The Exodus
The Clans start their history back to the fall of the Star League. After the Star League was officially disbanded, General Aleksandr Kerensky grew tired of war and saw the Inner Sphere falling into a dark age, so he gathered up his remaining forces and followers. In August 12, 2781 around 6 million followers exiled themselves from the Inner Sphere and started a journey for peaceful life. One day, Kerensky promised their return, to inevitably restore the Star League and rescue the Inner Sphere from itself.
The Exodus lasted 5 long years. It was a grueling process that tested the patience and finesse of Kerensky’s crew. Soon rebels started to emerge announcing their ambition to turn back. It was here he issued General Order 137 and the infamous Hidden Hope Doctrine (that eventually defined the Clans) which gave a much needed boost of morale.
“Return to the Inner Sphere is impossible for us. Our heritage and our convictions are different from those we left behind. The greed of the five Great Houses and the Council Lords is a disease that can only be burned away by the passing of decades, even centuries. And though the fighting may seem to slow, or even cease, it will erupt again as long as there are powerful men to covet one another's wealth. We shall live apart, conserving all the good of the Star League and ridding ourselves of the bad, so that when we return, and return we shall, our shining moral character will be as much our shield as our BattleMechs and fighters.â€
- The Hidden Hope Doctrine of General Order 137
A lot of people were lost in the entire process, but it was not in vain, because on August 24, 2786 they found the Pentagon Worlds.
“To all citizens of the Inner Sphere do I, Aleksandr Kerensky, send greetings.
Know that I have taken the remnant of the Star League Defense Force which has remained true to its purpose beyond the boundaries of the Inner Sphere, beyond the Periphery. I have done this, neither out of disappointment with those whom we leave behind, nor out of spite or disdain, as some will say. No, we have left the Inner Sphere because we love it too much to see it destroyed. In the wake of the Usurper's coup, and the long, bitter fighting that came with it, I fear that my forces would do incalculable, possibly irreparable, harm to our society. We are sworn to ward the Star League and its subjects, not destroy it.
Thus, we have left the only homes we have ever known to place the destructive capability of this armada beyond the reach of those who would use it, not for defense, but for conquest. Perhaps, with the might of our 'Mechs and ships out of reach, the leaders who now grapple with one another will relinquish their dreams of subjugating their neighbors and learn to live in peace with them.
Perhaps, one day, should mankind step back from the brink of the abyss, we, our children, or our children's children will return, to once more serve and protect and guide the Star League in mankind's quest for the stars.
Farewell.â€
- The "Voice of Kerensky", September 9, 2786
Each planet was colonized and civilization grew. However, with each day that passed, Kerensky was losing his grip on his new society. A civil war broke out which turned into exactly what they basically ran from. Rebel forces were quick to contest Kerensky’s rule which forced Alexander and his son Nicholas to start a second exodus. This time, 800 of Kerensky’s followers joined him on the journey (2801).
The Second Exodus
It was not long until Kerensky’s followers laid eyes upon Strata Mechty (translating into Land of Dreams) and started to work hard, once again, to build a new society. Shortly after, Aleksandr Kerensky passed away and left everything in the hands of his son Nicholas. Nicholas Kerensky knew it was time to build his own society. Here, he came up with the Caste System and rebuilt society. Then, he tested 800 warriors and formed the armies who would return to the Pentagon Worlds and restore what was once his fathers. He successfully forged what is known as The Clans today (2820).
Operation: Klondike
Together, the Clans invaded the Pentagon Worlds (2822). They found that these worlds fell to the horrors of war, being lead by bandits, some far from recovery. Most people accepted the Clans with open arms and some fought back. However, this did not come without loss. Nicholas lost his brother, Andery Kerensky, who chose to fight alongside the forces of Clan Wolf on Eden. His Exterminator suffered several shots to the cockpit which immediately killed him. Clan Wolf was quick to destroy all enemies involved with this act of barbarism. To this day, Andery Kerensky is remembered for his influence on Clan culture and through the ritual of Zelbriggen, created by Nicholas Kerensky in his honor.
Post-Klondike Struggles
After Operation: Klondike (2823) the Clans fell into a time of struggle after they worked on absorbing the remaining survivors. Most people took the transition lightly but others were more reluctant to change doubting the Caste System that was in place. Most problems occurred among Clan Smoke Jaguar, the most aggressive Clan, who forced them to adapt or face consequences. People ventured into the Dark Caste to avoid Clan rule and avoid any ridicule. Clan Smoke Jaguar was the least tolerant of all Clans who were quick to punish all refuges who dared to defy their ways. Some of their units went as far as to hunt down all the Dark Caste refuges who ran from them, once part of the Clan or not.
