[Brody]

Well, no, there's another reason for this.

Players can't always be counted on to remain active in positions of authority. And why should they? Positions of authority in a game usually aren't fun. It often boils down to wrangling cats and bureaucracy. Staffers, on the other hand, can occasionally assume walk-on roles of these types of characters as needed.

On OtherSpace, I play the First Consul of Mars and the Senate President on Demaria. Neither goes out and adventures much. They're mostly around so that *players* can come around, brief the politicians on what's happening, and get marching orders. If the politicians leave their offices, it's to attend diplomatic functions - not to go flex their uber abilities all over the grid. On Chiaroscuro, I play the Imperial Regent. Again, he's hardly ever needed - the player-populated noble houses run most things on a day-to-day basis. However, he does issue the occasional sweeping edict for the realm that causes the odd uproar among the players. On Necromundus, I play Death - and all he really does is hang around and look ominous, while remaining silent. (I also play some regular characters, but they're primarily for testing new game systems and class balancing.)

I don't think this makes me corrupt or egotistical.