[MR] Secrecy

[Michael Houghton]

Howdy!

On Mon, Apr 21, 2003 at 12:48:37PM -0400, Peters, Rise J. wrote:
> Herveus, are you suggesting that it is up to individual players to
> decide whether specific folks get told of their impending awards?  I'd
> always understood that members of polling order, scribes with awards to
> do, etc. were under instruction not to breathe a word to the
> recipients.  If I've misunderstood, and there isn't an actual
> tradition-with-the-force-of-law in effect here, I'd like to know that
> too.

Not necessarily. Certainly, scribes charged with making scrolls are privy
to information that is not theirs to spread. If the crown advises the order
of their intent to elevate someone, companions who know the candidate and
know the candidate's preferences about surprise are in a position to do
something constructive. Local officers (local to the candidate) may also
be in a position to know, as well as associates on either side of a
master/apprentice type relationship.

De facto, secrecy is rare. People who find out about pending awards often
want to see that the person is there and that significat others and close
friends have a chance to be there. More than one award has been ashes in
the mouth because of too much secrecy. Letting the candidate know in
advance allows them to be ready and available. It doesn't diminish the
magic of the moment.

Certainly, some people would prefer to be surprised, but you cannot safely
assume that.

For example, my wife expressed to me some time ago a clear desire not to be
surprised if she were to be getting a Laurel. She also had some very clear
ideas on who she really wanted to be present. Even knowing the intent of
the Crown, she was still deeply moved when the Order was summoned. The magic
of that moment was not diminished.

The cult of secrecy is not constructive, nor is it effective. When surprise
is achieved, it is often entertaining for the people behind the thrones, but
most people do not get to share in the amusement value. We've heard enough
tales of how what should have been a special moment was ruined by willful
refusal to share intent in advance, or at least a lack of care to try.

Getting away from the cult of secrecy won't eliminate the bad times, but
it should lessen them dramaticly.

yours,
Herveus
--
Michael and MJ Houghton   | Herveus d'Ormonde and Megan O'Donnelly
herveus at radix.net         | White Wolf and the Phoenix
Bowie, MD, USA            | Tablet and Inkle bands, and other stuff
                          | http://www.radix.net/~herveus/