The Rebellion and World War One?

[Lord Iron Wolf]

Excellent piece of analysis Whipsnade and I agree with you 100% on the Assassination of Strephon being a plot tool to plunge Imperium into chaos (the near ideal gaming environment.)

When I originally formulated the theory that I started the thread with I was home for a week with illness. On the history channel I caught a series called "World War I in Color." Since I'm a Traveller fan I couldn't help but notice some events that looked familiar from MegaTraveller and the chaos the Imperium was plunged into (and apparently never will come out of [post Virus].)

The parallels I drew were for debate and have been debated. I was curious about an alternate ending for The Rebellion and if it would be a worthwhile scenario to game in. i.e. the Virus doesn't exist in MegaTraveller.

I also find it curious how the debate went from the end of the Rebellion to its beginning and the plot holes there.

Lord Iron Wolf
-engage jump drive-

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Aramis:
[qb]I doubt that Dulinor was quite that isolated in his conspiracy.

Aramis,

Poor essay construction on my part, there. The Barracks Boobs were isolated. Dulinor's attempt failed because of Dulinor. He didn't have the stomach for it and Murphy showed up in spades.

The escape plan was probably a backup, and when it got invoked, his moot-friends decided to let him swing in the breeze...

Oh yes indeedy! A Moot more involved in Dulinor's plot may help explain the oddly inffectual Moot Lucan so easily cowed in the immediate aftermath of the Assassination. It seems that some of the Moot's members are afraid to speak out and others are looking simply to bug out because there is real, undeniable, no need to make it up, evidence of their role in the plot just waiting to be uncovered. So, during those first few horrible months during which time Lucan gave the orders that destroyed the Third Imperium, a sizeable fraction of the Moot kept quiet and took great care to bring no notice to themselves as a way to save their skins.

Of course, Lucan would eventually turn on them anyway, but that was in the future.

Dulinor probably realized the wrong strephon when the Empress didn't react as expected...

Hmmm, that's a wrinkle I never heard before. I have MT's RSB but the story there is pretty dry. The only reaction by any sophont in the Octagon is that of the Yerlyaruiwo ambassador to put himself between Iffie and Dulinor's magnum.

I still like your idea though. Upon his arrival at Capital (or perhaps even before reaching that system) Dulinor is informed that the real Strephon is away. Sadly, the timing demands of the Plot require that it go forward anyhow. Equally sadly, Iolanthe and Iphegenia are now added to the hit list because they'll know that the Strephon in the Octagon isn't the real one. (I'm sure others in the Imperial household who knew of the trip to Longbow II and the clone's presence were added to the Mop Up list.)

Killing those two 'extras', plus the Aslan, and bugging out for Dlan when the rest of the Imperial Guard gets stroppy, doomed Dulinor's attempt. What a slender reed to base a plot upon. Dulinor didn't even have feet of clay, more like jello.

... but taking out more than his one target was the fatal political error.

Agreed. He could have bugged out and still kept his claim to the Throne. The Moot would have to confirm Iffie after all and Dulinor's support in the Moot would not have evaporated. Killing Io, Iffie, and the Aslan along with 'Strephon' meant that Dulinor was now a common murderer and not a heroic tyrannicide.

Likewise, if t had been the real strephon, he'd have had no need to kill Iolanthe, nor the empress... simply inform her that her Emperor wishes her to be his empress... and then kept her very well guarded, for his own sake. (The guards are as much to protect him as her...)

Hmmm... I'd pension Iolanthe off, under suitable guard of course, but...

Have you ever seen the, as far as I know, lone illo of Dulinor's wife? It's in the issue of DGP's Traveller Digest in which the Four Knights reach finally Capital. She (I can't remember her name off hand) is something like 30 years older than Dully and looks like the sort of stuffy society dame featured in the Three Stooges shorts. You know, she hires them to fix the doorbell, they scare off all the help before the big party, then volunteer to fill in as cooks & butlers, and screw up everything and anything until she chases them off while firing shotgun blasts into their asses as they run away. I mean, who would want to be married to a dame like that?

Iolanthe isn't a fashion plate; check her out in G:Traveller, and she's 18 years olders than Dully, but she's got to be better than that old battleaxe back on Dlan. After all, she's put up with Strephon all these years!


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Aramis:
[qb]I doubt that Dulinor was quite that isolated in his conspiracy.

Aramis,

Poor essay construction on my part, there. The Barracks Boobs were isolated. Dulinor's attempt failed because of Dulinor. He didn't have the stomach for it and Murphy showed up in spades.

The escape plan was probably a backup, and when it got invoked, his moot-friends decided to let him swing in the breeze...

