Difference between revisions of "Clans"

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==Politics==
 
==Politics==
The greatest philosophical divide to emerge during the Clans' history was that between the [[Wardens]] and [[Crusaders]], at its heart a debate over how the Clans should interact with the Inner Sphere.  The Wardens believed that it was their duty to serve as protectors of the Inner Sphere until the Star League could be reborn naturally, while the Crusaders believed they needed to conquer the Inner Sphere and reform the Star League with the Clans at its head.  Both sides used the writings and sayings of Nicholas Kerensky to justify their position, though it was not until the middle of the [[30th Century]] that the Crusader creed began to gain strength.  It was actually the demands of the civilian castes, whose hard existence on the Clan homeworlds made the Inner Sphere seem like a "lost paradise," which helped lead to its rise, until even staunchly Warden Clans began to succumb to the call of the Crusaders.<ref name=CBT192/><ref name=MWC76>''MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans'', p. 76</ref>
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The greatest philosophical divide to emerge during the Clans' history was that between the [[Warden]]s and [[Crusader]]s, at its heart a debate over how the Clans should interact with the Inner Sphere.  The Wardens believed that it was their duty to serve as protectors of the Inner Sphere until the Star League could be reborn naturally, while the Crusaders believed they needed to conquer the Inner Sphere and reform the Star League with the Clans at its head.  Both sides used the writings and sayings of Nicholas Kerensky to justify their position, though it was not until the middle of the [[30th Century]] that the Crusader creed began to gain strength.  It was actually the demands of the civilian castes, whose hard existence on the Clan homeworlds made the Inner Sphere seem like a "lost paradise," which helped lead to its rise, until even staunchly Warden Clans began to succumb to the call of the Crusaders.<ref name=CBT192/><ref name=MWC76>''MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans'', p. 76</ref>
  
 
The failure of the Clan invasion, along with the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Crusader's defeat in the [[Great Refusal]] on [[Strana Mechty]] did cause a serious setback to its adherents and saw a resurgence in Warden ideology.  In the wake of those events the Warden Clans dominated the [[Grand Council]] which, while seeing an end to large-scale operations, did not prevent the Clans from prosecuting "brushfire wars."<ref name=CBT192/><ref name=MWC76/>
 
The failure of the Clan invasion, along with the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Crusader's defeat in the [[Great Refusal]] on [[Strana Mechty]] did cause a serious setback to its adherents and saw a resurgence in Warden ideology.  In the wake of those events the Warden Clans dominated the [[Grand Council]] which, while seeing an end to large-scale operations, did not prevent the Clans from prosecuting "brushfire wars."<ref name=CBT192/><ref name=MWC76/>
  
Another political divide developed after the Clan invasion between the Invading Clans, those which took part in Operation Revival, and the Home Clans, those left behind in Clan space.  The Invading Clans were able to gain tremendous prestige as their warriors proved the strength of their bloodlines in combat and, more importantly, gained tremendous wealth as they conquered dozens of resource-rich systems.  While some of this prestige was lost in the wake of their failure, the power amassed by the Invading Clans nevertheless made the Home Clans extremely jealous, such that Clans of both Warden and Crusader ideologies worked together to stem the power of the Invaders, albeit for different reasons.  Likewise Invader Clans of different ideologies also banded together to ensure their dominance and exclude the Home Clans from the Inner Sphere, whether to insure their place in rebuilding the Star League by force or reign in the invasion's excesses.<ref name=CBT192/><ref name=MWC76/>
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Another political divide developed after the Clan invasion between the [[Invader Clans]], those which took part in Operation Revival, and the [[Home Clans]], those left behind in Clan space.  The Clans which took part in the invasion were able to gain tremendous prestige as their warriors proved the strength of their bloodlines in combat and, more importantly, gained tremendous wealth as they conquered dozens of resource-rich systems.  While some of this prestige was lost in the wake of their failure, the power amassed by them nevertheless made the Home Clans extremely jealous, such that Clans of both Warden and Crusader ideologies worked together to stem the power of the Invaders, albeit for different reasons.  Likewise Invader Clans of different ideologies also banded together to ensure their dominance and exclude the Home Clans from the Inner Sphere, whether to insure their place in rebuilding the Star League by force or reign in the invasion's excesses.<ref name=CBT192/><ref name=MWC76/>
  
 
That division would become permanent in the wake of the [[Wars of Reaving]] as the Home Clans and Invader Clans became separated permanently.
 
That division would become permanent in the wake of the [[Wars of Reaving]] as the Home Clans and Invader Clans became separated permanently.

Revision as of 14:57, 11 April 2013

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Clan Logo.jpg

The Clans of BattleTech were originally the self-exiled remnants of the Star League Defense Force army, after Stefan Amaris brought about the downfall of the Star League. General Aleksandr Kerensky led his forces beyond the Inner Sphere because he believed that a terrible war was brewing between the Great Houses; a war that even the once mighty Star League army was powerless to stop. The exiles evolved into a warrior-based civilization that would sweep through the Inner Sphere like a whirlwind 250 years later.

History

After months of deliberation, Aleksandr convened most of the Star League forces still loyal to him (over 80%) and departed the Inner Sphere. After years of traveling, the massive flotilla of Star League refugees came upon five marginally habitable worlds, the so-called Pentagon Worlds (due to their near-pentametric relation to each other). There Kerensky's followers tried to forge life as they knew it once again, and for a time it seemed the Star League would still exist, far away from Terra, although this was not to be. Within a year, cracks were beginning to form along faction lines and soon the Pentagon Worlds were at war: an eerie parallel to the carnage unfolding concurrently in the Inner Sphere, a conflict now known as the First Succession War. At this, Kerensky prepared to gather the precious few troops still loyal to him, when he suffered a massive heart attack and as his dying wish, Kerensky left the reigns of the Exile Star League in the hands of his son, Nicholas. Kerensky's son took 800 of his best warriors and 600 civilian families away to a planet known as Strana Mechty ("land of dreams" in Russian) where he forged a new order. This order was known as the Clans. Those who possessed exceptional military skill became the breeding stock of what would become a hereditary ruling class. They embodied the pinnacle of combat prowess, and were put through a variety of competitive and selective processes with each generation to produce virtual super-soldiers. They were charged to protect the weak and powerless, but primarily to take back the Pentagon Worlds and, some day, the Inner Sphere where they, the Clans, would reinstate the glorious Star League. The second exodus was finished on 11 June, 2802. On this day five years later Nicholas announced the foundation of the Clans.

In the beginning there were twenty clans, each with forty warriors. Over time, three clans were Absorbed (Clans Widowmaker, Mongoose, Burrock), two were Annihilated (Clans Wolverine and Smoke Jaguar), one was Abjured (Clan Nova Cat), another was split in two (Clan Wolf), and two eventually merged with Inner Sphere nations (Clans Ghost Bear and Snow Raven, respectively). When compared to their forebears, the Clans of today are almost wholly unrecognizable.

Although Clan history speaks of twenty Clans and the Eight Hundred Bloodnamed, Precentor Martial Anastasius Focht encountered information while on board the Wolf Clan flag vessel, Dire Wolf, which led him to suspect that the number was possibly as low as six hundred, or greater than eight hundred. It is possible that the practices of Reaving and the ilKhan's right to primogeniture were later attempts to retcon this information. It is also likely that the Annihilation of Clan Wolverine and Absorption of Clans Widowmaker and Mongoose altered the Bloodcount.

In reality, far more warriors came together with Nicholas Kerensky, but only 800 of them passed the preliminary version of the Trial of Position.

Culture & Society

Clan society has developed entirely separate from the Inner Sphere, and has a number of quirks.

Castes

"Five, Nicholas proclaimed, was the foundation
Upon which our true society was to be built.
Laborers to till the land, to do the tasks:
They shall have our undying gratitude,
For they are the muscle behind us all.
Merchants to buy and sell with fairness:
They shall have our commerce and respect,
For they are the bones upon which we are built.
Technicians to build and fix the machines:
They shall have our admiration,
For they are the fingers with which we grasp life.
Scientists to create and discover:
They shall have our awe and our attention,
For they are the mind of our society.
And above all, the Warriors who protect:
They shall have our cooperation and worship,
For they are the blood and soul of us all."
- The Remembrance

Clan society is based on a strict caste system, the foundation of which is that one's genetic make-up predisposes them to a particular role. The five castes are the Warriors, Scientists, Merchants, Technicians, and Laborers, with the Warriors being the most prestigious. Among other things, the Warriors act as the military, police force, and rulers of the entirety of Clan society. The only Clan where a different caste is held in esteem comparable or possibly even greater than the Warriors is Clan Diamond Shark (formerly Clan Sea Fox), where Warrior-Traders are fairly common and Merchants are now the de facto rulers.[1]

Castes are further broken down into sub-castes. So, within the warrior caste are the infantry sub-caste, MechWarrior sub-caste and fighter pilot sub-caste, among others. This is important for the warrior caste, since each sub-caste requires different attributes and hence different gene-pools.

