The Marked Marksmen

An exclusive and secretive group, this global band has a public appearance of merely seeking the extremely skilled archers and gunners to further pursue and challenge expertise. That the group happens to be comprised almost entirely of criminals, known or suspected, is not lost on most people. The group is more accurately an expert group of mercenaries, and even assassins, who will do anything for the right coin.

Structure

The Marksmen are built in a decentralized and highly mobile fashion. Rather than the Guild Halls of the Pathfinder Society, Marksmen operate independently, with a solitary "Broker" operating a "company" out of a small office or apartment. This has permitted members and groups to operate with plausible deniability, as well as for a Company to quickly disband or scatter if authorities come after them.
Regional "Corporate" offices and a global headquarters operate from covert locations. These leaders ensure compliance with the rules of organization, and at times, disseminate order or critical missions to those who need it.

Public Agenda

On the surface, the Marked are little more than unscrupulous mercenaries with no love but coin. At the ground, individual level, that may be true. At the institutional level, there appears to be an affect on politics and the way of the world. What influence they may be trying to exact on the world is anyone's guess. Whatever it is, if anything, remains unwelcome by the rest of the world.

Assets

With a low operating cost and a cut of all missions going to a central coffer, the Marked Marksmen have large stockpile of wealth. Where it's kept is a tight secret, but it's expenditures is more easily understood by the members. At times, the leadership of the Marksmen will fund their own missions and bounties. The individual Marksmen scarcely ever know when these pop up, and even the Brokers administering the contracts are kept in the dark more often than not.

Disbandment

The decentralized system is a necessity, and a hard earned lesson from times gone past. There have been times where the Marksmen have been targeted violently by the state, or by the mob. If there's an assassination, an attempt, or even an attempted coup of a leader who is actually popular among the people or the nobility, the Marksmen are usually the first to be blamed and targeted, even when they often have nothing to do with it. Having faced the vitriol of lynch mobs or totalitarian violence, the organization has prepared to be able to disband a Company in moments, if necessary.

Demography and Population

Because of the high expectations of the membership, Marksmen tend to be experienced, veteran soldiers or equivalents from mercanary organizations, or even the Pathfinders. Though there are no strict requirements, membership tends to operate fairly young, in the late 20's to mid 30's for humans, and equivalent for other races.

Membership tends to focus on the more physically capable species. With Orcs being trusted less these days, it has leaned more towards Elves and Humans, being able to travel with less impediment and suspicion. Goblins have been used in rare occurances; with some shrewd Brokers utilizing them as plausible deniability or even lures against authority figures. Halflings are uncommon, in part from their shrunken size and strength, but also most just don't see the interest or appeal in this type of work.

DISBANDED/DISSOLVED

Veterancy Level

Veteran

Demonym

Marked

Government System

Meritocracy

Legislative Body

On paper, there exists some form of legislative body within the Marked Marksmen. Their principle purpose is to maintain and adjust the bylaws of the organization that all members are subject to. This proves to be a thorny subject, as the secretive nature of the organization precludes wide dissimenation of these rules. Typically, Brokers will only have a copy for themselves.

Executive Body

The Brokers and their Corporate superiors are ultimately responsible for ensuring that the local Marksmen follow the bylaws of membership, and the instructions of the specific contracts that are issued and agreed upon. Punishment for flagrant violations is given out as a Mandate of Excommunication, which all members are expected to understand and pursue, policing and removing their own.