Olympia

[Con]

Ok so spire Olympia this might be a little selfish of me given that I'm from Australia but Australia's colours are green and gold, but then so are the Olympics. We're obsessed with games and races and stuff like that. The ruff and gruff Olympia captain we see in the bar brawl scene against a surface creature reminds me of a stereotype of a gruff Australian.

Anyway so this topic is to discuss Olympia. I'm only half hearted about it being a representation of Australia sameway the enemy Spire may or may not be a representation of Spain and so on and so forth.

So let's discuss what we know about Olympia.

There is some sort of annual or bi annual or leap year event their presumably in which the Predator lost a race to Captain Grimm's ex wife turned villainous harpy who goes out of her way not to kill Grimm or destroy the Predator. Who is Olympian herself.

The Captain who can crash his ship walk several kilometre's on the surface with his crew find his booked tavern occupied restrain himself from killing them then take part in a brawl against a narly surface creature. (Oh and he has fur cuffs)

And according to Captain Grimm the Olympian navy forces their Captains to serve several positions on board a ship for a determined period of time before even being considered for promotion. (It was Grimm's excuse to cook against his XO's staunch disapproval)

Am I forgetting something about Olympia that explains why I'm hoping it be an analogue for Australia?

However if it is an analogue for Australia then it'd be remiss of me to remind Jim to also spend some time thinking of an analogue for Kiwiland or the Land of the Silver Fern otherwise known as the cousins we don't like to talk about the New Zealanders. (My Dad's Kiwi so I felt obligated to say something)

[Quantus]

Other Olympian details:

-They display a laurel as their national symbol on "breast or pendant or ring"
-Known for exporting "Olympian Mint Tea"

[nedserD C B yrraH]

As to the scene you enjoyed at The Black Horse, I find calling the Gwen and Co.(aka Brits) "bloody Albion fussbothers" very Aussie to me. Plus all the "bloody"s. It could just be the Albion influence but the language similarity could easily be the analogous to the Britain and Australia. His familiarity with Silkweavers could just be his history as a Capt, or it could be similar to Australia's denser than avg population of deadly animals.

[Quantus]

As to the scene you enjoyed at The Black Horse, I find calling the Gwen and Co.(aka Brits) "bloody Albion fussbothers" very Aussie to me. Plus all the "bloody"s. It could just be the Albion influence but the language similarity could easily be the analogous to the Britain and Australia. His familiarity with Silkweavers could just be his history as a Capt, or it could be similar to Australia's denser than avg population of deadly animals.

Another bit of heavily circumstantial evidence is that the Aurorans had their own language and accents, right?  Something the Olympians dont appear to have?  That could indicate that the Albion and Olympian cultures have a common home language. As opposed to the greek influence Id expect from the Olympia=Greece model. 

[Con]

Yay! So all the Aussie's on the board are in agreement that their is heavy circumstantial evidence that Olympia may or may not be an analogue to Australia.

Quick question am I the first to come up with this theory cause if I am I want it Hallmarked and demand a medal the day I'm proven right.

Edit: Control find of anything with Olympia and Olympian
In the event of a duel with the pedantic Admiral Rook. Captain Grimm threatens to change his flag to Spire Olympia and they'd be glad to have him.

"I'd change my flag to Spire Olympia and they'd be glad to have me" Grimm said "They'd be glad to have me. Let the Rooks attempt their little game with the captain of an Olympian vessel. DO you think your corpse is worth that Hamilton?"

So Apparently Spire Olympia is powerful enough to provide refuge for Captain Grimm if things turn dire enough, protection enough from the Rook family at any rate.
There's also an Olympian Master Sculpture McDagget.

Olympian Mint tea is Renaldo's favourite tea with a perfect amount of honey.

Then Bridgett notices some Olympians in their traditional green and gold garb and the laurel wreath on breasts pendants or rings.

Next we have.
Calliope lies about being double booked one of them being a run for Olympia definitely the more profitable run by what we've estimated the other to Kissam. Anyone know what Kissam is an analogue for? It's in need of Medicine and probably middle Eastern.
(Bugger forgot the race reference I'll come back to it)

Now we get to the bar brawl.

