FALL FROM GRACE
While as detailed as possible, the Charter suffered from several of Khan Luxe’s blind spots – in particular, the selection process of Leopard Khans. Although the threat of Absorption was sufficient to cow a generation of politicians into working together for the common good, the retirement of Khan Luxe from office prompted a debate over the right of the President of the Clan Council to choose his successor. Able to exert enough influence within the Warrior Caste, President Friedrich (Burns) ordered the promotion of Star Colonel Montgomery (Ward) to the rank of Khan in September, 2898.
The act provoked the hardliners of the Trueborn faction, prompting saKhan Ivan Arthur to declare a Trial of Refusal. Facing a Panzer Trinary at 4:1 odds, the saKhan was quickly defeated by the Council supporters, his death in the Trial prompting a resurgence of the adversarial relationship between the Trueborn faction and the Clan Council. Desperate to retain representation to the ruling President and the Council, the Blood Houses elected Star Colonel Emmet Graff to the position of Loremaster.
The Council, however, refused to consider the right of the Caste to elect their own representatives according to Clan custom, quoting the rights of the President and Council contained in the Charter. A second challenge of the Council’s authority resulted in the same one-sided slaughter of Trueborn MechWarriors by supporters within the Clan’s Panzer Clusters. Relations within the Caste continued to worsen, as Armor Warriors flouted Zellbrigen to engage in melee with their opponents and frustrated MechWarriors began deliberately killing and injuring their opponents.
That relationship eventually ended in 2905 with Montgomery’s successor. Khan Quentin (Stanley)’s proposal to permanently restrict the Trueborn genetics program, citing statistics that confirmed Freeborn Pilots and MechWarriors tested equally well in training exercises. With the support of the Clan Council, Quentin ‘retired’ several Blood Houses with below-average performance, ostensibly to concentrate on the proven Legacies already in production. The embittered Trueborn faction, unable to overcome the advantages of the Council and the Panzer Clusters, found its size sharply reduced and its members transferred among the more numerous Panzer Clusters to serve as ‘Sturmtruppen’ (Assault) Trinaries.
[Analyst’s Note: As expected, such claims were fabricated by Khan Quentin for the Council’s political agenda, which refused to support the New Clan genetics programs. The statistics failed to address training and equipment issues that severely restricted the abilities of the nine Blood Houses affected by the decision, leading Senior Analysts to speculate the plan to reduce the effectiveness of several of the Clan’s best Bloodlines began with President Friedrich (Burns).]
The release of the War Ant Abthactors from the sibko program ended the strained relationship between our Clans, as the War Ants began raiding our holdings for prominent Warriors and to capture poorly-defended facilities. The raiding and incessant casualties among the Freeborns of the Armor Branch soon prompted a strong backlash against both the Trueborn faction and the War Ants, marking the beginning of our ongoing feud.
Innovation
The following decades saw the continuation of attempts to strengthen the Armored Branch of the Touman, bringing technology such as the Armor Rescue Pods (ARP) and fire-resistant armor into service to reduce casualties. Greater accents on more mobile VTOL, WIGE, and ELM designs also improved the performance of the Touman. Even Omni technology was adapted for use on vehicles, although the high costs of these designs limited production. The OmniMech, however, saw few attempts to increase the already lethal advantages of the BattleMech.
Recognized as necessary for the Touman to engage on equal terms with our sibClans, the Warrior Caste successfully advocated production for several of the Caste’s most popular designs and encouraged the Merchant Caste to trade for supplies to sustain the remainder of the Touman. Standard BattleMechs continued to exist in the Touman as second line and Reserve units, but Primitives were phased out of the Touman as new equipment reached the Touman.
In the AeroSpace Branch, however, Star League and Primitive designs remained in service far longer than advisable due to the scarcity of AeroSpace production, leading to numerous embarrassments for both the Touman and the AeroSpace Branch. The final blow to the resistance of the Clan Council came in 2845, as opposing AeroSpace Stars from Clan Kraken’s Alpha Galaxy and Beta Galaxy’s 9th Panzer Cluster clashed over Inheritance.
