Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Arioch »

Sweforce wrote:This is why I mentioned the loroi union, to include the other members as well, not just the loroi. I guess that would place this in the misc races thread but to place them in both is a bit silly. Since the question was about the loroi but included the believes of just about anyone, including the loroi I placed it here. For instance we know that the barsam are suspicions about the loroi even if they are allies.
I guess I don't understand the question. Let me try again.

The Soia-Liron races are believed by most archaeologists to have been the product of an ancient civilization that spanned well beyond current known space, and so it is considered quite possible, if not probable, that there are as-yet undiscovered remnants of this civilization (or its descendants) waiting to be discovered. However, scientific speculation on this subject is limited by a lack of evidence on which to form a hypothesis. There might be millions of other Soia-Liron enclaves throughout the galaxy, or they might be unique to the Local Bubble.

In terms of the speculation of popular culture, the origin of the Soia-Liron races is really only a subject of interest to the three Soia-Liron races themselves; a typical Delrias citizen, for example, does not spend much time daydreaming about whether or not there are undiscovered Loroi kin somewhere in the galaxy.

As has been mentioned, the Loroi believe they are direct descendants of the Soia, and they have found lost Loroi colonies before, and so would not be surprised to find new ones in the future. Some would be surprised if they didn't ever find more Loroi splinter colonies. But as I alluded to above, the only stories the Loroi tell are ones of the past which they believe to be true.

The Barsam do have something of a media culture, but the secular portion of it is mostly devoted to political, technical or business pursuits. The religious portion of it is sort of a combination of ceremony, oration, and music. Barsam parables are usually not taken as literally as the Loroi heroic myths, and they may be allegorical or entirely fictional, but they are not usually speculative. The Barsam religion preaches that the Soia-Liron races were created by angelic extra-dimensional powers (who they call the "Gatherers") in the image of primitive local races and then scattered by a sort of "expulsion from Eden." The Barsam have never discovered other Barsam splinter colonies, but they have found the Nibiren, whom they believe they were created in the image of. The Barsam assume that Soia-Liron races will be found all over the galaxy, and so they would not be at all surprised to find lost colonies of Loroi or Barsam relatives, or other as yet unimagined blue-skinned variants. The chief Barsam issue with the Loroi in this matter is that they consider the Loroi claim to be direct descendants of the Gatherers as arrogant at the very least, if not actually blasphemous. On the contrary, some Barsam clerics place the Loroi in the role of a Lucifer, as being renegade servants of the Gatherers chiefly responsible for the expulsion from paradise.

The Neridi have a diverse media culture that is probably the most like ours among the Soia-Liron races, and they do have arts that we would recognize as theater and teleplay. Officially the Neridi endorse the Loroi view of their Soia origins. In popular culture, some works support the Loroi view, some support the Barsam view, and some are agnostic, but for the most part they like to poke fun at their blue cousins rather than take the matter too seriously.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Roeben »

Interesting. So when the Barsam courier captain in Chapter 1 saw Alex, his thoughts may have been something along the lines of "So, the Loroi were also created in the image of an existing species, themselves.".

Makes it easy to understand why Alex's life may be in danger during the events to come.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Sweforce »

So lost loroi colonise have been found. Where they all died out or did they have any living remnant populations? If there were, were they profoundly different culturally? If not one may draw the conclusion that there is some genetic part to the cast system via programmed instincts.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by dragoongfa »

I think that went for the three Sister Worlds, Deinar, Perrein and Taben.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Mr.Tucker »

It is said in the Insider that tools from previous eras (Dreiman, Soia, etc). It''s pretty obviuous we're not talking about obsidian spear-points here. What are these tools? Drill bits? Engines? Pieces of machinery? Would they be in a condition to be reproduced or even studied in any way? (I doubt human technology would)

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Sweforce »

Mr.Tucker wrote:It is said in the Insider that tools from previous eras (Dreiman, Soia, etc). It''s pretty obviuous we're not talking about obsidian spear-points here. What are these tools? Drill bits? Engines? Pieces of machinery? Would they be in a condition to be reproduced or even studied in any way? (I doubt human technology would)
To get to bottom if what I was after, have any tools made for loroi hands been found on other worlds then the three sister worlds? Even if the population is extinct it would be a clear indication of that they had been there at some point. A tool ergonomically made to fit a human hand would suggest that it was intended for human/loroi use since the other members of the union are of a very different build. A screwdriver is universal but a saw with a ergonomically grip, including fittings for the fingers is not. I guess this goes for all the species like barsam fitting tools in worlds they where not present on before their interstellar space age. The dremian and the soia themselves are gone, this is about the current species in the region.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Arioch »

