The Tartışma on Modernity

[Draeris 3124]

 

An artistic depiction of the Karamani holding a Tartışma

 

The Tartışma on Modernity

“Kashgar’s judgment on the bürücratization of the nations of Arcas.”

Helena, 6th of Timur geçiyor, 63

 

If one was to study the Karamani clan, a safe hypothesis would be that they stay true to their old methods and rituals. A culture so embraced that the change or absence of it, could cause for the spiritual and emotional collapse of the mortal man. But only in the most unusual circumstances, do the Karamani find that their primitive ways can no longer protect them against the modern machinations of mankind. To avoid such imminent danger, the Karamani hold Tartışma’s, debates with the sole purpose of discussing a foreign phenomenon and considering its application for the Karamani tribe. 

 

This Tartışma is special for two reasons: it is the first one in a century, but it is also the first one since the passing of the late Timur Karamanoğlu. The topic is the witnessed modernity that the Holy Orenian Empire and its contemporaries are going through. When the Karamani visited their stone yurt, they heard of Senate elections, a Census, et cetera. Mountains of paper would be visible from their offişes, with meek and effeminate men indulging themselves in minimalist fashion and extravagant titles. Somehow, this system managed to maintain an Empire that spanned across Arcas. The Karamani had to know: was the Orenian bürücracy a model to mirror, or would it poison the purity of our sons and daughters? That was to be debated in the heart of the Orenian bürücracy, the stone yurt of Helena. 

 

The Tartışma on Modernity in session

 

Bespied by the infidels of the Helenian stone yurt, Kübilay began to speak, resting his hand on his saber: “It is not about the assumed will of Kashgar, Kardeşler, it is a matter of Timur’s teachings, Valor of the rave you abandon, for you talk of settling down like a bird. Founding a stone yurt such as Helena, and sacrificing our freedoms and our ways in this singular instance.” Oğuz interjected “What soul inhabits our beloved Eje and stands close to Kashgar? The soul of the bird, Kübilay.”

 

“But Oğuz” Kübilay pleaded “Does the bird truly settle down? When have you ever seen a summer bird settle in winter? Or do you witness them fly to warm?” as he aggressively pointed at the stone walls of the building “This Stone yurt… Breeds contentedness. It renders you weak, it strays you from the ways of the Karamanoğlu. When you ride a horse, when you unsheathe your saber, you do it to endure hardness, for Timur’s favor. Not to defend your stone yurt, basking in its temporarity.”

 

Bayezid interjected “It is wiser to not bound ourselves to the politics that come with a stone yurt. If we remain mobile, we remain free.”

 

Oğuz responded “What kardeş Bayezid and you don’t understand, is that to come new is necessary sometimes. Like how a serpent changes his hide to something new.” The comparison to a serpent enraged Kübilay, as both now inflamed their dialogue. 

 

While the two brothers became embattled, the one shouldering Timur’s mandate, Başıl ordered the room: “Oğuz, Bayram, Bayezid, Kübilay, Merike, Gülnihal, please sit”. The group of Karamanoğlu followed, seating themselves on the floor.  “Kardeşler, it is imperative that we think without being chained to our preconceived notions. Oğuz, with all due respect my wise kardeş, I must agree with Kübilay and Bayezid.” he’d offer his satchel of water as a token of peace “Settling within a stone yurt will not only affect our culture, our way of life and our liberties, but it will also enslave us to its comfort and luxuries. In several generations, our offspring will be meek and effeminate like we’ve seen in Helena. They will no longer be able to wield the grotesque mandate, to mirror the great life of our late Timur.” Oğuz took the satchel in good faith, taking a sip as a gesture of understanding.

 

Before the debate could be concluded however, the clan was interrupted the appearance of two more princesses. One had already silently listened to the discourse with figures such as Alexander d’Arkent: but the union of children emboldened Lorena Antonia, who sought to confront them about a pressing matter. ‘Why didn’t they sit on chairs?’

 

The princesses are confronted by the Karamanoğlu

 

Her meddling wasn’t well received, causing for the brothers to face the princesses as they demanded them to leave them alone. The conversation escalated, causing the princesses to give up and Joachim Haas, the Vice-Chancellor, to intervene. After a little clash of tongues, where the Karamanoğlu laughed at his lack of a mustache, while Joachim struggled to understand their hierarchy: Joachim offered them temporary residence in the warcamp on the outskirts of Helena. The conversation became about business, with the Vice-Chancellor insisting to them to extend their stay. A conversation between them and the treasurer would be planned in the near future. But as the bürücrats of the stone yurt probably worried about their endless parchments and dialogue plan, the Karamanoğlu merely worried about surviving the Helenian snow. The debate would have to be continued some other time.

[MadOne 4945]

Kübilay looked forth towards Oğuz in a seemingly infuriated manner, twitching his moustache in high disaproval towards the Böö, while eyeing the stone walls and the wooden framework of the halls, imagining a life in which their children would live within these, allowing them to grow content, and be ignorant of the world outside. How birds fly, how wolves prey on the weak, and how horses go forth. He would document his disapproval that evening within his tent, through carving a wooden carving of a horse, being held down by stone blocks, as if a ceiling had collapsed over it.

[ThatDutchFellow 1147]

Bayezid would leave the hall he just been in stating "What a rudeness and that just because we were sitting”