Talk:Tamerlane

At this point, I can't possibly clean this up to my satisfaction. I love the energy and the zeal and the detail, and I really hate to say anything because of the obvious work you've put in, but what you have created here is a city and it belongs in Fresia. I've held off and kind of tweaked here and there, especially because I don't know if these guys are critical to his plot or just a vanity project. But, I think that you let your heart and imagination run wild - which is awesome, btw - but I think you're thinking in the context of whatever you personally think is novel and interesting and not thinking about these guys in the context of a large, interconnected, and unified world, because it doesn't seem like you're giving a fiddler's whit to thoughts of setting or context. Having a barbarian tribe with a complex written constitution, five centuries of hereditary rule, a codified education system, a fully literate populace, and all the trappings of civilization flies in the very face of what it means to be a barbarian, and basically ignores the very role barbarian tribes are supposed to play. I think this whole article is very well written and organized, but there's no reason this wouldn't fit as a town somewhere, and every reason it doesn't fit as a barbarian tribe. And, it's not that I don't think these guys couldn't be revised into a state of suitable barbarism, but let's face it - and I'm not saying all barbarians need to be savages - there isn't the least bit barbarian about these guys. I mean, it's great content, but a lot of it is wildly incongruous with what the Ulan is supposed to represent. absalom 20:49, 5 May 2011 (EDT)

On the plus side, there is no stopping Fresian/Ulani barbarians from having accepted a more mainland Alexandrianism and becoming one of the many tribal princes that make up fresia today. Can we just cut and paste this into the story of the Tetalar family that rulse southeastern Fresia, or some more minor Fresian clan? Might have to shift the timeline back a bit, but it seems like a totally valid history for that area. Also, might put in a hook for some sort of vaguely Zuppanistic Alexandrian sect--if any country has it, Fresia seems like the best fit. --Msallen

FWiW, since I'm working under the assumption most the people on the early list are made up, why have gaps in the lineage? Oral history isn't reliable or authentic, and we can safely assume for an oral history stretching back 5,000 years (longer than all of REAL recorded history, it's worth pointing out), everything before the advent of writing is essentially fairy stories and why wouldn't later storytellers just elongate the reigns of already made up figures, or just invent new figures to add in with the already invented ones? -gm

Why would they have a motto? They can't even read. The whole POINT of being a barbarian is that you get to not worry about all that sissy heraldric bull-pucky those effeminate northmen concern themselves with. ;)

Heh, these guys are like only semi-barbarians at this point, threw in some flavor in the introduction to highlight how I suspect the more "traditional" barbarian tribes would view these guys. -gm

Also: the barbarians of the Ulan have a universal, symbolic written language created by Mikos Lygit, FWIW, even if only priests and higher-up mucky-mucks know it. -gm

Yup, I'm getting to that (the symbolic Mikos language). And they have a verbal history which is where the motto comes from. - Helen

Excellent. It's a pretty obscurely referenced tidbit, so I didn't know if you noticed it or not. absalom 15:55, 5 May 2011 (EDT)

Redacted History

These are the parts taken out from the history after 1000 FI:

As of 1401 FI, the current Chief of the Tamerlane is Bullstrode the Uniting.

The current Reis, Bullstrode the Uniting, assumed the Chiefdom in 1382 FI from his parents, Sumer the Stalwart and Odenia the Mindful, who are now both retired and elders. Bullstrode has recently become engaged to Dimendia Si'Lathe, the daughter of a blacksmith in Arabelle (and 15 years his junior).

The Old Code received major revisions in 772, and minor revisions in 1051 and in 1349 by Sumer the Stalwart.

The last chief and father of the current chief, Sumer the Stalwart, had his wife rule alongside him as Ekiz Reis or co-Chief.

Old Code Revisions:

• (1349 revision) A Reis or the advisers of the Reis may also appoint an Ekiz Reis to assume the roles of the Reis equally.

• (1349 revision) If there is an Ekiz Reis, the Ekiz Reis must approve entirely of the changes before the changes are presented to the Council of Elders.

• (1349 revision) and Ekiz Reis equally if one is appointed.

Members of the Council are bound to serve and protect the Reis (1349 revision) and Ekiz Reis if one is present (1051 revision) as well as uphold the culture, people, and traditions of the Tamerlane.

Lineage:

Dre the Solemn (992 FI - 1061 FI)

Connal the Completing (1011 FI - 1058 FI)

Sumer the Stalwart (1330 FI) & Odenia the Mindful (1336 FI) Bullstrode the Uniting (1362 FI)

I modified the revisions to the Old Code and the like so I could keep some of the history while staying within the timeline. --HelenAngel 16:21, 5 May 2011 (EDT)