Tokens of Low Commorragh - Ten Thousand Helliarch Bones

A rise to power never occurs without its share of victims, and in Commorragh, victims have always been currency.

The Hellion Gangs of Low Commorragh have never been known for their patience, however, lacking the refinement of the Kabals or even the Arena Combatants of the Wych Cults; they are known for their wild fury and obsession with speed, flying through Commorragh lopping off limbs rather than meticulously slaughtering or torturing others. Made up of outcasts, youngsters, and near-feral criminals with bounties on their heads, the Hellion Gangs are wild even by Drukhari standards; if most Drukhari are Meritocratic, the Hellions should be considered outright Anarchic.

The unbridled lack of oversight in the grand scheme of the Hellion Gangs ended when the Slashed Kabal made the mistake of exiling Sathonyx for his risky choice of returning from a raid with a Farseer. We all know the tale of how he used her bones to subjugate the Hellion Gangs all under his rule, and then used them as his own personal army to reform the Slashed Eye, as well as to raise other Kabals since then. He became the Baron. It is said no Hellion Gang goes to raids without his blessing. The Gangs, nonetheless, change like the wind, with new gangs rising and falling and names changing constantly to suit new Helliarchs. How does one keep such tight hold on such chaotic factions?

Currency.

When the Baron rose to power he had all the Helliarchs who refused to bow to him after he defeated them dismembered by their own subordinates, scattering all the remains that did not make good trophies throughout their old turfs as a warning. The trophies were given to those he favoured, but he always took both of their hands for himself. At first this was a symbol for how he held all they once had, but as he progressed and the hands both piled up and began to decay, he realized something: each hand had twenty-seven small bones in it, with fifty-four total hand-bones per victim, a healthy supply of these bones was available for him.

No one knows how many tokens exist in circulation, or how many were from the original batch of Helliarchs he killed, but ten-thousand is among the more conservative estimates amongst those who show enough interest. The bones had Drukhari runes carved into them, and a single bone was given to each of the Helliarchs within his scope of gangs at first. When two token-baring Helliarchs feuded without his mediation, the victor would claim the token held by the loser. Some Helliarchs have a dozen or more in their possession gained from such developments, and have earned names for themselves based on this. What's more, those who perform particularly well whilst on personal errands for the Baron are gifted with an additional token, though such an offering is left to his discretion and is thus very rare of an event.

In addition to treating them as medals of achievement, these tokens are given up as collateral when the Helliarch incurs a debt, traded when the Helliarch has a surplus and wishes to gain something worth enough to warrant it, or given to those that have earned an audience with the Baron himself. Having one of these tokens in one's possession is a quick ticket to gain the Baron's attention, and offering to return it to him will earn his interest and typically an audience with him. Though not used as common currency, they are still traded and acknowledged as near priceless in Commorragh.

Counterfeits are not uncommon, but never fully enter circulation, as the Hellion Gangs have treated the original in a special acid wash which causes a unique coloration that is hard to replicate. When counterfeits are discovered, their sources are investigated and everyone involved is made a captive of the Slashed Eye, the Kabal living up to the Drukhari reputation for brutality and robbing one's worthy captives of a simple death. Many counterfeiters do not make it to the Kabal, however, as many are tied with chains to multiple Hellion Skyboards and ripped apart by the cackling riders above the streets, usually spraying blood and viscera across anyone unlucky enough to be walking below.

The bones have been so widely accepted that even the most elite of elites-such as Vect, Malys, and Rakarth-carry anywhere from a single token to a handful at any given time, as it is a simple way to gain the Baron's assistance in a situation that would warrant it. Even the Decapitator and Drazhar are said to have a few hanging from their belts, rattling as they hack up their victims and opponents.

Should you manage to rise to the status of Succubus, Archon, Haemonculus, or Helliarch; I would implore you to obtain at least one of these tokens as soon as possible. It is always best to have the shrieking cloud of skyboard-riding savages on your side, and such a cloud makes for a swift increase in power and standing.