Clan Wolf Totem

Though nearly twice the size of their progenitors, the Strana Mechty wolf is otherwise identical to Terran wolves. Wolf packs roam both the northern and southern continents, and the Kerenskys considered them the epitome of the warrior spirit.

Unique among the Clans, the Wolves have and yet do not have a long and glorious history. They are Crusaders and Wardens. They are the oldest Clan, and the newest. Shattered in the aftermath of the Refusal War, the Clan exists as two separate entities: the Crusaders under Khan Vladimir Ward and saKhan Marialle Radick, and the Wardens under Khan Phelan Kell and saKhan Marco Hall. The dual nature of Clan Wolf makes the following biography somewhat different from those that preceded it. The two Wolf Clans share a common history , but are strikingly different.

Possessions

Crusader Worlds: 93 (Clan Space: 10; 9 shared, 1 exclusive. Inner Sphere: 83)

Warden Worlds: None (Arc-Royal shared with the mercenary Kell Hounds)

The Crusader Wolves have the largest number of assets in the Clans, holding the bulk of the Free Rasalhague Republic as well as the thin strip of the Federated Commonwealth. They also have one of the largest holdings in Clan space. Though the Crusader Wolves remain militarily weak, their Inner Sphere holdings seem relatively safe. The Jade Falcons are weak as well, and must pay considerable attention to their other neighbors' the Lyran Alliance and the ARDC. The Crusader Wolves' other main rivals, the Ghost Bears, seem content with their own occupations zone. Consequently, Khan Vlad had been able to devote considerable resources to maintaining and expanding his Wolves' Clan space holdings. On Eden and Circe, Vlad's Wolves seized sections of the Smoke Jaguar enclaves, as well as taking complete control of the world Tranquil. In partnership with the Hell's Horses, Khan Ward has even challenged for former Nova Cat assets on Hoard, as much to annoy the Ice Hellions as for practical gain. The Wolves and Horses have so far each occupied roughly 10 percent of the planet. The Ghost Bears seized three Wolf worlds in 3061-perhaps an indication that they are no longer content to occupy only their current holdings, possibly a precursor to an invasion into the Wolf occupation zone, or maybe simply a warning to Khan Vlad Ward. Vlad's reactions was somewhat surprising he allowed Clan Hell's Horses to bid for possession of three Wolf worlds on the border of the Ghost Bear dominion, effectively giving them an occupation zone of their own and clearly hoping that the Horses will curb Bear adventurism.

The Warden Wolves have few possessions to call their own. They received a land grant on Arc-Royal that serves as their bas of operations, and brought the sophisticated Lupus Majoris modular space station with them when they came to the Inner Sphere. Aside from those assets, they rely mostly on the good will of the people of Arc-Royal and the ARDC (Arc-Royal Defense Cordon), though recent Trials against Clan Ghost Bear have netted the Warden Wolves a sizable quantity of Clan-tech manufacturing equipment.

The Wardens' relations with Arc-Royal's civilians have posed a few problems. Relations are particularly strained with the FRR expatriates also present on the World, as Clan Wolf was largely responsible for the Free Rasalhague Republic's virtual destruction. Though the Wolves largely keep to their own enclave on Arc-Royal, the extremist FRR group Ragnarok has threatened terrorist action and interfered with Wolf trade.

Allies and Enemies

Relations between the Wolves and the other Clans remain in chaos. The philosophical switch of the "official" Wolves to the Crusader camp has cause relations with the Clan's pro-Warden allies-most notably the Coyotes and Goliath Scorpions-to cool somewhat. However, it has also allowed a degree of cooperation with long-time enemies like the Jade Falcons. Though little more than an alliance of convenience, Khan Vlad and Khan Marthe Pryde of the Falcons have managed to put aside their difference for mutual gain during the crises of the past three years. Vlad Ward's actions to stall the ambitions of Khan Asa Taney and his Ice Hellions have earned the Wolves the hatred of that Clan, and a feud is brewing.

