Arkham’s renewal continues apace, though not for everyone…
EDITORIAL
CITY SHAKE-UP: SHOCKS AND SURPRISES FOLLOW
One In, One Out
Charlie Kane’s defeat in the recent civic election continues to reverberate throughout Arkham. Supporters are still finding it hard to believe that Kane should ever lose his seat in the mayor’s office. For so long, he was considered a permanent fixture in the city’s political sphere.
How then, was such a titan toppled? Part of the answer could be the emerging rumors linking him to the underworld. Is it truth or political malevolence? Some say these rumors are nothing new and have been part of the mayor’s colorful background for the duration of his career. However, it must be painfully acknowledged that these links, if true, may have also contributed to his political longevity.
Clearly, such rumors can add to the roguish charm of any political figure, only to the degree that they remain dismissible. The gossip swirling about Kane during, and since, the election could no longer be ignored, even if malfeasance on his part remains impossible to prove in a court of law.
The court of public opinion does not require the same level of proof. Public gossip proved troublesome in the first phase of Kane’s campaign, unquestionably putting wind into the sails of mayoral candidate Jared Morse’s insurgent challenge. When, with victory within his grasp, Morse disappeared
under uncertain circumstances, the event did not clear the way for Kane. It only seemed to confirm the truth of the rumors.As damaging as these stories were for Kane, it is possible that he might yet have weathered them, were it not for the policy failures during and after Arkham’s terrible flood. The voter’s message is now clear: they no longer see Kane as the steady hand at the wheel of Arkham’s ship. He is yesterday’s man. The upheavals that have transformed the city require fresh faces and fresher ideas.
Fresh Leadership
Whether mayor-elect Leland Gettys will provide those fresh ideas and lead Arkham to renewed prosperity remains to be seen. He is, at least, a new face. Perhaps he will receive the support of Howard Wilkes, who had previously backed Jared Morse, and whose New Horizons Industry is an example of exactly the kind of thinking this city needs.
As for Charlie Kane, it is unlikely that he will disappear from Arkham’s civic life. His reputation may be in tatters, with many once-powerful friends abandoning him, but he still wields considerable influence. It is safe to say that Arkham has not heard the last of him.
Children of Blood is available August 14 from Fantasy Flight Games. Check back tomorrow for more news from the Arkham Advertiser…