Oh yes indeedy! A Moot more involved in Dulinor's plot may help explain the oddly inffectual Moot Lucan so easily cowed in the immediate aftermath of the Assassination. It seems that some of the Moot's members are afraid to speak out and others are looking simply to bug out because there is real, undeniable, no need to make it up, evidence of their role in the plot just waiting to be uncovered. So, during those first few horrible months during which time Lucan gave the orders that destroyed the Third Imperium, a sizeable fraction of the Moot kept quiet and took great care to bring no notice to themselves as a way to save their skins.

Of course, Lucan would eventually turn on them anyway, but that was in the future.

Dulinor probably realized the wrong strephon when the Empress didn't react as expected...

Hmmm, that's a wrinkle I never heard before. I have MT's RSB but the story there is pretty dry. The only reaction by any sophont in the Octagon is that of the Yerlyaruiwo ambassador to put himself between Iffie and Dulinor's magnum.

I still like your idea though. Upon his arrival at Capital (or perhaps even before reaching that system) Dulinor is informed that the real Strephon is away. Sadly, the timing demands of the Plot require that it go forward anyhow. Equally sadly, Iolanthe and Iphegenia are now added to the hit list because they'll know that the Strephon in the Octagon isn't the real one. (I'm sure others in the Imperial household who knew of the trip to Longbow II and the clone's presence were added to the Mop Up list.)

Killing those two 'extras', plus the Aslan, and bugging out for Dlan when the rest of the Imperial Guard gets stroppy, doomed Dulinor's attempt. What a slender reed to base a plot upon. Dulinor didn't even have feet of clay, more like jello.

... but taking out more than his one target was the fatal political error.

Agreed. He could have bugged out and still kept his claim to the Throne. The Moot would have to confirm Iffie after all and Dulinor's support in the Moot would not have evaporated. Killing Io, Iffie, and the Aslan along with 'Strephon' meant that Dulinor was now a common murderer and not a heroic tyrannicide.

Likewise, if t had been the real strephon, he'd have had no need to kill Iolanthe, nor the empress... simply inform her that her Emperor wishes her to be his empress... and then kept her very well guarded, for his own sake. (The guards are as much to protect him as her...)

Hmmm... I'd pension Iolanthe off, under suitable guard of course, but...

Have you ever seen the, as far as I know, lone illo of Dulinor's wife? It's in the issue of DGP's Traveller Digest in which the Four Knights reach finally Capital. She (I can't remember her name off hand) is something like 30 years older than Dully and looks like the sort of stuffy society dame featured in the Three Stooges shorts. You know, she hires them to fix the doorbell, they scare off all the help before the big party, then volunteer to fill in as cooks & butlers, and screw up everything and anything until she chases them off while firing shotgun blasts into their asses as they run away. I mean, who would want to be married to a dame like that?

Iolanthe isn't a fashion plate; check her out in G:Traveller, and she's 18 years olders than Dully, but she's got to be better than that old battleaxe back on Dlan. After all, she's put up with Strephon all these years!


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Aramis:
[qb]I doubt that Dulinor was quite that isolated in his conspiracy.

Aramis,

Poor essay construction on my part, there. The Barracks Boobs were isolated. Dulinor's attempt failed because of Dulinor. He didn't have the stomach for it and Murphy showed up in spades.

The escape plan was probably a backup, and when it got invoked, his moot-friends decided to let him swing in the breeze...

Oh yes indeedy! A Moot more involved in Dulinor's plot may help explain the oddly inffectual Moot Lucan so easily cowed in the immediate aftermath of the Assassination. It seems that some of the Moot's members are afraid to speak out and others are looking simply to bug out because there is real, undeniable, no need to make it up, evidence of their role in the plot just waiting to be uncovered. So, during those first few horrible months during which time Lucan gave the orders that destroyed the Third Imperium, a sizeable fraction of the Moot kept quiet and took great care to bring no notice to themselves as a way to save their skins.

Of course, Lucan would eventually turn on them anyway, but that was in the future.

Dulinor probably realized the wrong strephon when the Empress didn't react as expected...

Hmmm, that's a wrinkle I never heard before. I have MT's RSB but the story there is pretty dry. The only reaction by any sophont in the Octagon is that of the Yerlyaruiwo ambassador to put himself between Iffie and Dulinor's magnum.

I still like your idea though. Upon his arrival at Capital (or perhaps even before reaching that system) Dulinor is informed that the real Strephon is away. Sadly, the timing demands of the Plot require that it go forward anyhow. Equally sadly, Iolanthe and Iphegenia are now added to the hit list because they'll know that the Strephon in the Octagon isn't the real one. (I'm sure others in the Imperial household who knew of the trip to Longbow II and the clone's presence were added to the Mop Up list.)

Killing those two 'extras', plus the Aslan, and bugging out for Dlan when the rest of the Imperial Guard gets stroppy, doomed Dulinor's attempt. What a slender reed to base a plot upon. Dulinor didn't even have feet of clay, more like jello.

... but taking out more than his one target was the fatal political error.

