Bloodname

This article is about Clan culture. For the novel, see Bloodname (novel).

Category:Bloodnames

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. A warrior may only use a Bloodname after winning a Trial of Bloodright. Only Bloodnamed warriors may sit on the Clan Councils or are eligible to become a Khan or ilKhan. Further, only the DNA of Bloodnamed warriors may be used in the Clans' eugenics program to create trueborn offspring.

History

Bloodnames are one of the more unique institutions of the Clans. When the Clans were founded and their breeding program started, surnames were done away with except for those of Nicholas Kerensky and the 802 other founding members of the Clans. The surnames were termed "Bloodnames". Nicholas Kerensky created the Trial of Bloodright to allow eligible warriors to fight for and win the right to use a Bloodname.

Eligibility

Main article: Trial of Bloodright

Generally, a warrior is only eligible to compete for the Bloodname of that warrior's matrilineal ancestry. This, however, does not necessarily mean the warrior's female parent. Clan scientists can implant a male warrior's DNA into an egg and a female warrior's DNA into a sperm. The Clans use the term "genefather" to refer to the warrior whose DNA was used in the sperm and a "genemother" means the warrior whose DNA is used in the eggs, regardless of gender. A trueborn warrior is only eligible to fight for the Bloodname of his or her genemother. A freeborn warrior may be eligible for a Bloodname if he or she can trace a matrilineal relationship to a Bloodname House. Two notable examples of such freeborns in the thirty-first century were Phelan Kell, who won the Bloodname of Ward because of his descent from Jal Ward through his mother Salome Ward and Diana Pryde, the daughter of two trueborns from the same sibko. In the thirty-second century, Kev Rosse was another freeborn who was allowed to compete for and win a Bloodname. This was unusual as Kev Rosse was the freeborn son of Derrik Rosse and RAF Major Amanda Wilton; therefore, his genetic link to that Bloodname came through his father, not his mother.

For the first generation of trueborns, the eligibility rules were not as rigidly applied; those trueborns could claim the Bloodname of either of their warrior geneparents. An example is Star Captain Johan Loris of Clan Mongoose, he was eligible for both the Loris and Greenhalgh Bloodnames, but chose to fight for and won a Loris Bloodname. The exceptions were those warriors who had a geneparent who was not a warrior, but rather one of the 600 non-warrior loyalists whose DNA was added to the breeding program to increase its genetic diversity; these warriors were only eligible for the Bloodname of their warrior geneparent.

In the early days of the Clans, right after Operation KLONDIKE, some freeborns were able to win Bloodnames. The most well-known is Sandra Rosse, the daughter of the first Khan of Clan Nova Cat, Phillip Drummond. Instead of competing for the Bloodname of her father, Sandra wanted to honor her mother Anna Rosse by competing for the Rosse Bloodname, which was founded by her mother's second cousin Jason Rosse. Because the eligibility limits for Bloodnames had not been formalized, the Grand Council granted her petition to enter a Trial of Bloodright for the Rosse Bloodname, which she won. There were other Bloodnamed warriors, who were not part of the 803 founders, active at the time of the Wolverine Annihilation. These included Star Colonel Ferris Ward of Clan Wolf, Star Captain Philip Buhallin of Clan Jade Falcon, Star Colonel Stanton Osis of Clan Smoke Jaguar, and saKhan Trish Ebon of Clan Wolverine. Though not explicitly stated to be freeborn, the first trueborns were decanted in September 2820, therefore they must have been freeborn.

The Escorpión Imperio also expanded eligibility for newly created Bloodnames to freeborn relatives of the Bloodname founder who were not his or her direct descendants. For example, Turo Varela, the freeborn nephew of Jorge Varela was allowed to compete in and win a Trial of Bloodright for the Varela Bloodname.

Creation of New Bloodnames

Although these traditions are rare, it is a little known fact that new Bloodnames can be created by the Clans. The first way a Bloodname can be created is from the decree of an ilKhan. If a freeborn warrior has proven themselves worthy enough to the Clan, the ilKhan may take their genetic legacy to form a new Bloodname for them. One example of this was when Ulric Kerensky created the Kell Bloodname for Phelan after he relocated in the Inner Sphere during the Refusal War. Another tradition is that individual Clans can create Bloodnames. If an individual freeborn is considered worthy enough or is truly exceptional, they may become progenitors of a new Bloodname based after them. This is the only way a freeborn can keep their original surname, while at the same time, earning a Bloodname officially. However, it is used as an ultimate reward among individual Clans, such as Clan Wolf offering Jaime and Joshua Wolf a chance to have their surnames made Bloodnames for future generations and Clan Ghost Bear creating the Magnusson Bloodname after Ragnar Magnusson, of the Ghost Bear Dominion.

