Giovanni Mercedes

Giovanni Mercedes (born 28?? - died ????) was the last Loremaster of Clan Mongoose. He would live out the rest of his days stifled by the Smoke Jaguars after they Absorbed his Clan in 2868. At some point he authored a short essay on the life of the Mongoose warriors before their Absorption, which would escape notice of their Jaguar overlords.

Biography

Idles of a Loremaster

If not for a copy of his essay falling into the hands of Temuchin Amirault some time after the fall of Clan Smoke Jaguar during Operation Serpent, there would likely be no record of him beyond a name. He was described as a voracious writer who would continue his craft after the Absorption, though his work was usually heavily censored or even destroyed by the Jaguar authorities.

In his essay, Loremaster Giovanni Mercedes would go on to talk about what he felt were the true strengths and weaknesses of his former Clan. He would describe the leadership as conflicted and often at cross purposes with the needs of the Clan. Mercedes felt that the officers and leadership had clung on too long, and increasingly were unable to see the real needs of their Clan. He would cite poor relations and communication between castes and often within the castes, constant conflicts that slowed down any progress. To cover for this lack of cohesion and hide their weakness from the rest of the Clans, the Mongoose Khans always kept their Touman busy launching assaults and major offenses against many of their neighbors, such as Clan Bloodspirit and Clan Star Adder. And he would write of why the Mongoose Khans had always used politics so prolifically, relating that it was sometimes the only way they could get what they needed due to many setbacks ranging from the events of Operation Klondike, to the Not-Named Clan and the actual fallout from the detonation of atomic weapons so close to their own populations on Circe. He ultimately felt that the Khans of Clan Mongoose were incapable of properly leading the new generations of Mongoose warriors, and instead misused their Clan's true talent until it was too late.

Loremaster Mercedes would describe the entire Trial of Absorption, pointing out the flaws and strong points of the Mongoose effort to repulse the Smoke Jaguars, the battles on each of their worlds and in space, and their final stand at Circe. The Jaguar Khan Theodore Osis would ask for and receive the right to use Orbital Bombardment against the Mongoose island stronghold of Fianna, a move that would kill many warriors, including Mongoose Khan Walter Martindale. Only then were the Jaguars were finally able to make landings. An Aerospace Fighter pilot whose pride in the Mongoose flying corps comes through often in his writings, Mercedes would fight in the final battle of the Absorption at the city of Tara, laying claim to have taken out six 'Mechs as well as some infantry before being shot down. And he would describe the final push, a trap where the Jaguars threw themselves against the heavy and assault forces defending the city, only to be flanked by the quick medium 'Mechs of the Mongoose command Keshik and saKhan Alanah Knox. Her attack would deal heavy damage to Jaguar forces that were lead by Khan Osis himself. Of course, Giovanni Mercedes would ultimately acknowledge that the effort was too late. Soon the Absorption was complete, their lives now belonging to the Smoke Jaguars.

Legacy

Of his biological legacy, it would be cast aside by the Smoke Jaguars along with all of the rest of the Mongoose Bloodlines. But as an Aerospace Fighter pilot, there is a good chance that his legacy was saved inadvertently by Clan Cloud Cobra when they would later launch a long series of Trials to obtain over 70 legacies of the best Aerospace Pilots of the former Clan Mongoose.

Of his historic legacy, his surviving essay on the daily life of his Clan is all that separates him from oblivion. In it's own way it has resurrected Giovanni Mercedes, if only for a glimpse.

See also

• Absorption of Clan Mongoose
• Clan Mongoose
• Walter Martindale
• Alanah Knox
• Mitchell Loris
• Trial of Absorption
• Theodore Osis

Bibliography

• Era Report: Golden Century
• Field Manual: Warden clans
• Field Manual: Crusader Clans