THE ASASSINS GUILD

1.  What is the Asassins Guild? <or, why is that shadow pointing an arrow 
                                 at my head?>
1.1 Relation with other Guilds
1.2 Location of Guild Chapters  <excuse me, where can I find an asassin?>

2.  Guild Rules

2.1 Ethics
2.2 Honor Amoung Thieves?
2.3 Contracts

3.  Levels of Rank

3.1 Initiate 
3.2 Novice
3.3 Squire
3.4 Master
3.5 Shad'hedar <full asassin>

4.  Most Common Items Used

4.1 Weapons
4.2 Clothes
4.3 Poison
4.4 Other

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1.  What is the Asassins Guild?  
    <or, Why is that Shadow Pointing an Arrow at My Head?>

	Despite popular belief, The Asassins Guild <TAG... *veg*>  is not 
just used to hire out people who kill for pay.  It is used for a number 
of things, ranging from BodyGuards and Spys, to the famous Hitman 
routine.  They are very good in what they do, training their members in 
the latest weapons and fighting maneuvers that would deliver death in as 
few strokes as possible.  
	In RP'ing, a TAG character is usually an NPC, as it would be very 
difficult to play an asassin character in the DL settings.  But, if you 
still want a living machine of death for a PC, well, this should get ya 
started...

1.1 Relations with Other Guilds

	The Asassins Guild is not the kind of association you can find on 
the street corner, as most of the members have Wanted: Dead or Alive 
(preferably dead) posters out for them.  However, they can be contacted 
through many of the other Guilds or certain Inn Keepers around the 
country side.  Their Relations to other Guilds are as follows...

	I. Guild of Harpers: No relations, as TAG is very good at keeping 
                             it's secrets secret...
       II. Guild of Swords:  Tolerable at best, the GOS puts up with 
                             them, as long as they don't screw with their 
                             members. (which goes both ways)
      III. Guild of Healers: Will go out of their way to either aviod TAG 
			     or report them, as they have no repect for 
                             people who kill for money.

	As other Guilds come around, I'll add their responces accoringly.

1.2 Location of Chapter Houses

	There are, in many places in DL, Chapter Houses for TAG.  No one 
knows exactly where they are, and if they do, they never tell.  It is 
rumored that there is a chapter in ever major city in the DL Kingdoms, 
and a few in the smaller ones as well.  Their members keep it very hush 
hush when asked about where they meet.  

2.  Guild Rules

	Well, to achieve some sort of order, TAG has made rules for its 
populace, although there are not many.  Most go over how a contract is 
dealt with, etc.  

2.1 Ethics

	Yes, the Guild has a code of ethics and behaviors, though the 
line of work doesn't seem to call on them.  
	The summary of these few rules:
		I:  Torture is for those who fear, and as killers, we 
                    fear nothing.
	       II:  We are profesionals, and take pride in our work.  We 
                    can not tolerate sloppiness and laziness, for it 
                    leads to death.
	      III:  To lie and steal is for the thief, and dishonorable.  
                    We do not dishonor our family.
	       IV:  To know death is to respect life, and do not kill for  
                    pleasure.  It is a waste.
	        V:  Once comitted, we stay comitted.  To give up is to 
                    show weakness and fear, and we are not cowards.

2.2 Honor Amoung Thieves?

	Honor for the guild is to keep strictly to the rules the guild 
sets.  A breach in these rules means a breach in a persons honor, and 
death is the result for the guilty.  This way, there are no slips of the 
tongue, or any other possibly hazerdous information leaking out that 
could threaten the guild.  

2.3 Contracts

	Contracts are formed to insure a binding device between guild and 
employer.  That way the lines of the agreement are understood and 
acceptable, and the asassin knows what his/her job is.  The payment is 
almost always in a monetary unit, except in various occasions, where 
another payment was given.  The pay is usually very high, and mostly 
nobility and other guilds hire out the services, as a common man would 
not have the wealth to pay.
	A breach in the contract by the employer means death for that 
person, and their property seized.  
	Some of the more common contracts are:
			Asassin
			Spy
			Personal Guard
			Terrorist
	The members are very flexable and other jobs can range greatly.
			