Births between members of two different castes are frowned upon. Any children born are locked into that caste (i.e. the child of two technicians will become a technician) unless they do not qualify during training. Washing out of a caste will usually mean demotion to a lesser caste. This is usually the case with warriors, but can happen to others; for example a scientist caste child with learning difficulties. This demotion fulfills the Clan ideal of reusing or recycling all resources and avoiding waste. The demoted person is supposed to embrace their new caste, and usually do with few exceptions.

Warrior Caste

The warrior caste is the most powerful of the castes, however the pros of this power is countered by the harsh environment the warriors have compared to the other castes, one reason for the other casts not rebelling is because they see how tough the warriors life is. The vast majority of warriors proudly trace their lineage directly to the 800 Bloodnamed. Each looks like the product of the genetic breeding program. Clan MechWarriors are robust, with lightning-quick reflexes and quicker intelligence. Fighter pilots are thin, their heads disproportionately large and with far-seeing eyes. Elementals, the Clan infantry, are huge, unusually strong soldiers possessed of grace and speed far exceeding what is expected of people of such intimidating size.

The warrior caste's eugenics program is a completely alien means of reproduction. It seems cold and analytical, making no allowance for the passion and love we consider necessary to a full life. Warriors, however, gain great comfort and strength from their sense of belonging to the sibko, and from their unbroken lineage to Kerensky's 800. Each warrior's lineage is recorded in his codex, a copy of which is electronically stored in a band worn on his right forearm. A warrior's career, from his first sibko test to his dying oath, is recorded by the codex and analyzed by his Clan. If a warrior's deeds are judged worthy, his genetic material helps create the next generation. Failure means the termination of his or her line. It is little wonder that the drive to excel overshadows all other considerations.

Seldom do freebirths, those not born from the eugenics program, win a chance to join the warrior caste. Those who do are usually consigned to garrison and paramilitary police units, with little hope of advancing to a level where their genes would be incorporated into the warrior pool. This attitude does change from clan to clan, some being very oppressive and exclusive and some embracing freeborns more. The few freeborns that excel enough to be included into the eugenics program are necessary for introducing new material into the gene-pool.

The attrition rate for warrior training is extremely high throughout the entire training program, with slightly under a tenth graduating as a warrior. All drop-outs however are delegated to lesser castes. If they are clever enough they will become scientists, otherwise each sub-caste will have a lesser caste they are usually placed into. For instance, MechWarriors, pilots, and cavalry are often assigned to the Technician caste, because of their familiarity with the equipment; infantry are more often assigned to the Laborer caste.

Scientist Caste

The scientist caste has two responsibilities: continued technological development and genetic control of the population. The warriors' eugenics program naturally occupies a place of prime importance in their work. Assignment to the scientist caste is considered a high honor for civilians because it literally holds the future of the Clans in its hands. This caste is also responsible for educating and testing all freeborns.

The scientists caste is under control of the warrior caste, but it is usually allowed to operate without much interference or meddling, giving members of the scientist caste a freedom not seen in any other caste, including the warrior caste.

Merchant Caste

The merchant caste is powerful because it controls all commerce within the Clans. The merchants' economic power is held in check by the warrior caste's monopoly over JumpShip travel.

Though merchants own their own vessels, explicit laws require that all vessels carry warriors for protection and long journeys are allowed only with a naval escort. This arrangement effectively prevents merchants from gaining too much power.

The merchants still feel free, however, to indirectly criticize the warrior caste for the way the merchant caste's affairs are handled. Indeed, many suggest that the impetus for the invasion of the Inner Sphere originated in the merchant caste, which was eager to pursue new monetary endeavors. The merchants are the most rebellious of the lower castes, though some have suffered severe punishment for their protests. The Clan Widowmaker merchants, for example, precipitated an internal dispute with the warrior caste that ultimately led to the whole Clan's annihilation.

Technician Caste

The technician caste is less defined than the others. In general, a member of the technician caste is responsible for the upkeep, repair, and operation of complicated equipment, including everything from a cyclotron to an agribot to a BattleMech. In fact, a technician's status in Clan society is directly related to the caste he is supporting. Thus, technicians assigned as support for a BattleMech Star are much higher in status than technicians assigned to maintain agribots, even though the two groups possess the same skills.

Laborer Caste

The laborer caste is both the largest and lowest-level caste in the official Clan hierarchy. This caste farms the fields, operates the factories, and provides all basic services. In short, it is composed of the common citizens, except for bondsmen.

Dark/Bandit Caste

For more details on this topic, see Dark Caste.

This caste is not recognized by Clan society, yet it exists. Referred to as either the dark caste or bandit caste, it supports the failures of Clan society, the unwanted, and the rejects. The dark caste has no voice in Clan affairs because their group is not sanctioned.

Bloodnames

For more details on this topic, see Bloodname.

Bloodnames are one of the more unique institutions of the Clans. When the Clans were founded and their breeding program started, surnames were done away with (after the first generation of warriors), and an ordeal called a Trial of Bloodright was established to allow eligible warriors to win the surnames of the original warriors that founded the Clans.

The surnames were termed Bloodnames, and were traced matrilineally through mitochondrial DNA. Being a descendant of a person with a bloodline gives the person eligibility to enter in the Trial of Bloodright rather than the right to use the surname without winning a trial. Each Bloodname can be held by a maximum of 25 warriors at any one time. Some Bloodnames have fewer than 25 holders, due to a process called a reaving.

Each surname has an organization called a Bloodname House. This respresents each person who qualifies to hold the Bloodname or currently holds a Bloodname. They are responsible for electing or sponsoring a qualified applicant to earn an available Bloodname. Each Bloodname House has it's own traditions which they keep to themselves to maintain the integrity of the Bloodname founder and their successors.

Each Bloodname has it's own Bloodname Chapel which is located on Strana Mechty. The chapels surround the Hall of Khans in the capital city. The Chapels remember exploits of each of the Bloodname founders and their worthy successors.

The chapel is represented by a Bloodname House and holds the DNA of each member of the House, either living or dead. Without exception, there is nothing more holy or sacred to the Clans than these chapels.[2]

Although any form of surname outside the warrior caste is frowned upon, the scientist caste secretly assigns surnames (referred to as labnames) to people who make great scientific contributions. These surnames are named after great historical scientists (Newton, Watson, etc.) and have nothing to do with the person's genealogy.

Genetic Repositories

All Clan Warrior's DNA are stored in the Primary Genetic Repository on Strana Mechty. This warehouse of Bloodnames is maintained for all the clans to produce warriors for each of their respective clans. There are smaller repositories maintained by each Clan, which they produced their clan's bloodnames which are exclusive to them.

Within each depository there are devices known as Ironwombs. These are used artificially give birth to new infants from DNA of honored Bloodname warriors.

When warrior dies honorably and is posthumously considered worthy enough, their DNA sample is submitted into the Repository with great ceremony.

Trials

Nicholas was determined that civil war would not claim his new society. Instead of banning warfare, which he considered part of human nature, he decided to control conflicts through regulations and rituals. Thus, the Six Trials of Combat were established.

Most trials begin with a ritual challenge called a Batchall, where the challenger declares his/her name, the type of trial and other parameters depending on the type of trial. In most trials, the challenger and the challenged then perform bidding for the forces each will use in the battle. Each bid is less than the previous bid, causing both parties to keep undercutting each other until they reach the minimum amount of force. This is partly because to win with fewer forces is more glorious, but also minimizes the military waste created by the trial.

The trial is fought in a circle of equals. The circle is an area that the combat occurs in while peer warriors encircle the perimeter. During the trial no warrior can enter the circle of equals. The circle is usually a circle or sphere that has a radius of about five to ten meters for melee combat, two to five kilometers for ‘Mech combat and about a hundred kilometers for aerospace combat. The circle of equals ensures no non-combatants are caught in the conflict, and in larger battles, there is no collateral damage to surrounding building and equipment.

In individual trials, such as a personal conflict between two warriors, there is no batchall. The warrior who is being challenged will decide if the fight will be augmented, meaning that two MechWarriors will fight in their 'Mechs, or un-augmented, meaning a person to person fight using no weapons. The warrior who calls the challenge is allowed to choose the location of the fight. This may take place anywhere from a parade ground to a dropship. One example was when Phelan Ward, of Clan Wolf (a bondsman taken in battle, formerly known as Phelan Kell of the Kell Hounds) fought un-augmented against an elemental. He called for the challenge to take place in zero-g aboard a dropship in orbit.

Trial of Grievance

For more details on this topic, see Trial of Grievance.

When disputes arise between individual warriors that neither they nor their immediate superiors can resolve, both warriors must petition to have their differences heard by the Clan Council (or the Grand Council if the opponents are Bloodnamed or hold important rank). If the issue is not resolved by the council, the parties may then call for a Trial of Grievance. The rules governing the trial are many and strict.

Trial of Position

For more details on this topic, see Trial of Position.

Trials of Position are used to determine career advancement. There are three types of this trial: Training Trials, The Blooding, and Promotion Trials.

Trial of Bloodright

For more details on this topic, see Trial of Bloodright.

Trials of Bloodright determines the assignment of Bloodnames. Being a descendant of a Bloodnamed warrior gives a warrior the right to participate in the trial to earn the Bloodname (and due to the Clan eugenics program, there are a lot of potential warriors for a particular Bloodname at any given time).

