The Klyki

***The Klyki*** are a strigoic faction within the novel *Dark Blaze*. They are led by Tsar Nikolai II Romanov, who is secretly a supreme-strigoi, using a druggan family as replacements for the Russian Royal Family. The Klyki were the major rivals to the Thule, however, due to Russia pulling out of the Great War, the White Army losing the Russian Civil War, and the Klyki's enemies pouncing on them during their time of tremendous weakness, they were eliminated and Nikolai II was killed, destroying the Klyki faction. This was revealed by Mircea Voivode during Hadrian Voivode's 1918-1920 storyline.

Even though the Klyki are destroyed, there may still be remnants of them scattered throughout Russia and Asia.

## **Background:**

The Klyki were originally nomadic creatures within the Cossack community throughout Russia and Asia. Their original leader was Stenka Timofeyevich, who was later overthrown and killed by Nikolai Romanov, with the aid of Alexander Kolchak, who desired to modernise this strigoic faction, noticing how the Thule were tearing through the competition in Eastern Europe, Nikolai knew it was only a matter of time before they were subjects under the Thule. And so, with his fearsome leadership, he rapidly modernised the Klyki and left their Cossack roots for more Russian culture and made their base-of-operations in Moscow.

Before Nikolai, the Klyki were not bothered about who would succeed Vlad Drăculești, as Vlad had promised Stenka that he and his people could roam freely as much and for as long as they desired. Under Nikolai's rulership, they were able to take control of the rest of Russia and fight the Thule to a standstill over Eastern Europe.

Although Nikolai had neutralised the Thule in the west, he still had to contend with his strigoic neighbours and their border disputes, mainly the the Osmanlı-Strigoilerii, the Gotneska Ættin, the Jiangshi and the Vetala. Once these conflicts died down, the Klyki were interlocked in a war of territory with the Kuran Chi in relation to the Russo-Japanese War just before the Great War began.

In 1906, after an additional year of war, the Kuran Chi and the Klyki signed a peace treaty. In August, 1914, Nikolai forced Russia to join the Great War to oppose the Thule's attempts to bring the Klyki further into their sphere of influence and gain any further territory in Eastern Europe.

## **Society & Structure:**

### **Society:**

Once nomadic Cossacks, the Klyki, under the leadership of Nikolai II adapted the lives of Russian aristocrats. Their culture is based mostly around power and military expeditions. In the Klyki, there is a clear divide between the high ranking members and the low ranking members, however, all members are undyingly loyal to their grandmaster.

### **Structure:**

The Klyki is split between two castes, the high class and the low class. It is a very clear divide and extremely hard for those of the low class to ascend. Those of the high class are exclusively first-class and supreme-strigoii. Druggans are treated like serfs until they ascend into the low class.

## **Territory:**

Below is a list of countries which the Thule hold territory:

* Russia - headquarters located in Moscow.
* Czechlovakia.
* Poland.
* Bulgaria.
* Lithuania.
* Latvia.
* Estonia.
* Ukraine.
* Georgia.
* Greece.

## **Affiliates:**

As of yet, there are no known affiliates to the Klyki.

## **Equipment:**

Below is a list of weaponry that has been seen used by the Thule:

* Various silver bladed weaponry.
* Various hand grenades.
* Nagant M1895 - pistol.
* Mosin-Nagant M1891 - bolt-action rifle.
* Mosin-Nagant M1907 - bolt-action rifle.
* Chauchat M1915 - LMG.
* Hotchkiss M1902 - LMG.
* Maxim M1910 - LMG.
* Vickers Machine Gun.
* Austin Armoured Car.

## **Sub-Factions:**

As of yet, there are no known sub-factions within the Klyki.

## **Appearances:**

The Klyki appear in *Dark Blaze*within Nicholas and Hadrian's 1915-1916 storylines after the Marele Consiliu. They are also mentioned by Mircea Voivode within Hadrian's 1918-1920 Chapters, where in Mircea explains how the Klyki are no longer.

## **Trivia:**

* The Klyki translates to "*The Fangs*" in Russian.
* Darryl M. Finch-Ellis wanted to create a strigoic faction based around the White Army faction within the Russian Civil War, which was the birth of the Klyki.
* The Klyki's rapid progression from Cossacks to Russian aristocrats mirrors the rapid industrialisation of the Russian Empire and people between 1900-1940.
* Grigori Rasputin was, during his time, the highest ranking druggan in the world. His status was hated by the other strigoic factions.