2.4 Payment and Dues 

	As stated before, payment is very high for services rendered, and 
mostly the rich are the ones to afford to hire out TAG.  Upon completion 
of the contract, the Member will collect the fee from the employer, and 
return to the guild, where 30% of the payment goes towards the guild, and 
the Member keeps 70% of it.  This gives the Guild a profitable income, 
yet allows the Member to live in a comfortable lifestyle.

3.  Levels of Rank
	
	The Asassins Guild trains their members in the arts of killing 
and such, and so have different levels of rank.  Many who go through the 
training usually die, and the few who do survive are the strongest, 
smartest, and most cunning of the group, thus insuring the very best for 
the Guilds clients.  

3.1 Initiate

	The initiate is the very beginning step, which has an initiation 
right of passage which consists of a human Gauntlet where a line of 
Shad'hedar beat the initiate to a pulp while he/she walks towards the end 
of the line.  If anybody survives it, they are healed in put into 
vigarous training.

3.2 Novice

	Those who complete the first level of training are moved into the 
Novice catagory.  They further their education, and begin studying 
anatomy and physiology.  Training with weapons starts, and so does 
knowledge of poisons.

3.3 Squire

	 A squire is put under the charge of a master, learning from 
either a Master or a Shad'hedar, more personal skills that may come in 
handy.  It is much a mentor/student relationship, where the trainee gains 
the experience and knowledge from his instructor.  

3.4 Master

	 The Master level is reached after a Novice beats his Charge in 
combat.  This challenge can only be offered once, and if the Squire 
loses, he/she is killed.  All the Squire must do is make his master give 
up or knock him out, whichever comes first.  This is yet another Rite of 
Passage which insures only the best enter the higher ranks.  The Master 
can now enter into contracts and such, gaining actual field experience in 
his art.

3.5 Shad'hedar <full asassin>

	The Shad'hedar level is reached when a Member has completed over 
25 contract sucessfully and without error.  There are few who have 
reached this far, and they are very wise and powerful individuals.  

4.  Most Common Items Used

	An asassin normally uses a wide variety of weapons and tool to 
complete their tasks.  The Asassins Guild has lists of commonly used 
items that they make avaible to their members.  No person need apply to 
these lists, as many of the older asassins have devised weapons of their 
own make and model.

4.1 Weapons

	An asassin is usually equiped with small, easily caried weapons.  
This makes hiding and sneaking about easier and leaves less of a trace.  

	Throwing Knives
	Short Knives (between 3 and 6 inch blades)
	Long Knives  (between 7 and 12 inch blades)
	Short Sword  
	Short Crossbow
	Short Bow
	Darts with BlowTube
	Verisho (another Martial Art based on death strikes)

4.2 Clothes

	Black or Terrain colored leather, loose and strong to permit 
flexability.  Same colored cloth mask or hood to hide face.  Soft leather 
boots to hide audible noises.

4.3 Poison  

	Many types of poisons are known by the Guild, even more so than 
those known to healers.  They are also adept at making their own poisons 
from common elements and plantlife.  An asassin usually carries at least 
8 different vials of poisons, each deriving a different effect and type 
of death.  Some even carry biological poisons such as viral diseases kept 
in a liquid state, but this practise is looked disfavorably on by the 
guild because it has uncontrolable contamination.  

4.4 Other   

	There are other supplies that are used, including the following:

			Surivival gear 
			Rope and grapling hooks
			LockPicks
			Flint and steel
			Climbing Claws (metal, spiked contraptions worn 
                                        on hands and feet that can be used 
                                        both in fighting and climbing walls 
                                        and other surfaces.