Antivan Crows

The Antivan Crows, also known as House of Crows, are an elite organization of thieves, spies, and assassins renowned throughout Thedas.
== Background ==
The Crows started as an arm of the Chantry. In the hills north of Treviso, an order of monks used the herbs grown in the gardens of their abbey to assassinate a despotic duke.Bioware Wiki. Assassin on BioWare wikiDragon Age: Tevinter Nights, Eight Little Talons Since then, through their deadly reputation and exotic poisons, the Crows have practically come to rule their homeland. Though honor among such an organization is generally dubious, they do adhere to one standard: contracts are met and agreements are kept. Failure to eliminate a mark means the life of the operative is also forfeit. The Antivan Crows are a driving political force in Antiva, often hired to assassinate Antivan nobility or even royalty. Their reputation is enough to deter many nations from openly attacking Antiva despite its lack of a standing army. Zevran implies the Crows are an important part of Antivan society as a whole.
When the Crows are hired for a job, generally one master handles the contract. However, if the master is unable to complete it, then other masters can be hired. It is even possible to hire the entire House of Crows, however that would be extremely expensive. There is only one known case where this occurred.Mentioned by Zevran Arainai and Ignacio.
The Crows run Velabanchel, an infamous and feared prison where they keep people incarcerated for "fun and torture." Its reputation has earned it the nickname of "the House of Graves."
== History ==
Past contracts, blackmail materials and secret histories are kept in the Archive of the Crows in Antiva City. Several of their assassinations have become notorious. 
=== 'Just Desserts' ===
In 3:09 Towers, Knight-Commander Gervasio of Antiva invoked the Right of Annulment on the Circle of Magi and killed all of the city's mages for demonic possession. An investigation by the Seekers of Truth later showed that the Right might have been invoked to cover-up a massacre by Knight-Captain Nicolas, who confessed to murdering over a hundred mages.Magehunter In retaliation, the Crows were hired to kill the highest members of the Antivan Templar Order. The assassins infiltrated the Circle and infused lemon cake with Maferath's Embrace, a toxin that increases the victim's blood pressure until veins and organs rupture, killing the Knight-Commander and his Knight-Captains. The assassination earned the moniker 'Just Desserts' because the poison was administered through cake.
=== The Crows and Queen Madrigal ===
One of the Crows' most infamous assassinations was that of Queen Madrigal in 5:99 Exalted. The Queen failed to return from a hunt and was later found with four swords through her body. One of these swords was a replica of Hessarian's Blade of Mercy. Captain Aristide was charged with investigating the murder. After several Crows died under torture, he came to realize that no amount of pain would break the Crows. The guild's notorious reputation was well earned. The violence of the incident haunted the dreams of Divine Theodosia I, thus inspiring her to declare the Steel Age.
=== The Songbird ===
Carlota Montivecchio, nicknamed 'the Songbird,' was a talented opera singer. After she tried to strangle a rival soprano with a string of pearls, the rival hired the Crows to cut Carlota's throat. She was found dead by the director after curtain call, with a string of pearls around her neck.
=== Prince Estefan ===
Prince Estefan was known for his many bastard children. He was known for bedding high-born married women, using sheets to sneak in and out of their bedroom windows. One night, when he was visiting a beautiful married woman named Marcella, he found a Crow waiting for him. The Prince was strangled in bedsheets, his neck snapped. The public version of the story painted the death as accidental. Prince Estefan's mistress was killed by an adder hidden among her clothes.
== Involvement ==
=== Dragon Age: Last Flight ===
=== Dragon Age: Origins ===
=== Dragon Age: Awakening ===
=== Dragon Age II ===
=== Dragon Age: The Silent Grove ===
=== Dragon Age: Inquisition ===
=== Dragon Age: Deception ===
=== Dragon Age: Tevinter Nights ===
=== As We Fly ===
=== Dragon Age: The Missing ===
== Hierarchy ==
The Antivan Crows are compartmentalized into family houses, in imitation of the great noble families of Thedas, with each member of that house, from its leader to its rank and file assassins taking the house's name as their family name. The leadership of the Guild as a whole lies with the Eight Talons, and their respective houses, while lesser houses are referred to as cuchillos (knives). Houses frequently rise and fall in rank. 
* Talon: The leaders of the Crows. Around 9:44 Dragon, the leading houses are Dellamorte, Balazar, Valisti, Kortez, De Riva, Nero, Cantori, and Arainai. Houses frequently rise and fall. While new recruits are told that anyone can rise to the rank of Talon, in practice few achieve this rank without family or connections.
