From tai to Epetai

[SoplaHtaHwI']

I've asked HoDwI' (my captain) who ensured me this knowledge is not secret nor privileged.

Ranks are granted by the "Ruling Council", the 3 members of our club that make the rules, on suggestions by both HoD and Squadron Commander (SCO). Depending on the rank, attaining it gets more difficult every time.
after attaining a certain rank an officer's test is sent to you which you have to complete successfully before you can be promoted to the next rank. If you do not fill in this test, or you fail it (which is said to be hard to do), you will not be promoted any more.

The granting of a honorific works in generally the same way, albeit without the officer's test. You could in theory be a lance corporal with a tai. Again, the grant is suggested by the HoD or the SCO and granted or declined by the Ruling Council.

Reasons for both will be given. Sometimes a grant is a simple "we concur" and a decline a simple "not yet", sometimes arguments take more words.

The main difference between the rank and the honorific, apart from speed and likelyhood is that a honorific is granted for services rendered to the whole club (fleet), not just the ship.
Furthermore, services rendered to the whole of klindom, as for instance my current project of reviving the House/Line Registry are not (as far as I have cared to ask) considered grounds for a honorific. Although HoDwI' did applaud the idea/effort.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Interesting...

The Rank, sounds like it works a little differently, but not too much so than the way 4th Fleet does things... Currently the maximum rank of any given member of a chapter is based on the deployment level of that chapter, and the relative ranks of those above them...

(i.e) If member *A* belongs to Chapter *X* which has a deployment level of Two (Light Vessel), and the maximum Rank that the CO can attain is Lt. Commander (Because of the deployment level), the maximum Rank of the XO is One step below that (Lieutenant), then each other Officer on the vessel (Including member *A*), will max out at Lt. JG until such a time as the entire vessel is promoted... Other than this restriction, all promotions are handled internally within the chapter...

The Chapters deployment level is governed by activity, and contribution by its membership to the organization... All promotions and demotions (Of the Chapter), are handled by the C.O.L. (Council of Lords), which is our "Ruling Body" and is made up of the various Chapter presidents within the club... In the Extremly rare situation where the commander of a vessel (Chapter), were of a Rank higher than Captain, any promotion of a member of their crew to Captain or above would require the approval of the C.O.L.

It is almost unheard of however to have someone commanding a vessel, who is of higher rank than Captain...

[SoplaHtaHwI']

I am not aware that there is a "moratorium" on the rank of the CO.
Now the case is that my ship seems to be the biggest in the fleet, and the only ship (in klindom perhaps) with it's own "taI" honorific...

[Abbot Nej vIt]

If I am understanding correctly, your vessel includes the Honorific of taI as part of its designation? Is there a kewl story behind this?

[SoplaHtaHwI']

If I am understanding correctly, your vessel includes the Honorific of taI as part of its designation? Is there a kewl story behind this?

I am guessing that the ship (chapter) has done many an honorable thing for the club... Here again I need to confirm this with HoDwI' (my captain). I might be the Officer In Charge of my department, but I sadly know too little of the history of my own vessel. I feel like a mere mang (soldier).

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Is there an accessable source for you to study such things, (As your Vessels History), online or elsewhere?

All too often the great ideas and histories of Chapters and even whole Clubs, of Families/House/Lines and also of Individual members, have been lost to time... None of us are *Born* (Join Klindom), with an inate knowledge of such things, we must all be taught, and make the effort to learn of course, but it is the responsibility of the leadership to provide information as it is needed...

Qapla!

[SoplaHtaHwI']

Is there an accessable source for you to study such things, (As your Vessels History), online or elsewhere?

All too often the great ideas and histories of Chapters and even whole Clubs, of Families/House/Lines and also of Individual members, have been lost to time... None of us are *Born* (Join Klindom), with an inate knowledge of such things, we must all be taught, and make the effort to learn of course, but it is the responsibility of the leadership to provide information as it is needed...

Qapla!

I have a good relationship with HoDwI' and she will explain/tell me most of what I ask about.
I am not sure whether this information is available on-line (albeit maybe privileged), so I count on her to tell me what I need to know.

HoDwI' = my captain

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Your Captain does have ready info for you though yes? (Regardless of its posting on line or not)...

