Guide To Clan Terms
- ABTAKHA
- An abtakha is a captured warrior who is adopted
into his new Clan as a warrior.
- BATCHALL
- The batchall is the ritual by which Clan warriors
issue combat challenges. Though the type of challenge varies with each ritual, most begin by the challenger
identifying himself, stating what is contested, and
requesting that the defender identify the forces at his
disposal. Following that challenge, bidding for what
forces will contest the challenge takes place. Defenders
may request that the attacker risk something of worth
comparable to what the defender is risking in the
contest.
- BLOODING
- Blooding is the ritual in which a Clan candidate is
officially recognized by his Clan, also known as
"whelping" in Clan Wolf. Blooding is a complex,
ritualistic ceremony. The candidate must first
demonstrate physical prowess in personal combat against
two Clan warriors. Then the candidate must be verbally
defended by Clan warriors when he or she is challenges by
representatives from other Clans, or else face those
representatives in mortal combat.
- BLOODHERITAGE
- The history of the bloodnamed warriors of a particular
Bloodright is called the Bloodheritage.
- BLOODNAME
- Bloodname refers to the surname of each of the 800
Warriors who stood with Nicholas Kerensky during the
Exodus Civil War. these 800 are the foundation of the
Clans' elaborate breeding program. The right to use one
of these surnames has been the ambition of every Clan
warrior since the system was established. Only 25
warriors, which corresponds to 25 Bloodrights, are
allowed to use any one surname at one time. When one of
the 25 Bloodnamed warriors dies, a trial is held to
determine who will assume that Bloodname. A contender
must prove his Bloodname lineage, then win a series of
duels with other competitors. Only Bloodnamed warriors
are allowed to sit on the Clan Councils or are eligible
to become a Khan or ilKhan. Most Bloodnames have
gradually been confined to one or two warrior classes,
however, certain prestigious names, such as Kerensky, have
shown their genetic value by producing excellent warriors
in all three classes (MechWarrior, Fighter Pilot, and
Elemental). Bloodnames are determined matrilineal, at
least after the original generation. Because a warrior
can only inherit from his or her female parent, he or she
can only have a claim to one Bloodname.
- BLOODRIGHT
- A specific Bloodname lineage is called a Bloodright.
Twenty-five Bloodrights are attached to each Bloodname. A
Bloodright is not a lineage as we know the term, because
the warriors who successively hold a Bloodrtight might be
related only through their original ancestor. As with
Bloodnames, certain Bloodrights are considered more prestigious than others, depending largely on the
Bloodheritage.
- BONDSMAN
- A captured warrior, called a bondsman, is considered a
member if the laborer caste unless and until the capturing
Clan releases him or promotes him back to warrior status.
A bondsman is bound by honor, not by shackles. Custom
dictates that even Bloodnamed warriors captured in combat
be held for a time as bondsmen. All bondsmen wear a
bondcord, a woven bracelet. The base color of the
bondcord indicates to which Clan the individual belongs,
and the striping indicates which unit captures him.
- CANISTER
- Clan slang for the eugenics program of the warrior caste.
It can also refer specifically to the artificial wombs.
- CHALCAS
- Anything or anyone who challenges the Clan caste system
is considers a chalcas.
- CODEX
- Each Warrior's codex is his or her individual
identification. It includes the names of the original
Bloodnames warriors from which a warrior is descended. It
also includes his generation number, Blood House, and
codex ID, an alphanumeric code nothing the unique aspects
of that person's DNA. See also Master Codex.
- CONTRACT
- An agreement can be made between the commanders of two
units by which the commander of one may include the units
of the other in his bidding for rights to a battle or
trial. During the invasion of the Inner Sphere, Cluster
commanders within Galaxies frequently made contracts to
allow greater, and often more extravagant, bidding, yet
still maintain a good mix of BattleMech, Elemental, and
fighter combat units.
- CUTDOWN
- The minimum force necessary to win ant trial for which
there has been bidding. Bidders who can push their
opponent into making a bid below the cutdown are
considered clever. Commanders who win with a force
smaller than the cutdown are greatly honored.
