Daggerhand
From Mizahar Lore
Daggerhand is one of the three most notable gangs residing in Sunberth. Easily the most nefarious of the criminal organizations, Daggerhand is regarded as little more than a congregation of thugs by the city at large. In recent history, it was arguably the most powerful gang in the whole of Sunberth; but that strength has since been lost with the execution of Robern Dalanger. At present, the organization is a wounded shadow of its former glory and clings to the small scraps of territory that remains in its control. With enemies on all sides, the coming days will be difficult for the organization, but it is determined to survive and take back their mantle of power.
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History
Much like the other two most influential gangs of Sunberth, the history of Daggerhand is rather brief. Having risen to power over the course of two decades, the organization is as "young" as its counterparts; yet is arguably the eldest of the three. Daggerhand began its rise to power through the arrival of a single man, known as Robern Dalanger, to Sunberth. Hailing from Zeltiva, this man was highly-educated and politically savvy due to his years spent attending the University. However, he did not flaunt these characteristics and instead adopted a mask of charity. His was a new and charismatic voice that the people of Sunberth hearkened to. They were enticed by his promises of a higher standard of living; and soon many laid down their loyalty at his feet. In time, Dalanger amassed a following which dedicated itself to his protection and the fulfillment of his goals.
However, whilst Dalanger's public face had many eating out of the palms of his hands, his alias worked another angle from the shadows. Taking the pseudonym "Rot Fingers", Dalanger began to feel out the political landscape of the city whilst rallying support from a variety of businesses. It took meticulous precision and care to sway these establishments to his cause, yet Dalangar accomplished it all in a relatively brief span of time. As both his public and underground power grew, the people began to realize that they had allowed a monster into their midst. Almost overnight, the talks of bettering the lives of Sunberthians ended and ruthlessness took its place. In fact, Dalanger became just as power-hungry and tyrannical as the rulers that Sunberth had fought against since the Valterrian. As time raced forward, Dalanger's enemies began to grow and clash with his supporters. Violence erupted in the streets; ultimately encouraging an assassination attempt upon Dalanger himself.
Launched by the Night Eyes, the attack claimed the life of Dalanger's wife and left his daughter's face horrifically scarred by poison. Enraged, elected then to reveal the whole of his might to the city. Dropping his pseudonym, he then called together the whole of his supporters and united them under a single banner as Daggerhand. With his organization finally mustered, he marked the Night Eyes for annihilation...but soon found that destroying them would be as difficult as wounding the very shadows themselves. Regardless, Dalanger wielded his power in order to practically terrorize the city. He carved out for himself a sizable portion of territory and erected a manor to call home. In light of the attempted assassination, this was where Dalanger ultimately holed himself up whilst his subordinated carried out his will.
From outright massacres in the streets to shaking down establishments for coin, Daggerhand committed numerous atrocities in the name of their leader. They became hated by many and feared by most...Yet all "good" things eventually come to an end. After years upon years of tolerating the violence of Daggerhand, the denizens of Sunberth rose up. A mob of vigilantes and citizens alike stormed the Daggerhand territory and set fire to the "Rotten Mansion". Dalanger was dragged out of his sanctuary and promptly lynched before the masses; thereby causing chaos within the ranks.
Enter Stilleto
The mob claimed the lives of many Daggerhand immediately following Dalanger's death, with many more members defecting out of fear for their lives. This all but crippled the organization, yet in this time of chaos Dalanger's most trusted subordinates stepped up. Of these, an individual known as "Stilleto" took the reigns of what remained of Daggerhand. This person took great care to veil their identity to the point where even gender is a mystery; yet, it is assumed that it is a male. Some debate whether or not Stilleto even exists, or if he is simply a persona put together by Dalanger's circle of Underbosses. However, under his leadership, Daggerhand managed to hold fast to what little remained of its territory. At present, Stilleto works to restore the organization to fighting shape whilst maintaining as many money sources as possible.
The Organization
Following its near decimation, much of the strength of Daggerhand was lost. However, the organization remains one of the most deadly congregations in the whole of Sunberth. While far from being militant, wealthy, or well-equipped, its power lies in its sheer numbers. To date, the vast majority of their midst is concentrated within what remains of their territory, yet it is far from uncommon to see packs of its members roaming the streets.
- Headquarters: Robern's Reaches (Sunberth)
- Members: ~200
- Hierarchy: Rank by Ability
- Leader: The Boss - Stilleto
- Symbol: Thorn-Encircled Dagger
Hierarchy
Prior to the demise of its founder, the internal structure of Daggerhand enjoyed a stability founded upon undying loyalty to Dalanger. However, upon his execution, chaos ensued within the ranks as members began attempts to seize power for themselves. It was only through the combined efforts of Stilleto and the Underbosses that some semblance of order was enforced upon the ranks. At present, Daggerhand currently knows stability...although how long it will last is the primary question on the organization's mind.
Currently leadership of Daggerhand resides in the hands of the Boss: Stilleto. This individual is (typically) the undisputed leader of the organization and oversees all of its operations. Directly underneath the Boss are four Underbosses; each of whom lea approximately fifty men. These individuals place their focus on the maintenance of Daggerhand control over its territory; in addition to launching ventures to gain more for the organization. Each Underboss appoints a pair of Big Brothers or Big Sister who then lead their men towards the fulfillment of Daggerhand's goals. Each Big Brother or Big Sister commands half of their Underbosses' subordinates (most of whom are of Brother/Sister rank); and are easily the most public faces of Daggerhand's command structure.
