Concept here

Name • The Vultures
Scope • Antiva
Headquarters • Antiva City, mainly but all over Antiva
Leader • Co-Led by Zevran Arainai (Death) as the face of the organisation, and Adaria Campana (Judgement) in the shadows
Values • Fairness and Choice. A person should be able to choose their future.
Goals • Their desire to see the old ways of Antiva dismantled, especially the way the Crows run things and treat children and to ultimately see the true power of Antiva sit with the royalty.

Allies •
Adaria Campana, Royal Princess
The Red Jennies, their goals often align, especially in Antiva
Lustara, Owner of the Lux
Enemies •
The Antivan Crows, have ruled with iron fists for too long
The Merchant Princes, at least the ones that have sat idly by while the Crows reigned as they got fat off their dealings
Rivals •
The Antivan Crows, also a group of Assassins.





Requirements

Exceptional Combat Skills
Mastery in Weapons: Proficiency in a variety of weapons, both conventional (e.g., swords, daggers) and unconventional (e.g., poisons, traps). Hand-to-Hand Combat: Expertise in unarmed combat, necessary for close encounters where stealth is compromised. Stealth and Infiltration: Ability to move undetected, infiltrate secure locations, and gather intelligence without being noticed.

Loyalty to the Cause
Ideological Alignment: A deep commitment to the goal of dismantling The Crows and protecting exploited children. Members must fully understand and embrace The Vultures’ mission.Unquestionable Loyalty: Willingness to place the organisation’s goals above personal interests, possibly requiring oaths or binding contracts.

Survival Skills
Endurance and Resilience: High levels of physical and mental endurance to survive harsh conditions, including starvation, extreme climates, and torture. First Aid and Poison Knowledge: Proficiency in treating wounds, recognizing, and using poisons, and performing emergency medical procedures on oneself and others.

Strategic Thinking
Tactical Planning: Ability to plan and execute complex operations, often involving deception, misdirection, and multi-stage missions. Intelligence Gathering: Skilled in reconnaissance, espionage, and information analysis to make informed decisions during missions.

Moral Flexibility
Ethical Ambiguity: Comfort with making morally grey decisions, including potentially lethal actions against former allies or innocent parties if deemed necessary for the greater good. Adaptive Morality: Willingness to adjust moral perspectives based on the evolving circumstances and challenges faced by the organisation.

Background and History
Relevant Experience: Background in fields related to espionage, assassination, or rebellion. Former members of The Crows or similar organisations might be considered, provided they have proven their loyalty to The Vultures. Personal Loss or Motivation: A personal vendetta against The Crows or a history of being wronged by them might be a strong motivator for joining The Vultures.

Discretion and Secrecy
Vow of Silence: A strict requirement to maintain absolute secrecy about the organisation’s existence and operations, even under duress. Isolation from Past Ties: Cutting off ties with former life to avoid any liabilities or the potential for being leveraged by enemies.

Initiation and Trials
Rites of Passage: Successful completion of initiation trials that test physical, mental, and ethical boundaries. These might include assassinating a high-ranking member of The Crows or rescuing a child from their clutches. Ongoing Assessment: Regular evaluations to ensure that members remain committed, skilled, and trustworthy, with the possibility of being expelled or executed if they fail.

Resourcefulness
Improvisation Skills: Ability to adapt quickly in unpredictable situations, using limited resources to achieve mission objectives. Network Building: Developing and maintaining a network of contacts and informants, useful for gathering intelligence and securing safehouses.

Physical and Mental Conditioning
Rigorous Training: Continuous training to maintain peak physical condition, combat readiness, and mental sharpness. Psychological Resilience: Ability to withstand psychological stress, manipulation, and coercion, possibly involving regular mental conditioning exercises.




Duties

Intelligence Gathering and Analysis
Surveillance Operations: Monitoring targets, locations, or communication channels associated with The Crows to gather actionable intelligence. Interrogation and Espionage: Engaging with informants, conducting covert interrogations, or infiltrating enemy networks to extract critical information.

Combat and Stealth Training
Physical Conditioning: Regular, intense physical workouts focused on strength, endurance, agility, and reflexes. Weapons and Combat Drills: Daily practice with various weapons, hand-to-hand combat techniques, and stealth manoeuvres to ensure combat readiness.

Planning and Strategizing
Mission Briefings: Attending meetings to discuss upcoming missions, review intelligence, and plan strategies for operations against The Crows. Tactical Simulations: Running through scenarios and simulations to prepare for potential encounters or challenges during missions.

Maintenance of Equipment and Resources
Weapon and Gear Upkeep: Regularly checking, cleaning, and maintaining weapons, armour, and other equipment to ensure they are in perfect working condition. Supply Management: Monitoring and managing the organisation’s stock of supplies, including food, medical supplies, poisons, and other necessary resources.