The Warden Wolves were forced to cut their ties with almost every Clan. Technically ,they are enemies of every clan represented on the Grand Council, though in practice many keep up covert contacts. The Diamond Sharks, Ghost Bears, Coyotes and Goliath Scorpions have done so since the schism, as did the Nova Cats until they left the Clans for the Inner Sphere. Since their Abjuration, the Nova Cats have exchanged several envoys with the Warden Wolves.

Surprisingly, ties between the Warden and Crusader Wolves remain strong. Unofficial channels have allowed individuals to communicate, and at least one high-ranking member of the Crusader Wolves is a Warden sympathizer who has done much to aid their cause.

The Crusader Wolves are divided on the subject of the Warden Wolves. Many regard them as traitors and call for their Annihilations, but a larger group advocates neutrality toward them or even eventual reconciliation. The Crusader leaders so far remain silent on the matter.

Military

Both Wolf militaries emphasize close cooperation between MechWarriors, Elementals and aerospace pilots. However, the Crusaders have been forced to co-opt many members of the civilian castes into the military as freeborn warriors, Predominantly as vehicle crew and regular infantry. But also as second-line ‘Mech pilots. Given Vlad Ward's well-known hatred for freeborns, he must find the necessity for this particularly galling.

Under similar pressure, the Warden Wolves have remained true to the Clan's traditional organization. Rather than drafting civilians, they are backed by the forces of the ARDC and the Smoke Jaguar warriors take as abtakha during Operation Bulldog. The Warden Wolves have obtained Clan equipment from various sources, most notably their fellow exiles, the Nova Cats.

The Wardens' status as outcasts makes bidding and Trials difficult. Many units from the other Clans ignore Clan traditions when dealing with them, though occasionally a Clan commander will honor the batchall and traditional styles of combat. Each Trial must be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Society

The Wolf schism has had a profound effect on Wolf Clan society, but both factions have many aspects in common. Unless otherwise noted, the following description applies equally to both groups.

The warrior caste still dominates, but Wolf society is more open and egalitarian than most Clans. Personal freedoms form a major part of Wolf Clan life for every member, warrior or civilian. Each individual holds his or her own political views and attitude to religion , for example, and may express himself (artistically or otherwise) as he or she chooses. The "conformist culture" believed by outsiders to be typical of all the Clans is at the weakest among the Wolves; however, all individuals are expected to follow the orders of their superiors and to work for the good of the Clan.

In shaping the Crusader Wolves, Khan Vlad has adopted a more authoritarian stance, and his forcible recruitment of civilians as freeborn warriors to bulk out the Wolf Touman has strained inter-caste relations. The Warden Wolves hold true to the original principles of the Wolf Clan, treating the civilians who accompanied them into exile as the valued citizens they are. The support of the ARDC is a major help, leaving the Warden Wolves under less pressure to rebuild their military. The small size of the Warden Wolves has allowed them to develop strong inter-caste ties, helping maintain their sense of identity. However, they have their own problems with the people of the ARDC, many of whom still mistrust them as "Clanners" and "traitors." The clash of cultures has led to several unpleasant incidents, which both sides are trying to live down.

The Wolves have always been consummate politicians, and both factions are adept at war of words. Vlad Ward of the Crusaders had displayed a ruthlessness that allowed him to rebuild his Clan as well as shatter the ambitions of the Jade Falcons and Ice Hellions. Though his hard-line policies have earned him few friends and cost the Wolves several allies his staunch Crusader viewpoint allowed him to remain at the heart of Clan politics despite being head of the newest Clan.

The Wolves have always believed in allowing bondsmen the opportunity to demonstrate their worth and earn adoption into the Clan. This practice formed the core of the Harvest Trials, which allowed the Crusader Wolves to skim warriors and other martial assets from other Clans. The position of the Warden Wolves is somewhat awkward in this respect. With a few notable exceptions, most other Clans regard them as bandits and refuse to cooperate with them when captured. On the other side of the coin, captured Crusader Wolves can expect honorable treatment, but Warden Wolves taken by another Clan will likely meet a bandit's death.

