Tyranny
- All tyrannies rule through fraud and force, but once the fraud is exposed they must rely exclusively.
- On Tyranny is a call to arms and a guide to resistance, with invaluable ideas for how we can preserve our freedoms in the uncertain years to come. Snyder is a rising public intellectual unafraid to make bold connections between past and present.' —The New York Times.
Tyranny, in the Greco-Roman world, an autocratic form of rule in which one individual exercised power without any legal restraint. In antiquity the word tyrant was not necessarily pejorative and signified the holder of absolute political power.
Character creation is the initial setup of your Fatebinder, also responsible for generating the world they will inhabit.
- 2History
Appearance[edit | edit source]
| “ | In the Northern Empire, where you were born men enjoy equal protections under the laws of the Overlord Kyros. In the southern lands of the Tiers, only men may own or captain ships, but real estate is restricted to women - men may lease, but durable ownership of the land in the Tiers always passes to eldest daughters or sister. While these customes give the oceans to the men, the lands are trusted to the women. Most sons enter their father's profession by their mid-teens. Those without a profession or family lands to work can find purpose by pledging service to one of the Overlord's mighty Archons. Criminals, derelicts, and others are often conscripted into the armies of the Archon - if a child cannot forge his own skein, he will certainly find one in battle. Similarly, daughters who do not hold a viable trade or lands of their own are often drafted into the armies of the Archons, where it is assumed they will rise to glory or vanish in obscurity in accordance to their worth. | „ |
The first step is creating the Fatebinder's basic appearance: Gender (male or female), body type, and skin tone.
The second includes customizing the player avatar, including type and color of hair, tattoos, voice type, and selecting a portrait.
History[edit | edit source]
| “ | Today you are a Fatebinder - agent of the Archon of Justice. You are by no means free, but as a warrior-scholar deputized with discretionary powers to interpret and execute the laws of the Overlord Kyros, you are freer than most. One does not apply to be a Fatebinder, one is called by Tunon, the Archon of Justice, and to decline is death. Millions of men and women live in the dozens of realms ruled by the Overlord - how did you stand out from amongst this teeming mass of desperation and insignificance and gain the Archon's notice? | „ |
This stage lays out the basics of your character, determining which skills you receive.
How did you join Kyros' army?[edit | edit source]
| Answer | Effect | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Pit Fighter | +2 Dual Wield +3 One-Handed Weapons +3 Unarmed Combat | Not wishing to pay to feed and house two, the madam that purchased your mother sold you to the Proving Grounds, the Northern empire's bloodiest, most notorious fighting arena. Given only enough training to assure the show isn't over too soon, your natural prowess and survival instinct led you to one victory after another. There was no elegant swordplay, no formalized duels - just brutal melee and the stench of blood, shit and bronze with each day's gruesome necessities. It is said that any fighter that slays a dozen others in the grand melee is given their freedom, but in three hundred years, only three warriors have ever walked away from the Proving Grounds. When the closing horns sounded and thirteen corpses lay about your feet, you became the fourth to be granted freedom to thunderous applause - but this autonomy was short-lived. Within days, word of your accomplishment made its way to the Archon of Justice. |
| Soldier | +2 One-Handed Weapons +2 Athletics +4 Parry | Unable to settle the year's accounts with grain, your parents offered you as a tithe to the Overlord instead. Seeing your first battles as a child, you've known all your life how to fight, how to stay calm at the sight of blood and disembowelment, and how to rely on your fellow warriors. Deemed smarter than the average killer, you were groomed for command and given an education in letters and numbers. With rumors of war, it seemed recruitment into the Disfavored legion would be the obvious match for your skills, but the Archon of Justice is known to say that good iron is not used for swords and good minds are not used for soldiers. Claimed by Tunon, you were instead drafted into the Court of Fatebinders, where your martial skills were put to use in the en forcement of Kyros' laws. |
| Hunter | +3 Bows +2 Dodge +3 Subterfuge | When the leader of your home village spoke out of turn one time too many, agents of the Overlord put the whole town to the torch to contain the spread of insubordination. The Bounding Viper tribe came across the smoking ruins of your village, and when the Beasts' matriarch found you frozen but unafraid, the mighty leader took you in and raised you with the protection of her tribe. For years you lived with these wild Beastmen in their migratory homes throughout the mountains, but the Bounding Vipers were a dying breed. Each long winter took a greater toll than the last, and once the dwindling tribe was too weak to defend its lands, Disfavored soldiers came to dispense of the ravenous scavengers your tribe had become. Finding a human amongst the wild tribe, the Disfavored soldiers made a point of taking you alive. News of the wild child of the North eventually spread to the Archon of Justice - and he ordered you released from captivity and delivered unto his court. |
