On Thu, 26 Feb 1998, Randall W. Porter@6550 wrote:
> I've never quite understood the modern English dislike of the Normans. Why,
> after all this time is it still considered some sort of conquest?- some sort of
> blot on English national honor? Modern English are Norman- and Angle, and
> Saxon, and etc. etc. Why not hate the Danes? The Danelaw had to be just as
> bad for the subjegated as the Norman held areas.

But the Normans were _French_, and they came along and stole out
treasured Anglo-saxon freedom :) Why should we dislike the Danes? The
Vikings were Beer drinkers like the Anglo-saxons, and so were our
spiritual cousins. However detesting the French is at the core of the
English national psyche. Just look at how they've screwed us over with
tickets for the World Cup. And it's _our_ game. Etc Etc Etc

> Anyway, I have to agree that Anuirean peasents are a happier lot than
> RW serfs. Their opinion matters and they're free.

How much influence do the peasants (as a class) have in BR - I assume
that province loyalty is mainly the peasants rather than anyone else.

> Definately some Mallory for the noble heros.

I suspect that most of the nobility prefer to think of themselves this
way. I've been wondering about what thee legends of Anuire are -
presumably there have been legendary figure in addition to Haelyn/
Roele/ Michael Roele. Richard Endier?

> Tough, aggresive, scheming and backstabbing (Tancred anyone?) come to mind
> for me when I think of Norman nobles. The same adjectives often describe
> Anuirean nobles. Admittedly, I was thinking more of the "southern" Normans and
> their exploits in Italy and Syria than Bill the Pill and England.

I tend to think of Arthurian and Robin Hood [1] type stories when I'm
playing in Anuire (actually my character is planning to give one of the
others a round table around which to gather the bravest & most noble
knights of Anuire :).

neil

[1] Richard Coeur du Lion - he was French. And he was crap. ;) John
Lackland was a much better king.