Strephon: Tragic hero or incompetent fool

[AndreaV]

This is inspired by a thread on Traveller RPG on Facebook.

I'm of the opinion Strephon strongly leans towards the incompetent fool. He failed to balance the radicals (eg Dulinor) with the conservative inertia of the stagnating empire. He let the third in line to the throne become a spoilt brat and then kept him on Capitol. He failed to notify the most senior member of the Moot on Capitol he was going off world. And finally when the crisis broke he literally went to bed and pulled the covers over his head.

So what should have Strephon done differently?

 

[whartung]

Apparently what he did wrong was he didn't pop out from behind the curtain after "he" was assassinated and say "Surprise!" and quell the entire Civil War from the get go.

 

[Madmax]

Strephon the coward

IMHO stopping the rebellion would probably not have been as easy as whartung suggests, but yeah, he should have at least tried!!

 

[robject]

And the coup (or whatever you call it) was nowhere near as elaborate (as far as I can tell) as the one planned by Arbellatra.

Maybe THAT's the real problem: the planning and execution of the assassination appears to be rather slapdash. Walk in, shoot Emperor, leave. And if it is that impromptu, then yes, a LOT of people dropped the ball, including Strephon, in myriad incompetent ways.

I've heard that, at least in decades past, that if your goal was simply to assassinate someone, then no problem, although you'd not survive.

Dulinor, on the other hand, survived. For a few years anyway. That IMPLIES rather careful planning and behind-the-scenes support that we are not privy to. At least I hope so.

 

[Timerover51]

The entire assassination was a plot device by GDW to come out with a new set of rules and basically sell more books. Strephon, or any current Emperor or Empress, was going to be the fall guy in any case. It had nothing to do with the Imperium, and everything to do with the GDW authors.

You also might wish to consider the number of Roman Emperors and would-be Emperors (Julius Caesar for one) who got themselves assassinated or killed by their replacement. In the case of Aggripina the Younger, by her son, Nero. Does the "Year of the Four Emperors" ring a bell?

 

[whartung]

The entire assassination was a plot device by GDW to come out with a new set of rules and basically sell more books. Strephon, or any current Emperor or Empress, was going to be the fall guy in any case. It had nothing to do with the Imperium, and everything to do with the GDW authors.

Next thing you're going to say is that the Fifth Frontier War was all made up!

 

[BackworldTraveller]

The entire assassination was a plot device by GDW to come out with a new set of rules and basically sell more books. Strephon, or any current Emperor or Empress, was going to be the fall guy in any case. It had nothing to do with the Imperium, and everything to do with the GDW authors.

Do I detect a cynic?

 

[GypsyComet]

Tragic hero or incompetent fool?

Certainly some of both. There are plenty of examples of incompetent heroes and tragic fools in real life and fiction.

Dulinor was a charismatic revolutionary with, likely, more than little narcissism mixed in. He had a goal, spent years vetting and recruiting Naval and Intel assets in the Domain, but left his own actions out of the plan because "He'd just DO IT". He was canny enough to fool Strephon about the degree and direction of his idealism, and was talented at getting others onboard with the Plan, though.

Strephon handed Dulinor the Suerrat on a platter by not emancipating their homeworld when he took the throne, but the indications are that he would have swayed them even then.

 

[Grav_Moped]

The entire assassination was a plot device by GDW to come out with a new set of rules and basically sell more books. Strephon, or any current Emperor or Empress, was going to be the fall guy in any case. It had nothing to do with the Imperium, and everything to do with the GDW authors.
...

And a poorly-chosen book-selling plot device at that. They could have slotted it into an earlier era with few revisions to the concept, and left the early 1100s alone.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

I have not given this aspect much thought before, but now that you mention it....He seems a cold hearted obsessive bastard. That boy needs therapy.

After the assassination, it is said Strephon was inconsolable, when he recovered he made some statements to re-assume the throne and gave up when the rest of Charted Space didn't kiss his ass and say "All is forgiven. Please come back to Capital!"

A mere 11 years later, during Hard Times, he gives away his real son Avery. Avery was made from real Emperor and Empress sperm and ovum carried in a surrogate or iron womb. Where did the ovum come from? Is there a "IN CASE OF SUCCESSION CRISIS, UNFREEZE TESTUBE" on the escort fleet or since it was a secret trip, carried on Strephon's person?

But that's not enough.

Avery was genetically modified to be "psionic". He was purposely modified to examine the Empress Wave closer and in greater detail, then report back.

