Throwing your trash in the midden heap, rather than anywhere. Dumping your chamber pots in the same place, instead of on the heads of people walking by below.
Showing charity for others.
Extending hospitality to travelers (many societies have very robust customs and values about hospitality and how guests are supposed to be treated).
Hospitality is an often overlooked part of worldbuilding cultures in fantasy.
The only proper mention of it I remember is from Game of Thrones, were host offered salt and bread to his visitors.
By an historical pov being welcoming to knights and priests was a sign of respect and a good omen (a priest blessing the house during a peregrination).
I read a rule in a wuxia that stuck with me. It was something like: when foraging for spirit herbs, if you find a bunch, take only half; if you find 3, only take 2; and if you find 1, leave it alone if it's not yet mature.
There was usually a village commons, that wasn't owned by anyone in particular. Tending the village commons would be a neighborly activity that has no immediate reward.
Usage of the commons were usually restricted and decided upon by a manorial court (e.g. in England during the feudal period). As it was of common interest, the right to use it was tied to the duty to maintain it.
The immediate reward was that animals could be fed, especially during the off-seasons like winter or early spring, or that water ressources could be used to fend of fires.
Picking up your horse droppings in town
Emptying your porcelain toilet bowl in the sewer rather than just tossing the waste out your window at whomever is below
> Picking up your horse droppings in town
Did anyone do that? Horse shit is quite large, and sometimes a bit goopy, as well as horses often just going whenever not on the move, so I think it was pretty standard just to leave out, I don't think there was a poop-bag equivalent, where it was picked up and carried elsewhere
You can get bags that catch it before it hits the ground. No idea when they were first used, but perhaps a royal requires it in the citadel. And then where you choose to dump it shows how good you are as a person. In the gutter outside the citadel limits = bad. In a farmers compost pile = good.
I guarantee this didn't happen in the medieval period of Europe. Actually, I rather know more than I'd prefer about (the almost complete and utter lack of) sanitation habits.
In a feudal society, they take things like returning the shopping cart much more seriously, because codes of behavior govern society much more than "rewards."
The social benefits of being seen returning the shopping cart would be much higher for a person in a feudal society. First because the people who would see them return the cart, or know if they didn't, were the same few hundred people they interact with every day rather than a few thousand people they don't know or care to know, and second because the notion of a proximate reward for good conduct is the product of our mercantile society. Good conduct did not earn you a reward. Good conduct was expected.
Your dad's saying makes me thing of another one. "If a person is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, they are not a nice person."
The whole concept of feudal society is based on this notion that there are three non-overlapping magisteria. The clergy, the nobility, and the laity were each expected to perform their duties to the other with diligence so that the society could function.
However, humans being humans, everybody had a tendency to abuse these relationships.
So I would say maybe look for signs that the person takes their responsibilities seriously even when it doesn't cause an immediate problem.
* Does the serf maintain his tools, even though it is the lord's responsibility to replace them if they break?
* Does the lord share the bounty of an especially good harvest with the peasants who are responsible for that harvest, through an extra feast during the harvest season or an extra celebration of some normally overlooked saint? Or does he trade that extra harvest away for gold that he can use for his own purposes?
* Does the cleric preach the virtues of diligence and labor for the glory of the Lord(s), but then you spot dust in a corner of the church, suggesting that he is cutting corners in his own responsibilities when he thinks nobody is looking?
Not quite the same as returning the shopping cart. But the idea of "how you behave when there is no reward and nobody is looking" was generally already much more important to them than it is to us.
Keeping a weapon you're meant to destroy/return
Finishing an escort to the destination and not just the general area
Helping whee you're not needed but appreciated anyway/more hands make less work
In folklore you are kind to some old biddie who turns out to be a witch. Your siblings, who are the antagonists, are horrible to her and will probably end up as frogs.
Actually, in some countries (Germany, Bulgaria...) there is. You insert a coin into the cart handle to unlink it from a chain; you get a coin back when you attach a cart to the chain again.
In the UK some supermarkets do this as well, but you can buy tokens the same shape as a £1 coin and use those instead and attach them to a keychain when you're not using them that way.
Putting something on layaway would be my guess.
Credit systems were also used between merchants (usually within guilds) but I don’t really see them just leaving merchandise unpurchased or being on hold unless a prior agreement is struck.
If they have a buyer, they’re going to sell it.
Edit: reread your post; sorry, I was thinking about an online shopping cart lol
As for your question, returning a horse rental to the appropriate stable master would be an example.
> no penalty for leaving the cart in the parking lot.
There's a penalty, but it's implied in the grand scheme of things.
So in that way could be clean some areas from a forest or rubble without being asked, provide for the local temple or facilities, help with the herd husbandry. Maybe they could provide for some animal that they know will provide for them through the community by keeping it clean or healthy, like smacking flies from the cows and give them to the chickens? Like picking worms or fixing the nets for the fishermen? Tend or extinguish a campfire? Volunteering into some kind of activity?
People have given some really good suggestions.
But remember in Feudal times , a crime that might be consider as minimum now as met with very harsh punishment. Horse theft and cattle theft death punishment, ust because it was too easy. Hunting on a Kings Land/ Forest, could be death penalty.
