Steven Steiner

Steven Steiner
Character Profile
Born 2447[1]
Died 2501[1]
Affiliation House Steiner
Title(s) Archon
Landgrave of Schwarzwald
Parents Alistair Steiner (father)
Phillipa Kelswa (mother)
Siblings Michael Steiner (twin)
Tatyana Steiner
Spouse Margaret Olsen

Steven Steiner was a Lyran nobleman, military officer, and the sixth Archon of the Lyran Commonwealth.

Character History[edit]

Early Life & Military Career[edit]

Steven Steiner was the younger of Alistair Marsden Steiner's twin sons, He and his brother Mitchel joined the Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces and were active during the early years of the Age of War, serving during their father's five-year Long March Offensive against the Draconis Combine and Free Worlds League until 2467. In June of that year, their father Alistair was assassinated by who was believed to be their uncle, Duke Michael Reynolds.

Steven and Michael were recalled from the frontline of the war to Tharkad. On their arrival, they found that the government was paralyzed by the death of the Archon. As the elder brother, Michael was sworn in as the new Archon and began to try to bring their great house into order. Michael promoted Steven to General of the Armies, putting him in command of the entire Lyran Commonwealth Armed Forces.

Marriage and the Dark Times[edit]

During Steven's reign as Archon, his family went through difficult times. First, he began a serious relationship with an LCAF First Royal Guards Armor Brigade Regimental tank commander named Colonel Margaret Olsen, who was stationed on Tharkad.[2]

In 2468, it was revealed that his younger sister, Duchess Tatyana Steiner, had a severe case of Dobrowski Depression-A Syndrome. Her condition led to her affair two years later with a married man which produced an illegitimate child, Robert Steiner.

On the eve of his double wedding ceremony with his brother in 2471, Tatyana committed suicide. The Archon did not want the ceremony to be a victim of the despair that had claimed his sister insisted on carrying on the ceremony. Steven and his brother both pledged to help raise and take care of their late sister's child.

His life was once again disrupted by a terrible earthquake that shattered Tharkad City and the palace. Michael's bride, Regina McQuiston was killed along with many Estates General's representatives. Steven and the rest of his family pitched in to help with the relief efforts for the city. Many of the residents of which were homeless in the middle of the cold Tharkad winter. The Archon opened the damaged palace to refugees and even the nobility helped with kitchen work and rescue efforts.

However, due to effects that no one could predict the Commonwealth was weakened dramatically. The Draconis Combine, learning of the disaster on Tharkad, took advantage of the situation and attacked. Then, Michael feeling the loss of both his sister and his bride announced he was unable to continue governing the Commonwealth and handed the Archonship over to Steven.[3] Michael then assembled a battalion's worth of BattleMechs & tanks to counter the Kurita incursion dying heroically to end the Kurita invasion on Nox.

Archonship and Missteps[edit]

Soon after assuming the throne Steven began to find that although he was an excellent field commander he did not have his brother's skills in politics. This forced him to resort, to hints, hunches, and the advice of his disturbed wife. Margaret had become unbalanced and eccentric shortly after having a lifesaving abortion at six months.[4]

In 2488, a botched Lyran Intelligence Operation later known as the Loki Incident occurred on the Combine world of Vega. There Loki agents had attempted to hit a Combine Air Base but found themselves captured & held hostage by the planetary ruler. On the ill-reasoned advice of his wife, Steven acknowledged the existence of the secret organization fearing the public's reaction if they were to discover that their government had a state-funded terrorist organization. The Loki agents were executed publicly and footage of the execution was made public. Despite his misgivings, the Commonwealth citizenry was not upset by the existence of Loki.

Steven's indecision grew worse as he then denied the existence of the secret organization on the advice of his wife's zodiac cards. The execution of their fellow commandos triggered a large number of Loki agents to defect to the Draconis Combine. The defecting commandos committed a number of senseless rampages which were not stopped until they were each hunted down.

During his reign, the Dukes of Tanar and Skye began plotting to overthrow him. They convinced Steven to overturn the rule that forbid a noble to maintain personal troops greater than the Commonwealth troops stationed on their respective worlds. Members of his military's high command tried to convince Steven to reinstate the law but failed due to his indecisiveness and his wife's erratic advice. This led to the loss of worlds gained by his father's Long March Offensive.

He allowed his nephew Robert to join the LCAF as an aerospace fighter pilot.

Near the end of his life, the Royal court was full of cult leaders, unscrupulous politicians, and nobles who favored his wife. Steven died in 2501 his demented wife declared herself Archon.[5]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), foldout: "The Lyran Commonwealth's Line of Succession and Partial Steiner Family Tree"
  2. Handbook: House Steiner, p. 21: Bad Omens - Colonel Olsen's rank and unit revealed
  3. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 26: Order of Magnitude - Steven takes over as Archon after her brother gives up throne to fight
  4. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), p. 27: The Tharkad Witch - Margaret begins downhill slide when her pregnancy is aborted
  5. House Steiner (The Lyran Commonwealth), pp. 25–27: Steven Steiner & The Tharkan Witch - Steven Steiner's reign history in detail and his demise

Bibliography[edit]