History of Clan Smoke Jaguar

Clan Smoke Jaguar
Faction Profile
Time period:	2807 – 3060 3151 (re-formed) - Present
Classification:	Clan
Capital world:	Huntress (formerly)
Ruler title:	Khan
Military:	Clan Smoke Jaguar Touman
Secret Service:	Clan Smoke Jaguar Watch

Founding

Franklin Osis, the first Khan of the Smoke Jaguar Clan, was born in the Federated Suns to parents who served in the SLDF 238th Armored Division. They followed Aleksandr Kerensky in his exodus from the Inner Sphere and over the years instilled in young Franklin the same blind trust in General Kerensky as they had. When the Exodus Fleet reached the Pentagon Worlds, the Osis family settled on Eden and turned to a life of farming. But before long ancient prejudices and hatreds began to resurface and caused dissension among the colonists. Franklin's brother Simon joined a pro-Suns gang and eventually Franklin himself was forced to join for protection, though he always tried to avoid confrontations or end them bloodlessly. However, in 2800, he was arrested and forced to perform hard labor on Circe. When he returned to Eden he was all but broken in spirit and the first battles of the Exodus Civil War had begun. The final straw for him came when General Kerensky ordered his troops to summarily execute all rebels in a final attempt to put down the revolt. Franklin lost all faith in his former idol and became convinced humanity could never escape the taint of war without rebuilding society from the ground up. When Nicholas Kerensky called for a Second Exodus, Franklin jumped at the chance, bringing with him his parents and brother.

Rise of the Smoke Jaguars

When they reached Strana Mechty Franklin found a measure of peace wandering the planet's lush jungles, taking an interest in the wildlife and particularly the smoke jaguar as a means to heal the mental wounds he had suffered. Unfortunately in the spring of 2809, while Franklin and Simon were observing a pack of smoke jaguars, one of them leaped down from a tree branch and knocked Simon to the ground. Franklin was frozen in terror and could do nothing as the animal savaged his brother. Finally, his brother's dying screams cut short as the animal tore out his throat. A berserk fury overcame Franklin; he leaped onto the beast, armed only with a small hunting knife, and slew it in a brief, frenzied butchery. As the smoke jaguar lay dead at his feet, for the first time in his life Franklin took pleasure in the violence, seemingly wiping away the stain of cowardice which had cost Simon his life.

At Nicholas Kerensky's urging, Franklin went on to train as a MechWarrior, taking every opportunity to face danger and conquer it through combat. Soon he began to outmatch his trainers in both the ferocity and tenacity of his attacks which, while impressive, also worried Nicholas with the thought that he might become nothing more than a mindless killing machine. Thus Nicholas designated Franklin for officer training, hoping to temper his rage so that it may be controlled during battle. Within two years Franklin won command of a Trinary in the newly-formed Clan Smoke Jaguar. The ferocity and skill with which Franklin Osis displayed eventually won the admiration of the other Smoke Jaguar members, who elected him their Khan.

Golden Century

Khan Franklin Osis had always acknowledged the value of the civilian castes, insofar as their efforts supported the warrior caste, and towards the end of his rule began to see the need for peaceful pursuits, if only so that warriors had some breathing space between battles. Unfortunately he was followed by a succession of short-sighted Khans who continued to glorify war and only war. While other Clans were taking advantage of the potential wealth gained through colonization and trade during what became known as the Golden Century, the Smoke Jaguars found themselves economically sidelined during these relatively peaceful years. They colonized fewer worlds than most other Clans, and what few worlds they did colonize were dedicated to military pursuits rather than resource extraction; ironically this deprived them not only of wealth but the military advantages they should have gained by exploiting it.

Instead the Clan used their military assets to seize what they needed from others, fighting countless Trials of Possession over everything from Brian Caches to genetic bloodlines, winning enough to support themselves and maintain their prominence. In this manner the Smoke Jaguars were one of the first Clans to gain possession of OmniMech technology from Clan Coyote. They were also one of only two Clans, the other being Clan Hell's Horses, to win possession of Battle Armor technology from Clan Diamond Shark without resorting to bartering. This had come after several unsuccessful attempts to win the technology from Clan Wolf, and though they had seemingly accomplished this task without much of a fight the Smoke Jaguars ended up paying a hefty premium for HarJel.

