still include male members and even officers at times. Prostitution doesn't carry any stigma in Posidonian society, and is simply seen as another craft.
3. Avarice/economic necessity is the guiding force/principle of Posidonian life, with everyone in pursuit of the Almighty Drachma.
4. Incest is illegal. It is viewed as a barrier to personal growth and independence, discouraging the economically beneficial institution of marriage.
5. Marital fidelity is not even a concern in Posidonis. There are so many men and women willing to use sex as a means to facilitate business that adultery carries no social consequences. Divorce is for things like abuse and fraud, not infidelity.
6. Remarriage is rare for both widows and divorcees. Widows traditionally do not want to insult their late husbands by implying that they weren't given enough to live on from their marriage, so they become mistresses. Divorcees are so unusual themselves that there is some assumption that the husbands were provoked, so remarriage is difficult. They tend to be mistresses or courtesans after divorce as well. There are very few grounds on which a man will divorce a woman, since they have to provide sizable dowries and they already paid the women to marry them in the first place. Negotiations for marriage do not formally include parents, since it is the financial welfare of the bride and groom at stake, not that of the parents.
7. Housewives have their own guild, and apprenticeship involves learning sexual techniques through the offices of the mentors' husbands. For this and other practical reasons, virgin brides are extremely abnormal in this society. Experience, rather than sexual purity, is highly preferred.
8. Marriage is viewed as a business matter, first and foremost, rather than a purely procreative, romantic, or sacred institution. It is an economic and social contract, at its heart, with emphasis on the former most of all. A woman's common sense and willingness to add to the household's prosperity and cooperate with her husband counts for more than her ability to please a man in bed, though that is a secondary factor, and experience helps, as noted. When a man really wants a good time, he seeks out a slave, prostitute, courtesan, or apprentice housewife.
9. Bisexuality is acceptable with both sexes, but not homosexuality. The former is not a threat to the tax and population, while the latter is, in the minds of Posidonians. What happens outside of the marriage bed doesn't count, as long as something happens inside of it often enough to result in children.
10. Raucous religious festivals are fine, as long as public order is maintained. Orgies are preferred to drunken brawls. Even the incest ban is lifted during religious rituals.
11. The army is purely mercenary, and dominated by bastard sons, much as the prostitutes are often bastard daughters.
12. Capital punishment is rare. Exile is far more common, and rarely lasts for life. Imprisonment is usually just to keep the peace for a short time.
13. Posidonian men are assumed to not be virgins by the age allowed in this board, so there will be no discussion of a young man losing his virginity.
14. Much like this board, Posidonians frown upon bestiality, scat, snuff, watersports, and other such things. BDSM doesn't exist yet, but some form of male or female dominance is acceptable, provided that it is informal.
15. The thread starter doesn't do scenes resulting in pregnancy, but already pregnant women are acceptable. Other posters are not so constrained. Just bear in mind that Posidonians regard the natural fathers as solely responsible for the duties of fatherhood, and that underage sex is not acceptable on this board.
16. It is acceptable to play priests, but bear in mind that priests and priestesses are expected to be celibate, on pain of exile for life. If you play, you must be willing to pay.
17. Most men are married, though no more faithful than their wives, as noted. Men take pride in being rich enough to provide for both wives and mistresses.
I know that these are a lot of rules, but I am going for consistency with the basic setting and more emphasis on ordinary Posidonians.
Including myself. I will play a professional soldier of mid-level rank, and as such will not expect my character to have special treatment. He is just the natural son of a rhetorician.
He is married, of course. Athenos, age 31, married for 11 years. Low-level officer in the army, since he can't inherit the family business. Son of a teacher and his courtesan. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Tall and lanky, but strong.
Post your bios below, if interested.
This SRP is set in the city-state of Posidonis, a commercial more than a military power, and a true plutocratic/mercantilist commonwealth rather than a democracy, monarchy, or tyranny.
There are relevant issues.
1. No one plays a Politarch, a member of the ruling executive body. The highest rank that one can play in this is a guild magistrate or deputy. The government is composed of the Council of Politarchs, the Council of Guilds, and the Council of Judges. These 3 councils form essentially three branches of government, but this isn't your classic republic. There is no "one man, one vote" here. Everyone who votes, does so through his or her guild, which helps elect guild officers and determine how that guild votes in the Council. The Council also elects the Politarchs and Judges.
