Editing Khalus Pryde

{{InfoBoxCharacter
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| name                = Khalus Pryde
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| affiliation         = [[Clan Jade Falcon]] ([[Terra]])
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| position            =  [[saKhan of Clan Jade Falcon|saKhan]] (Terra)
| profession          = [[MechWarrior]]
| parents             = 
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}}
'''Khalus Pryde''' is a [[trueborn]] warrior of [[Clan Jade Falcon]] who served during the final years of the [[Dark Age era]] and the [[ilClan era]]. As of [[3151]], he was [[saKhan of Clan Jade Falcon]] (on Terra) under [[Khan]] [[Stephanie Chistu]].

==History==
A trueborn warrior of Clan Jade Falcon, Khalus Pryde was one of the few warriors—alongside [[Galaxy Commander]] Stephanie Chistu, Galaxy Commander [[Noritomo Helmer]], and [[Star Captain]] [[Archer Pryde]]—suspected of working against Chinggis Khan [[Malvina Hazen]] and her [[Mongol Doctrine]].<ref name=CoK2>''Children of Kerensky'', p. 86-87</ref> As of 3151, Khalus was in command of the [[1st Falcon Jaegers (Clan Jade Falcon)|1st Falcon Jaegers]] of [[Epsilon Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Epsilon Galaxy]]<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref>. He claimed to be of the blood of [[Aidan Pryde]]<ref name=HotWp269>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 269</ref> and wore a [[Jade Falcon Guards (Clan Jade Falcon)|Falcon Guards]] patch on his uniform in honor of his forebear.<ref name=HotWp342>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 342</ref> He piloted a ''[[Jupiter (BattleMech)|Jupiter]]'' BattleMech.<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref>

On March 7, 3146, in response to his perceived defiance, Khan Malvina Hazen sent Star Colonel Pryde and his [[Star]] against the [[Ghosts of the Avengers]], an Inner Sphere rebel unit on [[Lyons]]. Outnumbered three-to-one, Khalus was expected to either conform to the [[Mongol Doctrine]] by slaughtering the rebels, sacrifice his honor and prestige with a loss, or die <ref name=CoK3>''Children of Kerensky'', p. 87</ref>. The Star Colonel was tactically victorious, having successfully killed the rebels' leader, as well as most of their armor and BattleMechs, although at the cost of his entire Star being crippled or destroyed and the loss of one of his best warriors. However, he failed to fulfill the Khan's original orders of completely crushing the rebels, as a [[BattleMech#Light|light]] BattleMech and tank managed to escape. As a result of his failure, Star Colonel Pryde was forced to abandon his [[Crusader]] ways and to publicly embrace the Mongol Doctrine<ref name=CoK4>''Children of Kerensky'', p. 138-140</ref>. 

While the Star Colonel publicly followed Malvina's orders, Khalus privately continued to cling to the old ideas and beliefs of his Clan. The Chinggis Khan knew Khalus's true inclinations and continued to assign him missions where he could either fail or die<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref>. Time after time, the Star Colonel overcame insurmountable odds, at great cost to himself and to his unit<ref name=HotWp268>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 268</ref>.

On March 25, 3151 (T+74), Star Colonel Khalus Pryde and his 1st Falcon Jaegers touched down on [[Terra]] amongst the last of the Jade Falcon units<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref>. While most field commanders received young, fresh warriors hoping to prove themselves, Star Colonel Pryde was assigned older warriors transferred in from other units who all shared a disdain for the Mongol Doctrine, including Star Captain Archer Pryde.<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref> On April 1, 3151 (T+81), Star Colonel Pryde and a Trinary of warriors engaged the RAF's Old Guard in the wilds of Colorado, where the Guard attempted to reach the safety of Cheyenne Mountain.<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref><ref name=ilClan73>''ilClan'', p. 73</ref> Outnumbered three to one, the Chinggis Khan expected the Jaegers to be defeated or destroyed. Instead of going on the defensive, as the Falcon Guards had done in their earlier battle with the Old Guard, the Jaegers went on the offensive, charging at the Old Guard in the middle of their formation.<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref> Despite being caught off-guard by the maneuver, the Old Guard fought well—impressing the Star Colonel.<ref name=HotWp206>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 206</ref><ref name=ilClan73>''ilClan'', p. 73</ref> As a result, in defiance of his Khan's orders, the Star Colonel made an offer of surrender—an offer that the Old Guard refused. With the tables turned, the RAF warriors fought to the last, leaving their downed 'Mechs and ineffectually shooting at the Jaegers with their sidearms before being cut to ribbons. Devlin Stone's best contingency plan for Terra was no more.<ref name=ilClan73>''ilClan'', p. 73</ref>

