One of the most common arguments against the Empire is the notions it has of human racial superiority and how it's a horrible, oppressive monster because of it (often ignoring the fact that when it comes to senses of racial superiority, the elves were/are just as bad about it.) Chaston's Edict, though, seems to be something that nobody will let the Empire live down.

In my mind (and therefore in Aydan's mind) the Empire that gave birth to the Edict isn't the same Empire that exists now. The verdict is probably still out on whether it was born out of a very real, substantiated threat from elven influences that would've wanted the Empire to fail, or if it was a political manipulation tool from the start (nothing says it couldn't have been both.) It certainly does reinforce a notion that Turamzzyr might be channeling the 40k Imperium in believing that the enemies of humanity would render them extinct were it not for the Empire keeping it from happening.

It seems to me that even if there was legitimate fear in the early days of elven interference, the Empire probably believed this for far longer than might've been needed, to the point that it can't separate itself from the myth it built. The Empire is too big and too powerful to need to fear the elves, especially since they still show no sign of reunifying anytime soon, regardless of whether or not the Empire really is as centralized as it would like to believe. A more legitimate fear is someone more like Cross, managing to hit at it outside of the context of what the Empire could've expected.

So do I think the Edict is an artifact of the past? Yes, and no. It certainly is in the sense of demonizing anyone not of pure human descent, and branding them as deivants. And there are certainly folks in power who never ran into a problem they couldn't solve by slaughtering a few scapegoats. And despite what others would try to claim, the Empire as a whole never has been hell-bent on eradicating, oppressing, and enslaving the other races (though the occasional rebellious barony might've tried.)

But something else the Edict spawned is a sense of nationalism and identity that humans as a whole lacked until the rise of Turamzzyr: they became a power unto themselves, capable of rivaling the elves and ensuring that humanity wouldn't be oppressed by outsiders ever again. Whether it is ultimately a good thing or not, it does make the notion of human supremacy pretty clear, that it is an Empire built by humans, for humans. And it never tried to claim it was anything else.

Aydan is obviously a proponent of this latter notion, with some leaning that the Edict itself was sound for its day, but some of its enforcement is a bit antiquated. But it formed the backbone of the Turamzzyrian identity, and probably couldn't separate itself from the Edict even if it tried.

So! Where do you, and your characters, fall in regard to the Edict?

It's always seemed to me that if you have a cultural premise of your own racial superiority, but the inferior people live for thousands of years (and have sharper senses than you, more magically adept than you, owned your ancestors as slaves, and are usually some form of arrogant), you're going to be breeding insecurities into some core beliefs just by keeping Elves around where they do not belong.

On the other hand, I think it's the half-elf document that mentions Elven insecurity with humans, because they recognize the round ears are not as inferior as they'd like to believe and do not want to admit it.

- Xorus' player

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>"'Cause there's a side to you, That I never knew, never knew; All the things you'd say, they were never true, never true. And the games you'd play, you would always win, always win. But I set fire to the rain, and I threw us into the flames. When it fell, something died, 'cause I knew that that was the last time, the last time!" - Adele the Aelotoi Bard

>So! Where do you, and your characters, fall in regard to the Edict?

I play a half-elf who considers herself human and an imperial citizen. For her the Edict gives her mixed feelings. Her back story as a sell-sword has had her traveling all throughout the empire. She has run into people who didn't mind that she was a half-elf and others who blatantly insulted and abused because of it.

She understands why the Edict is in place, years of oppression by a race who thinks they are more superior will change the stance of any race. She doesn't fault people for their stance, while it certainly wounds her when people call her out for her mixed heritage, she knows that it is a doctrine that has been ingrained in many parts of the empire.

Given her heritage she cannot fully embrace the edict, because it is staunchly against her. She believes that with her mindset and strict loyalty to the empire that others who embrace the edict, would certainly forgive her the fault of being mixed (she is an optimist.).

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You abruptly say, "I'd rather be eaten by a vathor than deal with a cuddly gnome."
Speaking knowingly to you, Rozy exclaims, "Am bet are good at snuggles, and cuddles and smoochifications!"
AIM: LadyViridian

>>Speaking of edict. There are elf only, giantman/dwarf only establishments. How about a human only establishment?

What do you think I'm trying to do with Wehnimer's Landing? HEHE! I KID, I KID!

That is interesting though, hah. Maybe a Bitter Bite tavern chain franchise for humans only? hehe



-GM Kenstrom-
Waylayer of Wehnimer's Landing
Human Guru
Giantmen Guru