2. Because there are guilds for women, too, but not as many as for men, women do have the franchise. However, they can't hold any office above guild offices. There are no female Politarchs or Judges. Some guilds, such as the Guild of Prostitutes, have female majorities, but still include male members and even officers at times. Prostitution doesn't carry any stigma in Posidonian society, and is simply seen as another craft.
3. Avarice/economic necessity is the guiding force/principle of Posidonian life, with everyone in pursuit of the Almighty Drachma.
4. Incest is illegal. It is viewed as a barrier to personal growth and independence, discouraging the economically beneficial institution of marriage.
5. Marital fidelity is not even a concern in Posidonis. There are so many men and women willing to use sex as a means to facilitate business that adultery carries no social consequences. Divorce is for things like abuse and fraud, not infidelity.
6. Remarriage is rare for both widows and divorcees. Widows traditionally do not want to insult their late husbands by implying that they weren't given enough to live on from their marriage, so they become mistresses. Divorcees are so unusual themselves that there is some assumption that the husbands were provoked, so remarriage is difficult. They tend to be mistresses or courtesans after divorce as well. There are very few grounds on which a man will divorce a woman, since they have to provide sizable dowries and they already paid the women to marry them in the first place. Negotiations for marriage do not formally include parents, since it is the financial welfare of the bride and groom at stake, not that of the parents.
7. Housewives have their own guild, and apprenticeship involves learning sexual techniques through the offices of the mentors' husbands. For this and other practical reasons, virgin brides are extremely abnormal in this society. Experience, rather than sexual purity, is highly preferred.
8. Marriage is viewed as a business matter, first and foremost, rather than a purely procreative, romantic, or sacred institution. It is an economic and social contract, at its heart, with emphasis on the former most of all. A woman's common sense and willingness to add to the household's prosperity and cooperate with her husband counts for more than her ability to please a man in bed, though that is a secondary factor, and experience helps, as noted. When a man really wants a good time, he seeks out a slave, prostitute, courtesan, or apprentice housewife.
9. Bisexuality is acceptable with both sexes, but not homosexuality. The former is not a threat to the tax and population, while the latter is, in the minds of Posidonians. What happens outside of the marriage bed doesn't count, as long as something happens inside of it often enough to result in children.
10. Raucous religious festivals are fine, as long as public order is maintained. Orgies are preferred to drunken brawls. Even the incest ban is lifted during religious rituals.
11. The army is purely mercenary, and dominated by bastard sons, much as the prostitutes are often bastard daughters.
12. Capital punishment is rare. Exile is far more common, and rarely lasts for life. Imprisonment is usually just to keep the peace for a short time.
13. Posidonian men are assumed to not be virgins by the age allowed in this board, so there will be no discussion of a young man losing his virginity.
14. Much like this board, Posidonians frown upon bestiality, scat, snuff, watersports, and other such things. BDSM doesn't exist yet, but some form of male or female dominance is acceptable, provided that it is informal.
15. The thread starter doesn't do scenes resulting in pregnancy, but already pregnant women are acceptable. Other posters are not so constrained. Just bear in mind that Posidonians regard the natural fathers as solely responsible for the duties of fatherhood, and that underage sex is not acceptable on this board.
16. It is acceptable to play priests, but bear in mind that priests and priestesses are expected to be celibate, on pain of exile for life. If you play, you must be willing to pay.
17. Most men are married, though no more faithful than their wives, as noted. Men take pride in being rich enough to provide for both wives and mistresses.
I know that these are a lot of rules, but I am going for consistency with the basic setting and more emphasis on ordinary Posidonians.
Including myself. I will play a professional soldier of mid-level rank, and as such will not expect my character to have special treatment. He is just the natural son of a rhetorician.
He is married, of course. Athenos, age 31, married for 11 years. Low-level officer in the army, since he can't inherit the family business. Son of a teacher and his courtesan. Brown hair, hazel eyes. Tall and lanky, but strong.
Post your bios below, if interested.