The Escorpión Imperio, later known as the Scorpion Empire, created many new Bloodnames following Clan Goliath Scorpion's Abjurement and Exile.

IlKhan Nicholas Kerensky established another rite in the wake of the Clan Wolverine Trial of Annihilation known simply as the Bloodright. In the event evidence could be found that members of Wolverine Bloodhouses survived the Annihilation, those who slew them would be granted a Bloodname in their newly established Bloodhouse. In 3052 the discovery of Com Guard Bordon Hallis' shared DNA with Frederick Hallis caused a stir among the Clans. Clan Steel Viper Khan Natalie Breen argued the wording of Nicholas' decree covered descendants of relatives who stayed behind in the Exodus, much as a similar link allowed Phelan Ward of Clan Wolf to compete for the Ward Bloodname. After a short debate it was decided the Bloodright did cover such descendants.

Types of Bloodnames

Although the Bloodnames represent the warriors who had accompanied Nicholas Kerensky, these surnames would not become important until the creation of the eugenics program leading to the Iron Womb. The scientist caste would take the genetics of these followers and put them into various phenotypes to represent the types of warriors in the Clan. As a result, these Bloodnames would be segregated into four common Phenotypes that each warrior would fight for: General, MechWarrior, Aerospace and Elemental. While General Bloodnames meant that any warrior of a given phenotype can fight for that Bloodname, other warriors would have to fight to claim that given Bloodname based exclusively on their genetics. However some Clans like the Snow Ravens and Hell's Horses would create new Bloodnames such as Naval Bloodnames and ProtoMech Bloodnames, respectively. Both of these phenotypes were derived from aerospace pilot bloodlines.

Bondsmen and exclusivity

When a Clan takes a warrior from another Clan as a bondsman, who is then reinstated as a warrior, that warrior is still eligible to compete for their Bloodname. For example, Eva of the Hordwons, originally a warrior of Clan Ice Hellion, was taken as a bondsmen by Clan Wolf during the Harvest Trials; but in 3066 she traveled back to the Clan Homeworlds to fight for and successfully win her Bloodname. However, capturing a warrior from another Clan does not give the capturing Clan the right to use that warrior’s DNA in its breeding program even if that warrior already has, or later wins, a Bloodname. Therefore, a Bloodname could remain exclusive to a Clan even when warriors with that Bloodname have been adopted into other Clans, such as Jake Kabrinski – adopted by the Hell's Horses, but the Kabrinski Bloodname remained exclusive to the Ghost Bears – and Jal Steiner – adopted by Clan Nova Cat, but the Steiner Bloodname remained exclusive to the Cloud Cobras. Instead, to gain control of a genetic legacy associated with a Bloodname belonging to another Clan, a Clan must win a Trial of Possession for that genetic legacy. Examples of such Trials fought for single genetic legacies include Clan Wolf's capture of the genetic legacy of Clan Diamond Shark Khan Ian Hawker circa 3060, and the Wolves' Sixteenth Battle Cluster's unsuccessful Trial for Star Colonel Kael Pershaw's genetic legacy prior to the Clan Invasion. A Clan may challenge for multiple legacies at once, such as during the Wars of Reaving, when Clan Cloud Cobra won a Trial of Possession for all of the genetic legacies for the Crow Bloodname from the Snow Ravens on Brim, and when a joint Clan Hell's Horses and Clan Coyote force captured Kindraa Smythe-Jewel's enclave on Foster and nearly all of the Kindraa's genetic legacies in 2872.

Further, when one Clan is Absorbed by another Clan, the Absorbing Clan can gain control of Bloodnames formerly exclusive to the Absorbed Clan. Clan Star Adder gained exclusive control over a number of formerly exclusive Clan Burrock Bloodnames, and Clan Wolf still had exclusive control over five Clan Widowmaker Bloodnames at the time of the Clan Invasion. However, when the Smoke Jaguars Absorbed Clan Mongoose, the Jaguars refused to use the Bloodnames of those "schemers". As a result, Clan Cloud Cobra fought Trials to acquire Mongoose genetic legacies associated with 11 Mongoose Bloodnames that they use to this day.

If a Clan has never lost a Trial of Possession for genetic legacies associated with a Bloodname, then that Bloodname is considered exclusive to that Clan.