- DEZGRA
- A fighting unit that disgraces itself is known as a dezgra
unit. The name also refers to the ritual whereby that
unit is marked and punished. Any unit that refuses
orders, panics in the face of the enemy, or takes
dishonorable action is disgraced. The unit warriors are
given a choice: immediate execution or the dezgra,
"disgraced expulsion." In pre-invasion days, dezgra
warriors who chose to live were sent to one of several
marginally habitable planets and left to survive or die
on their own. After five years, the survivors were
allowed to return, but without any guarantee of
acceptance back into society. Since Tukayyid, some dezgra
units have hired themselves out as mercenaries. It is
highly unlikely that any Clan will accept a dezgra
unit after is has served for five years as a mercenary
unit, because Clan warriors consider mercenaries below
even the lowest caste. Dezgra units must, by Clan
law, remove all Clan markings from their weapons and
uniforms and wear what historians would immediately
recognize as the crest of the hated Amaris family.
- ELEMENTALS
- Elementals are the elite, battle-suited infantry of the
Clans. These men and women are giants, bred specifically
to handle Clan-developed battle armor
- FREE BIRTH
- This epithet, used by trueborn members of the warrior
caste, is a mortal insult to another trueborn warrior. It
generally expresses disgust or frustration.
- FREEBIRTH
- Freebirth is an epithet used by trueborn members of the
warrior caste, generally expressing disgust or
frustration. If a trueborn warrior refers to another trueborn as a freebirth, it is a mortal insult.
- FREEBORN
- An individual conceived and born by natural means is
called a freebirth. Because the Clans value their
eugenics program so highly, a freebirth is automatically
assumed to have little potential.
- GIFTAKE
- This is the sample of DNA taken from a dead warrior. The
giftake is considered the warrior's best DNA sample, and
the one most likely to produce improved warriors.
- HEGIRA
- Victorious Clan warriors sometimes extend the courtesy of
hegira to defeated opponents. Hegira allows
the opponent to withdraw honorably from the field without
further combat or cost.
- ISORLA
- The spoils of battle that warriors can claim as their
right, including bondsman, are known as isorla.
- KHAN
- Each Clan elects two leaders, or Khans. One serves as the
Clan's senior military commander and bureaucratic
administrator. The second Khan's position is less well-defined. He or she is second-in-command, carrying out
duties assigned by the first Khan. The second, or junior
Khan is also known as the saKhan. In times of great
internal or external threat, or when a coordinated effort
is required of all Clans, an ilKhan is chosen to serve as
supreme ruler of the Clans.
- KURULTAI
- This is a Clan war council. A Grand Kurultai is a
war council of all Khans of the Clans. Apparently, a Grand
Kurultai may be called only by the ilKhan at any time
or place. A normal Grand Council, on the other hand, may
only be convened by the petition of three or more Clans,
and must be held at the Hall of Khans on Strana Mechty.
- LOREMASTER
- The Loremaster is the keeper of Clan laws and history.
The position is honorable and politically powerful. The
Loremaster plays a key role in inquiries and trials,
where he is often assigned the role of Advocate or
Interrogator.
- MASTER CODEX
- The master codex is the master file of the Clans'
breeding programs. The master codex records the DNA maps
and codex name of every warrior born over the centuries.
- OATHMASTER
- The Oathmaster is the honor guard for ant official Clan
ceremony. The position is similar to that of an Inner
Sphere sergeant-at-arms, but it carries a greater degree
of respect. the Oathmaster administers all oaths, and the
Loremaster records them. The position of Oathmaster is
usually held by the oldest Bloodnamed Warrior in a Clan
(if he or she desires the honor), and is one of the few
positions not decided by combat.
- OVKHAN
- This is a term of respect reserved for someone of higher
rank.
- POWLESS
- The vulnerability that a warrior, particularly and
Elemental, feels when forced to fight without his
accustomed weapons. The word is probably derived from
"powerless."