The original Wolf Clan's traditions form a major difference between the two factions. Khan Vlad has actively sought to destroy many "Warden" traditions in order to ensure the continued dominance of Crusaders among his Wolves, while the Warden Wolves cling fiercely to the old ways. Such rituals and traditions define them. They respect the beliefs of others (though most Wardens Wolves see the Crusader Wolves as misguided) and demand that others respect theirs in turn.

Both factions strongly support sibko units, and mix bloodlines and phenotypes to foster comradeship and understanding among the warriors according to Wolf tradition. However, the Clan schism has separated many Wolf warriors from their sibmates. The Warden Wolves allow contact with their Crusader brethren, but the Crusaders are under standing orders not to communicate with the "traitors" who fled to the Inner Sphere. Despite this prohibition, however, contacts are maintained through unofficial channels (and a few little-known official ones).

Eugenics is a respected branch of the sciences because it enhances the Clan's gene pool; cybernetics, by contrast, is reviled for seeking to turn individuals into something they are not. Few Wolf warriors use cybernetics, preferring vat-grown replacement limbs. Many Crusader Wolves use enhanced-imaging technology, however.

Both factions have complete copies of the Wolf Clan's genetic legacies and have pursued their own eugenics programs. Both have also held their own Trials for Bloodheritages, resulting in the existence of two holders of each-one Crusader, the other Warden. Unofficially, the Wardens have shown a willingness to arrange Trials only for the heritages they took into exile. However, Khan Phelan remains the only Wolf to accept the Abjuration of his Bloodname. Rather than fight to retain the name of Phelan Ward, He has chosen to take the Bloodname of Kell, awarded to him by ilKhan Ulric before his death.

Brief History

Founded by Jerome Winson, Nicholas Kerensky's brother-in-law, Clan Wolf was the first of the twenty Clans and always seemed destined for greatness. It is little surprise the Nicholas chose to join the Wolves after their performance in Operation Klondike. The Wolves were Nicholas's right hand, dispensing the Grand Council's justice to Clan Wolverine and exacting revenge on Clan Widowmaker after warriors of the Clan murdered Nicholas Kerensky. Though the fighting against the Widowmakers left Clan Wolf bloodied and weak, their absorption of Widowmaker assets and the election of Jerome Winson as ilKhan enabled the Wolves to rebuild their strength.

A staunchly Warden Clan, the Wolves blocked moves by the Falcon-led Crusaders to launch an invasion of the Inner Sphere, staving off the most serious call with a plan later known as the "Dragoon compromise." Knowing that the Clans lacked solid information on the Inner Sphere, Wolf Khan Kerlin Ward proposed sending a reconnaissance force to grater intelligence. This force, composed of Wolf Clan freeborn warriors, would serve as mercenary troops with ever one of the Inner Sphere militaries and send data back to the Clan homeworlds. From this scheme was born Wolf's Dragoons, one of the Inner Sphere's most famous merc units. Knowing that the Crusaders could not be forestalled forever, Khan Ward eventually ordered the Dragoons to remain in the Inner Sphere and prepare the Successor States to withstand the Clan juggernaut.

Selected for the invasion force as punishment for daring to vote against the Grand Council, the Wolves decided to beat the Crusaders at their own game. They sought to capture the largest amount of territory with the least impact on the existing population. This prompted the other Clans to accelerate their attack schedules, often with disastrous results. The Wolves were the undoubted leaders of the invasion, and the selection of their Khan as ilKhan after the death of Leo Showers was judged only fitting. In fact, it was an attempt to manipulate the Clan into the Crusader camp that misfired badly. The Wolf ilKhan, Ulric Kerensky, agreed to the proxy battle for Terra on Tukayyid, leading to the treaty that halted the invasion. The other Clans protested at the enforced fifteen-year peace, but eventually ratified the agreement.

