Lieutenant Windhoek history

[Kilgs]

There is one element to Windhooks story I find contrived.

Door opens - assassin enters - guard kills assassin - announcement that Strephon has been assassinated - Lucan immediately improvises the plan to calmly kill everyone in the room - Windhook escapes while Lucan is murdering the others. Can anyone else see a flaw in this version of events?

It's a stretch but not insurmountable. From Strephon's diary we know that Lucan was always the pale half of the brothers. Maybe he nursed resentment and concocted fanciful ideas for years which never were acted on since he was a coward/loved his brother/insert any reason.

Then, all of a sudden, the opportunity falls in his lap... he might move really fast with his lizard brain and then realize he needs to come up with a plan quickly. It's a poor plan and allows Windhoek to escape but keeps folks running around just enough to get Dulinor off Capital and get him on the Throne.

================
On a sidenote, why not BE Windhoek in the adventure? That's a campaign worth investing time in... Windhoek and his friends trying to escape/bring the truth to others. Maybe change the course of the Rebellion itself.

Windhoek manages to convince a Marine sergeant who promises to escort him to safety to tell his story but things go pear-shaped and they need to hop on a (free trader/Scout) to escape. Now we have agents, marines and ship crew as PC's.
-Where does he run to? A sympathetic Noble?
-Is the reason the Moot is convened before dismantling? The noble calls for the Moot... Lucan discovers the noble has Windhoek to give testimony. Loyalist Marines attack noble's estate, seat-of-the-pants escape from estate/system.
-Where to next?
-Eventually he'll hear of Margaret's faction and try to reach it as she represents the "stock" Imperium...

Regardless, I like it.

 

[Whipsnade]

This is good stuff, Whip. I'm going to collate these notes into a document and post it.

Glad I was able to help. I hope you get some use out of it.

I figure Windhoek has at least a day or two before the "capture/kill" order goes out.

That first few days are going to be a horror show. Dulinor has left, but no one knows if he's running back to Dlan or just left to rendezvous with a nearby battlefleet. Lucan has been spirited away to an undisclosed location by S-3 and the other protective organizations which failed. The Ilelish Guard still needs to be needs to be dug out of the Palace. The Imperial ministries, offices, and organizations are acting on reflex according contingency plans. The Moot has most likely dispersed due to safety concerns for it's members. (Note to the Usual Suspects, dispersed and not dissolved.)

It's going to be a few days before any search on Capital for Windhoek begins or any orders are sent out. After all, Lucan's first words as emperor as S-3 hustles him into an APC isn't going to be "There's this guy named Windhoek we need to find..."

There is one element to Windhooks story I find contrived.

I find the entire Assassination and Rebellion contrived.

Can anyone else see a flaw in this version of events?

Plenty. Given Lucan's previous and especially later behavior, however, I don't find it out of character.

My belief suspenders snapped when I was told that the plot which had subverted an entire Domain and whose tentacles reached into the Palace itself sent one man armed with the pistol to kill two men know to be guards by a third man armed with a submachinegun. Casting Windhoek in the role of the second assassin fails the sniff test when we remember that Windhoek himself is unarmed. That meant would mean the plotters sent two men with one gun to kill two men guarded by a third man armed with a submachinegun.

Replacing one wholly implausible story with another wholly implausible story isn't an improvement.

Regardless of how poorly planned the supposed plot to kill the Princes was, Lucan's version of events is full of more holes than Windhoek's. Imprey, the sap tapped to kill the Princes, burst into the room and trips on a loose rug. As he falls, his pistol goes off and the bullet just happens to kill the guard. Windhoek then tries strangling Lucan and Lucan knocks Windhoek out.

A trained INI officer with the element of surprise is knocked by a royal wastrel whose chief form of exercise is throwing temper tantrums. Sure. Pull the other one, it has bells on it.

Not only does Lucan knock Windhoek out, he does so fast enough to then hide under a bed and avoid being shot by Imprey. While Imprey stalks Varian and Elia, Lucan crawls out, grabs the submachinegun, "sprays" Imprey killing him, and then runs out of the room without checking on Varian or Elia.

Which version wants you to swallow more codswallop?

In the end, the metagame reason is the controlling one. For the desired Endless Rebellion, Lucan's "appeal" needs to be "crippled" in some manner and "crippled" from the first.

 

[mike wightman]

I don't think either story is the 'truth' of the matter.
Lucan's story is full of holes, Windhook's story castes Lucan as an evil genius psychopath, who is capable of instantly improvising a way to take the throne while full of adrenalin from an attempted assassination and is likewise implausible.

