Wars of Reaving

This article is about the historical event. For the game sourcebook, see The Wars of Reaving.

See also: Wars of Reaving (timeline)

Wars of Reaving
Conflict details
Part of	Jihad Era
Start Date	3071
End Date	3075
Planet(s)	Multiple planets/enclaves and Blood Chapels targeted
Location(s)	Clan Space/Kerensky Cluster
Result	Separation of the Clan Homeworlds from the Inner Sphere Absorption of Clan Ice Hellion Destruction of Clan Fire Mandrill Destruction of reborn Clan Burrock Destruction of The Society and purging of many Scientist Caste members Annihilation of Clan Steel Viper
Attacking Forces
Affiliation	Various Home Clans Clan Cloud Cobra Clan Star Adder Clan Steel Viper Clan Stone Lion
Commanding Officer(s)	ilKhan Brett Andrews
Defending Forces
Affiliation	Various Home and Invader Clans Clan Diamond Shark Clan Jade Falcon Clan Snow Raven
Commanding Officer(s)	Various Khans of opposing Clans
Other Forces
Affiliation	Various rebel factions Clan Coyote elements Clan Burrock and Tanis The Society Bandit Caste groups
Commanding Officer(s)	Various Society, Clan Coyote, Clan Burrock, and Bandit Caste leaders

The Wars of Reaving was a major conflict that started in 3071 when ilKhan Brett Andrews sought to purge via Trials of Reaving the "Taint" that had "polluted" those Clans which had carved out occupation zones in the Inner Sphere. This threat of widespread genetic destruction prompted members of The Society to stage open rebellions against various Clans' warriors castes. With secretly developed weapons, allies in the Bandit Caste and Clan Coyote, and a virus that crippled HPG communications, The Society plunged the Clan Homeworlds into chaos.

Years of confused fighting across Clan Space resulted. The previously interconnected enclaves on Clan worlds were forced to fend for themselves, resulting in widespread death and anarchy. Units from various Clans savagely assaulted their neighbors for scarce resources, while in many cases civilian caste members violated Clan law and actively fought against invading warriors. Bandits and Society members added to the devastation by raiding and slave-taking.

Members of Clan Burrock took advantage of the turmoil to attempt to resurrect their Clan, while those Invading Clans still possessing territory in Clan space were forced to withdraw or abandon their enclaves and personnel. Clan Hell's Horses successfully established itself among their ranks, as did Clan Snow Raven when it migrated to the Outworlds Alliance. By contrast, Clan Ice Hellion's attempt to carve out their own Inner Sphere zone ended in failure and the near-destruction of their touman.

By 3075 order had been restored to the Clan Homeworlds and The Society's rebellion crushed, along with Clan Burrock and their Tanite collaborators. Clan Ice Hellion's remnants had been voluntarily Absorbed by Clan Goliath Scorpion, while the ever-fractious Clan Fire Mandrill had simply disintegrated. The remaining Hell's Horses in the Homeworlds were Absorbed by Clan Star Adder, then released as Clan Stone Lion. Finally, Clan Steel Viper itself was declared Tainted by the remaining Home Clans and Annihilated, bringing the Wars of Reaving to an end.

Following these events, the Invading Clans and Home Clans each resolved to sever all contact with each other, leading to the total isolation of the Clan Homeworlds from mainstream humanity.

Background

Garret Sainze had the shortest reign as ilKhan next to Elias Crichell

Following the Truce of Tukayyid in 3052, the old Crusader/Warden divide between the Clans was joined by a new rift. Despite their defeat the Invader Clans were now able to tap the rich resources of the Inner Sphere while the Home Clans remained confined to the relatively poorer worlds of Clan Space. The Crusaders' defeat in the Great Refusal only aggravated this four-way split, with some Home Clans still determined to join the Invaders' ranks while others came to believe that contact with the Inner Sphere had tainted the Clans.

Another cause for the Wars of Reaving arose in 3060 from the Annihilation of Clan Smoke Jaguar and the departure of the Ghost Bears and Nova Cats from the Clan Homeworlds. The sudden availability of so many undefended enclaves and resources triggered the Wars of Possession, an ever-escalating series of Trials that saw a subtle shift towards a more destructive mindset among Clan warriors. The expulsion of Clan Steel Viper from the Inner Sphere added to the violence, as the humiliated Vipers set about making themselves a dominant power in the Homeworlds.

