Guild of Anthropology

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 01, 2007 3:17 pm

Ok, I've been thinking about this for awhile now. As Khorax had mentioned in another thread there doesn't seem to be a place for us anthropologists who want to study the "human" life and cultures of other Ages. So, what I'd like to do is find out if there is an interest in this study and see if this sort of guild could fly. As of the moment, it's just an idea, though I'd like to see it go farther.

Throughout the Ages there have mostly been cultures out there that we know nothing about. So, through this guild, hopefully, like-minded members could help study these cultures, through the 4 areas of Anthropology: Linguistics, Archaeology, Cultural Anthropology, and Physical Anthropology.

Wouldn't it be neat to find out how, when, and why the peoples on Eder Gira lived and died? Or Kemo? Or any other Age we may get that have had a populace that have left behind their material culture? Or, if they happen to be still occupying a place in the Age, the study of their culture would be great! Or...even more study on the D'ni themselves, perhaps limited to outside Ages as many guilds and societies want what they can get as it is.

But...here's the deal....I personally do not know what the interest is out there. So, if anyone interested in this proposal please post here or PM me. Another item...I know nothing about websites, web design, or even how to even GET a webpage so someone with this knowledge would be helpful to have as well if there's enough interest.

Ian Atrus · **Posted:** Sat Sep 01, 2007 4:37 pm

I bugged Marie several times about anthropology, since it's supposed to be her field, but she made it pretty clear that the DRC hasn't been making any research in the field since they came back. OOC, that means that any anthropology study made by explorers will have to rely on what little already appears in game, which is definitely not much.

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Sat Sep 01, 2007 5:48 pm

I suppose that's true....Maybe they just need a better outlet.

Seriously, though, it would be nice to have something setup in case Cyan is able to poor more resources into the game. Maybe having the guild around without a website until resources are better...or /shrug? I dunno, I can make things up pretty well. :wink:

Khorax · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:33 am **Posts:** 26

Ouch. I'm sorry to hear that there haven't been too many advances in this feild. I'm sure that it would provide a lot of the explorers, not only with something to do, but something to discuss, and really give the cavern they feel that they are exploring an ancient and lost civilization. With that as a note, I'd like to add that I love the game so far. Even if we don't have one of the DRC members appearing to give the information, little tidbits (like pottery) could serve as an anthrological puzzle leading to an interesting conclusion.

Just a thought.

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Sun Sep 02, 2007 3:54 am

Oh, yea, any tidbit would be nice. A whole lifestyle could be defined by a piece of pottery, but, alas, the whole idea of an anthro guild already seems doomed :cry:

Aeris · **Joined:** Thu May 11, 2006 8:42 pm **Posts:** 35

I wouldn't have the time for it, but if others did, I think a Guild Of Anthropology would have something to offer. I think there is quite a lot in the game and books that some could go through if they had an interest. In the cavern alone, there are inscriptions, hieroglyphs everywhere, and so many journals, I haven't even read them all. The "little tidbits" here and there could come together in an interesting way. And isn't that how some sciences are done - sifting through months of material just to find one relevant fact? Sounds to me like the DRC has just been too busy to focus on that.

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 2:44 pm

You're right, Aeris, in some places there may be some pertinent info on some cultures, right now, though I can only think of journals that talk about the garden ages and how the people there were run out or killed, very little about their culture, the only material culture we see is on Gira, the beehive-type residential structures, which out of that one could say they used those types of huts to collect the steam from the vents for some form of energy.

Um....let's see what else, in the king's journals they talk about Pento. They may have been a tribal warrior-type of people, but not too sure. Pento is on the DRC list so perhaps, someday, we may get glimpse of that Age and maybe some material culture from the Pento peoples.

