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Difference between revisions of "Clan Snow Raven"

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[[Image:ClanSnowRaven.gif|right|Clan Snow Raven Logo]]
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{{Update Needed|[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]|[[Handbook: Major Periphery States]]|[[Objectives: Clans]]|[[The Wars of Reaving]]|[[Jade Falcon Sourcebook]]}}
  
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'''Clan Snow Raven''' was founded by [[Stephen McKenna]] (a distant relative of the famous [[James McKenna]] who hailed from the [[Terran Hegemony]]). The Snow Ravens are a complicated [[Clan]] that have 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 risen to power as one of the more powerful Clans in the past decade.
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{{InfoBoxFactions
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| crest = [[Image:Clan Snow Raven Insignia.png|150px|center|Clan Snow Raven Logo]]
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| factionname = Clan Snow Raven
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| timeperiod = [[2807]] – [[3083]]
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| classification = [[Clan]]
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| systems = ?
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| capital = [[Lum]] (former)
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| rulertitle = [[Khan]]
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| military = [[Clan Snow Raven Touman|Clan Snow Raven ''touman'']]
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| secretservice = [[Watch#Clan Snow Raven|Clan Snow Raven Watch]]
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}}
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'''Clan Snow Raven''' was founded by [[Stephen McKenna]] (a distant relative of the famous [[James McKenna]] who hailed from the [[Terran Hegemony]]).<ref>''The Star League'', p. 12: "James McKenna"</ref> The Snow Ravens are a complicated [[Clan]] that have 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, eventually rose to power in the years after the [[Clan Invasion]].<ref name=H:OKp115,116>''Historical: Operation Klondike'', pp. 115–116: "Stephen McKenna Profile"</ref> During the Jihad, the Snow Ravens would leave Clan space and enter a war with the [[Draconis Combine]]. They would later join the remaining Clans in the Inner Sphere to form the [[Council of Six]] after their abjuration from the [[Clan Homeworlds]]. They would develop a close relationship with the [[Outworlds Alliance]] and by the end of the Jihad, the two factions would merge together to become the [[Raven Alliance]].
  
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==Snow Raven Totem==
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==History==
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[[Nicolas Kerensky]] decreed that the remaining 800 warriors loyal to him be divided into twenty 'clans.' Each clan, consisting of forty warriors would emulate a beast endemic to the [[Kerensky Cluster]]. In his wisdom, the warriors under [[Stephen McKenna]] were designated to embody the attributes of the snow raven, a snow-white bird common to the harsh tundra flats of [[Strana Mechty]]. Snow ravens are known to never waste anything, picking the bones of a carcass clean and then eating the bones as well. Snow ravens were also documented to co-operate with other animals, such as the introduced Terran wolf or the ghost bear, often sharing a kill. Like many other Clans, the Snow Ravens have followed their totem to a fault, often to the extent of ridicule. Indeed, Snow Ravens of all castes are often known to be conniving, cold, and more humorously, extremely garrulous to the point of being more verbose than even those of the [[Clan Ice Hellion|Ice Hellion Clan]]; moreover, Snow Ravens are unable to keep secrets of great purport. Members are colloquially referred to as 'the Unkindness,' the word used for a gathering of greater corvids.
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{{Main|History of Clan Snow Raven}}
  
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==The Birth of Clan Snow Raven==
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==Culture==
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For the past several centuries, it has been more famine than feast for the Snow Ravens. Very early in their history the Snow Ravens were struck down by fate. During [[Operation Klondike]], the struggle to reclaim the [[Pentagon Worlds]], the Snow Ravens lost almost half their ground units to enemy forces, and, although in the end the Ravens were victorious, the Raven touman, particularly its [['Mech]] forces, were severely diminished. Khan McKenna sought ways to increase the strength of his touman, and found his answer in the many caches of [[Star League]] equipment stored in various places in the Pentagon Worlds. At the time, other [[Clans]] were scrambling madly for equipment out of caches as well, thus it was impractical for an already weak Clan face other, stronger Clans in this matter. Khan [[Stephen McKenna]], a naval commander during the [[Amaris Crisis]] and during the [[Exodus]], suggested the Clan's warriors stage trials of possession for [[WarShip]]s, which were less sought after--- other Clans sought after 'Mechs and the WarShips ran against the warrior ethos of the nascent [[Clans]]. Before the other Clans could react, the Snow Ravens fielded a considerable naval force as well as gaining a stranglehold on almost all naval shipyards in Clan space.
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The practices and customs of the Snow Raven Clan were a study in contradiction. On the one hand the Clan was incredibly tight-knit and distrusting of any outsiders: rarely would a Snow Raven take someone from outside the Clan into their confidence for fear they may turn on them, and most [[bondsmen]] wore their [[bondcord]] for many years before being accepted.  Even then these individuals had difficulty fully integrating into their new Clan, and of the very few warriors taken fewer still were allowed to rise above the rank of [[Star Colonel]].<ref name=FMWC122>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 122</ref>
  
