[Dragaera] Political obligations of the Emperor

[Davdi Silverrock]

On 2/12/07, Steve Rapaport wrote:
>
> >
> > And I also wonder if perhaps Wellborn retired as Discreet because he
> > could no longer take watching quietly as Tortaalik acted like an
> > arrogant, useless, posturing buffoon who rarely took notice of his
> > responsibilities, and who surrounded himself with advisors who were at
> > best barely competent and at worst utterly useless, with the sum
> > result of driving the Empire into chaos...
> > _______________________________________________
>
>
> Probably.  Though I would take arrogant off the list.   How about a
> small-minded, useless, posturing buffoon who really did want to do a good
> job but didn't have the strength of character or the good judgement to do
> so.

I think arrogant belongs on the list -- it's one with Tortaalik's
small-mindedness: He demanded respect that he did not deserve, and
made more than a few bad decisions out of nothing more than a desire
to enforce that respect.

If he had had the humility to realize his weaknesses, he could have
worked to overcome them.  As Zerika, one hopes, did, and does.

Indeed, in tPG, Paarfi suggests that the younger Tortaalik did try to
overcome his weaknesses, but by the time of FHYA, he seems to have
given up trying, and has given in to his worst nature; his
self-indulgence, apathy, and arrogance are all highlighted at various
points in the text.


> This is kind of the attitude that Khaavren had toward him too, as revealed
> later to Zerika in "Sethra Lavode".
>

It seems clear to me, in FHYA, that Khaavren is very aware that his
master has many weaknesses.  I think Khaavren would not disagree that
Tortaalik had, among his other faults, a dangerous degree of
arrogance.