In 3057, the Jade Falcons sought to remove Ulric and continue the invasion. In so doing, they plunged the Wolves and Falcons into war. After the Council tried Ulric for treason and voted him out of office, the Wolf Clan stood with him in his Trial of Refusal against the verdict. Knowing that the chance of victory was slim, Ulric, Natasha Kerensky and Phelan Kell moved to ensure that the Wolves would not be the only Clan to fall. War raged through the Falcon occupation zone as the Wolves pushed the Falcon forces back. To ensure the Wolves survival Ulric order Khan Kell to take a contingent of warriors and a cross-section of the other castes to the Inner Sphere while he and Natasha sought to break the Falcons.

They came close to achieving their goal, but eventually the Falcons slew them both. Their deaths ended the Refusal War, after which the Falcons Khans moved to absorb the Wolves who remained in the Occupation zone and to Abjure those who had found a haven in the Inner Sphere. The Absorbed Wolves eventually won their freedom, first as the Jade Wolves and later as a "new" Wolf Clan. Under Clan law, this Crusader-dominated group was an entirely new Clan, free of the guilt-and history-of their forebears. Meanwhile, Khan Kell has continued to lead the exiled Warden Wolves.

Ever since then, the two halves of what was once a single Wolf Clan have lived separate lives. The Crusader Wolves sought to regain their strength, raiding the Smoke Jaguars and Staging the so-called Harvest Trials in Clan space to rebuild their Touman. In the Inner Sphere, the Warden Wolves work closely with the troops of the Arc-Royal Defense Cordon (ARDC) to bolster the defenses of the Lyran Alliance against the Jade Falcons.

In the past three years, while the Warden Wolves helped strengthen the ARDC against the Falcons, Vlad Ward entered into a short-term alliance with Falcon Khan Marthe Pryde to ensure the survival of both Clans. After the Warden Wolves sided with the SLDF to eject the Smoke Jaguars from the Inner Sphere, the Crusaders fought alongside the Jaguars in the Great Refusal, gaining a draw against he St. Ives Lances. The Warden Wolves' most recent engagement was a Trial of Possession against Clan Ghost Bear on Utrecht that netted the Wolves considerable amounts of manufacturing equipment, but cost several warriors. Star Captain Ragnar, Prince of Rasalhague was among those lost to the Bears.

Beginnings

The history of Clan Wolf is as glorious as it is long. Chosen by Nicholas Kerensky to be the bearers of his legacy, the Wolves have established themselves as one of the preeminent Clans. The Wolves have the distinction of being the only Clan to absorb or annihilate two other Clans: the Wolverines and the WidowMakers. The Clans recent split into two factions (the Wolves, led by Khan Vladimir Ward, and the Wolves-in-exile, led by Khan Phelan Kell) has seriously weakened both groups. The Wolves under Khan Phelan, however, increased their strength significantly by capturing an entire Smoke Jaguar Cluster during Operation: Bulldog.

During the Second Exodus War, the Wolves distinguished themselves as a hardhitting and wily foe. When the Wolverines broke with the Clans, Clan Wolf won the honor of destroying the Wolverines and absorbing what remained. The battles which followed nearly crippled the Wolf forces - already dangerously low to begin with. The Clan's success sparked more inter-Clan fighting between the Wolves and the WidowMakers. The matter came to a grisly end when Clan Wolf declared a Trial of Absorption against Clan WidowMaker.

The Widowmakers claimed that Wolf personnel were responsible for a series of uprisings by Widowmaker lower castes. Wolf Khan jerome Winson refuted the claim, citing the WidowMakers inability to handle their own lower castes as proof of their weakness. In the end, the Wolves declared and won the right to call a Trial of Absorption against the WidowMakers. The Wolf forces, led by Khan Jerome Winson, engaged in a savage fight against the WidowMakers. At the height of the battle, Khan Winson and WidowMaker Khan Jorgennson paired off in single combat to decide the fate of the two Clans. Khan Winson quickly gained the upper hand in the battle when, unexpectedly, a Star of WidowMaker mechs lept into the fray and attacked Khan Winson. The other Clan Khans, who were witnessing in their 'mechs nearby, rushed to the aid of Khan Winson. In the battle, ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky was killed by a WidowMaker laser blast. Shocked and enraged at the ilKhan's tragic death, the Wolves utterly destroyed the WidowMaker forces and claimed all that was theirs.

