The Hand of Chaos

Appendix I The Brotherhood of The Hand

No one is certain when the Assassins’ Guild was first established or who established it. It was in existence before the Sartan left Arianus, to judge by writings left behind that lament the guild’s activities and ponder ways to put a stop to it. Sartan scholars speculate that the Brotherhood’s origins date from the rise of guilds in general, during the prosperous rule of the Paxar elves. The Paxar encouraged free trade, thus allowing the development of a strong merchant class.

Thus, while the more peace-minded citizens of the Mid Realm were forming Silversmiths’ guilds and Brewers’ guilds, it was perhaps natural that the darker elements of society should mink of forming their own guild. The Brotherhood may have, at first, been formed in mockery of the legitimate guilds, but members soon saw the advantages of banding together: self-protection, self-regulation, and the ability to set and control prices. Probably founded by elves, with only elven members, the Brotherhood soon extended its membership to include humans. The guild would have added dwarves to its ranks, as well, for the Brotherhood’s credo is that the color of every man’s money is the same, just as is the color of his blood. But most of the dwarves had, by this time, been shipped off to Drevlin and, therefore, were out of the realm of the Brotherhood’s interest and jurisdiction. Shifting winds of change and war wreaked havoc on nations and people of the Mid Realm, but these gales only served to strengthen the power of the Brotherhood. A series of strong, intelligent, ruthless, and cold-blooded leaders, culminating in Ciang, herself, not only held the ranks of the Brotherhood together, but increased its stature and wealth.

Shortly after the fall of the Paxar and the rise of the Tribus elves, the Brotherhood took control of the island of Skurvash, built its fortress there, and has continued to exert a powerful influence on all underworld operations in the Mid Realm since.

The power of the Brotherhood during this particular period of Arianus’s history is enormous. War and rebellion serve as an ideal cover for its operations. Although not directly involved in the smuggling operations of Skurvash (just as they are not “directly involved” in other illegal activities), the Brotherhood levies a “tax” on smuggled or stolen merchandise, in return for providing protection to those who sell it. This “tax” and the income derived from membership dues make the Brotherhood the wealthiest guild in existence. Such wealth and influence is undoubtedly due to the genius of Ciang, the Brotherhood’s current leader.

Ciang’s word is law. She is highly respected (almost worshiped) by all the members. The crudest, most heartless murderer has been known to cower like a small, naughty child under Ciang’s rebuke. Nothing is known about her youth, except that she was reputed to be one of the most beautiful elven women ever born and that, from hints she herself has dropped, she is a member of elven royalty. She is quite charming, amoral, and totally ruthless. She is the only one of the Brotherhood who can make the final decision to “send round the knife” and has done so on numerous occasions. Although a fellow member may call for such an action, Ciang herself must initiate the order.

“Sending round the knife” is the term used for the most-feared ritual in the Brotherhood of the Hand. Violation of certain laws in the Brotherhood is punishable by death, and, as might be expected, the members themselves police their own organization. If a member is deemed to have broken one of the laws and the death sentence is passed, Ciang orders that wooden knives carved with the offender’s name be circulated among the members. The knives are passed one to the other, as members encounter each other, until the word goes around (which it does with alarming speed). Any member who meets the offender is required to carry out the death sentence or face a similar punishment. It does not matter that the member under sentence may be friend, lover, spouse, sibling, or parent. Loyalty to the Brotherhood takes precedence over all other loyalties and vows.

Originally membership dues were low, intended to cover the guild’s expenses and not much more. It was Ciang who determined that the dues be raised to their extraordinarily high level, forcing out many of the “stew-plate” variety of assassin (one who would kill a man for a plate of stew). The move was quite controversial at the time, many members arguing (but not in Ciang’s presence) that it would prove the death of the guild. Ciang’s wisdom soon became apparent, however.

