Bloodhouse

A Bloodhouse - perhaps more formally called a Bloodname House - is the Clan term for the physical and political body representing warriors born to a given Bloodname lineage.

History and Description

Each of the original 800 warriors who followed Nicholas Kerensky on his Second Exodus and returned with him to the Pentagon Worlds in 2821 during Operation Klondike were immortalized as founders of their Bloodname House. These progenitors formed the foundation of the Clans' eugenics program, and all warriors born to a given Bloodname legacy since that time are considered to be part of their associated Bloodname House by virtue of relation to the progenitor. Eligibility is determined by matrilineal descent; beyond the first generations to be decanted, no warrior may ever claim more than one Bloodhouse.

The Bloodhouse acts as a loose governing body that often dictates the politics of its constituents, and can be a force to contend within any Clan's politics. The Bloodhouse is also an extended family and support organization for its warriors, a place where younger warriors may seek older warriors of their lineage for advice or support in the Clan. They may also provide for the recreation of their warriors. For example, they have been depicted as possessing organized sports teams for intra-Clan competition, as was the case with Clan Wolf.

A Bloodname House's leader wields considerable power within their Bloodhouse, and by extension, in their Clans in general. Bloodhouse Leaders schedule Trials of Bloodright, and can also help to arrange exchanges of genetic legacies with rival Bloodname Houses, in order to strengthen or revive certain genetic lines.

The specifics of leadership, law and tradition within a Bloodhouse seem to differ from Clan to Clan. Some, such as the Bloodhouses of Clan Coyote, are said to elect their Bloodhouse leaders by vote, while others - such as Clan Steel Viper - indicate more of a martial focus, with leadership often being decided by right of combat in a Circle of Equals. The Kindraa of Clan Fire Mandrill take this idea to its extreme; their Bloodhouse leaders tend to rival their Khans for political power.

Each Bloodhouse originally possessed a Blood Chapel on the traditional Clan capital world of Strana Mechty, though certain Bloodnames also were known to have Blood Chapels on their respective Clan's homeworlds. This was the case with the Osis and Howell Bloodhouses on Huntress, whose Blood Chapels were located near Clan Smoke Jaguar's own Genetic Repository at Mt. Szabo.

Whether the Bloodhouses of the Council of Six Clans continue to be structured in this manner, or not, remains to be seen as the Dark Age unfolds.

Despite not being full Clan, Wolf's Dragoons have their equivalent of Bloodhouses, focused in their Honornames, though they appear to be a loosely association.

Bibliography

• Blood Legacy (novel)
• The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky
• Era Report: 3052
• Era Report: 3062
• Field Manual: Warden Clans
• Freebirth (novel)
• Historical: Operation Klondike
• Wolf Pack (novel)