YOU MORON!:nonono:
This is your flesh and blood. You gave up being Emperor, then you throw your (presumably) only remaining kid out on a science experiment that won't bear results for 20+ years. Virus showed up so that was not your fault. But why your own kid? Why not another? Also, Avery had to grow to adulthood first right? Or did you send him out so young because younger people generally have higher PSI ratings?

:rant: OK ok ok. That is 1248. Calm down Nathan :coffeesip: Even if 1248 did not exist as naysayers claim....

:rant:YOU MORON!:nonono:
You gave up being Emperor, then you give up your (presumably) only son to live in some far off better Domain. What sort of hell hole is Gushemege that you cannot make it the best possible Domain for you and your son? What, you have no time for your son? Was Dulinor right, its too big? Then what does this say about your concern for your own people and ruling them? Or were you at least trying to be "I'm inconsolable. I suck at being a single parent. Please take him so he's not abused by me?"

 

[Spinward Flow]

Avery was genetically modified to be "psionic".

Only way to have made that more acceptable would have been to get Avery fostered among the Zhodani (they think psionics are cool!). Definitely a "wise decision" for a (former) Imperial Emperor to do ... after all, what's a little telepathy among friends?

/snarf

 

[aramis]

Do I detect a cynic?

It's worth noting that the levers leveraged to make the assassination sensible were planted several years earlier, buried in the Library Data supplements.

I don't think it was a spur of the moment decision.

 

[Spinward Flow]

It's worth noting that the levers leveraged to make the assassination sensible were planted several years earlier, buried in the Library Data supplements.

I don't think it was a spur of the moment decision.

Citations please?

 

[Timerover51]

Do I detect a cynic?

A bit. For a game company to survive, they have to continually come out with new products. In some cases, that means new editions of an existing rule set. See how many various editons of Dungeon and Dragons exist, including the original Little Tan Book set on DriveThru.

In Academia, it is called "publish or perish". You have to continually publish articles or you are soon out of a job if not tenured.

 

[Nathan Brazil]

Yes or being Charles Dickens, who got paid by the word.

In my evaluation I am trying to keep out the IRL and only address based on the idea that each writer is like the ancient and BIASED historians we have.

(In the epic poem "Arrival Vengeance" vs. In the 4 volume work "Out of Darkness" vs. McKinney's "Timeline of History to 1116", etc.)

 

[chipla]

I think Strephon gets a bit of a bad rap.

Yes he was blindsided by the coup and his actions during the coup are awful but I think a part of that is due to failures in the Imperial system. The 3I is very large, certainly too large for any one man to rule - Strephon is at the top of the chain making VERY broad policy decisions based on the information his advisors and civil service give him.

Dulinor’s coup had to have significant planning, plans to assassinate an emperor and seize his throne tend to require planning - and thus chatter. The various intel services ▮▮▮▮ed up by not detecting the coup before hand.

A bureaucracy is only as honest as it’s most dishonest member - there was significant amounts of unrest in the empire at the time of the ‘assassination’ Dulinor was counting on it. A competent bureaucracy would have started to crackdown on that discontent via means fair and foul, would have made the bureaucrat who let the discontent get that bad look bad though. How many civil servants misrepresented things so their performance review would be favourable? (This was a huge problem in the various Chinese empires.)

Is Strephon a fool, sure, but a good part of the blame should be shared by the empire itself.

 

[Condottiere]

It's a question of line of succession.

If you legitimate successful personal assassination, then you're asking for trouble.

Otherwise, you could try and knock off the entire Imperial House, it wouldn't matter in the sense that the other Imperial institutions, specifically the military, would swear allegiance to the next heir apparent.

If someone in the line of succession is doing the couping, that hot potato could be kicked back to whatever represents the interests of the nobility, for arbitration.

 

[aramis]

Citations please?

Civil War (S8 LD A-M, p. 20-21)
Includes that the right of Assassination was precedential in YI 244, and repeatedly during the Emperors of the Flag sub-part of the Civil War

Emperors of the Flag (S8 LD A-M, p. 26) reiterates the right of Assassination. It also reiterates the regency of Arbellatra being the end of the civil war

Emperors List (S8 LD A-M, p. 44-46)
Gives a bunch of interesting bits... but stops short of saying Porfiria having been the Assassin of Cleon III, aka Cleon the Mad.

The weakness politically of the Archdukes was presented in the essay Imperial Space (S11 LD N-Z, p 6-7)

The existence of the 5 Archdukes are mentioned in the essay, Imperial Ranks (S 11 LD N-Z, p 34-36), the relevant section being on p36:

Archduke: Each of the six original domains has an archduke exercising overall control and acting as an intermediary between the Emperor and the other levels of nobility (except for the domain of Sylea, where the Emperor is the archduke). They are referred to by the title Archduke followed by the title of the domain. An archdukedom includes a fief consisting of an entire world, generally retained as a private reserve.