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==Aftermath of Operation Klondike==
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In comparison the Clan's internal politics were downright Byzantine, a complex web of power structures and relationships. The focus of this politicking was the Clan's [[Bloodname House]]s, often known internally as "the families," and to interfere with a family's internal affairs was considered a grave sin. This was because each House Leader had absolute authority over how its [[Bloodnamed]] members would vote in the [[Clan Council]], but determining who held this position meant only the most politically astute retained it for more than a few years.  Thus while no Snow Raven ever did something without reason, that reason was not always the most apparent one.<ref name=FMWC122/>
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This did not prevent the Ravens from still requiring an adequate ground force and they soon found themselves in conflict over the possession of a cache with the [[Clan Wolverine|Wolverine]] Clan on the planet [[Circe]]. The Wolverines and the Snow Ravens bore much enmity towards each other since [[Operation Klondike]]: the Wolverine saKhan, [[Franklin Hallis]] was attracted to Raven saKhan, [[Joyce Merrill]], however Merrill did not requite Hallis' affections and the Wolverines had moved to destroy Raven interests ever since. This cache of 'Mechs once belonged to the unit with which the Wolverine Khan, [[Sarah McEvedy]], had served; however the actual cache resided in Raven territory. Thus, the matter was brought before the Clan Council to be resolved. However, when the Ravens were awarded the rights to the cache, the Wolverine Clan, (who recently become very discontented with Clan society) declared their independence from the Clans.  The Snow Ravens, already aware the Wolverines were massing on their borders, moved to attack. The Wolverines fought intensely and the Snow Ravens were beaten back to their capital, [[Dehra Dun]], and finally repulsed from there as well. The Wolverines emptied the city of all civilians and detonated a low-level nuclear warhead, destroying the primary genetic repository. This resulted in a Trial of Annihilation declared against Clan Wolverine, by Clans [[Clans Wolf|Wolf]] and [[Clan Widowmaker|Widowmaker]]. Following the destruction of the majority of  Wolverine Clan (now known as the Not-Named Clan), the Ravens were again heavily decimated, and [[Clan Mongoose]] began to quietly ask for a Raven absorption. The Ravens were not deterred by this; they moved their capital to the planet of [[Lum]] and tried to rebuild their shattered Clan once again.
 
  
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==The Golden Century==
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The Snow Ravens were also unique in maintaining a separate category of naval Bloodnames. While all Clans hold control over a number of bloodlines categorized as generic, MechWarrior, Elemental or Pilot, the Snow Ravens created an additional category of Naval Command. Bred for their analytical and command abilities, with strength and stamina secondary concerns, such bloodlines dated back to the early days of the Clan as a means to produce superior naval officers. The rarity of inter-Clan naval engagements throughout most of their history meant other Clans saw such practices as a waste of resources.<ref>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', p. 123</ref>
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On [[Lum]], the Ravens gained many of the attributes they are renowned for today. Superb political manipulators, the clan banded together their bloodlines to form 'families.' Conflicts between families,, unlike that constant infighting that plagues the [[Clan Fire Mandrill |Fire Mandrill Clan]], has only made the Snow Ravens stronger. In addition to this, the Ravens were also efficient users of raw materials, breeding a naval phenotype, unique among the [[Clans]], to staff Raven [[WarShip]] fleets. The Raven Clan moved silently through Clan society, quietly rebuilding themselves.
 
