The Clan Sherlock Holmes be like..?

[Alan Grant]

You are a Spheroid or Clan writer working to update the Sherlock Holmes character and write new stories. This new depiction will portray him as a member of one of the Clans living on Strana Mechty circa 3061 (just after the Great Refusal).

How would you do this? How would this depiction of this character be different (and also the same) as previous portrayals? What pieces of the Clans culture and society would you meld with this, and in what ways?

Take this seriously, but not too seriously. It's still a work of fiction within a fictional universe after all. It's just a quirky mental exercise. Have fun.

[Porshadoxus]

From a Clan perspective, handwaving the notion that the Clans likely wouldn't allow such a work-
Holmes would have to be a bloodnamed trueborn, likely aerospace phenotype for higher intelligence. I know that Holmes had surprising strength, but... compromise. The Moriarty character might from the Dark Caste, or each clan would use a member of their most-hated enemy. The Watson character might be a freeborn warrior or a scientist. The crimes would almost certainly be against the warrior caste or a specific clan as a whole, requiring the best to execute justice.

[Minemech]

 I do not advise crafting a Sherlock without conceiving a Mycroft at the same time. They are sibkin.

 A fascinating depiction would be of a Shark who solves cases while his merchant vessel is in system. One that might sell well in the Inner Sphere is of a Scorpion, which adds in an infamous vice whilst upping his exotic learned man credentials.

[ANS Kamas P81]

A member of the Scorpion Watch perhaps?

[JAMES_PRYDE]

A member of the Scorpion Watch perhaps?

Sounds interesting, and plausible, given Seekers, Scorpions expanding enclaves, SLDF related mysteries, local populations ?

[Nerroth]

Given the precedent from the Clan Spaniel sourcebook, it's possible - or even likely - that the "real" Clan names and totem animals would be off-limits for any fictional production of this kind, if only to avoid production being unduly bogged down by numerous Trials of Grievance. At least, prior to the Wars of Reaving.

That said, it would be more than likely that the inspiration for such a character would be a Goliath Scorpion Seeker - perhaps with the Loremaster being their sibkin/rival/mission asigner?

-----

Although, if one was to consider the kind of programming that might be commissioned in the Scorpion Empire: with no other Clans to worry about (save for the occasional Clan Sea Fox interaction, though that has increased substantially as of late), there might be less of an issue about using the "real" Seeker Galaxy as a source for dramatization.

In which case, stories could be told about certain key events in the Scorpions' post-Abjuration history: dealing with Watch agents from the remaining Homeworld Clans; chasing down "feral" ice Hellions, with the aim of deciding whether they can be successfully (re-)integrated into Hellion Galaxy; pursuing the truth behind the historical origins of the Umayyads (and thus, dispelling the rumours about their allegedly being linked to the Not-Named Clan); discovering the Star League era BattleMech Repair Facility on Braunschweig just prior to the Hanseatic Crusade; or even catching the perpetrators behind the bombing of the new Hall of Khans on that same world in 3151.

And that's just within the bounds of the Empire proper, at least as it stood by the onset of the IlClan Era. There are plenty of stories one could tell in the Chainelane Isles, in the wake of the establishment of a Scorpion presence in the Chaine Cluster. And beyond this, there would be no end of clues to pursue elsewhere in known space - from the core areas of the Inner Sphere to the farthest reaches of the Deep Periphery.

[JAMES_PRYDE]

My thoughts exactly

[BATTLEMASTER]

I like the idea of a Diamond Shark merchant traveling the Inner Sphere solving crime for a hobby, and maybe a price!

[Mendrugo]

Warriors of Kerensky indicates that most Clan media takes classic historical tales/stories/properties and adapts them to fit Clan culture. 

So adapting Sherlock Holmes would fit their standard MO. 

The only issue is that Clan society really lacks the entire concept of a detective.  Clan paramilitary police are not generally involved in detective work, being rather more focused on swift and brutal penalization of any violations of Clan law by civilian castes.  So such a show would have to either explain the whole concept of detective work or heavily recontextualize it through Clan traditions.

[Cannonshop]

You are a Spheroid or Clan writer working to update the Sherlock Holmes character and write new stories. This new depiction will portray him as a member of one of the Clans living on Strana Mechty circa 3061 (just after the Great Refusal).

