Duke Strinbeck
Name	Duke Strinbeck
Occupation	Nobleman, Conspirator
First Appearance	Watching Zola and worrying ✣

Duke Strinbeck is one of a pair of noblemen supporting the takeover attempt of Zola "Heterodyne". He is seen in her pink airship, expressing concern that being rushed and "wild card" elements like Castle Heterodyne and the real "Heterodyne girl" will interfere with their plans. His comments ✣ about the Doom Bell suggest he's more pragmatic and less inclined towards fairy tales than the other nobleman.

Their reactions ✣ to Gilgamesh Wulfenbach's use of lightning in battle suggested to some prescient Girl Genius readers that he and his co-conspirator, Oublenmach, were Knights of Jove, although more cautious and pedestrian readers had to wait for Tarvek's statement ✣ to reach that conclusion (or at least the conclusion that they are working on behalf of House Valois, without necessarily being members of the Knights of Jove specifically) with confidence.

Strinbeck refers to himself as "royal ✣ ", so there's a small chance he's either a failed Heir candidate or of a Valois cadet branch different to the Smoke Knights (duchies often go to younger progeny of kings and queens).

He is very inflexible with his hired ship and crew, and is determined not to let them disrupt his conspiracy, despite the fact that this could seemingly get them all killed, and him with them. Faced with such a liability, the crew took action without him to dump ballast and get clear. When Duke Strinbeck continued to threaten them, he was apparently put in the ballast category....

This may have earned him a niche among the Living Impaired, but it's too early to be sure. However, he's tentatively placed there, in what may amount to wishful thinking.

See also Edit

The Storm King conspiracy