  
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In the 2850's, the Ravens came across an inhospitable world, aptly named [[Hellgate]], that was rich with natural resources. When the Ravens moved to colonize this world, the [[Clan Steel Viper|Steel Vipers]] staged a trial of possession for the planet's agrodomes, and, although the Ravens fought hard, without food the Clan was forced to relinquish control to the Vipers within several years. The Vipers continued to prey upon the Ravens and they perpetuate afued to this day.  
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==Inter-Clan Relations==
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For most part Clan Snow Raven avoided entanglements with alliances or feuds throughout its history. Only with three Clans did the Snow Ravens have anything resembling alliances.
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{| class="wikitable" border="1"; text-align:center;
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|-
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!Clan Name
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!Symbol
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!Relationship
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!Reason
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|-
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|'''[[Clan Blood Spirit]]'''
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|[[Image:Clan Blood Spirit logo.png|100px]]
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|Ally
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|Exchanges of war matériel with [[Clan Blood Spirit]] between [[2980]] and [[3010]] inaugurated limited dealings with that isolationist Clan until the Raven's Abjuration from the Clan Homeworlds and the Blood Spirit's destruction.
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|-
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|'''[[Clan Ghost Bear]]'''
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|[[Image:Clan Ghost Bear logo.png|100px]]
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|Ally
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| With [[Clan Ghost Bear]] the Snow Ravens consistently maintained good relations; each Clans' military bias offset the others' weakness, and exchanges of technology and skills were frequent.<ref name=TCWOK92/>
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|-
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|'''[[Clan Cloud Cobra]]'''
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|[[Image:Clan Cloud Cobra.jpg|100px]]
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|Ally
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|The [[Clan Cloud Cobra|Cloud Cobras]] shared the Ravens' inclination towards aerospace warfare and political intrigue. These relations would continue until the Raven's Abjuration from the Clan Homeworlds.
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|}
  
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Raven activities were fairly quiet for more than a century, until a Raven khan revealed [[Clan Cloud Cobra]] ilKhan [[Tobias Khatib]]'s complicity in the murder of the previous ilKhan. The Ravens found themselves in the forefront of Clan society again, when Khan [[Liam Howell]] revealed that it was he who had instructed Snow Raven scientists to introduce a genetically-recumbent great white shark into the oceans of [[Strana Mechty]]. Khan Howell despised the [[Clan Sea Fox]] for thwarting his attempts to gain territory on the world of [[Priori]], and subsequently unleashed these 'diamond sharks' for the expressed purpose of wiping out the Sea Fox totem animal. The Raven saKhan, [[Niamh Sukhanov]], furious at his superior's machinations, declared a trial of grievance, killing Khan Howells and then assuming the seat of Khanship. Nonetheless, the Sea Foxes were furious, and their anger only abated when the Snow Raven Khan envoked the rite of ''surkireide''.  
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{| class="wikitable" border="1"; text-align:center;
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|-
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!Clan Name
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!Symbol
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!Relationship
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!Reason
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|-
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|'''[[Clan Diamond Shark]]'''
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|[[Image:Clan Diamond Shark.jpg|100px]]
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|Enemy
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|A one-sided rivalry did exist with [[Clan Diamond Shark]] from [[2985]] onward, in which the Sharks punished the Ravens via mercantile means after the Ravens created the Diamond Shark to kill their original totem, the Sea Fox. Despite this, the Ravens atypically refrained from reprisals.
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|-
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|'''[[Clan Steel Viper]]'''
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|[[Image:Clan Steel Viper logo.png|100px]]
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|Enemy
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|The Ravens actively feuded with [[Clan Steel Viper]] following the loss of their resource-rich colony on Hellgate to the Vipers in [[2899]].<ref name=TCWOK92>''The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky'', p. 92: "Allies and Enemies"</ref> Though the Viper did expel the Snow Ravens from the Clan Homeworlds, the rivalry ended when Clan Steel Viper was eliminated in 3075.
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|-
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|'''[[Clan Jade Falcon]]'''
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|[[Image:Clan Jade Falcon.jpg|100px]]
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|Enemy
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|The Snow Ravens once had friendly relations with Clan Jade Falcon, until they refused to allow a Bloodnamed Raven Warrior, Nerran McKenna, to return to his Clan for Bloodhouse business due to the difficulties of transporting him back to the Clan Homeworlds from the Inner Sphere. This would result in a souring relation between the two Clans.
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|-
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|}
  
