A tardy theory on Elan’s Tarquin-toppling Plan (Yes. Another one)

[Anarion]

While the OP's plan is much more hilarious, I actually think that Elan's plan to overthrow his dad is one of his more serious points.

My best guess is that the plan is all about the spread of information. Tarquin's scheme relies on expanding his control through a combination of invasion, betrayal, and then rebellion and salvation causing small city-states to join up willingly with one of Tarquin's three empires. Remember that when Tarquin conquered openly, he held his throne for less than a year because of the volatility of the Western Continent.

So, the best way to overthrow Tarquin is to destroy the cooperative scheme between the three empires by revealing it. Cities might surrender to the wrong empire, betray their own "reinforcements" or plan to backstab the leaders of their own "rebellion" if they really understood what was happening to them. Moreover, if it were fully revealed, through careful, trustworthy channels, that the three empires are in cahoots, there could be an alliance of all the other Western Continent Warlords that would come together to overthrow everything Tarquin worked to build.