How would you do this? How would this depiction of this character be different (and also the same) as previous portrayals? What pieces of the Clans culture and society would you meld with this, and in what ways?

Take this seriously, but not too seriously. It's still a work of fiction within a fictional universe after all. It's just a quirky mental exercise. Have fun.

Nobody would buy a Clan investigator who isn't just interested in finding a bad actor, but instead the person actually guilty of the crime.

Clan jurisprudence doesn't work that way, so what would we have?

"Watcher Sherlock: detecting those filthy Spheroid Spies!!"

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

You are a Spheroid or Clan writer working to update the Sherlock Holmes character and write new stories. This new depiction will portray him as a member of one of the Clans living on Strana Mechty circa 3061 (just after the Great Refusal).....

I wanna go back to Strana Mechty angle here

Let's assume that story is adapted by Scorpion Empire media house (gives us option of hindsight) and that it takes place after Great Refusal


Setting:

- London was "center of the world" back when novels were written so equivalent would be Katyusha City as the primary location

- Also gives us that historical flavor and nostalgic vibe (like Sherlock Holmes show from the 80s) which would be appreciated by the target audience


Sherlock:

- Scorpion freeborn or trueborn Warrior (both are option with Scorpions)

- Ex Seeker for quirkiness and substance habit like OG character

- Recruited by the Watch early in the career, made a name for himself as an investigator

- Transferred to Strana Mechty to work in local Scorpion enclave

- After solving several complicated cases there representatives of other Clans started asking for his assistance with complex or unusual cases, sometimes even off-planet, off the record of course


Watson:

- Scientist/doctor like OG character obviously

- Watson in the novels served in the military in Afghanistan where he was wounded and sent home so this Watson would have served as Yeoman on several Seeker parties where he would have been wounded as well

- After recovering he was assigned to Katyusha City as a reward where he works as a doctor

- Lives nextdoor to Sherlock where they meet and start working together


Mycroft:

- Sherlock's sibkin/sibling

- Member of the Watch but in much higher rank and specializing in usual spy craft similar to novel character

- Secretive and not always present on Strana Mechty but available for contact via HPG


Lestrade:

- Policeman from Katyusha City

- Most likely different Clan or even local neutral official if possible

- One who contacts Sherlock with request for assistance from other Clans


Moriarty:

- Mysterious crime mastermind just like OG character, Dark Caste bigwig

- Plot twist could be that he is also member of the Society and his schemes are connected to their plans

[Gorgon]

I like your ideas, Fire Scorpion. And if we place it in Katyusha City, why not make Lestrade a member of the Ebon Keshik? That would make him represent one of the most respected law-keeping institutions (similar to the Yard), but also explain why he might have need of someone with a more off-the-books attitude.

[Nerroth]

There is a look at the Ebon Keshik - and, to a lesser extent, at the Katyusha Keshik - in Icons of War. Although, in this case, the more insightful officer in the former unit is used as a secondary character, rather than being the focus of that side of the story the way a William MurdochSherlock Holmes-type story might portray things.

Although, speaking of Icons of War: there was one part of that story I had not registered the first time around, but which might be of relevance to the Scorpions - and, for that matter, to the Homeworld Clans - as of the IlClan Era: [spoiler] Is the body now entombed at Unity City on Terra that of the "real" Great Father, or are his "true" remains the ones placed in the post-Reaving mausoleum which ilKhan Banacek had commissioned back on Strana Mechty?[/spoiler]

[BrianDavion]

There is a look at the Ebon Keshik - and, to a lesser extent, at the Katyusha Keshik - in Icons of War. Although, in this case, the more insightful officer in the former unit is used as a secondary character, rather than being the focus of that side of the story the way a William MurdochSherlock Holmes-type story might portray things.

Although, speaking of Icons of War: there was one part of that story I had not registered the first time around, but which might be of relevance to the Scorpions - and, for that matter, to the Homeworld Clans - as of the IlClan Era: [spoiler] Is the body now entombed at Unity City on Terra that of the "real" Great Father, or are his "true" remains the ones placed in the post-Reaving mausoleum which ilKhan Banacek had commissioned back on Strana Mechty?[/spoiler]

He was entombed on his flagship so it's almost certain that the body on terra is the real one, and the one on strana mechty is a fake because there is no WAY the home clans will want to admit they lost their founders body to the "tainted clans of the inner sphere"

[Nerroth]

It's made clear in Icons of War that [spoiler]the "real" body is indeed the one taken along with the McKenna"s Pride to the Inner Sphere[/spoiler].