I can either conclude the author of this little plot wasn't a very good author or that we are supposed to notice the holes and fill the gaps. But then the entire plotline was dropped in favour of starting in 1121 with the first five years of warfare already a done deal, so I guess it is a moot point

By the way, there is no variant spelling of Windhook in my version of Rebellion Sourcebook - do you know where it comes from?

 

[Whipsnade]

I don't think either story is the 'truth' of the matter.

It definitely is a 57th Century version of Rashomon.

Lucan's story is full of holes, Windhook's story castes Lucan as an evil genius psychopath...

When you read his story - his entire story - you come to a realization that Windhook's story does not do that.

... who is capable of instantly improvising a way to take the throne while full of adrenalin from an attempted assassination and is likewise implausible.

That's where everyone gets it wrong. Lucan doesn't twirl his mustache, flair his cape, make sure his black stovepipe hat is in place, point a finger in the air, declaim "AHA! Now is my chance to ascend to the Throne!", and start shooting.

Lucan didn't kill Varian in order to become emperor. Lucan killed Varian in order to kill Varian. At the instant he began pulling the trigger, Lucan wasn't even thinking of the Throne. He was thinking about removing witnesses and killing his hated older brother.

What were the twins doing while Windhoek and Imprey waited in the corridor? They were screaming at each other, just as they always did. What were they screaming about? Varian had "stolen" another one of Lucan's girlfriends, just as he always did. That girlfriend was right there in the room with them, just like so many times before.

Lucan killed Varian because of Elia, because of the few seconds made him the younger brother, and because of a lifetime of sleights both real and imagined. Only seconds after screaming at each other, Dulinor going postal in the Throne live on TV, a dead assassin, and a loose pistol gave Lucan the opportunity he'd dreamed of his entire life: Killing Varian.

Since childhood, Lucan had run through dozens of daydreams in varying levels of detail in which his older brother died, was killed, or was removed in some way. Here and now, in their shared apartment, was one of those daydreams served up on a platter.

Lucan killed Varian to kill Varian and not to clear his path to the Throne.

I can either conclude the author of this little plot wasn't a very good author or that we are supposed to notice the holes and fill the gaps.

It was probably a little of both.

But then the entire plotline was dropped in favour of starting in 1121 with the first five years of warfare already a done deal, so I guess it is a moot point

They dropped a lot of promising stuff.

By the way, there is no variant spelling of Windhook in my version of Rebellion Sourcebook - do you know where it comes from?

It's spelled both ways in my copy and within sentences of each other. I chose "Windhoek" because it's less common and because, as wargame designers and autodidact historians, GDW would have known that Windhoek is the capital of Namibia.

 

[robject]

I've attached a Casual Encounter draft document in the initial post of this thread (sorry Mike, you're first so your post gets the summary doc).


Still gotta iron out the details and make the text usable.

Suggestions welcome. I didn't propagate the widening time error window, so the dates will probably need adjusting.


Windhoek's Run could be viewed as three separate legs:

1. Escape. From 132-1116 to 139-1116, ending in Fornol.

2. Rift Run. He reaches the Rift sometime in the second half of 1117, and takes seven jumps to cross it, to somewhere near Tonnurad (Trojan Reach 0417). Arrival in the Trojan Reach in the first half of 1118.

3. Spinward Run. The Spinward Marches are reached sometime in mid-1118, crosses the border to Foreven in late 1118, and arrives in Far Frontiers after mid-1119.

 

[mike wightman]

Lol. no probs Rob

Can we do a quick fact check on Windhook vs Windhoek? I have two copies of Rebellion sourcebook and neither has the typo, and the electronic version from FFE doesn't have it either.

If it is a typo in a print run that Mr. Whipsnade has then the spelling should probably be standardised to Windhook - although I have to admit to liking the variant spelling as insetting appropriate (if it came to a vote I would be in favour of Windoek).

[edit]nice work Rob[edit]

 

[mike wightman]

It strikes me that there are a lot of ways a party of PCs could end up interacting with Windhoek:

1- take this data package to worlds as you trade and upload it to the local interwebs
2- mysterious bod seeking passage to next world/working passage to a more distant world
(a free trader engaging in spec trade is best since it is most likely to be jumping randomly).
3- I don't want to type this one but here goes - the PCs intervene in a beating/kidnap attempt

add to list

There is also the interesting follow up of weeks later Intel goons from one side or the other turn up to ask questions.