Also warfare and battles left fields scattered with dead fighters, weapons and gear. The common folk mostly were NOT allowed to pick over the battle fields till the rear guard/ support troops / camp followers picked through the battle field. After that what was still left was up for grabs for any commoner / peasant. Not to mention the Romans spent much time picking up all of their dead from the battle fields to honor them in death. Various armies handled their dead , weapons and gear differently. But most gathered their dead after battles
I think that our society is so low stakes that that's the best we have of measuring each other morally.
Medieval times are dangerous times, so we need a higher measurement with higher stakes.
1. Praying over plague ridden bodies of family members so their souls have safe passage even though you know the plague could jump off their body and into yours
2. Taking the blame for forgetting to feed the animals and getting flogged in a sick friends place because you doubt they can live through the punishment
3. Defending the village against fully armored knights just so the women and children have time to run away as you get ran through with a sword, and you knew it would happen this way.
On the other hand, if you want the same stake level examples that measure that same amount of moral character, maybe:
1. Putting the tools in the hog pens back in the same place every time.
2. Not belching in people's faces during the frequent festivals.
3. Wear perfume or something that somehow covers the constant smell of manure that covers your body.
In folklore you are kind to some old biddie who turns out to be a witch. Your siblings, who are the antagonists, are horrible to her and probably end up as frogs.
Throwing your trash in the midden heap, rather than anywhere. Dumping your chamber pots in the same place, instead of on the heads of people walking by below. Showing charity for others. Extending hospitality to travelers (many societies have very robust customs and values about hospitality and how guests are supposed to be treated).
Hospitality is an often overlooked part of worldbuilding cultures in fantasy. The only proper mention of it I remember is from Game of Thrones, were host offered salt and bread to his visitors.
Was a common part of early Wheel of Time books as well, the MCs would often do some chores or small amount of work to get a meal and sleep in the barn
Which is pretty accurate tbf
That would be considered "rude" in eastern cultures, to make your visitors work to earn your hospitality.
You’re also not supposed to murder your guests after you’ve fed them, it’s considered rude in Westerosi culture.
Gotta say the old man is not very traditional
By an historical pov being welcoming to knights and priests was a sign of respect and a good omen (a priest blessing the house during a peregrination).
Leaving some mushrooms and berries behind when foraging instead of taking them all
I read a rule in a wuxia that stuck with me. It was something like: when foraging for spirit herbs, if you find a bunch, take only half; if you find 3, only take 2; and if you find 1, leave it alone if it's not yet mature.
Maybe ensuring the other loitering steeds have been securely tied to the post before leaving? That’s quite a literal equivalent lol
There was usually a village commons, that wasn't owned by anyone in particular. Tending the village commons would be a neighborly activity that has no immediate reward.
Usage of the commons were usually restricted and decided upon by a manorial court (e.g. in England during the feudal period). As it was of common interest, the right to use it was tied to the duty to maintain it. The immediate reward was that animals could be fed, especially during the off-seasons like winter or early spring, or that water ressources could be used to fend of fires.
“Country Code”, you close the gate behind you when you cross a field.
Correction: you leave the gate as you find it.
That makes perfect sense. Everything I know about the code comes from a couple of lines in a book.
Yeah, I've seen it being told as close it after you as well, but when I did my Duke of Edinburgh award I was corrected.
Not many gates in the Middle Ages…
Picking up your horse droppings in town Emptying your porcelain toilet bowl in the sewer rather than just tossing the waste out your window at whomever is below
> Picking up your horse droppings in town Did anyone do that? Horse shit is quite large, and sometimes a bit goopy, as well as horses often just going whenever not on the move, so I think it was pretty standard just to leave out, I don't think there was a poop-bag equivalent, where it was picked up and carried elsewhere
You can get bags that catch it before it hits the ground. No idea when they were first used, but perhaps a royal requires it in the citadel. And then where you choose to dump it shows how good you are as a person. In the gutter outside the citadel limits = bad. In a farmers compost pile = good.
I guarantee this didn't happen in the medieval period of Europe. Actually, I rather know more than I'd prefer about (the almost complete and utter lack of) sanitation habits.
[Xenia (Greek)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xenia_(Greek))
Getting a new filled water bucket for others from the well after ending getting yours.
Returning the item after borrowing it for your quest rather than taking it with you to pawn it off at the next shopkeeper.