Mr.Tucker wrote:It is said in the Insider that tools from previous eras (Dreiman, Soia, etc). It''s pretty obviuous we're not talking about obsidian spear-points here. What are these tools? Drill bits? Engines? Pieces of machinery? Would they be in a condition to be reproduced or even studied in any way? (I doubt human technology would)
Most surviving Soia-era artifacts were constructed with advanced ceramics, which are extremely durable and corrosion-resistant. They include anything from a TL12 society that you can imagine that might have been made of such materials, including personal tools and utensils, knife blades, containers, fasteners, screws, machine parts, bearings, pipes, etc. The electronic internals of electronic devices were also ceramic. Most are not in working condition, having been exposed to a civilization-ending bombardment and a quarter-million years of time, but a few are. They were certainly useful both as tools and as examples to early post-fall cultures, mostly in terms of form and function (as iron age cultures could not fathom how to reverse-engineer advanced ceramics), and later in materials science.

As the Loroi and other civilizations moved out into space, they were able to find even better-preserved artifacts in derelict vessels and stations. The majority of Dreiman artifacts were found in space, as they had few planetary settlements.
Sweforce wrote:To get to bottom if what I was after, have any tools made for loroi hands been found on other worlds then the three sister worlds? Even if the population is extinct it would be a clear indication of that they had been there at some point. A tool ergonomically made to fit a human hand would suggest that it was intended for human/loroi use since the other members of the union are of a very different build. A screwdriver is universal but a saw with a ergonomically grip, including fittings for the fingers is not. I guess this goes for all the species like barsam fitting tools in worlds they where not present on before their interstellar space age. The dremian and the soia themselves are gone, this is about the current species in the region.
Distinctly Loroi Soia-era tools and weapons (and fossilized remains) have been found only on the three sister worlds, and only at the very end of the Soia era, more or less coincident with the fall of the civilization. The Soia-era city ruins on Deinar, for example, are not Loroi, but instead were a settlement of the centaur-like Mozeret, a Soia-Liron race that is now (apparently) extinct. There are no known Soia-era Loroi planetary cities anywhere, including on the three sister worlds. There are no Soia-era city ruins at all on Perrein; the Loroi just showed up there.

The Loroi infer from this planetary archaeological record that their ancestors lived mostly in space, and were forced to the surface at the conclusion of the conflict that ended the Soia civilization.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by dragoongfa »

Silly question, what does the wager between the two Loroi commanders has as a reward?

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Sweforce »

dragoongfa wrote:Silly question, what does the wager between the two Loroi commanders has as a reward?
Access to the the other ones mating encounter rights? :P

First choice of heavy ordinance? Those Blisters are expensive and maybe there isn't enough to go around for everyone that want some.

The Shoe girls comprehensive shoe and chick uniform accessoares catalog to drool over?

Alex? Perhaps in combination with the first suggestion?

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Krulle »

To me it sounded like a long standing bet, so Alex is out of the loop as a bet, but spoil-of-wars may not be, and Alex could be considered to be that. But then he is on the flagship of this group, and it would be weird to have him on a different ship in the brigg....
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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Sweforce »

Krulle wrote:To me it sounded like a long standing bet, so Alex is out of the loop as a bet, but spoil-of-wars may not be, and Alex could be considered to be that. But then he is on the flagship of this group, and it would be weird to have him on a different ship in the brigg....
Well it was supposed to be a joke. The fact is, we have no idea and chances is that Arioch doesn't know either. It could be for the honor of being best for all we know.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Razor One »

Clearly its for the lions share of hair care products on the Tempest and the rights to say who gets to use what.

What? You think the Loroi's fabulous hair is a mere accident? Fireblade needs at least four cans of hairspray per day to get her luxurious locks of hair under control. Stillstorm needs a dozen cans of gel to get her hair to stick out the right way, and those bouncy locks that make Tempo look so comely? Do consider how many cans of styling mousse goes into that!

As for Beryl, a bottle of baby shampoo keeps her covered for a month with daily usage. By keeping a no-nonsense and low-maintenance cut, she both rises above the hairdo politics of the Empire and directly contributes to the war effort by consuming less war-critical resources.

War is hell, and only the most stylish can win. This, more than anything, is why the Umiak will lose, for their heinous crime of favouring shoulder pads and flourescent yellow, their empire will burn.
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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Argron »

dragoongfa wrote:Silly question, what does the wager between the two Loroi commanders has as a reward?
Who gets to be on top. No amount of Word of God will make me change my mind.
Razor One wrote:Clearly its for the lions share of hair care products on the Tempest and the rights to say who gets to use what.

What? You think the Loroi's fabulous hair is a mere accident? Fireblade needs at least four cans of hairspray per day to get her luxurious locks of hair under control. Stillstorm needs a dozen cans of gel to get her hair to stick out the right way, and those bouncy locks that make Tempo look so comely? Do consider how many cans of styling mousse goes into that!