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Another major event in Raven history was a deal brokered by [[Clan Blood Spirit]], in which the Spirits bartered several of their [[WarShip]]s away for a galaxy of second-line Raven [['Mech]]s. The Snow Ravens and Blood Spirits have been low-level allies ever since.
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==Military==
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{{Main|Clan Snow Raven Touman}}
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For many years the [[Clan Snow Raven Touman|Snow Raven ''touman'']] contained the largest naval force of any Clan, with forty [[WarShips]] and a near-stranglehold on shipbuilding facilities.  Its fleet was divided into five-ship naval [[Star]]s organized around either a central combatant, such as a battleship or carrier, or an armored transport, such as a ''[[Potemkin]]'' or ''[[Volga]]''.  Each naval group was accompanied by large numbers of assault [[DropShip]]s, as many as a [[Cluster]]'s worth of [[aerospace fighter]]s, and a number of [[Elemental]] marine [[Trinary|Trinaries]]. Such was the size of the fleet during this time that it allowed the Snow Ravens to maintain a "two-Clan system," whereby they could simultaneously fight major space engagements with two other Clans and be reasonably assured of victory.  These naval forces not only served to protect the Clan but also as a source of revenue: in addition to ship facilities, elements of the fleet were contracted out to other Clans to fight at their side, though such practices declined as the disparity in fleet sizes began to lessen.<ref name=FMWCp124-125>''Field Manual: Warden Clans'', pp. 124–125</ref>
  
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==The Political Century and Operation Revival==
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Such an emphasis on aerospace and naval assets greatly affected its ground forces, which in total numbers of [[BattleMechs]] was less compared to other Clans.  Most [[Elemental]]s, and even some 'Mech pilots, were trained in zero-G operations, making them as equally effective fighting within a ship, on its hull, or free-floating in space as they were on solid ground. These forces were also more heavily reliant on the fleet to perform aerial reconnaissance and close air support, making their absence in a fight potentially debilitating.  A tradition of assigning a naval Star to each [[Galaxy]] posed its own problem, as the ranks of [[Star Admiral]] and [[Galaxy Commander]] were equivalent, resulting in arguments over authority and occasionally hampering operations.  Only rarely would the Khans intervene and appoint a senior officer, typically the Galaxy Commander, and only in truly problematic instances, as the two supreme leaders were supposed to be impartial to internal politicking.<ref name=FMWCp124-125/>
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In stark contrast to the peace that the so-called 'Golden Century' granted, the following era, the 'Political Century' would be racked with turmoil. The requisite three generations that Kerensky had mandated for the [[Clans]] to finally return to the [[Inner Sphere]] had long since past and many in Clan society called for change. Nacent ideological rifts began to grow, eventually coalescing into the [[Crusader Clans|Crusader]] philosophy, which wanted to return to the Inner Sphere and reinstate the [[Star League]], and the [[Warden Clans|Warden]] philosophy, whose adherents felt the [[Clans]] were still not ready to return. Interpreting both these ideologies as false, '''Clan Snow Raven''' chose to follow neither path.  They chose the best of both worlds: the Crusaders' drive, and the Wardens' patience, and have done so to great effect. Moreover, the Snow Ravens - as a politically 'neutral' Clan - could contract their services to either a Crusader or Warden Clan with minimal difficulty.  This would prove to be a prudent choice when, fifty years later, the calls for invasion were answered.
 
  
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For half a century the Ravens were quiet, until the ''[[Outbound Light]]'' brought about the call for invasion of the [[Inner Sphere]]. [[Clan Coyote]], who had lost much territory in the last few decades, sought to bring glory and prestige to their Clan by attacking the Snow Ravens. While the Coyotes wielded considerable forces, the Ravens fought with equal force and both sides were bloodied bad enough that neither Clan was strong enough to participate in the trials determining a slot in the invasion force. This worked out in the Raven's favor anyway, for Khan [[Lynn McKenna]] was able to negotiate a contract with the Jade Falcons that loaned out two stars of [[WarShip]]s, in exchange for resources from the Inner Sphere, and most importantly, the world of [[Hellgate]] (which the Falcons had recently taken from the Vipers). This arrangement allowed the Ravens to regain their strength lost through the failed Coyote attack, as well as thumb their nose at the Vipers. This arrangement with the Falcons did not last for long, for they and the Crusader Wolves initiated the [[Harvest Trials]] in [[3058]], wherein two entire clusters were taken by the Jade Falcons. Relations with that Clan cooled, although are normalizing again (even after the 'McKenna Bloodhouse Incident' when the Jade Falcon Clan meddled with Snow Raven bloodhouse affairs).
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In other instances the chain of command was clearly spelled out in what was known as "the list."  Recording all officers and their qualifications, "the list" established a clear line of precedence in the case of a superior officer's incapacity or death.  Such a mechanism avoided a problem found in other Clans which over-relied on senior officers and let a Snow Raven warrior know their exact status within the Clan. Promotion was also handled differently compared to other Clans: to achieve the rank of Galaxy Commander required the warrior to earn the Order of the Raven, and only Galaxy Commanders or Star Admirals could be elected as Khan, saKhan or Loremaster. Likewise because each Galaxy was primarily responsible for one world, and each Galaxy Commander reported directly to the Khan and was their representative on that world, those elevated to this position were the ''de facto'' head of their respective planetary governments.<ref name=FMWCp124-125/>
  