Taking advantage of the modular nature of their equipment and elite Pilots, our Fighters were engaged at long range and forced to close through heavy fire to bring their shorter-ranged weapons to bear. Eventually running low on fuel, Star Captain Brian (Latrace) was granted Hegira and made a bondsman after surrendering the Merchant Caste JumpShip Revenue and its cargo.
Forced to admit the need for new technology to modernize the Clan’s weak AeroSpace Branch, the Council found itself coping with the repeated demands of the Piranha Khans. Claiming the lack of their newly-purchased tanks cost them several pieces of their holdings on Inheritance, Khan Ricardo (Name) of Clan Piranha demanded the assistance of our Touman to win them back. Claiming the shipment was accepted on Barrens by the Piranha Merchants before being shipped on the Leopard DropShip, the Leopard Council demanded payment and noted the lack of an escort supplied for their goods.
Several confrontations between the Piranha Castes and the Council led to punitive raids and Trials against Piranha assets, resulting in rising casualty lists and creating the second of our long-standing feuds. Embracing the Infantry Branch, developments by Clan Piranha such as the missile, mortar, and mine trailers and portable turrets made Trails between our two Clans expensive in terms of losses and equipment, prompting new research and development to defend our Warriors.
The Good Years
Beginning in the mid-29th century, the Clan and Touman began to experience an age of peaceful growth, having assimilated the dezClan military technology and developed stra-tacs that allowed the Touman to defend our possessions. Although the discontent of the Trueborn faction remained a problem, as a whole the Castes settled down to peaceful co-existence.
Our continued industrial expansion and the development of Barrens combined to give our Castes a sense of purpose and accomplishment, although the nature of the Leopard system of governance prompted several of our sibClans to declare embargos and sanctions. Although irritating, the dissenting Clans only served to strengthen our independence, as less than fourteen percent of our holdings were isolated from our capital system.
THE DEZCLAN TRIALS
As the Clan continued to grow, we saw no reason to leave our self-imposed isolation on Barrens until news of the dezClan Dragoon Compromise arrived in late 3004. Eager to prove the worthiness of the Leopard Touman, we claimed the right to oppose dezClan Hell’s Horses in the Trial of Annihilation. Using the massive Armor Branch, spearheaded by elite Sturmtruppen and Legion Trinaries to defend our claim, we rediscovered the wisdom of Founding Khan Wayne Polo as our Pilots were eliminated by the AeroSpace forces of several Clans.
Forced to emphasize the AA role, the remaining Trials were acceptable in terms of outcome, but we suffered increased casualties and damage to OmniMech units and our overall flexibility was badly degraded as they were forced to depend on the slower Armor forces for coverage. Eventually winning the right to oppose dezClan Hell’s Horses, we turned to improving the size and quality of our AeroSpace Branch with the addition of Ghost Shrike Abthactors to the Pilot training program.
Hotly debated by the Council, the proposed alliance with Clan Ghost Shrike was deeply opposed by representatives of the Castes who wanted nothing more than to ignore the rest of the Legacy Cluster. By the end of the dezClan Trials in Oct, 3006, the Shrikes were already deeply involved in the Carnoraptor feud that would culminate in the Heartforge assault, providing increased incentive on their part for allies to share the burden of the assault.
Enticed by the prospect of combat, the final vote fell to the President, who voted in favor of the alliance. Leopard participation in the assault was limited, but confirmed the strength and abilities of the Armor Branch and the doctrine of the Leopard Touman in an all-out conflict between Clan opponents. Even Warriors of Clan Zombie Python found the strength of Leopard Armor a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, as our troops repulsed raids on the Shrike airfields and took to the field supporting the ‘Raptor OmniMechs.