Khalus next saw action during the [[ilClan Trial]] for Terra. At 1345 on the third day, as the Wolves withdrew across Staunton Creek, the 1st Falcon Jaegers and the other Clusters of [[Epsilon Galaxy (Clan Jade Falcon)|Epsilon Galaxy]] rotated into the vanguard of the Jade Falcon assault. Realizing that charging headlong would inflict heavy losses with little gain, Star Colonel Pryde defied his Khan's orders and regrouped his Cluster in a position closer to the rear while the rest of Epsilon Galaxy piled forward into [[Alpha Galaxy (Clan Wolf)|Alpha Galaxy's]] withdrawing wall. The Star Colonel's instincts proved correct, as the clash between Epsilon and Alpha Galaxies proved more costly for the Falcons.<ref name=ilClan96>''ilClan'', p. 94-96</ref> Ultimately, however, the majority of the Jaegers would be destroyed as they futilely attempted to stop [[Clan Wolf-in-Exile|Clan Wolf-in-Exile's]] Omega Provisional Galaxy advance into the Jade Falcon rear lines. By the battle's end, only he and Star Captain Archer Pryde were all that remained of the 1st Falcon Jaegers.<ref name=HotWp316>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 316</ref>

As one of a handful of Jade Falcon warriors still alive and physically fit on Terra, Khalus was in attendance in [[Unity City (city)|Unity City]] where the Clan was instructed by [[ilKhan]] [[Alaric Ward]] to choose their path and to elect new leadership. After voting ''aff'' to keep Clan Jade Falcon intact, Khalus Pryde delivered a rousing speech in which he nominated Stephanie Chistu for [[Khan]]. After a short but fierce Trial in which Stephanie Chistu defeated her sole contender, Star Colonel Pryde was nominated for saKhan by Star Captain Archer Pryde, with Star Colonel [[Marv Roshak]] of the Falcon Guards as his opponent. Khalus won the nomination by a narrow margin, while Marv Roshak was voted in as [[Loremaster]] without any opposition. Together, with now-Khan Stephanie Chistu and Loremaster Roshak, Khalus set about the difficult work of rebuilding his shattered Clan.<ref name=HotWp343>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 342-343</ref><ref name=ilClan104>''ilClan'', p. 104</ref>

On April 28, 3151, the surviving Falcons attended a ceremony at Unity City which saw the internment of General [[Aleksandr Kerensky]]. Following the internment, Khalus was among the many who was awarded an emerald green [[BloodRibbon]]. After the ceremony was concluded, saKhan Pryde stopped at the tomb where General Kerensky lay in state and paid his respects.<ref name=ilClan105106>''ilClan'', p. 105-106</ref> A second ceremony was held in Unity City on the evening of May 25, 3151, where the Khans of the [[Council of Six Clans]] met to formally recognize the ascent of Clan Wolf as the [[ilClan]]. Khan Chistu and saKhan Pryde were the first to pledge their support to Clan Wolf and to recognize them as the ilClan. Their affirmation was shortly followed by the Khans of [[Clan Ghost Bear]], [[Clan Sea Fox]], and [[Clan Snow Raven]]. [[Clan Smoke Jaguar]], as a provisional Clan, did not vote, while [[Clan Hell's Horses]] refused to acknowledge the Wolves' claim.<ref name=ilClan108109>''ilClan'', p. 108-109</ref>

==Decorations==
1. [[BloodRibbon]] ([[Clan Jade Falcon]]) - An emerald green award worn over the heart. Earned for participating in the ilClan Trial on Terra.

==Notes==
* This character was created as part of the [[2019 Clan Invasion crowdfunding campaign]] by a backer, Spencer Huff ([[User:KhalusPryde]])<ref name=CoK1>''Children of Kerensky'', p. 5</ref><ref name=HotWp6>''Hour of the Wolf'', p. 6</ref>.

==References==
<references />

==Bibliography==
* ''[[Children of Kerensky]]'' (novel)
* ''[[Hour of the Wolf]]'' (novel)
* ''[[IlClan (sourcebook)]]''

[[Category:Clan Jade Falcon Characters|Pryde, Khalus]]
[[Category: Notable Jupiter Pilots]]