Den of Spies (Civ3)/Civilopedia

In feudal Japan, constant intrigue and warfare between dozens of local daimyo (lords) and other power players contributed to the growth of a professional espionage class. However, social mores did not tolerate professional spies, so people who chose to work as spies and assassins typically held "cover" professions in the lower and middle classes -- fishermen, artisans, or bureaucrats. Often, they would loosely associate in guilds or partnerships, allowing individual contracts to be shared or even bid on (where the winner was the spy or assassin who requested the smallest percentage of the agreed price, with the rest going to the guild itself). These guilds were usually found in medium to large cities, and the owner of the building knew who to contact when someone came to his door asking for a less-than-honorable task to be performed.