Silas Kufahl

Silas Kufahl (born 30?? - died 30??) was a warrior of Clan Coyote who would rise through the ranks to eventually become Khan, guiding his Clan during the events of the Wars of Reaving. While he reigned, the Coyote leadership would become pawns of The Society, though he would also assist many other Clans in their escapes from the Clan Homeworlds.

Biography

A vocal critic of Khan Sullivan Koga's reformation of the Clan Coyote Touman, Silas Kufahl would earn a taste of Khan Koga's wrath when his Gamma Galaxy was the first to be disbanded. Without a command he would languish until finding a spot as a Star Colonel in Epsilon Galaxy. Remaining a somewhat popular voice of dissent, Kufahl would be elected Loremaster in 3053, and then to the post of saKhan in 3056 upon the death of Pazi Tchernovkov. Though he would remain outspoken, he and Khan Koga would work well together, each recognizing that the other strives toward the best for Clan Coyote.

Post-Refusal Conflicts

Many trials took place after the Annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar, the Abjuration of Clan Nova Cat and the exodus of Clan Ghost Bear to the Inner Sphere. Territory, resources and technology were all up for grabs. In 3062, Khan Koga would lead elements of Delta Galaxy against forces from Clan Star Adder on the former Jaguar world of Huntress. After procuring plans for the ProtoMech, Khan Koga would die leading her forces in another (successful) Trial of Possession to gain scientists and technicians who had worked in development of the new technology.

Khan of the Coyotes

Though Silas Kufahl would rise to the Khanship of Clan Coyote, it would not be without resistance. Many Coyote warriors remembered how outspoken Khan Kufalh was with regard her reformation of Clan Coyote's Touman, and many feared he would undo her progress. Facing dozens of Trials of Grievance and Possession, the Coyotes vigilance would suffer while much of its leadership was focused on removing him from office. Clan Jade Falcon would choose this time to attack the Coyotes, sensing their internal strife. Hitting Tamaron, they made swift progress in the initial days of landing. This would galvanize the Coyotes into action. Khan Kufahl worked with rival Galaxy Commander Raven Clearwater in organizing the defense and counter attack of the Falcons, eventually driving them from the planet in two decisive engagements. After the Jade Falcon threat had passed, Khan Kufahl and Galaxy Commander Clearwater fought a Trial of Possession for the Khanship of Clan Coyote, one that would serve as proxy for all other such challenges yet to come. Kufahl would come out on top, but only barely - his 'Mech shut down just seconds after he disabled Clearwater's 'Mech.

With the help of saKhan Clearwater, he would complete Sullivan Koga's reforms. However, he would also set about gathering power for his Clan and himself. In 3068, Khan Kufahl set his sites on the faltering Kindraa of Clan Fire Mandrill. He was also enticed by rumors of an electric armor development by a sect of Kindraa Sainze scientists, and desired the technological edge that such a thing would offer. Kindraa Sainze would rebuff all offers made by the Coyotes, but Kindraa Mattila-Carrol would accept a mutually beneficial deal that gave the Coyotes the scientific access that they wanted, as well as a small enclave on the Mandrill world of Shadow. In turn, Coyote concessions helped to increase Mattila-Carrol's power by nearly half. The divides in Fire Mandrill society would grow with increasing speed, especially after the Coyotes proved nearly impossible to evict from their new enclave.

By 3070, the Khan Kufahl would be approached by Clan Hell's Horses Khan James Cobb, who would offer the Coyotes control of their enclaves on Tiber and Kirin. Accepting the deal that would greatly increase Coyote materials production, Khan Kufahl would also be in a better position to do something about Clan Steel Viper and the "Snake Alliance" that increasingly dominated the Grand Council. Realizing Viper Khan Brett Andrews' ill-concealed ambition, Kufaul would select them as his Clan's target. Similar deals with Clan Ice Hellion on Londerholm and Clan Snow Raven on Hellgate would steadily increase the Coyote's strength to a level where challenging the Steel Vipers would be possible. After seeming to follow through on attacks with Clan Star Adder against the Snow Ravens and Clan Diamond Shark - attacks that were cover for them assisting each Clan as agreed - the Coyotes would pick up several more Clusters. He would also negotiate the deal with Clan Wolf that would net them additional units (the entirety of Omicron Galaxy and five Stars of merchant transports) and ten sibkos in exchange for two Wolf Clan WarShips. The Coyotes would also receive the giftake of Jennifer Winson at about this time, in what was a most precious transaction.

After the Wolves' Abjurement, Khan Kufahl would bid intensely for the right to banish the Wolves from the Clan Homeworlds, beating out efforts by the Steel Vipers and the Star Adders. Several Clans would act anyway, dashing much of the plans that would have allowed the Wolves to exit the Kerensky Cluster with minimal losses. Following up with more raids against the Fire Mandrills on Foster and Shadow, would net them more materials, though it would become obvious to some of Khan Kufahl's that the Coyotes were expanding beyond their means to defend their gains.

The Time of Reavings

Everything changed in December of 3071. The Grand Council would not only overturn the Great Refusal, it would elect Khan Brett Andrews of Clan Steel Viper as the new ilKhan. He would immediately announce his new decree: In order to be pure of Inner Sphere taint, he authorized Reavings against Bloodnames connected with the Invading Clans. Any Clan could call a Reaving, and if carried through, that Clan would then have control of that legacy. The decree was worded in such a way that Reavings could be called on any Bloodname that could be identified as tainted by an accuser. Suddenly, any Clan could take any Bloodname as long as it could carry out the Reaving. Several Khans voiced quiet concerns about the negative effect this would have on the Clans as a whole.

Pawn of the Society

Perhaps the most concerned were the Clans' scientists, who saw over 200 years of work being destroyed by the ilKhan's short-sighted decree. A secret cabal called the Society felt forced to act, and their main vector of attack was Clan Coyote, whom they had co-opted at some point. After a Coyote Clan Council meeting with most of their scientists caste, the Coyote's path would be confirmed. They would throw their support with the scientists, against the Clans, in an effort to save Kerensky's children from themselves.

Hitting worlds such as Dagda, Circe, Babylon,Huntress, Vinton, and Brim the Coyotes would act as the official military of the Society (at least in the Clan Homeworlds), taking each off these bastions for the scientists. Assisting the Coyotes in their quick conquest, the Society would release its own weapons. One of these weapons was a series of genetically targeted viruses, tailored to kill members of specific Bloodname heritages. Another weapon was a computer virus that targeted and disabled HPG communications and could spread itself to targeted worlds, while there was yet another set of these electronic virii that targeted Jumpship navigation computers, destroying most ship's systems once infected.

All would come to a head in the case of Khan Silas Kufahl in 3072. Landing with a sizable force on New Kent, he would shock the ilKhan by calling a Reaving on the Andrews name, ostensibly for his failure at bringing about a renewed Clan invasion of the Inner Sphere. Meeting ilKhan Andrews in his Clan Council Chamber, Khan Kufahl would not last five minutes against the ilKhan.

Legacy

After their decisive actions on behalf of the Society, the other Clans would at first have a hard time blaming the Coyotes for assisting them, though the evidence was largely condemning. Khan Kufahl would be succeeded by a scientists-turned-warrior, trotted out by the Society who no longer had need of keeping their secret now that the revolution had begun.

Bibliography

• Field Manual: Updates
• Field Manual: Warden Clans
• The Wars of Reaving