fandomhigh | Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #2

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Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #2 - Thursday, May 21st

Miss Bennet was followed into class by a small trail of tiny Canadian moose. They were adorable and wobbly, and Miss Bennet had to resist the urge to cuddle them. That would not be terribly proper, she reminded herself.

"Today," she said, "I ask that you pay no attention to the delightful moose that have graced us with their presence, unless of course you have food on your person that might be shared with them. In that case, I will ask your assistance in providing our guests with an early lunch. I fear I did not prepare for moose, today.

"Instead, we are to speak of taboos. All cultures have them. In any society, there are certain things one Does Not Discuss. Sometimes there are conditions; one might discuss that topic with a confidante, but not in mixed company. Or one might refer to such things at an evening out, but not while sitting in the pews the next morning at church. These unwritten rules can be confusing to those who have no prior knowledge of the culture, and transgressing them will carry a heavy price."

"So. How is one to avoid breaking rules, when one has not been informed of them?" Miss Bennet smiled generously at her students. "I did say this would be practical etiquette. Today, we will assume that somehow, you have been placed into a society very different from your own, and are hoping to make a good impression -- or at least, enough of a good impression that you are not ostracized, or worse. Where do we begin?

"A good starting point is to avoid those things which are generally improper in most societies -- the specifics of bodily functions, for one, or the particulars of one's romantic encounters. Another is to avoid saying something unpleasant about others. The elder of the tribe may seem a bit dim to you, but he is possibly a much-respected wise man, and making a joke at his expense will earn you scorn.

"An interesting complication to this point is that, again, such matters can be highly cirumstantial. Let us say that your new friend himself made an unkind comment about the tribe elder. This does not mean that you are free to return his comment with one of your own. Familiarity allows for a great many indulgences, ones that are not extended to strangers. You are a guest in this culture; you have not earned the right to treat its members with fond irreverence."

"What will help is to watch the culture's euphemisms. For example, if everyone wears long sleeves and refers awkwardly to their 'arm joints' in hushed voices, then perhaps there is some taboo in that culture surrounding the elbow, and it would be unwise to use the word 'elbow' freely, or to bare your own arms. If everyone refers obliquely to 'acquiring nourishment later,' and takes food back to their own individual rooms quite secretively, then perhaps you should refrain from having lunch where others can observe you. A great deal can be learned from what isn't said.

"Therefore, today's activities. First, I will share a number of euphemisms from my own culture, and each of you may guess what the phrasing refers to, and what the subject in question is. Once that is discovered, we can theorize on what it means that those particular topics inspire indirect language. After that, you will share some of your own euphemisms, and attempt to discern the meaning behind one another's phrases. If your culture does not have any handy euphemisms, you may invent some, so long as the phrasing is somewhat logical. Otherwise the exercise becomes entirely unfair."

One of the moose was investigating Miss Bennet's feet, and she couldn't help laughing. "After that, I will be taking my small guests to lunch, lest they eat my shoes. Shall we begin?"

Not just yet, it would seem; first, there was a knock at the door.

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"What are harpies like in your world?" Leto has to ask, because if they were anything like those who had invaded Fandom that was clearly an insult.

"Harpies are a form of demon-dead witches," Karla explained awkwardly. "A Harpy is a Harpy because of the way she died."

Of course it was the way she died that made it a euphemism.

"So the euphemism means she is risking her life in a particular way?" Leto asked.

That was close enough for Karla. "Yes. Her actions and behaviors seem to be courting the kind of death that would make her a Harpy." An innate sense of fairness and compassion for her Sisters forced her to add, "Though it's doubtful most Harpies deserved the death they got. I doubt many of them would have earned the appellation in life that they received in death."

"And exactly what kind of death makes her a Harpy?" Leto was curious enough to ask.

Karla looked him directly in the eyes. "She died at a male's hands."

She decided to leave out the 'horribly' part. Which was like politeness.

"That is all?" He met her eyes. "If one is to get killed it's a fifty percent chance, then."

"Many of the Blood do not make the transition to demon-dead. They fade into the Darkness instead." Especially since most people who had a habit of killing others was smart enough to finish the kill. "Fading into the Darkness is itself another euphemism, one I didn't think of as such until now."

Why no, that wasn't said to distract him at all.

Clearly she was. Leto considered which path to pursue, and decided for both.

"What decides whether they make the transition or whether they 'fade into the Darkness'? And what does the latter mean?"

"Members of the Blood become demon-dead when they still have enough psychic strength to make the transition. Their bodies rise again after death, and usually they goes to Hell and lives out the rest of their time in the forever-twilight. One of our greatest artists, Dujae, only became known after his death. Descent into Hell is amazing. Fading into the Darkness occurs once their psychic strength is exhausted, either seconds or centuries after their bodies' deaths. Their personalities fade, and they experience the true death."

She paused for a minute, wondering if she should continue. Well, he had asked. "A Hapry is a witch who dies horribly. Her murder is commited with more than a hint of cruelty. To become a Harpy she must suffer before she dies and suffer long. Often, she will expend all of her psychic strength resisting whatever was done to her. If she doesn't, if she makes the transition and she rises again, she is a Harpy. They are more cunning and more volatile than the other demon-dead and they despise males."

"I see," Leto said. There were still things that didn't quite make sense, but nothing that really belonged to the topic of today's class.

Karla raised an eyebrow. "Do you?" Her question was genuine, not challenging.

"Some of the concepts are still unclear," he admitted. "But I understand the euphemism." He gave her a smile.

Karla nodded, "Some of those concepts probably aren't fit for polite conversation anyway."

She smiled. "I'm Karla, by the way."

"Leto Atreides," he replied. "And many important things are not. That doesn't mean they cannot be talked about, outside polite conversation."

"True," she agreed. "In fact, most of which is fit for polite conversation isn't actually important." Which was one of the multiplicity of reasons Karla disliked the concept.

And then she remembered why his name sounded so familiar. "I've heard of you. You do the Reserves thing with Tony and Dinah."

"I organise it together with Arthur Pendragon," he replied. "And Dinah is a good friend of mine." Leaving out Tony probably made it clear that he wasn't.

"They're my cabinmates," Karla said, subtle nuances of interpersonal relationships going right over her head. "And we all tried out for the play together."

"How are you organized?"

"The organisation isn't strict," Leto replied. "Anyone is welcome to join and offer what skills they have. Are you interested?"

"I had an idea or two," she admitted. "But the magic users are meeting tomorrow and I'm going to be busy with the mutlicultural fair."

Ah, the magic users. "I'm sure you can talk to Tony and Merlin some other time," he said. "And if they don't listen, tell me."

"I will. Tony is my cabinmate, so I won't be lacking for opportunities. And from what little I saw of Merlin at the Beltane party, he didn't seem too bossy to listen to me."

"So you and Arthur are in charge of physical defenses then?" Speaking of someone too bossy to listen...

"We are," Leto said. Had Arthur managed to insult this girl too?

"I'm afraid I won't be much help there," Karla said. ~~I'm not at the point in canon where I become utterly kick ass with weapons~~ "I can use a hunting knife and that's about it."

"That is enough. But you use magic too?" Leto asked.

Practical Etiquette, Period 3, Class #2 - Thursday, May 21st

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