Green aviator leathers and fur trimmed mark someone as a private captain from Olympia. Then Master Ferus makes a joke about Olympian and possessed of a Fury which he acknowledges is only funny if you know enough history. (It's a mythological joke the Three Furies). That more than anything would seem to be the closest confirmation to Cinder Spires atleast coming from an alternate earth if not our earths history.

Gwen correctly identifies the Olympian as a threat and asks Benedict to intervene Benedict says it's Gwen problem to sort out. Ferrus notes his extremely fine coat and that they don't give those to just anyone.

Now comes the "Bloody Albion fussbothers" after Gwen refuses to be cowed. The Olympian first makes a note of asking Benedict if Gwen speaks for him, to which Benedict confirms.

"Pine. Commodore Horatio Pine, of the Half Moon Merchant Company out of Olympia"

Okay so a couple of references one he's a Commodore not a Captain. From what little I know of navy ranks from my days as Pirates of the Carribean superfan a Commodore is somewhere between Captain and Admiral kind of like a Colonel only much less common, a bit more prestigious and most Captains are the equivalent of their own Colonels on a ship, but that's only iirc.

Horatio after Horatio Hornblower and Half Moon to suggest a connection to Werewolves and that this guy is half way to Beserkerdom, then Merchant Company to confirm he's part of a legitimate enterprise and finally confirmation he is indeed from Olympia.

Let's continue shall we.

... I don't give a tenth crown who you are that Suite is reserved for my captains and myself and we've just walked a mile on the surface to get to this bloody Spire and nearly got shot up by your own bloody Fleet when we finally made it through. I'm in no mood for games

Now Gwen tries to use her family name to get out of this and the Commodore isn't having any of it. He's got wounded men, one more obligatory bloody and threatens to leave them all unconscious. Gwen stupidly tries to stand her ground. and Pine asks Benedict is  he sure she speaks for him. Benedict lightly thumps his head on the table. Then the brawl starts.

Well read the brawl yourself it's Chapter 37. But the Olympian shows some knowledge of Silkweaver anatomy and physiology by saying go for it's belly.

Just after the brawl Grimm uses Olympian policy to justify cooking to which Creddy replies in shock horror "We are not Olympians sir"

Ok so the Olympian Air Trials were a couple of years back so 2 or 3 which suggests Leap Year events.

[Con]

Dude's I think Kissam is an anagram os Kassim the main assassin rebel guy in Rogue One

[RobReece]

My only observation is that you state that he crashed his ship and thus walked across the surface to get to Albion.  It doesn't say anywhere that he crashed.  My read on this was that he and his crews were returning from a venture that took them out on the surface, any injuries that they'd suffered were from the hazards associated with travelling there. 
If there is supporting evidence to support one theory over the other, I'd be willing to see it.

[Con]

You're right nothing says he crashed I made the assumption based off of how everyone fears the surface, but I can just as well imagine Commodore Pine launching an expedition across it. Oh and Kissam is an actual city so I withdraw my statement about it.

[nedserD C B yrraH]

I've been making the same assumption that he crashed. My thinking is mostly a crash since  the distance is so short.  I doubt there is a spire that close to Albion. Plus if I was mounting an expedition through hostile territory I would warn the endpoint of said expedition since they will be on guard for dangers. Why even involve a different Spire in such an expedition? increasingly large circles around the base of your home spire would increase security and info without the risk of supply lines being cut. I suppose a ship could have dropped them off just a few miles away to test a route or travel method, but then I would expect that ship to offer support. Sure Com. Pine seems pretty bad ass but why walk when you can fly? Safer and faster.

[RobReece]

Either is possible, but my thinking was that their expedition was to retrieve/harvest material that would just be found on the surface, probably near Albion.  I think that if there had been a crash, he wouldn't have had the chance to plan ahead and reserve the rooms and he probably would have taken whatever rooms were available at the base of the spire, not halfway up the side at Landing.

I'm also expecting him to play a part in "The Olympian Affair"

[Con]

I'm also expecting him to play a part in "The Olympian Affair"

As are we all. Jim wouldn't write such an interesting character and then discard him. Besides he's a Commodore which is a position of rank you'd expect at a formal event.

[nedserD C B yrraH]

He's a Commodore in a Merchant Co. He may not be at an official social event. Then again, the Spirearch hardly used Gwen, Bridget, Rowl, Grimm and Benedict openly last time.

But I agree, I certainly expect to see Commodore Pine and his, no doubt, equally doughty crew again.