Ohh - wonder if Windhoek has access to a certain J Bland...

 

[McPerth]

I've attached a Casual Encounter draft document in the initial post of this thread (sorry Mike, you're first so your post gets the summary doc).

(...).

Suggestions welcome. I didn't propagate the widening time error window, so the dates will probably need adjusting.

Just one suggestion, and it's about Windhoeck skills: I'd delete the steward one, and make him more techincally oriented. Not that I rule out he has it, in fact I'd expect him to have it or liaison, having been working in the Imperial Palace, but because he would hid it, not wanting to work face to face with passengers that might recognize him.

In fact, I'd give him some engineering skill (probably he was from IN accademy, where he obtained it, if MT, or from any other source if another game system is used), and playing a shy engineer role, with the goal to have as few contact as he can with the random passengers, out of fear of being recognized.

 

[robject]

Can we do a quick fact check on Windhook vs Windhoek?

Thanks Mike.

My electronic copy of RS is 1988, print run 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And it's all Windhook.

I, too, prefer Windhoek, however.

Just one suggestion, and it's about Windhoeck skills: I'd delete the steward skill [and would] give him some engineering skill [...] and playing a shy engineer role, with the goal to have as few contact as he can with the random passengers, out of fear of being recognized.

That's a good point; he'd not want to interact at all if possible. On the other hand, is there a perverse rule that says hiding out in the open can work as often as not?


DRAFT updated with Mike's scenario suggestions and skill adjustments per McPerth.

 

[mike wightman]

I.m planning on adding more scenario suggestions...

 

[BRJN]

Door opens - assassin enters - guard kills assassin - announcement that Strephon has been assassinated - Lucan immediately improvises the plan to calmly kill everyone in the room - Windhook escapes while Lucan is murdering the others. Can anyone else see a flaw in this version of events?

Lucan should be shooting all the strange staffers in the room first and yelling for Varian to hit the alarms. Then he realizes something very important and shoots Varian and Ella too.

Lucky for Lucan, the bodyguards were ordered to stop off to get real ammo instead of using swords and karate to perform their job while a specialist got the bullets.

 

[Whipsnade]

My electronic copy of RS is 1988, print run 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. And it's all Windhook.

My copy is 1988 with the same print run and it's Windhoek nine times and Windhook twice.

On page 9, the Windhook/Windhoek story starts half way down in the left hand column. Windhook is used in the bold section header and then in the italicized sentence immediately following which talks about the story was uploaded on Inarli. The very next sentence after that starts with Windhoek. That spelling is used six more times through the rest of the left hand column and into the right hand column until the sentence "Eventually (after maybe 10 minutes), a naval commander grabbed Windhook's shoulder...". The very next sentence uses Windhoek again and it's used once more before the section ends.

I, too, prefer Windhoek, however.

I went with it because it's used 9 times versus twice. I've no real preference either way. Windhoek is nice but it's not necessary.

That's a good point; he'd not want to interact at all if possible. On the other hand, is there a perverse rule that says hiding out in the open can work as often as not?

Agreed. He'd act normally, not aloof. More importantly, his INI training would have taught him as much. Acting mysteriously only whets peoples' appetites to solve the mystery.

DRAFT updated with Mike's scenario suggestions and skill adjustments per McPerth.

Excellent scenario suggestions as usual from Mike. McPerth's suggestion about dropping Steward for Liaison fits his background better too; he was working as a protocol aide before fleeing.

I'd like to add The Brothers of Varian to the mix. They'd make a nice "hidden ally" for both Windhoek and the players. Duke Simalr of Ushra was their public face on Capital before fleeing himself. They're more of a conspiracy than a faction. Their members can be anywhere professing allegiance to any faction while quietly slipping a stick in the spokes. While they initially were concerned with restoring the Imperium's honor by bringing the murderers of Strephon and Varian to justice, they soon (d)evolved into a group bent more on vengeance by sowing chaos. Spreading "Windhoek's Testimony" is something the BoV would be very interested in doing.

RS mentions misdirecting a fleet away from the front and losing information vital to gaining the support of a high population world. The Arrival Vengeance module, a BoV agent is responsible for turning a small naval base in Lucan's territory into a shambles. A destroyer's engineering systems are deliberately sabotaged stranding her crew. Next, the base payroll is "lost" and the destroyer's crew purposely overpaid. Lucan had been using the base to support small ship "Black War" ops but the uproar caused by the payroll shenanigans means the base is essentially shutdown.