Agreed. He could have bugged out and still kept his claim to the Throne. The Moot would have to confirm Iffie after all and Dulinor's support in the Moot would not have evaporated. Killing Io, Iffie, and the Aslan along with 'Strephon' meant that Dulinor was now a common murderer and not a heroic tyrannicide.

Likewise, if t had been the real strephon, he'd have had no need to kill Iolanthe, nor the empress... simply inform her that her Emperor wishes her to be his empress... and then kept her very well guarded, for his own sake. (The guards are as much to protect him as her...)

Hmmm... I'd pension Iolanthe off, under suitable guard of course, but...

Have you ever seen the, as far as I know, lone illo of Dulinor's wife? It's in the issue of DGP's Traveller Digest in which the Four Knights reach finally Capital. She (I can't remember her name off hand) is something like 30 years older than Dully and looks like the sort of stuffy society dame featured in the Three Stooges shorts. You know, she hires them to fix the doorbell, they scare off all the help before the big party, then volunteer to fill in as cooks & butlers, and screw up everything and anything until she chases them off while firing shotgun blasts into their asses as they run away. I mean, who would want to be married to a dame like that?

Iolanthe isn't a fashion plate; check her out in G:Traveller, and she's 18 years olders than Dully, but she's got to be better than that old battleaxe back on Dlan. After all, she's put up with Strephon all these years!


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Lord Iron Wolf: I was curious about an alternate ending for The Rebellion and if it would be a worthwhile scenario to game in. i.e. the Virus doesn't exist in MegaTraveller.

Wolf,

DGP had a few different endings in mind. One involved the 'Baddies from the Core'. Another roped in an Antares supernova. They published a few notes regarding both in their last Traveller publication, MTJ #4.

FWIW, I didn't see then and still don't see how either would stop the Rebellion. Some unknown aliens are wreaking havoc with the Zhos and threatening the Marches? Ho hum, here in Daibei we got the Sollies to worry about. A star has gone nova on the coreward edge of Lucan's faction? Too bad, it'll take years for the effect to felt beyond the bounds of the original system and Lucan is welcome to take care of it anyway.

Late MT sources - and by late I mean those bits of MT that were dealing only with MT and not being used to set the stage for TNE like Survival Margin - hinted at a few endings. The war was shuddering down into a 'mutual exhaustion' phase, none of the factions could even dream of building or supporting the armadas of 1117 - 1119. (IMHO, Dulinor's Coronation Fleet is like SM, another MT bit being used to set the stage for TNE.)

Ceasefires, gentlemens' understandings, and the first stirrings of diplomatic relations are beginning to appear between Craig, Margeret, Antares, Vland, and even Dulinor. (Only the obviously lunatic Lucan has been left out of the dance.) These different factions all agreeing to disagree. They'll leave each other alone in their own patches, try to fight the slide into the Long Night in their territories , and - maybe - even help each other with regards to Lucan's Black War attacks.

Craig and Margeret in turn are coming to terms with the Sollies. Neither side can beat the other and both have internal troubles. Peace, or at least a long ceasefire, are in order.

I suspect a non-Virus ending for the Rebellion would be a whimper and not a bang. A campaign there would find several mini-Imperiums separated by hundreds of parsecs of Wilds dotted with pocket empires.

It would be an excellent setting in which to play.

I also find it curious how the debate went from the end of the Rebellion to its beginning and the plot holes there.

Threads morph. {shrug}


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Lord Iron Wolf: I was curious about an alternate ending for The Rebellion and if it would be a worthwhile scenario to game in. i.e. the Virus doesn't exist in MegaTraveller.

Wolf,

DGP had a few different endings in mind. One involved the 'Baddies from the Core'. Another roped in an Antares supernova. They published a few notes regarding both in their last Traveller publication, MTJ #4.

FWIW, I didn't see then and still don't see how either would stop the Rebellion. Some unknown aliens are wreaking havoc with the Zhos and threatening the Marches? Ho hum, here in Daibei we got the Sollies to worry about. A star has gone nova on the coreward edge of Lucan's faction? Too bad, it'll take years for the effect to felt beyond the bounds of the original system and Lucan is welcome to take care of it anyway.

Late MT sources - and by late I mean those bits of MT that were dealing only with MT and not being used to set the stage for TNE like Survival Margin - hinted at a few endings. The war was shuddering down into a 'mutual exhaustion' phase, none of the factions could even dream of building or supporting the armadas of 1117 - 1119. (IMHO, Dulinor's Coronation Fleet is like SM, another MT bit being used to set the stage for TNE.)

Ceasefires, gentlemens' understandings, and the first stirrings of diplomatic relations are beginning to appear between Craig, Margeret, Antares, Vland, and even Dulinor. (Only the obviously lunatic Lucan has been left out of the dance.) These different factions all agreeing to disagree. They'll leave each other alone in their own patches, try to fight the slide into the Long Night in their territories , and - maybe - even help each other with regards to Lucan's Black War attacks.