S08 LD A-M is copyright 1980, revised 1981. It is given an effective setting date of 1107 (p5)
S11 LD N-Z is copyright 1982. It also has an effective setting date of 1107. (p 5)

 

[Spinward Flow]

Civil War (S8 LD A-M, p. 20-21)
Includes that the right of Assassination was precedential in YI 244, and repeatedly during the Emperors of the Flag sub-part of the Civil War

The Civil War dates from 604 to 622 ... which for all intents and purposes means "500 years ago" relative to the reign of Strephon. In other words, the precedent was there (granted), but hadn't been used (successfully) for centuries. The library data entry notes that of the 18 emperors (of the flag) during the Civil War period, 7 were assassinated, 10 were killed in battle, and only one survived (the last one standing). Arbellatra broke with precedent after her fleet drove to Capital by not declaring herself Emperor, but instead declaring herself Regent while a suitable heir could be found. Eventually, the imperial bureaucracy approached Arbellatra to take the Iridium Throne herself (after 7 years of regency). Following the Civil War, the Express Boat system was organized and put into operation, limiting the potential for fragmentation due to the sheer distance of far flung borders in the future.

Emperors of the Flag (S8 LD A-M, p. 26) reiterates the right of Assassination. It also reiterates the regency of Arbellatra being the end of the civil war

Basically summarizing the Civil War entry for our purposes here. Notes that in 619 there were 6 emperors, none of which served longer than 3 months, so there was a LOT of turmoil and turnover at the top.

Emperors List (S8 LD A-M, p. 44-46)
Gives a bunch of interesting bits... but stops short of saying Porfiria having been the Assassin of Cleon III, aka Cleon the Mad.

Cleon III
Born in 201, proclaimed emperor in 244, assassinated in 245. A decision to remove him began shortly after his ascension to the Iridium Throne. The use of assassination to "dispose" of an emperor in this case was intended to be a legitimation of a one-time event, that then got revived during the Civil War.

The weakness politically of the Archdukes was presented in the essay Imperial Space (S11 LD N-Z, p 6-7)

The archdukes can create Knights and Baronets (subject only to disapproval by the Emperor). They maintain their hereditary lands and incomes, which would presumably be CONSIDERABLE(!) o:. They also serve as surrogates for the Emperor at functions the Emperor cannot attend in person due to distance.

The existence of the 5 Archdukes are mentioned in the essay, Imperial Ranks (S 11 LD N-Z, p 34-36), the relevant section being on p36

An archdukedom includes a fief consisting of an entire world, generally retained as a private reserve. Fiefs are granted to individuals at the discretion of the emperor and may be inherited by the archduke's heirs, but remain the property of the Emperor. The fief grant conveys the right to use the land, rent or lease it out or otherwise collect money from it. The fief is a convenient way for the Emperor to reward certain nobles.



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In terms of saying "assassinations have happened before in imperial history" ... I suppose these library entries support the notion.

In terms of saying "therefore it was reasonable to assume it would happen to Strephon NOW" is a stretch of interplanetary (if not interstellar) proportions. I mean, the whole emperors of the flag and Civil War era was 500 years ago.

Assassinations are usually (not always, but usually) the result of some kind of political turmoil or tumultuous times. Things are BAD and then you get the assassination(s). It's not typical for things to be doing okay and then there's an assassination (out of nowhere) that then kicks off an era of political turmoil and tumultuous times.

I mean, where were all the hints that there was something rotten in Denmar- ... I mean at Core ... before the shock surprise of the assassination happened? This is why people (playing the game) felt kind of blindsided by this turn of events in the OTU, and why it seems like it was something imposed onto the game's timeline from outside the game universe itself, rather than being something that made a lot of sense from the "inside" as a kind of natural development with the way things were heading. The fact that these events "happened" in the OTU just in time for a new edition of Traveller to be released only helps cement that impression as being the real motivation behind the turn of events.

Cart vs Horse
Round 1
FIGHT!



In other words, if the setup had been better then the acceptance of the turn of events in the storytelling would be higher.

 

[Krikkitone]

I think it can be compared to the USSR. There were some typical problems (inefficiency/ corruption) and some reformer comes around to open stuff up…glasnost/perestroika/ stronger Archdukes…and the system suddenly collapses

*disclaimer: no analogy is perfect, Gorbachev didn’t keep the old guard in line, Strephon didn’t keep the new guard in line, etc. But the idea that everything seems fine…until it isn’t (because someone is trying to solve real problems the system has)