After hearing about the fall of the Second Star League and the dissolution of the Truce of Tukayyid in 3067, the Clans in the Homeworld debated on how to react to the news. The Grand Council decided to elect an ilKhan to resume the Invasion of the Inner Sphere. Fire Mandrill saKhan Garret Sainze was elected as ilKhan to carry out the invasion. However his tenure as ilKhan did not last long and his incompetence did not help matters as Scorpion Khan Ariel Suvorov later challenged him to a Trial of Refusal over his conduct.

Rise of the Bloody ilKhan

After ilKhan Garret Sainze was killed in a Trial of Refusal against Clan Goliath Scorpion, Steel Viper Khan, Brett Andrews was elected as ilKhan to succeed him. His rise could have been used to resume the invasion of the Inner Sphere. Instead, he focused his attention on removing the Spheroid Clans through brutal methods that ended up hurting the Clans. Brett Andrews caused a civil war which permanently changed the Clans as a whole. The brutality he imposed leveled the Homeworld Clans on par with other madmen like Stefan Amaris or atrocities like the Kentares Massacre.

Blood Chapels were frequently targeted as a way to root out Spheroid taint.

Purging the Taint

During the skirmishes with his enemies, ilKhan Andrews witnessed how rival Clans displayed dishonorable tactics like orbital bombardments or artillery strikes on his Clan, while others were making contact with the Inner Sphere. It was this moment that led him to believe that Inner Sphere culture was tainting the Clans from the inside. So he declared that in order to restart the Invasion of the Inner Sphere, the Clans must be freed of taint by any means necessary. That also meant removing those Clans who had made contact through the Inner Sphere, such as fighting them or merging with them. When Diamond Shark Khan Angus Labov opposed the idea, he was killed by the ilKhan as an example.

He even ordered that the Spheroid Clan Blood Chapels be destroyed, as they had been corrupted due to their taint. Some of the Homeworld Blood Chapels did not survive the scourge of the Wars of Reaving, as they were bombarded as well.

During the Wars of Reaving in 3071, ilKhan Andrews went so far as to order the destruction of the communication grids connecting the Inner Sphere and Clan space in a continuation of the effort to remove Inner Sphere taint. This would sever communications between the demographic Clans permanently.

Abjuration and Departure of the Spheroid Clans

The Diamond Sharks decided to make their first departure to the Inner Sphere in 3069. The Sharks made deals with other Clans in exchange for resources. Those who were left behind had to fight the other Clans in their absence. The rest of their enclaves would be fought over by the remaining Clans for years to come.

Clan Hell's Horses decided to make their final move to the Inner Sphere. Their intention was to make their own Clan Occupation Zone for themselves. Clan Ice Hellion would ally with the Horses with the same goal. The Horses who remained in the Clan Homeworlds would get absorbed by the other Clans. Their assets would be claimed as well.

On April 15, the Grand Council decided to Abjure Clan Wolf from the Clan Homeworlds. Khan Vlad Ward would mock ilKhan Andrews and his decrees in front of the other Clan. Angered by the disrespect shown by Vlad, he decided to annihilate the Wolves, but the Council (with the help of the Invading Clans and the Coyotes) chose to abjure the Wolves instead. During the bombardment of the Blood Chapels in 3071, Clan Wolf would seize the Kerensky Blood Chapel and challenge all Clan warriors to "Snatch the Legacy of Kerensky from the Wolf's jaws to prove themselves worthy of it." It was a brutal battle between all of the Clans, and the Ebon Keshik. Little did the other Clan's know, the Wolves secret goal was to send a force (under a Kerensky) to collect the genetic material of the Kerensky Bloodname. When the battle was over, the Wolves detonated the Kerensky Blood Chapel with their scientists committing suicide and one of their warriors stating: "Kerensky's legacy does not deserve to be spoiled, by his ungrateful children." before dying.

