Changing the World: All-New Tales of Valdemar

:It’s a harsh business. To be fair and answer your question . . . it’s mostly the commoners who excel at the spying. Our noble Heralds do better at the raids and up-close combat, or riding circuit and meting judgment. Most are superb circuit riders. They understand and care about law and work with their Companions to mete justice. Many have too strong a sense of themselves to make good sneaks, however. It just isn’t in them.

:The confidence, the sureness . . . soldiers turn to it in battle. HUP HUP! Head to the Front! Follow the shiny white coat! But for a spy, you need a street rat.

:The poorer kids have had their lives torn up and have had to adapt themselves, make themselves over to survive, become someone, something else to survive. They get hazed once they hit the Academy. It’s a harsh change for them, harsher than it seems, but it is necessary. Once they are broken down, a mentor comes and lifts them up. That mentor is close to the state, linked to the sovereign. The mentor will take the newer Herald, and will become teacher, confessor, and sometimes, yes, even lover. But the purpose is to attach the loyalty of that Herald to that group who is bound only to the sovereign, no conflict with lineage, or House Honor.:

Dave blinked, taking it in. “I remember a war correspondent telling me a similar thing about how commandos are trained. Just how many Heralds make it to retirement?”

The Companion shuffle-stepped.

:Most times, most. Now, with the Wars, maybe a third get sent out to pasture. The ranks got thinned during the Tedrel Wars, a few for Hardorn, but now that it’s gotten worse, there is some serious attrition. Training standards have slipped, as bodies are needed in the field, so losses go up. For those loyal only to crown, it’s higher. The queen has to measure carefully how many of the noble Heralds she spends.:

“Still in the white coats?”

:Mostly, yes. The heraldry is a symbol, and the symbol is White. A few get into mufti, but for most, the heraldry is what we are. Skulking about is all very good for Alberich, and it works for those who came from outside the system, but surrendering the Whites is surrendering who we are. Going to grays is a surrender of sorts, that we have to hide who we are, what we represent. We’ll do it, of course, but its really hard. Even for the street kids. Sometimes they out White the nobles.:

“Out White?”

:Play the orthodox Herald more vigorously than the nobles. Then their Companion has to find a creek somewhere and drop them in it, to shrink their heads.:

“Why? So far you’ve described it as a prop for an oligarchy with some pretty hard- nosed ideas about who gets killed in the line of duty.”