I can be usually found in my freetime hunched over my computer reading the various reports, histories, etc. that can be found on the INN ComStar portion of the MW:DA website. I love it and it offers great support for the game.

Well it so happens that I started to read over (again) the history of the Republic and Devilin Stone, more about the structure of the government and such...

And I think I found something that may really add an interesting twist to the upcoming MechWarrior storyline...or at least it has definite promise.

And what is it you may ask?

And the answer is...

Exarch Damien Redburn will have to step down as Exarch within a few months...he will have to turn over the reins of power to a new Paladin/Exarch!!!

Want proof?

All of these following reports were takien directly from the WizKids INN ComStar portion of the MechWarrior site.

Here was a little definition on an Exarchs job and selection process and notice the TERM time limit:

The Exarch is the ruler of The Republic, elected once every four years from among the 17 Paladins. Though the Exarch takes recommendations, petitions, and counsel from both the Senate and the Knights of the Sphere, his is the final authority on all decisions affecting The Republic. The Exarch cannot serve two consecutive terms.

Interesting?

Okay...so Devlin Stone builds his Republic and then decides he is ready to leave...this next piece is taken from the Stone's profile...it is the last paragraph. Pay close attention to the DATE and reference to the "first term-limited Exarch":

The Exarch is the ruler of The Republic, elected once every four years from among the 17 Paladins. Though the Exarch takes recommendations, petitions, and counsel from both the Senate and the Knights of the Sphere, his is the final authority on all decisions affecting The Republic. The Exarch cannot serve two consecutive terms.

And finally...why is Redburn out the door soon? Simple, all the news reports are time dated and stamped. the latest news report is about Prefecture III's election of a new Senator...but that doesn't matter. What does matter and is MOST IMPORTANT is the date and time stamp on the headline:

Prefecture III to Elect New Senator (02/26/34)
Finally acknowledging the loss of Kev Rosse to his “private agenda” with the newly-formed Spirit Cats military faction, officials at the Prefecture III capital on Ozawa announced today that the process to start an emergency election for a new Prefecture senator has been approved.

So what does this mean?

Well if August was his swearing in date...then ole' Redburn has exactly SIX MONTHS!!!

This may not matter much...but to me it raises an interesting question:

If the Paladins (of which there are only 16 now) choose the next Exarch...will they choose a Paladin whose skill weighs more heavily towards WAR or POLITICS?

Or could it be that we have seen only TWO Paladins made as figures...one of which is infamous in his own right, and the other....hmmmm.

Very interesting.... but unfortuneatle WK hasn't really kept up well on what started off as a stellar website. I was really excited about all the promises of the gaming and storyline working together and the INN site, but heck, all the prefectures didn't even have planet info the last time I looked, and the game is in it's second year. I dunno if they'll keep with their own fluff, but since they do read these things your little post might have reminded them.

Sorry...I pasted the wrong info to the second supporting fact. It should have been listed as such:

Okay...so Devlin Stone builds his Republic and then decides he is ready to leave...this next piece is taken from the Stone's profile...it is the last paragraph. Pay close attention to the DATE and reference to the "first term-limited Exarch":

This began the Golden Era, or the “Generation of Peace” as Stone himself called it, an entire generation of citizens and residents who has not known warfare except in history lessons. Exarch Stone considered this his crowning accomplishment and, in 3130, finally announced his retirement and withdrawal from public life. After many speeches and parades, and the personal endorsement which saw Damien Redburn elevated as the first term-limited Exarch, on 10 August 3130 Devlin Stone made his final promise to return if he was truly needed.

Sorry!

Hmmm... a new Exarch, followed by a massive rearmament-program, that would totally turn the scales with a bit of luck. I still think that there are impressive caches with "decommissioned" warmachines on Republic-controlled worlds. If those top-secret caches also exist on worlds which are currently under control of the more wayward factions, the Republic will probably find a reason to reconquer those planets.

Well, it could be used as fluff for WHY their was no Republic pieces in CA. Redburn has always seemed to me as the Politically minded type. Makes sense after a military downsize that Stone would place a Paladin with strengths in Politics as opposed to Military as his successor.

So with the Republic in a quick downward spiral...a good military leader could be chosen and BOOM...next expansion...MEGA-Republic units appear!

Mega Republic, Uber-firepower, and OMG not more Paladins!
M1's lock and load. Thank the dragons I just got my second DI Schmitt. I'll need all the firepower I can get....

Oh yes, the Dragons. Now there is a faction which deserves the undivided attention of the Republic military as soon as the Capellan threat is under control. Since there seems to be a functioning 'Mech factory on Terra (dossier of Paladin Jonah Levin) which builds Atlas BattleMechs, I expect a second Republic Atlas to appear into the field. That would be... interesting.

Well considering the environment, I would think that the elected Exarch would be one that leans toward war, considering trying to make peace with House Liao probably won't work.

What would be interesting is if Victor Steiner-Davion was elected Exarch, considering how he is one of the 17 paladins.

Yes, I would love another black w/ purple kill stripe on my M1 main gun turret. And thanks for the attention. But it might be better to try and bite a smaller faction. By the looks of things, I hear a rumor that BR might b next. The Republic might have in hand in that one first.

You know...something else just occured to me about the INN ComStar stories...

On average they are dated in MW time about a month or two ahead of our real monthly time line.

Kevin hinted that there may only be two expansions this year.

Common sense would almost demand the next set being released sometime in July so as to halve the year.

Therefore, if the storyline follows a one to two month advance, when the next set is released, Redburn will have just been replaced a few days or a as much as a month!

Didn't Victor Steiner-Davion die of old age in one of the MW:DA-novels? It's pretty useless to vote for the dead when you need a new leader.

LordNth, your M1 has the tendency to not shoot very far. Many Republic units, however, can do ranged combat over longer ranges. But maybe the industrialist you mentioned could use a correction as well. Siding with an enemy of the Republic is treason, of course. And treason must be punished in the harshest way possible. That's logical.

I too hope that Victor is elected the new Exarch. Would make for some very itneresting stories. The fact that he is still alive means something is going to be happening with him at some point.

Chris

I hope it would be Crow but thats not going to happen becouse of fluff reasons...

A new Exarch to help the Republic get it's military head out of the sand. Hmmm . . .

And, maybe, we could get some good stuff too! A Highlander and RotS focused expansion! Yeah!