Craig and Margeret in turn are coming to terms with the Sollies. Neither side can beat the other and both have internal troubles. Peace, or at least a long ceasefire, are in order.

I suspect a non-Virus ending for the Rebellion would be a whimper and not a bang. A campaign there would find several mini-Imperiums separated by hundreds of parsecs of Wilds dotted with pocket empires.

It would be an excellent setting in which to play.

I also find it curious how the debate went from the end of the Rebellion to its beginning and the plot holes there.

Threads morph. {shrug}


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Originally posted by Lord Iron Wolf: I was curious about an alternate ending for The Rebellion and if it would be a worthwhile scenario to game in. i.e. the Virus doesn't exist in MegaTraveller.

Wolf,

DGP had a few different endings in mind. One involved the 'Baddies from the Core'. Another roped in an Antares supernova. They published a few notes regarding both in their last Traveller publication, MTJ #4.

FWIW, I didn't see then and still don't see how either would stop the Rebellion. Some unknown aliens are wreaking havoc with the Zhos and threatening the Marches? Ho hum, here in Daibei we got the Sollies to worry about. A star has gone nova on the coreward edge of Lucan's faction? Too bad, it'll take years for the effect to felt beyond the bounds of the original system and Lucan is welcome to take care of it anyway.

Late MT sources - and by late I mean those bits of MT that were dealing only with MT and not being used to set the stage for TNE like Survival Margin - hinted at a few endings. The war was shuddering down into a 'mutual exhaustion' phase, none of the factions could even dream of building or supporting the armadas of 1117 - 1119. (IMHO, Dulinor's Coronation Fleet is like SM, another MT bit being used to set the stage for TNE.)

Ceasefires, gentlemens' understandings, and the first stirrings of diplomatic relations are beginning to appear between Craig, Margeret, Antares, Vland, and even Dulinor. (Only the obviously lunatic Lucan has been left out of the dance.) These different factions all agreeing to disagree. They'll leave each other alone in their own patches, try to fight the slide into the Long Night in their territories , and - maybe - even help each other with regards to Lucan's Black War attacks.

Craig and Margeret in turn are coming to terms with the Sollies. Neither side can beat the other and both have internal troubles. Peace, or at least a long ceasefire, are in order.

I suspect a non-Virus ending for the Rebellion would be a whimper and not a bang. A campaign there would find several mini-Imperiums separated by hundreds of parsecs of Wilds dotted with pocket empires.

It would be an excellent setting in which to play.

I also find it curious how the debate went from the end of the Rebellion to its beginning and the plot holes there.

Threads morph. {shrug}


Have fun,
Bill

 

[aramis]

Actually, Larsen, I suspect he wasn't told Strephon was out... I suspect he went in, saw the clone, started in, and realized Io and Iffie Were reaching calmly for guns, rather than screaming for guards...

And THEN it hits him... he shoots them to keep his hide intact, and THEN checks and finds the clone tatoo on the base of the neck... and realizes, "Oh, no, NOW it's treason!", gives the bug out, and runs ...

(Just remember, its like Norris' Warrant... if he succeeds, it's self-justified. If it fails, it's high treason...)


as to the debate shifting, one can not find the end of a thing intelligible unless one can see the beginning.

Larsen and I, and a couple others, have been trying desperately to divine the cause of the rebellion.

Larsen's essay put to me the fundamental cause being: the moot wanted strephon out, and Dulinor wanted strephon's job, so the moot said "Go for it! If you do, we'll back you!". Dulinor botches the job due to last minute changes in Strephon's Itinerary (Survival margin), getting a clone. We know he hits Io and Iffie, too (with no apparent reasoning in canon), and bugs out (again, reasoning not being in canon).

By divining the details though group consensus, we make our own games better, and the end of the rebellion makes more sense; If dulinor was a lone gunman on a wild hair, he'd stand no chance of making the bid on capital a second time.
If instead, Dulinor is agent of the Moot, his bid on capital a second time is worthy; he's acting upon a commission given him by his peers, and has everything to gain by the second assault.

Margaret, Craig and Brzk all obviously then have foreknowledge, and were ready to maneuver when Dulinor screwed up. Lucan was simply mad...

 

[aramis]

Actually, Larsen, I suspect he wasn't told Strephon was out... I suspect he went in, saw the clone, started in, and realized Io and Iffie Were reaching calmly for guns, rather than screaming for guards...

And THEN it hits him... he shoots them to keep his hide intact, and THEN checks and finds the clone tatoo on the base of the neck... and realizes, "Oh, no, NOW it's treason!", gives the bug out, and runs ...

