Eric Dresari

Eric Dresari in MechWarrior 4: Vengeance
Eric Dresari
Character Profile
Died 28 November 3062[1]
Affiliation House Dresari
Title(s) Duke of Kentares IV[2]
Profession Noble
Siblings Peter Dresari
Children Ian Dresari[2]
Joanna Dresari[2]

Duke Eric Dresari was the ruling noble of Kentares IV and an outspoken critic of Archon Katherine Steiner-Davion's rule of the Federated Commonwealth.

History[edit]

Eric Dresari was the direct descendant of Alexander Dresari, the first member of the Dresari family to be awarded direct rule over the Federated Suns planet of Kentares IV by then-First Prince Paul Davion in 2798. As a result, Duke Eric was completely loyal to House Davion and the Federated Commonwealth, swearing his personal, family and planet's loyalty to First Prince Victor Steiner-Davion.

At some date prior to Operation BULLDOG, Eric exiled his little son, Ian Dresari, from their planet and court, for his profligate lifestyle.

When the re-formed Star League declared war on Clan Smoke Jaguar, Duke Eric joined Prince Victor and fought at his side. After the Star League Defense Force won the Great Refusal on Strana Mechty, Eric Dresari returned home to Kentares as a war hero. Among the spoils of war Eric brought back with him was a fully functional Nova Cat Clan OmniMech.

Duke Eric despised corruption, evidenced by his public condemnations of the Archon's abuses of power and his own investigation into the corruption within his planet's defense garrison.

Defying the Archon[edit]

While Victor was off fighting the Clans, Katherine usurped the throne of the Federated Commonwealth from her younger sister Yvonne, who was serving as Victor's Regent during his absence. Katherine then proclaimed herself "First Princess" of the Federated Commonwealth despite the fact that she was ineligible for the Davion throne since she did not have the required five years of AFFC military service; the High Council nevertheless confirmed Katherine to be the legal ruler. Thus when Victor returned home, he was a ruler without a realm.

Several Davion-loyal planetary rulers, especially Duke Eric Dresari of Kentares IV and Duke Frederick Bradford of Coventry, publicly denounced Archon Katherine as a despot and a usurper, unworthy of ruling either the Lyran Alliance or Federated Commonwealth, and refused to acknowledge her as First Prince.

Duke Eric's patriotic fervor incited the people of Kentares to publicly demonstrate against the Archon's rule. Seeing thousands of Kentares citizens participating in anti-Steiner marches, a furious Archon Katherine ordered Lord Marcus Roland to travel to Kentares along with a combat command from the Fifth Donegal Guards under the command of Leftenant General Jackson Pory, and take over command of the Kentares planetary garrison. Katherine ordered Roland to suppress the anti-Steiner movement by whatever means were necessary.

Upon arrival on Kentares, Roland assumed command over the planetary garrison, consisting of the Clovis Draconis March Militia commanded by Leftenant General Jamil Ahmad and the Kentares militia. Backed up by the Fifth Donegal, Roland began the arduous task of bringing angry mobs under control, but his heavy-handed tactics only infuriated the protestors even more; Bruning and his Clovis DMM refused to take part in the oppression of the Kentares people. After Bruning was assassinated by a Steiner agent, General Pory assumed command over the DMM as well as his Donegal Guards.

With the addition of the Clovis DMM, Roland now had a large contingent of AFFC troops at his disposal; he ordered crackdowns on the anti-Steiner protests. On October 29, 3062, a Fifth Donegal 'Mech fell into a crowd of protestors, killing fourteen of them and inciting the remainder to riot, killing hundreds more before Duke Eric was able to calm the crowd.

Roland had enough. He ordered Pory and his men to round up every protestor in sight for trial and execution and to have the Ducal Palace leveled. Pory refused to carry out such vile orders, so Roland had Pory and his senior officers arrested. Roland then took direct command of all military forces on Kentares.

Death[edit]

On 24 November 3062, Roland ordered his troops to storm the Ducal Palace and place the entire royal family under arrest. In the process, the Fifth Donegal and the DMM were forced to destroy Dresari's personal guards, a task that took three days before Dresari and his family were arrested. During the final assault on his palace, Eric managed to send a video message to his brother Peter and his son Ian, asking forgiveness and for them to stay together and away from Kentares, to preserve their lives. On the following morning, November 28, Roland ordered his troops to have Duke Eric Dresari and his family lined up against a wall and executed by firing squad.

Eric Dresari was survived by his children, Ian and Joanna, and his brother Peter.

References[edit]

  1. "Patriots and Tyrants", ch. 16
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Recognition Guide: ilClan, vol. 21, p. 8

Bibliography[edit]