Taharqa was born from a Fire Mandrill iron womb on January 10, 3031. Taharqa’s skills were apparent at a young age, but his strong competitive streak, single-minded desire and aggressive nature often alienated him from even his fellow sibkin.

Taharqa successfully completed his trial of position in 3050 after the Fire Mandrills had already been eliminated from participation in the invasion of the Inner Sphere. He was content to fight for Kindraa Payne, as the various Kindraa quarreled amongst themselves over the failure of their clan. Unfortunately, his brashness got the better of him on several occasions in which he underbid resources.

In 3054, Taharqa’s entire star was destroyed in a Trial of Possession against Clan Jade Falcon and Taharqa became a bondsman. Much to his chagrin, he was assigned the role of a Tech for Jade Falcon forces in the Inner Sphere invasion corridor. Despite the surliness one would expect of a Fire Mandrill bondsman, his skill and experience made him a viable prospect for the decimated Jade Falcons and in 3056 he once again became a mechwarrior. He performed well during the brutal Refusal War with Clan Wolf. However, in 3058, the unthinkable happened once again. He was captured by Wolf Dragoon forces during the disastrous Coventry campaign. Recognizing his talents, the Dragoons made him into a bondsman and he immediately regained warrior status.

Taharqa chaffed in his new found role with the dezgra Dragoons. After a year with the Dragoons, he could no longer face the humiliation. He abandoned his position and fled to Solaris VII, where he had decided that he would redeem himself through the glory of gladiatorial combat, or die trying.

Taharqa spent a year wandering the streets of Solaris City before gaining enough contacts to find a way into the games. His initial entry was financed by a retired Kuritan gladiator named Saboru Olafsen. In exchange for his kindness, Taharqa agreed to mentor Saburo’s hot-blooded son, Taro. He took on the name Taharqa “Howler” Bane in obvious reference to his clan origins.

In his first year of competition, Taharqa’s undefeated league record earned him an entry into the heavy class championships, where he made it to the Final Four. In the next year, he won the heavy class championships outright, establishing himself as a household name on Solaris VII. He went on to repeat as champion in the heavy class in 3063, before moving to the open-class championships in 3064. In 3065, he made it as far as the Elite Eight in the open class. His success in the arena (along with some nice endorsement deals) gained him financial success, and in 3065, he re-invested his winnings by partnering with his longtime friend, Tsepo Mbeki, to from their own small stable. They called their new stable “the Flaming Devil Monkeys,” once again in reference to Bane’s former clan. Over the next two years, the Flaming Devil Monkeys performed well and Taharqa “Howler” Bane became a prominent figure on Solaris VII.

Taharqa had come to Solaris VII seeking glory that he hoped would excise his own personal demons, but despite his success, he was still driven by a desire to do more in order to redeem himself. So in early 3067, Taharqa left Solaris VII, with many of the Flaming Devil Monkeys in tow. They would seek their glory outside of the artificial confines of the Game World in the unfolding drama of the Blakist Jihad.

Taharqa is an imposing presence. He is tall and well-built with a booming deep voice. He often displays a devil-may-care attitude in personal interactions, emphasizing his point of view with a broad, toothy smile and a booming laugh. That laugh earned him his nickname of “Howler” as he will often use it to aggravate and distract his opponents in battle.