Post by Black Seraphim Zero on Jun 29, 2012 17:18:21 GMT -5
A vast, sprawling Empire, perhaps familiar to some who remain on this board. Its glory was unfading, and its Emperor the most noble and most competent ruler in existence. Through strength and subversion the Empire conquered its detractors and overcame all opposition. Soon, it became the most powerful State on the Continent, and perhaps in that World.
The Emperor was assisted by two people who stood out from his entire administrative staff. One was his Chancellor, capable in his own right, and an Archduke of his own Archduchy as well as the foremost military commander in the Empire, known as the First Marshal of the Empire. The second was the Chief of the General Staff, subordinate to the Archduke in the military, a Duke by birth and a Prince for life, younger than both the Chancellor and the Emperor, who also served as the Foreign Minister of the Empire.
The Archduke and the Prince, part of the group of Upholders, nobles who had helped found the Empire, served the Emperor faithfully throughout their lives. Eventually the Archduke passed away, leaving no real successor to his plethora of powerful Imperial positions and installing his daughter as Archduchess of his home state. The Prince was content with his position as Chief of the General Staff and did not seek promotion, and the Emperor did not force it upon him.
But the appointees to the Archduke's former positions were not competent enough either to emulate the Archduke's achievements nor uphold those achievements. For the Archduke was a Hero of the Empire, and how could they emulate his legacy? Rather, they belittled the Archduke's legacy to make themselves more powerful. The Prince saw the new Chancellor, a Count, and the new First Marshal of the Empire, a Marquis, as absolutely incompetent in their positions and bore witness to that in the wars that followed their accessions. The recent wars alone, since the death of the Archduke, had cost the Empire thousands of soldiers and astronomical sums in funds.
The Prince, as the Chief of the General Staff, had no operational command of the military, was exasperated. He was bound to follow the First Marshal's orders, and as Foreign Minister he also had to report first and foremost to the Chancellor. Yet he was obliged first and foremost to serve the Emperor and the Empire, being the Prince and the most likely to succeed the Emperor's throne should the Emperor meet his demise (the Emperor was childless and raised the Prince to his position due to his competence). The Prince decided to take matters into his own hands and publicly executed the Chancellor and the First Marshal, recognizing that their deaths would bring a new era of prosperity to the Empire due to their replacements, new and more competent individuals. However, he was seen by the public as ambitious and power-hungry. The public cried out for his execution, as they saw it as a classic example of abuse of noble authority. The Emperor, pressed by all his advisors and Cabinet to do something about the situation, had no choice but to execute the Prince who had served him so well.
Upon Imperial Square's high pavilion, the Prince stood before the guillotine that was to steal his life. He had begun as a promising individual, and he had exemplified his ability through his helping the Emperor draft strategies that had led to successful wars, and his diplomatic efforts gained the Empire many allies where enemies would have existed. However, that did not last and all heroes must either die or live long enough to see themselves become the villain. He realized that, just as he was bound to the guillotine by the executioner, and as the blade swung down upon his neck, he proclaimed without regret:
"Long Live the Empire! Long Live the Emperor!"
The Emperor was assisted by two people who stood out from his entire administrative staff. One was his Chancellor, capable in his own right, and an Archduke of his own Archduchy as well as the foremost military commander in the Empire, known as the First Marshal of the Empire. The second was the Chief of the General Staff, subordinate to the Archduke in the military, a Duke by birth and a Prince for life, younger than both the Chancellor and the Emperor, who also served as the Foreign Minister of the Empire.
The Archduke and the Prince, part of the group of Upholders, nobles who had helped found the Empire, served the Emperor faithfully throughout their lives. Eventually the Archduke passed away, leaving no real successor to his plethora of powerful Imperial positions and installing his daughter as Archduchess of his home state. The Prince was content with his position as Chief of the General Staff and did not seek promotion, and the Emperor did not force it upon him.
But the appointees to the Archduke's former positions were not competent enough either to emulate the Archduke's achievements nor uphold those achievements. For the Archduke was a Hero of the Empire, and how could they emulate his legacy? Rather, they belittled the Archduke's legacy to make themselves more powerful. The Prince saw the new Chancellor, a Count, and the new First Marshal of the Empire, a Marquis, as absolutely incompetent in their positions and bore witness to that in the wars that followed their accessions. The recent wars alone, since the death of the Archduke, had cost the Empire thousands of soldiers and astronomical sums in funds.
The Prince, as the Chief of the General Staff, had no operational command of the military, was exasperated. He was bound to follow the First Marshal's orders, and as Foreign Minister he also had to report first and foremost to the Chancellor. Yet he was obliged first and foremost to serve the Emperor and the Empire, being the Prince and the most likely to succeed the Emperor's throne should the Emperor meet his demise (the Emperor was childless and raised the Prince to his position due to his competence). The Prince decided to take matters into his own hands and publicly executed the Chancellor and the First Marshal, recognizing that their deaths would bring a new era of prosperity to the Empire due to their replacements, new and more competent individuals. However, he was seen by the public as ambitious and power-hungry. The public cried out for his execution, as they saw it as a classic example of abuse of noble authority. The Emperor, pressed by all his advisors and Cabinet to do something about the situation, had no choice but to execute the Prince who had served him so well.
Upon Imperial Square's high pavilion, the Prince stood before the guillotine that was to steal his life. He had begun as a promising individual, and he had exemplified his ability through his helping the Emperor draft strategies that had led to successful wars, and his diplomatic efforts gained the Empire many allies where enemies would have existed. However, that did not last and all heroes must either die or live long enough to see themselves become the villain. He realized that, just as he was bound to the guillotine by the executioner, and as the blade swung down upon his neck, he proclaimed without regret:
"Long Live the Empire! Long Live the Emperor!"