ROM, Sylea, and the Long Night

[Dr_Skull]

I broke out my "Milieu 0" book and re-read it this week, it was always one of my favorite reads. I enjoyed it again, but couldn't quite square the whole business of the Sylean claim to the inheritence of the Rule of Man.

On page 87, in the historical timeline there are these entries:

-2204 Rule of Man
-1900 many worlds decayed into bedlam, Governor Francis Repzinzski becomes High Protector of Sylea
(skip a few entries)
-1776 Financial Collapse of Rule of Man
(skip a few)
-1526 Long Night
(skip a few)
-908 King Ricardo I of Sylea

Page 77: Commodore Francis Repzinski VIII, is said to be alleged direct descendant of Francis Repzinski I whose title was High Protector of Sylea and Regent of the Rule of Man.


Page 90: says that Frances (with an -e) Repzinski was made High Protector of Sylea in about -1900 and ruled about 8 subsectors, her descendants ruled Sylea for some time.

Later on page 90, it says that High Protector Francis Repzinski XI argeed to step down from that title and become a Marquis, due to the threats of the new King Ricardo.


Okay, that all more or less hangs together, but on page 91 it says that Cleon could claim to be reviving the ROM because "in the period known as Twilight, one of the last claimants to the throne of the Rule of Man had made Sylea his captial."

Here's what I don't get. Are we meant to see the Repzinski family and their position as High Protectors and "Regent" as being that Emperor/Claimant? Or are the Repzinski's status as High Protectors just a local thing and there was some other nameless Joe Emperor who is refered to? But Repzinski appears to have been "High Protector and Regent" in the middle of the ROM, long before "Twilight". Was there a Repzinski as local High Protector at the same time there was a Two-Bit Twilight emperor on Sylea?

 

[Gadrin]

I believe from reading it ( my take only ) that High Protector of Sylea is just an administrative title for the domain (or what would later become the domain of Sylea).

During the Twilight Period, Repzinski was also "claimant to the throne" and probably the last Emperor. See the very bottom of pg52 in addition to the ones you mentioned.

I think they would have mentioned the "real Emperor" getting killed, sacked or whatever happened; but they don't. It's possible his planet was lost to the long night first and that moving elsewhere wasn't an option...but I'm speculating. Sylea was still strong enough to maintain the empire (or what was left of it) so it survived. In essence the empire passed to them. They fell on hard times too, but eventually got strong enough ( and had the legitimacy ) to start the 3rd Imperium.

Does that make sense ?

 

[Dr_Skull]

Yeah, that's a good catch on page 52, that does settle the fact that Repzinski is supposed to be our "last emperor". Thanks.

So Repzinski is our "last emperor" But that must not be Repzinski I, who was Protector in 1900, before the Rule of Man "fell."

I suppose the reference to "High Protector and REGENT" is the give-away. The Regent title is the imperial claim in abeyance.

 

[Gadrin]

Well I think the Long Night really causes chaos, because you're literally cut-off from everything and the empire becomes fragmented.

So, in theory Repzinski could be a "claimant" just because we don't know what happened to the other guy. After a certain amount of time it may be Repzinski is the Emperor because no one else can dispute it.

It might be that a "claimant" is anyone (of sufficient rank for lack o'better term) leftover from the original empire; so there might be others, but the unknown...

 

[Gadrin]

Yeah, that's a good catch on page 52, that does settle the fact that Repzinski is supposed to be our "last emperor". Thanks.

So Repzinski is our "last emperor" But that must not be Repzinski I, who was Protector in 1900, before the Rule of Man "fell."

I suppose the reference to "High Protector and REGENT" is the give-away. The Regent title is the imperial claim in abeyance.

I have it on PDF and just did a search on "repzinski"

go a few more pages after the last one you reference and they discuss some personalities in detail. One of them is a Repzinski who comes from the "long line of Repzinskis" type of fellow.

Sorta like the Dread Pirate Roberts :rofl:

 

[rancke]

Here's what I don't get. Are we meant to see the Repzinski family and their position as High Protectors and "Regent" as being that Emperor/Claimant? Or are the Repzinski's status as High Protectors just a local thing and there was some other nameless Joe Emperor who is refered to? But Repzinski appears to have been "High Protector and Regent" in the middle of the ROM, long before "Twilight". Was there a Repzinski as local High Protector at the same time there was a Two-Bit Twilight emperor on Sylea?

For The Grant, an adventure I co-wrote with Kurt Brown for JTAS Online (http://jtas.sjgames.com/login/article.cgi?116), I came up with this library data:

Francis Repzinski (-1630 to -1548): The 12th High Protector of Sylea and Regent of the Rule of Man. Francis succeeded his father, Carlos Repzinski II, as High Protector of Sylea in -1582. Eight years later, at the death of Emperor Eduardo of Hub/Ershur (Massilia 0402, now known as Kaggushus), he declared himself the new emperor of the Rule of Man and moved the capital to Sylea. He attempted to revive the Imperium by sponsoring new settlements and supporting trade ventures, but his measures proved to be mere stopgaps. He was succeeded by his eldest child, Charlene Repzinski II, who lacked his drive and allowed all his gains to be lost.

It's not canonical, but I believe it fits with the known facts. Make of it what you like.


Hans