Eventually declaring an end to our association with the Mammoth alliance and the entangling web of Ghost Shrike alliances and feuds, we suffered a few minor Trials of Grievance and Possession from the offended Shrikes. Lasting almost a decade, the attempt to improve the training of the AeroSpace Branch proved to be insufficient, as Freeborn Pilots failed to match the performance of the Roth and Eldren Bloodnames.
Proposed by the Loremaster and opposed in principle by the High Council, the prospect of further diluting the Freeborn majority in the Touman prompted the most bitter political battle since the political freedom vote of October, 2872. The issue, however, was never put to a vote – the IlKhan, citing adequate supplies and the political motivations of the lesser Castes, ordered the activation of the dormant Blood Heritages to be introduced to the Clan’s breeding program immediately. Despite silent opposition by the Castes, the dormant Blood Houses were surrendered by the Scientist Caste to the Technicians in May of 3046.
The Trueborn Resurgence
Encouraged by the orders to begin enlarging the Trueborn faction, Loremaster Randy Buchner petitioned the Council for amendments to the Leopard Charter, pointing out the lack of control of the Warrior Caste to choose the Khans they followed into battle. Refused in June of 3051 by a decision of the Clan Council, the cavalier assumption of the willingness of the Warrior Caste to follow a political appointee prompted widespread support for the notion of Warrior independence.
The arrival of intelligence indicating the intentions of the dezClans to begin Operation: Revival at Totem on March 7, 3052, prompted the mass revolt of the Warrior Caste as the President and Council fumbled the attempts to organize the Clan to meet the 3-month deadline to assemble with our sibClans on Totem. Faced with the breakdown of social order, IlKhan (Name) McEvedy declared martial law on Barrens, giving command of the Leopard Touman to the Loremaster and ordering the first independent election of a Leopard Khan in over (time).
Operating on an emergency footing with the cooperation of IlClan Wolverine, Buchner assembled the Touman in time for the deadline and won the election to the post of Khan of Clan Tundra Leopard for his performance. With the failure of the New Clans to respond to the dezClan invasion in 3052, several of our sibClans have begun to loose the traditional strict martial focus of the early 31st century, wavering between Warrior fanaticism and the allure of freedoms promised by the laws of the Civil Government for the lesser Castes.
We of Clan Tundra Leopard, however, have only begun to hone the skills of a resurgent Warrior Caste with the Founding of dedicated Elemental and ELM Bloodlines and the return of the dormant Trueborn Legacies. The recent reclamation of the ranks of Khan and saKhan for merit has also encouraged several of the most militant Clans to relax their boycotts and sanctions against our Merchants, allowing the Clan access to new markets.
Such activity came with a high price, as the upheaval of domestic politics has prompted major unrest in the Clan. With the Charter abolished by IlKhan McEvedy, political concerns have forced the leadership of the Warrior Caste to walk a careful line, ensuring the future of the Clan while respecting the privileges of the lesser Castes.
CURRENT EVENTS
The return of traditional Clan organization and government provided a great deal of upheaval, now settled with the Amendment to the Clan Charter. The Charter was a major reason for the high level of immigration, assuring new arrivals of the respect of the Warrior Caste, and its importance to the Clan could not be overstated. Continuing to safeguard the rights of Leopard citizens, the amended document enshrines the right of the Warrior Caste to rule, and removed much of the political influence of the Castes on the Clan Council.
Since 3058, the continuing reports filed by Guide Teams describing the benefits of Spheroid stealth armor technology have intrigued the Infantry and Armor Branches, encouraging the development of a New Clan equivalent. With the goal of securing information and samples of the Capellan innovation, we allied ourselves with our rivals from Clan Piranha to petition the IlKhan to prioritize capturing a sample of this technology, creating the first New Clan Stealth armor in November, 3064.
It seems clear to the senior leadership of the Clan we are experiencing the first years of another golden age, as further developments have continued to be absorbed and turned to our advantage.