In particularly dicey situation, BoV can extend place a hidden finger on the scales hinting that larger forces are at work. It wouldn't be a case of Windhoek calling in a favor. He'll be as surprised as the players when the long delayed zarpe is issued, the previously unavailable part is delivered, the arrest warrant is lost, or the cell door is opened.

Of course, the BoV might want something in return and that something could be carrying a data packet with "Windhoek's Testimony" to their next port-of-call! "Eneri" should very twitchy when he suspects he's on a ship with the data he had planned on creating diversions for him!

Along with skills, Windhoek might also have information to trade. For example, while aboard the first TJ to Fornol, he could have downloaded navigational data regarding several calibration points in the Great Rift. Such data could help him "buy" his way into a group trying to escape across the Rift.

Finally, I'd like to make a small suggestion regarding the text. It needs to be rewritten to remove the more floridly "Whipsnadian" passages. My tongue-in-cheek posts may work well here by coaxing people into replying, they don't work that well in a supplement.

 

[Whipsnade]

Lucan should be shooting all the strange staffers in the room first and yelling for Varian to hit the alarms. Then he realizes something very important and shoots Varian and Ella too.

Lucan isn't armed until he picks up the dead guard's SMG (his story) or he picks up the dead assassin's pistol (Windhoek's story).

Lucky for Lucan, the bodyguards were ordered to stop off to get real ammo instead of using swords and karate to perform their job while a specialist got the bullets.

The Ilelish Guard only switched the other guard regiments' ammo with blanks and not all the ammo in the Palace.

 

[BRJN]

The Ilelish Guard only switched the other guard regiments' ammo with blanks and not all the ammo in the Palace.

Nobody knows for sure how much ammo was switched and it will take precious time finding out. Meanwhile the Imperial Heir MUST have bodyguards guarding his / their body. A handful of guards who know karate is better than nothing at all, which is where the situation goes.

 

[Whipsnade]

Nobody knows for sure how much ammo was switched and it will take precious time finding out.

Have you actually read the Rebellion Sourcebook?

First, the guard regiments do know how much ammo was switched because they noticed it had been done before the Assassination occurred and had started distributing real ammo in it's place. It's one of several "hiccups" which prevents Dulinor's coup from succeeding.

Second, only the regiments' ammo was "fiddled". Everyone else had the real stuff including the guard in the Princes' quarters.

Meanwhile the Imperial Heir MUST have bodyguards guarding his / their body.

The Twin Princes do have such a bodyguard and one whose a submachinegun already has real ammo. Imprey, the man tasked with killing the Princes, is himself killed by a 9mm SMG round through the head. That guard, Varian, and Elia are all killed with 7mm pistol rounds.

A handful of guards who know karate is better than nothing at all, which is where the situation goes.

The Way of the Gun beats the Way of the Hand. In Lucan's version, Imprey's 7mm pistol goes off as he trips killing the guard. In Windhoek's version, the guard kills Imprey first, then Lucan picks up Imprey's gun and kills the guard.

Read the sourcebook.

 

[Kilgs]

I haven't gone back and read Windhoek's stuff yet but why are we assuming he runs for Norris? Does it say that?

I still think he runs to cover and then seeks support/protection amongst the Moot for telling his story.

What do we know about him? Do we know where he is from?

 

[Whipsnade]

I haven't gone back and read Windhoek's stuff yet but why are we assuming he runs for Norris?

He isn't running to Norris. The text has him heading for the "Imperial border". He's leaving the Imperium because he knows he'll be nothing but a poker chip in Imperial politics for the rest of his life.

I still think he runs to cover and then seeks support/protection amongst the Moot for telling his story.

What Moot?

After taking power, Lucan declared a state emergency and began issuing his orders. The Moot thought his actions were too swift and voices were raised in opposition. Lucan then arrested those nobles publicly opposed to him and dissolved the Moot for the duration of the emergency. All of this is done in 1116 too.

There no longer is a Moot and most of the loyal opposition among the nobility has been sidetracked into several leaderless groups engaged in nihilistic acts of vengeance as exemplified by The Brothers of Varian.

What do we know about him? Do we know where he is from?

Almost nothing. We don't know his first name or age, for example. We know he's a naval officer, worked in INI, and is now a protocol aide at the Palace. The latter suggests that he enjoys some fairly substantial patronage. The Imperium is not a meritocracy. You don't earn the type of position he fills at the Palace. Instead, a patron arranges for you to be assigned.