By Clan law, at any one time there are up to 25 active warriors with the same Bloodname (there can be less due to Reavings). When one dies, a Trial of Bloodright is held to determine who should replace the Bloodnamed warrior.

Trial of Possession

For more details on this topic, see Trial of Possession.

Trials of Possession are between Clans over particular assets. This trial allows Clans to perform raids on each other while minimizing the military assets wasted in raids and eliminating collateral damage and danger to non-combatants.

Trial of Refusal

For more details on this topic, see Trial of Refusal.

The Clan Council makes many decisions and laws using an internal vote. After a vote, the council member can challenge the decision to a Trial of Refusal. A council member with a losing vote fights a member with a winning vote. The forces applied in the Trial depend on the importance of the decision.

Trial of Annihilation

For more details on this topic, see Trial of Annihilation.

A Trial of Annihilation is the most extreme punishment the Clans can declare. It goes beyond the question of right and wrong. A Trial of Annihilation virtually guarantees that the warrior will die and that his genes will be eliminated from the Clans' gene pool. This trial can only be invoked by a unanimous vote of the appropriate council, and only for the most heinous crimes against Clan society.

Social Conduct

The worlds of the Kerensky-cluster and the Pentagon-worlds are barely habitable and lack easily reachable natural resources. Accordingly, the Clans inhabited a lifestyle in which nothing is wasted. Recycling of garbage is standard and describing another Clan as wasteful is a deep insult. Clan Snow Raven's totem is even famous for not wasting anything. For example, it is known that if a member of Clan Jade Falcon dies, the still functioning inner organs are harvested for transplantation. [3]

The Clans as a whole adhere to a fairly strict honor system, encapsulated in a set of rules known as Zellbrigen. While some Clans are far more strict and conservative than others, all Clans follow this concept of honor to some extent. Among other things, this code exhorts personal ability and efficiency above all. It formalizes most combats and many decision-making processes into a set of Trials, such as Trials of Position to earn rank, Trials of Possession to claim a resource held by another, and Trials of Refusal to legally refute the order of a superior officer or ruling body. It also encourages proxy battles and token fights in the form of a bidding process to minimize the forces involved in combat, and duels to minimize actual fighting while, again, emphasizing individual combat prowess. The Clan honor rules also discourage any type of involvement of non-combatants in combat, and strongly discourage wasting resources (such as urban areas, factories, and starports) in combat.[4]

An "honorable" mindset also permeates the lower castes, and has fostered a strong sense of honesty among most Clan members. If a Clansman says he will do something they will do it, as not keeping one's word not only slights their personal honor but that of their Clan's. This also means theft is less prevalent among the Clans than it is in the Inner Sphere (though a brutal law enforcement system plays some role in this regard) and if a person wants an item they will go through the proper channels or instigate a Trial of Possession. Though this trusting nature can occasionally leave a Clansman open to deception, it does not make them gullible. Certain Clans, particularly the Cloud Cobras and Snow Ravens, are positively Machiavellian and will do their utmost to keep to the letter of an agreement if not its spirit.[5]

The use of in-vitro fertilization has also gone some ways towards the casualness of love and relationships within Clan society, especially with the act of sex having been divorced from reproduction. Whereas in the Inner Sphere such acts are considered a sign of intimacy in a relationship, among Clan warriors it is merely a normal part of friendship. The idea of sexual fidelity is completely lost on them as coupling with friends, usually members of the same sibko, is completely natural. They also see the act of courtship as completely unnecessary and, if they bother to perform any type of seduction, are as likely to walk up to a complete stranger and ask if they are interested in coupling.[5]

Law and Order

The Clan system of justice heavily favors the warrior caste, not least because they largely staff it. The military police are a little-known warrior sub-caste, almost exclusively composed of test-downs and freebirths, and are poorly regarded by mainstream warriors. Rather than solve crimes Clan police's primary duty is to discouraging crimes through brutal, authoritative measures; beatings also help serve to vent their anger. Those not patrolling the cities or performing compound security will be formed into small detachments charged with investigating crimes, but such duty is not highly regarded and Clan investigative standards fall below those in the Inner Sphere.[6]

Once a trial is underway an inquisitor will be assigned to investigate the circumstances of each case. A cross between a detective and a prosecutor, inquisitors are warriors who have received special training in the law and investigative techniques; most are active duty warriors, though some may come from the non-combatant Supply and Support command. In matters involving a warrior the inquisitor supports the prosecution while an advocate, also a law-trained warrior, supports the defense. In purely civilian trails the inquisitor plays "devil's advocate" and works to uncover the truth.[6]

The composition of the jury depends greatly on the magnitude of the crime. Petty crimes might involve the accused's immediate peers, while more serious crimes require high-ranking officials of the same caste, whether from their city or military unit. In more serious matters the caste's ruling council may serve as jury, while the Clan Council automatically handles the most heinous crimes and serves as the court of highest appeal for all warriors of that Clan.[7]

The jury is directly involved in the trial's proceedings and may ask questions via the inquisitor. While this can be helpful in getting to the bottom of the matter it also allows them to hinder the process; in trials involving members of the warrior caste a Loremaster will sit in as judge to ensure fair play, though the civilian courts will rarely receive such supervision.[6] Once the jury has reached a verdict only warriors may appeal by fighting a Trial of Refusal while civilians must accept their punishment. The severity of punishment depends heavily on the nature of the crime committed: minor offenses will involve some form of community service or perhaps public humiliation while a reduction in grade or short-term imprisonment are reserved for more serious offenses. Crimes which might result in long-term imprisonment in the Inner Sphere are normally handled through physical punishment such as flogging, the individual's Abjuration or execution. Only in rare cases will they be sentenced to serve time aboard the Prinz Eugen, the Alcatraz of the Clans, reserved predominately for civilian caste members too influential to execute or exile.[7]

Arts & Entertainment

The Clans maintain a number of well-developed artistic traditions, and the visual arts are widely practiced by members of every caste. Some crafts are more closely tied to certain castes, such as pottery being common among the artisans of the merchant class, and much of it celebrates the Clans' past achievements and mythological founders. Print and broadcast media is tightly controlled and tends towards indoctrination but varies between Clans. The Smoke Jaguars had virtually no media industry while the Diamond Sharks pioneered the Chatterweb and maintain a media empire the rival of any in the Inner Sphere.[8]

A wide variety of sports are practiced by Clan warriors, providing an outlet for their competitive spirit and promoting physical health, teamwork and mental dexterity. One of the two most popular team sports is lacrosse, played by warriors from Clans Wolf, Coyote and Fire Mandrill. While similar in many respects to the original sport in Clan Lacrosse each team starts with one hundred points while each goal awards fifty. However any player carrying the ball may be hit with the butte end of the crosse, with their light armor incorporating sensors to register these hits, and any successful attempts within the designated target area subtracts one point from the team's total. The game ends when one team is reduced to negative points or after one hour of play, in which the team with the highest score wins. Few Elementals play lacrosse, which is favored more by aerospace pilots (whose small size endears them to offensive positions) and MechWarrior pilots.[9]

The other most popular team game is football, which in fact refers to three distinct variations. Rugby is principally played by Clans Steel Viper, Ice Hellion and Star Adder, and revolves around moving an ovid ball across the pitch to score one of three ways. While traditional methods of grounding it or kicking it through the goal posts still exist, a third way involves tackling the ball carrier and forcing them to drop the ball, which earns one point. Soccer is similar to rugby, with the two opposing teams attempting move a spherical ball down the pitch and score a goal, though except for the goalie players cannot use their hands. Like lacrosse most soccer players are aerospace pilots and MechWarriors and requires them to develop strategies on the fly. The third variant, "American" football, is played most frequently by Clans Ghost Bear, Hell's Horses and Smoke Jaguar. Focusing on the execution of preplanned plays and teamwork, it is played almost exclusively by Elementals.[10]

Language

The Clans' language is rooted in Star League Standard English, the language of government and commerce during the now-defunct Star League. This language is held sacred, as are many things dating back to the Star League, with a tendency towards formality. Such is the reverence held for their language that Clan members view contractions as sloppy, ill-mannered and positively un-Clanlike. However it has developed over the centuries to include many other words and phrases influenced by other languages, particularly Russian as spoken by Kerensky himself.

