The Hidden Chain was an organization that Heta Kol established circa 3626 BBY. Its founding principle centered on the firm conviction that Mandalorians should leverage their combat prowess for their own objectives, diverging from the role of paid mercenaries. This ideology resonated with numerous clans that had broken away from the forces of Mandalore the Avenger.
Following the establishment of the Hidden Chain, Kol adopted the title of Field Marshal in homage to the Neo-Crusader movement of centuries past. The designation 'Hidden Chain' symbolized the concealed network of venerable Mandalorian customs poised to condemn the unworthy.
The exact date of the Hidden Chain's formation remains unclear; however, Rass Ordo confirmed its operational status two years before the Showdown on Ruhnuk. A small contingent led by Ri'kan Kateen was contracted by the Sith Empire for an undisclosed mission on Belsavis, where they encountered a second Mandalorian team, under the command of Layla Ordo, who had been hired by the Republic. This encounter resulted in the failure of the Imperial mission and the death of Layla.
Throughout the Third Galactic War, the Hidden Chain maintained its operations. Heta Kol successfully recruited numerous individuals from renegade and exiled Mandalorian clans, whom she utilized in surprise attacks against various Mandalorian vessels engaged in patrol or escort missions to assess the strength of Shae's fleet. The Hidden Chain formally announced its presence to Shae Vizla, whom the organization deemed unfit to lead the Mandalorians, during the attack on the Spirit of Vengeance II, where they successfully seized the Cadera banner.
After the assault on the Spirit of Vengeance II, Heta Kol anticipated that Shae would prioritize hunting the treacherous Mandalorian over her responsibilities as Mandalore. Consequently, Heta orchestrated false leads and eliminated loose ends to impede Shae's progress. Meanwhile, the Hidden Chain welcomed back Ri'kan Kateen as Heta's second-in-command, along with his sister, Sa'har Kateen, a former Jedi Padawan who sought to rejoin her brother by supporting the Hidden Chain.
Following the capture of Darth Malgus, Shae Vizla seemingly managed to locate Ruhnuk and sought the assistance of the Alliance Commander to dismantle the Hidden Chain. The pair infiltrated the base, only to be outmaneuvered by Heta Kol, who accepted Shae's challenge to a duel to determine who was the stronger and whose path was correct. The duel was abruptly interrupted by the arrival of Shae's full force on Ruhnuk, leading to a decisive battle against the Hidden Chain. As the Hidden Chain suffered losses, the majority of their forces retreated, while Heta abandoned Ruhnuk as a base of operations.
The Hidden Chain convened a meeting with Heta, Ri'Kan, Sa'har, and other leaders, during which Heta discussed the events on Ruhnuk and revealed that Bask Sunn had betrayed them by sabotaging her duel against Shae to maximize his profits, resulting in the excommunication of the entire Dar'manda as their enemy. Heta further explained that utilizing Darth Nul's holocron would further advance their ultimate goal and that, in the future, only Heta and Sa'har would possess complete knowledge of the plan to prevent any attempts to undermine the Hidden Chain.
The Hidden Chain, now clad in standardized uniforms, subsequently launched multiple attacks across the galaxy, compelling Shae's forces to disperse in an attempt to neutralize them, thereby stretching the loyalists thin. One such attack on Port Nowhere was thwarted by the Alliance Commander and Rass Ordo, resulting in the death of Cantis Bralor.
Subsequently, the Hidden Chain, under the leadership of Tyrus Brokenblade, traveled to Kessan's Landing on Ord Mantell, where they collaborated with the local Mantellian Separatist Movement to steal cooling rods from the local geothermal station and abduct civilians who dared to oppose the separatists. The Hidden Chain managed to escape with only half of their assets due to the intervention of the Alliance Commander and Petra Nihrum. Tyrus confronted the interlopers personally, nearly killing Nihrum when Sa'har unexpectedly intervened. After they defeated Tyrus and prevented him from warning Heta of her betrayal, Sa'har informed the Commander that Heta was plotting to construct a machine from the blueprints contained within Darth Nul's holocron and that she intended to retrieve it to thwart her plans.
The Hidden Chain's organizational structure is distinctive, comprising various rogue Mandalorian clans that willingly follow Heta Kol but retain the freedom to pursue their own interests. The individual clans that constitute the core of the Hidden Chain are led by their respective clan leaders, who, in turn, follow the directives of Heta Kol or Ri'kan Kateen in Heta's absence. Moreover, the clans tend to be insular and do not interact well with each other, owing to their unique creeds.
- Field Marshal: Heta Kol . [8]
- Second-in-Command: Ri'kan Kateen . [3]
- Dar'manda leader: Bask Sunn .† [8]
- Ash'ad leader: Durn Wynnward . [8]
- Clan Varad leader: Tyrus Brokenblade . [8]
- Clan Ha'rangir leader: Kur Ha'rangir .
Although Sa'har Kateen is not an official member of the Hidden Chain, she is only answerable to Ri'kan and Heta due to unique circumstances.