I hope so, especially for such an unusual thing as the history of a Vessel with it's own Honorific... As stated too often in the past, has important info about a Chapter or Club or whatever, gone either unwritten, or is kept solely by a single member... Then when that person leaves the group (For whatever reason), the info goes with them...

[SoplaHtaHwI']

Your Captain does have ready info for you though yes? (Regardless of its posting on line or not)...

I hope so, especially for such an unusual thing as the history of a Vessel with it's own Honorific... As stated too often in the past, has important info about a Chapter or Club or whatever, gone either unwritten, or is kept solely by a single member... Then when that person leaves the group (For whatever reason), the info goes with them...

I am not sure... But I think she was there when it happened. The club just celebrated it's 10th year last year and although some of the crew of the ship have parted ways with the club, most of it should be retained. I will research.

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Excellent... There is no better way to "Prepare" Ones own history and background, than to know the significance of that which surrounds them... It's also just plain Kewl to know that kind of thing...

[SoplaHtaHwI']

HoDwI' has been forthcoming with the information.

The story is (HoDwI' was part of it) that someone of the shp was at everything that went on within the empire (Germany). Any con, any lop, any public appearance, the ship was represented. Six of the crew were known as the "Task Force Rheinland" and were the center of this omnipresence. Then at one Qetlop (QI'lop), where six of the crew got their taI and the now HoD got her second SuvwI''a', the ship was honored with a taI of its own, for being by far the most active ship of the fleet.

HoD = Captain
-wI' = mine (possessive suffix, beings capable of language)
lop = official festive holiday
QI' = military
QI'lop = official festive military holiday
Qetlop = German barbarism of QI'lop
Suv = fight
-'a' = augmentative suffix

[Abbot Nej vIt]

Sounds pretty Kewl... Thanks for posting that... One of those little curiosities that occasionally pops into my head when I read such texts, is the difference in physical size between the U.S. and other Nations... I know that there could be analogs to States and small countries and so on, but still... I can not even imagine it being possible to Identify a "Most Active" chapter within the U.S.A. ...<Chuckle>... Doubt anyone would know where to start... Of course that is a Club based honor, but it is still nifty...

maj! (Good)...

[SoplaHtaHwI']

Sounds pretty Kewl... Thanks for posting that... One of those little curiosities that occasionally pops into my head when I read such texts, is the difference in physical size between the U.S. and other Nations... I know that there could be analogs to States and small countries and so on, but still... I can not even imagine it being possible to Identify a "Most Active" chapter within the U.S.A. ...<Chuckle>... Doubt anyone would know where to start... Of course that is a Club based honor, but it is still nifty...

maj! (Good)...

The whole honor system of Khemorex Klinzhai is club-based. As I've posted before, an honorable inter-club feat (like say the IKLRD) is not weighted. Only if another club gives me a taI for it, will it be accepted by the KK.

[Fleet Admiral toQDuj epetai jonwi]

As soon as I find out what the specifics are, I'll post some of it here 8-)

All I know is that I am a staff sergeant and have yet to receive a tai.

IRL I have given myself a virtual tai after surviving yet another operation to remedy the Hydro Cefalus I was born with, but that's another matter.

Looking for the surname Klingon (I know that I've seen it!), I actually found the explanation of the Khemorex Klinzhai rank and honorific system

One thing this German organisation is, understandibly, very aware of (and takes every precaution to prevent) is not to seem a paramilitary organisation.

As you will also notice-we have a rather odd rank structure compared with a few other clubs-perhaps this adds a bit to Khemorex's uniqueness-and yes I do Know that it should be Khomerex!-but at the formation of the club some targ breath mis-spelled it and so far it's been pretty lucky for us!
Oh and bye the way-Khemorex by birth is actually Scottish-not German-I know-I am the founder of the club and holder of that funny Fleet Admiral epetai rank!,Admiral Qor  was given the command of Khemorex worldwide due to my rather poor health at the time-and did a bloody fine job of it I may add!-and so it continues-and buy me a beer at the next qetlop!

[SoplaHtaHwI']

Oh and bye the way-Khemorex by birth is actually Scottish-not German-I know-I am the founder of the club and holder of that funny Fleet Admiral epetai rank!