Mentorship and Recruitment
Training Recruits: Experienced members may be responsible for training new recruits, imparting skills, and ensuring they understand the organisation’s mission and values. Evaluating Potential Members: Scouting and assessing individuals who may be suitable for recruitment, testing their skills, and evaluating their loyalty to the cause.




Traditions

Blood Oath Ceremony
Purpose: When new members are accepted into The Vultures, they undergo a blood oath ceremony to swear loyalty to the organisation and its cause. Details: The initiate might cut their hand and let their blood mix with that of existing members, symbolising their commitment. This blood is then used to mark a shared item or inscribe a secret vow.

Rite of the Fallen
Purpose: To honour members who have died in service to The Vultures. Details: When a member falls in battle, the organisation holds a private ceremony where the fallen's weapon is broken and buried, symbolising their eternal rest. A vow is made by those present to continue the fight in their name, and a token or memento is kept in a sacred place within the organisation’s headquarters.

The Night of Shadows
Purpose: A yearly gathering where members recount the organisation's greatest successes and plan for the future. Details: On this night, members gather in a secret location, masked and cloaked in shadows. They share stories of their most dangerous missions, celebrate victories against The Crows, and initiate new members. It’s also a time for strategy discussions, where plans for the upcoming year are laid out.

The Marking
Purpose: A ritual to signify a member's successful completion of a particularly significant or dangerous mission. Details: After completing such a mission, the member receives a tattoo, scar, or other permanent mark on their body. Each mark is unique and symbolises the mission’s challenges or achievements, serving as a badge of honour among the members.

The Trial of Shadows
Purpose: A test for members to prove their continued loyalty, skill, and resolve. Details: This trial could be a yearly or milestone event where members are required to undertake a secret mission or overcome a difficult challenge. Failure is not an option, as it may result in expulsion—or worse—from the organisation. Success reaffirms their place within The Vultures and often leads to increased responsibility or rank.





Members

Council Members

The council members are made up of six individuals. These individuals help govern The Vultures and keep the group accountable to their goals and practices. They discuss and generally vote on directions the group will take, as far as any major decisions outside the typical day to day things. Though Death and Judgement do have veto power, they only use it in cases of something requiring a tie breaker or extenuating circumstances.

Judgment

Judgement is a shadow figure. Very few people know the true identity of Judgement, only that their goals align with The Vultures and that they are someone that Zevran trusts with his life.

Death

Death is Zevran’s codename. He is the face of The Vultures and very often the one out on the front lines, as he’s not one to sit idle while others do the dirty work. He likes to get his hands dirty for the cause as much as he can.

Sun

The sun is Zevran’s one and only true love, Maika. She serves as head spy and is in charge of helping any children they free from the Crows move on to better lives far away from the Crows.

Temperance

Temperance is essentially the second in command under Zevran. When Zevran is out on the front lines, Temperance keeps things running smoothly back home.

Star

Star is occupied by the resident Red Jenny ambassador so to speak. As they work closely with the Red Jennies, they keep one sitting on the council to help with matters that involve the Red Jennies.

Moon

Moon is occupied by the resident mage who specialises in both healing and potions, as well as multiclassing in rogue engineer for poisons and traps.

Regular Members

The Vultures have many members in their ranks from varying walks of life. Ranging from assassins to information brokers to spies. They are the oil that keeps the engine running. Without them, there would be no Vultures.





Assets

Safehouses and Hidden Bases
Urban Safehouses: Discreetly located in cities, these are used for hiding members, planning operations, and storing supplies. They might be hidden behind fronts like taverns, shops, or abandoned buildings. Remote Bases: Secure, isolated locations such as mountain hideouts, underground bunkers, or forest camps where members can train, recuperate, or evade capture.

Informant Network
Spies and Informants: A network of informants embedded in key locations, including within The Crows, government institutions, or among common folk, providing crucial intelligence on enemy movements, plans, and weaknesses. Bribed Officials: Certain corrupt or sympathetic officials might be on The Vultures' payroll, aiding in their missions by providing access, information, or covering up their activities.

Financial Resources
Hidden Treasuries: Stashes of gold, jewels, or other valuable assets hidden in various locations to fund operations, bribe officials, or purchase weapons and supplies. Illicit Trade Routes: Control over or participation in black market operations, smuggling routes, or other underground economies that generate income and facilitate the movement of goods and people.

Trained Animals
Messenger Birds: Trained birds such as ravens or hawks used for secure communication over long distances, ensuring messages are delivered quickly and discreetly. Attack Dogs or Beasts: Loyal, highly trained animals that can be used for protection, tracking, or attack during missions.

Transportation Network
Fast Horses or Vehicles: Depending on the setting, The Vultures might maintain a fleet of fast horses, carriages, or vehicles (like boats or airships) for rapid movement between locations. Secret Tunnels or Escape Routes: A series of underground tunnels, hidden paths, or escape routes known only to The Vultures, allowing them to evade capture or quickly move between key locations.


Legacy Clause • In the event that myself or Meg go inactive or leave, I leave it up to Ivy, Neo and Chuckles what happens with The Vultures