The World Of Khoras - Civilization - Organizations

General Description

Night Hawks is the dominant guild of the night in Ithell. This secret society of assassins and thieves has ruled the night for over three centuries in that grand and cultured city. This secret society is led by a single leader whose identity is known only to a precious few.

The Night Hawks are notoriously difficult to track and are renowned for speed, stealth and martial prowess. They are not at all like the typical thugs and footpads that may prowl the nighttime streets of other cities. These men and women move with fluid grace and melt in the shadows in the blink of an eye. They strike with blinding speed and are gone with the flutter of a cloak. It is obvious that members of this guild train hard. Their training is evident in the bruises and frustration of the authority figures who try, and fail, to stop them.

History

The Night Hawks are a somewhat mysterious guild. Much of their past is cloaked in rumor and secrecy. In actuality, the Night Hawks have had an unremarkable history. Originally began in 2380 CY as a small group of five roguish friends who liked to prowl the rooftops at night and commit minor thefts, this group has grown slowly, but steadily over 300 years. It has had a number of guild leaders and traditions and standards have developed. 

Goals and Motivation

The primary function of the Night Hawks is the regulation of all covert activities within Ithell and the surrounding area. Expansion, stability, growth and the assurance of riches within the organization seem to be its goals.

Allies and Enemies

The Night Hawks have many enemies in the city of Ithell including law enforcement officials, private security groups, rival thieves guilds and the government.  The Night Hawks have had some dealings with various guilds in the Drakkellian Alliance and Kalimura, but they have no formal allies.

Membership

Night Hawk members are all skilled rogues, assassins, thieves, etc. They usually are clad in soft leather from head to foot and wear cloaks of black cotton. Night Hawk assassins favor the heavy crossbow with poisoned bolts. All members wear a Night Hawk medallion. A gold and onyx piece of jewelry bearing the silhouette of a bird of prey with wings outstretched as seen from above. Member train continually and find sanctuary from the law. Members are often able to gain access to poisons and other illegal equipment.

The Night Hawks are difficult to get in touch with. One must have underworld contacts and must arrange for a meeting. The Night Hawks can always smell a trap or setup and such sting operations by city officials have always been discovered and avoided. 

A young rogue looking to join the Night Hawks will have to jump through a few hoops before even meeting with them. Initiation and testing of young hopeful candidates is extensive before any information about the Night Hawks is revealed. Once the candidate is accepted as an initiate, he is taken into the guild for six months of intensive training during which time he will have no contact with the outside world whatsoever. By the end of these six months, the Night Hawks will have an excellent idea of what kind of a member the young rogue will be. The six months concludes with a final test. This test, according to tavern gossip, is an underground series of chambers - a gauntlet of terrible traps and monsters. It is very large and deep underground. Some speculate that it may be outside the city. City officials have never had any luck finding any such underground chambers. If they exist, they are well hidden and possibly masked by either spells or magic blocking stone. If the initiate passes through the gauntlet and reaches the other side successfully, he is then a full member of the Night Hawks and is given his medallion of membership. About 3 out of four initiates die in the attempt.

Oaths and Codes

Due to the militant and fanatical nature of this group, it is likely that they do pledge of an oath of undying loyalty to the group. Whatever such a pledge may be, it is known only to the members who spoke it.

Rank Structure

All members are considered equal. Members of this guild use the same tools and equipment. They all receive training from the same masters in the same disciplines - stealth, fighting, lock picking, poison use, poison brewing, anatomy, martial arts, blind fighting, and other useful skills. While each member may vary slightly in personal interests, specialties and talents, they are remarkably homogenous group.

Notes

Only one Night Hawk has ever been caught by the authorities - a half elven female cat burgler who was only captured after a brutal fight which left four city guardsmen dead. Upon questioning, she refused to give her name. Even when threatened with torture, she would yield no answers. When her captors relaxed their guard, for only a moment, she grabbed the attending magistrate and flung herself from a balcony with her victim struggling in her arms all the way down. Both she and the magistrate were killed. 

Needless to say, this was an embarrassing incident for the city and word of it spread through the taverns quickly. Since this fateful encounter, the city has increased night time patrols. By the decree of Lord Bodikur, they are to take the threat of the Night Hawks with all seriousness. 

This page last updated Monday, October 08, 2007. Copyright 1990-2008 David M. Roomes.

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