Imperial Guild of Assassins

Overview

The Imperial Guild of Assassins serves the Eternal Empire of Koth by performing executions, enacting the Right of Vengeance and killing enemies of Koth and its citizens. The guild constructs gallows, guillotines, ampheres and all manner and methods of execution throughout the Eternal Empire. They are responsible for applying and enforcing the Marque of Death and Pronouncements of Death. The Guild of Assassins trains and provides services of all executioners and assassins, public and private. This includes seconds for trial by combat and duels. In addition, the Imperial Guild of Assassins may use any means named in a legal contract to perform their kill including but not limited to all forms of magic, alchemy, weapons and creatures.
The Order of the Black Blade are the dark swords of the Imperial Guild of Assassins. They serve as the standing military force for the guild when such is needed as well as the forces that the guild commits to the Empire whenever the Black Flame calls. You may or may not see them, but they are present whenever the guild acts in public. The Black Blade are used against enemy leaders when such a tactic is called for in a conflict. Black Blades also serve as warriors against hostile creatures of the Aether and Nether Realms who make way to Urth and threaten the citizens of the Empire.

Locations

The main guildhall of the Colony of Dupree is in Dupree Proper. This demesne is a dark grey and black stone compound known as Slainstone. The fortified structure boasts permanent stone gallows, a guillotine and a newly constructed Grand Brazier to house the Black Flame.
Lesser Guildhalls of the Imperial Guild of Assassins, known as Bladehalls, can be found in every major town or city of the Empire and many assassins choose to wear the colors openly. Although rare, attacks against guildsmyn are met with swift and sure vengeance by their fellows. Smaller communities are serviced by travelling guildsmyn who make rounds to provide regular services such as executions. In such communities, posts are generally erected with the heraldry of the Assassin’s Guild prominently displayed for notices, communication and contacts can be posted.

Major Symbols

Marque of Vengeance

In the words of Tormalynd the first Grand Guildmaster, “I am an assassin, not a thief! The only coin I deal in is the Marque of Vengeance.” Tormalynd, refers to the oversized metal spades made for assassins to leave on their targets as a sign of the Right of Vengeance. These marques are made from a portion of the fee for the assassination. Traditionally, they are made of 5 standard imperial coins of copper, silver, gold or platinum and are about the size of a kin’s palm. They are left on the body to be found and can be redeemed at any imperial hall or fort. The marque carries the name of the target, the symbol of the guild, the master who issued the marque, and may have the name or mark of the assassin as well. This symbol serves several purposes:

• it tells the public and the local shieldmyn that the deceased was the target of the right of vengeance; it tells the public that the guild is active.
• It encourages word to get around. It is considered ill fortune to hold onto a marque of death, so the vast majority are turned in for reward.

The words of Tormalynd also underscores two core principles of assassins:

• You may only kill under a Marque.
• You may never take anything from your kill or allow anything to be taken.

Assassin’s Marque

Members of the Guild often develop a penchant for a certain style and manner of killing their targets. Assassins who partake in this game work hard to make sure that their kills are well known. Sometimes this is simply the a specific finishing blow or wound, such as beheading or a vertical cut across the right eye, while others use a calling card above and beyond the Marque of Vengeance, such as a Black Lily or a Bloodstone carved into the likeness of a tiger.

Marque of Death

A black omega mark is the known as the marque of death and its presence on a creature indicates that any citizen of the Empire of Koth must either take the life of the bearer or reveal them to a member of the Guild of Assassins, the Legions of Koth or any other proper authority such as a local shieldmyn, constable or sheriff.

The Assassin's Knot

This is represented by the fret at the top of the heraldry of the Assassin’s Guild. Members who are not afraid of displaying their affiliation openly often bear this as a tattoo upon their body.

Major Practices

Rite of the Dark Flame

Lighting a black candle in one’s home is an indication that someone is invoking the Right of Vengeance. It is believed that the candle focuses the desire for vengeance to aid those enacting it. Others believe that it attracts the spirits in the Nether to seek the target of the vengeance. While legal, this practice is frowned upon by the House of the Healing Heart and no member of the White Heart will enter a place invoking the black flame.

