Search/Recent Changes
DBTropes
...it's like TV Tropes, but LINKED DATA!

Kherishdar

 Kherishdar
type
TVTItem
 Kherishdar
label
Kherishdar
 Kherishdar
page
Kherishdar
 Kherishdar
comment
A series of short stories and one completed serialized web novel, all written by M.C.A. Hogarth, Kherishdar is a five planet alien empire whose people, the Ai-Naidar, are tall, feline aliens which have an insular, caste based society that emphasizes the good of the community over the individual. Hogarth explores the implications of this in a series of short "incense" stories, starting with the definition of a single word or concept, which leads into an illustration of a single aspect of life among the Ai-Naidar. These stories may be found at her website and four printed collections, The Aphorisms of Kherishdar, written from the point of view of The Calligrapher, which concentrates (mostly) on the positives of the Ai-Naidar civilization; while The Admonishments of Kherishdar focuses on the criminals and malcontents, who all give their impressions of Shame, the embodiment of justice in Ai-Naidar society and charged personally by The Emperor with Correcting individual behavior so it comes in line with Society; and the novel Black Blossom, in which Shame is dispatched to correct an entire major house, and The Calligrapher follows to keep him sane; Kherishdar's Exception follows with a new character, Haraa, who has been tasked to study the strange and dangerous "aunera" aliens (whom we would know as humans).Though Kherishadar is generally portrayed in a positive manner, it's definitely a Blue-and-Orange Morality, with the emphasis on Society over Individual striking a sometimes disturbing chord. What it mostly is, however, is logical but different from human cultures.
 Kherishdar
fetched
2023-05-30T13:30:15Z
 Kherishdar
parsed
2023-05-30T13:30:15Z
 Kherishdar
isPartOf
DBTropes
 Kherishdar / int_117b3429
type
A Taste of the Lash
 Kherishdar / int_117b3429
comment
A Taste of the Lash: A common tool for Correction, with truly heinous offences followed by being "Bathed in wine" (ie: Alcohol poured immediately onto the open wounds.)
 Kherishdar / int_117b3429
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_117b3429
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_117b3429
 Kherishdar / int_1439161f
type
Heroic BSoD
 Kherishdar / int_1439161f
comment
Heroic BSoD: Shame experiences this in Black Blossom when he realizes he and the noble he was assigned to investigate aren't so different.
 Kherishdar / int_1439161f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_1439161f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_1439161f
 Kherishdar / int_1e7487cd
type
Breaking the Fourth Wall
 Kherishdar / int_1e7487cd
comment
Breaking the Fourth Wall: A mild example can be found in Hogarth's LiveJournal, where The Calligrapher and Shame sometimes appear in Hogarth's world for a moment to help her understand the definition of a particular Ai-Naidar word or aspect their culture.
 Kherishdar / int_1e7487cd
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_1e7487cd
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_1e7487cd
 Kherishdar / int_1edfa2c7
type
Royals Who Actually Do Something
 Kherishdar / int_1edfa2c7
comment
Royals Who Actually Do Something
 Kherishdar / int_1edfa2c7
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_1edfa2c7
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_1edfa2c7
 Kherishdar / int_21cf9301
type
Family of Choice
 Kherishdar / int_21cf9301
comment
Family of Choice: Ai-Naidar Houses are not necessarily composed of blood relatives and their spouses. As seen with the House Shame and the Calligrapher found at the end of Black Blossom with several other characters they met before.
 Kherishdar / int_21cf9301
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_21cf9301
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_21cf9301
 Kherishdar / int_21f3aa44
type
Good Is Not Nice
 Kherishdar / int_21f3aa44
comment
Good is Not Nice: That's Shame in a nutshell.
 Kherishdar / int_21f3aa44
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_21f3aa44
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_21f3aa44
 Kherishdar / int_23f1384a
type
Babies Make Everything Better
 Kherishdar / int_23f1384a
comment
Babies Make Everything Better: Bitterly subverted when one Noble goes into deep depression after his cheerful suggestion that one couple should have children at their marriage ceremony leads to the wife dying in childbirth and the husband wasting away shortly thereafter. Shame literally has to knock some sense into him. Played with in Kherishdar's Exception as Haraa's decision to have a child marks her letting go of her old fathrikedi caste (who aren't allowed to procreate) and fully embracing her role as osulkedi.
