Rome's Department of Law Enforcement, The Officio Assassinorium

## ***Semper Vestibulum***

The Roman special forces organization dedicated to such operations as enforcing and maintaining the laws of the empire, scouting nearby lands, elimination of high value targets, and multiple other things that may likely never be made public.

The Officio was only recently formally recognized as a true Roman organization, previously just believed to be either a myth or just consisting of the small bands that were working directly under the Royal Enforcer. However after multiple raids in the capital the public was made aware of the Officio's existence and with it the authority they carried. While this type of reveal resulted in a sharp rise in paranoia for those in Rome none could argue with the results of several successful raids on the criminal elements that had been attempting to worm their way into the heart of the empire.

* **Authority and Responsibilities**

While unofficially an agent of this organization could be tasked with nearly anything imaginable the people of Rome were given a more set list of items to help put them at ease. According to the public files of the Roman empire the Officio Assassinorium is granted:

\*The Authority of the Royal Enforcer so long as they are working within a signed Writ of Service. This means that any agent with the business to can, and often will arrest any whom have been shown or suspected to be in violation of the law. Such people are usually treated in a civil manner until evidence of either innocence or guilt can be confirmed. However, something that has become quickly a rare event, is an agent immediately enacting execution when given undue trouble by those they are attempting to interact with. It was said that after the first dozen cases of nobility being executed that word was quickly spread about agents with such writs being of the rank of royalty while holding such writs.

With such authority granted to the Officio they have a surprisingly small list of responsibilities to handle.

\*The informing of, enforcement of, and enacting the punishments required of any laws official recognized by the office of the Royal Enforcer. No agent of the organization is required, nor recommended to do the same with any local laws that the Enforcer has not at the very least endorsed.

\*Investigation of threats to the Empire. Strictly speaking this is the limit of their official part in defense of the empire from outside threats, however given the odd lack of said threats despite rapid exploration it has become somewhat of an open secret that the Officio Assasssinorum tends to take care of said threats upon finding them.

\*Negotiation with outside parties is also, oddly enough, a duty of the Officio given that the Grand Diplomat of Rome is a ranked member of the organization. Given his involvement and the fact the Officio more often than not made first contact with unknown groups it made sense to recognize them as a diplomatic branch.

* **Recruitment**

Being brought into the Officio Assassinorium is not actually all that difficult a task. Should one have access to Belum they need only go to the primary reporting center and make their intention known. Forms are signed, regulations made known, and typically one is put into testing and training after only a few days. No part of the introduction process is too demanding, meant more to see if a recruit has the will to continue going in the face of difficulty rather than the ability to defeat any challenge, meaning that most attrition at this stage is solely on the recruit.

While most mistakes during this process can be seen as places to improve it is the swearing in ceremony that allows for no such failures. All recruits at this point are made perfectly aware that upon swearing the three oaths they will be bound to them, and as such will be hunted down and destroyed if they cannot uphold them. Such is the seriousness of these oaths that various means of ensuring honesty during the ceremony are used, any of which can mean immediately expulsion if they find the recruit wanting. The three oaths are sworn in order, with the first considered highest priority and third lowest, however should one be unable to hold to a higher oath they must hold to the next lower. The three oaths are as follows:

**Loyalty to Family:** Those serving in the Officio must remember what the ultimate goal is, ensuring a future for those dear to them. Those who consider themselves having no family are not penalized for a lack of heart in swearing this oath.

**Loyalty to the Officio:** This oath can also be seen as swearing to see the Officio as your family and treating them as such. This by no means binds members to 'like' one another but it does expect one to develop a mentality of trust with those they work with and fight alongside.

**Loyalty to Victoria Mors:** The final oath is swearing ones loyalty to the Commander herself. If one is to trust in nothing else they are expected to at the very least trust in Vic, whom has demonstrated time and time again that they are willing and able to perform the impossible if it means progressing the mission of the organization.

