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Clan Terms
General History: The Clans speak Star League Standard English, disdaining and avoiding the use of contractions and similar practices in speech. As part of the SLDF's legacy, the language is seen as very nearly sacred, though some Clansmen are capable of reading and speaking other languages, typically Russian. Some of these terms were created and used by members of the Kerensky family or the first Khans.
A
Abtakha: A warrior captured but then accepted into his new Clan as a warrior. This is different from a bondsman. An Abtakha continues to enjoy his status as a Warrior while a bondsman is considered a member if the laborer caste.
Aff: Short for “Affirmative” or “yes”. It was a childhood habit of Andery Kerensky that became used by students at the Eden Military Academy.
B
Batchall: Short for “Battle Challenge”. The Batchall is the ritual by which Clan warriors issue combat challenges. Though the type of challenge varies, most begin with the challenger identifying himself, stating the prize of the contest, and requesting that the defender identify the forces at his disposal. The defender also has the right to name the location of the Trial. The two sides then bid for what forces will participate in the contest. The sub-commander who bids to fight with the least number of forces wins the right and responsibility to make the attack. The defender may increase the stakes by demanding a prize of equal or lesser value if he wins. All batchalls and bids are closed and final when the phrase "bargained well and done" is spoken by both members of the bid. While common place among Clan warriors, this is often shunned by Spheroids and not necessarily adhered too or accepted unless it is to their advantage.
Bloodheritage: The history of the Bloodnamed warriors of a particular Bloodright is called the Bloodheritage.
Bloodcount: The Bloodcount is the number of active Bloodrights associated with a particular Bloodname, and thus is the number of individuals that may hold that name at any given time. Traditionally, this number is twenty-five, but it may be less in the case of inferior Bloodnames or Bloodheritages found useless or unworthy. In some cases, the Bloodcount has been known to drop as low as five. The process for reducing a Bloodcount is known as ‘Reaving’, and the process for increasing it is called ‘Propagation’, both of which demand an associated trial. A Bloodcount may also be reduced by Abjuration, or by decree of the ilKhan.
Bloodname: Bloodname refers to the surname of each of the 800 warriors who stood with Nicholas Kerensky during the Exodus Civil War. The right to use one of these surnames has been the ambition of every Clan warrior since the system was established. Only a maximum of 25 warriors, depending on its Bloodcount, are allowed to use any Bloodname at one time. When one of the Bloodnamed warriors dies, a special Trial, called a Trial of Bloodright, is held to determine who will assume that Bloodname. A contender must prove his Bloodname lineage, and then win a series of duels against other competitors. Only Bloodnamed warriors may sit on the Clan Councils or are eligible to become a Khan or ilKhan. Bloodnames are determined maternally, at least after the original generation. Because a warrior can only inherit from his or her female parent, he or she only has a claim to one Bloodname. 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).
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 Bloodright might be related only through their original ancestor. As with Bloodnames, certain Bloodrights are considered more prestigious than others, depending largely on the Bloodheritage.
Blooding: Blooding is a 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 challenged by representatives from other Clans, or else face those representatives in mortal combat.
Bondsman: A prisoner taken during combat, of any caste or rank. Considered a member of the Laborer caste until freed or promoted back to active service. Custom indicates that any prisoner remain a bondsman for at least a token amount of time, even high-ranking and Bloodnamed warriors. Some Clans do not free bondsmen to certain castes, especially the Warrior caste. 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.
Bondholder: The person that takes a Bondsman and is the primary determiner of when a Bondsman has fulfilled his Bond obligation.
Bondsref: Ritual suicide to prevent becoming a Bondsman. The person performing Bondsref must have the permission of their Bondholder and perform said act before taking a Bondcord, otherwise the performer is considered Dezgra and their genes won't be used in the Clan breeding program.
C
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 considered a chalcas.
Circle of Equals: The area in which a trial takes place. The area can be anywhere from a few meters across for personal combat, or thousands of kilometers across, or even span several worlds for large scale trials. A contestant that voluntarily leaves or is forced to leave the area is considered dishonorable or weak, and is disqualified. The area can be of any shape, though it is traditionally a circle.
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.
Crusader: A Crusader is a Clansman who espouses the invasion of the Inner Sphere and the re-establishment of the Star League by military force. Most Crusaders are contemptuous of the people of the Inner Sphere, whom they view as barbarians and of freeborns within their own Clans as well.
D
Dezgra: Adjective referring to the disgraced state of the subject, such as a unit that disgraced itself in battle or a person or unit without honor. Units or persons marked as dezgra are not considered worthy of zellbrigen, so normal clan rules of combat can be suspended when facing such opponents. Also the noun referring to a ritual by which a unit is marked as Dezgra and punished. 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. 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.
E
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.
F
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: A person born naturally, a person not born into the Clan genetics program.
Founder, The: The name the Clans use when referring to Nicholas Kerensky.