THE CASTES
Warrior
For most of our history, the Warrior Caste has been the least influential. Politically, the Khan and saKhan are being forced to walk a fine line – the resurgent Caste has convinced the most militant of the New Clans to relax sanctions, but the domestic politicians of the other Castes are watching closely to ensure their rights and precedents are not endangered. Khan Graff has done well so far, putting domestic issues before external concerns, allowing the Warrior Caste to continue concentrating on guarding our growing economic strength.
Laborer
The single largest voting block in the Clan, the Laborers have the most to loose among the Castes to the renewed Warriors. Contributing the largest number of trainees after the Maroon bombing, the Caste quickly became the most influential by creating a network of individuals dedicated to improving upon conditions in their Caste. The current political situation finds the influence of the Laborer Caste waning as the final dormant Legacies of the Clan enter service, leading to a great deal of concern and unrest among our most populous Caste.
Despite this, the Clan continues to be one of the most preferred choices for new immigrants, fueling our economic growth. Reassured by the domestic policies of the Khan, the leadership of the Caste is attempting to pacify their citizens with a “wait and seeâ€-attitude towards the preservation of their rights under Clan law.
Technician
One of the most influential Castes, the Technicians continue to expand the services and industries provided by the Clan. Recent initiatives to expand the Caste by the Khan have been met with cautious approval by the Council, wary of providing any single Caste with a majority in the Council. Immigrants to the Cluster liken the Caste to trade unions from ancient Terra, with complex negotiations between trades determining prestige and influence within the Caste.
Politically, the internal debates and power struggles within the Caste have resulted in a high turnover of representatives in the Clan Council. The difficulty in finding a consensus between them has resulted in a conservative attitude that provides an effective brake to the ambitions of the other Castes.
Merchant
Influential to all levels of the Tundra Leopard society, Merchants influence trade both within and outside the Clan. Unlike traditional Clans, membership in the Caste is offered for purchase by interested members of the Clan and immigrants looking to continue lifestyles interrupted by their move to the Cluster.
Granted apprentice status for a time before being granted credit from the Caste to purchase a business license, most of the smaller Merchants offer private services to individuals and members of the Civil Government on Barrens. Politically, the Caste is most concerned with the balance of trade between the Clan and the remainder of the Legacy Cluster, and sharp negotiators from the Caste can control most of the voting issues before the Council by influencing its members.
Scientist
Most influential immediately after the Founding and Maroon bombing, membership in the Scientist Caste is largely restricted to immigrants and the upper echelons of the Technician Caste able to pass the stringent entrance exams in their fields. Their influence on the Council is largely a matter of self-interest, as the outcome of Council votes influence the direction of research and development funding.
Riding the influence of a resurgent Warrior Caste, members of the Scientist Caste have begun to press for an increased effort towards education and research, in an effort to improve the political standing of the Caste.
THE TOUMAN
Dominated by a strong Armor Branch until 3064, the Touman has continued to use the elite Trueborn Warriors as support. Such practices are slowly coming to an end, however, as superior training and OmniMech versatility begins to provide supporters of the Trueborn genetics programs with further proofs of the benefits of a combined-arms approach used to such advantage by ComStar at Tukyyid.
Despite the success of the new Elemental and ELM Bloodlines, continued interest in the Touman by citizens outside the Warrior Caste has resulted in the continued growth of the Caste and the establishment of several Clusters dominated by the Infantry Branch, leading to the creation of the new Grenadier formations.
TO&E
Legions
Renamed by Khan Polo in 2863 to inspire Freeborn enthusiasm for military service, the Legions are the elite of the Leopard Touman, equipped primarily with OmniMechs. On average these Clusters contain 3 Trinaries of front-line OmniMechs, one of Armor, and one of mixed Aerospace and Infantry.
In most cases, the Infantry are paired with AFVs to allow them to accompany and protect the Armored vehicles, but some Stars are equipped with FighterShips and VTOLs to provide air-mobile support.
Panzer
Panzer Clusters are the primary offensive unit, combining 3-4 Trinaries of Heavy Armor with a mix of OmniMechs and Infantry in support. Normally, Panzer Clusters outnumber Legions by 2.5-to-1, who use slower Panzer Trinaries as either reinforcements or a slow-moving hammer to break up stronger enemy formations.