- QUIAFF/QUINEG
- These expressions are placed at the end of rhetorical
questions. If an affirmative answer is expected, quiaff
is used. If the answer is expected to be negative, quineg
is the proper closure.
- RANSOM
- Clan custom dictates that a warrior who has been
successful at his Trial of Bloodright may be rewarded
with a gift by the Clan. Depending upon the warrior's
success during the Trial, the ransom might range from the
right to choose what type of weapon he will use as a
warrior to the right to command a special unit. At the
time Khan Natasha Kerensky of the Wolves returned from
the Inner Sphere and then underwent her second Trial of
Bloodright, ilKhan Ulric Kerensky awarded her a ransom of
the right to form the Thirteenth Wolf Guards.
- REDE
- One of the many forms honor takes in the Clans, a rede
is an honor-bound promise. Breaking a rede
may be punished by death.
- REMEMBRANCE, THE
- The Remembrance is an ongoing heroic saga
detailing Clan history from the time of the Exodus from
the Inner Sphere to the present day. The
Remembrance is continually expanded to include
contemporary events. Each Clan has a slightly different
version reflecting their own opinions and experiences.
All Clan warriors can quote whole verses of the marvelous
epic from memory, and it is common to see passages from
the book lovingly painted in the sides of OmniMechs,
fighters, and even battle armor.
- RISTAR
- This term refers to a particularly gifted warrior on his
or her way to high position. It is probably derived from
the expression "rising star."
- SATARRA
- A Clan council may cast a veto, or satarra, to settle or
postpone disputes between castes within their
jurisdiction. Satarra is invoked only when negotiations
seen at an impasse and/or threaten to disrupt the work
order of the Clan. It seems to be more a ritual than an
act of legislation.
- SAVASHRI
- A Clan epithet.
- SEYLA
- This word is the ritual response voiced in unison by
those witnessing solemn Clan ceremonies, rituals, and
other important gatherings. No one is sure if the origin
or exact meaning of the word, but it is uttered only with
the greatest reverence and awe.
- SIBKO
- A sibko consists of a group of children produced from the
same male and female geneparents in the warrior caste
eugenics program. The members of the sibko are raised
together, then begin to undergo constant testing. As
various members fail at each test, they are transferred
to the lower castes. A sibko consists of approximately 20
members, but usually only four or five remain at the time
of the final test to become warriors., the Trial of
Position. These tests and other adversities may bind the
surviving "sibkin" together.
- STRAVAG
- A Clan epithet, probably a combination of the Clan words stran
, meaning independent, and vagon,
meaning birthing.
- SURKAI
- The surkai is the Right of Forgiveness. The
Clans honor uniformity in thought and belief above all else in their society. When warriors disagree, when a Clan
disagrees with the Clan Council, or when a member of one
caste offends a member of another caste, surkai is
expected. It is a matter of pride that the offending party
freely admit his wrongdoing and request punishment. Those
who show great surkai are held up as examples to others
for their willingness to accept the consequences of their
independent thoughts. Those who do not show surkai when
it is expected of them are viewed with suspicion.
- SURKAIREDE
- The Rede of Forgiveness, or surkairede, is the honor-bound
agreement between the majority and any dissenters.
According to the surkairede, once a dissenter accepts
punishment for having disagreed with the majority, he
should be allowed to resume his role in society without
suffering any further disgrace for having spoken out.
- TOUMAN
- The term given to the fighting arm of a Clan
- TROTHKIN
- Used formally, this term refers to members of an extended
sibko. Less formally, a warrior will use the term
trothkin when referring to someone he considers his peer.
- TRUEBORN/TRUEBIRTH
- A trueborn is a product of the warrior caste's eugenics
program.
- ZELLBRIGEN
- This is the Clan word describing the body of rules used
to regulate and ritualize duels. Zellbrigen means that
combatants engage in one-on-one duels, even if both sides
have many warriors. Those not immediately challenged are
honor-bound to stay out of the battle until an opponent
is free (meaning he has defeated his enemy.) To attack an
enemy already engaged with an opponent is a major breach
of Clan code, usually resulting in at least loss of rank.
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