What happens if the Gorgon becomes a God?

[Urulòki]

Only one question:

How will the word of Gorgon's disappearance or ascension reach the populations living outside the Raesene-dominated lands?

I guess that somehow this would be possible for Sidhelien or Mages of the CoS to feel that something has changed in Kal Satharak. Let say the Sidhelien shall not break the news to outsiders. But will the CoS tell anything at all for, Anuire ridden of the Raesene's threat may end swiftly engulfed in civil strife.

I thought for instance that somehow Anuire would never be quite sure of the Gorgon's leave, however hints may be diffused through Mhoried or Kiergard or anyone else witnessing infighting between the various factions once united under the heavy thumb of the Black Prince?

[AndrewTall]

Hmm, I can't see many people contesting the Gorgon's source holdings, and not many spies go in and out...

So probably by seeing the fall out from the internal struggle over the power vacuum, seeing goblins picking sides, etc.

Of course not everyone would believe it at first, a brave group of investigators would have to infiltrate Kal-Saitharak itself to be sure

[Alluveal]

I don't view the Chamberlain in any religious light. He's a diviner, but that in no way makes him a religious pope-like figure in my eyes. I see him more as a benevolent "Denethor" of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Where the character of Denethor wanted power for himself, the Chamberlain truly is a steward of the Anuirean kingdom without a personal agenda (aside from finding the true ruler of the land.)

I am also not sure that marrying into the Chamberlain's family would help anyone procure the throne. I see the Chamberlain's line as separate from the Roele (or chosen ruling line,) and think it works best that way. I always saw the Dosiere line as means to "check and balance" the Emperor to a certain degree.

I am in agreement that ruling by council is a risky idea. It would make an interesting campaign in that the rulers of the council can be tempted and treated as our modern day senators (where lobbyists attempt to further their own goals.) To me, this opens up too many opportunities for corruption, thus taking the council away from its primary goal--to protect and serve the people, to lead the people, to rule wisely. Again, maybe it could work, but seeing how most D&D groups have some level of internal strife between characters as it is, who is to say that anything at all will get accomplished if they can't agree?

As for the Gorgon becoming a god, well . . . he's had hundreds of years to prepare. Perhaps once a bloodline reaches a certain point, the vessel (mortal body) is unable to hold the power within and he ascends. He is, after all, quite the stealer of bloodpoints. =)

[kgauck]

If there is anything useful about a connection to the Chamberlain its his fine bloodline, and a marriage there can only enhance your dynasty.

[Dcolby]

Indeed, Charlemagne is a great example, as I mentioned elsewhere, for he has no connection to anything Roman. He's the outsider who claims the mantle of Rome. I rather think that the Byzantine position was that they were the Romans in question, not just successors of Rome, but the Romans themselves.

The Idea of "Rome" and the "Empire" still resonated in Europe hundreds of years after its fall. The dark ages were such a horrible and lawless, bloody time that the Idea of the Empire came to symbolize a near mythic place an Idea that Charlemagne was able to seize upon.

The Anuirean empire despite its technolgy edge over the "Dark Ages" of Europe is in the throws of its own 500+ year "Dark Age".

Under such circumstances the Idea of the Empire and its fabled Golden Age and the Chamberlain that represents the last vestages of the good times, may have more power than can easily be quantified.

Add in the rumors of the Chamberlains Immortality (True or not) and the connection to the Empire of old is even more pronounced in the minds of Anuireans.

[kgauck]

A people would have to be remarkably romantic in their political notions to prefer a perpetual civil war (which is the description, more or less, of Anuire in Ruins of Empire) to someone that isn't a bona fide decendent of the Imperial dynasty, or doesn't match the apparently impossible requirements of the Chancellor, who hasn't found a suitable candidate in five centuries.

The Chancellor is criminal in my opinon, with all the blood of five centuries of intercene war on his hands.

[Dcolby]

The Chancellor is criminal in my opinon, with all the blood of five centuries of intercene war on his hands.

In a real world I would heartily agree with you, also likely is that in a real world a man or someone in his line of decendants who supposedly has the power to select the Emperor would have already done so to both preserve the nation and better his own position, human nature being what it is and all that.

As the central game concept is this shattered Empire and the struggle to become the next Emperor it seems that the Chancellor is another game device to prolong the games enviroment.

In a prior incarnation of the setting I once ran a Chancellor who was in fact an agent of the Gorgon. Sadly this game did not last long enough for the players to discover it, but it made for at least one very interesting Sword and Crown..

[geeman]

At 06:20 PM 5/9/2007, Dcolby wrote:

>>The Chancellor is criminal in my opinon, with all the blood of five
>>centuries of intercene war on his hands.
>
>In a real world I would heartily agree with you, also likely is that
>in a real world a man or someone in his line of decendants who
>supposedly has the power to select the Emperor would have already
>done so to both preserve the nation and better his own position,
>human nature being what it is and all that.
>
>As the central game concept is this shattered Empire and the
>struggle to become the next Emperor it seems that the Chancellor is
>another game device to prolong the games enviroment.

The Chamberlain is most likely a loose homage (like a lot of BR) to
Tolkien`s character Denathor, Steward of Gondor. As such his (or his
family`s) control of the IC is extended for thematic purposes. The
Stewards of Gondor remained in power for 25 generations, about 1,000
years, which might give us some idea of how the BR setting might go....

Speaking of Tolkien and what might happen if the Gorgon ascends,
consider this: Imagine that Sauron gets his ring back at the end of
RotK. Cerilia might look a lot like Middle Earth in such a scenario....

Gary

[Thelandrin]

I know that you're a Chamberlain hater, Kgauck, but is it possible that he has deliberately not chosen a candidate to keep Anuire strong? The candidates vie against each other, but generally do it quietly or politically, without recourse to open warfare. What would happen if he chose? Maybe there would be war, maybe not.

Then again, the Chamberlain is in a "damned if you, damned if you don't" situation, so he can't win from an impartial point of view.

[ShadowMoon]

I suppose it depends on Chamberlain in question; from long before Traederic on the fields of Deismaar, to Aedan seeing last Emperor slain by the Gorgon, to Caliedhe, the current and in a way only a symbolic Imperial Chamberlain. As I see it, there were rather active Chamberlains in past, that were very motivated in searching for a next Emperor. It would be a great honour and privilege to be marked in history books as the one who started the re-unification of the Empire. Probably there were even Chamberlains that chose sides in Anuirean political theatre, or even made some bad choices. I mean Dosiere are powerful and old house, but they are humans afterall.

So I just assumed that Caliedhe Dosiere (fourty-seventh Imperial Chamberlain) is reserved, and unambitious; more interested in past then present. He is honourable and responsable, so he is extra careful of what he says and/or do. Maybe even fearfull, not wanting to to be a part of some unfortunate event that would add to rather dark Anuirean history.