Ghostclaw+Fraternity

=**The Ghostclaw Fraternity**=

Headquarters: Scintilla Theater of Operations: Calixis Sector, specifically focused around Scintilla, Malfi, Fenksworld, Baraspine and Merov Members: approximately several hundred, exact numbers only known to the inner circle Activities: infiltration, intimidation, assassination Signature: three parallel cuts on the corpse, as if the victim was struck by an animal's claw Weapon of Choice: Fast, Balanced Mono-Sword of Good Quality, see Ghostclaw Monosword

__Contact Details:__ Size: (interplanetary) group Services: Armourer, Master Inquiry, Reduce Item Availability x2 (drugs, gear, melee weapons) Quality: trusted, offers favors Cost: 450 XP

The Ghostclaw Fraternity is a rather new organization when compared to the other assassin guilds in the Calixis Sector. Nevertheless, it has managed to rise quickly to it's current station as one of the major players in the business of death. For the most part, this is thanks to the Fraternity's unique history of nascency, for it has not risen out of nothingness, but rather formed as an alliance of several smaller guilds which banded together in an effort to fend off their imminent destruction at the hands of a rival they could not defeat alone. This Assassin's War, which lasted several centuries, went by largely unnoticed by the general populace and Imperial authorities. Of course the Inquisition as well as the Lord Sector's office were informed, but as this conflict was limited to just a handful of assassin guilds, it had been decided to ignore the matter rather than to spend resources on a useless suppression of existing rivalries. The final outcome of this conflict was twofold: first, the large and influencial Fateweavers guild was utterly decimated, with the surviving members either being absorbed by other power groups or going into hiding. Secondly, the victorious coalition managed to consolidate many of its trade's finest artists under a single hierarchy. The shared intelligence and the extreme efficiency with which the assassins complemented each other's talents had proven to be so valuable that the coalition opted to extend their cooperation beyond the secret war against a common enemy, instead founding the Fraternity. Whilst many nobles generally dislike the idea of this kind of unity - preferring to let the assassin guilds, whose services they frequently hired to further their own intrigues, stand in rivalry to each other - they realized that this particular event was beneficial for them as well, for the Fateweavers had accumulated a sizeable amount of delicate informations on several of their clients, which resulted in some of the noble Houses beginning to feel threatened and exposed to blackmail.
 * History and Guild Politics**

Meanwhile, the Ghostclaw Fraternity has made it clear that it aims to maintain some sense of neutrality when dealing with the larger noble Houses. Whilst this policy may deprive the Fraternity of the most valuable contracts, it also creates some sense of security and stability for the guild. In essence, the Fraternity chooses to whom it offers its services, and it carefully examines that no party involved feels discriminated. Of course, sentimental feelings caused by the death of a noble often result in a House breaking it's relationship with the guild anyways, but with the size of the Calixis Sector and the Fraternity's reputation, they are never short of work. Some nobles also make use of the offer to hire the Ghostclaw's protection: since the Fraternity never moves against itself, this effectively renders these noble untouchable to it's assassins for the duration of the contract. Most often, this sort of escort duty is carried out by the Fraternity's freshmen, who often spend most of their time scrutinizing the safety measures in place - both to make sure that their client's protection is not compromised as well as to make a future Ghostclaw infiltration easier, should he ever become a target. Additionally, these "assassin-guards" accompany their client wherever he goes. Whilst this usually means disguise and a false identity, decadent nobles often insist on their escort donning a Ghostclaw's bodyglove to appear like some sort of exotic pet - with some clients even going so far as to order artistic on-the-spot executions of convicted criminals or unlucky serfs who somehow angered their masters.

Owing to the Fraternity's parentage, the guild in it's current form resembles a mixture of death-cultism and profit-oriented business with a strong sense for the style in which a mission is carried out. Whilst a bloodbath may sometimes seem to be inevitable, the Fraternity generally encourages a more subtle approach. Whilst poisons are fair game, the Ghostclaws tend to favor long, thin blades of incredible sharpness to deliver the victim's undoing. They prefer to strike without warning, surprising the target in the moment he leasts expects, only to vanish just as quickly, leaving behind nothing but a corpse marked with the guild's distinctive mark of recognition: three short cuts on the chest. Should the target become aware of the danger he is in, however, the Ghostclaws are not above to slaughter through waves of alarmed guards to reach their victim. A mission is to be completed, no matter what. The Fraternity does not tolerate failure. The House of Lord Sector Hax is probably the only circle of nobles which is never targeted by the guild, as the Fraternity's leadership has long realized that alleged neutrality is worthless should they ever anger the sector governor. Much like with most other assassin guilds, the Inquisition is considered off-limits as well. Thanks to this policy and it's reputation, the Fraternity has managed to form a few contacts to both the Lord Sector's office as well as the Inquisition, being amongst the prime candidates if one of both institutions is looking for semi-independent specialists. In fact, the Fraternity has offered its services for free on more than one occasion in order to garner favors or simply keep itself in good standing. Thus, whilst not all of the Fraternity's assassins are devoted death-cultists, they often find themselves in service to the God-Emperor of Mankind - if only to further guild politics.
 * Guild Activities**