Interestingly, the death of ilKhan Nicholas Kerensky led to a era of peace and prosperity for the Clans. In the 2800's, Clan Coyote scientists perfected the OmniMech, while Wolf scientists created the Elemental battle armor suit. The Wolves, within a few years, improved on the original Elemental armor design by adding harjel to the system after fighting a series of preemtive batchalls with Clan Sea Fox. Within four Clan generations, hundreds of massive soldiers were filling the ranks of Clan infantry units. The Wolf Clan also prospered as its merchants and scientists expanded the limits of the Clans' knowledge and resources. By the end of the so-called Golden Century, Clan Wolf was regarded as one of the most powerful and influential of all the Clans.

Dragoon Compromise

In 3001, Khan Nadia Winson of Clan Ghost Bear brought forth a proposal to launch an invasion of the Inner Sphere. The Crusaders held a majority of votes in the Grand Council. Wolf Khan Kherlin Ward, the leader of the Warden movement, proposed to send a reconnaissance force in ahead of the main Clan force. Without sufficient information, he claimed, the invasion could turn into a disaster if the Inner Sphere armies were ready.

Ward's plan to send an expeditionary force to learn the status of the Successor States proved resourceful enough that enough Clans agreed to the proposal. Many contended, however, that the force should be led and manned by trueborn warriors claiming that freeborns would be unsuitable and untrustworthy of such a mission, but that motion was swiftly defeated. In 3005, Wolf's Dragoons entered the service of House Davion.

Over the next thirty years, the reports from the Dragoons were received further and further apart until they finally stopped in the early 3030's. The Crusaders used this to prove their point that the freeborn force was as untrustworthy as predicted. The Crusaders, particularly Falcon ristar Elias Crichell, argued eloquently that the time had come for invasion. It took another fifteen years and the accidental arrival of the Comstar vessel Outbound Light to bring matters to a head.

Invasion

In 3047, Smoke Jaguar Khan Leo Showers presented evidence, gained from the interrogation of the Outbound Light's crew, to the Grand Council that showed that their worst fears were coming true. Far from what they had believed, the Successor States were on the road to recovery and rapidly gaining back their technological edge. Technology which had long been denied the Inner Sphere was being rediscovered and rebuilt at a tremendous rates. Scientific advances in all areas, especially military, were given highest priorities and the Federated Commonwealth appeared as though it would emerge victorious over its rivals.

Wolf Khan Ulric Kerensky, an ardent Warden, protested mightily against the upcoming invasion. He was dismayed somewhat when even the Wolve's closest allies went along with the plan. He declared a Trial of Refusal and skillfully negotiated the odds down to four to one. The Wolf forces proved again their formidable prowess, particularly the Third Battle Cluster, but victory was snatched from their grasp by virtue of sheer numbers.

To further punish the Wolves, the Crusader Clans forced Clan Wolf to accept a role in the invasion. The Clan was assigned one of the less attack corridors. The Wolf's route would pit them against the weaker and relatively untried Free Rasalhague Republic. The Crusader Khans believed that this avenue would provide little in the way of battle and glory for the Wolves. This would, in their eyes, further humiliate Khan Ulric Kerensky and weaken his position.

The early battles in the Periphery at first proved everything that ilKhan Leo Showers had said about the Inner Sphere. The warriors the Clans faced in the first few months were mostly dishonorable, undertrained and -equipped pirates in outdated equipment. Except for the Falcon's battle for Von Strang's World and the Wolves encounter with the Kell Hounds on The Rock, none of the invading Clans faced any real challenges. Their belief's in the degeneracy of the Inner Sphere confirmed, many Crusader Khans believed they would be on Terra in a year's time.