| Lawbreaker | +2 One-Handed Weapons +6 Subterfuge | Accused of a crime you most certainly did commit, you stood before Tunon the Adjudicator, Archon of Justice, and aruged your case with eloquence and conviction. Impressed by your logic, reason, and confidence, he found you guilty anyway. It is rumored that Tunon selects many of his agents from his prisoners - who better to catch the wicked than those versed in such ways? In his mercy, Tunon offered you the choice of two sentences: decades languishing in prison or a lifetime serving him in the court of Fatebinders. The choice was an easy one, and instead of seeing the inside of a cell, you were trained in letters and numbers, magic and war. The laws you once broke are now yours to interpret and enforce. |
| Guild Apprentice | +2 Magic Staff +6 Lore | Deeply proud of your intelligence, your parents always knew you were too smart for a life spent with your hands in the soil. Looking to secure a better future, your parents struck a bargain with the Seven Tree Guild, a small magical order willing to teach you letters, numbers, and magic - if you proved capable. For several years, you learned much from the mages, mastering reading and writing faster than the rest, and eventually learned the basics of mysteric theory and spellcraft. Your magical studies came to an abrupt halt when the voices of Nerat, Archon of Secrets, deemed the Guild a peacetime distraction that must be disbanded for the upcoming war, its mages assigned to proper armies. While your peers went on to other guilds, your mind was seen as far too valuable to be wasted on the armies - instead your life was claimed by Tunon, Archon of Justice. |
| War Mage | +2 One-Handed Weapons +4 Lore +2 Parry | Few have the combination of wits and courage to be accomplished casters and warriors and those cursed with such a combination of talents are invariably pulled from their mundane lives and assigned to the armies of the Archons. Your earliest memories are a painful slog of training, study, and exhaustion - all the elements of being groomed for battle. You knew better than to ask what became of your family, nor to question the missives allegedly penned by their hand that were part of your earliest lessons in reading. When you reached adulthood, Tunon the Adjudicator came to the barracks and laid claim to your life. Seeing you as too valuable for the crucible of battle, the Archon of Justice deemed your life better spent dedicated to the art of punitive legal remedies. Though you had much to learn in matters of civil discourse, none could deny your bright future as Tunon's next great enforcer. |
| Noble Scion | +4 Two-Handed Weapons +2 Lore +2 Parry | Born to noble parents, you were groomed for leadership - your youth spent on letters, history, rhetoric, and other matters of culture and statecraft. Though you had wealth and creature comforts, you were expected to grow up quickly and bear the honor of shepherding others through prosperity and war. When your parents came under accusation of sedition, you were sent to the court of Tunon, Archon of Justice, to defend your family's actions. Your parents were found guilty - their sentence: the dissolution of the treasonous estate. Eloquently pleading your own ignorance on your family's actions, you negotiated your most important deal yet - immunity from the crimes of your family for the simple cost of swearing fealty to the Archon himself. Despite the unwilling induction, your education and savvy made you a valuable addition to the Archon's cadre of enforcers. And so long as you remain in good standing, your family just might be allowed to live. |
| Diplomat | +3 Lore +5 Subterfuge | Though they would never tell you why, Kyros bestowed great wealth upon your family for some unmentioned service, and your parents used this wealth to have you raised far from home - your childhood was a nomadic tour of Terratus with hired tutors and fleeting friendships. Where others had stability and routine, you had a worldy and varied education. A careless world in a far-flung city landed you in legal trouble, and you were taken before Tunon the Adjudicator and made to stand trial. Not only did you plead your innocence, but you turned the accusations around on the accuser for wasting the Court's time, and the Archon of Justice concurred. Amused by your wit, wisdom, and adaptability, Tunon claimed you as his newest enforcer. |
Primary and secondary expertise[edit | edit source]
- Which weapons did you focus on during training? Note that selecting the same skill twice gives you a new weapon and doubles the amount of skill points in the affected skills, increasing proficiency.
