Topic: Has Rhakhaan overstayed its right to exist?

[munchy]

The Empire of Rhakhaan seems to possess survival skills beyond belief.

While many historical empires existed because of outside threats or due to constant expansion, Rhakhaan faces almost only minor outside enemies. The Dragonlord being the major one here. The Yinka are a threat but only to some provinces to the east and seem to be quite manageable. The marauding mutant beasts from the Zor Wastes also only threaten some provinces in the north.
U-Lyshak has been crushed, Zor does not exist anymore, and all the others also failed, Rhakhaan is basically the last one left on the continent of Jaiman. So, outside threat can no longer account as a driving force behind staying in a realm for the provinces.  The Duranaki realm is not that strong and beyond some mountains.

Expansion is, due to the crown(s), out of the question.

There are, on the other hand, several inner threats to the stability of the empire:

There is the White Magician weaving intrigue at the royal court. Whispering corrupting ideas into the emperor’s and the noblemans’ ears.
The priests Arnak have worked to destroy the Empire for ages. And there is not only the Priest Thargondaak who are able to kill a Namar-Tol vice-ambassador in the Haalkitaine palace but also the High Priest Dansart, posing as the second highest cleric of the official church of Rhakhaan. He could wreak havoc by sending paladins and clerics on wrong quests having them destroy magical items that were meant to stop the evil in Rhakhaan (like for example destroying the Forge of Arion “to make the realm even greater”), charging people of heresy who would be trouble for his aims, changing the church into a hollow, decadent organisation that is feared and maybe even hated by the people. Inquisition seems to be a “good” idea to start with.
This makes two orders of Arnak concentrating on one realm, for all the others that have fallen so far, Xa-ar and Saralis, Zor, U-Lyshak, etc. one was quite sufficient to do the job. The Yarthraak still or again has to deal with Kier Ianis but could also start to dispatch their messengers or clerics into western Rhakhaan, making it three orders working on one realm.
As if this was not enough, there are the numerous dark cults that exist openly and in hiding, Moralis, Inis, Andaras, and Kesh’ta’kai – and all the others. Of these, Moralis makes the society destroy itself, Inis turns the women against the men, Andaras sees everything going down in decadence and hedonism and Kesh’ta’kai seduces men to use forbidden magic, opening gates to the planes, the Void and whatnot. Dabbling in these more dangerous arts in an Empire that has more than one essaence flow, well, flowing through it seems to be a rather dangerous threat.
Then there is Lethys, a city of great economic importance, whose leader has often been suspected of vying for independence or maybe even the throne. Would suspicion lead to provoking restrictions that indeed would turn these suspicions into self-fulfilling prophecies?

Frelik the usurper has also proven that the Empire is not unshakeable, even though he has been defeated and dealt with. Some nobles were on his side and the question would be whether they all have been uncovered by the emperor’s forces.
What if an assassination attempt on the emperor’s life succeeded? The last time a Loremaster saved him but that particular one is out of order at the moment and if the Priests Arnak can get a vice-ambassador what’s to stop them from getting at the emperor or his family? And it is not only them who want the emperor dead. What about the White Magician going for a direct kill.
Succession would be the next matter at hand and the nobles have proved that they want more influence in the Frelik-affair. What’s to stop them from plunging the realm into a civil war, and here we would have not only two factions but four, at least, one for each child.

So, from my point of view it seems as if there is not much needed to tip the balance and end the rather impressively long history of the empire of Rhakhaan, is there?
Any thoughts, further supportive ideas, counter-arguments?

[markc]

 I do not know a lot of about SW bur after reading your post the first thought that came to mind was fake your death and deal with the enemies that arise. Then after that put a puppet on the throw and rule from the safety of the sidelines.
 
But that is just a thought.
MDC

[Fidoric]

All of this suggests that there are also occult groups working for the preservation of that realm.

[Walt]

Hi Munchy,

good post! Having only very critical players in my Jaiman campaign it's hard to come up with arguments for the history of Jaiman. (too many questionable historical developments)

For sure Jaiman and the Rhakhaan Empire in particular is set on fire. And I myself couldn't see any way to stop the White Magician or The High Priest of Dansart if one of both would go for a direct kill action of the Imperator and his family. But this would kill only the person, wrecking havoc for some time, but not destroying the whole Empire.

