"The people are restless general. They need a champion. You will lead the skyknights against me."
Getting it Off the Ground
When the word - specifically the title - of the work got out the author, Ranlan Totia, was taken by the imperial guard. The history of General Rakan was not popular, especially among those in power who thought that any show of disloyalty to the throne was unacceptable and could lead to an uprising. However, when Ranlan Totia pleaded his case in front of EmperorArslan Dodai the opera was given permission to proceed. Arslan Dodai would attend the first performance and while not explicity stated in the conversation it was clear that if it wasn't to his liking not only would it be the final performance but it would be the final act of the author.
Purpose and Propaganda
The first performance was a success - perhaps in part because of the excitement of seeing the Emperor - and became an instant classic. The story diverged from the commonly-accepted history of the events that led to the Skyknight Reformation. In The Loyalty of General Rakan, the titular character leads a coup against the then Emperor, Temur Dodai, on the orders of the Emperor himself. The coup leads to a consolidation of power to the hands of the Emperor.
Reception
While some call it propaganda in secret, in the open everyone says it is the greatest opera ever written. It has been in constant performance since the inaugural show. This opera has changed the reputation of the General and the history that people remember - a traitor now the most loyal servant of the first Emperor.
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The Loyalty of General Rakan
The opera is presented in the traditional fashion of Bral operas. Three acts and traditional character archetypes.
The first act focuses on the tensions within the empire. The emperor fears that unrest will lead to rebellion. The general is spending time with his family but at the end of the act is recalled to duty.
The second act begins with the general being ordered to deal with some rebels on the border and the skyknights are dispatched. The emperor is still hearing about increasing tensions and some disloyalty among the skyknights. At the end of the act the emperor orders his good friend General Rakan to lead the disloyal skyknights against him.
The third act begins with the general considering the deaths. The skyknights, the soldiers, his family would be killed for his actions. For the good of the empire and his loyalty to the emperor he agrees. The act ends with his death at the hands of the emperor who weeps at the loss of a friend but he must remain strong to protect the empire.
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