The Noose (organization)

**The Branches of Fellowship** (Classical Sistan: Arimata Inaturesti Duloscelae [*Ariˈmaːta Inatureːsti Duloskeːlaɪ*]), known informally as **the Noose**, also referred to politically as the **Shadow Branch**, **Fellowship Branch** or **House of Shadows**, is a highly secretive, multi-level assassination organization dedicated to training and producing assassins-for-hire. The Noose was formed by over twenty different organized crime syndicates primarily from Northeast Akilos for the original purpose of training individuals to excel in assassination for the various organizations' purposes. However, as the political and cultural landscapes shifted, the Branches of Fellowship also began to include contract-killing and government contracting.

The vast majority of the ‘recruits’ introduced to the Branches of Fellowship are orphans with no next-of-kin, but also include sizable amounts of zealots, patriots, professional criminals, as well as those that simply have no self-worth. Approximately 89% of all assassins trained and successfully passing being female. Further, eighteen of the twenty-two sub-branches recruit, train, and hire exclusively female individuals.

The Noose is in direct competition with the various assassin training organizations based in Qi'ella and the Royal Espionage Brigade of Imperial Kawana.

## Punishment Practices

The Noose is well-known by the various, oftentimes deadly, ways in which they punish insubordination and failure, with even the most minor of infractions oftentimes including physical harm. There are three categories, or ‘crimes’, which beget associated levels of punishment.

### Crimes Against Oneself

The category of crimes committed against oneself is usually purposeful self-impairment (such as intentionally breaking one's limb to escape training or duties), acting against one's own well-being or self-interests (such as allowing a mark to escape due to moral judgement), and breaking one's code (whether this be moral or professional). The punishment and severity for any of these crimes is subject to the Law Leader. The punishments here begin with intense nutritional rationing, such as withholding foodstuffs, increase of physical training, minor torture, and even branding.

### Crimes Against Benefactors

Despite using the term benefactors, this mostly applies to crimes against employers (though benefactors are still included). These can range from backing out of a deal, to changing the agreed-upon sum unexpectedly, or even killing the contractor. For benefactor, this would include killing innocent civilians who help the assassin.

### Crimes Against the Branches

These crimes are most severe. If one is not simply put to death, the most common punishment for these crimes is partial or total blindness, amputation of one or several limbs, or annihilation of one's personal effects and livelihood.

## Naming Convention

As many of the individuals employed by the Noose are orphans or otherwise have no external familial connections, the Noose often gives them names corresponding to positive emotions or abstract concepts. This naming convention is similar to the Reisish Naming Convention, which often utilizes names that evoke positive characteristics which are hoped to be emulated by the child (such as naming a child Drake in the hopes that they will be as fearless and strong as the beasts).

In highly-developed regions and countries such as Easthaven, these names are often considered to be “low-class” or names employed by exotic dancers and prostitutes, but this aspect is carefully crafted by the Noose to add an extra layer of innocence to the assassins, thereby making the assassins be seen as less threatening than they truly are.

## Notable members of the Noose

Mercy - Mercy was considered to be the greatest assassin the Noose had ever produced. Due to her troubled history and upbringing, Mercy became entirely devoted to becoming an assassin, even more-so than her colleagues. This aptitude and focus, however, was lost on her sister, Faith. She was killed during the Second Nost-Ts'ilvkan War by her own sister.

Faith - Faith is the younger sister of Mercy, once considered to be a below-average assassin. When she was caught attempting to leave the organization, she was summarily blinded in her left eye for her betrayal and expelled from the organization. She was left with intact memories due to the assumption that she would die from infection shortly after being blinded and abandoned. She is currently alive and fighting in the Second Nost-Ts'ilvkan War.