Reality Revision

After the discussion with Citrus about Lothair’s role in TIP, I realized something that I should have recognized a long time ago : that each of the heir’s role in probably isn’t all that clear to everyone and what efforts I have made towards explaining isn’t enough. Well, this is indeed a mistake too easily made given that the one who designed a setting knows almost everything about it and thus thinks so and so should be obvious with just a few pointers - the sign of an amateur writer, in assuming the audience can understand some easily when… they don’t.

Just to prove I’m every bit as inexperienced as every fanfic writer out there… except I don’t write fanfics, self-insertion is definitely not allowed ( and in case you’re wondering, I started using the name Zanaikin after I created Aoric, because it was the first original character I made and the first original name I created ).

Anyways, with last post I believe Lothair’s role should be cleared up enough, and anyone who still has questions or suggestions toss them at me. Amongst the rest of the Heirs: Exelar and Aoric have very apparent roles that need little explaining ( and the most detailed bios thus far ). Canan, Hikari, Aorin, and Sofiya have all been clarified up pretty well given the amount of combined effort that went into them, or because they’re heroines, although I think I still need to write a bit more on Aorin to clarify. The only person remaining that’s left short in my belief is… Rika.

For most if not all of the development group, the only thing you know about Rika is that she’s the METAAC pilot ace of the TIP crew ( METAAC = MEchanized Tactical Armored Assault Chassis ), and you may or may not know she’s the “mascot” of the heirs, their propaganda image, if you will.

Rika has a set of wonderful traits that comes to her in all the easy ways: naturally, genetically, instinctively, environmentally, etc etc. She didn’t have to particularly work hard to obtain these good qualities or habits, although she is a hard worker by nature. She’s meant to be good-natured, friendly, tenacious, loyal, and courageous. She also hesitates not to speak her mind, which is both a good and bad thing. The good part being that she’s a great help to anyone wise enough to accept and take advantage of constructive criticism. The bad part being that it makes her rather blunt and impulsive.

Well, these traits make a great person, a great friend, and definitely a great subordinate and follower. But where is Rika’s major contribution to the Imperium Project that makes her role vital enough to be assigned to one out of the eight slots? It’s certainly not the combat ace, as valuable as that is militarily, there are also thousands if not millions of combat aces throughout the World’s history, and most of them failed to affect history on anything more than a local scale. I’ve actually been confused myself for a long time when I first designed her concept, and it took me a while to fully narrow down on the exact reasoning. It’s still hard to explain, which is why I had to scour the wikipedia for an example as backup.

Rika’s main role is simple, and focuses upon her last trait: her bluntness and sheer ability to bravely speak her mind, even when others can’t. In effect, she’s is meant to be a mirror of Exelar, the other Heirs, and the TIP system as a whole - a mirror that reflects the truth, particularly in a circumstance when one may try to deceive themselves. This is a particular problem for rulers, especially those who has gained years of experience and gained confidence, many of them firmly believing that the actions they have chosen is the right one, and even convince themselves that the action they’ve selected for other reasons ( emotionally or otherwise ) is the logical conclusion… when others may see that it’s obviously not the logical or best plan of action but may be simply too afraid, or even self-doubting, to speak up.

Trying to tell your superior that they’re wrong is no easy task. Now try to walk up to the President or Prime Minister or Premier or whatever of your nation today and tell him his latest decision is wrong… If you manage that, try putting yourself in the same position attempting to talk to an Emperor with absolute power who can easily have you and all your family beheaded with one word.

You get my drift?

Now to bring out my reinforcements from the beloved wiki for further support: meet Tang Dynasty Chancellor Wei Zheng, a senior and extremely valued adviser of Emperor Tang-Taizong ( title; his actual name: Li Shimin ), an emperor my words could do nothing but humble. Here’s wikipedia’s description of Emperor Taizong:

He is typically considered one of the greatest, if not the greatest, emperor in all of Chinese history. Throughout the rest of Chinese history, Emperor Taizong’s reign was regarded as the exemplary model against which all other emperors were measured, and his “Reign of Zhen’guan” was considered a golden age of Chinese history and required study for future crown princes. During his reign, Tang China flourished economically and militarily. For more than a century after his death, Tang China enjoyed peace and prosperity.

( Note that Li Shimin was the one who helped his father build the Tang dynasty as the forward major general; that he, in the same life during his reign, extended tributary and vassal states of the Chinese Empire all the way to the Caspian Sea; and that throughout his lifetime of military campaigning in which detailed accurate records were provided, Li Shimin lost only two battles - one because he fell sick and the other because he could not take a particular well defended city before his supplies ran out ).

Feel free to read the full summary articles on Emperor Taizong or Chancellor Wei Zheng if you wish, for Li Shimin definitely influenced my beliefs on how a proper ruler, and henceforth Exelar, should act and make decisions. However the following are some excerpts from Wei Zheng’s article that reflects upon his importance, as well as Rika’s entire role in TIP:

In 638, Emperor Taizong, celebrating the birth of a grandson, held a feast for imperial officials, at which he made the comment:
Before I took the throne, it was by Fang Xuangling’s ( general & military counselor, similar role to Aoric ) assistance that I was able to seize power. After I took the throne, it was by Wei Zheng’s assistance that I was able to have my errors corrected.


On one occasion, after Emperor Taizong returned from an imperial gathering, he was angry and yelled, “Let me find a chance to kill this farmer!” (Wei Zheng was of humble birth) Empress Zhangsun asked whom he was referring to, and he replied, “I am referring to Wei Zheng. He always find a way to insult me in front of everyone in the imperial hall!” Empress Zhangsun retreated to her bedchambers and put on the official empress gown; standing solemnly, she prepared to bow to Emperor Taizong. He was surprised, and asked her what the reason was. She responded, “I have heard that only a most able emperor will have subordinates who have integrity. Wei shows this much integrity because you are an able emperor. How can I not congratulate you?”.

(After his death) Wei was buried near the tomb of Empress Zhangsun, where Emperor Taizong would eventually himself be buried. He (the emperor) also commissioned a stone monument for Wei, and personally wrote the text of the monument. He missed Wei greatly and stated:
Using copper as a mirror allows one to keep his clothes neat. Using history as a mirror allows one to see the future trends. Using a person as a mirror allows one to see what is right and what is wrong. When Wei Zheng died, I lost a mirror.

I hope this gives everyone a better outlook at Rika’s role in TIP. The Imperial Charter also defines Rika’s ( and her role in general ) as being the one member, whom, if died under the direct or indirect cause of the Emperor’s hands, then the matter must be investigated and the Emperor’s removal from power may be necessary.