In its earliest days, House Hawkwood was the leading house but a consortium of other houses, led by Decados, brought it crashing down, almost to the point of extinction. One member managed to revive its fortunes and within generations it once again became one of the greatest houses, until the first barbarian invasion broke through at Delphi and devastated Hawkwood’s holdings. Other catastrophes have come and gone, but House Hawkwood endures… While certain Hawkwoods have gone bad in the past, they are easily dismissed by those who remain. Real Hawkwoods can deal with anything. Real Hawkwoods never doubt themselves. Real Hawkwoods know that their bloodline allows them to face any enemy and overcome any obstacle. Failure of any kind is not accepted. This background makes Hawkwoods vain, headstrong and bigoted – but at the same time they can be courageous, charitable and progressive. Hawkwood nobles are extremely conscious of both their personal honor and that of their House, and dueling is a favorite method of resolving such conflicts.