The Syndicate of the Shadowed Blade

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Such a waste of time trying to run, this will not change your fate

— Syndicate operative

A highly secretive guild of assassins, so covert in fact that most people, even those that enforce the law, now believe them to be nothing more than just mere myth. The thought that a killing could be a result of a member of the Syndicate is usually just scoffed at and laughed off, if only they knew.
The actions of any member of the Syndicate must be shrouded in darkness, they must not be detected at any cost. Any assassin that breaks this golden rule brings shame to the guild and would be swiftly and mercilessly dealt with should it ever happen. Thankfully it never has, mainly due to the strict and highly selective recruitment regime put in place. They can't just hire anyone, a candidate must earn their place and prove themselves not only able, but extremely loyal and dedicated, willing to die for the guild if needs be.
This organisation has grown to be so effective that, combined with it's extreme secrecy, law enforcement have an almost impossible task of catching the assassin. Not to mention that behind the scenes, high ranking members of law enforcement and other relevant authorities have been enrolled on to the pay roll so certain critical evidence and any other issues that could expose the syndicate often go missing. Others that don't take the coin stay out of the way due to a combination of fear and basic common sense. For obvious reasons, it is not wise to turn against anyone who's trade is to make people disappear.

Structure

The leadership of the Syndicate is highly secretive, due to the nature of their work. It is led by a Grandmaster but no-one ever knows who those in charge really are. Members only know what they need to know and that is the way they like it. The Syndicate operates by the use of many separate cells, each of which works completely independently. Those in one cell often do not know the members of other cells. The secretive nature is necessary in this line of business, the wrong word at the wrong time could mean disaster.

History

While now highly illegal, merely being a member is punishable by death, this organisation was originally set up on request of the King of Yalaxos but that was for a very different purpose. They were originally hand picked, highly trained and skilled soldiers who were specialists in covert operations. These were used as a special, elite force sent out to neutralise certain high priority targets in opposing military and governmenmt.

Their crest of the black and red flag with the dagger in the centre could not be more fitting, the black is for the shadows they lurk in, the red for the blood that is spilled and the dagger that spills that blood.

Type

Guild, Assassins

Alternative Names

The Syndicate

Leader

Syndicate Grandmaster

Location

Darmoria

Controlled Territories

• Shar'Ira Salha - The Hall Of Ghosts

Notable Members

• Syndicate Grandmaster

If an operative were to ever get caught, this would mean that something has gone seriously wrong in either their planning or operation of their mission to the point of being of no further use to the Syndicate. From that point on they are nothing more than a loose end that needs to be removed. As the Syndicate have so much sway with certain authorities it is likely that the right words would be uttered in the right ears so that the former operative, now a mark, would disappear from official channels and be led to a discrete location to be dealt with and never seen again.