3.5 KiB
[DC][D] Murder Hobos and Empire
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Author: u/ToaKraka https://i.imgur.com/OQGHleQ.png*
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URL: http://www.critical-hits.com/blog/2015/08/10/murder-hobos-and-empire/
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Score: 21
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Created: 2015-08-10T13:19:18
Post:
Comments:
u/ancientcampus [+9] juggling kittens (a day later)
The bits about stasis and eventual collapse are sensible. What I don't get is, if Murder Hobos are the answer to every problem that threatens the empire, why aren't they a threat to the Empire itself?
Is it rock paper scissors? Empire > Murder Hobos > Lich Lord > Empire? I can see how that'd be possible.
u/FeepingCreature [+3] GCV Literally The Entire Culture (a day later)
The empire controls the infrastructure that murder hobos rely on - quest givers, inns and taverns, weapons vendors.
u/ancientcampus [+6] juggling kittens (a day later)
I figure it's something like that. I'd expect that eventually, many level 20 wizards would want to retire, though, and carve out a province for themselves. Perhaps they do, and that's where you get your lich lords in the first place.
However, government is based on the premise that no individual can rule on their own strength - power comes from the masses, whether you use money or royalty or status to wield that power. In Fantasyland, though. I'd expect any government would need to have some high-level mojo backing it, like in TYE.
u/ToaKraka [+4] https://i.imgur.com/OQGHleQ.png (4 seconds later)
tl;dr:
The writer deconstructs how a large fantasy empire can maintain Medieval Stasis within its borders for literally millennia--through isolationism, ultra-conservatism, the continuous rule of long-lived elves, and the help of native
murder hobosadventurers--until outside kingdoms that have embraced technological advancement crush it in a war lasting only a few weeks. The author cites Imperial Rome, Ming China, and Safavid Persia as inspirations.
Some choice quotes:
The #1 social good promoted by the Empire is the existence and continued stability of the Empire. Every action must save the Empire; threats cannot disrupt the citizen’s lives; the Empire must continue. The Emperor is good, the outside is bad, and heroes save the day by preventing change. First order of business: forbid all new things, especially technological advance. Order of business #2: worship the past and ignore the future. The long lives of elves incentivize them to protect themselves and their Empires. A new thing might unbalance the delicate machinery of power. Things that threaten it must go.
If some internal threat arises--a wizard decides to invent new spells, a dragon trainer decides to breed a new "dangerous" dragon, a bureaucrat consolidates power--send in the Murder Hobos. These guys are clear and present threats to the Empire’s stability. Destroy them before they publish a paper and tell anyone about their findings!
Given an infinite timeline, even the mightiest of Empires become their own museums.
u/usui_no_jikan [+5] (a day later)
Isn't this more or less the tale of China? While there were dynastic overthrows, the basic structure of China more or less mirrored that described in the article.
u/ToaKraka [+4] https://i.imgur.com/OQGHleQ.png (a day later)
The author cites Imperial Rome, Ming China, and Safavid Persia as inspirations.