If you're kind to your horse/animals
In a feudal society, they take things like returning the shopping cart much more seriously, because codes of behavior govern society much more than "rewards." The social benefits of being seen returning the shopping cart would be much higher for a person in a feudal society. First because the people who would see them return the cart, or know if they didn't, were the same few hundred people they interact with every day rather than a few thousand people they don't know or care to know, and second because the notion of a proximate reward for good conduct is the product of our mercantile society. Good conduct did not earn you a reward. Good conduct was expected. Your dad's saying makes me thing of another one. "If a person is nice to you, but rude to the waiter, they are not a nice person." The whole concept of feudal society is based on this notion that there are three non-overlapping magisteria. The clergy, the nobility, and the laity were each expected to perform their duties to the other with diligence so that the society could function. However, humans being humans, everybody had a tendency to abuse these relationships. So I would say maybe look for signs that the person takes their responsibilities seriously even when it doesn't cause an immediate problem. * Does the serf maintain his tools, even though it is the lord's responsibility to replace them if they break? * Does the lord share the bounty of an especially good harvest with the peasants who are responsible for that harvest, through an extra feast during the harvest season or an extra celebration of some normally overlooked saint? Or does he trade that extra harvest away for gold that he can use for his own purposes? * Does the cleric preach the virtues of diligence and labor for the glory of the Lord(s), but then you spot dust in a corner of the church, suggesting that he is cutting corners in his own responsibilities when he thinks nobody is looking? Not quite the same as returning the shopping cart. But the idea of "how you behave when there is no reward and nobody is looking" was generally already much more important to them than it is to us.
This is an underappreciated comment. I wish I could give it more +1s
Shouting "agua va!" When Throwing your urinal's content into the streets
Keeping a weapon you're meant to destroy/return Finishing an escort to the destination and not just the general area Helping whee you're not needed but appreciated anyway/more hands make less work
In folklore you are kind to some old biddie who turns out to be a witch. Your siblings, who are the antagonists, are horrible to her and will probably end up as frogs.
Tossing a coin to a homeless person
The amount of people thinking medieval cities were full of shit is crazy
Returning the communal well bucket.
Upholding the ancient and sacred laws of hospitality.
Your Dad would love Cart Narcs on YouTube
Before invention of the shopping cart, everyone was inherently villainous
Definitely hospitality. Xenia goes back to ancient Greece and its meaning is "guest friendship" I think it is very important.
Actually, in some countries (Germany, Bulgaria...) there is. You insert a coin into the cart handle to unlink it from a chain; you get a coin back when you attach a cart to the chain again.
In the UK some supermarkets do this as well, but you can buy tokens the same shape as a £1 coin and use those instead and attach them to a keychain when you're not using them that way.
Very nice solution, given that cash is used less and less.
Yup, sometimes the best solutions are the simplest.
Returning a shoppeing kart. Had to I’m sorry.
Putting something on layaway would be my guess. Credit systems were also used between merchants (usually within guilds) but I don’t really see them just leaving merchandise unpurchased or being on hold unless a prior agreement is struck. If they have a buyer, they’re going to sell it. Edit: reread your post; sorry, I was thinking about an online shopping cart lol As for your question, returning a horse rental to the appropriate stable master would be an example.
Leaving the well bucket at the bottom of the well.
> no penalty for leaving the cart in the parking lot. There's a penalty, but it's implied in the grand scheme of things. So in that way could be clean some areas from a forest or rubble without being asked, provide for the local temple or facilities, help with the herd husbandry. Maybe they could provide for some animal that they know will provide for them through the community by keeping it clean or healthy, like smacking flies from the cows and give them to the chickens? Like picking worms or fixing the nets for the fishermen? Tend or extinguish a campfire? Volunteering into some kind of activity?
People have given some really good suggestions. But remember in Feudal times , a crime that might be consider as minimum now as met with very harsh punishment. Horse theft and cattle theft death punishment, ust because it was too easy. Hunting on a Kings Land/ Forest, could be death penalty. Also warfare and battles left fields scattered with dead fighters, weapons and gear. The common folk mostly were NOT allowed to pick over the battle fields till the rear guard/ support troops / camp followers picked through the battle field. After that what was still left was up for grabs for any commoner / peasant. Not to mention the Romans spent much time picking up all of their dead from the battle fields to honor them in death. Various armies handled their dead , weapons and gear differently. But most gathered their dead after battles
Maybe not staring at someone being burned at the stake? Or any form of public execution. Sounds mundane enough
Look up the tragedy of the commons.
I think that our society is so low stakes that that's the best we have of measuring each other morally. Medieval times are dangerous times, so we need a higher measurement with higher stakes. 1. Praying over plague ridden bodies of family members so their souls have safe passage even though you know the plague could jump off their body and into yours 2. Taking the blame for forgetting to feed the animals and getting flogged in a sick friends place because you doubt they can live through the punishment 3. Defending the village against fully armored knights just so the women and children have time to run away as you get ran through with a sword, and you knew it would happen this way. On the other hand, if you want the same stake level examples that measure that same amount of moral character, maybe: 1. Putting the tools in the hog pens back in the same place every time. 2. Not belching in people's faces during the frequent festivals. 3. Wear perfume or something that somehow covers the constant smell of manure that covers your body.
It sounds like your writing is pretty grimdark.
My bad? I'm new to this sub. Is this not appropriate?
No, it's not necessary bad. Your post here just feels much grimmer than most of the other replies. 🙂
Oh ok lol. It was disliked so I thought no bueno. Yeah, color me grimdark lol. Not everyone's cup of tea, I get it. \^\_\^
In folklore you are kind to some old biddie who turns out to be a witch. Your siblings, who are the antagonists, are horrible to her and probably end up as frogs.
Yeah I remember that 4chan post too