5.12.07

Understanding the Bolitic Confederacy (2) : Culture

Some may say Bolitic culture can be defined by one word : "war" or "violence" but in reality it is a little bit more complicated than that, however it is true that Bolitic culture is geared around warfare and combat. It is thought that the early Boliticians, when they were cut off from their homeland, had to struggle to survive on the rather bleak planet of Castarian and this struggle has influenced the society that came out of the colonist's survivors.

Bolitic society is based on the barony system, everyone has to be aligned to a baron (those living in non-baronial areas by default are aligned to the Emperor). The centre of life in each barony is the Baronial Residence which has 2 sides to it : civilian and military. All soldiers must approach the residence from the Fighting Gate side. Even in warfare enemy forces will not approach a residence from the civilian side even though this would give them a great advantage. Nowadays discreet security sensors are placed on the civilian side as aliens cannot be expected to follow the Boliticians' quirks.

Respect for authority is a key part of Bolitican culture, however also Bolitican knights and barons are expected be ambitious and seek to defeat their peers. Barons plot to defeat other barons and ultimately overthrow the Emperor so although the other barons respect the Emperor they all want to kill him. The Boliticians are a rather contradictory lot.

Slavery is a large part of Bolitican life, prisoners of war are automatically made slaves though can purchase their freedom, aliens are not so fortunate and countless alien slaves are hurled into Bolitican wars. There is no respect for the lower levels in society, knights care not if they send their squires into a suicidal battle and don't even bat an eyelid if thousands of alien slaves die.