Should a member of the organization feel they cannot hold to one or more oaths, or that any oaths are in conflict for them, it is encouraged for them to take said issue up with trusted comrades or, if not available, as high as the commander so that a solution can be worked out that validates the ability for the three oaths to also work with one another. Should such a solution be impossible or the member is unwilling to bring it up it is always an option to resign from the Officio under uncertain terms. Such an act often carries with it several days of careful memory modifications to remove any sensitive information and possibly a geas placed on the person before they are released. It is currently unheard of for anyone to be accepted back into the Officio after taking such a leave. However, this is seen as a far preferable option to breaking one of the oaths. Punishment is clear for oath breaking, complete and utter destruction. Typically this results in the use of one or more means meant to destroy the soul or prevent any attempt of revival from succeeding, as death would be a laughable punishment if they had the ability to simply come back after.

* **Ranking and Organization**

The following are the known ranks within the Officio Assassinorium listed from lowest to highest. The number following each is indication of paygrade and, usually, level of authority.

**Initiate (A-1):** Those of this rank are typically given duties as receptionists, assistants, guards, and other relatively uncomplicated duties. Various tests are given at this rank to determine the optimal use of each individual.

**Veteran (A-2):** Those of this rank have worked in the Officio for a fair bit of time and either have not shown promise enough to promote further or are awaiting additional expansions to be placed.

**Corporal (A-3):** Not all in the Offcio actually achieve this rank as immediate placement into specializations or higher leadership may skip it. Those in this rank are usually section or squad leaders, organizers and smalls scale planners.

**Sergeant (B-4):** Those of this rank are often divided into specializations that may add an additional part to their rank, such as patrol sergeant, archives sergeant, field sergeant and so on. One sergeant may be assigned several veterans or corporals along with those severing under them.

**Master Sergeant (B-5):** Those of this rank oversee and coordinate multiple sergeants in what are likely wider spread operations. These are typically the leadership found in the clean up operations in Rome, leading and directing the efforts of the Officio in as efficient a manner as possible.

**Agent (C-3):** Those of this rank are often pulled from normal duties after showing promise in one or more fields the Officio considers highly valuable to their more delicate operations. This rank also holds the highest rate of attrition in the organization as if an agent is found to be lacking in either loyalty or ability they can, and often will, be immediately reassigned.

**Master Agent (C-5):** Those of this rank have shown themselves ready for field duty without the need of constant oversight. More often than not if a member of the officio is operating alone, or openly carrying a Writ of Service it is a master agent. Officially they fill the role of investigator and, if needed, interrogators. Several in this rank are given the follow on of NLR (Non-Leadership Responsibilities) to designate that while to be respected, these are not ranks to issue widespread or intricate commands.

**Assassin (C-X):** Those of this rank are considered some of the Officio Assassinorium's more valuable resources, a combination of skill, intellect, and just plain luck. These are the only operatives that will be issued a Writ of Elimination.

**Lieutenant (D-6):** Those of this rank are rarely found performing field duty, expected more to coordinate and direct the efforts of large groups within the Officio. Like the rank of sergeant this rank may carry an added title to quickly identify the particular area(s) they oversee.

**Captain (D-7):** This is the highest rank that multiple individuals in the organization can hold. Much as a master sergeant oversees the efforts of multiple underlings, it is the captain's duty to oversee and direct lieutenants under his command. Unlike a lieutenant however, all captains are expected to maintain expertise in at least one method of combat should they be ordered, or feel it needed to lead by example.

**Vice Commander (E-X):** This rank is currently held by Asorin Mors, who oversees and manages all actions and efforts of the Officio Assassinorium. The goals of the organization are often written and signed by this man before being distributed, and his word is widely regarded as being as powerful as the one above him.

**Commander (E-X1):** This rank is currently held by Victoria Mors, who is responsible for being the final word on any decisions within the Officio that cannot, or have not, been handled at a lower level of command. It is from her that the authority with which the organization stems from.

* **Other Notable Members:**

\*Captain Sovereign

\*Master Agent - NLR Tsukiko of House Ninetails

\*Master Agent - NLR Suvyr of House Ninetails