Godparents in Zalanthas: Yea or Nea?

[FantasyWriter]

Please comment and justify your stance.

[Malifaxis]

At least 2 cultures I can think of off the top of my head have such things.

[Ami]

I'm not familiar with the concept of godparents, but I marked no because I'm not aware of much religion on Zalanthas.

[jstorrie]

Yes, and I assume it's particularly prevalent in tribes or closely-knit clans.

[Majikal]

I imagine the most common household in zalanthas is filled with more than just your immediate family, lots of communal living where as mom/dad/child would not be your 'average' living arrangement. In such cases I would imagine if papa Amos takes a vicious bite to the neck-parts from random critter # 3142 then there would be some sort of godparent type arrangement in place.

[jhunter]

In concept yes, but I'm sure it would be called something different.

[Marauder Moe]

I think the practice of taking in the child of a deceased acquaintance would be fairly common, yes.

However, I doubt there's any formality to it beyond:  "Hey Amos, if anything happens to me, take care of my kid, alright?"

[zeia]

I think if someone who has a child is close to someone, they would say look after my child if anything happens to me? So yes! Called something Zalanthany though =P

[Majikal]

I think if someone who has a child is close to someone, they would say look after my child if anything happens to me? So yes! Called something Zalanthany though =P

Inherited slave.

[FantasyWriter]

Heh, good one!

[Cutthroat]

"My dead parent's very good friend."

I agree with Moe in that it's probably a pretty common, informal occurrence.

[Medena]

In concept yes, but I'm sure it would be called something different.

[Potaje]

I think that the term God in godparent would not be used, perhaps guardparent or in refrence to the child, simply -ward-.

This is my ward, their parents were my close friend, or the use of uncle and aunt would be appropriate.

[i can haz mantis]

This is my ward, their parents were my close friend, or the use of uncle and aunt would be appropriate.

[Barsook]

I think that the term God in godparent would not be used, perhaps guardparent or in refrence to the child, simply -ward-.

This is my ward, their parents were my close friend, or the use of uncle and aunt would be appropriate.

I would say that the "godparent" would be just called uncle or aunt because it's the parent's close friend.  This concept occurs in Hawaiian and Russian cultures. That would work IC.

[racurtne]

I agree with Moe's stance, considering the vast majority of the VNPC population probably lives a lot longer than PCs.

[Thunkkin]

I agree with Majikal.

[valeria]

I agree there would probably be similar arrangements to informal uncles or aunts if the parents died and parents' kin couldn't or didn't want to take in the spare kids.  We always called my brother's godparent 'uncle' and mine 'aunt' and then we have another aunt who isn't related to us by blood or marriage.  But there are probably plenty of orphans who or whose parents didn't have the good fortune to have friends that good.  Kids are expensive and in the way a lot.

[FantasyWriter]

I'm liking the uncle/aunt thing.  Anyone have any objections or one-ups?

[MeTekillot]

This is my parental guardian.

[Barsook]

Now, I think it's just a guardian not a uncle or aunt.  But it's the player's choice to either call them as their guardian or aunt/uncle.

[Marauder Moe]

Eh.  "Guardian" doesn't seem very Zalanthan to me.

Heck, even on Earth we really use it as more of a legal term than conversational.

[MeTekillot]

Guardian seems pretty Zalanthan to me.

[Barsook]

Guardian seems pretty Zalanthan to me.

[Spice Spice Baby]

At least two clans/tribes that I can think of have official documented procedure on the adoption of godchildren, so it definitely happens. They both have made-up clan/tribe words for the concept as opposed to an official title, though.

[Sam]

There is also the Kuraci Sand Father/Parent/Mother concept.
That is basically godparenting.

[RogueGunslinger]

"Oy, this is the feck who fed me when me mums tit ran dry."

[Reiloth]

There is also the Kuraci Sand Father/Parent/Mother concept.
That is basically godparenting.

[Cindy42]

for some reason i'm thinking of the mafia godfather, and i think that sort of RL idea would do great in the 'rinth.

if you're thinking of something different, i'm not really sure. for disadvantaged groups or people whose families are dead, sure. all you'd need is for one person to be significantly older than the other and have the correct parently disposition. in a world like zalanthas this might happen everywhere, and might already be implemented.

[zeia]

-snickers- Should have fairy god parets [tee hee]

[Reiteration]

Would 'Minder' be a more fitting term?

[Marauder Moe]

Does it really need a term?  We only have one because in our culture it's a somewhat formal arrangement.  For Zalanthan commoners it would not be.

[My 2 sids]

Does it really need a term?  We only have one because in our culture it's a somewhat formal arrangement.  For Zalanthan commoners it would not be.

They still have a society, and so having a term for the relationship would form.   Although, I can see how 'godparent' wouldn't be fitting with the game.

[Reiteration]

If anything, the commoner relationship between ward and 'godfather' would most probably be slave and master respectively. Nothing comes for free, not even a godfather.

[Marauder Moe]

Does it really need a term?  We only have one because in our culture it's a somewhat formal arrangement.  For Zalanthan commoners it would not be.

They still have a society, and so having a term for the relationship would form.   Although, I can see how 'godparent' wouldn't be fitting with the game.

I disagree.  My mom used to be a social worker of sorts, and she was telling me about how communal raising of children is fairly common in some demographics of America.  It's a given that orphaned (by death or by prison or other circumstances) children get taken in by aunts, uncles, or even close neighbors.  They're not called "godparents", though, or even adopted parents.  The kids simply say they went to live with their aunt/uncle/grandparents/neighbors or whatever.  No formality, no term, it's just simply the way things are.

EDIT: to go a little further into linguistic philosophy... words don't exist simply because the thing they mean exists.  They exist because people want to discuss the thing that they mean.

That said, I'm not opposed to a Zalanthan term for godparents... but I'd rather think that there's no term rather than us using a bad one that doesn't fit well into the game.

[Marshmellow]

There are societies that have this documented.  Outside of that, there are more communal style families than the nuclear family that we in the western world are used to.  There's already someone there to watch the child in the event of the actual parents' deaths.

[catchall]

I agree that any such arrangement or term should arise naturally in-game, though the known complications and impracticality of PC parenting mean that we probably won't see this facet of life roleplayed in as much detail as others.

I think it's interesting, though, to consider a function of godparentship, common in many Latin American regions, compadrazgo.  Often, people from rural communities who have found employment in cities are formally named compadres of children in the community.  This formal tie at a distance is distinct from the daily reality that if a kid is abandoned, other kin ought to step in and care for them.  The comadre/compadre in question may not be equipped to care for the child on a day-to-day basis, but by providing financial support, the child's welfare is safeguarded and the compadre maintains strong ties to their community, which could be important if their fortunes turn in the city.

I think this is interesting when thinking about Arm, because the PC population understandably  overrepresent precisely those individuals who have set out from their humble beginnings and made a richer life for themselves.  So, if any commoner at all in Zalanthas is going to be involved in some semi-formal arrangement of ritual kinship, it's most likely commoner PCs and their VNPC relatives.

[valeria]

But... but.... all PCs are orphans...

But no really, I like the analogy.