 Kherishdar / int_23f1384a
featureApplicability
-0.3
 Kherishdar / int_23f1384a
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_23f1384a
 Kherishdar / int_28b08686
type
A Party, Also Known as an Orgy
 Kherishdar / int_28b08686
comment
A Party, Also Known as an Orgy: One amusing passage in Kherishdar's Exception has poor Haraa trying to explain that the Winter Tryst, a masquerade festival where the Ai-Naidar have anonymous sex with strangers as a safeguard against caste inbreeding, is not an "orgy" as we aunera would understand it.
 Kherishdar / int_28b08686
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_28b08686
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_28b08686
 Kherishdar / int_3c5ae1a1
type
Schizo Tech
 Kherishdar / int_3c5ae1a1
comment
Schizo Tech: The Ai-Naidar tend to prefer doing things the old-fashioned way. Practically the only places you even see electronics are research labs and the Gates. They communicate with hand-written letters carried by beasts of burden through stargates.
 Kherishdar / int_3c5ae1a1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_3c5ae1a1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_3c5ae1a1
 Kherishdar / int_424c9a9b
type
Cold-Blooded Torture
 Kherishdar / int_424c9a9b
comment
Cold-Blooded Torture: Though it's certainly part of Shame's arsenal, Corrections generally don't involve this. The more usual method involves...
 Kherishdar / int_424c9a9b
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_424c9a9b
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_424c9a9b
 Kherishdar / int_4503f7d4
type
Who Watches the Watchmen?
 Kherishdar / int_4503f7d4
comment
Who Watches the Watchmen?: How does the Emperor make sure he himself doesn't abuse his own power? He assigns a casteless servant to the post of The Exception, whose job it is to tell him when his actions might be harmful to his people.
 Kherishdar / int_4503f7d4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_4503f7d4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_4503f7d4
 Kherishdar / int_4a852458
type
Big Good
 Kherishdar / int_4a852458
comment
Big Good: The Emperor, who also functions as a very literal God-Emperor.
 Kherishdar / int_4a852458
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_4a852458
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_4a852458
 Kherishdar / int_5067fd81
type
Everyone Is Bi
 Kherishdar / int_5067fd81
comment
Everyone Is Bi: While Ai-Naidar have completely different terms for heterosexual and homosexual relationships most of them seem open to forming either variety.
 Kherishdar / int_5067fd81
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_5067fd81
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_5067fd81
 Kherishdar / int_525df529
type
Not Using the "Z" Word
 Kherishdar / int_525df529
comment
Not Using the "Z" Word: Not Using the H Word: Cloaked aliens who turn out to be humans are seen several times in the stories, but are never referred to by their species name, but the more general term Aunera. They're generally portrayed as either ignorant or outright disruptive to the smoothly running Ai-Naidar society.
 Kherishdar / int_525df529
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_525df529
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_525df529
 Kherishdar / int_57dda60c
type
The Emperor
 Kherishdar / int_57dda60c
comment
The Emperor: A near divine being who despite the nominally science-fictional nature of the setting is said to be the reincarnation of the previous Emperors. Kherishdar's Exception retcons him to be an immortal Emperor Scientist who invented the Gates and can use them to rejuvenate himself.
 Kherishdar / int_57dda60c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_57dda60c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_57dda60c
 Kherishdar / int_5e283fb4
type
Tattoo Sharpie
 Kherishdar / int_5e283fb4
comment
Tattoo Sharpie: Ai-naidar nobles mark their subjects with a dye that lasts roughly a year in an annual ceremony. The emperor marks his personal servants with a more concentrated permanent version of the dye which is also mildly toxic.
 Kherishdar / int_5e283fb4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_5e283fb4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_5e283fb4
 Kherishdar / int_6627695f
type
Author Appeal
 Kherishdar / int_6627695f
comment
Author Appeal: Hogarth loves long hair that goes "Fwoosh!" To the point that the Ai-Naidar have a specific word for the effect.
 Kherishdar / int_6627695f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_6627695f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_6627695f
 Kherishdar / int_671a3e1
type
Too Kinky to Torture
 Kherishdar / int_671a3e1
comment
Too Kinky to Torture: As part of his training to take the post of Shame, Kor must experience specific tortures under the hand of the Emperor before being permitted to use them on anyone else. It's several weeks before he finally breaks down.
