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CLAN BURROCK |
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| Clan
Language and Government |
The Remembrance
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Clan Language and Government |
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Clan Language
The root of Clan language is what linguists in
the Inner Sphere refer to as Star League Standard English, a variation of
English created by the Terran Hegemony and spread by the influence of the Star
League to become the parlance of government, commerce, and culture throughout
the Inner Sphere. With the collapse of the Star League, the language quickly
mongrelized into the countless languages and dialects now used throughout the
Inner Sphere. Today, only our Blessed Order and the upper classes of the Inner
Sphere use a language approximating Star League Standard English.
The Clans took this language with them when they
left and treated it with the same reverence they have for all things associated
with the Star League. Talking to a Clansman is like talking to a holo from
those bygone days; it is an amazing and sometimes eerie experience.
This reverence for the language of their
forefathers gave birth to a subtle but very striking taboo in Clan society: the
use of contractions is forbidden. I did not immediately recognize the total
absence of contractions from their speech. In the first days of my association
with the Clans, warriors would blanch and others become visibly upset at my
speech, even though the words I had used were not offensive. I soon realized
this effect was produced by my use of contractions. In my first conversation
with the Loremaster of Clan Wolf, I discovered the rationale behind this odd
taboo. He explained,
"We in the Clans have learned almost from
birth to revere the old Star League ways; everything we do should in some way
glorify the Clans and the memory of the Star League. This specifically includes
our speech, because we believe as strongly in the freedom of speech and
expression as did the Star League. To slight the beauty of the language with
contractions is to treat it as your people in the Inner Sphere treated the
memory of the Star League. You have cut out its heart and reduced it to a
cultural contraction, devoid of beauty and the best of its meaning. Only
someone wishing to deliberately scorn the language and shock the listener would
use contractions."
This does not mean that the Clans have allowed
the language to stagnate. Over the years, the Kerenskys and the Clans have
added terms to express unique Clan concepts. These words come from a wide
variety of languages, especially Russian. Some are military terms adapted for
common use. Others are formed by splicing together two words to form a third.
These added words sometimes create the effect of listening to a completely
foreign tongue.
Clan warriors also have a "battle
language," with which I was much more comfortable. Like warriors in the
Inner Sphere, Clan warriors use a wide range of acronyms, hyphenations,
splices, and buzz words to convey the most meaning in the least number of
words. Clan warriors' battle language is so quick and complex that even when
Inner Sphere forces are able to intercept Clan communications, they seldom
understand what they hear.
The following list includes terms used by the
warrior caste and other useful explanations of Clan concepts. This list is not
exhaustive, and does not reflect the many differences in terminology existing
between the various Clans.
Abjuration, Trial of – When problem within
a caste or Clan can be resolved by no other process, the troublesome element
may be ejected from Clan society through a Trial of Abjuration. The target of
the ritual is stripped of rank and caste, which places them outside Clan law,
and usually forcibly ejected from Clan territory. Members of the Clans may no
longer speak the name of the abjured member or Clan and, in the case of
warriors, their genetic material is purged from the gene pool. A Clan also may
abjure a warrior for negligence of duty or conduct unbecoming a warrior. The
results of a Trial of Abjuration may be overturned by the Clan Council that
enacted it or by the Grand Council.
Abtakha – A warrior adopted into the
warrior caste of he Clan that captured him or her is known as abtakha.
Annihilation, Trial of – The ultimate
punishment in Clan society, the Trial of Annihilation calls for the destruction
of the accused. Such trials may only be carried out following a unanimous vote
of the Clan or Grand Council, and may be invoked only for the most heinous of
crimes. Such sanctions have been declared against individuals, Stars and
Clusters, and once was used against an entire Clan. Everything associated with
the target ---- possessions, genetic material and descendants ---- is
destroyed, and no member of any Clan may speak the name of those annihilated.
Batchall – The batchall is the ritual by
which Clan warriors issue combat challenges. Though the challenge may take many
forms, in most cases the batchall begins with the attacker identifying himself,
announcing the objective of the trial and requesting to know what forces stand
against him. The defender must reveal the forces they intend to use in the
trial, and also may choose the site of the battle. The defender also has the
right to ask the attacker to ante up a prize of equal value against the
possibility the defender wins the trial, though the challenged party rarely
takes advantage of this opportunity. When the batchall is complete, the
attacking and defending units bid among themselves to determine who will
participate in the battle. The sub-commander who bids the lowest wins the right
and responsibility of the battle, a practice that minimizes losses. Because
Inner Sphere troops regularly use deception and other tactics the Clans
consider dishonorable, many Clans abandon the batchall when fighting Inner
Sphere foes.
