Ceana Boques

Ceana Boques
Character Profile
Affiliation Clan Blood Spirit
Rank Khan

Ceana Boques was the third Khan elected to lead Clan Blood Spirit during much of the Golden Century.[1]

History[edit]

During her reign, Khan Ceana Boques would introduce many changes to her Clan in response to the Clan Coyote invention of the OmniMech, setting them firmly on the road to what they would eventually become.[1]

Warrior Training and Beyond[edit]

One of her first major changes was to alter the Blood Spirit's sibko training practices, making it into one of the most difficult regimens in all of the Clans, exceeding the standards of even Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Steel Viper. In many cases, a sibko would sometimes be eliminated entirely due to the exacting demands of training.[1]

Because of a very high rate of candidates flushing out, Khan Boques also altered the way her technician caste worked. Many Blood Spirit techs had excellent fighting skills due to their warrior training. In recognition of this, Boques allowed the techs to continue training in their spare time, while also introducing a Grand Melee once per year amongst the technicians. The winner of this event would graduate to the warrior caste, supplying yet another source of highly trained and skilled warriors to the limited Clan Blood Spirit touman.[1]

Most controversially, Khan Boques would institute rudimentary weapon training to all members of Clan Blood Spirit, regardless of caste. Though this flew in the face of traditional Clan practices, she convinced her own warrior caste to allow the changes. If the Blood Spirits' Homeworld of York were to be attacked in force by any of the other Clans, all members of the Clan could be called upon to fight.[1]

Further Alterations[edit]

Khan Boques did not stop at these measures. Due to a perceived underperformance of her scientist caste, she was said to have introduced stringent measures to the Blood Spirit scientists. These measures forced the scientists to improve the quality of the Blood Spirit genetics program, and to make the most of any technological advances that could be made with regard to weapons engineering.[1]

She also mandated a new round of exploration in an attempt to increase Blood Spirit landholdings and resources. This resulted in the colonization of Foster, a world that held many of the resources that the Clan was in desperate need of procuring. Not long after the establishment of the colony on Foster, Clan Burrock began raiding the convoys that traveled the star lanes between York and their newest colony. The situation would become untenable as the years passed.[1]

The Unexpected Happens[edit]

In a gesture that shocked the Blood Spirits, Kindraa Smythe-Jewel of Clan Fire Mandrill contacted the Blood Spirits and offered them an exchange: In return for several minor Blood Spirit genetic legacies and some land on the world of Foster, they would offer the Spirits a chance to procure OmniMech technology. Suspecting only veiled treachery, the Blood Spirits refused the initial offer. Understanding their point of view, the Smythe-Jewels repeated their offer until finally Khan Boques realized that they were serious. With the trials structured so as to ensure each Clan would leave the field of battle with a share the offered prizes, OmniMech technology made its way to Clan Blood Spirit. But more, this would also ignite a small spark of hope that some trust and goodwill could exist between the Clans.[2]

As the colony on Foster became unsupportable due to increased Burrock raids, Khan Boques ceded the world to the Smythe-Jewels in return for their earlier help. This too would result in an unexpected gift: a suit of battle armor and the breeding protocols for the new Elemental. Though the Smythe-Jewels would not occupy their new homeworld for very long, this gesture caused Khan Boques to reopen the office of ilChi, or official messenger, to Clan Fire Mandrill, further increasing the strength of their newly found diplomatic ties.[2]

In one last move to reconnect to with another fellow Clan, Khan Boques accepted offers from Clan Sea Fox toward trade agreements. Though she was loath to deal with a Clan in which merchants had gained so much power, it was the only way for the Blood Spirits to acquire much-needed resources that could no longer be gained from Foster.[2]

Legacy[edit]

Hailing from the genetic legacy of Devon Boques, Ceana would continue in the role of leadership over a truly marginalized Clan. While many of her reforms only took the Blood Spirits further away from the rest of the Clans, isolating them physically and culturally from the rest, some of her more diplomatic changes would help her Clan to progress, even if they did not feel part of the Golden Century progressing around them.[1][2]

References[edit]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 23: "Fool's Gold" and "Preparations"
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Field Manual: Crusader Clans, p. 24: "Fire From Heaven"

Bibliography[edit]