The Rhakhaan Empire is the Jaimani Empire (at least in my game), it has become the greatest single force on the continent. And that's because of the historical mixture of putting on the damned crown or refusing it. In my interpretation the situations where the owner of the Phoenix Throne doesn't goes for a coronation there are enough options to go on with expansion.

[metallion]

Expansion is, due to the crown(s), out of the question.

Incorrect:  Emperors have not worn the Phoenix Crown for ages.  The current Emperor's mother engaged in a huge military expansion, swallowing Zor, Meluria and Wuliris whole; and taking quite a bit of real estate that was historically part of U-Lyshaak.  Jerrin has every intention of expanding Rhakhaan's borders to the sea in all directions.

There is the White Magician weaving intrigue at the royal court. Whispering corrupting ideas into the emperor’s and the noblemans’ ears.

He could wreak havoc by sending paladins and clerics on wrong quests having them destroy magical items that were meant to stop the evil in Rhakhaan (like for example destroying the Forge of Arion “to make the realm even greater”), charging people of heresy who would be trouble for his aims, changing the church into a hollow, decadent organisation that is feared and maybe even hated by the people.

That would be wasteful.  The Archprelate of Lethys does more to undermine the people of Rhakhaan than a thousand Inquisitors.  The High Priest of Dansart is cunning enough to realize that if the people fear and hate the Church, the Church is going down and then he needs to find a new handle on the people.  A hollow, decadent Church that the people pay just enough attentinon to in order to create and preserve an environment where a noble can be blackmailed because they're sherakin makes the work easy.

Inquisition seems to be a “good” idea to start with.

In addition to turning the Church into fuel that eventually burns out, Even the High Archprelate does not wield the power of the Pope to declare an inquisition.  The UoC is subordinate to the Crown.

Far better to let the current expansionist urge lead to ruin, or if it succeeds to plunge the entire continent into chaos when they do strike the killing blow.

Then there is Lethys, a city of great economic importance, whose leader has often been suspected of vying for independence or maybe even the throne. Would suspicion lead to provoking restrictions that indeed would turn these suspicions into self-fulfilling prophecies?

Succession would be the next matter at hand and the nobles have proved that they want more influence in the Frelik-affair. What’s to stop them from plunging the realm into a civil war, and here we would have not only two factions but four, at least, one for each child.

The realm is already in a civil war.  The nobles are more likely to fall into a two-faction state, particularly if the Tatiana, Toren, and Ajkar all declare their support for Kenek.  One rarely fights to put someone on the throne whose first act as Emperor will be to order one's own execution for high treason.

So, from my point of view it seems as if there is not much needed to tip the balance and end the rather impressively long history of the empire of Rhakhaan, is there?
Any thoughts, further supportive ideas, counter-arguments?

You have not considered the role of the Loremasters or Gryphon College.
Also, the White Magician and the Priests Arnak are not presently allies.  If the White Magician's agenda involves a subverted Rhakhaan, he'd act to preserve it against the Priests.  The Magician doesn't want to destroy Jaiman, he wants to rule it.  Rhakhaan could easily be a vehicle by which he achieved that goal.

[Terry K. Amthor]

I just love reading these discussions. :-)

I would just add a couple of other factors. One is that there is a certain 'inertia' that grips the Shadow World, a side effect of the Flows. Different races are affected by it differently, which could explain their varying lifespans. This effect includes the fact that even physical structures endure longer than they would on our earth. I know it's a bit of a blanket explanation, but it had always been my intention that the Flows would have this sort of effect. The Crowns were designed in part to tap into this power and create thus freeze the realm borders. Metallion is correct of course that the Rhakhaan emperors have not worn the crown recently, and this has cause some instability. The situation with the Usurper was a close call. If he had been able to seize power the Empire almost certainly would have been plunged into civil war and fragmented--unless he put on the crown, then who knows?

Second (and this is a side-effect of the Flows), the current reigning cultures on Kulthea have not really advanced technologically enough to power any great expansion. The Loremasters like to be thought of as wise teachers, but they are not generally friends of technology, and they would prefer a level of civilization that they can influence.