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==The Great Refusal==
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Snow Raven training also differed from that of many other Clans, influenced in part by their several near-extinctions during the course of their history. A heavy emphasis on teamwork, and putting the needs and honor of the Clan above even personal honor, began at basic training under the warders of the Ravenshead training ground and the McKenna Naval Training Facility. The Snow Ravens also utilized simulators as opposed to live-fire exercises to a greater degree than normal Clan training.  Not only were their 'Mech, fighter and WarShip simulators among the most advanced, but their use avoided the wasteful expenditure of limited resources and allowed the bulk of equipment to be assigned to combat units. The result of this methodology was a relatively small but well-trained and well-equipped fighting force.<ref name=FMWCp124-125/>
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One of the greatest feats of the Snow Ravens in recent years has been the completion of the largest [[WarShip]] ever constructed, the ''[[Leviathan]]''. The [[Clan Ghost Bear|Ghost Bears]], the Snow Ravens' longtime ally, requested the assistance in building a WarShip so powerful that it could handle an entire naval star by itself. The Ravens managed to deliver, but the project failed to be completed in time for the Bear's move to the [[Inner Sphere]]. The ''Leviathan'' served as valuable cargo vessel, ferrying millions of Clan civilians to their new home. When the Ghost Bears finally left, they gifted the world of [[Bearclaw]] to the Ravens in thanks, although the [[Clan Hell's Horses |Hell's Horses Clan]] landed just as the Bears were leaving and the Ravens have failed to oust them fully, so far. The Snow Ravens have gained territory elsewhere as well, in the wake of Smoke Jaguar Annihilation the Ravens gained much of the planet of [[Circe]], as well as a portion of [[Homer]] (although they were eventually forced off that world by superior numbers of [[Clan Steel Viper|Steel Vipers]]). The Snow Ravens also assisted in the withdrawal of [[Clan Nova Cat]] forces, which allowed the Ravens to obtain the Abjured Clan's territory with minimal conflict.
 
  
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==Territory Wars==
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== Bloodnames ==
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Post-[[3060]], the Ravens began to see the limitations of their recent gains, and decided to send an expeditiary force to the [[Inner Sphere]]. While scouting the near-[[Periphery]], the Snow Raven force stumbled upon an [[Outworlds Alliance]] [[JumpShip]] and staged a trial of possession for it, offering a [[Titan]] class [[DropShip]] as collateral. Surprisingly, the Snow Ravens were beaten by the Alliance pilots. Greatly impressed, they offering their hand in friendship and eventually formalized a make-shift alliance that has allowed Snow Raven vessels to use Outworlds recharge stations, in exchange for refurbishing an old [[Star League]]-era naval base at [[Quatre Belle]]. The Snow Ravens also helped the Alliance develop its own [[Omnifighter]], the [[Corax]] (named in honor of the Ravens).
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{{main|List of Bloodnames#Clan Snow Raven}}
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{{Category|Clan Snow Raven Bloodnames}}
  
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==Treachery at Kanzaka==
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==Rulers==
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The [[Inner Sphere]] seemed like a very hospitable place for the Snow Ravens until the [[Draconis Combine]] blew up a Snow Raven vessel attempting to recharge at one of their stations (which the Ravens won the right to by trial). The lost vessel was none other than the ''[[White Cloud]]'', which once won the [[2736]] [[Martial Olympiad]]. The Ravens took several pirate worlds, [[Rezak's Hole]] and [[Farstar]], which they used for harassing Kuritan interests to the best of their ability.
 