Another similar incident happened with Clan Burrock (2825), where part of their front line forces actually joined the Dark Caste. Any acknowledgement or support of the Dark Caste is considered unclanlike. Clan Burrock denied any allegations against them from Clan Blood Spirit and Clan Fire Mandrill (who were saying that the Burrocks were using the Dark Caste to supplement their forces) and offered to destroy all of the units that left their Clan. The ilKhan of the time gave them the help of Clan Cloud Cobra to make sure that the task was completed. It took several months, but in the end, Clan Burrock and Clan Cloud Cobra reported that they were both successful.
Other Clans struggled to stay together. Clan Fire Mandrill split from internal affairs into what they define as Kindraas (2825). This has really hurt the growth of the Clan, both economically and militarily, and has earned them a lot of criticism from other Clans (especially Clan Burrock). While they acknowledge the totem that Kerensky has chosen for them each Kindraa operates like a separate Clan. Rather than deal with the issue, plenty of Clans shrugged it off, assuming that Clan Fire Mandrill will basically doom themselves over time. Other Clans like Burrock and Smoke Jaguar constantly raided them in this period.
As an attempt to help the other Clans hold together, Clan Blood Spirit started the ilChi program (2825). This program was developed to improve their image among other Clans while strengthen them as a whole. Ultimately, this strategy worked for many years to come. Clan Burrock and Clan Mongoose are the only Clans who actually hate the program and constantly ridicule Clan Blood Spirit for even creating it. They say it is an unClanlike endeavor and a silly way for Clan Blood Spirit to compensate for their weaknesses.
Kerensky’s Chosen
With Operation: Klondike successful, and the after effects successfully taken care of, Nicholas Kerensky made a decision that shook the Clans. Since the beginning of Operation: Klondike, Kerensky promised that the one Clan who performs the best would have the honor of carrying on his legacy. Based on the performance of all Clans during Operation: Klondike he decided to leave his blood legacy to Clan Wolf (2830) making them Kerensky’s chosen and marking them as the strongest Clan. Kerensky expressed that their strength is what will drive the Clans forward even through the invasion of the Inner Sphere. Clan Jade Falcon, Clan Smoke Jaguar were both outraged believing that they should hold the legacy, and to this day, cannot stand the sight of Clan Wolf. Clans Jade Falcon and Smoke Jaguar constantly targeted Clan Wolf, going as far as issuing trials for Kerensky’s legacy, but each time Clan Wolf had defended it (and still does until this day). Clan Widowmaker handles “the atrocity†(as they call it) in their own way by conquering objectives that the Wolves have failed at. This has gone a lot further in proving might opposed to the methods employed by Clan Jade Falcon and Clan Smoke Jaguar.
Expansion: The Rise of Clan Nova Cat, Clan Burrock and Clan Cloud Cobra
With the Pentagon Worlds secured, the Clans worked on colonizing worlds around and beyond the Kerensky Cluster and Pentagon Worlds. Clan Nova Cat, Clan Burrock and Clan Cloud Cobra were among the few, and the best at the task, who were adept at securing worlds and beginning mining and colonizing expeditions. Clan Star Adder stumbled upon a resource rich world and needed help from Clan Burrock. The Star Adders would set up on new worlds while the Burrocks provided them an escort so they could transport sensitive materials. As a result, Clan Star Adder made a deal with Clan Burrock, who once hated them, which gave both Clans enormous profit among the other Clans (2831). Clan Blood Spirit made their own attempts to expand beyond York but this has been stopped by Clan Burrock and Clan Mongoose every time. Even with the help of Clan Fire Mandrill any hope of expansion for Clan Blood Spirit was hindered.
The Scorpion’s Discovery
During the expansion, Clan Goliath Scorpion created their “Necrosia†potion (derived from Goliath Scorpion venom) as a means to expand their horizons as well, though they were not accepted. Other Clans were quick to reject them because of these supposed “Vision Quests†they were on, except for Clan Snow Raven, who used their aerospace arm to provide them assistance in exchange for any materials acquired. These “Seekers†were quick to discover BattleMechs that were lost during the second exodus. Other Clans jumped in and fought trials to obtain these new units. Some won and lost, but in the end, the ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky ordered them to distribute this technology because it would improve the touman of all Clans in case of outside invaders. The Scorpions were hesitant but they eventually agreed with the interest of the Clans in mind (2832).