Curse of the Nether Coin

Black coins are considered to be the currency of death and call creatures of the void to destroy the spirit if they are placed over the eyes of a corpse. This is an especially vicious act and members of the Healing Heart will go out of their way to aid the unfortunate spirit so afflicted.

The Rite of Reprisals

There are many in the Empire who do not have the means to exact their own vengeance or even contract an assassin to do so for them. It is therefore customary for members of the guild to perform a limited number of assassinations for free. An assassin, upon hearing the plight of a citizen who is without means, may personally take such a plea to the Master of Vengeance as a Reprisal. Should the Reprisal be granted, it is considered to be a service to the Empire and the guild, granting the assassin greater esteem while a rejected Reprisal signifies that the assassin has not done their research or does not know the customs and laws well enough, losing the assassin favor within the guild.

Heraldry

The motto of the Imperial Guild of Assassins is “The End is Just.” This serves to remind those who serve the guild and citizens of the Empire in general, that the guild is a force for justice, not simply a group of thugs. Assassins that great pride in their calling and do not tolerate common hooligans, cutpurses and thieves within their ranks. The symbol of the Imperial Guild of Assassins is a golden omega on a black field symbolizing the end of life and the Nether. The Black Flame of Koth burns above the colors while a black rose, the symbol of the Neri and a golden skull, symbolizing that you cannot take your wealth with you when you die, flank the colors.
The motto of the Order of the Black Blade is “Through and through.” Black Blades live and die by this creed. There are no half measures. There is no failure, only death, either yours or theirs. The symbol of the Order of the Black Blade is a circle of ten black swords on a golden field. These depict the legendary black blades that dispatched the creatures of the Wake. The Black Throne stands above the ring of black blades, symbolizing the legendary Nether King while vultures bearing executioner’s axes await word to act. The golden field represents the gift of death that is freely given and comes to all.

The Five and One

There are five named masters of each imperial guild also known as the Hand of the Guild. The sixth named master is the head of the guild’s military forces and is generally known as the Sword of the Guild. Within a territory, be it a Kingdom or Colony, the upper echelon of the Imperial Guild of Assassins consists of the Guildmaster and five other titled Masters:

The Master of the Guild (Guildmaster)

The Master of the Guild is the appointed leader of the Guild in the territory. The Guildmaster is responsible for all operations, all members, all resources and all tribute of the Guild. The Guildmaster sits on the Council of Guilds for his organization, representing its interests across the territory.

The Master of Vengeance

The Master of Vengeance is the appointed leader of the Guild in the territory who oversees the documentation, administration, regulation and assignment of Marques of Vengeance. Only the Master of Vengeance and the Guildmaster can issue Marques of Vengeance and all Marques must have one of their sigils upon it.

The Master of Execution

The Master of Execution is the appointed leader of the Guild in the territory who oversees the administration, implementation and enforcement of Marques of Death, a brand upon the spirit and body of a criminal that cannot be removed without unraveling the spirit itself.

The Master of the Art

The Master of the Art is the appointed leader of the Guild in the territory who oversees the administration, regulation and training of assassins, executioners and Legion Special Forces. The Master of the Art designates assassins to train wealthy individuals as well as the forces of other guilds.

The Master of Secrets

The Master of Secrets is the appointed leader of the Guild in the territory who oversees the security and anonymity of assassins, contracts, contractors and information gathered by assassins. The Master of Secrets is often employed by other guilds to keep important guild matters quiet.

The Master of the Black Blade

The Master of the Black Blade is the head of the Order of the Black Blade within the territory. This position makes them an officer in the Imperial Legions, typically a Lieutenant. The Master of the Black Blade holds ceremonial sword made in the image of one of the original ten black blades carried to send the Wakened, strange creatures made or warped by the Wake, to the void. The Wake was a massive upheaval of spiritual energies that afflicted the lands in the early days of the Empire.

The rank and file of the Guild of Assassins:

• A prospective member must first become an Aspirant.
• Aspirants who are accepted into the Guild are made a Hood.
• Hoods who have demonstrated proficiency and loyalty advance to Cutter.
• Cutters who show expertise and leadership may be granted the title of Headsmyn.
• Headsmyn who master their craft and display unswerving dedication may be granted the title of Master or Mistress.

