Re: Why Space Empires?

Michelle Bottorff wrote:
Galactic Empires are cool.

Yes they are.

That's why my Cultivator Universe has one that has no particular
positional relationship to any particularly galaxy, and which isn't,
strictly speaking, an empire at all.

But if you *call* it an Empire, then you get to have an Emperor -- and
royalty chasing paparazzi, without whom life cannot truly be considered
complete. >:)

Not having an Emperor would certainly surprise a great many people. Possibly cause disappointment, even.

Seriously, though, I think they pop up for the same reason that
fantasies have so many of them. Political systems that bestow huge
amounts of power on just a few people tend to make for good story stuff.

Yup.

Space Empires are a handy way to raise the stakes, increase the
numinous, accelerate the dangers, and widen the scope. PLUS they come
with really great window-dressing, at no extra charge. What's not to
like?

I think maybe the part I like best about space empires are the questing knights. Jedi or otherwise.

Then again, the very problem with this is: How do you *avoid* making them look like Jedi knights?

There are, of course, other ways to get a lot of power into the hands of
just a few people...

Psionics, for instance. A.k.a. The Force(tm).

... and, I think if you look, you will discover that a great many
popular genre tropes are examples of doing precisely that: Magic, hidden
knowlege, superior technology, military hierarchies, amazing artifacts,
secret weapons, special talents, super powers...

Often, in fantasy, magical power doesn't lead to political powers. In accordance with folk tales, users of magic, even people who have excellent control over vast magica powers, live poor lives, in squaor and poverty. And they live as outcasts, or even as outright outlaws.

Realistic? No, not at all. But in accordance with how witches and sorcerers are usually portrayed in folk talkes.

(I remember the FVLMINATA RPG mentioning some Roman witches, that also fit that stereotype reasonably well. "Veneficae" or something. Usually proper chick-witches, but a few were male, according to the book...)

--
Peter Knutsen
sagatafl.org
.

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