[Dragaera] States and violence (was Re: OT: Ray Bradbury)

[Jerry Friedman]

--- Jon Lincicum <lincicum at comcast.net> wrote:

> 
>  -------------- Original message ----------------------
> From: "Davdi Silverrock" <davdisil at gmail.com>
> > 
> > I think you're forgetting something.  The Duke of Arylle - Temma's
> > father - was accused of treason against the Empire, and presumably
> > there was enough (manufactured) evidence to result in his disgrace and
> > death.  I think we can be sure that that's why military force was
> > permitted against him and his vassals, and why his lands were granted,
> > by the Empire, to Lord Shaltre.
> > 
> > My point being that the Empire was rather strongly involved as an
> > interested party in the dispute between Shaltre & Arylle.
> 
> Good point. The Shaltre/Arylle affair is a case where the Empire *did*
> have justification for getting involved.
> 
> At the same time, it appears that they were perfectly willing to let
> Shaltre take care of the matter himself. The only Imperial sanction was
> in granting the titles and lands to Shaltre afterwards. 
...

I hate to present evidence against my claim, but there was
another sanction: Aerich says in the conclusion to /The
Phoenix Guard/ that Shaltre got permission from the Empire to
hire a mercenary army.  It makes me wonder whether Fornia had
to do the same thing.  But I still think this is short of
what's needed to say that the Empire has a monopoly on
violence.

Jerry Friedman


       
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