In 3084, several Bloodname Trials of Possession were conducted by the Clans represented on the Council of Six Clans, which resulted in formerly exclusive Bloodnames being shared to help infuse some fresh stock into each of the six Clans' eugenics programs, and several formerly exclusive Bloodnames became shared among the six Clans.

Clans could also agree to share or fight Trials for the right to use genetic legacies as a genefather only, which would preserve the sharing Clan's exclusive control over a Bloodname. A notable example of the sharing of genetic legacies was when Clans Coyote and Wolf both created sibkos using the genetic legacies of Dana Kufahl and Andery Kerensky. The Wolves used Dana Kufahl as the genefather and the Coyotes used Andery Kerensky as the genefather for their respective sibkos; therefore, the Coyote warriors would be eligible for the Kufahl Bloodname and the Wolf warriors would be eligible for the Kerensky Bloodname. Beginning in 3077, several Homeworld Clans won Trials to use genetic legacies from the Winson Bloodname as genefather after Clan Coyote obtained it from Clan Wolf. Likewise, some of the Bloodname Trials of Possession among the Council of the Six Clans resulted in several Clans winning the right to use genetic legacies from the Lankenau Bloodname as genefather only, which meant it remained exclusive to the Snow Ravens.

Bloodright

This article is about the Clan term. For scenario pack, see Bloodright (scenario pack).

A specific Bloodname lineage is called a Bloodright. Up to twenty-five Bloodrights are attached to each Bloodname. A Bloodright is not a lineage as we define the term because the warriors who successfully hold the Bloodright need be related only through their original ancestor. As with Bloodnames, certain Bloodrights are considered more prestigious than others, depending largely on the Bloodright's history.

Bloodheritage

The history of the Bloodnamed warriors of a particular Bloodright is called the Bloodheritage. A Bloodright with a Bloodheritage full of great deeds and notable warriors is considered more desirable, and one whose bearer has been disgraced is shunned. Ulric Kerensky won his Bloodname at the age 30 because he held out for a particular Bloodright with a prestigious Bloodheritage. Taman Malthus, an Elemental, won the Bloodright of Adler Malthus because no MechWarrior would compete for it after Adler’s disgrace at Twycross. However, a warrior bearing a disgraced Bloodright may redeem it through heroic deeds such as those of Taman Malthus when he fought alongside Kai Allard-Liao during Operation SCORPION. Another example of a disgraced Bloodheritage is that of Tyle Malthus. Tyle Malthus was discontented with Clan life and left Clan Jade Falcon to live among Spheroids and was Abjured as a result. He later joined a mercenary unit during the FedCom Civil War and died fighting in the Word of Blake Jihad. Tyle's Bloodright remained unclaimed by 3151.

Bloodname Houses

Main article: Bloodname House

All Warriors holding the same Bloodname, or are eligible to compete for it, are members of the same Bloodname House. The Bloodname House serves as a governing body and substitute family for its members.

Bloodcount, Reaving, and Propagation

The Bloodcount is the number of active Bloodrights associated with a particular Bloodname, and thus 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.

Reaving

Main article: Trial of Reaving

The process for reducing a Bloodcount is known as "Reaving". A Reaving is initiated by an accusation by a third party (usually a member of another Bloodname House) after a Bloodnamed Warrior dies but before a Trial of Bloodright is held. The Grand Council then debates the merits of the proposal and holds an internal vote over whether to proceed with the Reaving or not. Regardless of the outcome of the vote, a Trial of Refusal, known as a Trial of Reaving, will be called. The proponents of the Reaving will fight to ensure it occurs, and the members of the targeted Bloodname nominated for the Trial of Bloodright fight for the right to hold the Trial of Bloodright. If the pro-Reaving side is successful, the Trial of Bloodright is canceled and the targeted Bloodname's Bloodcount is reduced by one. The Bloodname House that called for the Reaving is automatically subject to a Reaving vote the next time one of its members dies; this discourages frivolous calls for Reavings. Though the Reaving was meant to weed out perceived taint or weakness of a Bloodname, the actual reasons they are called are usually political. Notably, Clan Coyote subjected eight Bloodname houses to Reaving as punishment for their treasonous conspiracy with Clan Star Adder in an incident known as the Blood Scandal.

A Bloodcount may also be reduced by Abjuration, or by decree of the ilKhan.

