Editing Tepet Enkada (section)

==The Four Questions==

'''1) Why are you more loyal to the Empress and/or the Realm than the average Dynast?'''

Tepet Enkada was brought up from birth to serve. The House values of soldierly service to the Empress and heroism in the name of the Empire were inculculated in him whilst Enkada was still in the cradle.

A century - more - of service has both cracked and solidified this faithfulness. Some of what he has had to do has revulsed him. But equally, so have some of his enemies. There are things, demons that stand against all that is right and noble and the Realm is the hope of Creation against them. Time alone has hardened his loyalty; it is a habit, it is the sacred tie of soldier to soldier (even though he's now a sorcerer he still thinks in such terms) and turning his back on what he has given so much to would feel alien. But hard can be brittle too; the uncomfortable nagging feeling that he's sacrified near half his life for some of the squalling popinjays he meets, that the Realm does not meet the lofty standards of this Child of Mela. Sometimes this feeling sends him looking for a brazen young girl and a full bottle; sometimes its brought on by listening to her afterwards!

But in general Enkada has been brought up on the ideal of loyalty; it is strong and has grown and it is given to the Empress and the Realm.


'''2) Who do you serve, apart from the Empress? Who else constitutes a superior?'''

Ask Tepet Enkada who he serves and like a good little Dynast he will say Empress and House, in that order. In truth (and its a truth he largely denies even to himself) they are very equal in his eyes. He looks to the House leadership and rarely differs himself publicly from their lead. In particular, he looks to Tepet Arada as a true Tepet hero and his grandmother's brother.

Beyond that there the senior instructors at the House of Bells; Leedal Appelate in particular is some Enkada admires and has learnt from. He hopes he gets a General's posting, not only because of his own likely knock on promotion but because he thinks the Ledaal would be genuinely good at the job. Besides, he likes the idea thats an open route (although considering he never made it above Winglord, maybe not).

There are also various ex-generals of his, that if not people he serves, are at least highly respected.


'''3) What did you openly achieve in the past century that makes you a worthy subject for historians of the next Age to investigate thoroughly?'''

Enkada might have only risen to Winglord; but thats mainly because his speciality as a scout officer, then a war mage, tended to keep him away from main line commands. It's also given him an opportunity to achieve several heroic and notable deeds. In particular, his defence of an isolated Northern satrapy by guerrila tactics using only a wing of auxiliary cavalry and some local levies against a Hobgoblin excursion led by a Raksha looks like becoming legend. In candour he'll admit the Raksha was stupid beyond belief, that he was frequently scared witless and that he's still not certain how he survived facing the thing in open combat, nevermind won beyond incredible luck (a Sidereal was probably involved, lucky bastard).

He also's earning a reputation as a tactical innovator in the synthesis between war and magic; Leedal Appelate might be his superior in power and experience, but Enkada fancies himself to have an equal tactical brain and he's certainly not far wrong if any. He also hopes to make some headway on the study of airboats, but alas, the Empress' call is likely to put an end to that for the foreseeable (haven't decided how far along he'd be on this)


'''4) What weaknesses do you possess that aren't just personal failings, but could be exploited by your enemies to cost you the Game of Thrones? What are the fields of engagement where you can't just apply Game Theory analysis, but instead will act against your interests?'''

Firstly, he is financially in debt due to overspending on courtesans and drink. He's had the good sense to avoid getting into any debts that are to be paid in anything other than jade, but he's aware how quickly this can be turned. He's pledged himself to scale back and he has some measure of house backing - but its a bit of a hole and one he could make worse.

Secondly, on a tour of duty, he deliberately made certain his patrol route didn't lead him to get in the way of an assassin. This killer was targeting an Imperial auditor investigating the finances of the satrapy. As he was about to make recommendations that House Tepet be reigned in and asked to pay more taxes, he didn't feel too keen to protect the man. Nobody else, as far as he knows, knows. Only one other subject of the realm was involved - a fellow Dragonblooded of House Tepet who died in battle over thirty years ago now. The patrol changed their route daily, so his failure to catch the man is hardly that suspicious. Inglorious, yes, suspect worthy, no. But he could well be wrong about how little is known.

The third weakness is that his outspoken advocacy of the use of magic in warfare has made a few enemies. Even the occasional charge of impiety. Actually, the latter might be due to bursting into a laughing fit when a Monk was ponitificating that sorcerers (or, for that matter, arms and armour) weren't needed at all as the Legion's success was entirely due to the blessing of the Immaculate Dragons. Even a lot of Monks would agree the follow was talking rubbish; but that doesn't make it right to publicly have hysterics in his face and the Arch-Conservatives bear him a grudge.