Released in 2012, the first-person stealth shooter with elements of the RPG, Dishonored, was positively taken by players and critics. Arkane Studios managed to combine in one work their characteristic level design, working mechanics, a charismatic main character and a nice plot.
The developers came up with an interesting world where the rat plague was next to technical progress, and political intrigue was mixed with a supernatural Abyss. Thanks to a good balance of all these elements, Dishonored became one of the best embodiments of steampunk in the gaming industry.
The story in both parts centers around the Empress Emily Kaldwin. The main character Corvo Attano, a master of the blade and an experienced assassin, had to plunge into the world of political intrigue. In this article, we’ve explored what the political world of Dishonored was all about, and why Emily is so important to the Empire of the Isles.
When creating the game world, the authors were strongly inspired by the Victorian London and Edinburgh of the late XIX – early XX centuries. The scene of the first part was completely copied from these two cities. But the inspiration wasn’t just about the visual style of the game. Working through the history of the in-game world, the authors also decided not to go far, taking as a basis the political structure of Great Britain. But despite the fact that the world of Dishonored is similar in many details to our reality, it is wonderfully intertwined with technological progress, religious problems, political intrigue, civil wars and supernatural things.
The plot of the game takes place in the Empire of the Isles, which, as the name suggests, is located on an island archipelago northwest of the mainland of Pandyssia – the only continent on the planet. The largest islands of the state are Gristol, Tyvia, Serkonos and Morley.
The empire was formed in 1626, when the kingdom of Gristol, during the War of the Four Crowns, managed to unite the rest of its neighbors under its rule. At the same time, each of the islands retained significant independence, and its own troops and fleet, reporting to Dunwall only on basic issues. This makes the Island Empire a federal state, with elements of a confederation, like Switzerland or Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The country is quite progressive, and not only from the technological side. The Empire has a parliamentary monarchy. In this political system, also called constitutional, the ruler is deprived of serious power functions, mainly performing representative and ceremonial tasks. In such cases, political supremacy is usually in the hands of the Parliament, to which the Government is responsible. This form of government became extremely popular in the wake of democratization, when the fashion for the concentration of power in one hand gradually began to fade. Examples include the United Kingdom, Sweden, Belgium, Japan, and many other countries. In fact, the face of the state in the international arena is the Prime Minister.
In Dishonored, the emperor is endowed with a greater breadth of power and capabilities than the conditional Elizabeth II. The head of state holds the post of Supreme commander-in-Chief, head of the administration of the Empire, supreme bearer of executive power, head of the judicial system and determines the direction of foreign policy.
In addition, the monarch plays an important symbolic role for the unity of the country. The figure of the ruler binds together different parts of the empire with different traditions, customs, culture, customs and living conditions.
The order of succession to the throne is established by special legislation. Quite standard for the kingdoms of the major order of succession is found here. The sons of the sovereign inherit the throne by seniority. At the same time, there is the so-called Austrian type of inheritance: when the ruler has no sons, the throne passes to the eldest daughter. Jessamine and Emily Kaldwin are very lucky that the Island Empire does not have a salic system, in which women are completely excluded from the queue for the throne.
When a new ruler takes the throne, ministers, civil servants, law enforcement officers, and the armed forces take oaths of allegiance to the crown. But if the new monarch has not yet reached the age of independence, is incapacitated, or simply disappeared in an unknown direction, then his duties pass to the Lord Regent. Like the Viceroy in The Lord of the Rings, the position of Lord Regent is temporary, until the true emperor is able to rule on his own. The temporary governor is appointed by the Imperial Parliament.
As the acting head of the country, the Regent has broad powers. In addition to managing the executive branch and controlling the armed forces, it can also influence other branches of government through decrees and resolutions, appoint citizens to various state and military positions, and dismiss undesirable officials.
The very institution of the regency was used in ancient times. In the history of the British Empire, there was the title of Lord Protector, who was the personal regent of a minor ruler from among the closest relatives. During the period known as the Protectorate, Oliver Cromwell became the head of state, giving himself royal privileges: a lifetime of rule, the prefix to his title, the ability to independently appoint and remove officials, the right to appoint successors, which suddenly turned out to be his eldest son. But Richard, without his father’s authority, could not cope with the management of the country and quickly retired.
When the ruler turns twelve, the Lord-Regent selects a lord protector for the monarch. When choosing it, the royal blood has the final say. At the time of the action of the game, this post is occupied by the main character Corvo Attano.
