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No
one, not even the Patriarch, wields as much power as Emperor
Alexius. The most obvious manifestations of his might are
the imperial legions, its navy, the Imperial Eye and the
tax collectors. In addition, House Hawkwood still professes
complete support, and other young nobles have begun flocking
to the Emperor's banner to serve as Beacons, spreading the
Imperial Light to the darkest parts of the Empire and the
lost worlds.
Still,
Emperor Alexius does not maintain his power through brute
strength. He knows that if any three of the other royal houses
joined forces, or if the Church or League turned against
him, they could drive him from power. He must constantly
balance competing demands made by one or more of these factions,
all the while trying to further his own plans. He never discards
a useful person unless that person becomes too much of a
threat, and even then will try to find some way to put that
person to good use - far, far away.*
Some
might say that Vargo is an intermediate exile
for some who have displeased the Emperor: a troubled
frontier world likely to keep anyone he sends there too busy
to plot against him, while close enough to the throneworld
to be recalled quickly should they earn their way back
into his good graces. Yet most observers will argue that
Vargo
is more than just a dumping ground for imperial chaff. Alexius
clearly has plans for this once lost world, plans that might
foretell what lies in store for the rest of the
Known Worlds.
<Back
to Feature Characters> *From "Byzantium Secundus",
Copyright 1996 Holistic Design Inc., pp. 49-50 |
