[Dragaera] Iorich ***SPOILERS****

[Alexx Kay]

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>> He needs to either make peace with, or destroy, the *entire*
>> "Organization" -- or die, of course.
>
> I've thought that in the past, but I've been questioning that assumption,
> especially after Iorich. Kragar is my primary example, but there are
> plenty
> of others. Kragar's first loyalty is to his friend(s). His loyalty to
> House
> Jhereg primarily extends as far as whatever it takes to hold onto his
> territory.

Kragar, of course, being a Dragon, is somewhat atypical of Jhereg bosses.

> Kragar's secretary and underlings appear to feel likewise. Their first
> loyalty is to their boss. Their loyalty to House Jhereg once again extends
> primarily as far as it benefits them to be loyal to it. In this sense,
> "House Jhereg" really is a fiction. It's not a House steeped in tradition,
> it's a House steeped in self-interest.
>
> The Council and their immediate underlings are the ones out to get Vlad.

So far, I don't actually disagree.

But say that you were to take out the whole Council, and everyone just
beneath them.  There would be a power struggle to fill that vacuum.  But
whoever came out on top would *be* the Council, reborn.  And they would, I
believe, inherit the current Council's hard-line nature about people who
wrong them.

> The Council are the ones who have to make an example of Vlad. The rank and
> file don't care, and don't have any particular beef with him. Some might
> even admire him for having pulled a fast one and gotten away with it (so
> far). The motivating factor for anyone lower than Jhereg Council is "how
> much will I make, how much will it cost, and how dangerous is it?". It's
> the
> Council who are in danger of being overrun if others try to follow in
> Vlad's
> footsteps.

And, unless they whole House is wiped out, there will always be a Council,
and they will always act like this.  Well, change is hypothetically
possible, but it's not the way to bet -- especially with the Cycle's
stabilizing influence.

> In the end, if the Council can be convinced to drop the vendetta, then the
> rank and file will fall into line also, simply because it will be
> unprofitable to pursue it. Only a very idealistic boss who insisted on
> doing
> it on principle would be the sort to continue to pursue the vendetta.

As argued in _Jhereg_, to drop this would be a *permanent* reduction in
their power.  Any temporary expense would be worthwhile to avoid that.

Unless Mr. Brust decides otherwise, of course :-)

Alexx

"There is no money in poetry. But then
 there is no poetry in money, either."
                      -Robert Graves