  
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==The Assault on Lum==
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===Khans===
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However, true revenge had to wait, for the Raven's homeworld of [[Lum]] was being assaulted. The [[Clan Steel Viper|Steel Viper Clan]], ejected from the [[Inner Sphere]] by the [[Clan Jade Falcon|Jade Falcons]], sought to take revenge on their most hated foe, the Snow Ravens. Several frontline galaxies were deployed on [[Lum]], and, for a time, it seemed the Vipers would be victorious.  Eventually the Snow Ravens turned the tide of battle and drove the Vipers off-planet. The final battle involved naval elements and resulted in the destruction of the Viper vessel ''Pit Viper''. Several Raven vessels were damaged, but none destroyed.
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{{main|Khan of Clan Snow Raven}}
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===saKhans===
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{{main|saKhan of Clan Snow Raven}}
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===Loremasters===
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{{main|Loremaster of Clan Snow Raven}}
  
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==The Jihad and Beyond==
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==Era Specific Information==
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With the Viper threat diminshed, the Ravens could now concentrate on the [[Draconis Combine]]. The [[Jihad]] waged by the[[ Word of Blake]] was savaging the [[Inner Sphere]], and it was the perfect time to exact revenge upon the weakened Kuritan forces. So far, the Ravens have hit the worlds of [[Enif]], [[Tabayama]], and [[Galedon]], destroying a Kuritan [[Kyushu]] class vessel in the latter engagement. Post-Jihad, the Snow Ravens are known to merge with the [[Outworlds Alliance]] government, forming the [[Raven Alliance]], although exact information surrounding this remains unknown.
 
  
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==External links==
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===3062===
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* [http://www.theunkindness.net/ Clan Snow Raven fansite]
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'''Snow Raven Demographics'''<br />
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Affiliation: Warden (nominal)<br />
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Population (Clan Space): 94,199,000 (3060)<br />
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Population growth rate: 2.2 percent (49/27)<br />
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Self-Sufficiency Index: 96 percent<br />
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'''Leaders:'''<br />
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Khan: Lynn McKenna<br />
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saKhan: Bryn Cooper<br />
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Loremaster: Klaus Harper<br />
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Scientist-General: Charlotte (von Braun)<br />
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Merchant Factor: Louis<br />
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Master Technician: Mattias<br />
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Senior Laborer: Emili<br />
 +
 
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'''Military:'''<br />
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Clusters: 26<br />
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WarShips: 40<br />
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'''Clan Space Worlds:'''<br />
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Capital: Lum<br />
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[[Bearclaw]] (70 percent)<br />
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[[Brim]] (19 percent)<br />
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[[Circe]] (70 percent)<br />
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[[Hellgate]] (100 percent)<br />
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[[Lum]] (82 percent)<br />
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==Manufacturing Center==
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A detailed list of some Snow Raven manufacturers and company centers.
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{{Category|Clan Snow Raven Corporations}}
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===Heavy Aerospace Industry===
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====3067====
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* [[Lum Shipyards]]<ref>''Strategic Operations'', p. 17</ref>
 +
 
 +
== References ==
 +
<references />
 +
 
 +
==Bibliography==
 +
* ''[[Betrayal of Ideals]]''
 +
* ''[[The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky]]''
 +
* ''[[Era Digest: Golden Century]]''
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* ''[[Field Manual: 3085]]''
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* ''[[Field Manual: Updates]]''
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* ''[[Field Manual: Warden Clans]]''
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* ''[[Historical: Operation Klondike]]''
 +
* ''[[Jihad: Final Reckoning]]''
 +
* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: 3072]]''
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* ''[[Jihad Hot Spots: Terra]]''
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* ''[[Masters and Minions: The StarCorps Dossiers]]''
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* ''[[The Star League]]''
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* ''[[Strategic Operations]]''
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* ''[[The Wars of Reaving]]''
  
  
 
[[Category: Clans]]
 
[[Category: Clans]]
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[[Category: CBT Factions]]
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[[Category: Factions|Clans, Clan Snow Raven]]

Latest revision as of 15:02, 26 January 2024


Clan Snow Raven Logo
Clan Snow Raven
Faction Profile
Time period: 2807 – 3083
Classification: Clan
Controlled systems: ?
Capital world: Lum (former)
Ruler title: Khan
Military: Clan Snow Raven touman
Secret Service: Clan Snow Raven Watch

Clan Snow Raven was founded by Stephen McKenna (a distant relative of the famous James McKenna who hailed from the Terran Hegemony).[1] The Snow Ravens are a complicated Clan that have 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, eventually rose to power in the years after the Clan Invasion.[2] During the Jihad, the Snow Ravens would leave Clan space and enter a war with the Draconis Combine. They would later join the remaining Clans in the Inner Sphere to form the Council of Six after their abjuration from the Clan Homeworlds. They would develop a close relationship with the Outworlds Alliance and by the end of the Jihad, the two factions would merge together to become the Raven Alliance.