Words and phrases from their dialect include:

"Abtakha"
A warrior captured but then accepted into his new Clan as a warrior.
"Aff"
"Affirmative"
"Batchall"
Batchall is a shortened form of "Battle Challenge". The Batchall is the ritual by which Clan warriors issue combat challenges. Though the type of challenge varies, most begin with the challenger identifying himself, stating the prize of the contest, and requesting that the defender identify the forces at his disposal. The defender also has the right to name the location of the Trial. The two sides then bid for what forces will participate in the contest. The sub-commander who bids to fight with the least number of forces wins the right and responsibility to make the attack. The defender may increase the stakes by demanding a prize of equal or lesser value if he wins. All batchalls and bids are closed and final when the phrase "bargained well and done" is spoken by both members of the bid.
"Bloodheritage"
The history of the Bloodnamed warriors of a particular Bloodright is called the Bloodheritage.
"Bloodcount"
The Bloodcount is the number of active Bloodrights associated with a particular Bloodname, and thus is the number of individuals that may hold that name at any given time. Traditionally, this number is twenty-five, but it may be less in the case of inferior Bloodnames or Bloodheritages found useless or unworthy. In some cases, the Bloodcount has been known to drop as low as five. The process for reducing a Bloodcount is known as ‘Reaving’, and the process for increasing it is called ‘Propagation’, both of which demand an associated trial. A Bloodcount may also be reduced by Abjuration, or by decree of the ilKhan.
"Bloodname"
Bloodname refers to the surname of each of the 800 warriors who stood with Nicholas Kerensky during the Exodus Civil War. The right to use one of these surnames has been the ambition of every Clan warrior since the system was established. Only a maximum of 25 warriors, depending on its Bloodcount, are allowed to use any Bloodname at one time. When one of the Bloodnamed warriors dies, a special Trial, called a Trial of Bloodright, is held to determine who will assume that Bloodname. A contender must prove his Bloodname lineage, then win a series of duels against other competitors. Only Bloodnamed warriors may sit on the Clan Councils or are eligible to become a Khan or ilKhan. Bloodnames are determined matrilineally, at least after the original generation. Because a warrior can only inherit from his or her female parent, he or she only has a claim to one Bloodname.
"Bloodright"
A specific Bloodname lineage is called a Bloodright. Up to twenty-five Bloodrights are attached to each Bloodname. A Bloodright is not a lineage as we define the term because the warriors who successfully hold the Bloodright need be related only through their original ancestor. As with Bloodnames, certain Bloodrights are considered more prestigious than others, depending largely on the Bloodright’s history.
"Bondcord"
A woven cord worn on the wrist to indicate the wearer's status as a bondsman. The color and highlighting indicate the Clan to which the wearer is bound and the capturing unit.
"Bondholder"
The person that takes a Bondsman and is the primary determiner of when a Bondsman has fulfilled his Bond obligation.
"Bondsman"
A prisoner taken during combat, of any caste or rank. Considered a member of the Laborer caste until freed or promoted back to active service. Custom indicates that any prisoner remain a bondsman for at least a token amount of time, even high-ranking and Bloodnamed warriors. Some Clans do not free bondsmen to certain castes, especially the Warrior caste.
"Bondsref"
Ritual suicide to prevent becoming a Bondsman. The person performing Bondsref must have the permission of their Bondholder and perform said act before taking a Bondcord, otherwise the performer is considered Dezgra and their genes won't be used in the Clan breeding program.
"Chalcas"
Someone or something that is either outside acceptable Clan culture or that challenges it.
"Circle of Equals"
The area in which a trial takes place. The area can be anywhere from a few meters across for personal combat, or thousands of kilometers across, or even span several worlds for large scale trials. A contestant that voluntarily leaves or is forced to leave the area is considered dishonorable or weak, and is disqualified. The area can be of any shape, though it is traditionally a circle.
"Codex"
The Codex is each warrior's personal record. It includes the names of the original Bloodnamed warriors from which a warrior is descended. It also records background information such as a warrior's generation number, Blood House, and Codex ID, an alphanumeric code noting the unique aspects of that person's DNA. The Codex also contains a record of the warrior's military career.
"Contract"
A Contract is an agreement between the commanders of two units that allows the commander of one to include the units of the other in his bidding for rights to a battle or trial. During the invasion of the Inner Sphere, Cluster commanders within Galaxies frequently made contracts to allow greater, and often more extravagant, bidding, while still maintaining a good mix of BattleMech, Elemental, and fighter combat units.
"Cutdown"
The lowest acceptable level of force that can be bid to take a military objective. To force a rivial to bid below Cutdown is considered to be either a mark of craftiness or just plain underhanded, depending who is asked. To win a battle with a force that is below the accepted Cutdown is considered to be a mark of superior skill.
"Dezgra"
Adjective referring to the disgraced state of the subject, such as a unit that disgraced itself in battle, or a person or unit without honor. Units or persons marked as dezgra are not considered worthy of zellbrigen, so normal clan rules of combat can be suspended when facing such opponents. Also the noun referring to a ritual by which a unit is marked as Dezgra and punished.
"EcKhan"
The leader of a Cloister.
"Founder, The"
The name the Clans use when referring to Nicholas Kerensky.
"Freebirth"
Pejorative version of "Freeborn". Considered an insult and curse.
"Freeborn"
A person born naturally, a person not born into the Clan genetics program.
"Hegira"
Victorious Clan warriors sometimes extend the courtesy of Hegira to defeated opponents. Hegira allows the opponent to withdraw honorably from the field without further combat or cost.
"Giftake"
A DNA sample taken posthumously from a warrior who died honorably in battle. Considered by custom superior to previous samples taken, and more likely to produce superior warriors.
"Great Father, The"
The name the Clans use for Alexander Kerensky.
"Isorla"
The spoils of battle taken by warriors. Includes Bondsmen as well as any military supplies, lands, or equipment taken.
"Keshik"
The unit which provides a Khan's bodyguard.
"Kindraa"
Specific to Clan Fire Mandrill. Denotes a specific set of Bloodnames that have banded together for mutual protection. There are a number of these, each of which is in competition for resources, power, influence, and prestige with the others. This competition, in effect, creates a model of the Clans in miniature.
"Neg"
"Negative"
"Martial Code, The"
The Martial Code is a set of rules governing Clan actions during a time of war. It is designed to minimize the political maneuvering that normally prevails duing Grand Council meeting, and forces the participants to concentrate on the matter at hand. When in effect, this also gives the ilKhan a wide range of powers, such as the right to dismiss any charges brought before the Grand Council he or she deems frivolous.
"OvKhan"
A term of respect for a person of higher rank. It also name for a commanding officer rank in Clan Sea Fox in the 32nd Century whom is in charge of Aimag size fleet.
"Powless"
A shortened term for powerless, denoting the vulnerability that a warrior feels when forced to fight without his accustomed weapons. For example a heavy 'Mech pilot using a light 'Mech or an aerospace pilot fighting an elemental in melee combat. In other words, the feeling of taking a test you haven't studied for.
"Quiaff"
Shortened form of "Query Affirmative." Used to query the subject's agreement, but specifically with an expected affirmative answer ("Aff"). Often used rhetorically.
"Quineg"
Shortened form of "Query Negative." Used to query the subject's agreement, but specifically with an expected negative answer ("Neg"). Often used rhetorically.
"Ristar"
Shortened form of "Rising Star." This term refers to a particularly gifted warrior on his or her way to high position.
"Rede"
A promise or oath that reflects on the swearer's honor is considered a Rede. Breaking a rede is considered extremely serious, and is sometimes punishable by death.
"Remembrance, The"
The Remembrance is an ongoing heroic saga detailing Clan history from the time of the Exodus from the Inner Sphere to the present day. The Remembrance is continually expanded to include contemporary events. Each Clan has a slightly different version reflecting their own opinions and experiences. All Clan warriors can quote whole verses of this marvelous epic from memory, and it is common to see passages from the book lovingly painted on a warrior's vehicle or armor.
"Satarra"
A Clan council may cast a veto, or satarra, to settle or postpone disputes between castes within their jurisdiction. Satarra is invoked only when negotiations seem at an impasse and/or threaten to disrupt the work order of the Clan. It seems to be more a ritual than an act of legislation.
"Savashri"
A Clan epithet.
"Seyla"
A word uttered only in the most sacred and respective of manners. The origin is Hebrew, but it works like "Amen". It is found in Psalms as Selah. It is a way of saying 'so shall it be'.
"Sibko"
A group or "batch" of Trueborn people born from the same genetic makeup; also the smallest element used for early training above a single person. Usually separated only by death until testing decides final placement in Clan society. Bastardized form of "SIBling COmpany".
"Solahma"
An old Clan-warrior (~30 years and older) that has not gained the rank or reputation to stay in a frontline unit. They are dispatched from their old units and concentrated in Solahma-units, where they get combat tasks deemed unworthy for frontline warriors (cannonfodder, hunting bandits...) Mechs are rare in Solahma-units and most end up as infantry, hoping they will find a way to die in honor.
"Stravag"
A Clan epithet.
"Surat"
An epithet referring to a cute, monkey-like mammal native to the Clan Homeworlds that the lower Castes keep as pets.
"Surkai"
Surkai is the Right of Forgiveness. The Clans honor uniformity in thought and belief above all else in their society. When warriors disagree, when a Clan disagrees with the Grand Council, or when a member of one caste offends a member of another caste, surkai is expected. It is a matter of pride that the offending party freely admit his wrongdoing and request punishment. Those who show great surkai are held up as examples to others for their willingness to accept the consequences of their independent thoughts. Those who do not show surkai when it is expected of them are viewed with suspicion.
"Surkairede"
The Rede of Forgiveness, or surkairede is the honour-bound agreement between the majority and any dissenters. According to the surkairede, once a dissenter accepts punishment for having disagreed with the majority, he should be allowed to resume his role in society without suffering any further disgrace for having spoken out.
"Touman"
The term used for the fighting arm of a Clan.
"Trashborn"
Used by freeborns to insult a trueborn in the same way they use the name freebirth.
"Trothkin"
A member of the same sibko or a respectful name.
"Trueborn"
A lab-raised result of the Clan selective breeding program, coming from gene pools modified to accentuate positive attributes and eliminate negative ones.
"Zellbrigen"
The body of rules defining dueling behavior and honor in combat.