In the books we get Atrus going to other Ages and involving those peoples with Atrus' wiles. We get most our info about other cultures there, not much, but there is some. We do have info on the Rivenese....and a little info on Miriam's tribe, too. The Rivenese seem mostly a fishing peoples, at least in the past, and liked people to knock 5 times on their doors before answering (whether that was Gehn's doing or not, dunno). And I would have to go back and read about Miriam's tribe I don't remember enough about at this point.

But, mostly we get D'ni history and culture and journals and stories about other cultures from the D'ni. Which makes sense since this is a game about the D'ni.

However, I guess at this point one person could just go through all the material that is available and put together what is there.

Ian Atrus · **Posted:** Mon Sep 03, 2007 4:10 pm

Monkeyboy wrote:

journals that talk about the garden ages and how the people there were run out or killed

Just a reminder that Kemo is *not* Shomat's garden Age, as it was written several thousand of years later.

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2007 1:11 am

Whoa! Fatal error already! Hence the whole reason for having others as proof-readers! Thanks Ian Atrus!

Khorax · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 4:33 am **Posts:** 26

So.. I propose an idea.. a concept, then. Until we are certain where they may fall, it may be best to set up a Anthropological group. This group would be dedicated to cultures related to D'Ni and various Ages, with a focus on everything from history to the day-to-day lifestyles. I love the idea of this and may set up a forum elsewhere. I only have one difficulty -- Time.

My work requires a lot of time, although I have no problems with using the forums, I won't be able to log on but about an hour at a time on weekdays (three if I /really/ push it). We'd need to assure that we have some members, and perhaps to secure a Bevin. I like structure and organization, but I don't want this to be a guild.. not yet. Until we see what the guilds are like, it may be best to wait.

Any additional thoughts/opinions? I suppose we should see how much of a following this idea would have.

ces · **Posted:** Tue Sep 04, 2007 8:12 pm

Ian Atrus wrote:

"I bugged Marie several times about anthropology, since it's supposed to be her field, but she made it pretty clear that the DRC hasn't been making any research in the field since they came back. OOC, that means that any anthropology study made by explorers will have to rely on what little already appears in game, which is definitely not much."

OK, Marie says that the DRC hasn't been conducting field research. Does that stop her from assisting and/or joining Explorers who do?

If you don't want to create an actual guild yet, then maybe you could create a Anthropology Study Group that may or may not morph into a guild. And if you get interested Explorers they could specialize in a particular time frame, age, subject (e.g., anthropological study of cats), theme, etc rather than just being a "generalist."

I don't know how many Explorers actually visit the Guild Forum, so you might put a post in the General discussion forum announcing the idea with a link to this forum.

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Wed Sep 05, 2007 12:35 am

Time is always the bug, isn't it? I think that may be a good way to start out, slower than going right into it, good thinking Khorax. If you end up setting up a forum better let us in on it :wink:

And if all goes well, I may look into setting up a full fledged site (after a little research on the how's, when's and how much's) to at least list what has been put together if anything at all.

You're right, too, ces...we should put a link up and if it is possible to actually get enough members, (how many is enough?) then we could get more detailed if the info is there. Right now though, the info is limited to the items I've discussed above. But, hopefully, more info will flow, and maybe Marie Sutherland could leave a notebook out on a desk or something.

queenlydia · **Posted:** Thu Sep 06, 2007 2:23 am

You've got my vote. I'm interested in this are from all aspects. It may have been almost 35 byears ago but I did get a bachelor's degree in anthropology. I studied cultures and linguists and I love archeology and the forensic science but never got that far.
Queenlydia 45636

Monkeyboy · **Posted:** Thu Sep 06, 2007 12:30 pm

So far just 4 of us interested? In the whole of the community of URU only 4 people are interested in Anthropology? No wonder I found a job...

ireenquench · **Joined:** Tue May 09, 2006 5:06 pm **Posts:** 1591

I am interested but to me it merges with my interests in other cultural / social studies... history, bahro studies etc. I am basically interested in anything humanities-oriented, similar to this or this approach.

Guild of Anthropology

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