(Just remember, its like Norris' Warrant... if he succeeds, it's self-justified. If it fails, it's high treason...)


as to the debate shifting, one can not find the end of a thing intelligible unless one can see the beginning.

Larsen and I, and a couple others, have been trying desperately to divine the cause of the rebellion.

Larsen's essay put to me the fundamental cause being: the moot wanted strephon out, and Dulinor wanted strephon's job, so the moot said "Go for it! If you do, we'll back you!". Dulinor botches the job due to last minute changes in Strephon's Itinerary (Survival margin), getting a clone. We know he hits Io and Iffie, too (with no apparent reasoning in canon), and bugs out (again, reasoning not being in canon).

By divining the details though group consensus, we make our own games better, and the end of the rebellion makes more sense; If dulinor was a lone gunman on a wild hair, he'd stand no chance of making the bid on capital a second time.
If instead, Dulinor is agent of the Moot, his bid on capital a second time is worthy; he's acting upon a commission given him by his peers, and has everything to gain by the second assault.

Margaret, Craig and Brzk all obviously then have foreknowledge, and were ready to maneuver when Dulinor screwed up. Lucan was simply mad...

 

[aramis]

Actually, Larsen, I suspect he wasn't told Strephon was out... I suspect he went in, saw the clone, started in, and realized Io and Iffie Were reaching calmly for guns, rather than screaming for guards...

And THEN it hits him... he shoots them to keep his hide intact, and THEN checks and finds the clone tatoo on the base of the neck... and realizes, "Oh, no, NOW it's treason!", gives the bug out, and runs ...

(Just remember, its like Norris' Warrant... if he succeeds, it's self-justified. If it fails, it's high treason...)


as to the debate shifting, one can not find the end of a thing intelligible unless one can see the beginning.

Larsen and I, and a couple others, have been trying desperately to divine the cause of the rebellion.

Larsen's essay put to me the fundamental cause being: the moot wanted strephon out, and Dulinor wanted strephon's job, so the moot said "Go for it! If you do, we'll back you!". Dulinor botches the job due to last minute changes in Strephon's Itinerary (Survival margin), getting a clone. We know he hits Io and Iffie, too (with no apparent reasoning in canon), and bugs out (again, reasoning not being in canon).

By divining the details though group consensus, we make our own games better, and the end of the rebellion makes more sense; If dulinor was a lone gunman on a wild hair, he'd stand no chance of making the bid on capital a second time.
If instead, Dulinor is agent of the Moot, his bid on capital a second time is worthy; he's acting upon a commission given him by his peers, and has everything to gain by the second assault.

Margaret, Craig and Brzk all obviously then have foreknowledge, and were ready to maneuver when Dulinor screwed up. Lucan was simply mad...

 

[mike wightman]

This scenario opens up the possibility that Lucan wasn't mad.

If his brother was killed, and he himself also targeted, as part of a Moot supported coup d'etat, then he will feel threatened.

In those first few weeks following the assassination he wouldn't know who to trust or where the next attempt on his life may come from.

He is, as far as he knows, the legitimate heir to the throne, and only those who know about the Strephon clone know otherwise - and they are using that knowledge to get as far away as possible until the real Strephon returns and has them all dealt with.

They see a get out in supporting Lucan in the short term as this will muddy the waters for the return of Strephon - which is delayed due to his breakdown.

Thus a terrified Lucan ends up supported by the very people who would have liked to have seen him dead, all the while being fead paranoid propoganda to unsettle him and prevent the immediate return of the rightful Emperor.

 

[mike wightman]

This scenario opens up the possibility that Lucan wasn't mad.

If his brother was killed, and he himself also targeted, as part of a Moot supported coup d'etat, then he will feel threatened.

In those first few weeks following the assassination he wouldn't know who to trust or where the next attempt on his life may come from.

He is, as far as he knows, the legitimate heir to the throne, and only those who know about the Strephon clone know otherwise - and they are using that knowledge to get as far away as possible until the real Strephon returns and has them all dealt with.

They see a get out in supporting Lucan in the short term as this will muddy the waters for the return of Strephon - which is delayed due to his breakdown.

Thus a terrified Lucan ends up supported by the very people who would have liked to have seen him dead, all the while being fead paranoid propoganda to unsettle him and prevent the immediate return of the rightful Emperor.

 

[mike wightman]

This scenario opens up the possibility that Lucan wasn't mad.

If his brother was killed, and he himself also targeted, as part of a Moot supported coup d'etat, then he will feel threatened.

In those first few weeks following the assassination he wouldn't know who to trust or where the next attempt on his life may come from.

He is, as far as he knows, the legitimate heir to the throne, and only those who know about the Strephon clone know otherwise - and they are using that knowledge to get as far away as possible until the real Strephon returns and has them all dealt with.

They see a get out in supporting Lucan in the short term as this will muddy the waters for the return of Strephon - which is delayed due to his breakdown.