Government

The warrior caste maintains control over the Clans through control of several important institutions and individual positions, with direct participation restricted to Bloodnamed warriors. Each Clan is governed by a Clan Council, a collection of all of that Clan's Bloodnamed warriors, and have nearly absolute authority over all internal matters. Each Clan Council will also elect two of its members to serve as Khan and saKhan, the rulers of the Clan and nominally its best warriors. Traditionally the Khan serves as head of the Clan while the saKhan acts as the Clan's warlord, although these functions vary between Clans.[11] The Council also elects a Loremaster to function as their Clan's arbiter and keeper of knowledge. By tradition Loremasters do not vote on the Council unless it is to cast a deciding vote.[12]

The Khan and saKhan also serve as their Clan's representative on the Grand Council, the governing body of all of the Clans. While in most cases unable to interfere in the internal matters of a Clan the Grand Council is charged with overseeing issues which affect all of them, particularly as it also serves as the highest court in Clan space, and its proceedings are managed by the Loremaster of the Clans. In times of war and emergency the Grand Council also elects an ilKhan to serve as the Grand Council's head and the supreme commander of all Clan military forces. The ilKhan's powers are varied and many, though not absolute, and their position is a temporary one.[5][13]

Technology

On the face of it the Clans are leaps and bounds more technological advanced than the Inner Sphere, helped in no small part by the fact that their knowledge and industrial base was not ravaged by the Succession Wars as was the Inner Sphere. The truth however is that much of this advancement was focused entirely in areas either directly or indirectly combat-related, such as weapons, computing, and material chemistry. Civilian technology advancements which aren't simply spin-offs from military developments are far fewer, while a fixation on the Star League also played its part in technological stagnation, with many civilian items little more than exact duplicates of what was available during that era. The result is that the general technology level in the Clan homeworlds differs very little from that of the Inner Sphere and in some areas even lags behind.[14][15]

A few exceptions do exist, the first of which would be their military systems, however even here most of their advancements have been evolutionary rather than revolutionary. A Clan 'Mech might have lighter, more compact and more efficient components but it is still recognizable as a 'Mech. The concept of OmniMechs was based on technology first introduced in the Mercury, while the Clans' trademarked advanced weapons and electronics weren't available until just before the 31st Century. Even ProtoMechs were largely based on 'Mech technology which was simply scaled-down in size. The only truly revolutionary concept pioneered by the Clans was Battle Armor which combined previously available elements such as Exoskeletons into an entirely new form with no direct Star League lineage.[15]

In the fields of molecular and chemical engineering were also able to make a number of developments to produce material stronger and lighter than normal for use in both military and civilian application. In addition to retaining the ability to produce Endo-Steel, Ferro-Aluminum and Ferro-Fibrous they also developed memory metals, compounds which "remember" their shape and return to it when subjected to an electrical current. An example of these types of compounds is known as Clan copper, which is used to construct helmets and body armor. The use of memory metals and similar compounds, along with sophisticated computer systems, allowed for the creation of adaptive architecture or "smart buildings." Able to adjust their shape and rigidity based on environmental conditions, such as tectonic activity, these buildings could not only be built in previously inhospitable regions but also larger and taller than normal; Clan Steel Viper's Mercer Building on New Kent is over one kilometer tall with 211 stories.[16]

The one area where Clan technology really took off however was in the medical field, a result of heavy investment due to the Clan homeworlds' harsh nature and the need for a large military. Advanced life support and regenerative techniques means the Clans can sustain an injured warrior indefinitely and regrown nearly any body part. Genetic modification techniques are similarly advanced which, along with the use of Iron Wombs, play a large role in the Clan eugenics program. Ironically the concept of artificial wombs is based on technology over a thousand years old; ethical concerns were what restricted them to a largely life-saving role for premature babies, concerns which Kerensky and his scientists abandoned.[14][16] Genetic technology was also responsible for the creation of some of the Clans' totem animals, such as the Smoke Jaguar.[17]

Politics

The greatest philosophical divide to emerge during the Clans' history was that between the Wardens and Crusaders, at its heart a debate over how the Clans should interact with the Inner Sphere. The Wardens believed that it was their duty to serve as protectors of the Inner Sphere until the Star League could be reborn naturally, while the Crusaders believed they needed to conquer the Inner Sphere and reform the Star League with the Clans at its head. Both sides used the writings and sayings of Nicholas Kerensky to justify their position, though it was not until the middle of the 30th Century that the Crusader creed began to gain strength. It was actually the demands of the civilian castes, whose hard existence on the Clan homeworlds made the Inner Sphere seem like a "lost paradise," which helped lead to its rise, until even staunchly Warden Clans began to succumb to the call of the Crusaders.[14][18]

The failure of the Clan invasion, along with the destruction of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Crusader's defeat in the Great Refusal on Strana Mechty did cause a serious setback to its adherents and saw a resurgence in Warden ideology. In the wake of those events the Warden Clans dominated the Grand Council which, while seeing an end to large-scale operations, did not prevent the Clans from prosecuting "brushfire wars."[14][18]

Another political divide developed after the Clan invasion between the Invader Clans, those which took part in Operation Revival, and the Home Clans, those left behind in Clan space. The Clans which took part in the invasion were able to gain tremendous prestige as their warriors proved the strength of their bloodlines in combat and, more importantly, gained tremendous wealth as they conquered dozens of resource-rich systems. While some of this prestige was lost in the wake of their failure, the power amassed by them nevertheless made the Home Clans extremely jealous, such that Clans of both Warden and Crusader ideologies worked together to stem the power of the Invaders, albeit for different reasons. Likewise Invader Clans of different ideologies also banded together to ensure their dominance and exclude the Home Clans from the Inner Sphere, whether to insure their place in rebuilding the Star League by force or reign in the invasion's excesses.[14][18]

That division would become permanent in the wake of the Wars of Reaving as the Home Clans and Invader Clans became separated permanently.

Military

For more details on this topic, see Clan Military Structure.

The pinnacle of Clan society, and indeed the entire reason for its existence, Clan military forces diverge sharply from their Inner Sphere counterparts thanks to a variety of factors. While the warrior caste functions as the fighting arm of Clan military forces, the other civilian castes take up a supporting role. The technician caste in particularly features heavily in military forces, handling duties such as maintenance and communication, and make up the bulk of the crews on DropShips and WarShips. The merchant caste is also responsible for handling all matters of military logistics.[19]

Ranks and Units

Ranks and the units they can command
Rank[20] Unit Consists of[21]
Warrior N/A N/A
Squad Commander Squad 5 Solahma Troopers
Point Commander Point 1 'Mech, 2 Aerospace fighters, 5 elementals, 5 Squads.
Star Commander Star 5 Points
Nova[22] 1 'Mech Star and 1 Elemental Star (10 Points)
Star Captain[23] Binary 2 Stars (10 Points)
Trinary 3 Stars (15 Points)
Super Nova 2 'Mech Stars and 2 Elemental Stars (20 Points)
Super Nova Trinary 3 'Mech Stars and 3 Elemental Stars (30 Points)
Star Colonel Cluster 2-5 Binaries, Trinaries, Super Novas and/or Super Nova Trinaries (20 to 150 Points)
Galaxy Commander Galaxy 2-5 Clusters (40 to 750 Points)
Clan Navy Ranks
Rank Role
Point Commander Commands a section or a work crew on a vessel.
Star Commander An executive officer or a department head on a vessel.
Star Captain Commands a DropShip or a JumpShip.
Star Commodore Equivalent to a Star Colonel, commands a squadron of DropShips or JumpShips, or a single warship.
Star Admiral Equivalent to a Galaxy Commander, commands either a major warship, or a star of warships.

Economy

The Clans utilize a strong centralized economic system dedicated to supporting their military forces, with a heavy focus on efficiency and recycling even in daily life. The merchant caste oversees all aspect of economic activity, from the running of major industries like manufacturing, farming and mining to the monolithic trading houses which control the distribution of goods within each Clan and the transactions of goods between them. Elements of high finance such as futures speculation do exist but again these are dedicated to providing the essential needs of the Clan; the concept of acquiring wealth simply for the sake of it is an alien concept to Clansmen.[14][15]

Clan society is largely moneyless, with the average Clansman being "paid" in electronic work credits. These credits can be used to purchase standard items from official stores, bars and other establishments, with a record of these transactions kept and examined to determine an individual's socioeconomic profile. However all goods are officially the property of each Clan which, along with any unused work credits, can be redistributed at will by the leadership. These measures also help serve as a means of exerting control over the general population.[14][15]

For transactions between different Clans the merchant caste makes use of a form of currency known as the Kerensky (KE). This "macro-currency" allows financial institutions to operate and for the smooth transfer of goods without having to barter materials. Largely electronic, physical forms of Kerenskies do exist for limited use: small coins two centimeters across represent denominations of 1, 5, 10 and 20 KE, while larger two-by-four centimeter rectangular blocks represent larger values of 100, 1,000, 100,000 and 1,000,000. Both coins and blocks are minted in gold and contain ID chips and chemical compounds to prevent forgery.[14][15]

Despite restrictions a substantial black market exists within Clan society. Largely centered in Katyusha City on Strana Mechty, it largely revolves around the buying and selling of nonstandard goods and uses Kerenskies to facilitate transactions. For this reason any nonmerchants found to be in possession of hard currency are considered racketeers and punished with a two-step reduction in grade and public flogging.[14][15]

Contact between the Clans and the Inner Sphere has resulted in little change to the Clan economic system as the Sphereiod's capitalistic ideas find little purchase in this cashless society. Financial transactions between the two are difficult as the exchange ratio of the KE and C-Bill is hard to peg down due to differing levels of the availability of goods. At best guess one KE is roughly equivalent to five C-Bills, and in large part merchants barter for any goods needed. A trickle of luxury items from the Inner Sphere have begun to appear within Clan space, but for the average Clansman such frivolities are little used and not valued. Still, some observers believe that consumerism will soon spread into Clan society and bring about its downfall from within.[14][15]

List of Clans

Clan Blood Spirit

For more details on this topic, see Clan Blood Spirit.

