Diana Pryde

Diana Pryde was the freeborn spawn of the legendary Clan Jade Falcon warior [Aidan Pryde]] and a former member of Aidan's sibko named Peri. She is best remembered for her quest for a bloodname (although she was a freeborn), and for her defeat of the Khan of Clan Steel Viper in combat.

Early Career

Aware of her father's history, Diana volunteered to become a MechWarrior as soon as she grew old enough. After she passed her training, she was assigned to her father's unit, the Falcon Guard, in the Clan invasion corridor. She participated in the taking of a few worlds by the Jade Falcons, and, with the rest of thr Falcon Guard, were assigned to take Tukayyid as part of Anastasius Focht's proposal to halt the Clan Invasion.

On Tukayyid, the Jade Falcons, although they met with some initial success, were pushed back and defeated. In their general retreat, Diana was almost killed by the swarming ComGuard forces, but was saved by her father, who had just learned of her existence. As he died holding off the ComGuards, she was rescued by an Elemental, and got off Tukayyid safely.

Bloodtrial

Following years of service to the Clan, Diana put forward a proposal to her Khan, Marthe Pryde, that would allow her to compete for a Bloodname. Basing her argument off the fact that she was the freeborn child of two trueborns, and ergo not genetically weaker than trueborns, she petitioned the Khan for the right to compete. The Khan agreed, and ordered Diana's commanding officer, Ravill Pryde, to sponsor her for the Trial. Ravill reluctantly complied, and the two of them, accompanied by Star Commander Joanna, journeyed back to the capital of Ironhold for the Trial.

Coinciding with this, Khan Marthe Pryde journeyed to Strana Mechty for a council of all Khans. The assembled Khans, led by the Khan of Clan Steel Viper, Perigard Zalman, demanded a censure of the Jade Falcons for allowing a freeborn to compete for a bloodname. The motion falied by a close margin, due to the manipulation of Khan Vlad Ward of Clan Wolf, and Diana competed for a Bloodname.

Diana, facing opposition from many aspects of Jade Falcon society, still managed to win all of her Bloodtrials with ease, and claimed her Bloodname. This was interrupted, however, by Ravill Pryde's declaration of a Trial of Grievance to find the Bloodtrial null and void.

Jade Falon-Steel Viper War

Ravill's Trial was interrupted by the breakout of hostilities between the Jade Falcons and the Steel Vipers, who shared their invasion corridor. Using Diana's bloodtrial as a casus belli, the Steel Vipers took several Jade Falcon worlds in their occupation zone.