School of the Spider

The Spider looks after themselves, sell secrets, often to their advantage. Broadly loyal to the Emperor as the Imperial family pay for the information. If they have information they would like you to have, they will leave a small silver spider-shaped padlock. If you choose to accept the information, you leave payment in a box or sack sealed with the spider lock. 
Payment is always something you can afford, with some sacrifice, for example, about one week's earnings. This is collected the following night, if accepted, and left (without the lock) if rejected. On the third night, a Spider will arrive and pass the information. You may ask 3 questions, then you must let them leave or you risk your life. They will also assassinate, but only for their own purposes.

Membership

The Spider tend to take in promising street children or approach the talented. The talented then need to prove themselves for full admission. The Spider tend to be the sole family of its members, who tend to live in Spider accommodation, though they do have associate and covert operatives in the public world. Unless you are undercover, there is no taboo against revealing your true identity, as you have no public identity outside the spider it is largely meaningless. Betrayal is met with death, dishonour with exile.

Special Weapons

Use Hojōjutsu and similar rope techniques to restrain (rapidly) those opposing them. Or throttle them. Otherwise, fists, throwing blades, poison/sleep darts, sai daggers in some combat. 1 use per Spider, high DEX to avoid, high STR to escape. Rope is uncuttable by all but Szhengo steel knives – needs to be untied or broken with pure strength.

Type

Guild, Assassins