Thus a terrified Lucan ends up supported by the very people who would have liked to have seen him dead, all the while being fead paranoid propoganda to unsettle him and prevent the immediate return of the rightful Emperor.

 

[mike wightman]

Windhook's story - as detailed in the MT Rebellion Sourcebook - has always struck me as too good to be true for Lucan's enemies.

So ask yourself, what if Lucan's story is the truth

 

[mike wightman]

Windhook's story - as detailed in the MT Rebellion Sourcebook - has always struck me as too good to be true for Lucan's enemies.

So ask yourself, what if Lucan's story is the truth

 

[mike wightman]

Windhook's story - as detailed in the MT Rebellion Sourcebook - has always struck me as too good to be true for Lucan's enemies.

So ask yourself, what if Lucan's story is the truth

 

[Whipsnade]

Aramis and Sigg,

Ooooh, I like the way your minds think!

The Rebellion is now neatly turned on it's head. It no longer a story of Evil Lucan and Evil Dulinor, it is now a story of Evil Moot. How delightfully twisty!

Do you both remember that block of prose entitled 'I had a dream' that appeared in the Challenge issue that unveiled TNE? The author writing about a great an ancient forest with innumerbale animals, but the trees are rotted and the whole things burns down? Do remember the bit towards the end about how at the Imperium's beginning 'great men dreamt great dreams' and at the Imperium's ending 'petty men dreamt petty dreams' and both sets of dreams were achieved?

For 'petty men' read Moot.

Now, follow the bouncing conspiracy:

- Strephon re-establishes the Archdukes and Domains, thus pissing off scads of sector dukes, subsector dukes who want to be sector dukes, the families of sector dukes, the allies of sector dukes, and so on and so forth. Simply put, he pissed off a nice chunk of the Imperium's upper nobility by diluting and diminishing their power. Smooth move, Your Majesty.

- The Moot, or more accurately, a sizeable chunk of the Moot decides that 'Strephon Must Go'. The Styryx Option is out as Iffie is approached oh so delicately on the matter of the Archdukes and Domains only to say she thinks 'Daddy's idea is super'. The Moot thus has no Gavin, so a replay of 989 is a no go and the RoA is now on the table.

- Dulinor is selected by somehow. Just how the 'SMG' faction of the Moot settles on him is unknown. He holds one of the titles that precipitated this crisis and his reforms aren't too well recieved even in his own Domain, but he gets the nod. Perhaps his Plot was already in the planning stages and the Moot decided to piggyback on it, perhaps the Moot thought he would be more tractable, or perhaps he and the Moot cut a deal trading a limited reform agenda for the disestablishment of the Domains and Archdukes. Who knows?

- Dulinor's selection does make sense in some ways however. Io and Iffie are right out, they are too close and too supportive of Strephon. Besides, no one would stomach a husband killer or paracide on the Throne. Varian and Lucan aren't even on the list for obvious reasons. Margeret may have been approached and turned the job down or she may have been crossed off due to her well known support of Tukera as an emperor must not play favorites among the Megacorps. Adair is too wrapped up the Rim and he's really needed more there keeping the lid on than on the Throne. Tranian is a bland non-entity, Craig is little known outside Daibei, Norris or the Delphine on Mora are too far away, Brzk is an alien for goodness sakes, and no Vilani Archdukes need apply. So, who's left? Who has the Imperium spanning name recogition required? Who has a vision for the future? Who wants to build a bridge to the 58th Century? Dulinor that's who. Besides, we can cut a deal with the chap and control him.

- How does Dulinor suborn an entire Domain? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps him. How does Dulinor bypass all that security in the Palace? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps him. How does he do all the improbable things he somehow does up to drawing his magnum revolver in the Octagon and going postal? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps. Then Murphy decides to help him too.

- Dulinor kills the Wrong Man thanks to Jonathan Crocker's visions at Longbow II. Dulinor must then kill Io and Iffie because he's killed the Wrong Man. Dulinor also must kill the Aslan ambassador because he's killing Io and Iffie. Suddenly, one esquisitely planned and sanctioned murder has blossomed into a mass shooting. Suddenly, our noble tyrannicide is now seen as a crazed killer. Suddenly, the agent sent to take care of the Twins slips on a banana peel. Suddenly, the rest of the Imperial Guard gets stroppy. Suddenly, our stalwart Man of Future develops a terminal case of cold feet. Suddenly, the plot to pull off the second successful Right of Assasination in Imperial history implodes.

Ooops.

Murphy takes over from here and you know the rest.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Aramis and Sigg,

Ooooh, I like the way your minds think!

The Rebellion is now neatly turned on it's head. It no longer a story of Evil Lucan and Evil Dulinor, it is now a story of Evil Moot. How delightfully twisty!

