Craven's Crew

From HollowWiki

Background

The Preklek Invasion of Cenril united the city's population in a way it hadn't seen before. Many able-bodied men had joined the militia, and fought the lizards, and gained a sense of pride when the lizards left and Cenril still stood.

Weakened, but triumphant, Cenril's future had seemed bright. Then the pirates attacked.


With the collapse of bureacracy and an effective city infrastructure, Cenril fell into anarchy, and stability became a thing of the past. Ex-militia and military men could often be found pursuing criminal activities in the absence of a soldier's wage.

In the middle of this chaos, one ex-soldier, Colbert, and his brother, Craven, teamed up to offer protection to the homes and businesses in their little corner of the city. Over time, their numbers grew.

Current Activities

Craven's Crew have largely settled down, focusing mainly on keeping their section of Southwest Cenril clear of racketeers, and occasionally aiding the efforts of Lared to teach Cenrilli orphans and street kids useful skills.

With Sawtooth's Solution having diverted their focus harbourside, the turf belonging to Craven's Crew is one of the quieter spots in Cenril. After the group assisted in Lared's restoration of Olric's shrine, their turf has developed a more tightknit sense of community than in other parts of the city.

The only exception to the trend of peaceful activity is Korax, who has been offering the services of himself and his streetrats as runners, guides, and messengers.


Current Members in good standing

Leader: Craven

Craven worked in the lumber yards prior to the Preklek invasion, and took up axe as part of the militia. Through the training provided, and a whole lot of luck, he survived that chaotic time, fighting alongside his brother Colbert.

When the devastated city then succumbed to the raiding of pirates, Craven saw which way the wind was blowing, and convinced Colbert to help him create a small gang and stake out some turf. Colbert was a skilled fighter and judge of character, and was the stalwart lynchpin on which Craven's crew ran, even though Craven was the De Facto leader. They staked out some turf in Arril street, pretending to run a protection racket. In truth, their protection was offered in exchange for simple things: food, equipment, and the occasional safehouse or escape route.

When Sawtooth, an ex-Arena gladiator, wanted to increase his own territory, he started impinging on Craven's grounds, attempting to strongarm the merchants into paying him protection money, leading the two groups into direct conflict, and resulting in Colbert's death.

Description: Craven is a tall man with cropped brown hair and hazel eyes. He's still just a woodchopper at heart, but knows that Cenril isn't peaceful enough for him to live a placid life. With Colbert's death, he has lost something of his verve and hope for the future, and a cold pragmatism will start to seep in.


Vander

Vander is short and stocky, with black hair cut short in military fashion

He deserted the army after the pirate raids, and was approached by Colbert. He secretly believes he'd make a better leader, but for now is more concerned with preserving his own skin than making a leadership challenge.

Skilled with crossbow, sword and shield.


Korax

Korax is thin, anaemic, and has shoulder-length black hair.

A former street rat, and almost-assassin, Korax lost his sense of purpose and ambition when the woman he loved was murdered by pirates in the course of Cenril's downfall. Craven saved his drunken ass when he started a fight with several sailors, and was subsequently brought into the group.

Subsequently, he spent time as an sometime-apprentice to Nemo, accompanying the assassin on his many night-time outings. Consequently, he was frequently gifted with the equipment left by those Nemo had killed. This included drow equipment from Kuzial's rivals when the drow was still in the process of usurping the position of Patron and had hired Nemo for his expertise in non-drow toxicology.

Korax has held onto his hatred of pirates, even as the years pass by, and remains inclined to kill and/or rob them at any chance he can get.

Skilled with daggers, garotte, drow crossbow.


Cluster

Cluster is a big, burly man with short blonde hair and long droopy moustache.

Another ex-militia man who had fought beside Craven and Colbert. Like Korax, his family was killed by pirates, and he tends to perpetuate his vendetta against any who cross his path.

Once a blacksmith, he tends to use heavy bludgeoning weapons in preference to blades.


Dart

Dart is a short, thin, waiflike and baby-faced man with midlength brown hair.

Dart didn't get to join the army or militia, as nobody believed him over 16. Getting a job was hard enough, so he turned to crime at an early age. Something of a confidence man, thief, and uncommon cut-throat, he fell in with Craven's crew one day when they were defending the Last Note music shop from a group of thugs. Dart had always been a bit sweet on Nashara, and joined in the mayhem with a crossbow and then throwing knives. He hopes one day to have a reputation that far exceeds his physical stature.

Skilled with crossbow and thrown weapons. Not so great in close quarters.


Haggard

Haggard is a tall, stocky man with black hair cut in the military style.

Haggard was another soldier who had fought alongside Colbert and Craven. He followed Colbert to assist in the creation of the small gang, appreciating Craven's idealogy, acting as a small-scope protector of the citizens of Cenril. Skilled with spear, sword, and shield.

Haggard is married to Beatrice, a portly woman with a deft touch in the kitchen. Beatrice oversees one of the Taverns owned by Craven's Crew.



Auxiliary members and allies

Korax' street rats

Korax has a handful of buddies, bravos and adolescent streetkids who are something of a sub-group to the crew in general. Flick is Korax' left-hand man. His right-hand man, Fingers, was taken by the Cenrilli Bodysnatcher.


Nemo (Deceased)

An assassin swathed in a carefully tailored cloak of shadow-weave, Nemo hides all expression behind a faceless black mask. All that can be seen of the man beneath are his cold, pale blue eyes.

Nemo came to the assistance of Craven's Crew when Sawtooth tried to eliminate the small gang after successfully killing Colbert and a number of other members. News of the assassin's death in Vailkrin has only recently reached Craven's Crew.