Assassins were at first required to pay a percentage of their contracts, but this proved too difficult to monitor. Ciang ordered that this practice cease. All members are now required to pay yearly dues that vary in amount, based on rank; the assumption being that a skilled assassin is a rich assassin. Any assassin who has fallen on hard times and can’t afford the dues has only himself or herself to blame. The Brotherhood wants only skilled, disciplined members and can afford to rid itself of drunks, gamblers, or any other person whose personal failings make him or her a failure at the craft. Payment of annual dues is excused only for those injured in the line of duty. Wounded members may come to the fortress on Skurvash and avail themselves of the fine-quality (perhaps the finest available in the Mid Realm) medical treatment. During their recovery period, dues are waived.

Strict rules pertain to the admittance of injured members into the Infirmary. The injury must have been obtained while on a job. The wounds must be honorable in nature and must be honorably obtained. (Being struck over the head from behind by a chair during a barroom brawl, for example, would not qualify. Nor would being knifed by a jealous lover.) If a contract is unfulfilled due to an injury obtained while attempting to fulfill it, the assassin must return the money he or she was paid for the job and complete the contract on personal time, for personal honor.

“Scars Are Still Fresh.”

This pertains to the rite of investiture and refers to the fact that the person has not been a member of the Brotherhood long. Ciang uses this term in reference to Ernst Twist.

Note: Hugh the Hand described his meeting with Twist to Haplo, to whom we are indebted for the story. Haplo recognized Twist as a serpent from Hugh’s description of the peculiar red cast to the man’s eyes, as well as the connection between Twist and Sang-drax.

Given the fact that the serpents could not have been long in coming to Arianus, Haplo found it remarkable that Twist had risen this far in the membership in so short a time. He reasons that the serpents, having seen the vast potential of the guild in terms of furthering their own ambitions for plunging the world into chaos, must have gone out of their way to join. Haplo adds a certain rumor (probably obtained from Hugh the Hand), that an attempt to assassinate Ciang was deliberately staged by the serpents, in order for one of their own to “save” her life and emerge a hero. If this did indeed occur, no record of it exists. Ciang herself would have been far too proud to have publicized it. The fact remains, however, that Ernst Twist rose rapidly in the ranks and is, according to all reports, still rising.

“Sheath to Tip

Make Blade

These terms refer to the various stages of rank of those who join the Brotherhood. A new member—one “whose wound bleeds”—is said to be a

“sheath,” for, just as a sword remains sheathed, the new assassin’s potential is still untried. From “sheath” one moves to “tip”—newly blooded—and then up to “blade,”

“crossguard,”

“hilt.” Such advancements may take years. How they are determined is kept highly secret, but Ciang presumably has final word. Hugh’s rank, “the hand,” is highest, next to Ciang’s own. She is known as “the arm.”

Sponsors

Except under certain circumstances, all current applicants to the Brotherhood must have a sponsor. The sponsor is a person who is willing to literally bet his or her life on the new member, for if any of the Brotherhood’s rules are broken by the novice, retribution is swift and fatal and falls not only on the newcomer, but also on the one who sponsored him or her.

One might imagine that such a rule would discourage old members from sponsoring new ones, but a very handsome bonus is paid to those who bring in “fresh blood.”

In the event that the knife is “sent round” on one member of such a team, the other may claim first right to enact the penalty of death. Such an act may not serve to save the surviving member’s life, but he or she will at least be considered by the Brotherhood to have died with honor redeemed. Teams often work together but are not required to do so. Some may take separate paths and rarely see each other again.

Occasionally, individuals of rare skill and talent are invited by the Brotherhood to join. Hugh the Hand was one of these. A loner by nature, Hugh would never have sought admittance to the Brotherhood on his own. Some say that Ciang herself acted as his sponsor. Others say it was the man known only as the Ancient. Hugh never speaks of it.

A peaceful Arianus will no doubt bring changes to the Assassins’ Guild. But the guild’s demise is not foreseen. The evil serpents’ plot against Arianus has been thwarted for the time being, but not the serpents themselves. As Sang-drax reminds us, their influence has been felt since the beginning of time and will continue to be felt until time’s end. And, until that time, the Brotherhood of the Hand will flourish.