Duncan Liao
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- This article is about the character. For the WarShip in his name, see Duncan Liao (Individual Du Shi Wang-class WarShip).
Duncan Liao | |
|---|---|
| Personal | |
| Born | 2433[1] |
| Died | February 2452[2] |
| Affiliation | House Liao |
| Career | |
| Title(s) | Duke of Liao |
| Position(s) | Chancellor |
| Family | |
| Parents | Stephen Edward Liao (father) |
| Siblings | Jasmine Liao |
Duncan Liao was a politician, the Duke of Liao, and sixth Chancellor of the Capellan Confederation.
History[edit]
Duncan was the son of Chancellor Stephen Liao, and had grown up during his father’s era of Capellan military revitalization. Though second-born after his sister, Jasmine, he would be first in the line of succession to the Liao throne. At seventeen years of age, Duncan succeed their father after "The Great Organizer" fell ill from pneumonia and passed away in 2450.[citation needed]
Though the loss of Sir Stephen was tragic, the future seemed promising enough considering the circumstances. Though barely of age, Duncan was not known to have any significant flaws or drawbacks to his abilities as Chancellor. Sensing no threat to his forthcoming rule beyond the hazards inherent to the post, Duncan set himself to ruling as well as he could in father's footsteps.[citation needed]
The Time of Tribulation[edit]
Shortly after his accession, Duncan's counselors raised concerns over the increasing degree of wealth and power among a particular number of ranking officers. Taken as the side effect of his father’s protection of military priorities, these so called "Young Turks" were seen by the Prefectorate as devious and self serving. The most notable of this group was General Ral Merik, commander of Merik’s Grenadier Regiment of the Capellan Hussars.[citation needed]
Unfortunately, Duncan decided to act on particularly bad advice to curb General Merik's power by reducing his regiment's size to half its normal strength. In response, General Merik conducted a well-organized revolt that quickly took control of the Winter Palace and the Chancellor as hostage. Unsure what to do, the Capellan nobility erred to mitigate potential threat to the Chancellor's life. They recognized General Merik and his Turk cronies as "Protectors of the State," by which this junta ruled the nation over a tense seven-month period. This would be known as the "Time of Tribulation."[2]
Death and Successor[edit]
In February 2452, after seven months in captivity, Duncan resolved to end the stalemate. Realizing that he was the sole obstacle to any resolution, Duncan Liao committed suicide by starting an electrical fire in his cramped quarters. His captors were unable to mask the event and word of his death reached his sister in short order.[2]
Duncan Liao would be succeeded by his older sister, Jasmine Liao. Immediately after receiving word of Duncan's suicide, Jasmine proclaimed herself Chancellor and ordered the Winter Palace be retaken. Over the next two days, the Second Hexare Lancers annihilated the Merik Grenadiers in retribution for the late Chancellor's death.[citation needed]