Bloodname – A Bloodname is the surnane
associated with a Bloodright, descended from one of the eight hundred warriors
who stood with Nicholas Kerensky to form the Clans. A warrior must win the use
of a Bloodname in a Trial of Bloodright. Only Bloodnamed warriors may sit on
Clan Councils or hold the post of Loremaster, Khan, SaKhan or ilKhan, and only
the genetic material from the Bloodnamed is used in the warrior caste eugenics
program.
Bloodname House – The warrriors bearing or
eligible to bear a particular Bloodname form a Bloodname House. The House acts
as a substitute family for the warriors and exerts considerable political
influence in the Clans. In some Clans, most notably the Fire Mandrill Kindraas
and the Cloud Cobra Cloisters, groups of Bloodname Houses band together to form
larger, more powerful associations. After the first generation, Bloodnames are
determined matrilinealy and so a warrior may only claim membership of one
Bloodname house.
Bloodheritage – The history of the
Bloodnamed warriors of a specific Bloodright is know as the Bloodheritage.
Bloodright – A specific
"lineage" of a Bloodname is known as the Bloodright. Unlike in the
conventional Clan Bloodname lineage, the members of a Bloodright need not be
directly related to each other, only to the original founder of the Bloodname.
Each Bloodname may consist of up to twenty-five Bloodrights.
Bondcord – The woven bracelet worn by
bondsmen is known as a bondcord. Warrior-caste bondsmen wear a three-strand
bondcord on their right wrist, with the color and patterning of the cords
signifying the Clan and unit responsible for the warrior's capture. The cords
represent integrity, fidelity and prowess. The bondholder may cut each strand
as he or she feels the bondsman demonstrates the associated quality. According
to tradition, when the final cord is severed, the bondsman is considered a free
member of his or her new Clan and adopted into the warrior caste. Each Clan
follows this tradition to varying degrees: for example, Clan Wolf accepts
nearly all worthy individuals regardless of their past, while Clan Smoke Jaguar
chose to adopt only trueborn warriors.
Bondholder – A bondholder is an
individual, traditionally the member of the warrior caste responsible for the
bondsman's capture, to whom she or she "belongs." The Clan considers
the bondholder responsible for the actions, education and punishment of the bondsman.
Bondsman – A bondsman is a prisoner held
in a form of indentured servitude until released or accepted into the Clan.
Most often, bondsmen are captured warriors who fulfill roles in the laborer or
technician castes. Their status is represented by a woven bondcord, and they
are obliged by honor and tradition to work for their captors to the best of
their abilities.
Bondsref – The ritual by which a warrior
avoids the fate of a bondsman is called bondsref. Because the Clans consider
escaping after being captured dishonorable, bondsref allows the warrior to die
before being given a bondcord, either by suicide or at the hands of an
accomplice. Performing the ritual bondsref after receiving a bondcord is
considered cowardly and dishonorable, unless the bondholder gives his or her
permission.
Brian Cache – A Brian Cache is a Clan
equipment store, usually one established during the demobilization process
Kerensky created upon arriving in the Pentagon. The name is derived from the
Star League Castle Brian fortresses.
Canister – Clan slang for the artificial
wombs.
Canister Born – Clan slang for the
artificial breeding element of the eugenics program or the trueborn warriors
that result from that process.
Caste – The Clans are divided into fire
castes: warrior, scientist, merchant, technician and laborer, in descending
order of influence. Each has many subcastes based on specialized skills. The
warrior caste is largely the product of the artificial breeding program; those
candidates who fail their Trial of Position are assigned to the scientist or
technician caste, giving those castes a significant concentration of trueborn
members. Most of the civilian castes are made up of the results of
scientist-decreed arranged marriages within the castes. The children of all
castes undergo intensive scrutiny during their schooling to determine the caste
for which they are best suited, though most end up in the same caste as their
parents. This process allows children born to members of the civilian castes to
enter training to become warriors, though they belong to the less-prestigious
ranks of the freeborn.
