ABTAKHA An Abtakha is a captured warrior who is adopted into his new clan as a warrior. BATCHALL The batchall is the ritual by which Clan warriors issue combat challenges. Though the type of challenge varies with each ritual, most begin by the challenger identifying himself, stating what is being contested, and requesting that the defender identify the forces at his disposal. Following the challenge, bidding for what forces will contest the challenge takes place. Defenders may request that the attacker risk something of worth comparable to what the defender is risking in the contest. BLOODING Blooding is the ritual in which a Clan candidate is offically recognized by his Clan, also known as a "whelping " in Clan Wolf. Blooding is a complex, ritualistic ceremony. The cadidate must first demonstrate physical prowess in personal combat against two clan warriors. Then the candidate must be verbally defended by clan warriors when he is challenged by representatives from other Clans, or else face those representatives in mortal combat. BLOODHERITAGE The history of the Bloodnamed warriors of a particular Bloodright is called the Bloodheritage. BLOODNAME Bloodname refers to the surname of each of the 800 Warriors who stood with Nicholas Kerensky during the exodus Civil War. These 800 are the foundation of the Clans elaborate breeding program. The right to use one of these surnames has been the ambition of every Clan warrior since the system was established. Only 25 warriors, which corresponds to 25 Bloodrights, are allowed to use any one surname at one time. When one of the 25 Bloodnamed warriors dies, a trial is held to determine who will assume that Bloodname. A contender must prove his Bloodname lineage, then win a series of duels with other competitors. Only Bloodnamed warriors are allowed to sit on the Clan Councils or are eligible to become a Khan or ilKhan. Most Bloodnames have gradually been confined to one or two warrior classes, however certain prestigous names, such as Kerensky, have shown their genetic value by producing excellent warriors in all three classes (MechWarrior, Fighter Pilot, and Elemental). Bloodnames are determined matrilinealy, ar least after the origanal generation. Because a warrior can only inherit from his or her female parent, he or she can only have a claim to one bloodname. 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 only be related through thier original ancestor. As with Bloodnames, certian Bloodrights are considered more prestigous than others, depending largely on the Bloodheritage. BONDSMAN A captured warrior, called a bondsman is considered a member of the labor caste unless and until the capturing Clan releases him or promotes him back to warrior status. A bondsman is bound by honor, not shackles. Custom dictates that even Bloodnamed warriors captured in combat be held for a time as bondsmen. All bondsmen wear a bondcord, a woven bracelet. The base color or the bondcord indicates to which Clan the individual belongs, and the striping indicates which unit captured him. CANISTER Clan slang for the eugenics program of the warrior caste. It can also refer specifically to the artifical wombs. CHALCAS Anything or anyone who challenges the Clan caste system is considered a chalcas. CODEX Each warrrior's codex is his or her individual identification. It includes the names of the original Bloodnamed warriors from which a warrior is descended. It also includes his generation number, Blood House, and codex ID, an alphanumeric code noting the unique aspects of that person's DNA CONTRACT An agreement can be made between the commanders of two units by which the commander of one may include the units of the other in his bidding for rights to a battle or trial. During the invasion of the Inner Sphere, Cluster commanders within Galaxies frequently made contracts to allow greater, and more extravagant, bidding, yet still maintain a good mix of BattleMech, Elemental, and Fighter combat units. CUTDOWN The minimum force necessary to win any 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 then the cutdown are greatly honored. DEZGRA A fighting unit that discraces itself is know as a dezgra unit. The name also refers to the ritual whereby that unit is marked and punished. Any unit that refuses orders, panics in the face of the enemy, or takes dishonorable action is descraced. The unit warriors are given a choice: immediate execution or the dezgra, "disgraced expulsion." In pre-invasion days, dezgra warriors who choose to live were sent to one of several marginally habitable planets and left to survive or die on thier own. After five years, the survivors were allowed to return, but without any guarantee of acceptance back into society. Since Tukayyid, some dezgra units have hired themselves out as mercenaries. It is highly unlikely that any Clan will accept a dezgra unit after it has server for five years as a mercenary unit, because Clan warrior consider mercenaries below even the lowest caste. Dezgra units must, by Clan law, remove all Clan markings from their weapons and uniforms ans wear what historians would immediatly recognize as the crest of the hated Amaris family. ELEMENTALS Elementals are the elite, battle-armoured infantry of the Clans. These men ans women are giants, bred specifically to handle Clan-developed battle armour. FREEBIRTH This 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 An individual conceived and born by natural means is freeborn. Because the Clans value their eugenics program so highly, a freebirth is automatically assumed to have little potential. GIFTAKE This is the sample of DNA taken from a dead warrior. The gifttake is considered the warrior's best DNA sample, and the one most likely to produce improved warriors. GRAND COUNCIL The Grand Council is a council of +the Khans from all the Clans. 