More topics for discussion

I've added these to the Twine page and would like to get talking about them on here:

Ideas and plans

• Interworld common language - this isn't just a thing of authorly convenience; some geeks spend time and vast amounts of coffee making this. Who (apart from several rich brown nations on Shade) is going to be joining in funding this?
• Some kind of interworld common law drafted, including things like neutrality. Who if anyone would fund this? Which worlds recognise/sign up to it?
• Organisation of self-styled interworld peacekeepers forms off the back of this common law (the working-titled "Twine" organisation). What resources? Does anyone recognise them? Who would be funding such people? If they ever become more than a joke, what impact will they have as a faction?

I'm also working on writing up a brief summary of my universe - partly for a friend who wants to read more about my stuff and finds the Twine Encyc. pretty chaotic. Which it is. So that will give a rundown of my existing War-involveds, currently numbering only three.

Yrn would definitely chip in with some geeks to work out Intercommon. Otherwise, I have no idea, because I have no idea what happens...

The Iron Flag isn't particularly interested in talking.. not that they don't want to be able to talk, they just don't really mind either way. They find that soldiers in the field pick up the native language, or at least something approximating it, pretty damn fast anyway, and that's generally enough for them.

Felix, however, will be all geeky about it, probably get Val to twist the arms of some rich friends of theirs to put in some private funding.

Law is another matter entirely. The Flag makes a point of being polite about beating people up and taking their stuff. They'd be one of the first to suggest interworld common law, especially neutrality and war crimes. I, as the author, want there to be war crime laws because that'll make it more interesting when Felix and Val inevitably flaunt them.

Peacekeepers is a good thing for plot, but would stay firmly in the 'joke' category for most of the open hostilities part of the story, methinks. The major powers won't have time to be dealing with that tomfoolery; any policing that happens will probably be on an honor and/or might makes right basis.

Agreed for the law and peacekeepers parts. As I've mentioned to Anke, I have ideas concerning war crime laws and the future. (I'd rather talk about those privately to avoid spoilering everyone, plus not immediately relevant.)

Given that it's a magic-enabled universe, the penalties in general for flouting this interworld law are going to be interesting and probably tailored to each (serious) criminal.

Oh. Thing I'd like to point out; We as the authors may have more 'enlightened' views of the subject; however, the Flag would not agree to a list of war crimes including looting, rapine etc; at least not of cities that required a fight to take; surrendered cities etc will be a topic of discussion at the treaty table, I imagine. Some captains may demand that of their soldiers, but the Iron Flag knows perfectly well that its men are only human, at best (at worst, they're *soldiers.* Ick) and its success relies on keeping them happy. It's not very nice, but they aren't trying to be the good guys, really, not at first; They try and make up for the bad things that happen in a conquest by being good rulers later, but they won't try and make the conquest not horrible; It's just going to be, if it has to be fought. Soldiers who've seen their friends die around them aren't the most forgiving and sweet of buggers.

I'm happy to try and hash out a list of what crimes a interworld treaty on such might come up with, Mutt. Email is probably better than IM for getting a hold of me privately lately. And of course I'm sure Eodea's nations will have something to say on the matter too; Anke, feel free to email me too if you like. We'll probably forward relevant parts to you anyway, I'm sure.

I wasn't imagining them being excessively squeamish and Human Rights Court, to be honest.

Expect parts of Shade to be a bit different on certain crimes where armies have large proportions of women.

You know, I think most email clients and such are capable of sending one email to more than one recipient...

Oh, joy, the only culture of Eodea for which I have any idea of what they consider acceptable in wars is so provincial it probably will not play any role. Plus what Mutt said about not all armies being boys' clubs.

Blah.

Hey guys, Sorry I haven't been getting back to ya on those emails yet; They're starred and in my War label on gmail, I've just been stupid busy. My studio paper is all handed in now, though, so will probably, hopefully end up writing them in my procrastinating time this week while I'm writing my assignments.