Chalcas – Someone or something that
challenges the Clan caste system.
Circle of Equals – The area in which a
trial takes place is known as the Circle of Equals. It ranges in size from a
few dozen feet for personal combat to tens of miles for large-scale trials.
Though traditionally a circle, the area can be any shape.
Codex – Most often worn as a bracelet, a
codex is a warrior's identification and service record. It includes details of
their bloodline, house and generation as well as an electronic representation
of their DNA for identification.
Contract – The Clan definition of a
contract denotes an agreement between two commanders by which one officer may
include the troops of another in his or her bidding. Usually agreed upon
between Clusters or Galaxies, such contracts are occasionally undertaken
between Clans.
Coregn – A personal aide to a Star Colonel
or garrison commander.
Cutdown – The accepted minimum force
necessary to win a trial. Bidders who force their opponents below the accepted
cutdown are considered clever, while those who win trials with forces below the
cutdown receive great honor.
Dezgra – Any disgraced individual or unit
is known as dezgra. Disgrace may come through refusing orders, failing in an
assigned task, acting dishonorably or demonstrating cowardice.
Elemental – The large, muscular infantry
derived from the Clan artificial breeding program are called elementals. Their
battle armor suits also are referred to as elementals.
Eugenics Program – The Clans believe
strongly in the principals of eugenics, the improvement of the population by
controlled breeding. The Clans implement such a program along to distinct
strands. The warrior caste uses an artificial breeding program based on genetic
engineering and incubation in artificial wombs in order to create the ultimate
warriors. In civilian castes, a system of mandatory arranged marriages provides
a similar but less technical means of advancement. According to a strict
definition, both of these methods may be called eugenics, but within the Clans
only the artificial breeding program is commonly referred to as such.
Freebirth – A Clan epithet used by
trueborn members of the warrior caste to express disgust or frustration. For
one trueborn to use this curse to refer to another trueborn is considered a
mortal insult.
Freeborn – An individual conceived and
born by natural means is referred to as freeborn. Its emphasis on the artificial
breeding program allows Clan society to view such individuals as second-class
citizens.
Giftake – Giftake refers to the sample DNA
taken from a warrior who died with great glory in combat.
Grand Council – The Grand Council is the
body responsible for governing the Clans as a whole. It consists of the
assembly of Khans, two from each Clan, as well as the ilKhan (if one exists).
Its authority covers any matter involving more than one Clan, and it also
determines general policy for Kerensky's descendants. The Grand Council also
serves as the highest court of the Clans.
(Grand) Melee – A Free-for-all battle
offering no targeting restrictions and ignoring the rules of zellbrigen. Any
trial may become a melee if the participant violates zellbrigen by firing on a
target already engaged in combat with another participant. The battle to
determine the thirty-second place in a Trial of Bloodright is by default a
Grand Melee.
Grievance, Trial of – The Trial of
Grievance is used to settle disputes between two parties. The victor in the
match is deemed to be in the right. Often such trials are fought over points of
honor, and often to the death.
Hegira – The rite by which a defeated foe
may withdraw from the field of battle without further combat, and with no further
loss of honor.
ilChi – The ambassador-messengers that
Clan Blood Spirit assigns to its allies.
ilKhan – The war-leader of the Clans,
elected from the members of the Grand Council. He or she also serves as arbiter
between Clans in times of crisis, acting with the power of the Grand Council.
The ilKhan enjoys a wide-ranging powers in military matters, but his or her
power is not absolute; the ilKhan answers to the Grand Council and his
authority is limited to those matters ordinarily belonging to the Grand
Council. The ilKhan normally may not interfere in events deemed internal to a
Clan, but when the martial code is in effect the operate largely unhindered.
Isorla – The spoils of battle, including
bondsmen, claimed by the victorious warriors is called isorla.
Keshik – The Keshiks comprise a
combination of bodyguard and command unit, usually serving a Khan.
Traditionally, a Khan commands a Keshik, but in practice a Star Colonel
oversees day-to-day matters. Keshiks range from Trinary to Cluster size.
