It seems meet to offer some public comments in response to the lecture on Eorgina delivered by Traiva a few evenings ago. I regret that I have neglected the task for this long but I have been subdued by a staggering neurosis that some call alchemy.
First, I should note my surprise at the opportunity to attend a lecture while visiting Wehnimer’s Landing. I daresay that Rone’s township has fully transitioned from cultural wasteland to cultural backwater. It has long been my opinion that the best scholarship is created on the frontier but it is seldom properly appreciated there. Perhaps this event and others like it mark a sea change.
The core of Traiva’s lecture was a sympathetic portrayal of Eorgina as more than an aloof tyrant. This thesis, that Eorgina is a complex figure with a sorrowful personal history, is confirmed by the accepted Lornon Cycle. It makes sense to develop a meditation on major Eorginan themes: dominance, solitude, longing. It is my belief that the Arkati serve us best as a sort of thought experiment because of their singular tendency toward extremes. Worship of the “gods” is not customary among my people and I have outlined elsewhere why I believe it to be an unreasonable exercise. A reflection on Eorgina may, however, provide some insight into our own psyche and the need for a rightly ordered society. In this way knowledge of the Arkati becomes a useful pursuit even if I judge their worship as nonsensical as it is popular. It has always been the province of the groveling classes to innovate ways of spending their free time groveling yet more.
Eorgina is intriguing, in part, because she demonstrates that the right understanding and use of power is not foreign to women. This truth is reflected in history through the successful Matriarchy of Nikasha Pavanti Faendryl. Here, once more, we see that an extreme and highly abstract concept is represented by Eorgina but only brought to fruition through the historical development of Faendryl civilization.
Silvean Rashere
SILVEAN
WEREBEAST
Re: Eorgina Lecture
01/01/2013 06:39 PM CST
On an OOC note, I have to say that the Eorgina 'discussion/lecture' was a massive waste of time. Outside of the fact people like Demyse couldn't shut up for more than 3 seconds through-out the ordeal, speaking out of turn and being generally disrespectful to Traiva, Traiva herself gave a recap of the lore documents in brief and staggered fashion that ultimately inspired no introspection or thought besides a general presentation of the facts.
In the future, it would be great to see an Eorgina worshipper really step up and attempt the same thing again, but with some level of structure and formality to the ordeal (I find it amusing that at a lecture on Eorgina noone could keep any semblance of control over the crowd) and to actually touch on the supposed topic of wether she is or is not a sympathetic figure. I don't think pointing out "someone she loved died" and "she missed the boat on snatching up Koar" do much of anything to paint a sympathetic figure any more than kissing babies helps a politician's image. Sure we can all relate to it, but very few of us become dark tyrants over it. There should be more to the discussion, such as the necessity of those facets in society, how flexible morality can be construed, etc.
TL-DR; Someone should do that Eorgina discussion again with a coherent focus and approach, and less people disrupting it.
SHAYD11
Re: Eorgina Lecture
01/02/2013 08:32 AM CST
To be fair it was a mentor event and mentor topics tend to be more for new players and invite questions. I dont think it would have been appropriate for her to be casting silence and killing people for joining in the discussion. Its like you're barging into a 7th grade algebra class and complaining its not calculus and how rudimentary it is. By all means, if you want a more involved lecture/discussion about Eorgina, step up and give one. It would probably work better than poo pooing on someone elses work.
IRVINETOMOE
Re: Eorgina Lecture
01/02/2013 12:31 PM CST
I definitely think there needed to be Silence. As an audience member, I almost told people to shut up, because it was seriously distracting from Traiva's already slow paced lecture. However, I considered it to be rude to overstep MY bounds as a listener (and not a mentor) so I said nothing. I kind of wish I had.
I have a feeling that with a more receptive audience (as well as one that didn't need the lore reviewed), Traiva would have been able to elaborate further upon her points, but it went pretty long as it was.
Its also the case that some people have a hard time doing lectures and thinking on the fly, and without writing it down ahead of time, it can be hard to turn a concept that you've developed into a speech. Especially when there is so much screen scroll that there are literally pages between every sentence you say.
I felt that Traiva's angle of presenting Eorgina was relevant, but overshadowed by an hour of exposition and the scroll. I don't think her point was off or insufficient, but was undercut severely by other factors. It seemed to me that the concept of "losing someone she loved" IS perfectly relevant for painting her as sympathetic. I think there is a huge amount of sympathy and insult in her story; she submitted to no arkati but Koar, and out of something resembling love and respect, she actually was willing to put herself below him (remember, this is a power hungry and arrogant person we are talking about). In other words, a goddess who's defining characteristic is dominating others was willing to be submissive to another, and then he picked someone else over her. The feeling of degradation she must have felt, and rejection, shattered her galaxy sized ego. It is no wonder she has turned into who she is now.
I would attend another lecture, even one by Traiva, if it would dispense with the backstory and begin a discourse on the psychology and motivations. And I'd agree, if you think so poorly of Traiva's lecture skills, then present the next one yourself. I'll come.
I have a feeling that with a more receptive audience (as well as one that didn't need the lore reviewed), Traiva would have been able to elaborate further upon her points, but it went pretty long as it was.
Its also the case that some people have a hard time doing lectures and thinking on the fly, and without writing it down ahead of time, it can be hard to turn a concept that you've developed into a speech. Especially when there is so much screen scroll that there are literally pages between every sentence you say.
I felt that Traiva's angle of presenting Eorgina was relevant, but overshadowed by an hour of exposition and the scroll. I don't think her point was off or insufficient, but was undercut severely by other factors. It seemed to me that the concept of "losing someone she loved" IS perfectly relevant for painting her as sympathetic. I think there is a huge amount of sympathy and insult in her story; she submitted to no arkati but Koar, and out of something resembling love and respect, she actually was willing to put herself below him (remember, this is a power hungry and arrogant person we are talking about). In other words, a goddess who's defining characteristic is dominating others was willing to be submissive to another, and then he picked someone else over her. The feeling of degradation she must have felt, and rejection, shattered her galaxy sized ego. It is no wonder she has turned into who she is now.
I would attend another lecture, even one by Traiva, if it would dispense with the backstory and begin a discourse on the psychology and motivations. And I'd agree, if you think so poorly of Traiva's lecture skills, then present the next one yourself. I'll come.
GELSTONJ
Re: Eorgina Lecture
01/02/2013 05:14 PM CST
We always have some vocal individuals at mentor events and at times it can be hard to carry on a thought and that can really be expected at an event that discusses any of the Arkati. We can only request people to please remain silent, but if a player is wanting to make comments or ask questions, there isn't a great deal we can do about that. Please remember, Traiva is a player just like you and I are and she devoted her time and effort to come up with this. I assure you, from every one of these we do, we learn. Don't rule out any future lectures/events/etc because you didn't like this one. That being said, constructive criticism is good, but I beg of you, please keep it constructive.
~James
Player of Septimius
~James
Player of Septimius