 Kherishdar / int_671a3e1
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_671a3e1
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_671a3e1
 Kherishdar / int_6861146e
type
Epiphany Therapy
 Kherishdar / int_6861146e
comment
Epiphany Therapy: Shame's default method of Correcting individuals. The Calligrapher often manages the same thing through providing a notably appropriate aphorism.
 Kherishdar / int_6861146e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_6861146e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_6861146e
 Kherishdar / int_6977c45e
type
Purple Prose
 Kherishdar / int_6977c45e
comment
Purple Prose: Well, definitely shaded lavender with an occasional side order of Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness. The Calligrapher is frequently guilty of this, given it's part of his job, but many other characters indulge in it to emphase the Ai-Naidar's formalized styles of speech.
 Kherishdar / int_6977c45e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_6977c45e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_6977c45e
 Kherishdar / int_69c32c9e
type
Subordinate Excuse
 Kherishdar / int_69c32c9e
comment
Subordinate Excuse: In one story, the Calligrapher encounters a servant whose artistic skill is equal to his own, but who chooses not to pursue it to stay close to her lady.
 Kherishdar / int_69c32c9e
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_69c32c9e
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_69c32c9e
 Kherishdar / int_7464705c
type
Arc Words
 Kherishdar / int_7464705c
comment
Arc Words: "Thank you for the grace of my Correction."
 Kherishdar / int_7464705c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_7464705c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_7464705c
 Kherishdar / int_7c36c716
type
Angst Coma
 Kherishdar / int_7c36c716
comment
Angst Coma: Kor falls into this during the events of Black Blossom when he realizes the Noble he and the noble he's investigating aren't so different.
 Kherishdar / int_7c36c716
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_7c36c716
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_7c36c716
 Kherishdar / int_7c77081d
type
Language Equals Thought
 Kherishdar / int_7c77081d
comment
Language Equals Thought: A major theme. The narrators frequently comment on the difficulty of translating Ai-Naidar concepts into Aunera words. One of the easier concepts to get across is that they think of the community first and the individual last, hence why the basic forms of their nouns are plural (i.e. those Ai-Naidar, that Ai-Naidari).
 Kherishdar / int_7c77081d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_7c77081d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_7c77081d
 Kherishdar / int_8618825d
type
Portal Network
 Kherishdar / int_8618825d
comment
Portal Network: The three main planets and two colonies of the Kherishdar Empire are connected by gates. Said to be much faster than the ships used by the aunera.
 Kherishdar / int_8618825d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_8618825d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_8618825d
 Kherishdar / int_88449d57
type
Exalted Torturer
 Kherishdar / int_88449d57
comment
Exalted Torturer: Averted. Kor/Shame takes pleasure in easing people back onto the path of right thinking, but not in engaging in physical harm.
 Kherishdar / int_88449d57
featureApplicability
-1.0
 Kherishdar / int_88449d57
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_88449d57
 Kherishdar / int_9400b3b5
type
Questionable Consent
 Kherishdar / int_9400b3b5
comment
Questionable Consent: It's not a very good idea to take advantage of your subordinates in this world. It attracts Shame's attention.
 Kherishdar / int_9400b3b5
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_9400b3b5
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_9400b3b5
 Kherishdar / int_9c45b5a2
type
What Measure Is a Non-Human?
 Kherishdar / int_9c45b5a2
comment
What Measure Is a Non-Human?: "People" in the Ai-Naidar language refers strictly to their own species and culture. Aunera refers to anything not Ai-Naidar, on the level of animals or furniture.
 Kherishdar / int_9c45b5a2
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_9c45b5a2
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_9c45b5a2
 Kherishdar / int_9ffbadef
type
Fantastic Naming Convention
 Kherishdar / int_9ffbadef
comment
Fantastic Naming Convention: Ai-Naidar names are [given name] Nai'[House]-[caste], except fathriked who lose their names when selected for the caste. These may change as they join or found a new House or change castes, as Farren Nai'Sheviet-osulkedi became Farren Nai'Qevellen-osulkedi when he founded House Qevellen with Kor, and House Qenain's fathrikedi became Haraa Nai'Qevallen-osulkedi after her re-evaluation.
 Kherishdar / int_9ffbadef
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_9ffbadef
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_9ffbadef
 Kherishdar / int_b04fdcc4
type
Loners Are Freaks
 Kherishdar / int_b04fdcc4
comment
Loners Are Freaks: Goes double among the Ai-Naidar, given its emphasis on community and family.