As for the Magician, the Dragonlord and the Priests... The magician would be more effective if he wasn't being distracted by other things. The Dragonlord pretty much wants to be left alone and reacts against perceived threats. And the Priests Arnak... they go through cycles. Right now they are best thought of as terrorists trying to weaken the kingdoms before a major strike sometime in the future.

Just a few thoughts!

[Walt]

I know it's a bit of a blanket explanation,(...)

Second (and this is a side-effect of the Flows), the current reigning cultures on Kulthea have not really advanced technologically enough to power any great expansion. The Loremasters like to be thought of as wise teachers, but they are not generally friends of technology, and they would prefer a level of civilization that they can influence.

Far too much of a blanket discussion. Like Mnchy wrote, the system is sort of unbalanced, the only question arising is wheter the change will be revolutionary or evolutionary.
ANd of course, the position of the Loremaster in this is a most controversyl one. Are the Lormaster the the good guys or are they far more dangerous in their static approach, preventing development

[Vince]

I know it's a bit of a blanket explanation,(...)

Second (and this is a side-effect of the Flows), the current reigning cultures on Kulthea have not really advanced technologically enough to power any great expansion. The Loremasters like to be thought of as wise teachers, but they are not generally friends of technology, and they would prefer a level of civilization that they can influence.

Far too much of a blanket discussion. Like Mnchy wrote, the system is sort of unbalanced, the only question arising is wheter the change will be revolutionary or evolutionary.
ANd of course, the position of the Loremaster in this is a most controversyl one. Are the Lormaster the the good guys or are they far more dangerous in their static approach, preventing development

Walt, you read my mind. This Loremaster seems sometimes like the clergy in the movie "Name of the Rose", a group slipted in subgroups with different ideas in how to help. Too many times the loremasters seems a group that hides knowledge trying to protect, and allowing evil to grow only justified by their "not action policy". In Khultea there are not too much "good guys" that try to change something.

Maybe just the Wizard Storm and Randae fit the "Hero Type that do something useful". Andraax and Tethior are powerful sure, but they don't interfere directly too much and the same works for the Lords of Orhan. Voriig Kye can't be considered "good guy" (nevertheless is my favourite character ).  In the Other hand we have Steel Rain, Raven Queen, Jerak Arenreth, Dragonlords, Arnak Priests, The Alliance, Ondoval, K'ta'virii lord in the East.

Each day i consider the Loremaster like a old-fashioned order, ruled by tradition forgetting their past motivations. I like to play and interact with players as a frustrating burocracy, only good to recieve small hints and general directions.

Maybe with the lose of one of Utha's Eye, Randae will grow and the Loremasters will interact more with the world.
A bit off topic, sorry about that...

[Walt]

A bit off topic, sorry about that...

In my opinion not at all off topic. I think it´s quite necessary to make up your mind about the Loremaster and the Jaimani artifacts to come up with an interpretation of Jaiman history and the Rhakhaan Empire.

I´m using the same approach like you, the Loremasters as some kind oversized, overbureaucratic organisation driven by the fear of Kirin T´thaan to make again such a mess like they had with the Jaimani crowns. So he is quite restrictive to get nowhere to much involved, especially on the Jaimani continent, blocking all movements in the Loremaster organisation-administration which would promise any attitude change.

[metallion]

I just love reading these discussions. :-)
The Crowns were designed in part to tap into this power and create thus freeze the realm borders. Metallion is correct of course that the Rhakhaan emperors have not worn the crown recently, and this has cause some instability. The situation with the Usurper was a close call. If he had been able to seize power the Empire almost certainly would have been plunged into civil war and fragmented--unless he put on the crown, then who knows?

The implication there, of course, is that the Crowns affect far more than the mind of the King, but spreads out to the nobility and the populace!  Once again, the Magician spoke truly.

Second (and this is a side-effect of the Flows), the current reigning cultures on Kulthea have not really advanced technologically enough to power any great expansion. The Loremasters like to be thought of as wise teachers, but they are not generally friends of technology, and they would prefer a level of civilization that they can influence.

I knew it!

One of the mysteries in my campaign is just how much involvement the Loremasters have had in how accident prone the Namarian submersible project has been.