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. HONOR ROAD Clan society is a warrior's society in which honor is a key important concept defining behavior and obligations. Honor road is a Clan code of conduct that is analogous to the Japanese bushido, the way of the warrior. INNER SPHERE The Inner Sphere was the term originally applied to the star empires that joined together to form the Star League in the mid-2700s. ISORLA The spoils of battle that warriors can claim as their right, including bondsmen, are known as isorla. KESHIK The Keshik unit, usually a Cluster in size, provides the senior Khan's honor guard. All warriors consider service in the Keshik to be the highest honor they can render their Clan. KURULTAI This is a Clan war council. A Grand Kurultai is a war council of all Khans of the Clans. Apparently, a Grand Kurultai may be called only by the iIKhan at any time or place. A normal Grand Council, on the other hand, may only be convened by the petition of three or more Clans, and must be held at the Hall of Khans on Strana Mechty. 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. MASTER CODEX The master codex is the master file of the Clans' breeding programs. The master codex records the DNA maps and codex name of every warrior born over the centuries. 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. OATHMASTER The Oathmaster is the honor guard for any official Clan ceremony. The position is similar to that of an Inner Sphere sergeant-at-arms, but it carries a greater degree of respect. The Oathmaster administers all oaths, and the Loremaster records them. The position of Oathmaster is usually held by the oldest Bloodnamed warrior in a Clan (if he or she desires thehonor), and is one of the few positions not decided by combat. OVKHAN This is a term of respect reserved for someone of higher rank. PERIPHERY The states, kingdoms, and pirate domains just beyond the Inner Sphere are known as the Periphery, the great unknown. POWLESS The vulnerability that a warrior, particularly an Elemental, feels when forced to fight without his accustomed weapons. The word is probably derived from "powerless." 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. 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 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. REDE One of the many forms honor takes in the Clans, a rede is an honor-bound promise. Breaking a rede may be punished by death. RISTAR This term refers to a particularly gifted warrior on his or her way to high position. It is probably derived from the expression "rising star." SATARRA A Clan council may cast a veto, called a satarra, to settle or postpone disputes between castes within their jurisdiction. Satarra is invoked only when negotiations between the opponents 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. SAVASHRI A Clan epithet. SEYLA This word is the ritual response voiced in unison by those witnessing solemn Clan ceremonies, rituals, and other important gatherings. No one is sure of the origin or exact meaning of the word, but it is uttered only with the greatest reverence and awe. SIBKO A group of children from the warrior caste eugenics program who have the same male and female geneparents and are raised together is known as a sibko. As they mature, they are constantly tested. Additional members of the sibko fail at each test, and 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 A Clan epithet, probably a combination of the Clan words stran, meaning independent, and vagon, meaning birthing. SURKAI The surkai is the Right of Forgiveness. The Clans honor uniformity in thought and belief above all other tenets of 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 freely admit 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. SURKAIREDE The Rede of Forgiveness, 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 avowed to resume his role in society without suffering any further disgrace for having spoken out. TOUMAN The term given to the fighting arm of a Clan. TRIAL OF BLOODRIGHT A series of one-on-one, single-elimination contests is used to determine who wins the right to use a Bloodname. Each current Bloodnamed warrior in that Bloodname's House nominates one candidate. The head of the House nominates additional candidates to fill 31 slots. The 32nd slot is fought for by those who qualify for the Bloodname but who were not nominated. The nature of the competition is determined by "coining." Each combatant places his personal medallion, a dogids, into the "Well of Decision." An Oathmaster or Loremaster releases the coins simultaneously, so that only chance determines which coin falls first to the bottom of the well. The warrior whose coin lands on top chooses the manner of the combat ('Mech versus 'Mech, barehanded, 'Mech versus Elemental, and so forth). The other warrior chooses the venue of the contest. Though these Bloodname duels need not be to the death, the fierce combat and the intensity of the combatants often leave the losing candidate mortally wounded or dead. TRIAL OF POSITION The Trial of Position determines whether a candidate will qualify as a warrior in the Clans. To qualify, he must defeat at least one of three successive opponents. If he defeats two, or all three, he is immediately ranked as an officer in his Clan. If he fails to defeat any of his opponents, he is relegated to a lower caste. TRIAL OF REFUSAL The Clan councils and the Grand Council vote on issues and laws that affect the community. Unlike Inner Sphere legislation, however, any decision can be challenged and reversed by a Trial of Refusal. This trial allows the losing side to demand the issue be settled by combat. The forces used in the Trial of Refusal are determined on a pro-rated basis. The faction rejecting the descision declares what forces they will use. The side defending the decision (the attacker) can field a force equal to the ratio of winning to losing votes. For example, if the contested vote carried a three-to-one margin, the attacking forces can field a force three times the size of the force challenging the decision. TROTHKIN Used formally, this term refers to members of an extended sibko. Less formally, a warrior will use trothkin when referring to someone he considers his peer. TRUEBORN A trueborn is a product of the warrior caste's eugenics program. 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.

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