- Leader: Chancellor Daoshen Liao
QUOTE: "Of course I am the state; that doesn’t change the fact
that the state is all."
The Capellan Confederation is a survivor thanks to its greatest asset—its
people. Capellan citizens see it as their duty to serve the nation first and
themselves second; individual rights are therefore subordinate to the needs of
the state. Regarded as repressive by most other Successor States and
smaller political entities, this simple trait has allowed the Capellan nation to
survive and prosper even after the Federated Suns broke its back in the
Fourth Succession War, conquering almost half of House Liao’s worlds.
While it may be forbidden to question the state or the authority of the ruling
House Liao, Capellan citizens enjoy a great deal of freedom in their personal
lives. A caste system exists for those who are not warriors or nobility, but it
acts more as a means of improving the quality of life for each caste rather than
as a rigid hierarchy. Individuals are encouraged to better themselves, and they
may marry into a higher caste or qualify for one on their own merit. The only
real bias in the Confederation is a favorable disposition toward those citizens
who embrace their nation’s rich cultural heritage. The Capellan legacy extends
back centuries further than that of other Great Houses, with roots in the
ancient heritage of the Han (Chinese) people on Terra.
Like the rest of the Inner Sphere, however, the Confederation was ravaged
during the Jihad, lost numerous worlds when The Republic formed, and even
fought The Republic fewer then 30 years ago for those same worlds. Despite
this, Chancellor Daoshen Liao has inherited a Capellan Confederation
stronger then it has been in centuries. House Liao has made significant
military gains into the shattered Free Worlds League, repulsed a major House
Davion incursion, and strengthened its Periphery connections. Finally, unlike
most of the other Houses, whose central authority has been lessened more in
the last half century then in the previous half millennia, House Liao has
managed to retain most of the loyalty of its citizens.
Military Details:
- Elite Unit: Warrior House Orders
Motto: "There is service only to the
Chancellor."
The Warrior House Orders of House Liao are the product of a single, driven
individual: Colonel Hiritza Hikaru. This prominent warrior-philosopher of his
time proposed a quasi-religious warrior caste founded on the tenets of the
Lorix Order (a Capellan religious/military organization devoted to the service of
the state and the protection of the Confederation citizen through the art of
war). Such was his charisma and the power of his vision that he finally won
over Chancellor Dainmar Liao, who authorized these units’ formations in 2864.
Each Warrior House has taken its character from its founder and the
philosophies central to the order. Most remain apolitical except for their vows
of loyalty. They are always ready to act on orders, often regardless of morality
or self-preservation. Except perhaps for the Death Commandos, the Warrior
House Orders remain among the most fanatically loyal troops serving the
Confederation.
House Imarra is the senior Warrior House; unlike most of the Houses, Imarra is
well versed in politics, using them as easily as their martial prowess to achieve
their goals.
House Kamata is the most religious of the Houses; they lean strongly toward
Buddhism and creating peaceful warriors who are terrors when finally roused.
House Hiritsu is fervently committed to the Confucian tenets that reinforce their
respect for all positions in life, from the Chancellor down to the lowliest citizen.
House Dai Da Chi is the least spiritual of the Houses; they concentrate solely
on becoming the ultimate warriors, which lessens them in the eyes of the other
Houses.
At the current time, the following four Houses are retired: Lu Sann, Fujita, Ma-
Tsu Kai, and Ijori.
- Veteran Unit: McCarron’s Armored Cavalry
Motto: "We’re never
outnumbered . . . we’re Cavalry"
McCarron’s Armored Cavalry is famed throughout the Inner Sphere; they are
legends rivaled only by units such as the Kell Hounds mercenaries and House
Kurita’s Genyosha.
Originally formed in 2930 as a mercenary command, the Cavalry went on to
fight for and against every Great House save for House Liao. In 2996, the unit
“came home” to House Liao and never left. Within a few short years, the still-
mercenary Cavalry was unleashed on House Davion. For the first time in
centuries, House Liao successfully struck back at the Davion juggernaut that
had stolen dozens of worlds over the centuries. In the short span of two years,
the Cavalry hit 14 worlds, proving without a doubt that the Davion military
machine was vulnerable, and cementing their place in history.
In the early 3060s, the leader of the Cavalry made the pivotal decision to
accept the Chancellor’s offer of full citizenship for himself and his warriors:
They thus became House Liao troops.
Though ravaged during the Jihad, the McCarron’s Armored Cavalry still form
the backbone of one of the most powerful and utterly fearless House Liao
combat commands. Their semi-autonomous status—a legacy from their
mercenary roots—and military prowess give them an unpredictability that
continues to strike fear into the hearts of their enemies.
- Green Unit: Confederation Reserve Cavalry
Motto: “We are the spring whose
Only two of the original five regiments survived the onslaught of House Davion
during the Fourth Succession War. Though the command slowly managed to
rebuild itself over the next several decades, becoming the reserve force of the
capital Commonality of Sian, it was shattered once again—this time under the
fist of the Jihad. Following the formation of The Republic and the slow paring
down of militaries across the Inner Sphere, the devastated and generally
green command seemed doomed to be completely disbanded, its parts
dismantled and subsumed by other commands.
But that was not to be. Whether through pure nepotism or simply her
legendary tenacity, Jiang-jun Siona Aterade-Liao, General of all Sian
Commonality troops outside the Warrior Houses and the Capellan Hussars,
pushed hard enough against then-Chancellor Sun-Tzu Liao to ensure the
survival of the Confederation Reserve Cavalry.
Though the command survived the downsizing, Sun-Tzu turned them into a
feeder command for larger, more experienced commands such as the
McCarron’s Armored Cavalry and Capellan Hussars. Now, once a warrior
becomes seasoned with the Reserve and has proven his or her worth, he or
she is quickly reassigned. Though this leaves the Reserve perpetually green,
as they fill their ranks with newly graduated warriors or neophytes who simply
walk in off the street, the Reserve prides itself on being the genesis of some of
the finest warriors in House Liao.
* Indicates non-cannon information
| March 9, 3134 |
