Reflecting Upon RTH -- SPOILER THREAD

Hi Peter,

You are a lot more optimistic than I about Chava turning over a new leaf and doing anything other than waiting his next chance to do meyhem at the Calirath's expense.

Don

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Not really, Don. Just more sneaky. I suspect Zindel will find a way to geas the Imperial Uromathian Crown just as his crown is geased. That will compel Chava to act in his people's interest rather than his own preferences. If the Imperial Parliament mandates existing Sharonan royalty receives their crown from the Emperor, Zindel has a chance to slip in the spell. Its either that or civil war and chaos in the region.

n7axw wrote:Hi Peter,

You are a lot more optimistic than I about Chava turning over a new leaf and doing anything other than waiting his next chance to do meyhem at the Calirath's expense.

Don

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PeterZ wrote:Not really, Don. Just more sneaky. I suspect Zindel will find a way to geas the Imperial Uromathian Crown just as his crown is geased. That will compel Chava to act in his people's interest rather than his own preferences. If the Imperial Parliament mandates existing Sharonan royalty receives their crown from the Emperor, Zindel has a chance to slip in the spell. Its either that or civil war and chaos in the region.

n7axw wrote:Hi Peter,

You are a lot more optimistic than I about Chava turning over a new leaf and doing anything other than waiting his next chance to do meyhem at the Calirath's expense.

Don

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A bit of chaos in Uromanthia might preoccupy them enough to keep them out of trouble elsewhere. But I see your point. How about simply removing Chava and his boys, find a sane prince and installing a new royal house wlho would owe fealty to Sharona's imperial house...

Don

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That'll only work if Chava loses the trust of his people. If the people still trust him, replacing him doesn't do much to stabilize the region.

PeterZ wrote:That'll only work if Chava loses the trust of his people. If the people still trust him, replacing him doesn't do much to stabilize the region.

My impression is that not many people trust Chava. He is the sort of ruler who rules by fear rather than trust. While he does have some charisma and discipline, it is ability to disappear people inspiring fear that keeps him in the saddle.

Don

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I don't think you are reading carefully enough. Chava has shown and is credited in text as having charisma. Enough charisma that he can hold his Empire together while none of his erstwhile heirs have enough charisma to hold things together. That charisma as practiced on the Voice cast, keeps his empire together. Replacing him absent support of his people will make things worse.

n7axw wrote:

PeterZ wrote:That'll only work if Chava loses the trust of his people. If the people still trust him, replacing him doesn't do much to stabilize the region.

My impression is that not many people trust Chava. He is the sort of ruler who rules by fear rather than trust. While he does have some charisma and discipline, it is ability to disappear people inspiring fear that keeps him in the saddle.

Don

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PeterZ wrote:
Replacing him absent support of his people will make things worse.

You have put your finger on one of two key issues here. But the other is how to deal with the threat he represents alive.

Eventually he is going to succeed in having a key member of the dynasty or perhaps the whole family assassinated. That would end up as much of a bad thing as unrest in Uromanth sinse trust in the Caliraths is what holds the rest of the planet together.

A secondary issue is that Chava getting away with it sets a poor example for other bad actors.

Don

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Agreed. My point is imposing a compulsion on him is not letting him evade consequences. Granted that if Chava is seen to survive multiple attempts at assassinating members the Sharonan imperial house with impunity, more people will attempt regicide.

The trick will be to set the compulsion quickly enough to forestall further attempts.

On the whole binding an enemy to support one's cause through compulsion is pretty darned ruthless. No, the Emperor won't simply kill you, he will defeat you and then as punishment compel you to support his cause for the rest of your days will-ye nil-ye.

n7axw wrote:

PeterZ wrote:
Replacing him absent support of his people will make things worse.

You have put your finger on one of two key issues here. But the other is how to deal with the threat he represents alive.

Eventually he is going to succeed in having a key member of the dynasty or perhaps the whole family assassinated. That would end up as much of a bad thing as unrest in Uromanth sinse trust in the Caliraths is what holds the rest of the planet together.

A secondary issue is that Chava getting away with it sets a poor example for other bad actors.

Don

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PeterZ wrote:Agreed. My point is imposing a compulsion on him is not letting him evade consequences. Granted that if Chava is seen to survive multiple attempts at assassinating members the Sharonan imperial house with impunity, more people will attempt regicide.

The trick will be to set the compulsion quickly enough to forestall further attempts.

On the whole binding an enemy to support one's cause through compulsion is pretty darned ruthless. No, the Emperor won't simply kill you, he will defeat you and then as punishment compel you to support his cause for the rest of your days will-ye nil-ye.

A compulsion? Where is there textev for this? Sounds more like something in Mythal than Sharona...

Don

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n7axw wrote:

PeterZ wrote:Agreed. My point is imposing a compulsion on him is not letting him evade consequences. Granted that if Chava is seen to survive multiple attempts at assassinating members the Sharonan imperial house with impunity, more people will attempt regicide.

The trick will be to set the compulsion quickly enough to forestall further attempts.

On the whole binding an enemy to support one's cause through compulsion is pretty darned ruthless. No, the Emperor won't simply kill you, he will defeat you and then as punishment compel you to support his cause for the rest of your days will-ye nil-ye.

A compulsion? Where is there textev for this? Sounds more like something in Mythal than Sharona...

Don

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Re-read the coronation scene with Zindel. Text addresses what his ancestors did with the Crown of the Ternaithian Empire. Zindel's ancestors were free to accept the burden of the Crown, but once accepted the Crown forced its wearer to fulfill the Imperial Oath.

Zindel might well offer Chava a choice; live and accept the crown with its compulsion or reject the crown and die.