Assassins

High Class Mercenaries

Some professions are meant to stay in the dark, away from the public eye so those that fulfill this purpose are not judged by those that would rather not truly admit that the world has dark pockets where unsavory things take place. Those who walk between the dark and the light serve evil and good alike, taking on jobs that most would shy away from, afraid of what happens when such things come to light. Darkness allows for predators, for those that cross the line between good and evil, for those that hunt even greater evil than themselves.
Assassins are the most well-known of the dark professions as their jobs often have the farthest-reaching consequences. These people are seen to be doing the "dirty work" of gangs, cults, politicians, and others in positions of power, a view that often marks these people as on the fringes of society. Being an assassin rarely allows one to live a normal life, moving between identities to get closer to their prey.
Becoming an assassin is relatively easy, but requires a certain amount of skill to be proficient and well-known. It takes precision, deep knowledge of people and cultures, as well as a breadth of weapon and poison knowledge in order to make their jobs easier. Assassins should be considered as knowledgeable as Scholars and Wizards, not well-read in books, but in people and their ways. Success as an assassin can mean wealth, but failure means prison or much worse depending on how badly one has failed.

Career

Qualifications

Unlike most professions, there truly are no qualifications to becoming an assassin short of the ability to complete unsavory tasks and not be caught in the act. While knowledge of weapons, poisons, cultures, and a great number of other things can be useful, all of those things can be taught, often in the setting of an assassin guild for those who wish to take on such a profession. In most instances, few people become assassins on their own but often work with those who are already in the profession to begin making a name for themselves.
Various guilds may have certain qualifications to allow an assassin to take part, but these are highly individualized and vary greatly between areas. Big cities and capitals tend to have the largest assassins guilds and may have higher qualifications for one to join the guild. In many instances, one must have already made a name for themselves to join the most prestigious of guilds.

Perception

Purpose

Assassins are tasked with the assassination or murder of people who are often a threat to another group. This could be high-ranking political or military officials, people that have great wealth, other criminals, cultists, and unsavory figures, or nearly anyone that a fair price can be named for the job. In many ways, assassins can be considered for-hire mercenaries who fulfill a very specific job as discretely as possible unless the terms of their contract dictate otherwise.

Social Status

As one of the dark professions, assassins are not welcomed by society, often seen as beyond the law and not worthy of anything more than society's ire. Due to this view and the type of work they do, assassins work in the shadows and do not share their professions with others outside their guilds or closest confidants. Few professions are viewed as poorly as assassins.

Type

Illicit

Other Associated professions

• Shinobi
• Snipers
• Spies

History

Any profession that deals with the assassination of other people can probably be considered one of the earliest professions in the world. Assassins have existed as long as the Elder Races have walked the world, but only in more modern times has the profession become so prolific. In certain areas of the world, it is possible to find assassins who specialize in different types of death on nearly every street corner. Amongst the dark professions, being an assassin garners a certain level of respect.