Blood Claws
The Blood Claws are the result of Harath Clawblade's efforts in gathering the various bandit gangs in the Northeastern areas of Breland under one banner. Through Harath, they have become little more than a proxy organization for the Emerald Claw, though only the highest ranking members of the group know this.
They are currently based in Kennrun, formerly a major trade route between Breland and Dargunn, and maintain their stranglehold on the area encompassing most of the land between Caer Shadowfast in the East, New Cyre in the West, Thrane in the North, and stretching Southward into Dargunn.
The Blood Claws are, primarily, so successful because of the fact that they are not simple bandits. They operate an extortion scheme that taxes the Northern Brelish for sections of their produce and whatever else they want like women or leftover weaponry. The bandits are extremely good at making 'examples' of those who dissent against them and have managed to take over several villages in this manner. Harath makes a point to always kill a few of the locals in a village even when they're passive in order to make his point.
The Blood Claws would, normally, be nothing more than an annoyance to the locals even at their unusual size. However, the Last War has left a tremendous amount of warriors out of work that know of no trade but that of a warrior. Harath Clawblade has managed to increase the size of his organization considerably by creating uniforms, enforcing discipline, and creating a ridiculous 'philosophy' that eases formerly normal men into the life of a murderous brigand.
Thanks to the devastating effects of the Last War, Breland has the vast majority of its army patrolling the borders of Droam and Darguun. The losses of forces in the Day of Mourning have yet to be replaced and they are still paying off debts to their various creditors. It will be two to four more years before the nation is up to the capacity to send a full scale army to deal with problems of this manner.
