Elias Crichell

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Elias Crichell
Character Profile
Born 2992[1]
Died 2 January 3058[2]
Affiliation Clan Jade Falcon
Rank ilKhan
Profession MechWarrior


Elias Crichell (born 2992[1] – died January 2nd, 3058[2]) was the Khan of Clan Jade Falcon during the Clan Invasion, and was nicknamed the "Jade Hawk" amongst his warriors. He briefly became ilKhan before his death at the hands of Vlad Ward. He was replaced as Khan by Marthe Pryde.

History

Early Life

Elias was born on the Clan world of Gatekeeper in a second-rate sibko at the Red Fist Communal Birthing Facilities. His birth was conceived from unremarkable warriors' DNA, and he was treated as a low-birth warrior.

His sibko transferred to Ironhold where they received their military training. Elias was the only one of his sibko to survive the training to become a MechWarrior, where he bested two of his surviving sibkin in their Trial of Position. Allegedly, his victory was questioned, taking several hours to decide the deed worthy of the honor due to the outcome of his trial.[3]

Early Military Career & Rise to Power

He was assigned to Peregrine Galaxy where he began his military career. In his first years with the Peregrine, he fought and won inter-Clan skirmishes and duels where he began to build his reputation. He was known to take aim at Clan Wolf, was known for disputes with them. One of highlights of these clashes with the Wolves, he fought and won a duel with a Bloodnamed Wolf warrior while he himself had not yet earned a bloodname. The Wolves developed a not so colorful view of him due to his accomplishments against them.

During this time, he had begun to dive into Clan politics, starting to gain the ear of elite Falcon Warriors. By the time he had earned the position of Star Captain, he joined the Crusader political party when they gained popularity amongst Clansmen. He traveled to many Falcon enclaves, working to rally support for the Crusader clause of returning to the Inner Sphere. His political rise gained the notice of the aging Khan Yvonne Hazen, who had begun to look for a successor and saw young Star Captain Elias as a worthy candidate.

She indirectly began to help Elias overcome the barriers that would have prevented him from rising to reach her rank. Despite his age and lack of blood connecting him to the Founders, she eased the way for him by first giving him the rank of Star Colonel in 3020. He then gained command of the Turkina Keshik after Khan retired from commanding the unit. After a year spent commanding the elite of the Keshik, he gained the Crichell bloodname. Elias' rise to such a prominent posting with the Keshik caused jealousy between him and the other Khan of the Falcons, Sejanus Buhallin. His mentor, Khan Hazen, did not interfere with these growing tensions, which she saw as healthy competition between rivals.

After 3028, the Wolf's Dragoons' mission ceased sending reports to the Clan council. Elias's rival and his supporters were the only ones who considered reports sent by the Dragoons seriously. While Elias, took opportunity and used Khan Buhallin's support for the Clan Wolf "failed" recon mission due to them going native on him and his supporters. Elias then used his political savvy against Buhallin's failing political position as means for him to rise to the rank of Khan. After blanketing him with insults of being a Warden supporter and liberal views of Freeborns, forcing Buhallin to challenge him in a duel of Zellbrigen. However, Khan Hazen stepped in to end the confrontation between the two. Elias was appointed as Hazen's successor and in doing so shaming Buhallin. Several months later, Buhallin died in an ammunition explosion in his 'Mech, which allegedly was linked to Elias's supporters.[4] After Buhallin's death, Elias was installed as junior Khan to Hazen.

Late Career & Clan Invasion

He presided over the trials of Aidan, Joanna and Ter Roshak in the conspiracy to conceal Aidan's identity. After a guilty verdict and a successful Trial of Refusal by the defendants, Aidan would ultimately go on to win the "Pryde" Bloodname.

In 3048, Khan Crichell used his political savvy to petition the Grand Council to proceed with the invasion of the Inner Sphere. He used information from the recent capture of the ComStar JumpShip, Outbound Light, to play on the Council's fears of the Inner Sphere maybe about to reform the Star League without them. After winning a Trial of Refusal with Clan Wolf on Strana Mechty over their objections proceed with the invasion. After Clan Smoke Jaguar Khan Leo Showers' elevation to IlKhan, the senior Falcon Khan Hazen retired, making Crichell senior and leading Khan of the Falcons.[5]

Throughout most of the Clan Invasion, the Jade Falcons proved unstoppable. Though Crichell's strength was not as a warrior, he was an excellent political operator and was able to resolve the logistical difficulties the Falcons experienced fairly quickly.

As senior Khan, Crichell developed a reputation for successfully blaming his junior saKhan for any and all setbacks. This included the debacle of the Battle of Twycross in 3050, the first defeat the Clans had suffered at the hands of Inner Sphere soldiers. This led to the removal of saKhan Timur Malthus and the disgrace of the entire Malthus bloodline. Vandervahn Chistu would take his place. Throughout his tenure, Crichell was perfectly willing to allow his saKhans to handle day to day details of the Clan's plans, knowing it would insulate him from the stigma of failure.