With the increased numbers of Trueborn MechWarriors and OmniMechs available to the Touman, Panzer Clusters are receiving more front-line equipment, and several Trinaries have been reassigned to Legion Clusters in recognition of their elite status.
Provisional Garrison
Provisional Garrison Clusters are the occupation forces assigned to Leopard possessions outside of the Barrens system. Comprised of the slowest and heaviest Armored vehicles and BattleMechs available, they are also the busiest, seldom seeing more than a week go by without a Trial for the facilities under their protection.
Garrison Clusters are also the most common first deployment for new Warriors, putting them in veteran and elite garrison units before rotating crews to the Panzer Clusters
Grenadier
The expansion of the Touman with the new Infantry Bloodnames and the remaining Blood Legacies of the Founders has resulted in unique circumstances that have allowed the Clan to establish almost four Clusters of Grenadiers – Armor and Infantry units dedicated to close or urban terrain and high profile garrisons.
The Grenadier Trinaries prefer to declare smaller Trials from major battles, where MechWarriors regularly underestimate the level of firepower put out by the Infantry support vehicles and equipment designed by Clan Piranha. The large Infantry contingent swarm or kneecap their targets.
Wing
Wing Clusters are another formation developed after the poor performance of the AeroSpace Branch in the dezClan Trials. Dominated by AeroSpace concerns, no new Wing Clusters are being considered, as current production is paced to replace losses, and surplus equipment and personnel are simply assigned to the Naval Reserve.
Abthactor
The Clan’s serving Abthactor forces were reassigned to Psi Galaxy, after the formation of the 22nd Wing Cluster proved the concept reduced the administrative load. Currently the 100th Abthactor Cluster is still in its trial period before being judged worthy of a permanent spot in the Touman.
Assigned all types of missions and equipment, the Abthactor Cluster is unique in both the Touman and the Legacy Cluster.
BRANCHES OF THE TOUMAN
Armor
The Armor Clusters have been the focus of the Clan Touman since the Maroon bombings that gutted the Trueborn birthing centers, receiving attention from the Scientist and Technician Castes to correct their weaknesses. In particular, the ARPs have allowed Leopard Armor crews the chance to gain elite status with regularity, making Panzer Clusters deadly opponents.
MechWarriors
The elite of the Leopard Touman, for most of our history the majority of MechWarriors have been Freeborn, as politics has restricted the number of Blood Houses and Legacies available to the Touman. With the resurgence of the Trueborn faction, Trueborn Warriors are beginning to dominate the MechWarrior Branch with their superior training and genetics.
Infantry
Composed of a mix of True- and Freeborn Warriors, the Branch has traditionally kept conflicts between Warriors off the battlefield. This attitude has led the Branch to be one of the most politically reliable to the Clan Council, and helped keep the Armor and MechWarrior Branches in line. The Founding of dedicated battlearmor and ELM Blood Houses has put that reliability in jeopardy, but the build-up and training of new Warriors has emphasized the need for Warriors to put aside their differences and work together to benefit the Clan.
Armor units and crews assigned to motorized units serve for long-term tours, to build trust between Branches assigned to the same unit.
AeroSpace
Traditionally, the Clan has had few AeroSpace assets. The split between True- and Freeborn has become more violent within the last decade, as more effort has gone into expansion and training of Trueborn Pilots graduating from their sibkos.
One of the few New Clans to produce the dezClan Pilot phenotype, Scientists reason the genetically superior Pilots will be able to keep the Branch from being overwhelmed by their more numerous opponents from other Clans.
CHAIN OF COMMAND
The chain of command has been a point of contention between Trueborns and the Clan Council for over a century; while the Charter guarantees the rights of the Castes, precedent placed the President of the Clan Council second in command of the Touman, allowing him to select Khans after consulting Warrior Caste ‘advisors’.