What follows is all my personal speculation.
I do not expect anyone to agree nor do I think anyone would to do so.
This should not be part Rob's supplement.

Two things about Windhoek: His appointment required some heavy patronage and he shows no concerns whatsoever for any family he may leaving behind.

Orphans are an oft abused cliche in RPGs but, IMHO, Windhoek is one. His parents (or parent) are dead and he has no siblings. His parent(s) earned a debt of honor with a powerful noble family. That family arranged for his upbringing, education, and got him into the Navy. When he proved adept in his naval career, they pulled a few strings to get him appointed as a protocol aide at the Palace.

Windhoek needn't worry about the "Dukes of Earl" because they're already powerful enough to protect themselves against most retribution from most sources. What little help he can offer - beyond perhaps a warning? - isn't going to make any difference and staying away actually helps them more.

The "Dukes of Earl" also have plausible deniability with regards to Windhoek. If questioned, they were just fulfilling a debt of honor by helping the son of a dead retainer. They haven't seen him years or heard from him since the events.

 

[Kilgs]

What Moot?

After taking power, Lucan declared a state emergency and began issuing his orders. The Moot thought his actions were too swift and voices were raised in opposition. Lucan then arrested those nobles publicly opposed to him and dissolved the Moot for the duration of the emergency. All of this is done in 1116 too.

That's why I think he took refuge with a noble. While the Moot thing happened fast, they had a reason to oppose/slow down Lucan and I like to think that was Windhoek hiding out on some noble's estate, maybe in negotiations for protection etc to testify, when the Moot is disbanded... then he knows its for real and has to run.

(This also plays into the patronage idea... as I agree, he had to be someone or have the support of someone to get his post. Maybe that same patron hides him out for a bit.)

Closest border is probably Ley/Glimmerdrift through Fornast... yes, my answer to everything is the Gateway Domain ;-) But it does make sense as the closest border where one can find human-dominated polities that are not Solomani.

I'll need to do some research this week.

 

[Whipsnade]

That's why I think he took refuge with a noble.

You're overlooking just when Windhoek leaves: 132-1116, the same day the Assassination occurs. He doesn't have time to sound out some noble on Capital and he doesn't have time to get to some noble elsewhere.

While the Moot thing happened fast, they had a reason to oppose/slow down Lucan...

While the nobility had reason to oppose Lucan, they didn't slow him down one whit.

... and I like to think that was Windhoek hiding out on some noble's estate, maybe in negotiations for protection etc to testify...

Again, testify in front of what?

... when the Moot is disbanded... then he knows its for real and has to run.

No. You don't understand. You aren't taking into the timing of the events and the comm lag necessary to disseminate news of those events.

Windhoek starts running on 132 because he knows his life is in danger on 132. Meanwhile, the "divorce" between Lucan and the nobility which can protect him doesn't happen on 132. That rupture happens between 132 and 365.

Because Windhoek can't transfer between couriers as fast as a radioed message, he'll always be "behind" the news "wavefront" of both Assassination and his arrest/kill order. That's why he leaves the Imperillines' network after one jump. If he runs to his patrons, Windhoek will arrive after his arrest warrant and before news of Lucan's dissolution of the Moot. The "Dukes of Earl", being loyal Imperium nobles, will arrest Windhoek on the Emperor's orders because the rupture between the Emperor and the Moot hasn't yet occurred. While the Dukes won't kill Windhoek out of hand and while they'll listen to his story, they will keep him locked up while they report his capture back to Capital. That report won't even need to reach Capital before some of Lucan's trigger men arrive to take custody of the prisoner. Finis Windhoek.

There's a 200+ day gap between the arrest order going out and the nobility starting to question Lucan's orders. If Windhoek is captured during that gap, he's a dead man. If Windhoek is identified after the rupture between Lucan and Moot, he becomes a poker chip in the hands of whoever caught him.

If he wants to live and remain free, he has to run now.

Closest border is probably Ley/Glimmerdrift through Fornast... yes, my answer to everything is the Gateway Domain ;-) But it does make sense as the closest border where one can find human-dominated polities that are not Solomani.

There human-dominated polities there. They aren't far enough away from the Imperium however.

I'll need to do some research this week.

Yes you will.

 

[mike wightman]

If I were he I would head to the Julian Protectorate after laying a false trail.

Get some saps to take messages, report sightings etc.