I stand corrected. It is indeed Scottish in origin, but with over 100 mainly German-speaking klingons in the club, I tend to forget it... jItlhIjchu'

and so it continues-and buy me a beer at the next qetlop!

I certainly will! Although you (and I) still have to register for it first though  (and both wornagh and 'Iw HIq are free after paying for staying


* jItlhIjchu' = I apologise perfectly (profusely)
   wornagh = beer
   'Iw HIq = blood wine (blood liqour)

[soup_borg]

For two years I've played a 56-year-old Saurian adopted by a Klingon targh farmer, on two different RPGs.  He's currently the highest-ranking enlisted officer on a Galaxy-class starship but his Klingon upbringing is very important to him.  Next year I may drop his Saurian sur name in favor of his line name, Do'Iteq.  From what I've read that means he could have an honorific, but I'm not sure which one would be appropiate.  My character isn't on any Klingon simms (and I don't belong to any clubs) so I don't want to arbitrarily name him "Saleel epetaI-Do'Iteq."  After nearly two years in the Klingon Imperial Forums and 1 year in the KlingonImperialDiplomaticCorp group at Yahoo! Groups (August 2006), I wonder what an appropiate honorific would be for Saleel, who has been a warrior for 40 years--when he wasn't raising targhmey. :-)

Saleel never served in the Klingon military, and I read that rank had something to do with this?  Any suggestions?

[Kehlan]

Firstly if you are enlisted, you are NOT an officer.  I don't know what rank your character plays, as I'm only familiar with British enlisted ranks, probably a Chief Petty Officer?

As for an honourific, your character is not the head of the House, neither his he a member of the High Concil or an admiral or General... therefore he would certainly not have been awarded the honourific of "Epetai"

I myself play a ships captain (Fleet Captain actually) and use the honourific "vestai"  I got a email recently from someone who said I should be using "sutai" as a captain.  My answer was that while this is probably true, it has not been awarded to me and until it is, I can't use it.

You can see from this discussion that our friend SoplaHtaHwI, who is a Stasff Sergeant, is not even using "Tai" yet.  I would imagine that if you really want an honourific, "Tai" would be the one to start with.

Kehlan vestai Inigan

[Kesvirit]

Tai as an honorific is a klingonaase word, meaning roughly "one who has not done anything noteworthy, but has comported themselves in a generally honorable manner and thus deserves to be treated with some respect and consideration." Honorifics are rewards of actions, and do not always correspond with rank. If they did, there would be no point to having them, the rank title would be sufficient.

Since your character has just now entered the military, he would not have had time to distinguish himself in such a way as to earn a honorific higher than tai. And to claim an honorific to which one is not entitled is just... dishonorable. (Not to mention "wrong".)

-=- Kesvirit

[soup_borg]

Tai as an honorific is a klingonaase word, meaning roughly "one who has not done anything noteworthy, but has comported themselves in a generally honorable manner and thus deserves to be treated with some respect and consideration." Honorifics are rewards of actions, and do not always correspond with rank. If they did, there would be no point to having them, the rank title would be sufficient.

Since your character has just now entered the military, he would not have had time to distinguish himself in such a way as to earn a honorific higher than tai. And to claim an honorific to which one is not entitled is just... dishonorable. (Not to mention "wrong".)

-=- Kesvirit

I probably should have mentioned that Saleel Ki'kaal is a Master Chief Petty Officer.  On the current RPG I belong to,  Obsidian Fleet,  new characters start off as "Ensign" but in my old SIMM I made Saleel a Chief Petty Officer, since very few people played enlisted characters to begin with.  I have been promoted twice.

Aside from being a targh farmer, Saleel served in the Starfleet Marines from 2369-2380.  He was basically a 'paper-pusher' but still fought in the Dominion War, actually he got both his legs blown off in a Breen ambush and had them replaced with biosynthetic ones.  When I wrote his backstory I tried not to make him into a 'God' character that was good at everything.  Saleel's better handling knives than he is bat'leths, for example, and actually loves paper work.  As for his adopted Klingon family, Saleel is constantly at odds with his older stepbrother, who's now the head of the House after their father died.  Although they hate each other the brother made him a Line Advisor, since they both care about the family.

Sorry, if this sounds soap opera-ish...