Scintilla is home to the Fraternity's main temple, an isolated mountain-dojo on the planet's southern continent, which is the guild's main training facility. Every single day, dozens of neophytes leave the relative safety of the temperature-controlled dojo to train and duel on the blackened stones, with the unbearable heat of nearby volcanoes only serving to further toughen the bodies of the guild's most promising candidates. A second branch exists in the upper levels of Hive Sibellus, mainly serving as some sort of embassy for those nobles who wish to hire the Ghostclaws' pricey services. The existence of this office is some sort of open secret - with the Fraternity's relationship to the Lord Sector buying them some sort of protection from unwanted Arbites attention. The office is concidered a neutral sanctum, and no blood is to be shed within its vitreous walls, which allow for a perfect panorama view down onto the lower hive buildings. Aside from these two most important assets, the Ghostclaw Fraternity also maintains dependances on Baraspine, Fenksworld, Malfi - both due to the guild's successful business conducted here as well as staging posts for operatives travelling to nearby worlds.
 * Guild Holdings**

The Fraternity is always on the lookout for potential recruits, but it's high standards require a candidate to have already made a name by himself. Independent talents are preferred, but the guild is not above to entice someone away from another group's membership, often going so far as to fake the candidate's death in order to stay clear of any "unnecessary trouble" with it's rival. Sometimes, individual Inquisitors also send promising acolytes to the guild in order to have them trained in the ways of the Ghostclaws. In essence, they become members of the Fraternity, but remain readily available to the Inquisitor. However, as part of an informal agreement between the two organizations, these assassin-acolytes are required to report to the Fraternity between inquisitorial assignments to conduct missions for their guild. So far, this deal has proven to be mutually beneficial for all parties involved. New members of the Fraternity are considered neophytes until they have completed an extensive training and are deemed ready by their instructors, which often involves a series of highly dangerous tests of both body and mind. In the course of their training, neophytes are often exposed to arduous physical exercise and humiliation as well as trained in resisting pain and certain poisons to prepare them for future assignments. They learn how to don the mask of a false identity, as well as keeping it up even under the most extreme circumstances. Less socially talented neophytes usually concentrate on how to become an instrument of death, forgoing undercover training for advanced combat techniques and a more direct approach. The Fraternity takes great care to exploit a member's skills to the fullest, assigning them to missions befitting their preferences. The Ghostclaw Fraternity is led by a council of experienced Assassins Palatine, who once were the masters of those individual guilds who banded together to form the coalition. Only a select few lieutenants know their true identity, for even whilst they do appear in front of their subordinate assassins, they do so only masked. It is rumored that some of these lords and ladies, however, cultivate a second identity inside the guild, walking unrecognized in the midst of their society, acting as instructors or sometimes even ordinary assassins to personally take over an assignment from time to time. Old habits die hard, it seems - just like these veterans. Whilst all council members are more or less equals amongst each other, two of them are of special relevance. The first one is Assassin Lord Nihilus, who functions as the circle's appointed chairman when deciding over guild politics or contacting the Lord Sector's office or the Inquisition. He is a charismatic man with thick, white hair in his mid-fourties, although his age is probably as fabricated as the name under which he goes by. Many enemies have underestimated Nihilus for his seemingly benevolent attitude, only discovering his true self when it was already too late. The second important council member is High Priestess Nazhera, who heads the guild's small death-cult segmentum. She is a handsome woman with pale skin and long, black hair, but her ice-cold demeanor may disturb even the most stout-hearted neophyte. Some say that she is somehow connected to the legendary temples of Callidus - whilst other, more unkind rumors insist that Nazhera can actually smile ... but only when drawing blood.
 * Recruitment and Hierarchy**

- Assassin Neophyte (guild recruit in his training phase) - Ghostclaw Assassin (ordinary members) - Assassin Instructor (responsible for training and mission assignment) - Assassin Palatine (the Inner Circle, the masters of the guild)
 * Standard Rank Overview**