In 3071, the Bloody ilKhan tried to show their superiority over the Jade Falcons by Reaving the Pershaw Bloodname. However, Kael Pershaw would not allow this to happen. He would challenge a high-ranking Viper warrior to a Circle of Equals only to kill the warrior with a hidden sidearm. This was enough for the ilKhan to destroy the Pershaw Blood Chapel. After that, ilKhan Andrews would abjure the Jade Falcons from the Clan Homeworlds.

Clan Ghost Bear finally decided to leave the Clan Homeworlds in 3071. On Arcadia, the Ghost Bears would gather all of their civilian caste and warriors to make a jump to the Inner Sphere in their JumpShips. Clan Blood Spirit's Khan decided to strong-arm the Ghost Bears into giving Arcadia to them, but saKhan Aletha Kabrinski ignored the Spirit Khan's hails and cut the Khan off. When Aletha refused, the Blood Spirits decided to destroy an unarmed civilian craft, causing the Bears to attack the WarShip in retaliation. When the WarShip was destroyed, the Bear Khan was satisfied with the attack. They made a final jump to the Inner Sphere, leaving a mortally wounded Blood Spirit Khan in their absence.

Clan Snow Raven was the last Clan to leave the Clan Homeworlds for good. Being enemies of the Steel Vipers and their war with the Draconis Combine gave them plenty of reasons to be abjured. Their territories and assets would be claimed by the other Clans. A Snow Raven convoy was left behind and destroyed by the remaining Home Clans.

Many battles were carried out in cities as a part of the chaos in the Homeworlds.

Deaths of the Clan

Scattering of the Hellions

The Ice Hellion Invasion was a complete disaster from the start. One factor that caused their downfall was their "alliance" (or lack thereof) with Clan Hell's Horses. Despite their talk of cooperation with the Horses, the Ice Hellions did anything but that. The Ice Hellions did not bother to share any type of battle plan or speak to the Horses for assistance whatsoever. It was also mentioned that the Ice Hellions angered their "partners" to such an extent, that the Horses decided to turn on them immediately with the Jade Falcons. Another factor that may have played into their failure was the over-extension of their touman. Both the Khan and saKhan separated their entire touman into two different task forces. While the two task forces did a decent job in gaining territory for the Clan, they were facing overwhelming numbers and losing Clusters rapidly. By the end of the operation, the Ice Hellions were split in two. Also, the people of the Inner Sphere were something that the Clan did not take into account. They assumed that since the occupation zones had influenced the Inner Sphere, the civilian caste would be easy to integrate into their Clan, however that was not the case. They failed to recognize that the people would revolt against them, like the Steel Vipers before, and their attitude of making snap decisions also did not help matters.

The failed Ice Hellion invasion of Operation ICE STORM left the Clan scattered in 3072. One half of the Clan decided to launch pirate raids in the Ghost Bear Dominion, while the other Ice Hellions decided to leave the Inner Sphere with what they had left. Upon meeting on Noveaux Paris, the remaining Clan council decided on what to do for the future of their Clan. The Hellion's fate would be sealed when Clan Goliath Scorpion came in contact with the broken Clan. The Scorpions stated that they were powerful enough to take them into their Clan without any fighting. With little options left, the remnants of Clan Ice Hellion chose to be absorbed into Clan Goliath Scorpion. Conner Rood would become the first saKhan of Clan Goliath Scorpion and later on, the Escorpión Imperio.

Re-formation and fall of the Burrocks

In 3072, Clan Star Adder would form a Galaxy based on housing former Burrock warriors and malcontents in the Clan. However, some of the Burrock-turned-Adders would seize this opportunity to resurrect their former Clan. One thing they would do is kill any Adder supporters inside of the Galaxy to ensure their dominance among the resurgent Clan. This would cause internal strife within the Adders as those warriors with Burrock Bloodnames remaining within the Adders, would have to fight a Trial to prove their loyalty to the Clan. With these actions Clan Burrock would be reborn in the Clan Homeworlds.

The first order of business was to raid the Clan Homeworlds for resources that could be used for the Clan. They were able to find JumpShips and DropShips owned by Clan Diamond Shark and took them as isorla. They would even make a base on the Tanite worlds for future raids while taking advantage of the war. However, despite their brief revival, Clan Burrock would end up being destroyed by the Star Adders in 3074.

