Quad (Sword of Truth)
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A Quad is a term used in the Sword of Truth fantasy series by Terry Goodkind.
[edit] Description
A Quad is a specially trained group of four assassins from D'Hara assigned primarily to hunt down and kill Confessors. Richard is bigger than most men and members of a quad are much bigger than him. Quads often had the protection of a spell from the one who sent them (Panis or Darken Rahl). It was not only their assignment to kill the victim, but to make it unimaginably tortuous and brutal.
Panis and Darken Rahl always sent four men in a quad to capture a Confessor. It is expected that one will be touched by her power. It takes the three left to kill the one and the Confessor. The reason it takes three is because the one will fight so fiercely he usually kills one, often two, but that still leaves at least one to kill the Confessor. Sometimes only one was left, but that was enough after a Confessor had spent her power. On a rare occasion, the one would kill all three, but only with the most powerful Confessors. A quad is the most economical unit to send, they almost always succeed, and if they don't, Rahl would simply send another. The members of a quad take great enjoyment from what they do to Confessors before they kill them.
The clothing members of a quad wear can vary depending on the terrain, but typically they wear green hooded forest cloaks that shades their face but can't conceal their heavily muscled bulk. They are typically armed to the teeth. Buckles and leather belts beneath their cloaks typically hold an arsenal of weapons such as curved knives and short swords and they also typically wear leather gloves. They are the kind of men you try not to look in the eye. Some may have a scabbard with a short sword strapped across their back. Most have thick blonde hair, a thick neck, and are fairly good-looking with rugged, handsome faces. Although larger than most men, they can move with stealth and quickness and stalk their prey without being detected, as well as cut down their enemies in a heartbeat. Their voices are typically deep, even friendly. Pain usually does not bother them. They are relentless. They will not stop, don't know the meaning of it, and never think of anything but their objective.
They have been known to cut themselves (typically their forearm) accompanied by a depraved grin in an attempt to intimidate their opponent. They often attack with the howling battle cry of men prepared to die in mortal combat. When victorious, death is usually the best part of the rest of their victim's life. One member of the quad is usually assigned as the leader and spokesperson for the group.