After the Trueborn resurgence, the Khan controls the Warrior Caste, determining policy and strategic objectives; despite precedent, the President of the Clan Council has no right to contradict his orders and is not in the chain of command. As the Khan’s deputies, the saKhan commands the Touman in the field and ensures the readiness of the Caste to defend the Clan, while the Loremaster sees to the needs of the Castes, from training and logistics to research of new weapons and equipment for the Tundra Leopard Touman as a whole.
Galaxy Commanders in order of commands follow the Loremaster, and Star Colonels in order of unit precedence complete the chain. Lesser ranks within Clusters follow date of rank and unit precedence, depending on the circumstances.
UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA
Redesigned in the wake of the Maroon Bombing, the uniforms of the Leopard Touman do not reflect the expected influence of Clan Kraken, removed by order of the Khan after the lack of support from our parent Clan forced us to appeal to the IlKhan for aid in _____. Besides the specialized uniforms issued to each Branch, the Clan issues the standard Field and Dress uniforms, as well as the unique panzer wrap and resurrected Ceremonial headdress.
The standard uniform of the Touman, the Field uniform is a reinforced jumpsuit, constructed from ballistic- and fire-resistant material printed with appropriate camouflage patterns. Optional ablative- and ballistic-resistant reinforcements offer additional protection from shoulder to mid-thigh, with a heavy equipment belt and tactical vest supporting paired SMGs, assorted pouches, and tools.
The optional, unadorned black ‘coal scuttle’ helmet comes standard with radio, supporting modular binocular light-intensifying or infra-red attachments. A simple piece of waterproof hip-length material with a reseal-able edge prevents the panzer wrap from snagging and is acceptable outside ‘Mechs and vehicles in the field.
The Dress uniform consists of white shirt or blouse and half-tie, with black uniform jacket and trousers or skirt, and tall patent leather boots or dress shoes and 1†heels. New Clan-standard ranks are displayed on the collar of the dress shirt, and a colored armband worn on the left arm, displaying the Tundra Leopard logo with Caste and Branch insignia. A black-visored, grey peaked cap adorned with the Tundra Leopard insignia centered on the front completes the Dress uniform.
The Ceremonial headdress is the sole remaining portion of the original uniform; worn in secrecy by Trueborn members of the Touman until the Trueborn resurgence, the simplicity of the Ceremonial uniform serves as a reminder of the patience and strength of previous generations of Trueborn Warriors. Once manufactured and purchased from Silver Condor Merchants in secret, the Clan has begun producing a more detailed and lifelike version for the Warrior Caste. Only Trueborn Warriors are allowed to don the Ceremonial headdress.
MILITARY DECORATIONS
The Remembrance Bar
Granted the privilege of being named in the New Clans epic poem, The Remembrance, every member of the Touman qualifies for this award. The award is a single gold bar with the chapter and verse of the lines in question. Members of the Warrior Caste are awarded the bar with colors signifying branch of service.
Iron Cross
Awarded for bravery to members of the civilian Castes assisting the Touman under dangerous circumstances, the Iron Cross is regarded as proof of the courage and individual competence on the part of the wearer, and holders are extended the same courtesies as members of the Warrior Caste.
The Iron Cross is most commonly awarded to the Technicians and Laborers attached to military units.
Medal of Honor
Created by the Clan Council, the Medal of Honor was awarded to members of the Warrior Caste for exceptional skill and bravery to replace the Ehrendolch of the Warrior Caste. The award is a golden medallion worn around the neck on a ribbon of red silk on the dress uniform.
The award is considered tainted by politics, as it was conceived of and awarded by Tundra Leopard politicians to reward both noteworthy Warriors and political supporters among the Warrior Caste. With the recent resurgence of the Trueborn faction, no new Medals of Honor have been approved as it is no longer considered appropriate to accept a politically-motivated award.
