Editing Berith

{{Cleanup|reason=review needed|date=September 2023}}
{{Update Needed|[[Starterbook: Wolf and Blake]]|[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3076]]|[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]|[[Turning Points: Arcturus]]}}
{{InfoBoxCharacter
| image               = Berith.jpg
| caption             = 
| name                = Berith
| birthdate           = [[3030]]
| died                = 
| othernames          = Benjamin Emory
| affiliation         = [[Word of Blake]],<br/>[[Manei Domini]]
| profession          = 
| parents             = 
| siblings            = [[Erik Emory]]<ref>''Jihad - a Soldier's Tale''</ref>
| spouse              = [[Rianne Emory]]
| children            = [[Jeremiah Emory]]<br/>[[Alyssa Emory]]<br/>[[Alexander Emory]]
}}
'''Berith''', born Benjamin Emory<ref name=SbWaBp40>''Starterbook: Wolf and Blake'', p. 40: "Berith Profile"</ref> is a [[Word of Blake]] military officer and Ascended warrior of the [[Manei Domini]].  He went on to obtain the Domini rank of [[Manei Domini Ranks|Specter Precentor Sigma]].<ref>[http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=71937.0;topicseen Writers confirm that Berith rank was Sigma.] (dead link)</ref>

==Appearance==
Berith, as of [[3072]], appears to be of average height and build. His most obvious cybernetic enhancements are his eyes, which are of metallic blue color and glow in dim light.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 6: ''Just Business''/''1648 Hours'' - Berith appearance according his prisoner, Robert "John" Farrell</ref>

==Character History==
===Early life and ComStar career===
Born Benjamin Emory, he was raised on [[Terra]] by [[ComStar]] employed parents. He joined the ranks of ComStar at age 15, beginning his road to become a [[MechWarrior (pilot)|MechWarrior]].

Emory fought with the [[Com Guards|Com Guard]] [[6th Division (ComStar)|Sixth Division]] in the battle of Devil's Bath in [[3052]] against [[Clan Steel Viper|Clan Steel Viper's]] [[1st Viper Guards (Clan Steel Viper)|First Steel Viper Guard]].<ref>''Tukayyid'', p. 81: Clan Steel Viper/Situation: Devil's Bath - The unit that fought in Devil's Bath was ComStar's 6th Division</ref>  After the conflict, he developed a deep-seated hatred of the [[Clans]]. His experience in the battle improved his military education and he became an expert at [[Combined Arms]] tactics.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 81: Berith - Early years growing up with ComStar and his actions/effects while fighting on Tukayyid</ref>  Emory later went on to join ComStar's [[ROM]] as a member of their special operations team, [[Blake's Wrath]]. By [[3057]], he had become the head instructor of the Wrath's training group.

===In service of Word of Blake prior to the Jihad===
He was in command of the ROM training compound in the [[Terra|Terran]] city of Cairo, when [[Operation ODYSSEUS]] began. Emory surrendered his command to elements of the [[2nd Division (Word of Blake)|2nd Division]] of the Word of Blake and swore loyalty to them and Terra.  He and his staff were interrogated for a period of six months, after which they given places in Blake's own special operation forces in their version of ROM, [[Light of Mankind]].  Emory chose to remain an instructor for the Light of Mankind.  His students were among the best to graduate and led to many of his pupils being placed in the special operations groups Venatori and Opacus.

===The Jihad and Ascendance to Manei Domini===
When the [[Jihad]] erupted, Emory was called to action and commanded a number of special operations against worlds in the [[Chaos March]].  These operations helped solidify the Word of Blake control in what would later be the [[Word of Blake Protectorate]]. Among his actions was a strike against the planetary governor of [[Keid]] in April [[3068]]. He and other members of his Light of Mankind team conducted a HALO drop in [[Purifier Adaptive Battle Armor|Purifier Battle Armor]] onto the planet.<ref>''Dawn of the Jihad'', pp. 91–92: Bringers of the Truth - Benjamin Emory writes in his journal about conducting his group's strike against Keid's government</ref> Emory was injured during the operation and during his hospitalization received cybernetic replacements and enhancements, becoming one of the Manei Domini.

Precentor [[Apollyon]] requested Emory train new Manei Domini troops on [[Circinus]].  By [[3069]], he was promoted to Precentor in command of the newly combined special operation group [[Opacus Venatori]].<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', p. 83: Berith profile - Brief info on Berith actions during the beginning of the Jihad, and his promotion to command the Opacus Venatori</ref> During this period he was taken under Apollyon's wing and elevated to the highest rank of the Manei warriors.

On [[Gibson]], he personally accompanied Apollyon and his team in the hunt for the New Gibson Freedom League, systematically eliminating the rebels.<ref>''Jihad Hot Spots: 3072'', p. 58: The Master's Minions - Berith revealed on rebel hidden camera as being involved with extermination of the League members</ref>

===Clash with the Bounty Hunter===
In [[3072]], Berith was in pursuit of [[Victoria Parrdeau]] and her journal.  Pursuing her to the world of [[Dalton]] in the [[Free Worlds League]], he discovered that he was not alone in seeking her. Using [[Irian Technologies|Irian Corporate Security]] as a means to his search, he discovered an apparently compromised safe house.  Berith discovers his prey is gone, but he then quickly pickup team member of the legendary mercenary, the [[Bounty Hunter]] from residue from crime scene.  He then interrogates him and implants him with a tracking device to follow him to the Bounty Hunter.