Khan – Each Clan Council elects two of its
members as Khans, who serve both as rulers of the Clan and its representatives
on the Grand Council. Traditionally, these individuals are the best warriors in
the Clan, but in practice, many Clans instead elect the best politicians. The
most senior Khan acts as the head of the Clan, overseeing relationships between
castes and Clans, while the junior Khan ---- the saKhan ---- acts as the Clan's
warlord. The senior Khan decides the exact distribution of tasks, however, and
may assign the saKhan additional or different duties.
Kindraa – A political-military faction
within Clan Fire Mandrill composed of one or more Bloodname houses.
Kurultai – A kurultai is a Clan war
council. A Grand Kurultai is a war council involving all the Clans.
Traditionally, Grand Kurultai are held in the Hall of Khans on Strana Mechty
and only may be convened by the petition of three or more Clans. An ilKhan may
call a Grand Kurultai at any time or place.
Loremaster – The Loremaster is the keeper
of Clan laws and history. He or she plays a key role in investigations and
trials and is the only individual allowed to take action against active Khans.
Unlike the Khans, who are nominally above political infighting in the Grand
Council, the Loremaster can take a proactive role in any inquiries and trials,
acting as either advocate or inquisitor. Traditionally, however, the Loremaster
does not vote on issues save n the event of a tie, at which point his vote
decides the issue. The position grants considerable political power,
encompassing the equivalent of several more familiar roles such as High Bailiff
(responsible for issuing writs and summonses), the Provost Marshall (head of
the Clan's police) and Adjutant General (chief administrator). The Loremaster
also oversees any trials resulting from Clan Council decisions and is the final
arbiter in such disputes. Further, it is the only post within the Clan able to
authorize an internal investigation without the authority of the Khans (though
only when the Khans themselves are implicated in the charges). In times of
crisis, legal provisions allow for the Loremaster to take the place of a Khan
in the event of incapacity, death or censure. As a result, many ambitious
warriors view the post of Loremaster as a stepping stone to a Khanship.
Martial Code – The Martial Code is a
collection of rules and laws governing Clan actions in times of war. Its
primary goal is to minimize the political prevarication that often accompanies
Grand Council meetings, forcing the participants to keep to the matter at hand
and to carry out the business with the minimum of fuss. When in effect it also
grants the ilKhan extraordinary powers, such as the right to dismiss any
charges brought before the Clan or Grand Councils that he or she deems
frivolous.
Master Codex – The master codex comprises
the master files of the Clan breeding program, mapping the DNA and genealogy of
every trueborn warrior, alive or dead.
Oathmaster – The Oathmaster servers as the
honor guard for any official Clan ceremony. They administer all oaths taken at
the ceremony and are traditionally the oldest and most experienced Bloodnamed
warrior at the gathering.
Ovkhan – A term of respect for someone of
higher rank.
Position, Trial of – There are two forms
of the Trial of Position. The first ---- also known as the blooding ----
determines if a warrior candidate is qualified to take his or her place as a
member of the warrior caste. Failure in that trial results in demotion to a
civilian caste; success (defeating one or more opponents) determines both
status and rank. The second form of Trial of Position, known as testing, is
held periodically and determines whether a warrior is qualified to maintain his
or her rank in the Clan military. Those who perform as expected (against
targets based on role, rank and age) maintain their rank, while those who
perform better then expected "test up" (are promoted). Those who
perform more poorly than expected "test down," or are demoted. A
non-officer MechWarrior, pilot or elemental who tests down is relegated to a
non-combat role or else is transferred to a civilian caste.
Possession, Trial of – A Trial of
Possession resolves disputes between two parties over ownership or control.
This can include equipment, territory or even genetic material. The traditional
batchall forms the core of the trial in order to encourage the participants to
resolve the dispute with minimal use of forces.
Powless – The vulnerability of a warrior
forced to fight without his or her customary weapons.
Quiaff/Quineg – Grammatical constructs
associated with rhetorical questions. They are a formalized version of language
structures used with spoken language, intended to remove any ambiguity. When
the speaker expects a negative answer, he or she ends the sentence with quineg;
when expecting a positive answer, the sentence ends with quiaff.
