The Grounding of MR`s Bloodline

[Birthright-L]

At 02:26 PM 7/13/2009, irdeggman wrote:

But the Iron Throne told the story of how Michael Roele died in a one-on-one fight with the Gorgon (his "uncle"). Michael sent his bloodline directly into the land instead of allowing the Gorgon to "steal it".

Interesting to speculate on the similarities between the Gorgon`s and MR`s bloodlines.... The Gorgon received his bloodline directly at the BoD, but MR must have had his handed down to him through the generations after it originated from Anduiras. I mention it because there has been some speculation about things like why the Gorgon doesn`t spend his immortal years having children and then committing bloodtheft on them, and various solutions have been presented to this problem with various levels of success. MR`s bloodline and the Gorgon`s would seem to be very different, which would preclude some of the "solutions" to the bloodtheft problem, but I can`t help but wonder if their familial relationship might not have played some sort of role in the grounding of the emperor`s bloodline rather than having the Gorgon steal it....

At least, something like that might be used in part to explain what happened in that battle, and how/why MR was able to "ground" his bloodline rather than the Gorgon receiving it. Maybe MR had nothing really to do with it at all - it was simply a bizarre result of a unique confluence of magical effects.

I suppose there could be other explanations and influences:

1. The strength of the bloodlines involved, for example. At this point, we don`t know if the Gorgon can really even gain much of any benefit to his 100+ bloodline score by committing bloodtheft.

2. The weapons used by the Gorgon might have had an influence.

3. MR might have had some sort of special relationship with the land that we know little or nothing about.

4. There could have been some sort of divine intervention.

5. The Gorgon might have done something on purpose that backfired, or that we do not fully know the results of yet.

Others?

Gary

[Raesene Andu]

There are several mentions in BR source material of the land choosing to pass on a bloodline. Perhaps what occurred was that the land itself would not to allow the Gorgon to steal the Roele bloodline and instead absorbed it, keeping it safe until such time as a future hero should rise who would be worthy to claim it.

This option fits well with the potential of a PC emperor bearing the Roele Bloodline to rise to take on the title of emperor.

[Thelandrin]

Hmmm. I like that idea. Maybe, as some sort of Xanatos gambit, Michael divested his bloodline into the various Imperial relics and when someone reclaims the sword and the crown and is seated upon the throne, then suddenly the Roele bloodline will be fully invested in them.

[Sorontar]

Our campaign just finally ended after 10+ RL years (3 game years) with the Gorgon being killed by an unblooded NPC. Since it was with Roele's sword into the heart, she did get blooded, but the Gorgon's blood went into land and the land gave Roele's bloodline to the new empress. This was the Land's Choice. The Gorgon did not ground it. The land then used the Gorgon's blood to close a rift to the SW (that my druid had accidentally opened while trying to prevent a rift from happening.... the pain! the irony!).

Sorontar

[Rowan]

I like that very much, Thelandrin!

I would say the bloodline contained in the various relics makes them industrictible, as well as inaccessible to awnsheghlien, much to their chagrin. Otherwise Gorgy would have already prevented that possibility.

I would also say that you can't just collect and reunite the Imperial Relics. I think some great deed (aside from reclaiming them) is required, as well as some test and ceremony. I am fond of having few but powerful magic items that must be awakened somehow, and can usually be further awakened.

In Julian's game, we worked out some serious conditions for the Sword of Roele to be reformed after we had recovered it. These were cryptically revealed through a seeress. They involved outward signs that the Empire was reuniting (a sign fulfilled by the reunion of the Imperial Temple); sacrifice of blood (blood points) of multiple scions of the ancient houses; reforging in fires enchanted by the CoS; quenched in waters blessed by Nesirie; and consecration by a Haelynite hierarch. Many of the conditions really wouldn't have been that hard to meet, but some were. It was to be a powerful sword, and if it could also have granted part of the Roele bloodline, far more powerful still.

I assume by Imperial Relics we would mean: Sword of Roele (broken); Imperial Crown; and Armor of Roele. The Iron Throne, Imperial Standard, Imperial Signet would be the Lesser Relics and presumably would be in the safekeeping of the Imperial Chamberlain.