The rank and file of the Order of the Black Blade:

• A prospective member must first become an Aspirant.
• Aspirants who are accepted into the Guild are made a Hilt.
• Hilts who have demonstrated proficiency and loyalty advance to Black Guard.
• Black Guards who show expertise and leadership may be granted the title of Edge.
• Edges who master their craft and display unswerving dedication may be granted the title of Blade.

Guild members who perform specific functions:

The Master of the Hall

The Master of the Hall is responsible for running a local Guildhall. The Master of the Hall will report to the Guildmaster directly, sending regular reports and ledgers to the main Guildhall.

Executioner

A member of the Guild charged with the performance of Felling the Doomed. These assassins as allowed to wear the black hood in the performance of their duties. They build or oversee the creation and dismantling of gallows as well as inspect the Book of the Dead for the names of the Doomed.

Slayer

A member of the Guild charged with enforcing Death Marques abroad. When the target of a Death Marque either roams far afield or flees a Slayer is dispatched. Slayers are experts in combatting their quarry in specific terrain or circumstances. For example, the Guild of Assassins has members that are adept at combat in wetlands such as the Fen Reaches and the Swamp of Angor, highlands such as the Wings of Haelos or the Dragon’s Spine or the Heaves.

Whisper

A member of the Guild charged with protecting specific secrets of the Guild or the Empire. Whispers are said to have mental protections granted by the Numyn in the form of a mark upon their body and mind to guard the secrets that they keep from escaping either intentionally or accidentally. Most Whispers also keep their identities secret from the public and their true purpose hidden even from their peers. Only the highest-ranking members of the guild, the legions and the nobility will have any knowledge of them or their activities. Whispers employ methods of killing memories in their targets as well, making them some of the most feared members of the guild even though most are anonymous.

Blood Reeve

A member of the Guild who organizes the public displays, makes the public announcements and handles the records. In smaller communities, this may be the only member of the guild that residents ever see. As such, Blood Reeves are well known in their communities.

Why join the Imperial Guild of Assassins?

• You enjoy killing.
• You can follow a strict code of conduct.
• You live by the old adage that two can keep a secret if one is fed to the Black Flame and the other…
• You wish to help others through the Right of Vengeance.
• When you enter a room, you immediately determine the quickest method to send each and every living spirit in it to a Heartstone.

Whispers about the Imperial Guild of Assassins?

• The Guild makes up contracts to accomplish their own goals. How can the law protect you from secret contracts and people with enormous wealth having an organization of trained killers that operate essentially outside it?
• The Guild does not need a branding iron to mark you. They can place invisible, undetectable marks on your spirit that only they can see.
• The Guild is not just killing people, they are harvesting their spirits for some unknown purpose.
• The Guild forces Assassins to kill their families and friends to ensure that they are loyal to only the Guild. Only when an assassin has no one and nowhere else to go is he brought into the greater mysteries.
• Members of the Guild can travel to the Spirit Realm and slay people’s spirits. They also have a way to resurrect outside of the Heartstones.

Typical missions of an Imperial Assassin

• Investigate a claim of Vengeance for the guild to determine the veracity of the claim, the severity of the offense, the difficulty of the mark and the needs of the aggrieved.
• Find and eliminate an enemy of the empire or kill one who has been marked for death.
• Enact the Right of Vengeance upon a target for the guild.
• Craft or gather components for specific weapons and items needed for the Right of Vengeance.
• Shadow another Assassin to ensure their competence and loyalty.

Assassin Traditions

NIGHTWALKER

• Discipline of Stealth
• Guile Approach
• Discipline of Damage

AXEMYN

• Discipline of Damage
• Discipline of Maiming
• Great Weapon Style

Example Aspects of Members

• MURDERER OF THE MARQUED
• WEAPON OF VENGEANCE
• NETHERBLADE

Structure

• A prospective member must first become an Aspirant.
• Aspirants who are accepted into the Guild are made a Hood.
• Hoods who have demonstrated proficiency and loyalty advance to Cutter.
• Cutters who show expertise and leadership may be granted the title of Headsmyn.
• Headsmyn who master their craft and display unswerving dedication may be granted the title of Master or Mistress.

History

The Nulvari of the Hidden Privince The Neri of the Etheri The Order of Twilight

The End is Just

Type

Guild, Assassins

Subsidiary Organizations

• Order of the Black Blade