The Ehrendolch
The “Honor Dagger†of the Tundra Leopard Warrior Caste, the Ehrendolch is awarded to Warriors for extreme acts of skill and courage. Warriors awarded the Ehrendolch are expected to carry it at all times, and may use the Dagger any time they are required to fight unarmed.
The Ehrendolch is forged of the finest steel possible by the Scientist Caste, balanced and honed by Technicians, and fitted to a hand-carved and polished wooden hilt with silver filigree provided by the Laborer and Merchant castes. Representing the effort of the Clan to honor exceptional Warriors, it is awarded by the Khan in the Hall of Warriors on Barrens.
After being replaced by the Council’s Medal of Honor, the Loremaster continued to award deserving Trueborn Warriors with Ehrendolch of lesser quality. With its return in 3052, serving Warriors have had their daggers replaced with examples of the finest quality. Daggers reclaimed after the deaths of their holders are placed on display in the Hall of Warriors.
[** - Analyst’s Note: Also included here is the Leopard ‘social club’, the ten thousand.
The Ten Thousand
Although not an official award, membership in the ten thousand is strictly limited to Freeborn members of the Warrior Caste with the approval of Trueborn Warriors. No official membership criteria exists, but serving members have been observed to display outstanding courage and dedication to the principles of the Warrior Caste, while eschewing political influences.
Members wear a silver chain and medallion embossed with a crested Greek helmet, welded around the neck of the owner.]
NOTABLE WARRIORS
Khan Leon Graff
Commander-in-chief of all Tundra Leopard military forces, Graff served as Loremaster to previous Khan Walther (Trafford), before initiating the Trueborn Revival and forcing a constitutional crisis within the Clan. Politically-motivated reprisals and Trials of Grievance helped to motivate him to challenge for the rank of Khan in _____, returning the Warrior Caste to a merit-based system and prompting the IlKhan to rule in favor of the right of the Caste to self-government under the Tundra Leopard Charter.
President William (Braun)
A life-long politician from the Technician Caste, William is the inheritor of nearly a hundred years of political mismanagement of the Warrior Caste. Replacing ousted President Ran (Singh) in 3068, William has been forced to publicly denounce the attempt to control and manipulate the Warrior Caste by his predecessors, and disregard precedent to favor an interpretation of the Leopard Charter supported by the IlKhan.
A petty, vindictive, and bitter politician in a culture remembering its martial roots, William is fighting for his political survival.
SaKhan Uhura Banda
A thin martinet formerly serving with the 31st Grenadier Cluster, saKhan Banda is a fanatical Trueborn supremacist. One of the Founding Warriors to the Clan’s new ELM Blood Houses, Banda is on probation for harassment of Freeborn Warriors assigned to the Silver Keshik. So far she has managed to maintain a façade of icy politeness towards the Warriors and politicians her new rank forces her into contact with, but recent absences approved by the Khan show that control to be slipping.
Clandet Commander Han
A former member of the Leopard Touman, Han considers it his duty to train the Clandets as well as possible given the budgetary and equipment restraints faced by the organization. Assisted by the Loremaster, Han has gone so far as to request permission for Clandets to observe Trials with members of the Armor and MechWarrior Branches.
Loremaster Tennessee McCaig
An unassuming woman of indeterminate middle age, Tennessee has become the face of the Trueborn faction’s attempts to regain the authority of the Founding Khans. Able to work with and reassure the citizens of the civilian Castes that Trueborns are simply people working for the good of the Clan, observers have noted her increase in personal popularity has accompanied the rising approval of the Khan and his domestic policies.
THE BLOOD HERITAGES
MechWarrior Pilot Elemental # ELM #
Buchner Roth Bishop Banda
McCaig Eldren Gaudet Keller
Fuchs Douglas * Rayner Schmid
Graff Turchin * Banks Kirk
Polo Berg * Kostiuk Gulka
Hargrave
Mueller
Farley
Arthur
Fong *
Novakovski *
Vawter *
Peace *
Kraft *
Laplante *
* - Dormant Blood Houses
# - Infantry Blood Houses created, (date)