G
Great Father, The: The name the Clans use for Alexander Kerensky.
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.
Grand Melee: A free-for-all that is not restricted by Zellbrigen. Any trial can become a Grand melee if one-on-one combat rules are breached by a combatant. The 32nd slot for a Bloodname is always decided by a Grand Melee.
H
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.
I
Isorla: The spoils of battle that warriors can claim as their right, including bondsman, are known as isorla.
K
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.
Keshik: The unit which provides a Khan's bodyguard. Ex: The Turkina Keshik of Clan Jade Falcon.
L
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.
M
Martial Code, The: The Martial Code is a set of rules governing Clan actions during a time of war. It is designed to minimize the political maneuvering that normally prevails during a Grand Council meeting, and forces the participants to concentrate on the matter at hand. When in effect, this also gives the ilKhan a wide range of powers, such as the right to dismiss any charges brought before the Grand Council he or she deems frivolous.
N
Neg: Shortened form of “Negative” or “no”.
O
OvKhan: A term of respect for a person of higher rank. It also name for a commanding officer rank in Clan Sea Fox in the 32nd Century whom is in charge of an Aimag size fleet.
P
Powless: A shortened term for powerless, denoting the vulnerability that a warrior feels when forced to fight without his accustomed weapons. An example would be a heavy 'Mech pilot using a light 'Mech or an aerospace pilot fighting an elemental in melee combat.
Q
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.
R
Rememberance, 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: Shortened form of "Rising Star." This term refers to a particularly gifted warrior on his or her way to high position.
Rede: A promise or oath that reflects on the swearer's honor is considered a Rede. Breaking a rede is considered extremely serious, and is sometimes punishable by death.
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.
S
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 seem 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.
Seyla: A word uttered only in the most sacred and respective of manners. The origin is Hebrew, but it works like "Amen". It is found in Psalms as Selah. It is a way of saying 'so shall it be'.
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, and 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: An insult referring to Freebirths.
Surkai: The surkai is the Right of Forgivness. 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 admits 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. Surkai was the surname of an officer from the Prinz Eugen that Andrey was forced to personally execute after the mutiny.
Surkairede: The Rede of Forgivness, 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.
T
Touman: The term used for 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.
W
Warden: A Warden is a Clansman who believes that the Clans were established to guard the Inner Sphere from outside threats rather than to conquer it and re-establish the Star League by force. Most Wardens were therefore opposed to the invasion of the Inner Sphere.
Z
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. It was introduced by Nicholas Kerensky as a response to the manner of his brother's death.
Clan Specific Terms
Clan Nova Cat:
Battle of Chronicles: Exclusive to Clan Nova Cat, the Battle of Chronicles is performed once a month at midnight, outside if possible. It is a ritual retelling of the many victories of the Clan and serves as inspiration for warriors to aspire to such feats of greatness as well as a reminder that victory may be achieved through superior strategy and planning, long before the warriors reach the battlefield.
Forum of Law: The Oathmaster grand melee of Clan Nova Cat is divided into two parts. The first is a circle of equals which all Clansmen regardless of caste may participate in. The winner of the contest must then demonstrate, to the satisfaction of of the Khan and opponents in the circle of equals, his or her knowledge of Clan Nova Cat traditions, Laws and their remembrance. This part is known as the 'Forum of Law'.
Oathmaster Grand Melee: A trial performed once a year which offers every member of Clan Nova Cat to become an Oathmaster. Should the contestant fail, the current Oathmaster will keep his or her position.
Vineers: Members of some Clans, most notably Clan Nova Cat, collect keepsakes of their battles. probably derived from souvenirs.
Ways of Seeing: A book written by Khan Sandra Rosse of Clan Nova Cat detailing her mothers mysticism and her own visions. It is used as a guide and a form of encouragement for Nova cat clansmen to various rituals still performedin the Clan today.
Clan Cloud Cobra:
Cloisters: The political-military factions of Clan Cloud Cobra, organized around religious beliefs.
ecKhan: The leader of a CLan Cloud Cobra cloister.
Clan Blood Spirit:
ilCHI: The ambassador-messengers that Clan blood Spirit sends to its allies.
Clan Fire Mandrill:
Kindraa: A political-military faction within Clan Fire Mandrill composed of one or more Bloodname houses.
Clan Jade Falcon:
Sibbies:A derogatory term used within Clan Jade falcon for members of sibkhos who had accelerated training and whose Trial of Position consisted of the Coventry campaign. It generally implies poor training or youth or inexperience.
Sources: http://www.sarna.net/wiki/Clan
http://www.hakujin.n...f/clanterm.html
This link contains terms specific to certain Clans including ranks:
Jaroth Winson, on 20 July 2012 - 10:00 PM, said:
edits: minor spelling mistakes from sources.
added clan specific terms.
Edited by Bryan Kerensky, 20 July 2012 - 11:14 PM.
) i don't have any books so i have been picking everything up from the internet.
