The Silent Mask
A guild spoken of in whispers, if at all.
The Silent Mask is spoken about in the same quiet tone used for storms that pass through the night. No one claims to know them and most refuse to admit the idea of a guild operating inside Eastguard at all. Small stories drift around the taverns and markets, each one soft and uncertain, as if repeating the tale might call it forward in the wrong way. People mention thieves who steal without leaving a window open, or sudden justice that finds a cruel man who thought himself safe behind his influence. The talk never lasts long. Most choose comfort and a peaceful street over digging into secrets that do not want to be found.
What Most People Know
Most townsfolk treat the idea of a guild as superstition. Some believe the stories a little more, especially those who have seen justice arrive in quiet ways. Nothing is written down. Nothing is spoken aloud for long. Even those who think the guild is real understand that talking about it openly never feels wise.
Values
The Silent Mask values skill and ambition, but also discretion and loyalty. Membership is not bought. It is earned and invited.
The Code
The Silent Mask accepts a killing contract only after meeting two requirements. The mark must have committed crimes so severe that death is the only meaningful consequence — crimes including rape, domestic brutality, crimes against children, serial murder, and premeditated murder. The local authorities must also be unable or unwilling to act. If the system fails, the Silent Mask steps in.
Before any job becomes official, the guild conducts a private investigation. If the evidence does not hold, the request is denied without negotiation. Any member who takes a killing outside these rules becomes the next target.
Membership
To join, a person must be invited. Invitations are not extended to those who practice the craft without first seeking guild permission. A sponsor system is in place, and no one can be admitted unless they demonstrate that they can abide by the Code.
Member Benefits
- Rank 1 — Contact network. Advantage on Investigation and Perception checks within any town or city affiliated with the guild.
- Rank 2 — Discounts at protected merchants. Access to black market channels.
- Rank 3 — Borrow resources up to 5,000 gp. Command a small team. Market influence.
- Rank 4 — Black market mastery. Borrow up to 15,000 gp. Command larger teams.
Known Members
- Jack Dagger — Party member and known associate of the Silent Mask.
Rumors
- Some believe there is a group that punishes those untouched by the law.
- Strangers sometimes appear in the alleys during storms and vanish once the clouds break.
- A few whisper that Aemon Cobb keeps odd hours and that his floorboards carry unfamiliar sounds.
- No one who has tried to find their headquarters has found anything they were willing to describe afterward.