History[edit]

Main article: History of Clan Snow Raven

Culture[edit]

The practices and customs of the Snow Raven Clan were a study in contradiction. On the one hand the Clan was incredibly tight-knit and distrusting of any outsiders: rarely would a Snow Raven take someone from outside the Clan into their confidence for fear they may turn on them, and most bondsmen wore their bondcord for many years before being accepted. Even then these individuals had difficulty fully integrating into their new Clan, and of the very few warriors taken fewer still were allowed to rise above the rank of Star Colonel.[3]

In comparison the Clan's internal politics were downright Byzantine, a complex web of power structures and relationships. The focus of this politicking was the Clan's Bloodname Houses, often known internally as "the families," and to interfere with a family's internal affairs was considered a grave sin. This was because each House Leader had absolute authority over how its Bloodnamed members would vote in the Clan Council, but determining who held this position meant only the most politically astute retained it for more than a few years. Thus while no Snow Raven ever did something without reason, that reason was not always the most apparent one.[3]

The Snow Ravens were also unique in maintaining a separate category of naval Bloodnames. While all Clans hold control over a number of bloodlines categorized as generic, MechWarrior, Elemental or Pilot, the Snow Ravens created an additional category of Naval Command. Bred for their analytical and command abilities, with strength and stamina secondary concerns, such bloodlines dated back to the early days of the Clan as a means to produce superior naval officers. The rarity of inter-Clan naval engagements throughout most of their history meant other Clans saw such practices as a waste of resources.[4]

Inter-Clan Relations[edit]

For most part Clan Snow Raven avoided entanglements with alliances or feuds throughout its history. Only with three Clans did the Snow Ravens have anything resembling alliances.

Clan Name Symbol Relationship Reason
Clan Blood Spirit Clan Blood Spirit logo.png Ally Exchanges of war matériel with Clan Blood Spirit between 2980 and 3010 inaugurated limited dealings with that isolationist Clan until the Raven's Abjuration from the Clan Homeworlds and the Blood Spirit's destruction.
Clan Ghost Bear Clan Ghost Bear logo.png Ally With Clan Ghost Bear the Snow Ravens consistently maintained good relations; each Clans' military bias offset the others' weakness, and exchanges of technology and skills were frequent.[5]
Clan Cloud Cobra Clan Cloud Cobra.jpg Ally The Cloud Cobras shared the Ravens' inclination towards aerospace warfare and political intrigue. These relations would continue until the Raven's Abjuration from the Clan Homeworlds.
Clan Name Symbol Relationship Reason
Clan Diamond Shark Clan Diamond Shark.jpg Enemy A one-sided rivalry did exist with Clan Diamond Shark from 2985 onward, in which the Sharks punished the Ravens via mercantile means after the Ravens created the Diamond Shark to kill their original totem, the Sea Fox. Despite this, the Ravens atypically refrained from reprisals.
Clan Steel Viper Clan Steel Viper logo.png Enemy The Ravens actively feuded with Clan Steel Viper following the loss of their resource-rich colony on Hellgate to the Vipers in 2899.[5] Though the Viper did expel the Snow Ravens from the Clan Homeworlds, the rivalry ended when Clan Steel Viper was eliminated in 3075.
Clan Jade Falcon Clan Jade Falcon.jpg Enemy The Snow Ravens once had friendly relations with Clan Jade Falcon, until they refused to allow a Bloodnamed Raven Warrior, Nerran McKenna, to return to his Clan for Bloodhouse business due to the difficulties of transporting him back to the Clan Homeworlds from the Inner Sphere. This would result in a souring relation between the two Clans.