Do you both remember that block of prose entitled 'I had a dream' that appeared in the Challenge issue that unveiled TNE? The author writing about a great an ancient forest with innumerbale animals, but the trees are rotted and the whole things burns down? Do remember the bit towards the end about how at the Imperium's beginning 'great men dreamt great dreams' and at the Imperium's ending 'petty men dreamt petty dreams' and both sets of dreams were achieved?

For 'petty men' read Moot.

Now, follow the bouncing conspiracy:

- Strephon re-establishes the Archdukes and Domains, thus pissing off scads of sector dukes, subsector dukes who want to be sector dukes, the families of sector dukes, the allies of sector dukes, and so on and so forth. Simply put, he pissed off a nice chunk of the Imperium's upper nobility by diluting and diminishing their power. Smooth move, Your Majesty.

- The Moot, or more accurately, a sizeable chunk of the Moot decides that 'Strephon Must Go'. The Styryx Option is out as Iffie is approached oh so delicately on the matter of the Archdukes and Domains only to say she thinks 'Daddy's idea is super'. The Moot thus has no Gavin, so a replay of 989 is a no go and the RoA is now on the table.

- Dulinor is selected by somehow. Just how the 'SMG' faction of the Moot settles on him is unknown. He holds one of the titles that precipitated this crisis and his reforms aren't too well recieved even in his own Domain, but he gets the nod. Perhaps his Plot was already in the planning stages and the Moot decided to piggyback on it, perhaps the Moot thought he would be more tractable, or perhaps he and the Moot cut a deal trading a limited reform agenda for the disestablishment of the Domains and Archdukes. Who knows?

- Dulinor's selection does make sense in some ways however. Io and Iffie are right out, they are too close and too supportive of Strephon. Besides, no one would stomach a husband killer or paracide on the Throne. Varian and Lucan aren't even on the list for obvious reasons. Margeret may have been approached and turned the job down or she may have been crossed off due to her well known support of Tukera as an emperor must not play favorites among the Megacorps. Adair is too wrapped up the Rim and he's really needed more there keeping the lid on than on the Throne. Tranian is a bland non-entity, Craig is little known outside Daibei, Norris or the Delphine on Mora are too far away, Brzk is an alien for goodness sakes, and no Vilani Archdukes need apply. So, who's left? Who has the Imperium spanning name recogition required? Who has a vision for the future? Who wants to build a bridge to the 58th Century? Dulinor that's who. Besides, we can cut a deal with the chap and control him.

- How does Dulinor suborn an entire Domain? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps him. How does Dulinor bypass all that security in the Palace? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps him. How does he do all the improbable things he somehow does up to drawing his magnum revolver in the Octagon and going postal? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps. Then Murphy decides to help him too.

- Dulinor kills the Wrong Man thanks to Jonathan Crocker's visions at Longbow II. Dulinor must then kill Io and Iffie because he's killed the Wrong Man. Dulinor also must kill the Aslan ambassador because he's killing Io and Iffie. Suddenly, one esquisitely planned and sanctioned murder has blossomed into a mass shooting. Suddenly, our noble tyrannicide is now seen as a crazed killer. Suddenly, the agent sent to take care of the Twins slips on a banana peel. Suddenly, the rest of the Imperial Guard gets stroppy. Suddenly, our stalwart Man of Future develops a terminal case of cold feet. Suddenly, the plot to pull off the second successful Right of Assasination in Imperial history implodes.

Ooops.

Murphy takes over from here and you know the rest.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[Whipsnade]

Aramis and Sigg,

Ooooh, I like the way your minds think!

The Rebellion is now neatly turned on it's head. It no longer a story of Evil Lucan and Evil Dulinor, it is now a story of Evil Moot. How delightfully twisty!

Do you both remember that block of prose entitled 'I had a dream' that appeared in the Challenge issue that unveiled TNE? The author writing about a great an ancient forest with innumerbale animals, but the trees are rotted and the whole things burns down? Do remember the bit towards the end about how at the Imperium's beginning 'great men dreamt great dreams' and at the Imperium's ending 'petty men dreamt petty dreams' and both sets of dreams were achieved?

For 'petty men' read Moot.

Now, follow the bouncing conspiracy:

- Strephon re-establishes the Archdukes and Domains, thus pissing off scads of sector dukes, subsector dukes who want to be sector dukes, the families of sector dukes, the allies of sector dukes, and so on and so forth. Simply put, he pissed off a nice chunk of the Imperium's upper nobility by diluting and diminishing their power. Smooth move, Your Majesty.

- The Moot, or more accurately, a sizeable chunk of the Moot decides that 'Strephon Must Go'. The Styryx Option is out as Iffie is approached oh so delicately on the matter of the Archdukes and Domains only to say she thinks 'Daddy's idea is super'. The Moot thus has no Gavin, so a replay of 989 is a no go and the RoA is now on the table.

