The Blood Scandal

The Blood Scandal was an incident that occurred within the ranks of Clan Coyote some time after 2976, during the Political Century. Involving rebellious political elements aligned with the Crusader movement, and aided by certain high-ranking officials of Clan Star Adder, the Blood Scandal would set the Coyotes firmly on the Warden path and engender great enmity between the Coyotes and the Star Adders for many years afterward.

The Great Debaters

During the Political Century, the debate over returning to the Inner Sphere was on the tip of nearly every Clansman's tongue. Those who wanted to return to the Inner Sphere to conquer it and restore the Star League were called Crusaders. Their philosophical opponents were the Wardens; Clansmen who maintained that Kerensky's vision for the Clans was that of protectors who should watch over the misguided citizens of the former Star League.

Coyote's Situation

Clan Coyote was deeply divided from early on. Nearly even counts of Wardens and Crusaders could be found in their ranks. But when a politically powerful Crusader-minded warrior (who is now not-named in her Clan) was ousted as saKhan in favor of a Warden, she then turned on her Clan's leadership, plotting to supplant them. She would lead a coalition of eight Crusader-dominated Coyote Bloodname Houses to conspire with her, going so far as to court Crusader-aligned aid from outside her Clan.

Carson Graves, saKhan of Clan Star Adder, pledged his support to the not-named Coyote warrior against the Wardens of her Clan. But in reality he was setting up all of Clan Coyote to be Absorbed, planning to use his inside information on the Coyotes' internal political strife to convince the Grand Council to grant the Star Adders the rights to Absorption of the politically fractured Clan.

Treason's Bloody Cost

Coyote Khan Tatiana Steele would not remain ignorant of this situation in her ranks for very long. Through her vast network of political contacts she learned about the particulars of this conspiracy against her, and the greater dangers it posed to her Clan. Calling an emergency Clan Council session with 30 leaders of loyal Bloodname Houses, she presented the evidence gathered against the guilty parties and then demanded their immediate Annihilation on the grounds of Treason. With the majority of Coyote Crusaders implicated in the conspiracy and therefore ineligible to vote on the matter, the Coyote Council voted overwhelmingly in favor of their Khan's demands for this most-severe punishment of the traitors. Nearly 2,000 warriors and offspring of the eight guilty Bloodname Houses were put to death in order to cleanse the taint of their treason against the Coyotes. Khan Steele would also call down a Reaving upon each of the eight Bloodname Houses, effectively annihilating them.

“	My friends and comrades, today was perhaps the most difficult in our history, We have enacted a Trial of Annihilation against many of our own-not out of rage, or prejuidce, or because they believe in a different cause than ours, but because they conspired to destroy our entire Clan. Such treachery carries with it grave consequences. We did not wish to do what we have done. But the guilty chose their own destiny, and forced us to act. The seriousness of the crimes committed demanded justice, of a kind that will prevent such terrible things from ever occurring again. In the interests of justice and preserving our way of life, we executed several hundred Coyote warriors, each if whom was proven to be a leader or an active participant in this conspiracy. In accordance with the demands of our society, the linage of each will also be destroyed to prevent the taint of treachery from spreading to a new generation. Unfortunately, this was not the end of it. A majority of eight separate Bloodname Houses and their leaders were involved in this crime. This is no mere coincidence. Those House leaders cultivated a hatred of their own Clan among their members. Were they leaders of a Clan, that Clan would also be wiped out, as has happened three times in our past. Did we not follow that precedent, our brother Clans would rightly see us as no more worthy of life than those we found guilty? I therefore call down a Reaving upon these eight Bloodname Houses: Christofferson, Gruber, Kautz, Kielman, Masino, Rosanske, Smith and Tangen. Many sons and daughters of those line have served our Clan well and they righfully deserver the honor we still give them. Because of them, their Bloodlines have been spared outright Annihilation. But the transgression of the guilty demand an appropriate action. Therefore, these names will live on in our history, preserving the honor of those who now deserve it. But no one of the next generation will carry any of these Bloodnames. This punishment will testify to those who come after us to the true price of treason.	”
	—  Khan Tatian Steele announcing the Reavings of the Bloodhouses responsible for the Blood Scandal.

The following Bloodname Houses were affected by Khan Tatiana Steele's ruling:

• Christofferson
• Gruber
• Kautz
• Kielman
• Masino
• Rosanske
• Smith
• Tangen

The warriors of these Bloodname Houses who had fought and died for their Clan during the past were still remembered and would remain so, as would their deeds and sacrifices. But the living traitors would all be stricken from Coyote Clan history, and all of their genetic legacies ended by the ruling of Khan Tatiana Steele.

When Star Adder Khan Eamon Phoushath learned of his saKhan's perfidious actions, he challenged him to a Trial of Grievance. After defeating Graves, Khan Phoushath stripped him of rank and status beforehanding him and his legacy over to Khan Steele of the Coyotes. At a Coyote Clan Council, Khan Steele executed Carson Graves and destroyed his legacy. She then demanded that the Star Adders Annihilate the entire Graves Bloodline as punishment, something that Khan Phoushath would pragmatically refuse to do.

Legacy and Redemption

After the conclusion of this incident, Clan Coyote would be wholly unified in their dedication to the Warden cause, though diminished as their numbers were. This incident would also be the spark to the Coyote-Star Adder feud that has raged on and off for decades.

For over 100 years the eight Bloodname Houses remained dormant under the Reaving order of Khan Steele. But after the events of the Wars of Reaving and the caste uprisings spurred on by the Society, Clan Coyote found itself critically short on untainted Bloodlines for a time. At some point Khan Leo Koga would lift the Reavings on these largely untainted and sealed heritages. Some would even remain exclusive to the Coyotes.

See Also

• Clan Coyote
• Tatiana Steele
• Gunnar Koga
• Leo Koga
• Clan Star Adder
• Eamon Phoushath
• Carson Graves
• List of Bloodnames

Bibliography

• The Clans: Warriors of Kerensky
• Field Manual: Crusader Clans
• Field Manual: Warden Clans
• The Wars of Reaving