The Hooks

Tier: IV, Strong Hold

The Hooks are the enforcement arm of the Council of Anchors, officially known as the Civil Office, tasked with maintaining law and order across the Holds and Quarters of Awarth. Clad in somber uniforms adorned with small iron anchors—symbols of their allegiance to the Council—they are infamous for their brutal tactics and pervasive corruption. Their nickname stems from the fear they instill, as they “hook” dissenters, rebels, and the unfortunate into a system of extortion, interrogation, and disappearance. Though they claim to uphold the Council’s vision of stability, in truth, the Hooks operate more like a syndicate of state-sponsored thugs, enforcing the will of the powerful while lining their own pockets. To the people of Awarth, the sight of an anchor insignia is a grim omen, and the phrase “caught on a Hook” is a whispered warning of ruin.

Turf

The Oven (HQ). Smaller offices in each Hold, often doubling as local detention centers. Anchorage Heights houses their administrative headquarters, where officers meet to coordinate city-wide crackdowns.

Notable Assets

• The Oven: Their primary detention center in Salve, infamous for brutal interrogations and unexplained disappearances.
• The Hook's Armory: a underground armory filled with confiscated weapons, volatile Gree-tech devices, and prototype arms developed in Ashrow's foundries.
• The Hooks’ Register: A heavily encrypted ledger of names and debts owed to the Civil Office, used as leverage against both prominent figures and common folk.

Quirks

• Anchor Charms: Hooks wear small iron anchors as both a badge of office and a ward against the supernatural. It is believed these charms bind them to the Council’s service—whether they wish it or not.
• The "Hook and Chain" Code: An unwritten rule among Hooks to protect their own. Betrayal within the ranks is met with ruthless retribution.
• The Hook’s Knot: The Hooks are trained in a signature knotting technique known as “The Hook’s Knot”, which is used to bind prisoners or secure barges. The knot is deceptively simple yet impossible to untangle unless you know the precise, twisting pattern.

Allies

The Brasshearts, The Argent Accord

Enemies

The Undertow, The Scarlet Bulwark

Hold Fast

Type

Military, Paramilitary/Militia

Alternative Names

The Civil Office

Leader Title

Warden

Controlled Territories

• The Oven

Notable Members

• Nils Gormish
• Olyssia Karn
• Tash Ervin