When the Wolves struck the Inner Sphere, it was like no other invasion before. The Wolves conquered dozens of worlds in the Free Rasalhague/Federated Commonwealth corridor. A number of elite House and mercenary units were left bloodied or, in many cases, utterly destroyed. Unlike their brethren, the Wolves were extremely willing to take bondsmen into their ranks. The Free Rasalhague Army, which was quite adept at the hit-and-run tactics which plagued the other Clans, were little more than a minor nuisance for the overwhelming Wolf forces. No other Clan conquered worlds as fast as the Wolves, a fact which would ultimately help bring about their downfall in future years.

In 3050, the Ghost Bears decided to invade the Free Rasalhague capital world, Rasalhague. Although the world actually lie in the Wolf corridor, the Ghost Bear Khans successfully argued to ilKhan Leo Showers that it was close enough for their forces to attack. ilKhan Leo, ever looking for ways to slow or embarass the Wolf juggernaut, agreed to let them bid for the world. Khan Ulric, however, proved a wily adversary in the bidding. His removal of Clan Warships from his initial bid threw the Ghost Bear Khans off-balance. Seeing that they could not hope to win the bidding, the Bear Khans drove down the bidding to dangerous levels. The Wolves won the right to invade Rasalhague, but they would only have three Clusters to do so.

The Wolves emerged victorious on Rasalhague, the first Clan to capture a capital world. Subsequent political manuevering the ilKhan Leo and other Crusader-minded Khans did little to slow the Wolf assault.

The death of ilKhan Leo Showers sent the invading Clans home for a years conferring and to elect a new ilKhan. Khans Crichell and Chistu conspired with other Crusader Clans to elect a new ilKhan who would have to do their bidding. Together, they nominated Clan Wolf Khan Ulric Kerensky to the post of ilKhan. Their plan was to force the Wolf Khan to bend to their desires, thus slowing the Wolves while their own Clans caught up. To the surprise of many, ilKhan Ulric refused to play their game. Instead, he brought forth the Steel Vipers and Nova Cats into the invasion force. The Nova Cats were teamed with their longtime rival the Smoke Jaguars. Being teamed with the hated Steel Vipers galled the Falcon Khans, but ilKhan Ulric's requirement that the Jaguars and Falcons cede worlds for their new "partners" made things even worse. Although the Smoke Jaguars and Nova Cats quickly reached an accomodation regarding the exchange of worlds, the Jade Falcons made the Vipers fight Trials of Possession for every world. Even so, in 3052, the invasion resumed as the trueborn of six Clans returned to begin the conflict anew.

Refusal War

The years after Tukayyid were relatively quiet as the Clans fell back to their old inter-Clan raiding habits. Things changed for the worse in 3058, when Wolf Supremists put Ulric Kerensky on trial for genocide. Ulric managed to defeat the motion in the Wolf Clan Council, but the Wolf Loremaster, Dalk Carns, played one last attempt to ruin him. Carns accused Ulric of deliberately plotting the destruction of three generations of Wolf forces. The treaty he agreed to with Precentor Martial Focht would deprive future generations of Wolf warriors of needed combat experiencing, thus leaving them unprepared when the invasion resumed. Ulric forced the issue to the Grand Kuraltai, but, in spite of a eloquent defense by saKhan Phelan Kell, he was forced out of office. The Crusader element in the Kurultai attempted to repudiate the peace treaty, but Ulric declared a Trial of Refusal. The Jade Falcons won the right to battle the Wolves, but, in a surprise move, Ulric declared his intent on striking at every Jade Falcon world in the Inner Sphere with all the might available to the Wolf Clan. The ensuing battles resulted in the deaths of Ulric Kerensky and Wolf Khan Natasha Kerensky. The battles destroyed nearly ten Wolf and Jade Falcon Galaxies. In a telling blow, Khan Phelan Kell led the best of the Wolf Clan Wardens to the world of Morges where his forces, along with the Kell Hounds, defeated two Jade Falcon Galaxies. The Wolf forces then retreated to Arc-Royal, Phelan Kell's homeworld, to rest and rebuild their forces.