Blood Spirit ProtoMechs being deployed to attack Steel Viper forces during their Annihilation.

A Clan in flames

Clan Fire Mandrill would echo the death of Garret Sainze. As the Fire Mandrill's individual Kindraa were weakening, they decided to merge themselves into stronger Kindraa, calling themselves "ilKindraa" like Kindraa Payne-Beyl-Grant for example. Some Mandrills were absorbed by the other Clans, while others were being put down on various worlds. The last of that Clan would finally be destroyed in 3073, against Dark Caste and Society forces that managed to take control of their holdings. With little options left, the survivors chose to surrender. After their destruction, the Grand Council would confirm Clan Fire Mandrill's death two years later in 3075.

Rise of the Stone Lions

Clan Stone Lion, the legacy of Khan Stanislov N'Buta and vestiges of the Hell's Horses

During the Wars of Reaving, ilKhan Andrews implicated charges that Clan Hell's Horses were susceptible to taint due to their presence in the Inner Sphere. Andrew's evidence stated how the Hell's Horses had worked with the exiled Wolves and in turn, the Kell Hounds mercenary unit. Standing in place of the Horse Khans, Galaxy Commander Magnus DelVillar would plead his case to address the Grand Council about this matter. As the ilKhan was about to instruct actions against the Hell's Horses, DelVillar had stated that the Hell's Horses in Clan Space had never been to the Inner Sphere.

This evidence made it hard for the ilKhan to take action against them. Star Adder Khan, Stanislov N'Buta suggested an alternative, to claim all of the remaining Hell's Horses personnel as isorla. As a result, their holdings, personnel and equipment would be claimed over by Clan Star Adder during a Trial of Possession. In a surprise twist, however, the Adder Khan would travel to Tokasha where he would encounter the Tokasha Stone Lion. Using this as an opportunity to grow his own power, N'Buta would create a new Clan, Clan Stone Lion and relinquished control to the new Clan with Magnus DelVillar as Khan.

Scientists Against the Clans

During the Wars of Reaving, a group of scientist caste members would take the opportunity to revolt against the Homeworld Clans. They would be known as The Society, and their goal was to replace the warrior caste of the Clans instead of being ruled by them. They would work with the bandit caste and make experiments that the Clans found unproductive. The Society would also find allies among Clan Coyote, which would later cost the Clan their respect and military strength. The members of the Society would end up being destroyed and scientist castes of various Clans would ending up being purged.

Coyote Cleansing

During the Wars of Reaving, Clan Coyote would look for allies to topple the combined might of the Steel Vipers and their Snake Alliance. This would come in the form of the Society. To start off this alliance, the Coyotes would give the Society an enclave on their capital of Tamaron for their base of operations. Although this alliance proved to be beneficial to both parties, the Coyotes would be pinned as culprits behind most of the Society attacks in the Clan Homeworlds. Because of the Coyotes numbers, both Khans felt confident in challenging The Bloody ilKhan. However, their confidence would not prepare them for the downfall of their leadership among the Coyote Clan. Khan Elliot McKibben would meet his end when he challenged Brett Andrews to a Trial of Grievance against the ilKhan due to his failure of upholding his title and failure to nullify the Great Refusal. SaKhan Raven Clearwater was executed by Andrews shortly after.

The Coyote's role in supporting The Society would not go unpunished. IlKhan Andrews decided to Annihilate the Coyotes for aiding The Society, but some Coyotes warriors stated that their warriors had nothing to do with the society. So a Trial of Refusal was initiated to declare their innocence. Those who survived could live in their Clan and were given the task to wipe out their scientist caste. This Trial of Cleansing would nearly destroy Clan Coyote as a whole, but they would manage to survive the Trial in a weakened state.