One of the smallest of the Clans; isolationist but with some elite warriors.

Clan Burrock

For more details on this topic, see Clan Burrock.

Principal enemies of Clan Blood Spirit. The Burrocks were absorbed by Clan Star Adder in 3059, when it became known that the Khans of the Burrocks had been secretly dealing with members of the Bandit (Dark) Caste for nearly a century. The Burrock Absorption was interrupted by an unexpected invasion by the enraged Blood Spirits, resulting in severe casualties to all three Clans involved.

Clan Cloud Cobra

For more details on this topic, see Clan Cloud Cobra.

Founded by Windham Khatib, the so-called "Pope-in-Exile", the Cloud Cobras are the center of religious activity in the Clans. Khatib formed the beginnings of the Clan religious movement known simply as 'the Way', which focuses on finding common ground between all religions.

Clan Coyote

For more details on this topic, see Clan Coyote.

A tradition-minded Warden Clan bearing cultural stylings of the ancient Terran Native Americans, the Coyotes were once among the most powerful and largest of Clans, having exclusive control of five worlds and partial control of many others in the Kerensky Cluster. Inventors of the OmniMech (among other things), Coyote scientists are renowned for their brilliance. Today they are a shadow of the once resplendent Clan.

Clan Diamond Shark

For more details on this topic, see Clan Diamond Shark.

Clan Diamond Shark is the only clan to ever change its Kerensky-given name. Originally called Sea Fox after a marine mammal, which was wiped nearly to extinction by a vicious predator purposely introduced to the ecosystem by Clan Snow Raven to disgrace them. This prompted the Clan to alter their name to that of the predator, the Diamond Shark. They were a reserve Clan during the invasion and only captured one Inner Sphere world, Nyserta, before being defeated on Tukayyid. Nyserta was then lost to the Ghost Bears, leading to a renewal of Warden sentiments in the Clan leadership. This Clan is mercantile in its dealings, an intermediary between many Clans and advancer of scientific and mercantile breakthroughs. A predominantly Warden Clan, the Diamond Sharks are known for their liberal attitudes, toleration of freeborns, caste intermingling, and free-thinking ways that are unparalleled in the Clans. Clan Diamond Shark changed its name back to Sea Fox in 3100.

Clan Fire Mandrill

For more details on this topic, see Clan Fire Mandrill.

A fractured Crusader Clan. The Fire Mandrills are divided into a number of Kindraa (Kindred Associations) based upon Bloodnames. Unlike the Cloud Cobras, this factionalism has cost the Fire Mandrills much and are they often hard-pressed to deal with outsiders due to their internal strife. The Kindraas are: Kindraa Sainze, Kindraa Faraday-Tanaga, Kindraa Payne, Kindraa Mattila-Carrol, Kindraa Beyl-Grant, Kindraa Kline, and Kindraa Mick-Kreese (Goulet).

Clan Ghost Bear

For more details on this topic, see Clan Ghost Bear.

Powerful Clansmen, the Ghost Bears are known for their conservative nature and their strong sense of family. They joined the original Clan invasion in 3050 and seized some forty worlds from the Free Rasalhague Republic and Draconis Combine. They won a minor victory against the ComGuards at the Battle of Tukayyid and have been biding their time since. During the Great Refusal on Strana Mechty, the Ghost Bears abandoned their Crusader beliefs and embraced the Warden faction, leading them out of the Trial of Refusal being waged by the Inner Sphere. They subsequently relocated to the Inner Sphere, abandoning all their Clan holdings save for their enclave on Arcadia and their posting on Strana Mechty. They are a now a permanent feature of the Inner Sphere and have remained tranquil, save for a brief war with the Draconis Combine following the latter's attack on their capital, Alshain. After establishing themselves in the Inner Sphere, they formed the Ghost Bear Dominion. They later merged with the remnants of the minor Inner Sphere power Free Rasalhague Republic to form the Rasalhague Dominion. It was the first true merger between a Clan and an Inner Sphere nation, where the citizens treat the Clan Warrior caste as the rulers but the ruling warriors give free reign to their Rasalhague citizens. The Ghost Bear Khan holds the main power and there is a Prince voted by the people to control all matter concerning the population.

Clan Goliath Scorpion

For more details on this topic, see Clan Goliath Scorpion.

Staunch Wardens, the Goliath Scorpions value precision over brute force, while believing strongly in visions and quests. They take Necrosia, based on the venom of the goliath scorpion, to aid in these visions. This Clan believes in looking to the past in order to rebuild the Star League, piece by piece. They are fiercely devoted to Clan Wolf. Many within the Clans claim that, if not for their visions and quests, they would be an extremely powerful force to be reckoned with. Their unique organizational scheme within their touman (even more detailed than the Jade Falcons) and knowledge of the old Star League Defense Force strategy and tactics would make them a well-oiled engine of destruction. It was their Heartvenom Cluster (Cateran cluster formation with Command Trinary, two Specialist Trinary, Battle Trinary, and Striker Trinary) that trained Wolf's Dragoons before they left for the Inner Sphere, making them an elite unit capable of handling any operation. Goliath Scorpion was also the first clan to begin development of Battle Armor, (early designs were based on underwater mining suits). Clan Wolf then perfected these early designs, which led to the production of the Elemental, the prominent Battle Armor of the Clans.

Clan Hell's Horses

For more details on this topic, see Clan Hell's Horses.

A mixed Clan led by Crusaders, but with a large Warden makeup, the Hell's Horses are unusual for their heavy use of conventional (non-'Mech) forces and their beliefs favoring men over machines. Passionate and brave, the Hell's Horses succeeded where others thought they would fail. Their toleration of freeborns is a rarity among the Clans, especially among Crusaders. Though they did not participate in the invasion, they were given three worlds by Clan Wolf along their border with the Ghost Bears, the Hell's Horses sworn enemies. The Hell's Horses attempted to invade the Ghost Bear Dominion while the Bears were busy fighting the Draconis Combine. The retaliation cost the Hell's Horses much: the three worlds given to them were lost and the Hell's Horses had to pull back from the Inner Sphere. After a tentative peace with the Ghost Bears, the Hell's Horses launched a successful invasion of Wolf and Jade Falcon occupation zones. Their plan to transplant their entire population, much like the Ghost Bear's shift, was discovered and eventually led to the Clan Civil War that separated the Inner Sphere Clans from their homeworld brethren.

Clan Ice Hellion

For more details on this topic, see Clan Ice Hellion.

A fierce Crusader Clan renowned for their swift assaults, Clan Ice Hellion often grasps for prizes beyond their reach. Nearly destroyed twice by civil war, the Clan has never been as unified as their brothers. After failing to win a place in the invasion and having been defeated in the Great Refusal on Strana Mechty, some push for a return to the Inner Sphere while others wish to expand their holdings in Clan space. The Ice Hellions attempted a foray into the Inner Sphere but were driven off.

Clan Jade Falcon

For more details on this topic, see Clan Jade Falcon.

The strictly traditionalist Crusaders of Clan Jade Falcon have long resented and been envious of Clan Wolf for their strength, holdings, and (most of all) possession of the coveted Kerensky Bloodname. The Jade Falcons participated in the initial invasion and seized many Lyran worlds from the Federated Commonwealth. Achieving a draw with the ComGuards on Tukayyid, they schemed and plotted to undo the Truce. They were nearly destroyed by their Refusal War with the Wolves in an attempt to do just that. They lost many warriors and both of their Khans in subsequent politicking. Their new Khan launched a daring strike at Coventry in the Lyran Alliance and managed to restore the Jade Falcons' strength by winning possession of other Crusader units in the Harvest Trials. The Jade Falcons beat the ComGuards during the Great Refusal on Strana Mechty and then pushed the Steel Vipers out of their occupation zone; after that, they seized (and lost) several more Lyran worlds during the FedCom Civil War. They still eye Terra and have not given up all hope of claiming it. In 3132, seeing an opportunity caused by the collapse of the HPG network, the Falcons have made an incursion into the Republic of the Sphere.

Clan Mongoose

For more details on this topic, see Clan Mongoose.