The Creation of OmniTechnology
While the other Clans have gained the technology from Clan Goliath Scorpion, Clan Coyote were the first to refine it, creating what we know today as OmniTech (2833). OmniTech was derived from the Mercury BattleMech, which was initially built with modular technology, acquired from Clan Goliath Scorpion. At the time of the Star League, modular technology was only being experimented with. This technology was brought with during the Exodus and the Clans assumed it was lost by the Pentagon Powers. The Clans were quick to hear about this discovery and made all attempts they could to get their hands on it. The Coyotes were great at defending it but the first Clan to get it was ultimately Clan Sea Fox, a Clan run by merchants. As a result, the technology started to spread to other Clans.
At the same time Clan Hell’s Horses revealed Battle Armor called the Elemental which was made to support OmniTech and strengthen their infantry (2833). Once again, the Clans fought trials against them to gain means to produce them. Clan Wolf was the first to gain the design and created the variants (outside of Laser) we see today (2834). Clan Sea Fox acquired the design from Clan Wolf and their merchants sold the designs to other Clans.
The Mongoose and the Snake
When OmniTech was first created one of the Clans to gain this technology early was Clan Star Adder after defeating Clan Coyote in a Trial of Possession. The Star Adders were slow in adapting the technology but Scientists working close with Technicians were able to replicate it to their existing BattleMech designs. A few of these designs were tested while Clan Star Adder defended their colony on planet Marshall from Clan Mongoose. In the end, Clan Star Adder lost their holding and all of their work related to OmniTech. This enraged them and they launched a counter assault on the Mongoose colony on Tokasha. Clan Star Adder won the battle, gained what they had initially lost, and as a final insult they took all of the Mongoose survivors and used them to repopulate the lost Adder colony on Marshall. Clan Mongoose launched a counter assault, and at this point they were no match, but once they regained OmniTech they hit the Adders with full force. Unfortunately it was not enough as Clan Star Adder was able to regain the technology once again. Since this tug of war Clan Mongoose has always had a hatred for Clan Star Adder. Even after this bold move, Clan Mongoose launched an assault on Clan Smoke Jaguar in order to gain OmniTech, believing that the Clan was much weaker than them. The Jaguar’s made quick work of them.
The Spread of OmniTech and Enhanced Imaging
With OmniTech upgrades being applied to all BattleMech blueprints all non-omni units were quickly recycled (2835) and old designs were reverse engineered and refined. Around this time, Clan Sea Fox became a merchant powerhouse, driving trade between all Clans. However, this made them the target of more conservative Clans like Mongoose, Burrock, Smoke Jaguar and Jade Falcon. The OmniMech was the first successful application of OmniTech which opened the way for OmniVehicles and OmniFighters. OmniVehicles were first introduced by Clan Hell’s Horses (2836). OmniFighters were introduced and perfected by Clan Snow Raven (2836). In the end all, through a lot of Trials and some influence of ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky, all Clans were effectively producing OmniTech by (2845)
During the spread of OmniTech an innovation was then made by Clan Jade Falcon shaped what would change the Clan Warrior forever, the Enhanced Imaging Implant (2837). It was in testing for years before the introduction of OmniTech, and surprisingly, the system easily replaces the cockpit. Plenty of Warriors died in the process but it was not in vain. Clan Nova Cat was the first to notice the technology during a trial where Falcon warriors used it to deadly capacity. They were the first Clan to win this technology but not without serous losses. Other Clans followed in their footsteps until ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky stepped in to ensure the spread of this useful technology. The Clan Jade Falcon Khan challenged this decision to a Trial of Refusal (which was inevitable considering their hatred for Clan Wolf), and in the end, the Khan lost the trial. As a result, the Enhanced Imaging Implant was opened to all Clans who then integrated the system into their Warriors and machines (2840).
The Clans Today (2850)
Still under the rule of ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky the Clans have prospered despite their differences and struggles. Clan Wolverine, Clan Mongoose and Clan Wolf have become powerful players in Clan space. Clan Nova Cat, Clan Burrock, Clan Star Adder and Clan Cloud Cobra have dominated all expeditions, mining and colonization duties beyond the Pentagon Worlds and Kerensky Cluster. Other Clans like Jade Falcon and Smoke Jaguar have kept Kerensky’s Chosen in place.
The credibility of some Clans have been brought up. Clan Wolverine, while powerful, has been judged by other Clans as unClanlike. The are slowly becoming more in tune to concepts of democracy, allowing more freedom among their lower castes, which has doomed the Inner Sphere from day one. However they have yet to vocalize anything. Clan Mongoose has become what most Clans describe as crazy due to their conflicts with Clan Star Adder and Clan Smoke Jaguar, which puts a taint on their leadership abilities. Even Clan Burrock is rumored to have some kind of deal with the Dark Caste because how they have strengthened their touman in recent years. There is no hard evidence that proves this, even though this is brought up by Clan Blood Spirit in almost every Grand Council meeting, and most Clans believe it is because of constant raiding between the two.