| Answer | Skills | Abilities | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sword and Shield (Spear and Shield) | +6 One-Handed Weapons +5 Parry +4 Athletics | Wielding a sword and shield puts you in the front line of combat, standing between enemies and your allies. Having a shield will slow down your attack rate slightly, but give you good defensive bonuses. | |
| Javelin | +6 One-Handed Weapons +3 Dodge +3 Parry +5 Athletics | Wielding a javelin is a good compromise between melee and ranged. Thrown weapons deal more damage than bows, but cannot attack from as far away. They also have the benefit of being able to switch between ranged and melee attacks depending on the enemy's distance. | |
| Greatsword (War Mace) | +6 Two-Handed Weapons +5 Parry +5 Athletics | Wielding a two-handed weapon puts your focus on power rather than speed. This is a slow attack style, but the damage you deal will often overcome the armor of your enemies. | |
| Dual-Wielding | +6 Dual Wield +5 Parry +5 Athletics +3 Subterfuge | Wielding two weapons give you the advantage of versatility as each weapon can deal different types of damage. | |
| Shortbow | +6 Bows +3 Dodge +5 Subterfuge +3 Athletics | The shortbow is the weapon of choice for those who choose to attack from a distance, avoiding direct engagement with their enemies. | |
| Unarmed Attacks | +6 Unarmed Combat +5 Dodge +5 Athletics +3 Subterfuge | Unarmed fighting is one of the more challenging combat styles. Damage is generally lower, but this is offset by the speed of your attacks. A good style for someone interested in being challenged. While fighting unarmed the Dodge skill is used to avoid melee attacks rather than Parry. | |
| Magical training | |||
| Shock Spells | +2 Magic Staff +5 Dodge +5 Lore | Mages skilled in shock magic can frequently interrupt their enemies, preventing them from executing their attacks. | |
| Frost Spells | +2 Magic Staff +5 Dodge +5 Lore | Frost magic is an offensive school that focuses on slowing enemies as well as dealing cold damage. | |
| Vigor Spells | +2 Magic Staff +5 Dodge +5 Lore | The School of Vigor is a utility branch of magic that focuses on granting bonuses to yourself and your allies. | |
| Atrophy Spells | +2 Magic Staff +5 Dodge +5 Lore | Atrophy magic drains the skills and attributes of your enemies, weakening their attacks and making them easier to kill. | |
Banner, Color, Name[edit | edit source]
These purely cosmetic stages allow you to select your character's color scheme (for gear and clothes) as well as their personal banner. Finally, you get to name the Fatebinder (Nameless Ones need not apply).
Attributes[edit | edit source]
At this stage you can distribute points among your attributes. Each starts at the average value of 10 and you have an additional 8 points to use. Attributes can be reduced down to a minimal value (8), increasing the number of points available.
The game will automatically suggest attributes based on your Fatebinder's weapon expertise choices.
Skills[edit | edit source]
After attributes, you set your character's skills. They are determined by the character's background, attributes, and weapon expertise.
You receive an additional 20 points to distribute among the twelve available skills. The game will automatically suggest the most important skills.
Conquest[edit | edit source]
Whereas previous stages defined the character you play, this stage defines the world you will play in. There are two options: Conquest and Quick Start, with the former giving you control over the Fatebinder's conduct during the conquest of the tiers, while the latter allows you to choose from one of Obsidian's pre-made Fatebinder templates.
Tyranny
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Join Britannica's Publishing Partner Program and our community of experts to gain a global audience for your work! Sian LewisTyranny, in the Greco-Roman world, an autocratic form of rule in which one individual exercised power without any legal restraint. In antiquity the word tyrant was not necessarily pejorative and signified the holder of absolute political power. In its modern usage the word tyranny is usually pejorative and connotes the illegitimate possession or use of such power.