- Dulinor is selected by somehow. Just how the 'SMG' faction of the Moot settles on him is unknown. He holds one of the titles that precipitated this crisis and his reforms aren't too well recieved even in his own Domain, but he gets the nod. Perhaps his Plot was already in the planning stages and the Moot decided to piggyback on it, perhaps the Moot thought he would be more tractable, or perhaps he and the Moot cut a deal trading a limited reform agenda for the disestablishment of the Domains and Archdukes. Who knows?

- Dulinor's selection does make sense in some ways however. Io and Iffie are right out, they are too close and too supportive of Strephon. Besides, no one would stomach a husband killer or paracide on the Throne. Varian and Lucan aren't even on the list for obvious reasons. Margeret may have been approached and turned the job down or she may have been crossed off due to her well known support of Tukera as an emperor must not play favorites among the Megacorps. Adair is too wrapped up the Rim and he's really needed more there keeping the lid on than on the Throne. Tranian is a bland non-entity, Craig is little known outside Daibei, Norris or the Delphine on Mora are too far away, Brzk is an alien for goodness sakes, and no Vilani Archdukes need apply. So, who's left? Who has the Imperium spanning name recogition required? Who has a vision for the future? Who wants to build a bridge to the 58th Century? Dulinor that's who. Besides, we can cut a deal with the chap and control him.

- How does Dulinor suborn an entire Domain? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps him. How does Dulinor bypass all that security in the Palace? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps him. How does he do all the improbable things he somehow does up to drawing his magnum revolver in the Octagon and going postal? The 'SMG' Moot faction helps. Then Murphy decides to help him too.

- Dulinor kills the Wrong Man thanks to Jonathan Crocker's visions at Longbow II. Dulinor must then kill Io and Iffie because he's killed the Wrong Man. Dulinor also must kill the Aslan ambassador because he's killing Io and Iffie. Suddenly, one esquisitely planned and sanctioned murder has blossomed into a mass shooting. Suddenly, our noble tyrannicide is now seen as a crazed killer. Suddenly, the agent sent to take care of the Twins slips on a banana peel. Suddenly, the rest of the Imperial Guard gets stroppy. Suddenly, our stalwart Man of Future develops a terminal case of cold feet. Suddenly, the plot to pull off the second successful Right of Assasination in Imperial history implodes.

Ooops.

Murphy takes over from here and you know the rest.


Have fun,
Bill

 

[aramis]

As was pointed out to me by other canonistas, Strephon doesn't reinstate them; he merely reinforces their power, and allowes them to meddle at Domain HQ, which he DOES reinstate as an actual command, rather than just a reporting conduit.

He DOES appoint several, including his FRIEND, Dulinor, and his Cousin, Norris.

No, I put forth the alternate:

The SMG arises in Ilellish... in the sector moot or even domain moot, and when Dulinor gets appointed Archduke, Dulinor's rank helps keep it in check.

Dulinor does a lot of grand things... and the Dukes go to the moot to let it be known.

Dulinor "Suggests" the Emperor do similar reforms throughout. Strephon, fearing the moot, says no.

Dulinor's subordinate dukes (remember, there are 64-68 LANDED dukes under him) spread the SMG through the moot at capital... based upon his rejection of "Basic sophont rights improvements"

The SMG movement meets in the moot spire, and much to Dulinor's Horror, passes the resolution the Strephon Must Go... and then, based upon what they want to see in a new Emperor, Give Dulinor the least desirable job in the Imperium... Assassinating the Emperor, his own good friend, Patron, and drinking buddy.

Nobody bothers informing the moot that Strephon's out...

Lucan and Varian were to be captured. Alive.

Io and Iffie were to be captured, and forced by the moot to accept either the new emperor OR a prison planet. (It may have required some biochemical and psychological work...)

Lucan and varian have no claim if the Crown Princess acknowledges Dulinor....

Dulinor goes in, sees only fear, not shock as his hand raises the gun... and Knows it's not strephon. To eliminate their claims, Io, Iffie, Lucan, and Varian now ALL need to be aced. "Plan 'b' it is!" The Aslan ambassador thinks he was a target (this is, after all, round two of combat), and goes for his gun. Dulinor shoots him.

Plan B goes awry... Lucan is killing IG troops... "Bug out!" (plan C) goes into effect, and IT goes smoothly.

The moot meets, and the majority SMG faction is split between "Dulinor went too far", "Dulinor should have stayed", and "Dulinor is still owed what we promised him", and the 2/5 of the moot not part of SMG are split between "Dulinor Did it!" and "Let's find someone else..." Lucan addresses them, and they vote him down while he's speaking... so he disbands the moot for a year... and his paranoia begins.

And, sadly, I never subscribed to Challenge...

And it's THIRD, not second... although the other one declares herself Regent, the truth is, she's Empress in all but name.