I was working on some character dialog, and this little bit sounded so perfectly Eldrae…
“I only kneel before God and my wives. You’re neither. I might bow, but probably not.”
(And, in my head, this comes out in a very Hugh Laurie as House in the snark.)
I don’t think they kneel before their gods either.
I know, but I was trying to imply that they wouldn’t kneel before any temporal power. It would take true divinity, God as a verb sort of divine to consider kneeling, let alone carrying out the act.
Yeah, the gods would not be best pleased with that at all. You’re supposed to emulate them in order to grow, and there ain’t no god of groveling.
Yeah, but the whole semiotics are wrong. To quote a very early snippet:
“Whatever you may do at home, do not, under any circumstances, kneel. It is an insult that will kill you.”
There’s no context that turns it into a gesture of respect, because at home it’s always a gesture of “Fuck you, slaver,” and away from home it’s a signifier of people with (depending on which end of it they’re on) either overinflated or atrophied senses of self-worth.
Forgot about that, and I am chastised. Exact thirty degree bow at the waist, no longer than ten seconds, will not make the same mistake again.
If they were to ever run into the Dawn Empire, there would be issues, mostly over protocol.
You only kneel before the Empress, and then in only two circumstances-
1-The first time you meet her, because you’re acknowledging that you are in the presence of someone that can, on her own internal power, crack tectonic plates with a single strike. Come to the balk line, introduce yourself, no more than five seconds-less in insulting, more is trying to curry favor and she hates any soph trying to butter her up more than the insulting. At least the the insulting is honest-or at least ignorant. Stand, and never kneel again except in one other circumstance.
Basically, it’s the same reason why you’re polite in the equivalent of a Mark XXXIII Bolo in a very nice formal gown.
2-When she gets to use her “execute anyone single person, for any reason, once a standard year” card. If you have some dignity, you kneel so she can behead you easily. (And, she has to do it herself-she can’t farm it out.)
Otherwise, stand tall and respectfully, look her in the eye, be polite, and if she asks questions, give her honest answers. Good grammar and turn of phrase is fine, but never try to baffle with bullshit or tap-dance.
Hey, you spelt “eldrae” with a capital!