Mongoose Absorption

This effort to take what they could from others became pronounced during their Absorption of Clan Mongoose. Despite being well-known for their casual brutality, surprisingly the Smoke Jaguars were not the most aggressive Clan during the Golden Century. That distinction belonged to Clan Mongoose, driven by Khans who mortally feared showing any martial weakness to their competitors; they were almost as infamous for their incessant attacks on many of their neighbors as they were for their constant political maneuvering, which had over the years earned for their Clan the nickname "the Weasels". The result of this raiding and politicking meant the Mongoose Clan had made many enemies, and in 2868 as they launched an attack on the Smoke Jaguar world of Atreus, their bitter rivals Clan Star Adder simultaneously launched their own multi-world assault on Clan Mongoose. In the Grand Council the Mongoose Khans pleaded for censure of the Smoke Jaguars, but their effort backfired and Khan Theodore Osis successfully won the right to Absorb them. The resulting conflict saw the Smoke Jaguars win nearly all Mongoose planets and matériel, though they refused to make use of the captured genetic legacies, instead preferring to let them fade into obscurity; Clan Cloud Cobra would end up fighting Trials of Possession for many of these bloodlines and utilize them, much to the chagrin of the Smoke Jaguars.

Khan Theodore Osis' rage would not be easily abated, and it would next be directed at the Star Adders. Though some sources claim the Jaguars were mollified about the Adders' independent assault just before the Trial's initial engagement in space above Circe, other sources indicate that it was not fully resolved until some time after the Absorption had ended. Either way, Khan Osis would next bring somewhat dubious charges against the Star Adders in the Grand Council. In these charges, Osis claimed that the Star Adder's reconquest of multiple planets previously taken from them by Clan Mongoose robbed his warriors of their "full measure of victory", charges that the Star Adder's Khan Banacek would seem rather indifferent toward. The fact that Khan Osis had known of the Adder attacks before he asked for the rights to Absorption did not seem to matter. He would go so far as to call for punishment of the Star Adders. These charges would be brushed aside by the Grand Council, with acknowledgement of the Star Adders' right to revenge in the matter. But the subsequent feud would not end between these two Clans for a long time to come.

Londerholm Revolt

The success of the Smoke Jaguars' military endeavors only furthered the discrimination the ruling warrior caste directed towards not only their own civilians but freeborns as well, until even their very existence was scorned. Though all Clans valued the warrior caste above others and directed some measure of contempt towards freebirths, the Smoke Jaguar Clan took this to an entirely new level, leading to much greater resentment among those ostensibly meant to support the warriors' ability to fight. The merchant caste in particular found their treatment vexing, as the warrior's disdain for economic activity saw countless opportunities for profit wasted and their control of the Clan Council left little chance for a fair hearing. The merchants' response was to skim profits from those ventures they were allowed to pursue, an decision which resulted in the Londerholm Revolt. In the wake of that bloody massacre Khan Ian Moon formally removed what little measure of self-governance the civilian castes had, placing absolute authority in the hands of the warriors.

Operation Revival

Battle of Tukayyid

In the bidding for the Battle of Tukayyid the Smoke Jaguars won the honor of being the first Clan to land and having to capture the most prestigious targets, simultaneously successfully conspiring to have Clan Wolf land last and capture the least prestigious targets. Unfortunately they had done so while bidding away an entire Galaxy, leaving them with the least amount of forces, and took little note of their supplies or the supposedly weak Com Guards. In the disaster that resulted both Khan Osis and saKhan Sarah Weaver were defeated, leaving the Clan leaderless, while both Alpha and Beta Galaxy were savagely mauled, many refusing ilKhan Kerensky's order to retreat in order to go down fighting. The losses suffered at Tukayyid would not be easily repaired and, eventually, proved to be the downfall of Clan Smoke Jaguar.

As the Fidelis

The Fidelis
Faction Profile
Time period:	3062 - Present
Classification:	Inner Sphere
Capital world:	New Earth
Ruler title:	Custos
Military:	Century
Secret Service:	Unknown

ilClan Era and Reformation

After being released by the Republic of the Sphere, the Fidelis revealed their Smoke Jaguar origins to Khan Alaric Ward. The aging Custos known as Paul Moon, came to an agreement with Khan Ward that would allow for the eventual rebirth of Clan Smoke Jaguar upon Clan Wolf's ascension to ilClan. Following the total victory of Clan Wolf over the forces of Clan Jade Falcon in the ilClan Trials, Khan Ward honored his agreement and the Smoke Jaguars were born anew.