House Dagger

"Your wishes may matter on your lands, O my King.
This day you stand on mine, and here my word is law."

  Striding from battlefield to battlefield and throne room to throne room, the Dagger are the knights and rooks of the Dreadite chessboard. Theirs are the conquests, the wars, and the Crusades; the rule from the trenches and the war rooms, not thrones. Many are  conquerors or soldiers, others achieve success as tacticians or administrators. All triumph, however, and the only reward they ask is the stability of the kingdom. Their are no failures among the Dagger, only successes and the fondly remembered dead.

  Tradition is very important to the Dagger, and they place great store in both etiquette and age. In fact, dreadites born into this house are not considered members until they reach adolescence, and make their first kill on the field of battle. The longer a Dagger has been a soldier, the more respect she will garner from the younger members of her house. Indeed, many elder Dagger enjoy "apprenticing" newer members of the house for a decade or so, to pass on their wisdom and so they can vicariously enjoy their protégés' successes.

  Patrician status does not count for much among the Dagger, whose titles and lands pass from generation to generation based on merit and not heredity. It doesn't matter if your great-grandfather was the greatest swordsman in all the Lands of Death, if you personally can't even hold a sword straight. Many of the successes the house garners are the result of individual action or the team building efforts of charismatic individuals. The chain of command is absolute; if a matter is brought to the attention of the house as a whole, it is likely to bogged down irretrievably in matters of precedence and credit.

  However, when the Dagger do act, they do so swiftly, effectively and decisively. A Dagger with an ambition is a terrible thing to behold, for she will not stop until it is achieved, and woe betide any who obstruct her.

NICKNAME:  Paladins or Assassins (derogatory)

SECT:  If the Doom are the right hand of the King, than House Dagger is the sword held firmly in that hand. The Dagger are staunchly loyal to the kingdom and House Doom. Only a minor house, the Dagger nonetheless control the armies of the kingdom, and they are granted respect accordingly.

APPEARANCE:   The Dagger tend to dress stylishly but practically. Aquiline noses, pitch-black skin, white hair and slim, graceful builds dominate the houses' membership, though some members bear more Nubian characteristics. Individuals may have almost any appearance, however, as the houses values skill more than good-looks. All adult members of the house have a stylized dagger tattooed somewhere on their body, this mark is not always visible and it is considered rude for a Dagger to inquire about the location of another's branding; for an outsider to do so is a deadly insult.

HOUSE POWERS:    Supernatural strength, supernatural speed, martial prowess.

Stereotypes
House Apocalypse	The lot of them is about as noble as a knife between the shoulder blades. Treachery and condescension make such a charming combination.
House Dracos	Obviously, in the minds of the Dragons scholar-warrior means something a trifle different than it does to the Dagger. Treat them as you would a slow-burning fire: with respect and distance.
House Doom	Good soldiers, they support the kingdom fully; Of course that is because it belongs to them.
House Luna	Value their opinions on art and architecture, but not on anything else.
House Lycanthro	Bestial at best, perhaps they might some day be finally tamed and used for sport. Like hounds, perhaps, or falcons.
House Oni	Disgusting to behold, odious to speak to, and terrifying to battle. House Oni is the most potent weapon the Dagger wield.
House Yaijinden	One must admire their ambition and ingenuity in seizing for themselves the mantle of Noble House. Alas, there's precious little else to admire about them.
Crystal Senshi	One would think they'd forget freedom after a millennium, but it would seem not to be the case. They have an admirable talent for carrying grudges, and not much else.
Mirth House	The next Crusade should be directed at the inheritors of Mirthis. Never mind the Tenshi- these are the true infidels.
Tenshi Force	Why does anyone hesitate when confronted with the chance to annihilate one of these cringing deceivers?
The Blackmoon	They fancy themselves free? Fools.