* Guildmaster/Grandmaster:Referenced in Codex entry: A Letter From Zevran. A leader of a large group, such as an entire house.
* Master: A high-ranking assassin who accepts and handles assassination contracts.As witnessed with Master Ignacio.
* Assassin: A member of the guild without greater rank.
== Recruitment ==
The Crows usually employ elves because humans often find them attractive, giving them an advantage over their target. However, they also have a large number of human recruits. They train their recruits from a young age, and have no problem killing them if they make a mistake. It seems to be an effective method, though they would have everyone believe it takes some special skill to do what they do. 
The Antivan Crows often buy orphaned or enslaved elves and humans when they are children and force them to live together in tight quarters. The only way they can survive the brutal process and prove themselves worthy is by surviving every test the Crows throw at them, including killing their peers.
Antivan Crows who achieve the rank of Talon are given a ceremonial dagger from the Guildmaster and sent to assassinate a target using that dagger alone. The greater the risk, the greater the good omen for the Talon's future.
== Known members ==
=== House Arainai ===
* Guildmaster Talav (9:16) – Second Talon
* Grandmaster Isidora (9:16-9:24) 
* Grandmaster Eoman Arainai (9:26-9:31) – Eighth Talon 
* Grandmaster Runn (c. 9:31-9:34)
* Grandmaster Availa (c. 9:31-9:34)
* Giuli Arainai – Eighth Talon (c. 9:44)
* Zevran Arainai
* Taliesen
* Rinna
=== House Dellamorte ===
* Caterina Dellamorte – First Talon (c. 9:44)
* Lucanis Dellamorte
* Illario Dellamorte
=== House De Riva ===
* Viago De Riva – Fifth Talon (c. 9:44)
* Rook (conditional, if chosen at character creation)
=== House Valisti ===
* Prince Claudio Valisti – Third Talon (9:38 Dragon)
* Ezio Valisti – Third Talon (9:41)According to the guest announcements in the quest Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts in Dragon Age: Inquisition.
* Lera Valisti – Third Talon (c. 9:44)
=== Other ===
* Andarateia Cantori – Seventh Talon (c. 9:44)
* Bolivar Nero – Sixth Talon (c. 9:44)
* Calien d'Evaliste – an Antivan Crow during the Exalted Age who was involved in the Fourth Blight
* Callisto "Finesse" di Bastion – killed King Guiomar the Younger of Antiva in 4:22 Black
* Cesar
* Dante Balazar – Second Talon (c. 9:44)
* Count Eduardo "Lalo" Sanvelli – a legendary assassin of the Steel AgeCodex entry: Blackfeather Boots
* Emil Kortez – Fourth Talon (c. 9:44)
* House Ferragani – Eight Talon in 9:26, eliminated by House Arainai.
* GhitaWord from the Crows
* Master Ignacio
* Lessef
* Neri de Acutis - a veteran Crow; Noa's younger brother
* Noa de Acutis - a veteran Crow; Neri's older sister
* Nuncio Caldera Lanos
* Ricter Cordova – an infamous Crow known for his speed, flourishes, and tendency to accept contracts from beautiful rich women.Cordova's Smile
* Vierre Lazar of TrevisoCodex entry: In the Mists: Phantoms Out of DreamsCodex entry: In the Mists: A Torn Sky
== Codex entries ==
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== Trivia ==
* In Dragon Age: Origins, Sten asks Zevran why they are called "The Crows." Zevran replies that he heard at one point they were considered being called the Kestrels, but claims that the name "didn't sing, didn't dance".
* "Crow feed" is a simple, affordable Antivan rice dish made with onions and butter. Its name derives from the Antivan Crows.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 43
* The Crows are reputed to use Antivan Fire grenades as part of their arsenal. Antivan apple grenades are hot, sweet dessert pastries filled with apple and made to resemble fire grenades in both shape and heat.Dragon Age: The Official Cookbook: Tastes of Thedas, p. 131
== See also ==
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== Gallery ==
Crow assassin HoDA.jpg|A Crow assassin in Heroes of Dragon Age
Concept art da4 9.png|Concept art of an Antivan Crow
== References ==
Category:Groups
Category:Antiva
Category:Assassins
de:Krähen von Antiva
ru:Антиванские_Вороны