As for Beryl, a bottle of baby shampoo keeps her covered for a month with daily usage. By keeping a no-nonsense and low-maintenance cut, she both rises above the hairdo politics of the Empire and directly contributes to the war effort by consuming less war-critical resources.

War is hell, and only the most stylish can win. This, more than anything, is why the Umiak will lose, for their heinous crime of favouring shoulder pads and flourescent yellow, their empire will burn.
You fell for Loroi trickery, that hair is straightened and hardened until it becomes a concealed weapon, their reverse headbutts are lethal. Beryl is fluffy and weak.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by icekatze »

hi hi

Maybe it isn't the winner who gets something, but the loser who has to lose something. Maybe whoever loses the bet has to lose a finger. What, I'm sure they would grow back. :P

Does make me wonder though if the Loroi have any other superpowers beyond just telepathy, just on account of being a genetically engineered species. Stuff like regrowing limbs, going into torpor when food is scarce, seeing unusual colors like infrared or ultraviolet, etc.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by dragoongfa »

I think that Arioch has already covered what the Loroi are able to do in the insider and this thread.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Arioch »

dragoongfa wrote:Silly question, what does the wager between the two Loroi commanders has as a reward?
Quatloos, of course.

Seriously though, it's a good question. I hadn't really thought about it.

Currency is the easiest answer, but I doubt that currency would be of very much use to either captain in their current situation. Being assigned to a raider group for which supply is an issue, I think it's more likely that they bet with some kind of goods or supplies that are hard to get.

[edit 6 March 2018] The subject of the wager was resupply priority upon return to Loroi territory. This is why Ashrain's group was already resupplied when the Umiak attacked Leido.
icekatze wrote:Does make me wonder though if the Loroi have any other superpowers beyond just telepathy, just on account of being a genetically engineered species. Stuff like regrowing limbs, going into torpor when food is scarce, seeing unusual colors like infrared or ultraviolet, etc.
The Barsam have some rapid-healing attributes, but even they can't spontaneously regenerate limbs, and rapid healing is metabolically expensive; Barsam require a great deal more food than the Loroi, pound for pound. In a civilization with very advanced medical technology something like limb regeneration would be unnecessary.

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by dragoongfa »

Arioch wrote:
dragoongfa wrote:Silly question, what does the wager between the two Loroi commanders has as a reward?
Quatloos, of course.

Seriously though, it's a good question. I hadn't really thought about it.

Currency is the easiest answer, but I doubt that currency would be of very much use to either captain in their current situation. Being assigned to a raider group for which supply is an issue, I think it's more likely that they bet with some kind of goods or supplies that are hard to get.
I imagine that mission critical stuff, like spare parts and missiles are out of the question since Stillstorm wouldn't like any single one of her ships to be under equipped, so that means various non essential but still highly sought out goods. Elite outfits in general are given a leeway and priority from high command so that means there is bound to be something extravagant that is sought out.

Human captains would probably wager over beer and high quality rations if that was the case (this has been happening since the time warships first sailed the seas actually). For Loroi such goods would be useless, since they don't value food that much and alcohol is immediately out of the question for obvious reasons.

Furthermore everything looks to be under the silent consent of Stillstorm which means that she either can't be bothered stopping it or finds the competition to be important for morale and thus has gotten her approval beforehand.

So my question is what would the Loroi consider an acceptable extravagance to be fought over with the approval of their commander?

Razor One's joke above about hair products does make sense if taken seriously; human warrior societies that emphasized personal cleanliness and hygiene, the ancients Spartans and Samurai to mention but a couple, did have various customs about how to properly clean their body and take care of their hair and even put value in various affiliated commodities, for a historical example using perfumes in social gatherings was a status symbol for Japanese Samurai and feudal lords, while one of the greatest insults among them was to call someone unclean and putrid.

For the Loroi who's hair is automatically an important status symbol which highlights their position on the social ladder, such products would be an extravagance in a war-zone but an extravagance that would be highly sought out nonetheless because they want to be 'better' than their compatriots.
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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Zakharra »

Maybe the loser has to have several inches of hair chopped off. /shrug

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Sweforce »

Zakharra wrote:Maybe the loser has to have several inches of hair chopped off. /shrug
The horror!!!! :o

I need to calm down, maybe I should see a Saw movie or something. ;)

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Re: Miscellaneous Loroi question-and-answer thread

Post by Krulle »

Ah, that explains Beryl... She's humourous, doesn't say no to unfair bets, and lost most of her hair with not much of a shrug.
Everyone knows why her hair is short, and gives her no hard time for it, and she enjoys the simplicity and advantage of having a short haircut.

Clever girl....!
Vote for Outsider on TWC: Image
charred steppes, borders of territories: page 59,
jump-map of local stars: page 121, larger map in Loroi: page 118,
System view Leido Crossroads: page 123, after the battle page 195

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