The pros and cons of electing someone who can't or won't have children. They aren't trying to build a dynasty, or protect their offspring and their rights. But we have to do this again in a few years or decades; though under more controlled circumstances hopefully. --- Two people who are natives of Harreton that you've already met could meet your criteria. - Skriix Tinkerfang would be a revolutionary pick, and would be possibly dangerously destabilizing, due to prejudice against kobold kind. He is fairly well known and well liked even outside his community, however, and firmly commands the entire underworld faction. - Lysandra Ember is a Watch officer of middling rank, has experience directing small and medium sized groups of military personnel. She is relatively well liked and respected, for a city watch officer, and known to be fair and a good people person. She is a third child of a noble family, and so might be an acceptable choice for the upper class as well, though she's had no political experience. Your research turns up five more interesting candidates, of varying degrees of likelihood: - **Elara Quickstep** is a halfling clockmaker, who sat on the Royal Council prior to Jude Farris, representing the Slevsky Barony. She has good relations with the guilds of the city, and is also favorably looked on by the underbelly elements of the city. She was known to be lax on petty crime, but she was very vocal about prosecution of capital criminals, and was very opinionated about trade deals. - **Gorn Flintbreaker** is a dwarf, a retired mercenary from a prestigious lineage, who served on the Iron Council in West Volchar a few years back. He has since come to live in Harreton, with his extended family who are running a protection service out of the city. He was known to be even handed and fair in his administrative dealings, and demands practical solutions. It is rumored that the reason he came to join his family in Harreton is that he was fed up with the political maneuvering of the elites in West Volchar. His gruff demeanor does not endear him to the upper classes. - **Seraphine Valois** is perhaps the most famous human performer in all of Celdun. She is from Galduun, and has spent the last few years traveling the baronies, performing on tour with her crew. She has served in elected positions short term twice; once as an interim mayor of a town in Harding Barony, and for a period of two years prior to the king's death, as the advisor to the king representing the entertainment guilds of Celdun. She also functioned at times as his court bard. She is extremely good with people but her political acumen, lineage, and knowledge of the law are unknown. - **Vrasha Leafshroud** is a half-elf who lives in East Volchar most of the time. She came to Harreton to petition the Royal Council and the King on sustainable growth and protection of the fragile Volcharan ecosystems, as the two baronies are slowly clear cut, mined, and industrialized. She was laughed off at first, but the reclusive Vrasha now speaks for a movement of thousands of Celdun citizens who wish to control the march of progress. She isn't so short-sighted as to discourage innovation, but she thinks it should have guardrails. - **Tarlan Brightforge** is a gnome, the fifth child of the Prime Director, originally from the Fraust Directorate all the way in the northeastern corner of Aithar. He has lived in Harreton for 39 years. He is a master planner and architect, and helped design many of the city's, and the country's, most elaborate structures. His designs are responsible for the sanitation and water purification services that use the Cistern, and he served a term on the Royal Council representing Harding Barony (not just before Numaire, but before the previous councilor).