"Gaurb mak Dylyks gythrak vakt Malgyub, ggen mak gythrakt bruogg Malgyenehk."

"The Dominator's blade has skewered me, and so now shall I and it become one"

-Prayer of the Shohnaluurkh

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Shohnaluurkh is the title given to a Hobgoblin who serves as his chieftain's master assassin and scout. Hobgoblins worship the brutal murderer-god Maglubiyet, who slew all other deities in their pantheon. As such, assassination is undertaken as a religious duty by the zealous Shohnaluurkh. When a Chieftan selects his Shohnaluurkh, it, like all great events in Hobgoblin society, is undertaken via combat.

The Chieftan will select his greatest warrior. The two then doff their armor and, with only a small blade in hand, face each other in mortal combat. If the warrior is victorious, he slays his chieftan and takes his place, having proven himself the greater fighter. If the chieftan wins, however, the warrior is 'spared', and must utter the Shohnaluurkh's prayer. This binds the warrior, who was 'killed' by the chieftan ritualistically, but whose body still lives and is the chieftan's to command, in a very "I-owe- you-my-life, because you COULD have just killed me." Kind of way.

It is considered a supreme humiliation to allow a target to escape, and they are loyal to the point of ending their own lives when captured to avoid interrogation - That is definitely saying something, given the pragmatic "Got mine" attitude most Hobgoblins display when faced with the potential avenue for mercy through divulging information.

Shohnaluurkh are trained in the application of all poisons, and are second to none in combat with any weapon they choose. In the arid and nomadic steppe that Hobgoblins hail from, hiding one's identity long enough to become close to, and discreetly assassinate, any chieftain or leader is next to impossible. As a result, Hobgoblins practice assassination with no subterfuge - Riding into the enemy's camp at the opportune time and loosing the killing arrow from horseback, darting off just as quickly as they arrived. In another scenario, they may be forced to cut their way through a dozen or more warriors to reach their target. Either way, their success is assured once they commit to their patiently formulated plan.

To assist in their secondary duty as scouts for their own tribes, many Shohnaluurkh practice falconry and are known to delve into practices which would be called "Druidic" in many parts of Mesigg in order to train their birds. Once the bond between the two becomes strong enough, some believe Shohnaluurkh posses the ability to see through their Falcon's eyes and can communicate with the bird as though it could speak a mortal tongue.