Ransom – Clan custom dictates that a
warrior who has been successful in his first Trial of Position may be rewarded
with a gift. The gift depends on the degree of success in the trial, ranging
from a personal weapon to a 'Mech or unit command. This gift is known as a
ransom. In exceptional circumstances, a ransom may be given for later trials of
position, such as Natasha Kerensky's re-testing after her return to the Clans
in which she was awarded the right to form the Thirteenth Wolf Guards.
Rede – A rede is an honor-bound oath.
Usually administered by a Council, anyone breaking a rede is severely punished,
commonly by execution.
Refusal, Trial of – Any decision made by a
Clan Council or Grand Council may be challenged by a member of that body. The
Trial of Refusal epitomizes the Clan belief that might makes right, with the
victor of the trial being regarded as in the right. The odds of the battle are
determined on a pro-rated basis, with the forces of the two sides matched
according to the ratio of winning and losing votes. The challenger announces
what forces they will use and the defender can field forces proportionate to
their margin of success in the vote. For example, a Trial of Refusal against a
decision that passed five-to-one could give the def4ender a force five times
the size of that used by the challenger. In practice, the result of bidding
among those wishing to defend the decision usually shifts the odds in favor of
the challenger.
Remembrance, The – The Remembrance is an
ongoing saga that describes Clan history from the time of the Exodus to the
present day. Each Clan maintains its own version, reflecting its opinions and
perceptions of events. Inclusion in the Remembrance is one of the highest
honors possible for a member of the Clans. All Clan warriors can recite
passages from the Remembrance from memory, and written copies of the book are
among the few non-technical books allowed in Clan society. These books are
usually lavishly illustrated in a fashion similar to the illuminated
manuscripts and bibles of the medieval period. Warriors frequently paint
passages of the Remembrance on the sides of their OmniMechs, fighters and
battle armor.
Ristar – A gifted warrior on his way to a
high position in the Clan if referred to as a ristar, literally, rising star.
Safcon – Safcon is a Clan ritual that
allows troops to land on a world unmolested in advance of a trial. In the
absence of safcon, the incoming DropShips, JumpShips and warships are open to
attack. Even in those cases when Clan ships are not approaching a world to
engage in a trial, the inbound vessels may broadcast a "beam of
neutrality" ---- a message indicating non-hostile intentions ---- when
they are attempting to make planetfall while avoiding any hostile actions from
the occupying troops.
saKhan – The junior Khan of a Clan is
known as the saKhan.
Satarra – A satarra is a veto used in Clan
Councils to settle or postpone disputes within or between castes.
Traditionally, the Councils invoke satarra only when negotiations have reached
an impasse or the dispute threatens the ability of the Clan to function as it
should.
Savashri – A Clan epithet.
Seyla – A ritual response in Clan ceremonies.
The origin of this phrase is unknown, though it may be a variation of the
French phrase "c'est la" (that is it). Another possible origin for
the phrase is the Biblical notation "selah," thought to be a musical
notation or reference to contemplation.
Sibko – A group of trueborn warrior-caste
children raised and trained together. In many Clans, sibkos are produced from
the same gene-parents and thus are literally siblings. A few Clans, most
notably Clan Wolf, create sibkos from members of a number of Bloodname Houses
and subcastes. Such groups tend to be smaller (twenty individuals rather than
the hundred or so in gene-parent-based sibkos), with more emphasis given to
cooperation. In both types of sibko, usually only four or five warriors pass their
initial Trial of Position.
Sibkin – Members of the same sibko.
Sibbies – Derogatory name used within Clan
Jade Falcon for those members of sibkos who underwent accelerated training and
whose Trial of Position consisted of the
Solahma – Clan warriors considered too old
to server in mainstream units are assigned to solahma units. The members of
such units generally seek suicide missions in order to die in combat, but most
often serve as garrison troops.
Stravag – A Clan epithet, probably a
corruption of stran, meaning independent, and vagon, meaning birthing.
Surkai – Surkai is the rite of
forgiveness. When two parties disagree, or when one offends the other, Clan
society expects the opponents to undergo surkai. As a matter of honor and
pride, the offending party freely admits his wrongdoing and requests
punishment. The Clan views those who do not request surkai as a divisive
influence and finds another way to deal with such members. Actions too severe
to be excused by surkai result in a Trial of Grievance.