Propagation

The process for increasing a Bloodcount is called "Propagation", which is usually called for by the Scientist Caste. Like a Reaving, Propagation involves a vote of the Grand Council and an ensuing Trial of Refusal, known as a "Trial of Propagation". Very rarely does a Propagation motion pass with a unanimous vote and without a Trial of Refusal.

Clan Wolf reactivated a number of Bloodrights for the Clan Invasion on a probationary basis, if the bearer excelled, the Bloodcount would be increased, if not that Bloodright would become dormant again upon the bearer's death.

Another example was the reactivation of the Coyote Bloodnames Reaved in the Blood Scandal after the events of the Wars of Reaving because these defunct genetic legacies were "untainted."

Those that could have been

Though history sometimes tend to forget them, there are four warriors that were selected to be part of the eugenics program but died prior to the start of the breeding process on the warrior caste and got their names lost to history, though for two of them not their "Bloodname".

• Clan Steel Viper saKhan Antonius Zalman died just two years after Nicholas Kerensky founded the Clans (in a "training accident", though there are more than a few references that indicate he perished in a Trial meant to give him some measure of honor in his death). It wasn't hard to believe that there were others that also died before the Clans' return to the Pentagon. His position was taken by his granddaughter, Shandra Zalman who took his place in the operation to retake the Pentagon Worlds. His Bloodname survived.
• SLDF Major General James Carson of Clan Mongoose died in an attack meant to kill Nicholas Kerensky. Carson was afforded full and public honors during his burial within a crypt in Clan Mongoose's sector of Svoboda Zemylya. Clan Mongoose held an abbreviated series of Trials before adding Gregory Carson (former general's second son who had apparently just missed the cutoff seven years earlier, but had continued to serve Clan Mongoose in an auxiliary capacity) to their rolls. This was done with the full support of Nicholas Kerensky, though there is evidence that at least the leaders of Clan Star Adder objected, as the Mongoose leaders had not opened up competition to anyone but Carson's son. His Bloodname survived.
• Pilot Archiel Tranns of Clan Blood Spirit was a child during Kerensky's drive on Terra, and followed both Kerenskys into the Exodus. She graduated near the top of her class in the DeChavilier Military Academy, and readily won a position within Nicholas Kerensky's new Clans. In September of 2810, while flying a training sortie, her fighter experienced a catastrophic mechanical failure; both she and the fighter were lost. Ultimately Blood Spirit technicians concluded the crash was due to substandard equipment and faulty maintenance. Tranns' name was cleared, but she had no children. Khan Colleen Schmitt presided over a series of Trials to choose Tranns' replacement: Stepan Pitcher. A small pillar within their section of Svoboda Zemylya bearing the name "Archiel Tranns" is what is left as memory of her acts. Keeping the surname was an honor only given to Bloodnamed warriors during history of Clan Blood Spirit.
• Clan Smoke Jaguar MechWarrior Alexandre Marsden developed cancer sometime after winning his slot in the Clan, and apparently sought treatment in a civilian facility to keep his sickness a secret. By 2816 Marsden had died (likely of the cancer; however, there is evidence to suggest he met an unnatural end, though by his own hand or another is unknown). The Smoke Jaguar Council met behind closed doors, ultimately ordering Marsden's name purged from all official Clan records. The Jaguars chose a replacement warrior after conducting a closed Trial; Terrisa Osis, cousin to Khan Franklin Osis, became the Jaguars' fortieth warrior.

There are rumors that other original warriors were replaced in this manner, though the elimination of a quarter of Kerensky's Clans, and the splintering of two others, make tracking down any others all but impossible. Certainly, it seems logical that more than four out of 803 original warriors could have died in the fifteen-year lull between the creation of the Clans and the start of Operation KLONDIKE, though by the time the eugenics program came online, the roster of 803 was finalized.

Labnames

Although any form of surname outside the warrior caste is frowned upon, the Scientist caste secretly assigns surnames (referred to as labnames) to people who make great scientific contributions. The surnames are after great historical scientists (Newton, Watson, etc.) and have nothing to do with the person's genealogy.

Honornames

Main article: Honorname

An offshoot of the Bloodname tradition, started among the warriors of Wolf's Dragoons.

Notes

In its dossier of Ragnar Magnusson, the StarCorps Intelligence Division stated that as far its experts knew, only an ilKhan could create a new Bloodname, which is erroneous in light of other sources.

See also

• List of Bloodnames

Bibliography

• Bloodname (novel)
• Bloodright
• The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky
• Falcon Rising (novel)
• The Wars of Reaving
• Way of the Clans (novel)
• Wolf Pack (novel)