The majority of Daggerhand are of he rank Brother or Sister. These individuals have been recognized as full members of the organization and are given the privileges thereof. It is upon reaching this rank that an individual is given the Daggerhand tattoo and is fully welcomed into the fold. In times past, the population of Brothers and Sisters paled in comparison to the number of common thus who lent their support to the organization. These individuals had no standing or rights but received a cut of coin for services rendered. However, in the wake of Dalanger's execution, a light paranoia has gripped the organization. So much so that Thugs who were not committed to fully joining the organization are not afforded the honor of association. Those that Thugs that do aspire to join fall into loose cells led by a Brother or Sister until such time that they prove themselves worthy of membership.
On another note, there are members of Daggerhand whose roles call for discretion. These individuals are typically business owners or are generally informed enough to be sources of information for the organization. Known as Associates, these members are few in number; yet vital in role. A notable example of a Daggerhand Associate is Merv of the Pig's Foot Tavern.
Motivation and Goals
Under the leadership of Dalanger, the organization had many great aspirations. They sought to strike fear into the hearts and minds of Sunberth through brutal demonstrations of might. They sought to dominate and control as much of the city as they possibly could. They sought to see immense wealth and to revel in the pleasures of life; regardless of how many are harmed in the process. Of course, such violent and avaricious goals ultimately resulted in the execution of Dalanger and the plunging of the organization into Chaos. In light of their current predicament, the leaders of the organization placed new emphasis on a single goal: survival. To accomplish this task, Daggerhand has actually become even more hostile than before; simply in order to project the illusion of internal stability and power despite Dalanger's death.
As a whole, Daggerhand is concerned with the maintenance of its territory and amassing enough new blood to return to prominence within Sunberth. They goals epitomized by Dalanger in life are, of course, still strived for as well. With each and every day, the organization works towards these ends with the subjugation of Sunberth being its ultimate goal.
Allies and Enemies
Sun's Birth: Over the course of their relatively short histories, both the Sun's Birth and Daggerhand have been openly hostile with one another. It is not uncommon to see violence between the two organizations erupt in the streets; regardless of their current, wounded states.
Night Eyes: Personally despised by Dalanger for the murder of his wife, Daggerhand has been openly hostile with the Night Eyes for several years. Although it has been difficult to combat the stealth-centric order, Daggerhand diligently seeks out its foe at every turn.
Associates
Ol'Legs: The owner of the Legs Wharf has been a longtime friend of Dalanger and an associate of Daggerhand since the day of its creation. It is through this particular relationship that the organization is able to levy tariffs upon goods coming into the city.
Merv: The owner of the most popular tavern in Sunberth is also an associate of Daggerhand. Merv is an informant to the organization and provides vital information about any happenings or individuals of note. It is safe to say that any person of note who had entered the Pigs Foot has been spoken of to the Daggerhand.
Brega: This individual provides a vital service to Daggerhand through her brothel. Those under her employ serve as eyes and ears to Daggerhand and provide the organization with heaps of intelligence from every corner of the city.
Joining and Advancement
Of the three organizations which dominate the city of Sunberth, joining the ranks of Daggerhand is by far the least difficult. A potential member need only to demonstrate their interest in joining Daggerhand to a member of Brother/Sister rank or higher. Upon demonstrating interest, this individual will then be tentatively inducted under the leadership of the aforementioned Brother/Sister. During this time frame, their superior will put the potential member to the test through a variety of ventures. They will be expected to kill. They will be expected to shake down establishments. They will be expected to demonstrate the ruthlessness required to stand alongside the Daggerhand. If the individual proves themselves through these ventures, they will be fully accepted within Daggerhand and marked accordingly.
Upon officially being recognized as a Brother or Sister, an individual may begin to advance through a variety of means. The most stable is simply through doing one's job exceptionally well. Whether an individual chooses to place their focus on extorting as much coin out of a business as possible or simply brutalizing the enemies of Daggerhand; doing one's job well does not evade notice. However, for those desiring a much swifter journey to the top, there is the tradition of Challenges. Upon spending three seasons within the organization, a Brother or Sister can issue a challenge to their reigning Big Sibling. Combat to the death ensues, with the strongest seizing the title of Big Brother or Big Sister. Likewise, a Big Sibling can challenge an Underboss in the same fashion three seasons down the road.
However, upon ascending to the rank Underboss the swift route to the top concludes. Both out of the memory of Dalanger and in order to maintain stability whilst recovering from misfortune, the organization's leadership has unanimously agreed to forbid the challenging of the Boss.
Requirements
In finer detail, the requirements for a Player Character to ascend to the rank of Brother or Sister are as follows:
- Weapon: (Any) - 10 points
- Intimidation, Negotiation, or Persuasion - 10 points
- Trade Skill* - 15 points
- Lore: (Daggerhand or Sunberth-related)
(An PC is free to select any non-magical occupation as their trade/role within Daggerhand.)
In order to be eligible for promotion to Big Sibling via service or Challenge, an individual must meet the following criteria:
- Weapon: (Any) - 35 points
- Intimidation, Negotiation, or Persuasion - 20 points
- Unarmed Combat (Any) - 20 points
- Trade Skill(s) - 30 points
- Active Membership - Three Seasons
It is to be noted that further advancement will have criteria outlined by the local DS on an individual basis.
Benefits
Members of Daggerhand enjoy a wide variety of benefits, complements of the organization's ill-gotten gains. First and foremost, all members of Daggerhand are free to indulge in the housing provided to them. These accommodations amount to a room within a Daggerhand-owned inn, complete with bathing, regular meals, and all the drink one can guzzle. Furthermore, members of the organization receive a wonderful discount at the brothel owned by Brega, amounting to a whopping 20% off of services rendered. Of course, these benefits pale in comparison to those revolving around travel. Members of Daggerhand enjoy a fifty-percent discount on ferry fares leaving the city that are bound for Lodestar Isle, Sahova, or Zeltiva. This is made possible through the connection built between Ol'Legs and Dalanger years prior.