The Society

The Society
Faction Profile
Time period:	???? - Wars of Reaving
Classification:	Rebel Clan Faction
Controlled systems:	Enclaves and cells throughout Clan-held space
Capital world:	Tamaron labs
Ruler title:	Various scientist caste-related titles and positions
Military:	Various forces with no over-all name
Secret Service:	Various high-tech security networks

The Society was a secret cabal of Clan scientists who resented the warrior caste's hegemony over Clan culture, and in particular, their dictations regarding the work of the scientist themselves. Eschewing the general culture of the Clans in favor of devotion to science itself, The Society worked toward their own ends whenever possible, with little or no regard to Clan law or custom - and often - little regard for ethics or the sanctity of basic human rights. Members of the Society tend to view their roles and responsibilities as all-important to the Clans' very existence. They saw Nicholas Kerensky's true vision as being completely in accordance with the laws of science, and as such, many Society members were known to actively weave carefully disguised plots through their work, in anticipation of the day when they would force the warrior caste from power.

To maintain their secrecy over the centuries, scientists of The Society would do work on the goals set for them by the warriors of their individual Clan Councils, overtly pursuing a warrior-centric agenda consisting primarily of genetic research and arms development. But behind the scenes, the Society's scientists would deliberately impede the warriors by slowing the pace of this research and hiding many of their breakthroughs. Research projects ordered to be closed and shelved by the warriors often continued in secrecy by scientists who did not wish to listen to the orders of those who they felt held no understanding of the nature of their work. The Society's own endeavors often ranged from a liberal approach to genetic manipulation and the trading of Bloodname legacies across any and all Clan lines, to secret weapons development programs, to the creation of computer virii that could paralyze communications and even war machines. Experiments with advanced gene therapy and research into chemical enhancement techniques (both of which often utilized human guinea pigs) and biological weapons that could target specific groups of people or even individuals by their genetic codes were all within the scope of their ambitious research programs. The full extent of their efforts may never be fully known.

The ultimate goal of The Society was to supplant the warrior caste as the leaders of the Clans, though this was not known by most Society cells. Only the highest ranking members knew their true goals throughout most of their history. Dominance over the warrior caste was worked toward slowly and with great patience. Representation in the Society was not equal across the Clans; some Clans with more rigid scientists castes - or those with especially overbearing warriors - had little or no representation. But in Clans that gave more of a free hand to their scientist castes, the Society grew amid their highest ranks, and often held a great deal of power. Tamaron was said to be the main control center for the Society, though Ironhold, Tokasha and Circe were all said to be important worlds, amongst others. Operation Revival gave some of Society members in certain Invading Clans more room and freedom to experiment and further their plans, as the warriors were kept busy elsewhere, consequently paying far less attention to their scientists than at any previous point.

The Society stood back from events in the Clan Homeworlds, watching the shifting of power after the demise of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the Great Refusal. But when ilKhan Brett Andrews issued his 3072 decree regarding the Reaving of Bloodnames, essentially taking the one realm over which the scientists were granted control by Nicholas Kerensky and giving it to the warriors to unwittingly destroy in their arbitrary quests for dominance over one another, The Society decided to act. Striking during the Wars of Reaving, they and their Dark Caste and reborn Clan Burrock allies caused a great deal of chaos in the Clan Homeworlds, as well as in certain parts of the Clan-occupied Inner Sphere. Ultimately, their efforts fell short of subduing the warrior caste. The warriors would systematically hunt down and eliminate every Society cell on every world of the Kerensky Cluster and Pentagon Worlds - a task that took many years to finish - as well as every planet in the Inner Sphere and Periphery regions that belonged to the affected Clans. Most of the Clans' collective scientist castes were decimated by Annihilations that took place, with some eliminating all of their scientists in their effort to purge themselves of the rebellious faction.

History

Origins

The mysterious beginnings of the Society are shrouded by layers of deception and misdirection. Born of Clan Coyote's scientist caste, their beginnings could go all the way back to the city of Versailles on Babylon during Operation Klondike. In 2822, a deal for the surrender of the scientific enclave was worked out between the Tchernovkov brothers, Star Captain Gerek and engineer Richard. Few details exist about the specifics, but it was known that the enclave surrendered to the Coyotes without a shot being fired, in return for a guarantee that they would be treated as equals. Khan Dana Kufahl accepted the deal, and little else was said regarding the incident. In time, the Coyotes would become well-known for their warrior's close relations with the scientist caste. Richard Tchernovkov became known as Scientist Richard (Remer), and would go on to dominate his field; his engineering research led to the long and painstaking invention of the OmniMech, unveiled in 2854. Though nothing about these events hint at what would one day come to be known as the Society, its roots were able to spread deep and quietly thrive, hidden and protected by the trust of the very well-armed Coyote warrior caste.

Strange Happenings

Though the Society grew along with the Clans through the ages, no information is available on its doings during the rest of the Golden Century, or the Political Century. Clues to the cabal's existence were not noticed again until the years after Operation Revival, when evidence pointing to highly unClanlike genetic experimentation across Clan lines came to the surface. While on duty for her Clan's Watch in 3057, Clan Jade Falcon Star Commander Joanna uncovered evidence of an illegal trade in genetic materials between Clan Wolf and the Jade Falcon scientists. Thinking it was a Wolf plot to ruin the Jade Falcon genetic legacies, the greater significance would take some time to come to light in spite of the fact that she also came into contact with several lower level operatives during her mission to a solahma garrison on a small and uncharted mining planet called Dogg, rumored to be a hub of Society activity. Jade Falcon Star Colonel Ravill Pryde knew of his own heritage, mixed Wolf and Falcon legacies, and let that information be known to MechWarrior Diana, who in turn told Joanna about this unheard of lineage. As more information was uncovered, Jade Falcon Watch Commander and Loremaster Kael Pershaw was able to begin putting together a basic picture of the conspiracy, though still without enough evidence to know who was responsible.

Bibliography

• Field Manual: Warden Clans
• Historical: Operation Klondike
• I Am Jade Falcon
• Interstellar Players 2
• The Wars of Reaving