Motley's Place in the Dungeon
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I have a theory on Motley's role in the dungeon if anyone would like to read it. I'm not sure whether this'll create much opportunity for discussion, but I hope it does. Anyway, here we go:
Firstly, some background information. When jesters were popular, making fun of the king was labelled treason and such a crime went heavily punished. This meant that the general public, however they disliked their king, could not speak out. Straight obedience doesn't suit everybody, so such an arrangement would have led to a lot of bitter resentment.
So the king would appoint a jester. The classic jester was a satirist - he would joke about the king, indeed, he'd indulge in treason where most others could not. He had a certain licence to do so: he was a jester, so officially, everything he said was in jest. Nobody could take the fool seriously, of course. This acted as a pressure valve for the community at large - at least somebody could say what was on most of their minds.
Motley, I think, is a microcosm of this: although he is not strictly speaking in a kingdom but in a sealed-off dungeon, he is under an absolute ruler, all the same. Treguard is not a king, but he holds absolute rule in the dungeon. I'll guess that he runs a tight ship and won't stand for being badmouthed. Therefore he employed Motley.
Motley does lark around a lot, but I think it's his role to do exactly that, and that if he can get others to think of him as stupid then he's done his job - and then some. If his audience are prepared to cut Motley's subjects - Motley, Malice etc. some slack, then he's done all he has to do.
Any thoughts?
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Mogdred and Lord Fear are more apt to be the ruler type figures who are regularly poked fun at. Didn't Motley once call Mogdred "Moggers" or some other sly nickname?
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I think he did!
But in the case of Mogdred and Lord Fear, I think the rule holds the same - Motley was still there to make the general community feel more at ease with the fact that they were ultimately under these peoples' rule.
It just strikes me that it's more likely he was appointed by Treguard. Or perhaps he was freelance - who knows? But still, his position was an important one, I dare say.
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I get the feeling he was freelance, as Treguard seems to get pretty annoyed with him at times and if Motley was under his jurisdiction he could easily have sacked him or banished him. Treguard simply reprimands him on occasion.
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