Steel Viper WarShips fighting the remaining Home Clans

Beheading the Snake

Brett Andrews, the instigator of the Wars of Reaving, would ironically get himself and his Clan Annihilated

Although the Steel Vipers were successful in purging the Inner Sphere taint from the Clan Homeworlds by abjuring the Spheroid Clans, the Grand Council pointed out that there was one more enemy that needed to be purged - them. Ironically, through all the political maneuverings that ilKhan Andrews did to stay in power, he never thought that he would be the one to cause his own undoing. In a last-ditch effort, the Viper Khan would challenge the Adder Khan to a Circle of Equals, where he dishonorably killed him and in turn, was beaten to death by his new predecessor. With the death of ilKhan Brett Andrews, he never saw the results of his purging and the destruction of his Clan. Even though the Vipers fought as hard as they could, they were effectively overpowered and destroyed by the joint-taskforce of the remaining Home Clans. Despite Brett Andrews and his Clan perpetrating the Wars of Reaving, one would think that he and his Clan's genetic legacies would perish due to their Inner Sphere taint, but like the Widowmaker and Burrock Clans before them, the Steel Viper Bloodnames would be taken by the Star Adders.

Aftermath

Scorpion Taint

In 3078, evidence reached the Grand Council that Clan Goliath Scorpion was integrating Inner Sphere genes through the Clan breeding program. The warriors in question were the Eridani Light Horse mercenary unit. The Grand Council voted to Abjure the Scorpions, but carried it out slowly. Those warriors left behind fought valiantly, but were destroyed. The Scorpions would conquer the Nueva Castile and Umayyad Caliphate to form the Escorpión Imperio.

Blood for Blood

After the Wars of Reaving ended, it was discovered that Clan Blood Spirit survived the bloody aftermath. The Coyotes, Stone Lions, Cloud Cobras, and Star Adders would all begin their campaigns of harassment against the Blood Spirits on their worlds of Haven and Colleen. The Blood Spirits armed their civilians, resolving to make any attackers pay dearly. In response, orbital bombardments were ordered, and the attackers slaughtered any lower caste members who had shown resistance.

The Grand Council voted for the destruction of the Blood Spirits via a Trial of Absorption, in which the victorious Star Adders carried out the destruction of their hated foe. As the battle came to a close, the Star Adders moved their WarShips into orbit and finished the job, which included destroying the Spirit genetic legacies. With this final act, the Blood Spirits were no more.

Legacy

The Wars of Reaving took a devastating toll on the Clans as a whole, both economically and politically. Clan Brian Caches were severely depleted as they used their resources for the war. Most of the Blood Chapels of each Clan were either damaged or destroyed as a way to rid Inner Sphere taint, with some of the genetic repositories that never made it into the Inner Sphere being destroyed as well. Even civilians were not safe from the carnage of the Reavings, as millions were killed on various planets due to orbital bombardments. Some of them armed themselves against the Clans they were fighting on different worlds. Due to the role that the scientist caste played in The Society during the war, the warriors had to purge their scientist caste. Clan society would be permanently split between the Home Clans and the Invaders. The three original Invading Clans (along with the Hell's Horses, Diamond Sharks and Snow Ravens) would flee to the Inner Sphere and form their own Grand Council, believing that their Homeworld brethren were twisted due to jealousy. Their first order of business was to close off any further contacts with their Homeworld counterparts. They would exclude bandit Clans like the Nova Cats, Exiled Wolves, and the Smoke Jaguars (who were Annihilated by the Second Star League) from the Council. The Home Clans, believing that their brethren had been corrupted by their contact with the Inner Sphere, created new philosophies calling themselves the Bastions and Aggressors. They would even go so far as to get rid of any 'Mechs and equipment associated with the Invader Clans. When it came to Clan survivors, only three survived in the Homeworlds, with Clan Stone Lion being created during the war. Clan Star Adder would emerge as one of the most powerful leaders of the Home Clans after the Reavings. As for the other Clan casualties: seven would be Abjured, two would be Absorbed, and two would be destroyed. Clan Blood Spirit was the last Clan to survive in the Clan Homeworlds until they too were found by Clan Star Adder and destroyed in 3084, permanently ending them as an entity.

Despite the death of Clan Steel Viper and the role they played during the Wars of Reaving, their Bloodnames would live on in the Home Clans through Clan Star Adder.

As for the war itself, it actually completed the goal of the "Invading Crusaders": to keep the Home Clans out of the Inner Sphere permanently.

Bibliography

• The Wars of Reaving
• The Wars of Reaving Supplemental