The Mongoose home planet of Shadow was also where the clan's name originated. The name was adopted from the animal that killed the dangerous Venom Worms which were a great threat to humans, and as such endeared the mongoose to the clan. The clan is no longer in existence, as it was Absorbed by Clan Smoke Jaguar for attempting to use the words of Nicholas Kerensky to sidestep a Grand Council ruling that ran against them. Being then deemed unfit to rule by the Grand Council, the Trial of Absorption was called. Already weakened by a conflict with the Star Adders, Clan Mongoose fell before the Smoke Jaguars and their genetic legacies were acquired by the Cloud Cobras. Approximately 11 genetic legacies were acquired by Cloud Cobra, but the exact number cannot be confirmed due to the disarray Clan Mongoose was left in after the Trial of Absorption. This also left the Bloodnames of the Mongoose Touman in Cloud Cobra's hands, although insufficient records have left the legacies of Mongoose Touman identities questionable, even to the present day.

Clan Nova Cat

For more details on this topic, see Clan Nova Cat.

A Warden Clan, the Nova Cats are known for their mystic ways and are governed by visions. They ignored such visions when they joined the attack on the Inner Sphere and shared the Smoke Jaguars invasion corridor. They were defeated on Luthien, then on Tukayyid. This caused the Nova Cats to heed a new vision that encouraged them to join with the Draconis Combine and the Inner Sphere against the Smoke Jaguars. They joined with the new Star League in driving the Jaguars out of the Inner Sphere and joined them again on Strana Mechty during the Great Refusal. For this, they were Abjured by the other Clans and forced to leave Clan space under fire, resettling in the Irece Prefecture of the Draconis Combine. The abjuration often occludes the Nova Cats' previous fame as excellent marksman, (they often competed with the Goliath Scorpions to see which Clan had the best sharpshooters), and as the developers of the Extended-Range Laser technology used by all Clans.

Clan Sea Fox

For more details on this topic, see Clan Sea Fox.

Original name of Clan Diamond Shark. Clan Sea Fox and Clan Snow Raven had a falling out, and in response Clan Snow Raven created the diamond shark, a predator designed solely to hunt and kill the sea foxes in Strana Mechty's oceans. After most of the sea foxes had been killed, Clan Sea Fox petitioned the council to change its name to Clan Diamond Shark. Several sea foxes were preserved by the Clan and placed on other worlds, where they flourished. As a result, Clan Diamond Shark had changed its name back to Clan Sea Fox by 3100. Clan Diamond Shark has, since its inception, relied heavily on its Merchant Caste, giving them more power than most clans. Though many believe them to be weak because of their democratic attitudes to their lower castes, the Diamond Sharks maintain one of the largest and most elite militaries among the clans. After the Jihad, the Diamond Sharks were forced to move to the Inner Sphere along with many of its fellow Clans. Having few worlds of their own, Clan Sea Fox is a nomad trader Clan who almost completely reside on giant ArcShips and CargoShips roaming throughout space.

Clan Smoke Jaguar

For more details on this topic, see Clan Smoke Jaguar.

Clan Smoke Jaguar is easily the most violent and aggressive of all the Clans. They are, however, not as brash and headstrong as Clan Jade Falcon; they are quicker to battle, but are also quicker to think before acting. This makes a deadly combination, and Clan Smoke Jaguar was quite a strong Clan, however they didn't have the immensity of the larger Clans or the autonomy of Clan Ghost Bear to support its claim. As such, Clan Smoke Jaguar was dangerous in combat, but never a serious contender for the ilClan (ruling Clan).

Clan Smoke Jaguar joined Clan Jade Falcon in the campaign for the Clan Invasion. They were amongst the first Clans to launch into the Invasion, although they did not rush headlong into the battle like their sister clan. The Jaguars deliberated on the situation for a time, choosing not to invade Lyran Commonwealth territory, closest to the Jaguars', as the Falcons had but rather to cross to the other side of the Outer Rim and launch an offensive against the Draconis Combine. The Jaguars penetrated deep into the Inner Sphere, but as mentioned before, they did not have the autonomy to maintain proper defense. A lot of claimed territory was lost when the Draconis Combine turned on the offensive. Clan Smoke Jaguar was in great peril, however as Clan Ghost Bear soon followed the Jaguars into Draconis Combine territory. With a new threat, the Draconis Combine was forced into a defensive stance once more, and the Smoke Jaguars returned to the offensive with the combined might of Clan Ghost Bear.

Clan Smoke Jaguar and Clan Ghost Bear came very close to Terra, however when the Clans were defeated at the Battle of Tukayyid. Clan Ghost Bear, greatly weakened, turned their attention to driving a straight line to Terra, leaving Clan Smoke Jaguar to handle the Draconis Combine on its own. Without the protection of Clan Ghost Bear, and with little improved autonomy, Clan Smoke Jaguar was forced to take a defensive stance once more. Although they did not concede any territory, they gave the Draconis Combine time to recuperate from the shattering offensive. When the war between Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Wolf was over, Clan Wolf retreated towards the Outer Rim, leaving the remaining Clans to defend the abandoned worlds. The Clans, including the already wounded Clan Smoke Jaguar, spread their forces paper thin in response. When the Inner Sphere reformed the Star League in the face of the Clan threat they launched a united Inner Sphere task force to assault the homeworld of Clan Smoke Jaguar. This mission was dubbed Operation Serpent. Led by General Ariana Winston of the elite Eridani Light Horse mercenary brigade, the secretive attack force invaded the Smoke Jaguar homeworld of Huntress. Meanwhile, Operation Bulldog, led by Prince Victor Steiner-Davion, attacked the Inner Sphere frontlines, forcing the Smoke Jaguar to fight a two front war. When Bulldog got to Huntress, they found Operation Serpent a success; however, General Winston had died. After the annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar, Victor led the new Star League to the seat of all clan power,Strana Mechty to stop the clan invasion once and for all.

Clan Snow Raven

For more details on this topic, see Clan Snow Raven.


Founded by Stephen McKenna (a distant relative of the famous James McKenna who formed the Terran Hegemony), the Snow Ravens are a complicated Clan that has taken a unique path, due to several catastrophes in their early history. Famed for their heavy use of naval assets as well as their conniving and efficient nature, the Snow Raven Clan, despite being mistrusted and misunderstood by other Clans, has nonetheless risen to to become one of the more powerful Clans in the past decade.

Clan Star Adder

For more details on this topic, see Clan Star Adder.


Considered to be one of the most powerful Home Clans (a Clan that did not participate in the Inner Sphere Invasion), the Star Adders can now also be considered to be among the most powerful of all the Clans, rivaling even an Invading Clan like Jade Falcon or Ghost Bear and even surpassing Clan Wolf in terms of raw military power, thanks largely to their relatively easy absorption of Clan Burrock. However, despite essentially having the strength of two Clans at their disposal, the Star Adders are still considered to be somewhat lacking when compared to an Invading Clan in terms of raw materials and industrial potential, since they can only rely on their Clan Homeworlds holdings while the Invading Clans have the vast resources of their conquered Inner Sphere worlds to draw upon. While the Star Adders espouse a Crusader philosophy, they stress the need for inter-Clan cooperation and a tolerant attitude for freeborns that is more commonly found among Warden clans. Strategists, rather than tacticians, the Star Adders are unusual for their meticulous nature, though their successes speak for themselves. With their Absorption of the Burrocks, they gained an incredible boon, as other Clans were falling in size and stature.

Clan Steel Viper

For more details on this topic, see Clan Steel Viper.


A perplexing Clan that is overall considered Warden, but is home to some of the staunchest Crusaders and anti-freeborn warriors in the Clans. They have a brutal training course and a strange belief that the Star League will be re-established through cooperation with the Great Houses. Regardless of this, they participated in the invasion force, sharing the Jade Falcon's invasion corridor, and were defeated on Tukayyid. They were eventually forced out of the Inner Sphere all together by the Jade Falcons.

Clan Stone Lion

For more details on this topic, see Clan Stone Lion.

Clan Widowmaker

For more details on this topic, see Clan Widowmaker.

Absorbed by Clan Wolf for a brutal crackdown on dissenting merchants, that proved their inability to rule in the Clans' eyes. During their Trial of Refusal against the Absorption, the Widowmaker Khan slew ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky, which lead to a grueling trial of Absorption, spelling the end of the Widowmakers.

Clan Wolf

For more details on this topic, see Clan Wolf.

The chosen Clan of Kerensky, the pre-Refusal War Wolves had always been a dominant force in the Clans since their beginning. They Annihilated the Wolverines, Absorbed the Widowmakers, and proved themselves expert warriors. They also perfected the Elemental battle armor. They led the Wardens in the Grand Council and were the only Clan to oppose the Invasion in 3050. Although they lost a Trial of Refusal against the motion to invade the Inner Sphere, they participated in it nonetheless and soon outdid all other Clans in seizing more worlds and at a faster pace than any other Clan. Their holdings were mostly taken from the Free Rasalhague Republic and the Lyran half of the Federated Commonwealth. Their capture of Rasalhague cemented their leadership in the Invasion and after the original ilKhan died, a Wolf Clan Khan replaced him. The Wolf ilKhan orchestrated the Trial of Tukayyid and Clan Wolf was one of only two Clans to prevail (the other being Clan Ghost Bear who were awarded a "marginal" victory). Nevertheless, the Wolves were the ones who helped convince the other clans to adhere to the terms when the Trial was lost.