But what I mean is that, from the Scorpions' perspective, [spoiler]they might not have realized that the "fake" one on Strana Mechty is in fact a fake, by the time they were Abjured from the Homeworlds. It's possible that Khan Suvorov was never "read in" by ilKhan Banacek as to the truth of the matter - or, even if she hadn't been, that she and the others in the Scorpion leadership at that time had yet to figure it out at some point thereafter.

In any case, there might be cause for the Scorpions to remain doubtful as to which body is the "real" one, once word reaches them from Terra. Yet since a return trip to Katyusha City is off the table, the only way to know for sure would be to find some means of sending a Seeker all the way to Unity City instead...[/spoiler]

[Fire Scorpion IIC]

I like your ideas, Fire Scorpion. And if we place it in Katyusha City, why not make Lestrade a member of the Ebon Keshik? That would make him represent one of the most respected law-keeping institutions (similar to the Yard), but also explain why he might have need of someone with a more off-the-books attitude.

Ebon Keshik is great idea

Also since it was Ebon Keshik who constantly prevented Seekers from claiming Nikki K's Atlas II throughout centuries it would be great opportunity for some snarky banter between the two (similar to Holmes making remarks about Lestrade's loose understanding of marriage vows in the novels)

[tassa_kay]

And if we place it in Katyusha City, why not make Lestrade a member of the Ebon Keshik?

Katyusha Keshik would be a lot more appropriate, IMO. Ebon Keshik only guards the Blood Chapels and the Grand Council chambers while the Katyusha Keshik has an actual law enforcement mandate beyond those two specific roles, giving them more opportunities to interact.

There is a look at the Ebon Keshik - and, to a lesser extent, at the Katyusha Keshik - in Icons of War.

I'd also highly recommend the MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans RPG sourcebook, as they are both prominently featured in the adventure set on Strana Mechty therein.

[Phantom000]

This raises a question about how the Clans handle Police operations. Warriors might protect against pirates and invaders but who's walking the streets to maintain order among the civilian castes? I can't imagine the Clans are so removed from the rest of humanity that they might give in to their baser impulses from time to time especially among the civilian castes, so who deals with that sorta thing?

My guess would be there is a branch of the military that specializes in criminal investigations, maybe warriors who are not suited to combat but are just too smart to discard.

But as for Sherlock Holmes in the Clans, does he have to be in the Pentagon Worlds? I'm thinking have him be either in the Rasalhague Dominion or the Snow Raven Alliance, a true born who is now working in this hybrid society of Clan and Spheroid. Watson would be a freeborn doctor who was recently discharged and Lestrade would be a clan warrior working with the police branch.

[trboturtle]

It's made clear in Icons of War that [spoiler]the "real" body is indeed the one taken along with the McKenna"s Pride to the Inner Sphere[/spoiler].

But what I mean is that, from the Scorpions' perspective, [spoiler]they might not have realized that the "fake" one on Strana Mechty is in fact a fake, by the time they were Abjured from the Homeworlds. It's possible that Khan Suvorov was never "read in" by ilKhan Banacek as to the truth of the matter - or, even if she hadn't been, that she and the others in the Scorpion leadership at that time had yet to figure it out at some point thereafter.

In any case, there might be cause for the Scorpions to remain doubtful as to which body is the "real" one, once word reaches them from Terra. Yet since a return trip to Katyusha City is off the table, the only way to know for sure would be to find some means of sending a Seeker all the way to Unity City instead...[/spoiler]

Since I wrote Icons of War.....

[spoiler]The body in the tomb is not the real General Kerensky, but one of his descendants, Stas, who led the diversion attack in the capital. The reason why the Wolves stole the entire warship was because the real General's body could not be able to be removed quickly. So, they stole the ship.
[/spoiler]

[spoiler]The number of people who know that the body in the tomb isn't real is less than ten -- Hannibal Banacek, the three senior members of the Ebon Keshik, Mechwarrior Kyne, a couple of scientists who examine the body, and a couple or three of the Dropship crew sent to look for the body.[/spoiler]

Craig