Phantom Operatives
The Phantom Operatives is a guild whose members are predominantly assassins, spies and intrigue enthusiasts. The guild protects its members from harm, interrogations and sometimes the law. They acquire and distribute specific information useful not only for the members, but other individuals of influence as well.
Blackmail. It's blackmail. They provide blackmail.
The masks themselves are a vital part of the process and they aren't a limitless resource. Crafted ages ago, the masks were made out of the bones and hide of an Astral Dreadnought. The creature's connection to the astral plane is what allows the Phantom Operatives to witness and meddle with dreams and the subconscious on such a precise level.
This also means however that the masks are a limited resource and creating more would require acquisition of both the ancient technology used to create them as well as a brand new Astral Dreadnought corpse.
Any skilled adventurer will tell you that such a task is akin to a death wish.
Means to an end
The way the members collect their blackmail relies on a few things: a potion, a magical gemstone, two masks and the target's pure unadulterated shame and fear. The potion bottles, magical gemstones and masks are available for all members. The beauty of the blackmail of the Phantom Operatives is that it relies on information that, though not career-ending or illegal, is important to the person themselves. Exploiting the emotions of their targets is important in their work. The procedure itself is sometimes referred to as Mind Maraud. Once the Operative approaches their target while they're asleep, placing one of the masks on the sleeping person's face is the first step. Then, by inserting the gemstone into the neck of the bottle, they create a magical vapor. This vapor, when it makes contact with the masks, causes a reaction that allows the operative to see into the victim's memories. These memories are then written down by the operative in detail and given to the guild for safekeeping. It is vital not to make a mistake, for doing so may have dire consequences.Breweries
The potions that the members use and the crystals they need provide a wide variety of effects. By referring to them as "potions", it's easy to misunderstand that the substance inside the bottles is liquid. That is not the case - it resembles a gas much more. Together with the crystal they alter how the memory will be viewed, what kind of memory it will be and other factors as well at times - it's crucial for the Operatives to have access to the correct potion-crystal combination. As such, the tools are procured from a select number of breweries and jewelers scattered across Gnaritia. They are provided to only the highest rank of the guild and then distributed to the other members, ensuring that the breweries won't be deemed suspicious by local authorities.Jobs
There are two different kinds of services that the Phantom Operatives can do. One of them is riskier than the other, so that one does require more compensation.Insight listings are operations where the the members collect information that is exploitable and therefore valuable. Memory-wiping, as the name suggests, effectively steals a memory and stores it into the bottle itself. That is, of course, a much more invasive procedure, and therefore much pricier.
Insight
| Rank | Min. Price | Max. Price | Guild's claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shade | 35 g. p. | 50 g. p. | 20 g. p. |
| Specter | 55 g. p. | 75 g. p. | 30 g. p. |
| Phantom | 80 g. p. | - | 50 g. p. |
| Enigma | 35 g. p. | 125 g. p. | 20 g. p. |
Memory-wiping
| Rank | Min. Price | Max. Price | Guild's claim |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phantom | 500 g. p. | 3500 g. p. | 200 g. p. |
| Blight | 1500 g. p. | - | 1000 g. p. |
| Phantasm | 2500 g. p. | - | 1500 g. p. |
Masks
The Phantom Operatives tools
Ranks
The Phantom Operatives are divided into different ranks that they may rise only by proving their loyalty. It takes time and effort, but rising through the ranks is rewarded appropriately.- The Shade is the lowest rank in the guild. They chronicle memories of low effort targets where risks are minimal. Shades only have access to memory seeing potions, because any more invasive ones would be too risky for rookies. Though their jobs are relatively low-effort, they run by far the biggest amount of errands - their targets are largely without much influence but have a lot to lose. In other words, their targets are exploitable as hell.
- The Specter is the rank with the most members. Specters take jobs on more influential individuals - mayors, nobles, royals and the like. They still operate only with memory-viewing potions and crystals, though they are much more skilled by the time they reach this rank and are therefore trusted with such high-risk jobs.
- The Phantoms are the highest non-leadership rank. These individuals may request hits themselves, they can assign lower ranks jobs they don't wish to take, and can use memory-wiping potions and crystals. They are the only normal non-leadership rank that may do so.
- The Enigmas are special case members who do not operate with the Phantom Operatives like others do. Their allegiance is secretive not only to the outside world but to the ordinary guild members as well. They may request hits, take jobs and learn valuable information stored at the headquarters, but they are under no obligation to do any of those things.
Understandably, this puts the Phantom Operatives in a vulnerable position. Because the Enigma is in contact with no strings attached, nothing is stopping them from handing the entire guild to the authorities.
- The Blights are perhaps the most important members of the guild. They are skilled actors and blackmail enthusiasts that tend to the headquarters while still able to live inconspicuous, carefree lives outside the HQ.
They store and organize information they receive from the Shades, Specters, Phantoms and Enigmas, and keep the guild's tools in perfect condition. Some of the Blights are tailors, providing Specters and Phantoms with disguises. Some of them are part of a clergy, healing the guild's members after a particularly perilous escapade. Whatever the members may need for, during or after a mission, the Blights will be able to provide.
- The Phantasms are the leaders of the guild. Their identities are a secret, unknown to the rest of the members of the Operatives. All of them are aware that betrayal is tempting and would lead to a certain death, be it at the hands of the guild or, if they're unlucky, the Phantasms themselves.
They're skilled assassins, rogues, killers and fighters, so as far as anyone is concerned, a coup would be next to impossible.
For that precise reason, their initiation process is different - they earn their place by winning in a fight against the leadership.
"The devils in the details"
What might your character know?
What? An assassin's guild? Oh, give me a break - be serious.
Unless your character is shady in nature, they probably won't know about the Phantom Operatives. In that case, I highly suggest you skip this article for proper immersion!
If your character is of a shady background, they have probably heard the name, but their operations and goals aren't really known.
Type
Guild, Assassins
Character boons overview
Requirements
- 13 Dexterity
- 13 Intelligence
- A very questionable moral code
Boons
- Tip toe - You have advantage on stealth rolls when sneaking around individuals that are asleep.
- All in a day's work - You can perform a particular procedure that will provide the guild more valuable information. Blackmail. It's blackmail. They provide blackmail.
- Contacts - You can ask about an individual and request sensitive information about them. Blackmail. It's blackmail. They provide blackmail.
- Blending in - You have an extra set of either peasant or noble clothing to help you disguise yourself around town.
- Masks - Though you can request the rest of the tools at the headquarters, you carry around a set of two masks made out of bone.
- Blood money - You have 25 gold pieces.