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Most of the tattoos on the Loroi seem to be tribal in nature. Do they have other styles, say like animals or a male they had a really good experience with?

SaintofM wrote:Most of the tattoos on the Loroi seem to be tribal in nature. Do they have other styles, say like animals or a male they had a really good experience with?

Tattoos aren't that common among Loroi, but I'm sure there are a wide variety of styles.

Attachment to a particular male is frowned upon in Loroi society, so it would be considered pretty weird to get a tattoo associated with a particular male.

GeoModder wrote:

Arioch wrote:If your peers and teachers saw fit to give you an especially auspicious spoken name like "Tempest," it would presumably be because they thought you were pretty hot stuff. That might present a burden of high expectations to live up to, but in general I think it would be considered a profound honor and vote of confidence from one's peers.

I don't suppose Tempo was diral leader back in her days?

Stillstorm must've been quiet as a child then… seemingly at first impression then.

Corrected the quote, it's a quote from Arioch, and not Dragoongfa.

Also, regarding Stillstorm: Still waters run deep.
Once the deep forces surface, you're in for a storm.
(Was once said about me by a teacher.)

And we already know that Fireblade's mental image is red coloured, like a fire. At least the artist's impression of Alex's "connection" was shown in red.

Are the Unsheathed amplifiers manufactured by the loroi, and is that why Fireblade's amplifier is different from the other two unsheathed on page 22,25 and 26? (Ie, she's from a different homeworld than the two others and the shape of the amplifiers is due to different designs being produced on different worlds?)
Or is the shape determined and a signifier of rank?
Or do different unsheathed require different amplifiers?

boldilocks wrote:Are the Unsheathed amplifiers manufactured by the loroi, and is that why Fireblade's amplifier is different from the other two unsheathed on page 22,25 and 26? (Ie, she's from a different homeworld than the two others and the shape of the amplifiers is due to different designs being produced on different worlds?)
Or is the shape determined and a signifier of rank?
Or do different unsheathed require different amplifiers?

The Teidar amplifiers are custom-made for each individual.

Arioch wrote: The Teidar amplifiers are custom-made for each individual.

It looks like Fireblade's amplifier has 2 connections, but appearantly Ashrain's is lnly connected to one side. Has this to do with the sort of 'powers' the device is supposed to amplify?

GeoModder wrote:It looks like Fireblade's amplifier has 2 connections, but appearantly Ashrain's is lnly connected to one side. Has this to do with the sort of 'powers' the device is supposed to amplify?

The varying designs of the amps reflect differences in the users, both in terms of abilities and power; in general, a smaller amp suggests lower power levels. Ashrain was probably of a lower PK power level to begin with (or they might not have consented to let her transfer out of the Teidar), but I think it's also likely that she's wearing a scaled-back version that is primarily a telepathic amp, as she doesn't have too much need for lethal PK in her new job as a captain (she doesn't subscribe to the Darth Vader school of personnel management).

How often do Teidar even make use of their TK-amplifiers? Apart from the rare boarding action, I'm having a hard time coming up with a scenario in which an ordinary Soroin couldn't do just as well.
Wouldn't somebody with Fireblades abilities not be of more use as a Gallen?

I think that the explanation is in the name of the caste itself: Unsheathed.

Always ready for a fight, no matter when, who or what.

"...we don't care whose ass we kick, if we're ever all alone, we'll just stand in front of a mirror, and try to kick our own."

Arioch wrote:The varying designs of the amps reflect differences in the users, both in terms of abilities and power; in general, a smaller amp suggests lower power levels. Ashrain was probably of a lower PK power level to begin with (or they might not have consented to let her transfer out of the Teidar), but I think it's also likely that she's wearing a scaled-back version that is primarily a telepathic amp, as she doesn't have too much need for lethal PK in her new job as a captain (she doesn't subscribe to the Darth Vader school of personnel management).

Also known as the best school of personnel management

Werra wrote:How often do Teidar even make use of their TK-amplifiers? Apart from the rare boarding action, I'm having a hard time coming up with a scenario in which an ordinary Soroin couldn't do just as well.

The job of shipboard security is about more than fighting the enemy; it's also about internal security. US Navy carriers have Marines on board, but I don't think there has ever been a case of a US carrier being boarded. I feel quite sure that they're there mainly to keep the ship's own crew in line... and maybe secondarily for shore control situations.

I would imagine that a security officer who can kill or incapacitate you just by looking at you is a significant deterrent to misbehavior.

There are only a few Teidar on board ships (there are only three, I believe, on Tempest). The numbers in infantry units would be larger... but they aren't seeing much action lately either.

Werra wrote:Wouldn't somebody with Fireblades abilities not be of more use as a Gallen?

