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Request for Clarification
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| Paul-Gemmell | Date: Sunday, 11 Sep 2011, 9:04 AM | Message # 1 |
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| A point has come up which I feel merits a management ruling as it constitutes a major point on which a lot within the RP swings.
My question: "What is the position of the Inquisition with regards to the rest of the Empire, are it's roles confined and do individual Inquisitorius members have complete discretion?"
Arguments in favour of "Weak Inquisition" - Meaning the Inquisition is part of Imperial Intelligence tasked with hunting Jedi, in which role it has considerable discretion. However, when involved in anything but that (thus treading on the toes of Imperial Intel generally) it comes under the supervision of Imoerial Intelligence. So reports directly to Vader and Palpatine for hunting Jedi but are essentially just a part of Imperial Intelligence for all areas. They are considered senior figures but are subordinate to senior Imperial Officers.
- Grand Moff Tarkin, Moff Jerjerrod seen to give Vader orders. Various generals and admirals feel free to talk down to Vader.
- Imperial Intelligence lists the Inquisition as a branch.
Arguments in favour of "Strong Inquisition" - Meaning it reports directly to Palpatine and Vader, nobody else has any position which allows them to haveoversight over Inquisitors. The role of Inquisitors is completely discretionary with Inquisitors having no curbs on their authority.
- The Wookieepedia page says "Reporting directly to Palpatine and Vader"
- On some occasions in the canon an Inquisitor is seen to be involved in something not related to hunting Jedi/force sensitives.
- Vader's rank is never officially clarified.
As I see it the "weak Inquisition" position seems more condusive to the good of the RP (as anyone with complete discretionary power is boring to rp with, whether it be in terms of powers, rank or weapons).. Otherwise being an Inquisitor effectively sidesteps all the checks and balances on individual power the Empire has and exposes Palpatine to plots and schemes.
But I think a statement clarifying it either way (and I suspect it would be good for a mid point to be reached) would be good to establish for future rp.
Paul Gemmell
Lieutenant, IntCon, Internal Organization Bureau, Imperial Intelligence
Poet
Player of Lutes
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| Karth_DeQora | Date: Sunday, 11 Sep 2011, 1:30 PM | Message # 2 |
 Colonel general
Group: Administrators
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| Sadly, this is a byproduct of the EU becoming so muddled and filled with constant retcons that it's a judgement call either way. If we're going simply by the films (which I prefer to do) it does seem as though Tarkin is above Vader in rank, or at the very least equal (though Leia's "leash" comment would suggest otherwise). I was always always of the opinion that the Inquisitors were reserved for hunting Jedi and locating potential Force-sensitive children to become either Inquisitors themselves or Palpatine's acolytes. As far as Rath being the one "in charge" of the Vil Haran interrogation/apprehension/whatever, the Inquisitors were also responsible for the interrogation of particularly stubborn individuals that haven't succumbed to standard Imperial interrogation procedures. I can't say for certain that Vil's done this, since the thread seems to have him cooperating well enough with Deschain.
I'm a bit more lax with canon than Jace is, so I'm going to wait and hear his thoughts on this. But Jamie, just a quick sidebar. You wouldn't have had Gemmell promote his nephew (and then send him to deal with Haran) simply because you wished to torment Vil further, would you?
Man, Myth, Administrative God. Also plays a mean kazoo.
Jace Varitek: In Northern California we just have gangs of vigilante interior decorators.
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| Jamie_the_Hutt | Date: Sunday, 11 Sep 2011, 3:57 PM | Message # 3 |
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| Good old Paul doesn't have anything but good feeling for Vil Haran! He's actually just there to observe Rath because he is family so Gemmell knows he can trust him.
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| Jace_Varitek | Date: Sunday, 11 Sep 2011, 7:30 PM | Message # 4 |
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| "Answering directly to Vader" seems to me a statement that's intended to convey definitive authority. True, Vader is seen as deferential to Tarkin, but it's worth remembering that Tarkin wasn't simply a Grand Moff but an immensely powerful one, even for Grand Moffs. He was a well-connected political figure as much as a military one, and he amassed enough power in the Empire that he was seen making the decision to destroy a Core World without consulting the Emperor (I believe it's suggested that Tarkin intended to use the Death Star to oust the Emperor, in fact. As I understand it, Vader was assigned to the Death Star to keep an eye on Tarkin and we're not meant to have any doubt, I don't think, that Vader would kill Tarkin without hesitation if necessary. Bear in mind that Vader is also seen in the film issuing orders concerning the Death Star without consulting Tarkin).
There's a more relevant and, I think, a telling passage on Wookieepedia that sheds light on Isard and Imperial Intelligence's relationship to the Inquisitors, which is what we're dealing with here; "As the Empire continued to forge ahead, Lord Vader founded the Inquisitorius, which would be a Force-sensitive branch of Intelligence. Isard found it difficult to work with one particular Inquisitor, Antinnis Tremayne, who was hunting for a Jedi fugitive called Jodd Sonta. The parameters that Tremayne set for Isard's staff to pinpoint Sonta's location were far too broad, preventing any kind of specific localization. Vader, at Tremayne's urging, requested that Isard devote more resources to the Inquisitor's mission of hunting the Jedi, but that did not help matters."
What seems apparent from this is that Inquisitors do indeed rank below the Director, Isard. But that, because they "answer to" Vader (whatever that means, exactly), Inquisitors are able to prevail upon Vader to prevail upon Isard, who doesn't like being prevailed upon but doesn't seem to have a lot of choice. From what we see of Isard, it wouldn't be out of character of him to assign someone to "monitor" an Inquisitor especially if that Inquisitor is increasingly involved in greater and greater use of Imperial resources (and operations that Isard and a lot of others in Imperial Intelligence would probably regard as foolhardy and irresponsible). Isard would have an interest in asserting his authority in such a circumstance.
As it happens, the canon seems to support the solution I've favored all along; that Isard is superior to the Inquisitors in theory, and may bitterly assert his superiority from time to time, but that Inquisitors also have recourse to Vader and Pestage to ask them to go over Isard's head. This is convenient for RP purposes, and it's what we see in the canon, too. But to answer the question, technically yes, the Inquisitors are a branch of Imperial Intelligence and are subordinate to the Director. But that doesn't count for much if Vader or Pestage don't care for what the Director is doing.
Jace Varitek
Manager/Administrator from January 2003 to Present
My recent posts here, pre-2009 archives here
"When my information changes, I change my opinion. What do you do, sir?"
—John Maynard Keynes
Furthermore, a dancing Wookiee:
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| Karth_DeQora | Date: Monday, 19 Sep 2011, 7:17 PM | Message # 5 |
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Colonel general
Group: Administrators
Messages: 1157
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| Closed.
Man, Myth, Administrative God. Also plays a mean kazoo.
Jace Varitek: In Northern California we just have gangs of vigilante interior decorators.
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