Berith finds that the Bounty Hunter has taken an Irian Luxury Airship, the ''Wind Dancer''.  Berith quickly acquires a stunt plane and pursues the Hunter.  He quickly jumps from the plane, meets up with the Hunter.  They face off in one of the ''Wind Dancer''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bars.  There Berith uses his cybernetics to gain upper hand, while taunting the Bounty Hunter.  In midst of the fight, he notices a women's satchel get strapped around the Bounty Hunter's signature green armor. However, despite his edge, the Hunter manages to stay one step ahead of him. After emptying their guns, they grapple each other various in martial techniques.  Ultimately, Berith is outmaneuvered as explosions began go off, the Hunter lunges forward; activating his Jump Pack.  Berith tries to stop him from escaping, but blacks out from magnetic pulse grenades that the Bounty Hunter had dropped as he left.  After his cybernetic electronics recovers, he finds the airship rapidly descending in pieces as explosions ring out around the ship.  Falling at more than three kilometers, with no escape devices available, Berith jumps to the safety of nearby rock formations that the ship was about to crash into.<ref>''Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents'', pp. 4–10: ''Just Business'' - Berith encounter with the Bounty Hunter in 3072</ref>

===Mid-Jihad===
By [[3077]], Berith had become Apollyon's second-in-command, he also was given more of Apollyon's command responsibilities.<ref>''Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers'', p. 217: Apollyon/Profile mentions of Berith promotion to second command of Manei Domini and been taking on Apollyon's responsibilities as he distracted elsewhere</ref>

===Late Jihad===
On the 30th of April [[3078]] it was revealed by [[Colonel]] [[Marcel Webb]] - Commanding Officer of the [[Star Seeds]] mercenary unit and head of security for the allied coalition - in a news broadcast from [[Kittery]] that the allied coalition was filing criminal charges on behalf of all the allied nations against a number of senior Word of Blake senior or high profile figures, including Berith. The coalition intended to charge Berith with treason, espionage, terrorism, murder, and genocide under his original name, Benjamin Emory.<ref name="JHS:Tp82">''Jihad Hot Spots: Terra'', p. 82: "Charges Filed"</ref>

He succeeded Apollyon as supreme leader of the Manei Domini in the later years of the Jihad. He was seen for the last time on planet [[Devil's Rock]], after lead an assault force to kill the ComStar agent [[Tempest Striker]]. No further sightings of Berith were reported.<ref>''Interstellar Expeditions: Interstellar Players 3'', p. 283</ref>

==Family==
While still Benjamin Emory, Berith was married to Rianne, whom he met on [[Solaris VII]].  Later, they had two children: a son Jeremiah, and a daughter Alyssa.<ref>''Dawn of the Jihad'', pp. 91–92: Bringers of the Truth - Benjamin Emory writes in journal mentions his family and wife's names</ref>
His young daughter later died of cancer, which led to his family going their separate ways.<ref>''Jihad - a Soldier's Tale'' - Emory's daughter's death triggers himself, his wife, and son moving apart to work more actively with WoB</ref>

He also had a son, Precentor Alexander Emory.<ref>[http://bg.battletech.com/forums/index.php/topic,28745.0.html Ask the Writers forum post]</ref>

==Titles and Ranks==
===ComStar===
The Commanding Officer of Blake's Wraith Training Center in Cairo, [[Terra]] as of [[3057]].

===Word of Blake===
The Commanding Officer of the [[Opacus Venatori]], since [[3069]].

==Notes==
While in command of the Opacus Venatori, he piloted a customized ''[[Archangel#Custom Configurations|Archangel]]'' assault [[OmniMech]], painted in a unique scarlet scheme to denote his Ascendance to Manei Domini.<ref name=SbWaBp40/>

In the short story found in ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]'' Berith's noted as having the rank of Spector Precentor Omega, which is incorrect. The Omega name is Manei Domini rank of Adept.<ref>[http://www.classicbattletech.com/forums/index.php?topic=71937.0;topicseen Rank correction noted.] (dead link)</ref>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Berith.jpg|Berith, ca. [[3073]]
Berith (Jihad Secrets).jpg|Berith, ca. [[3075]]
</gallery>

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Dawn of the Jihad]]''
* ''[[Jihad - a Soldier's Tale]]'' (short story)
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]''
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
* ''[[Jihad Secrets: The Blake Documents]]''
* ''[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]''
* ''[[Starterbook: Wolf and Blake]]''
* ''[[Tukayyid (scenario pack)|Tukayyid]]'' (scenario pack)


[[Category: ComStar Characters]]
[[Category: Manei Domini Characters|Berith]]
[[Category: Word of Blake Characters]]