Wrecking things isn't very useful for a technician; Fireblade doesn't have the fine control over her PK to do intricate work with it. But in general I'm not sure that PK is much of an advantage for a mechanic... maybe you could occasionally pick up that screw or access a part that you can see but can't reach, but for most of the work I think hands and tools (and mechanical assistants) will be just as effective as PK manipulation. PK's with a lethal level of power are usually claimed for Teidar; those who don't respond well to amplification and/or have high telepathy power may be claimed for Mizol, and those who don't fit either category usually just default back to whatever caste they would have been to begin with (their mother's caste). Some may end up as Gallen, but I think technical aptitude is more important, so you'll find low-power PK's in all walks of life.

I'd be more worried about the sergeants reading my thoughts, than I'd be about them crushing me with their minds. :/ But maybe the Loroi are a lot more callous when it comes to enforcing authority. How do they compare to something like the British Navy of Sir Francis Drake in regards to discipline and punishments?

Arioch wrote:But in general I'm not sure that PK is much of an advantage for a mechanic.

Disagree, but it depends on what kind of work one does. Anything that's delicate is better done with tools, but the rough work that involves banging something until it fits, or work in zero G, or just the ability to heat and bend metal at will seem pretty handy for a mechanic. Doubly so if that saves on tools or time that can be used for other things.

Arioch wrote:but I think it's also likely that she's wearing a scaled-back version that is primarily a telepathic amp, as she doesn't have too much need for lethal PK in her new job as a captain (she doesn't subscribe to the Darth Vader school of personnel management).

Man, I hate it when I try to half-ass something in MSPaint, and end up spending 20 minutes in gimp to try to make it slightly better with very little return.

Werra wrote:I'd be more worried about the sergeants reading my thoughts, than I'd be about them crushing me with their minds. :/ But maybe the Loroi are a lot more callous when it comes to enforcing authority. How do they compare to something like the British Navy of Sir Francis Drake in regards to discipline and punishments?

The British Navy at the time of Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth of England?

Werra wrote:I'd be more worried about the sergeants reading my thoughts, than I'd be about them crushing me with their minds. :/ But maybe the Loroi are a lot more callous when it comes to enforcing authority. How do they compare to something like the British Navy of Sir Francis Drake in regards to discipline and punishments?

I think that some of the harsh nature of English discipline in that era had a lot to do with the need to keep mostly-conscripted crews in line, and to maintain the class division between the officers and crew. The Loroi have an inherently martial culture, and misbehavior is not tolerated; however, Loroi warriors are all volunteers who worked hard to get where they are, and they are all of the same social class and are afforded a certain amount of respect by their leaders... so there is not a need for regular floggings or a daily rum ration to maintain order. However, breach of discipline, especially under fire, will draw swift and (where appropriate) occasionally lethal correction.

GeoModder wrote:

Werra wrote:I'd be more worried about the sergeants reading my thoughts, than I'd be about them crushing me with their minds. :/ But maybe the Loroi are a lot more callous when it comes to enforcing authority. How do they compare to something like the British Navy of Sir Francis Drake in regards to discipline and punishments?

The British Navy at the time of Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth of England?

For us Americans, Britain = England. We gave up caring sometime around 1776 or so.

To be fair, that distinction might become important again here in a few years.

Well, it is a distinction my English teachers hammered on.
British Isles, Greater Britain, Britain, Ireland (Island)
Ireland (State, Republic of), United Kingdom, Norther Ireland, Wales, Scotland, British Channel Islands, England, Isle of Man (which is Crown territory, but does not form part of the UK nor the British Overseas Territories), ...
...

Similar to the distinction between the Netherlands, and Holland. Just a lot more complex, and sometimes nearly unexplainable without going into the history of why a certain territory does form part or not of the Crown, and/or the United Kingdom, and/or the Commonwealth, and/or British Overseas territories ...

It's terribly interesting, but nowadays it's a Wikipedia time drain to start looking at that...

Krulle wrote:Well, it is a distinction my English teachers hammered on.
It's terribly interesting, but nowadays it's a Wikipedia time drain to start looking at that...

A true word.

orion1836 wrote:

GeoModder wrote:

Werra wrote:I'd be more worried about the sergeants reading my thoughts, than I'd be about them crushing me with their minds. :/ But maybe the Loroi are a lot more callous when it comes to enforcing authority. How do they compare to something like the British Navy of Sir Francis Drake in regards to discipline and punishments?

The British Navy at the time of Sir Francis Drake and Queen Elizabeth of England?

For us Americans, Britain = England. We gave up caring sometime around 1776 or so.

It has still been the Royal Navy all the time we've had monarchs.

It was only the English Navy during the Commonwealth. i.e. when we had a Lord Protector instead. Which pretty much means only the First Anglo-Dutch war.

Nelson would be a better comparison than Drake (since he mostly lead privateers rather than a professional navy), especially considering that post Bounty mutiny William Blighe commanded HMS Glatton at the Battle of Copenhagen.