They all but destroyed themselves in preventing Jade Falcons from breaking the truce by instigating a Trial of Refusal (of a scale never before seen outside of a Trial of Annnihilation, against an entire Clan ; this particular Trial of Refusal would be later referred to as the "Refusal War") against the Jade Falcons. As a result of this war, the Wolves were temporarily destroyed and absorbed into what remained of the Jade Falcons. A new short-lived Clan, the Jade Wolves, existed briefly after the Refusal War, and afterward Khan Vlad Ward returned the Clan to full active status as the Wolves, splitting into two factions, the Crusader Wolves led by Vlad Ward and the Warden Wolves led, into self-imposed exile, by Phelan Kell. The latter left Clan controlled space and went to Arc-Royal in the Lyran Alliance and guarded the border against any Clan incursions. The Crusader Wolves rebuilt their strength and have declared themselves the only Crusader Clan not bound by the Crusaders' defeat during the Great Refusal. Once the fifteen-year truce of Tukayyid expires in May of 3067, the Wolves will be on the prowl once more. As with the original incarnation of Clan Wolf, the Crusader Wolves consider the planet Tamar as their capital. It was the scouring of Tamar that made the Clans realize that they too would come under attack by the Word of Blake and had to fight back. During the Jihad, the Wolves leapt across Jade Falcon borders to assist worlds under attack.


Clan Wolf-in-Exile

For more details on this topic, see Clan Wolf-in-Exile.


The Warden faction of Clan Wolf was led into the Inner Sphere by then-saKhan Phelan Ward during the Refusal War with Clan Jade Falcon. After this break-away faction of Wolves were Abjured by the Grand Council, Khan Phelan Ward lost his Bloodright to the Ward surname. However thanks to one of his final acts as ilKhan, Ulric Kerensky created a new Bloodname, Kell. Clan Wolf-in-Exile settled on Phelan's original homeworld of Arc-Royal where his father, Morgan Kell, was the Grand Duke. Clan Wolf-in-Exile provided a strong defense for the newly-formed Arc Royal Defense Cordon against future Clan Jade Falcon incursions, most notably fighting alongside Lyran Alliance troops during the FedCom Civil War. During the Jihad, the Wolf-in-Exile forces took in Wolf's Dragoons, whose home planet, Outreach, was devastated by the Blakists.

Clan Wolverine

For more details on this topic, see Clan Wolverine.


The Wolverines were among the most vocal critics of Nicholas Kerensky's authoritarian rule over the Clans. Official Clan histories state that they were Annihilated for espousing anti-Clan sentiments, such as democracy and independence, but the reality is somewhat different. Many Clans were suffering internal strife at the time of the Clan Wolverine incident, and Nicholas saw that the Clans as a whole were on the brink of rebelling against his authority. The Wolverines served as both object lesson and common enemy against whom the other nineteen Clans could unite.

Clan Wolf carried out the Grand Council's sentence against Khan Sarah McEvedy and her Clan. What started out as a Trial of Absorption became a Trial of Annihilation when Clan Wolverine allegedly uses a nuclear weapon on Clan Snow Raven's genetic repository. Later investigation strongly suggested that some Clan Wolverine members - predominantly civilians and second-line troops had been able to flee. Officially put down to bad bookkeeping, the whereabouts and disposition of any survivors remains unknown.

Territorial Holdings

(circa 3062)[24][25]

Planet Blood Spirit Cloud Cobra Coyote Diamond Shark Fire Mandrill Ghost Bear Goliath Scorp. Hell’s Horses Ice Hellion Jade Falcon Snow Raven Star Adder Steel Viper Wolf
Albion * * * * * * * * * * * 100 * *
Arcadia (10) * * * * 25
(25)
* * * * * 38
(35)
37
(30)
*
Atreus * * * * 65
(58)
* * * 35
(42)
* * * * *
Babylon * 26
(26)
27
(27)
24
(24)
* * * * 23
(23)
* * * * *
Barcella * * * 47
(47)
* * * * 38
(41)
15
(12)
* * * *
Bearclaw * * * * * * * 30
(27)
* * 70
(73)
* * *
Brim * 54
(54)
* * * * * * * * 19
(19)
27
(27)
* *
Circe * * * * * * * * * * 70
(80)
* * 30
(20)
Dagda * * * * 26
(27)
* 29
(33)
* * 9
(8)
* 22
(22)
* 14
(10)
Delios * * 36
(36)
64
(64)
* * * * * * * * * *
Eden * * * * * * * 31
(31)
* 34
(34)
* * * 35
(35)
Foster * * 40
(40)
* 30
(30)
* * * 30
(30)
* * * * *
Gatekeeper * * * * * * * * * 100
(100)
* * * *
Glory * * * * * * * * * 45
(48)
* * * 55
(52)
Grant's Station * * * * * * * * * * * * 55
(55)
45
(45)
Hector * * * * * * * * 100(100) * * * * *
Hellgate * * * * * * * * * * 100
(100)
* * *
Hoard * * * * * * * 10
(10)
40
(32)
* * 39
(49)
* 11
(9)
Homer * 85
(85)
* * * * * * * * * * 15
(15)
*
Huntress * * * * 13
(13)
* 18
(21)
* 8
(8)
42
(35)
* 16
(23)
* *
Ironhold * * * * * * * * * 100 * * * *
Kirin * * * * * * * 100 * * * * * *
Londerholm * * 32
(44)
* * * * * 68
(56)
* * * * *
Lum * * * 18
(18)
* * * * * * 82
(82)
* * *
Marshall * * * * 15
(15)
* 36
(36)
* 9
(12)
6
(4)
* 13
(15)
21
(18)
*
New Kent * * 19 9
(28)
* * * * 6
(15)
* * * 66
(57)
*
Niles * * * * * * * 100 * * * * * *
Paxon * * * 62
(68)
* * * * * * * * * 38
(32)
Priori * * * 52 * * * * * * * 48
(100)
* *
Roche * * * * * * 83
(75)
* * * * * * 17
(25)
Shadow * * * * 100
(100)
* * * * * * * * *
Sheridan * * * * * * * * * * * 100
(100)
* *
Strana Mechty all clans have equal territory
Strato Domingo * * * 65
(65)
* * * 35
(35)
* * * * * *
Tamaron * * 100
(100)
* * * * * * * * * * *
Tathis * * * 50
(50)
* * * * 30
(30)
* * 20
(20)
* *
Tiber * * * * * * * 50
(50)
* * * * * 50
(50)
Tokasha * * * * * * 23
(16)
13
(20)
* 64
(64)
* * * *
Tranquil * * * * * * * * * * * * * 100
(100)
Vinton * * * * 100
(100)
* * * * * * * * *
York 100
(90)
* * * * * * * * * (10) * *


See Also

Critter-TEK parody

In Critter-TEK (a cartoon-style baseball parody of BattleTech), the Clans are pictured as the Crans, descendants of "Krewzinski, the great slugger who led the Big League lineup out on strike". By "strapping together 2 of a weapon and claiming it is a SUPER weapon" and generally "clever cheating", they badly waxed the Infield Franchises "in exhibition games played in the off-season".

"They are a whole bunch of teams, loosely called the Crans, after their own name for a Franchise. They use Aluminium Bats and Big League equipment. They play by weird rules and customs, like the Designated Hitter. They have a weird concept of "Wa" which unites the team. They throw a lot of breaking balls, and they tend to play for one run at a time. They almost never steal bases. And they hate each other almost as much as they hate the infield. (...)"

References

  1. Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 189
  2. Path of Glory, pg. 99
  3. Way of the Clans
  4. MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 89
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 70
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 73
  7. 7.0 7.1 MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 74
  8. Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 193
  9. MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 68
  10. MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 69
  11. Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 191
  12. MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 72
  13. MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 71
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8 14.9 Classic BattleTech RPG, p. 192
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 77
  16. 16.0 16.1 MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 78
  17. Classic BattleTech Companion, p. 144
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 76
  19. MechWarrior's Guide to the Clans, p. 75
  20. The rank the warrior holds is used as their title unless they hold the lowest rank (for example, Star Commander Zane). If they are warriors, they have a title denoting their sub-caste. E.g. a warrior who pilots a vehicle will be called ‘crewman’, and aerospace pilot will be called ‘pilot’ and so-on (for example, MechWarrior Aidan). Since the lowest MechWarriors are Point Commanders, they have the title of MechWarrior instead of Point commander even though they have a Point commander rank.
  21. A Cluster or Galaxy is considered to be Under-Strength with 2 Units, Regular with 3 Units, Reinforced at 4 Units and Strong at 5 Units. Because a Unit in a Cluster can vary in size from 20 to 150 Points, this has a considerable effect on the range of sizes a Galaxy might be.
  22. In Clan Coyote and Clan Hell’s horses, commanders of a Nova have the rank Nova commander, which is one rank higher than Star commander.
  23. In Clan Coyote and Clan Hell’s horses, commanders of a Super nova have the rank Nova captain, which one rank higher than Star captain.
  24. The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, pp.70-101
  25. Field Manual: Update, p. 39

Bibliography


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