In a blatent power play, Jade Falcon saKhan Chistu declared that the Wolves had been absorbed by the victorious Jade Falcons. This plan fell apart when Wolf warrior Vlad, a former aide to Ulric Kerensky, denied Chistu's version of Ulric Kerensky's death. The two warriors battled and Chistu fell to Vlad. Vlad, in a deal he made with Khan Crichell, then arranged for all the surviving Wolf Supremist and Crusader warriors to form the core of a new Clan, the Jade Wolves. Shortly afterward, Khan Elias Crichell was elected ilKhan. Crichell's tenure as ilKhan was probably the shortest in Clan history. Khan Vlad Ward challenged Crichell's fitness and slew the elderly ilKhan in a lopsided battle. Vlad then disbanded the Jade Wolves and reestablished the Wolf Clan.

Rebuilding

The bloody Refusal War devastated Clan Wolf. The once mighty Clan is now split into two ideological camps: the Wolves led by Vlad Ward and the Wolves-in-Exile led by Phelan Kell. Phelan Kell's Wolves have sided with the remergent Star League while Vlad's forces are staunch Crusaders waiting to begin the invasion again.

Khan Vlad has been very politically active in the Grand Council meetings. He and Jade Falcon Khan Marthe Pryde have an informal alliance to preserve their Clans. Khan Phelan's defection to the Inner Sphere deprived the Wolves of all of its Warden-minded warriors, effectively ten percent of the Clan's remaining strength. The remaining Wolf Clusters, all diehard Crusaders, were severely understrength and lacking available manpower. When Ice Hellion Khan, Asa Taney, attempted to absorb the Wolves, Khan Vlad and Khan Marthe teamed to crush the vote for Absorption. Vlad then manipulated the warrior caste of numerous Clans by stating that only those warriors who were members of the invading Clans would participate in the renewed invasion. Within days, the Wolf Clan headquarters was besieged with preemptive batchalls. The warriors taken into the Wolf Clan have replenished the depleted Galaxies and allowed Vlad to reform and equip seven Galaxies.

Death of a Clan

With the defeat of the Smoke Jaguars in the Inner Sphere and on Huntress, the Clans found themselves with the unprecedented prospect of an Inner Sphere invasion of Strana Mechty. The Star League Defense Force soon challenged the Clans to a Trial of Refusal over the invasion. If the Inner Sphere won, the invasion was over and the invading Clans would retain the worlds they had conquered. If the Clans won, the invasion would resume. In a bid to wreak chaos in the future, Vlad abstained from voting on the challenge. The Warden Clans refused to participate in the Trial, leaving the eight Crusader Clans to face the SLDF. As the Smoke Jaguars had only two Binaries of troops left, it was decided that each Crusader Clan would only commit two Binaries to the battle.

Vlad led the Wolf Binary into action against Kai Allard-Liao and the 1st St. Ives Lancers. The battle quickly became mired down as it became clear to Vlad that the Lancers were not afraid to fight the Wolves. This point was proven when Kai, using an ex-Smoke Jaguar Stormcrow, shot Vlad out of his Timber Wolf. The battle by then had reached a stalemate - the Lancers were too slow to catch the fleet Wolf 'Mechs, but the Wolves lacked the firepower to gain a decisive victory. With this in mind, Vlad accepted Kai's offer of a draw.

After the challenge was over and the Star League claimed victory, Vlad made a stunning announcement. Since the Wolves had abstained from the voting and they had not lost their battle, the results of the Trial did not affect them. Prince Victor offered to ready his troops at the Rasalhague/Wolf border. Vlad told him that the Wolves would wait out the truce and strike when he was ready.

 

and the ilKhan gave us his final words,
Charging us to protect those
With whom we found refuge in our time of need.
In this, our final duty, we shall not fail.