Surkairede – Surkairede, the Rede of
Forgiveness, is the honor-bound oath associated with surkai. It binds the two
parties and ensures that the offender suffers no further disgrace from the
offense once he or she accepts punishment.
Touman – The fighting arm of a Clan is
known as the Touman.
Trothkin – Used formally, throthkin refers
to members of an extended sibko. It is more commonly used to denote members of
a gathering, and warriors also frequently use it when addressing someone they
consider a peer.
Trueborn/Truebirth – A warrior born of the
Clan's artificial breeding program is known as a trueborn. In less formal
situations, the Clans use the term truebirth.
Vineers – Members of some Clans, most
notably the Nova Cats, collect keepsakes of their battles. These items are
called vineers, probably derived from the word souvenirs.
Zellbrigen – Zellbrigen is the body of
rules governing duels. These rules dictate that such actions are one-on-one
engagements, and that any warrior not immediately challenged should stay out of
the battle until an opponent is free. Once a Clan warrior engages a foe, no
other warriors on his side may target that foe, even if it means allowing the
death of the Clan warrior. Interfering in a duel by attacking a foe that is
already engaged constitutes a major breach of honor, usually resulting in loss
of rank, and also opens the battle to a melee.
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Inner Sphere Designations for Clan
Mechs |
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CLAN NAME |
INNER SPHERE NAME |
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ADDER |
PUMA |
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BANE |
KRAKEN |
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BLACK PYTHON |
VIPER |
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CONJURER |
HELLHOUND |
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DIRE WOLF |
DAISHI |
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EXECUTIONER |
GLADIATOR |
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FIRE MOTH |
DASHER |
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GARGOYLE |
MAN O' WAR |
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GLASS SPIDER |
GALAHAD |
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HELLBRINGER |
LOKI |
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HORNED OWL |
PEREGRINE |
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HOWLER |
BABOON |
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ICE FERRET |
FENRIS |
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INCUBUS |
VIZEN |
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KIT FOX |
ULLER |
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MAD DOG |
VULTURE |
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MIST LYNX |
KOSHI |
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HUNTSMAN |
NOBORI-NIN |
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NOVA |
BLACK HAWK |
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STONE RHINO |
BEHEMOTH |
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STORMCROW |
RYOKEN |
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SUMMONER |
THOR |
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TIMBER WOLF |
MAD CAT |
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VAPOR EAGLE |
GOSHAWK |
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VIPER |
DRAGONFLY |
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WARHAWK |
MASAKARI |
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*All other Clan 'Mech names are their correct names.* |
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Clan Government
Each Clan is ruled by a council composed of its
Bloodnamed warriors. The Clan Council elects two ruling Khans. One Khan serves
as the Clan's senior military commander and the executor of that Clan's
bureaucracy. The other Khan's position is more nebulous. He or she is
second-in-command and enjoys a high stature within the Clan, but the position
does not include specific duties. These must be assigned by the
"senior" Khan. Clan Councils control their warriors and the members
of all other castes belonging to that Clan. The interaction between a Clan
Council and the various caste governments is extremely convoluted, but when necessary,
the Clan Council can invoke the satarra, an overriding veto.
The Khans of all the Clans form the Grand
Council, which passes judgment on matters affecting Clan society as a whole.
Nicholas Kerensky erected the Hall of Khans on Strana Mechty for this important
governing body. His father's tomb dominates a small chapel on one side of the
Hall. Nearby are smaller, though no less impressive, halls for each Clan.
The supreme ruler of the Clans is the ilKhan.
This position is filled only when the Clans must coordinate their efforts for
some task, or during times of great internal or external threat. A simple
majority vote in the Grand Council can elect an ilKhan. However, those who
oppose the election can and usually do demand a Trial of Refusal (see below).
Nicholas Kerensky appointed himself the first ilKhan of the Clans in the summer
of 2815. He was unopposed.
One of the most far-reaching measures Nicholas
instituted was the elimination of surnames. Surnames were too closely
associated with the corruption of the Inner Sphere. Kerensky allowed only the
loyal 800 to retain their surnames. These 800 family names are the basis for
the Bloodnames. In fact, it is considered a deliberate affront to society to
give a child two names or to adopt a second personal name, unless it is an
earned Bloodname. The second name can only be interpreted as an intentional
slur on the honor and dignity of Bloodnames.