Ambassador from Necropolis
OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION
- Intent: To finally codify the President of Dahrtag/Necropolis for future RP.
- Image Credit: Alice Cooper
- Role: Conrad Kane is a politician, musician, and beloved "celebrity mascot" from the planet Dahrtag, aka Necropolis. He was elected President of the planet in a surprise victory for his political party, the Red and Blacks.
- Permissions: N/A
- Links:
- Age: Early 70s
- Force Sensitivity: Non-Force User
- Species: Necropolitan Human
- Appearance: An elderly man with long hair dyed black and blue eyes. He dresses like what he is: a necropunk rock star, wearing dark clothing made from spiky leather. He is often seen sporting a black top hat, similarly decorated with metal studs. His face is painted black around his eyes and mouth similar to a tragedy mask - a fashion choice which he popularized.
- Name: Conrad Kane
- Occupation:
- President of Dahrtag
- Mayor of Lamont (formerly)
- Necropunk Rock Star
- Loyalties: Dahrtag
- Wealth: Wealthy; he is a successful musician who went into politics, and thus has a considerable fortune at his disposal.
- Notable Possessions:
- Lamont townhouse
- A custom black airspeeder
- Black cane
- M.I. Model 5 Compact Blaster Carbine
- Skills: Singer-songwriter, charismatic, pragmatic, gift for gab.
- Languages: Basic, Huttese, binary droidspeak
- Personality: A charismatic man with an innate ability to command an audience, he seemed destined to become either an entertainer or a politician. He looked at these choices and asked, "Why not both?" Despite having what amounts to a fantastic double life, he is more practical and pragmatic than one might expect. Maintaining a positive working relationship with his peers in both the music industry and the political world, he seems to be liked by everyone, even those who find his long-winded stories and effortless charm annoying. One always feels that he respects them, even if he disagrees with you.
- Weapon of Choice: Blaster Carbine (see above)
- Combat Function: Though he is accompanied by the presidential secret service at all times, Conrad is no pushover, carrying a blaster with him in the unlikely event his considerable defenses should fail.
- Charismatic
- Pragmatic
- It's good to be the President
- Ordinary NFU
- History of drug abuse (rock star moment)
- Can be somewhat underhanded
"I want politics to be the last thing people think of when they hear my music," said Conrad Kane in an interview in 867. Kane, then a twenty-something aspiring musician and frontman of the necropunk band Elegant Disdain, was responding to a reporter asking about the contents of his song "Citizen X". The lyrics, which tell the story of a disenfranchised and disillusioned citizen of the GA, caused something of a stir at the time, though not enough to negatively impact the career of the promising young performer.
Fast forward to last week. Conrad Kane, newly elected President of Dahrtag, is posing for the front cover of Politico. Now pushing seventy, he has kept the long hair and necropunk fashion sense of his youth, draping a python around his shoulders as he stares into the camera with eyes lined in black theatrical makeup. When I asked the President about that half-century old quote, he laughed. "The music didn't change, did it?"
Born Conrad Kane II, the son of a lawyer of the same name, Conrad became interested in music during his early teens and was drawn to the counterculture which was sweeping through his homeworld. "It just came naturally, you know? I didn't really care about the politics of it, but I liked the music and the authenticity. Being true to myself just happened to be considered an act of rebellion by some people."
Kane and a few friends from school formed Elegant Disdain in 860, initially performing in garages and bars. They were signed on in 865, releasing their first album to minor success. But just four years later, the band had broken up for personal reasons. Kane became a solo act, a decision which propelled his career into the stratosphere. With eight highly successful albums released under his own name, the rock star is one of the most successful Dahrtagian musicians of the century. "At that point I had so much money, it was either go into business or politics. I didn't want to literally sell myself out, so I thought hey, why not run for office and see what comes of it?"
He made a bid for Mayor of Lamont the following year, losing to Sycorax Laveaux. Once she left office to become Senator, he ran again and won. His two terms as Mayor were fraught with controversy, with Kane drawing criticism from both sides of the political aisle. "I made decisions based on what I thought was best, rather than toeing any party line. They didn't like that, so they started throwing accusations that I was taking bribes or appointing my friends from the music industry into positions they weren't qualified for." Despite this, Kane ran for President on the independent ticket, choosing fellow musician Rik Spectre as his running mate. Against all odds, the rock star won the election. "I didn't expect to get this far, and quite frankly I have no idea what to do. Which I guess makes me perfect for the job."
I asked Conrad Kane if he had any plans to end his music career to focus on the political sphere. "No," he replied. "The music will stay apolitical. It'll be a nice escape from all this. I'll need it to stay sane."
Kane's victory comes during an election filled with sweeping changes in leadership, including the passing of the torch to a new Chancellor of the Alliance. Time will tell what these power shifts mean for the people of the galaxy. But for now, President Kane is optimistic. "I see myself as proof that the system is working the way it's supposed to. If anyone can become President, not just the career politicians, it proves democracy isn't dead. The people of Dahrtag, I think, are tired of feeling like a ball being kicked back and forth across a field from one political party to the next every few years, especially when it seems like both sides are corrupt down to the roots. Someone like me can at least pull up some of the weeds."