'Darkclaw' is the title this assassin has earned due to his reknown reputation as being one of the best there is. His real name is Kahzeem, but very few people know that fact.
The bastard son of a lizardman slave and a female hssaar noble, Kazeem would have been killed at birth had it not been for his striking colouration, which the hssaar priesthood took to be a sign from their dark goddess Anshu that he was destined for greatness. He was taken in by the High Priestess Nresha herself, the most powerful individual (second to the Pharaoh) in hssaar society, to be trained in the ways of death.
With the agility, speed and quick wits of the hssaar coupled with the hardiness and strength of a lizardman, Darkclaw he proved to be an excellent pupil, learning his dark art of death as if it were econd nature to him. He became the Pharaoh's personal assassin and bodyguard, dispatching any who dared cross the leader with deadly efficiency. Secretly, he also worked as High Assassin for Nresha, with whom (unbeknownst to Pharaoh) his first loyalties lay.
At this stage, Darkclaw had travelled very little beyond the Caevalonian deserts where the hssaar snake-people lived. He was fast growing tired of running the Pharaoh's and Nresha's 'errands' and, whilst on a mission far beyond his homeland's borders, decided that he was going to go freelance, offering his services to those willing to pay his prices. During this time he met the dakron assassin known as Hawkwind, who now specialised in the fine art of poisons rather than in the use of the blade.
The older assassin could see how good Darkclaw was, but despite what the cross thought of himself, there was still much that he could learn. Besides, Hawkwind was not getting any younger and so thought that perhaps having a successor would be of use. So the Master Poisoner took him on board as a pupil, teaching him new fighting moves and also how to mix and create the ultimate poisons and potions.All this occurred during the time that the dragon Bloodbane ruled over almost all of Caevalonia.
News of Hawkwind and Darkclaw's excellence reached him through his network of spies and servants. He summoned them to his seat of power at Uth Nagor in the Evermoors and then offered that, in return for their services, he could offer them the gift of longevity.
Hawkwind more or less jumped at the chance. Dakrons lived a long time, but not forever, so the offer was too good to refuse. Darkclaw was a little more hesitant, but when he realised that working under the auspices of Bloodbane would be nowhere near as restrictive as working for the hssaar rulers he too accepted the offer.
In return for their greatly extended lifespans, the two assassins remain loyal allies - even friends - to Syrax, even after his conversion to Blackjack and help out him and Shade whenever they can.
Unfortunately, after deserting his post, the hssaar pharaoh was himself murdered. For letting this happen Darkclaw was branded a traitor to the hssaar. Now the two have to keep a watch out for anyone trying to assassinate them! (Although, compared to their prowess, such people would probably be considered as amateurs in the eyes of Darkclaw and Hawkwind).