I love the
idea of secret organizations and communities living within the regular
world. The Templars and Masons, the
Illuminati, even the original gatherings of Christians under the Roman Empire’s
rule, there’s just something appealing about the idea of being part of a
distinguished, but secret, group. Of
course there are actual distinct communities which share space but not
lives. The best illustration I’ve ever
seen comes from J. Michael Straczynski’s Midnight
Nation, inspired by his observation of how the homeless and destitute share
geography with the regular folk, but remain unseen and hidden from view.
When it
came to creating the world of the lalassu,
I spent a lot of time thinking about how they would interact with the
world. Ancient Persia, Greece and Rome
all have myths of powerful demigods with strange gifts, usually extraordinary
strength. The lalassu could have lived quite openly and comfortably. Some probably even had cults and rituals
based around them. The turning point
would come with the Roman Emperor Constantine and his adoption of Christianity
as the state religion of the Roman Empire.
After that, local cults were no longer tolerated. The lalassu
would have had the choice of fighting the Romans (which some certainly did)
or withdrawing and hiding amongst the crowd.
With the
Middle Ages came the witch trials.
Suddenly having strange powers was a death sentence, no matter how
useful or helpful those might be.
Historically, many of the “witches” burned at the stake were healers and
midwives, so I’m sure the inquisitors would have had no trouble condemning
mediums, shapeshifters and predictives as demons. The witch hunts would have driven the lalassu survivors deep underground and
pushed them to the fringes. Like gypsies
and tinkers, they began to travel frequently to escape the scrutiny of
suspicious neighbors. They likely would
have been welcomed among the tents of travelling entertainers as psychics,
strongmen and freaks.
Gradually
the world ceased to believe in extraordinary powers, making it easier for the lalassu to hide. However, the rise of science threatened a new
exposure, one which could be replicated rather than dismissed as legend. If a naturalist discovered the lalassu, he or she could bring unwelcome
attention on the entire community.
Keeping out of traditional roles became even more important.
The
increase in the authority of the state drove yet another nail in the coffin. Up until a hundred years ago, it was
relatively easy to simply start a new life and a new identity, provided one was
not claiming to be part of the aristocracy or other elite groups. People more or less trusted newcomers to be
who they said they were. But as
governments began to issue official identification papers and keep track of
their citizens, it becomes harder to exist on the fringe of society without
leaving telltale traces.
I based lalassu
culture on the loose organization of the Romany (albeit in a very general way
as there is little available for reliable detailed research). Each group of lalassu has its leaders but each leader has a great deal of
autonomy to make decisions. They
communicate to warn of potential problems for their people or to pass on
invitations to particularly lucrative ventures.
They work in cash-under-the-table jobs such as day labor or the
quasi-legitimate markets of palm readers and other psychic ventures. Some cross the line into criminal
enterprises. They move frequently to avoid
drawing attention to themselves. Their
safety relies on being effectively invisible.
Because
they stay to the fringes, they have to rely on themselves to take care of any
problems which arise. If a customer
cheats them, they can’t go to the police to complain. Instead, they might call on relatives to
teach a physically painful lesson on keeping one’s word, or use their gifts to
frighten the mark or even break into the customer’s home or business to extract
retribution. If money becomes scarce,
they cannot apply for assistance. Instead
they rely on their families and fellow lalassu
to assist them. The family becomes
everything, support system and safety net.
Breaking from the family leaves an individual incredibly vulnerable and
isolated.
Things are
reaching another turning point for the lalassu. In an age where the shadows they hide in are
becoming narrower due to constant surveillance and international cooperation,
the risk of exposure is becoming greater with every passing year.
The lalassu books will focus on different aspects of the community and the reality of dealing with superpowers and still trying to keep them secret.
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