The Nightshades
Mercenaries and Assassins for Hire!
I.
About the NightshadesThe Nightshades are a group of mercenaries and assassins and takers of odd jobs for money. They do what they're paid to do, no questions asked. You need them to buy groceries for you? Well, they might complain, but so long as they're paid, they'll do it. Need an official threatened? The Nightshades will happily do so for the right price. Want somebody dead? A quick exchange of money will get that done, and depending on how much is paid, it might not even seem like obvious murder! But the Nightshades aren't all about murder for money. They actually have some legitimate establishments scattered around the land, but those establishments, while legitimate, also serve as bases and hideouts for the Nightshades.
They are a secretive group, and only another Nightshade knows a Nightshade. They are shadows, there and not, moving unseen among the populace. A Nightshade might be the beggar on the street corner, the prince riding the palanquin, or that flicker of movement out of the corner of your eye, there and gone. Their credentials are as insubstantial as water written on wind, but they fulfill every mission they're paid for, and they will do so without hesitation. While they may have individual morals, those do not apply when they are on a job. Their loyalty to the contract is bought by gold, and if any Nightshade fails a mission, they better have a good reason for it, else they may find themselves at the end of a blade.
Getting into the Nightshades isn't easy. You don't find them; they find you. There are stages one must go through and graduate from in order to be inducted even as an initiate. And if you reach initiate stage, the real training begins, and just wanting it isn't enough. You have to prove your loyalty, prove you have what it takes to be among them, and prove you're worthy of their name. Not everyone succeeds, but not everyone fails, either. They take their reputation very seriously, even if they don't seem to take themselves very seriously at times.
II.
ObjectivesThe Nightshades are fairly straightforward in their objectives. Do stuff and get paid. The riskier the job, the higher the price.
Traveling in pairs is a requirement, though there are exceptions to the rule, as there are members who simply work better on their own, reporting to a handler before and after a mission. Typically, the pair, or the handler and the operative combination, has been together for years and tend to know each other quite intimately. The bigger the job, the more Nightshades there might be on the job. They trust each other without question and follow orders issued by the appointed leader without question.
Know what's going on at (mostly) all times. The Nightshades have various bases stationed all over, ranging from large cities to small towns. Generally, these take the shape of taverns and inns, but they also could be traveling merchants. These places act as information gathering points, and sometimes staging areas, if the job is close by.
III.
Rank and FileTo join, send me the profile link to the character you wish to join and someone will be in touch!
Present Members:
Leader[A note on Nightshade leadership: The true leadership of the Nightshades is anonymous, a force working from the shadows through proxies and decoys. No one in the guild knows exactly who the true leadership is, though many suspect the real leader may be someone who runs one of the many establishments quietly backed by the Nightshades.]MasielCo-LeaderBroganMembers[A note on Nightshade membership: Only a Nightshade recognizes another Nightshade. As a brotherhood of sorts, the Nightshades are extremely loyal to one another and to their leadership. A Nightshade will not betray another Nightshade, nor will they betray the guild.]Active OperativesTerrenKain
Decoy OperativesKelOther OperativesAstyrian[The Nightshades also have an extensive network of eyes, ears, and mouths. Though the populace will work with them, they aren't necessarily part of the guild itself. Information is bartered and paid for. No one works for free.]IV.
General HistoryIf the Nightshades have a beginning, no one knows it. If they have an end, it's still far off into the unknown future. They have always been around, lurking in the shadows, doing odd jobs for a price. Leadership is secretive and unknown, even to lifelong members. The only way to leave the Nightshades permanently is to die, but retirement is a thing, and most retirees are either running establishments backed by the Nightshades, or work as fences and information brokers for the group. This isn't necessarily the rule, as those who volunteer to be decoys often hold the same positions as retirees, the difference being that they hold more responsibilities and are typically still running missions if required.