Evolution of the concept
Tyranny Synonyms
For the ancient Greeks, a tyrant was not necessarily a bad ruler; in its original form (tyrannos) the word was used to describe a person who held absolute and personal power within a state, as distinct from a monarch, whose rule was bound by constitution and law. Some tyrants were usurpers who came to power by their own efforts; others were elected to rule; and still others were imposed by intervention from outside. Certain rulers, such as Phalaris, tyrant of Akragas in Sicily, who allegedly burned his enemies alive in a brazen bull, were bywords for uncontrolled cruelty and self-indulgence, but others, such as Pittakos at Mytilene, were remembered favourably in later sources as wise and moderate rulers who brought prosperity and peace to their cities. Later on in classical history, however, the word gradually acquired more of its modern flavour, implying a ruler whose sole motivation was power and personal gain, and as a result its use in public life became controversial. The idea of tyranny has thus been at the center of debate about legitimacy in rulership and the balance of power between ruler and people. Since Roman times philosophers have argued for the moral right of the citizen to overthrow a tyrant whatever the law and have debated the point at which monarchic rule becomes tyrannical.
Tyranny Pronunciation
Classic definitions
The best-known definition of tyranny comes from Aristotle’s Politics: “Any sole ruler, who is not required to give an account of himself, and who rules over subjects all equal or superior to himself to suit his own interest and not theirs, can only be exercising a tyranny.” Aristotle presents tyranny in a very negative light, as a form of monarchy that has deviated from the ideal, and by listing the characteristics of the tyrant—he comes to power by force, has a bodyguard of foreigners to protect him, and rules over unwilling subjects—Aristotle suggests that a tyrant was always a violent usurper. Peisistratus, tyrant of Athens, is a classic example; he made three attempts to seize power, finally succeeding in a military coup in 546 bce by using forces from outside, and ruled for 30 years.
But tyranny was more complex than Aristotle implies. Peisistratus did not dismantle the structure of government, and assemblies of the people continued to be held and magistrates continued to be appointed under his rule. Most notably, he was succeeded by his two sons, Hippias and Hipparchos, turning the rule into a hereditary one. Some tyrants had power conferred on them by the state, such as Clearchus at Heracleia on the Black Sea, who was appointed in 364 bce to resolve a civil conflict, whereas others, such as Mausolus and Artemisia of Halicarnassus (creators of the Mausoleum, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World), ruled with tyrannical power but were in constitutional terms satraps (governors) within the Persian Empire.
Tyranny Definition
But even if there was no simple definition of a tyrant, there were classical rulers who, for a long or short period of time, dominated a state and had the ability to do whatever they wanted—found cities, move populations, wage war, create new citizens, build monuments, or accumulate money. Those rulers had certain fundamental features in common. They were sole rulers with direct and personal power over the state, unconstrained by political institutions. Their power was dependent not on a right to rule but on their own ability to command and retain control. All tyrants aimed to hand power on within their family, and some succeeded in establishing a rule lasting many generations.
Although few surviving classical authors have anything good to say of tyrants, they were generally successful in government, bringing economic prosperity and expansion to their cities. The Aristotelian view suggests that tyrants were inevitably unpopular, ruling a cowed citizenry who feared and hated them and wished only to be free. But some tyrants were chosen by the state to rule with a specific purpose: to put an end to civil war, to impose a new code of law, or to offer leadership in a time of danger. Indeed, it was often proposed that a sole ruler with overall control of military and political affairs was the best option in wartime. Though opposed to monarchy on principle, the Romans during the republic (509–27 bce) would in times of threat appoint a dictator, one individual who was granted complete control over the army and state for a period of six months, a position described by the historian Dionysius of Halicarnassus as an “elective tyranny.” In the 4th century bce, some philosophers, most notably Plato, saw tyranny of a certain kind as positive. Plato described the ideal state as based on the rule of an enlightened and self-controlled monarch, the “philosopher king,” who would live a virtuous life himself and could impose the best constitution on his subjects.