 Kherishdar / int_b04fdcc4
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_b04fdcc4
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_b04fdcc4
 Kherishdar / int_c007c53
type
Cool and Unusual Punishment
 Kherishdar / int_c007c53
comment
Cool and Unusual Punishment: ...finding a way of pointing out to the individual the damage they're doing to others or themselves. Such as having someone who wants to stop harming themselves wear bandages signed by their friends and family.
 Kherishdar / int_c007c53
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_c007c53
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_c007c53
 Kherishdar / int_caf8c66c
type
The Chains of Commanding
 Kherishdar / int_caf8c66c
comment
The Chains of Commanding: Much of The Calligrapher and Shame's work involves reinforcing noble caste leaders who become stressed as they try to balance the needs of the people under them with the demands of society in general.
 Kherishdar / int_caf8c66c
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_caf8c66c
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_caf8c66c
 Kherishdar / int_d0f0a80d
type
One-Word Title
 Kherishdar / int_d0f0a80d
comment
One-Word Title: The series is named after the Empire that the stories take place in.
 Kherishdar / int_d0f0a80d
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_d0f0a80d
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_d0f0a80d
 Kherishdar / int_d7b34c31
type
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep"
 Kherishdar / int_d7b34c31
comment
Everyone Calls Him "Barkeep": While The Calligrapher and Shame do have namesnote Farren Nai'Sheviet-osulkedi and Kor Nai'Nerillin-osulkedi, respectively that are mentioned in their stories, they're easy to miss until Black Blossom. Given the very stratified nature of Ai-Naidar society, almost everyone goes by their title first, using their name only among close associates.
 Kherishdar / int_d7b34c31
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_d7b34c31
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_d7b34c31
 Kherishdar / int_dca70c44
type
Reasonable Authority Figure
 Kherishdar / int_dca70c44
comment
Reasonable Authority Figure: The default nature of the Noble and Regal Castes. When they don't live up to it, that's when the Emperor calls Shame in.
 Kherishdar / int_dca70c44
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_dca70c44
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_dca70c44
 Kherishdar / int_e8e56799
type
Blue-and-Orange Morality
 Kherishdar / int_e8e56799
comment
Blue-and-Orange Morality: As noted above.
 Kherishdar / int_e8e56799
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_e8e56799
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_e8e56799
 Kherishdar / int_eb2195d9
type
Rousseau Was Right
 Kherishdar / int_eb2195d9
comment
Rousseau Was Right: Pretty much the setting default. While there are (very rare) monsters in the Ai-Naidar world, the assumption is most people just need a gentle nudge back on the path when they end up doing wrong.
 Kherishdar / int_eb2195d9
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_eb2195d9
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_eb2195d9
 Kherishdar / int_edcc813f
type
Fantastic Caste System
 Kherishdar / int_edcc813f
comment
Fantastic Caste System: Regals, Nobles, Public Servants (osulked, the caste of all the books' protagonists thus far), Guardians, Merchants, Land-Workers, Servants, and a sort of concubine or living decoration known as fathriked in order of status, with several sub-castes to each. Ai-Naidar are born into their parents' caste but they are evaluated twice in childhood to determine the caste they hold in adulthood. Though the Noble and Regal castes lie above "the Wall of Birth" and lower caste Ai-Naidar can only rise above it through extremely rare marriages that have to be approved by the Emperor. It is also not unknown for an adult to be reassigned when their caste no longer suits them, as seen when House Qenain's fathrikedi is reassigned as osulkedi.
 Kherishdar / int_edcc813f
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_edcc813f
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_edcc813f
 Kherishdar / int_name
type
ItemName
 Kherishdar / int_name
comment
 Kherishdar / int_name
featureApplicability
1.0
 Kherishdar / int_name
featureConfidence
1.0
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Kherishdar / int_name
 Kherishdar / int_name
itemName
Kherishdar

The following is a list of statements referring to the current page from other pages.

 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Aliens Never Invented Democracy / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Cold-Blooded Torture / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Fantastic Caste System / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Fantastic Naming Convention / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Humans by Any Other Name / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Of the People / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Single Language Planet / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Tattoo Sharpie / int_f82c136e
 Kherishdar
hasFeature
Who Watches the Watchmen? / int_f82c136e