The Battle of Tukayyid was a tremendous setback to the Clans, but Crichell and Chistu successfully began rebuilding their Touman, with greater speed than most other invading Clans. In 3054, he ordered an invasion of the world of Morges, which was ultimately turned back by FedCom troops with support from Wolf's Dragoons.

This day, fellow Khans, will be remembered years from now as the dawning of mankind's rebirth… We are returning; we are the sun of righteousness that will illuminate those who dream of peace, and burn to ashes the demons and devils responsible for the darkness.

—Khan Elias Crichell, to the Clan Grand Council, November 3048[6]

The Refusal War

I do not agree at all with what Ulric and his people are doing. As ilKhan, he has led our people down the road to ruin. Through these damnable Trials of Refusal, he is wasting resources and waste is something that a true Warrior cannot tolerate for long. He has turned his back on our very way of life, and I look forward to what our people shall do to him in the field. The fights will be quick and glorious; then we can turn our attention to where it belongs: Terra. But heed this. The Wolves, despite what we think of them, are Clan. As Clan, we shall treat them with honor. Then we will crush their throats and put an end to this mindless truce...
-Khan Elias Crichell, prior to the Battle for Wotan[citation needed]

Never content with the Treaty of Tukayyid, Crichell and his fellow Crusaders trumped up charges to remove Ulric Kerensky from office as ilKhan in 3057. Though successful, Ulric declared a Trial of Refusal, bidding the entire Wolf Clan touman in the attempt. The Refusal War, conducted primarily by Chistu, had different goals for each side. The Wolves were determined to damage the Falcons to the point they could no longer continue the invasion. The Falcons sought to make the Wolves over-extend themselves, and to cripple and destroy their leadership. To that end, the Falcons repeatedly sent second-line units against the front-line Wolf clusters. Predictably, the second-line units were destroyed but the constant campaign did, in fact, wear down the front-line Wolf troops. Natasha Kerensky was killed on Twycross, while Ulric was killed in an ambush by Chistu on Wotan. Phelan Kell took two Galaxies and left for the Inner Sphere. His Wolves and the Kell Hounds defeated the Falcons sent after them on Morges, and eventually formed Clan Wolf-in-Exile.

Crichell initially planned to absorb the entire remaining Wolf Clan into the Jade Falcons. However, when Vlad emerged from the rubble on Wotan with the evidence that Chistu had killed Ulric dishonorably, Crichell finally saw his chance to remove a potential threat to his position. Vlad defeated and killed Chistu in single combat, and the Wolves remained independent of the Falcons, albeit they were renamed Clan Jade Wolf.

ilKhan and Death

On January 2, 3058, Crichell, with Marthe Pryde installed as his new saKahn, was voted ilKhan of the Clans. Immediately following his election, Vlad Ward of Clan Jade Wolf challenged him to meet in a Trial of Refusal. Chance determined the combat would be hand-to-hand, and the young Vlad easily killed Crichell in single combat. Thus, the Jade Wolves returned to simply being called the Wolf Clan. Marthe Pryde would succeed Crichell as Khan of the Jade Falcons, while Lincoln Osis would eventually succeed him as ilKhan.

BattleMechs

Crichell was known to pilot a Summoner OmniMech during the invasion.

Quotes

If the rest of the Inner Sphere offers us only as much resistance as the defenders we have just faced, we will soon stand on the sacred ground of Terra.
  — Khan Elias Crichell[7]

Notes

  • It was indicated from a conversation between Elias and Vandervahn Chistu that he had intimate knowledge of the Red Corsair affair, to the point where he insisted that Chistu not even mention her.

Titles and Positions

Preceded by Khan of Clan Jade Falcon
3048 – 3058
Succeeded by
Preceded by ilKhan of the Clans
3058
Succeeded by
Preceded by saKhan of the Clan Jade Falcon
30303048 [8]
Succeeded by

Portrait Gallery

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Era Report: 3052, p. 84, "Elias Crichell Profile"
  2. 2.0 2.1 Malicious Intent, p. 81
  3. Jade Falcon Sourcebook p. 18 - RiStar Elias Crichell - Early life facts about Elias Crichell.
  4. Jade Falcon Sourcebook p. 18-19 - RiStar Elias Crichell - Military & political career up to his appointment as junior Khan.
  5. Jade Falcon Sourcebook, pp. 18-19, "Go Vote" - Elias pushes for the Invasion with Clan Smoke Jaguar and later becomes senior Khan of Jade Falcons.
  6. Touring the Stars, p. 29, "Volume XV: The Falcon's Flight"
  7. Jade Falcon Sourcebook, p. 28, "Third Wave: Wings of Lightning"
  8. Era Report: 3052 p. 84

Bibliography