Under the beautiful name, in fact, hides the personal bodyguard of the emperor. The position appeared during the War of the Four Crowns. The warring houses actively used not only the navy and army, but also poisons, daggers and assassins. Fearing to be killed at home by poisoned food or a sent assassin, the kings began to take care of personal protection. And so the royal defenders appeared, perfect murderers, absolutely loyal and loyal to a particular monarch.
In the entire history of the Empire, only the best Gristol officers managed to visit this position. The only time Jessamine Kaldwin broke the tradition, the Lord protector became a native Serkonos Corvo Attano.
The Royal Protector is responsible for the security of the monarch, all officers of the royal residence report to him, and the position is considered the highest and most honorable. He is constantly near the monarch, and can enter the emperor’s chambers at any time of the day without warning. In addition, this is one of the rare positions where nobility, origin and gender do not play any role, only personal qualities are important. This proximity allows the bodyguard to influence some decisions.
Arkane Studios used the concept of “Powers separation”. Legislative power is vested in the local Parliament, the Executive is exercised by the Government, judicial ─ the Royal Court and during the Regency Era ─ Abbey of the Everyman.
The Parliament is the highest representative body in which the regions of the Empire are represented by their delegates from among the aristocracy. The body is endowed with many important functions, from making laws, to appointing a regent and choosing a new imperial dynasty, in case the old one is interrupted. The body is called to meetings either at the suggestion of the Prime Minister or at the request of the Emperor. The head of state can also dissolve the House of Lords, but such precedents have not yet happened.
Most seats are split between the Conservative and Liberal parties. The former promote the interests of landowners and clergy, wanting to build a unitary state with strict centralization. Liberals represent small owners and industrialists, pushing the idea of preserving the freedoms and privileges of the nobility.
The Imperial Parliament consists only of the House of Lords, in which representatives of the aristocracy sit, and the seats are strictly hereditary. Here, the developers clearly did not copy the Victorian Great Britain, whose parliament is bicameral, consisting of the House of Commons and the House of Lords.
Her Majesty’s Government is the highest collegial executive body of the Empire. The Prime Minister directs the work of the body, whose candidate is nominated by the Parliament, and the decision on approval is made by the ruler himself. In an emergency, the Lord Regent combines the functions of the Prime Minister. The Cabinet also includes members of the House of Lords.
The Parliament controls the work of the Government, but due to various tricks, exactly the opposite happens. Due to manipulations with additional votes of one of the parties, the executive power can seriously influence the work of the representative body. Similarly, Regent Hiram Burrows, with the help of the Conservative Party and as many as three additional votes, relied on the support of the legislature.
At the time of the game’s events, the situation in the Empire of the Isles is far from stable. Despite the technological breakthrough, the gap between rich and poor has reached enormous proportions. This led to an increase in crime, the emergence of illegal markets and traders, which negatively affected the economy. In a desperate attempt to rid the cities of the poor, a terrible weapon was used-the rat plague. But the disease quickly got out of control, began to kill everyone. This led not only to an economic crisis, but also to a demographic one, as a significant part of the inhabitants either died or fled to the north. Also, the royal power was not able to cope with piracy on the sea and constant raids on coastal settlements.
Compounded all the weak rules of the Empress Jessamine. Although Emily’s mother devoted herself to a just and merciful government, for the common people loved her, her gentle nature and truthfulness played a fatal role. Under the side of the ruler, intrigues were born, and many small conflicts broke out, undermining the unity of the country. A significant role was played by the fact that not all representatives of the aristocracy were able to perceive the woman on the throne as a strong leader.
The subsequent regency of Hiram Burrows, the former head of the Secret Service, led to the establishment of a brutal dictatorship, anarchy on the part of the military, and the growth of crime. At the same time, the Lord-Regent began to plant his cult of personality everywhere: ubiquitous portraits, lifetime monuments, a profile printed on coins, a modified flag and coat of arms. It is obvious that the former head of the Secret Service tried to undermine the influence of the emperor in order to concentrate all power in his hands. But here another question arises: why was the young empress needed by the conspirators, if they themselves planted their own cult of personality?
The fact is that the regent’s political position, despite his high position, has always been precarious. The individual islands of the Empire, and in more stable and better times, expressed a desire to become independent again. In fact, Hiram Burrows’ power extended only to the capital. In such a situation, the representative of the ruling dynasty was the compromise and guarantor that satisfied all parties, while maintaining the unity of the state. Without the Empress Emily, the country would have been mired in civil wars and drowned in separatist movements.
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Arkane Studios managed to create an interesting world, with a well-developed lore that you want to explore. And if the developers are ever going to do the third part, then we can expect not only the correction of previous errors, but also more details that reveal this attractive world.