Military[edit]

Main article: Clan Snow Raven Touman

For many years the Snow Raven touman contained the largest naval force of any Clan, with forty WarShips and a near-stranglehold on shipbuilding facilities. Its fleet was divided into five-ship naval Stars organized around either a central combatant, such as a battleship or carrier, or an armored transport, such as a Potemkin or Volga. Each naval group was accompanied by large numbers of assault DropShips, as many as a Cluster's worth of aerospace fighters, and a number of Elemental marine Trinaries. Such was the size of the fleet during this time that it allowed the Snow Ravens to maintain a "two-Clan system," whereby they could simultaneously fight major space engagements with two other Clans and be reasonably assured of victory. These naval forces not only served to protect the Clan but also as a source of revenue: in addition to ship facilities, elements of the fleet were contracted out to other Clans to fight at their side, though such practices declined as the disparity in fleet sizes began to lessen.[6]

Such an emphasis on aerospace and naval assets greatly affected its ground forces, which in total numbers of BattleMechs was less compared to other Clans. Most Elementals, and even some 'Mech pilots, were trained in zero-G operations, making them as equally effective fighting within a ship, on its hull, or free-floating in space as they were on solid ground. These forces were also more heavily reliant on the fleet to perform aerial reconnaissance and close air support, making their absence in a fight potentially debilitating. A tradition of assigning a naval Star to each Galaxy posed its own problem, as the ranks of Star Admiral and Galaxy Commander were equivalent, resulting in arguments over authority and occasionally hampering operations. Only rarely would the Khans intervene and appoint a senior officer, typically the Galaxy Commander, and only in truly problematic instances, as the two supreme leaders were supposed to be impartial to internal politicking.[6]

In other instances the chain of command was clearly spelled out in what was known as "the list." Recording all officers and their qualifications, "the list" established a clear line of precedence in the case of a superior officer's incapacity or death. Such a mechanism avoided a problem found in other Clans which over-relied on senior officers and let a Snow Raven warrior know their exact status within the Clan. Promotion was also handled differently compared to other Clans: to achieve the rank of Galaxy Commander required the warrior to earn the Order of the Raven, and only Galaxy Commanders or Star Admirals could be elected as Khan, saKhan or Loremaster. Likewise because each Galaxy was primarily responsible for one world, and each Galaxy Commander reported directly to the Khan and was their representative on that world, those elevated to this position were the de facto head of their respective planetary governments.[6]

Snow Raven training also differed from that of many other Clans, influenced in part by their several near-extinctions during the course of their history. A heavy emphasis on teamwork, and putting the needs and honor of the Clan above even personal honor, began at basic training under the warders of the Ravenshead training ground and the McKenna Naval Training Facility. The Snow Ravens also utilized simulators as opposed to live-fire exercises to a greater degree than normal Clan training. Not only were their 'Mech, fighter and WarShip simulators among the most advanced, but their use avoided the wasteful expenditure of limited resources and allowed the bulk of equipment to be assigned to combat units. The result of this methodology was a relatively small but well-trained and well-equipped fighting force.[6]

Bloodnames[edit]

Main article: List of Bloodnames § Clan Snow Raven

Category:Clan Snow Raven Bloodnames

Rulers[edit]

Khans[edit]

Main article: Khan of Clan Snow Raven

saKhans[edit]

Main article: saKhan of Clan Snow Raven

Loremasters[edit]

Main article: Loremaster of Clan Snow Raven

Era Specific Information[edit]

3062[edit]

Snow Raven Demographics
Affiliation: Warden (nominal)
Population (Clan Space): 94,199,000 (3060)
Population growth rate: 2.2 percent (49/27)
Self-Sufficiency Index: 96 percent

Leaders:
Khan: Lynn McKenna
saKhan: Bryn Cooper
Loremaster: Klaus Harper
Scientist-General: Charlotte (von Braun)
Merchant Factor: Louis
Master Technician: Mattias
Senior Laborer: Emili

Military:
Clusters: 26
WarShips: 40

Clan Space Worlds:
Capital: Lum
Bearclaw (70 percent)
Brim (19 percent)
Circe (70 percent)
Hellgate (100 percent)
Lum (82 percent)

Manufacturing Center[edit]

A detailed list of some Snow Raven manufacturers and company centers.

Category:Clan Snow Raven Corporations

Heavy Aerospace Industry[edit]

3067[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ The Star League, p. 12: "James McKenna"
  2. ↑ Historical: Operation Klondike, pp. 115–116: "Stephen McKenna Profile"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 122
  4. ↑ Field Manual: Warden Clans, p. 123
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky, p. 92: "Allies and Enemies"
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Field Manual: Warden Clans, pp. 124–125
  7. ↑ Strategic Operations, p. 17

Bibliography[edit]

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