Scout

The title for the lowest authority rank of the Aspída Lodge. Scouts are typically not full-time members of the lodge, rather being somewhat equivalent to informants or a specific kind of neighborhood watch. Scouts inform higher ranking members of the protectorate of suspicious or threatening behavior, injustice, corruption, or evidence of wrongdoings by the government, among other information that may prove to be important to the lodge and it's plans. Scouts can be just about anyone; shop owners, fishermen, sailors, even teenagers without stable jobs. No matter the common job, as long as someone is in an important location to the lodge and they can watch out for things, they could be eligible to be a scout.
Scouts likely will not aspire to rise to higher ranks, however some will use this rank as the first step towards a career in the lodge. A scout that wants to and is eligible to become a full-time lodge member rather than an outside informant can be promoted directly to venturer or to a higher-up agent.

Qualifications

• Signed document of loyalty, stating that they will not act against the lodge and giving their personal information as collateral.
• Work/live in a hotspot of the lodge or have connections to important lodge targets.
• No prior file showing ill intent to the lodge in the lodge's documentation.

Appointment

A scout is signed in via exchanging of documents; the lodge has them sign a contract of loyalty to them and is given their personal information to store in their archives for reference and for easier contact. A scout is approved and given their badge after the contract and info are approved by an officer at the rank of Privateer or higher (Lieutenant, Lance Knight, Commander).

Duties

• Loyalty to the lodge; though not solely working for the lodge alone and not being at a career rank, loyalty is necessary to make sure of both sides' trust in one another. One can not be suspected of being a double agent or being susceptible to bribery/deals with other factions.
• Not overlooking something that could be shrugged off as mere coincidence.
• Paying attention as well as possible to someone or something specifically of interest by the Lodge.

Responsibilities

• Acting as look-outs for certain people/information as listed to them by the lodge.
• Informants on activity the scout sees to be threatening, corrupt, or suspicious in relation to the Lodge or it's values.
• Passing along messages if the instance is convenient and necessary.

Benefits

Scouts are paid a small flat amount monthly so long as they co-operate, regardless of how much could be informed upon at any given time. This is typically in the range of 8-10 gold per month. Though this doesn't seem like alot, it is in addition to whatever the scout's job is normally, and on top of the flat payment, scouts can be given bonuses depending on their involvement in important cases, outstanding effort, or the quality of their information/detailing. So long as the scout informs the lodge of what they can each month or check-in, and this amount isn't nothing at all and seems truthful and accurate to the best of their ability, the monthly flat pay is guaranteed. This tends to attract many who are impoverished or less than privileged and gets them back on their feet with an amount to help them live and improve their status in life, which coincides with the lodge's values of helping the classes below the wealthy, noble, or aristocratic who are not given proper treatment and support by their government.

Grounds for Removal/Dismissal

• Removal is immediate upon breaking the contract of loyalty by way of informing other factions of the lodge's intentions, taking bribes by other factions, and so on. The scout will have their badge taken and if the scout does not cooperate they will likely be approached with hostility and threat of injury until they comply and give all the information on their betrayal of trust as well as the badge. The previous scout's personal information is kept and the file is marked with a stamp of distrust and removal.
• A scout can be dismissed without incident when the individual wants to leave the group and they simply need to turn in their badge to an officer and sign a note with that badge explaining their reasoning. The ex-scout will be relieved of duty and go back to their normal life.
• A scout will be removed if they fail to follow up with their check-ins or if they cease all reports– even if reports are uneventful they show that a scout is still looking out and still actively doing their duty, where as none at all imply the scout isn't doing their job and doesn't care for the lodge and it's values. The scout will be approached and their badge apprehended. Their personal file will then be marked with removal, but not particularly with distrust or an enemy's mark.

Type

Professional

Alternative Naming

Scout of the Aspída Lodge, Ανιχνευτής (Anichneftís)

Source of Authority

Lodge official of the rank Venturer or higher

Reports directly to

Agent

Related Locations

• Aivolos, Kankou
• Kípoli, Kankou
• Limani Ano, Kankou
• Nourítíaní, Kankou

Related Organizations

• Aspída Lodge