I'm writing a long response to Jon on the subject - but I think there is a false dichotomy between ambition and freedom being made. The kings of the Hendriki came from the Larnsti for nine centuries. If you wanted to be king you had to be a Larnsti. However, to become a Larnsti, you had to dedicate yourself to certain concepts of freedom and liberty (as preconditions for change). Minimizes the bad king Urgrain problem - all your candidates for king have had to dedicate themselves to protecting your liberty (and have had to work at doing so), so the odds are power won't corrupt them in that way (different ways, but I doubt that the Hendriki have ever had a tyrant-king). Kind of a cool system.
> That's why I thought that Broyan wanted a Larnsti hero
> band with him; their very presence woudl be proof to
> some that Broyan intends to be a liberator, not an
> oppressor. I'd think they abandon him at some point.
For the Hendriki, Broyan is a liberator. For the Orlanthi he is a liberator (unless you sided with the Lunars, in which case, you get what you deserve). Why would the Larnste have a problem with that? Let's keep the Larnsti as Broyan's "fanatical supporters" as they are described elsewhere.
> I'd play up opportunities for hubris. I like the
> angle that he thinks he's going to be the savior of
> his people -- a messiah complex. Because he believes
> it, he willing to do things like invite in the Wolf
> Pirates; because he identifies the hopes of his people
> with his own actions, whatever actions he take must be
> right.
My conception of Broyan is that he does identify the hopes of his people with his own actions and that he is certain of the righteousness of his actions.
Jeff
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