THE ASSASSIN

Assassins are a sub-class of the thieves and they have the functions of the latter as well as their own. Thus, to be an assassin, a character must have a minimum Strength of 12, an Intelligence of 11 or more, and a Dexterity score of not less than 12. Assassins do not gain any experience bonuses for having high ability scores.

Just as do thieves, assassins have six-sided dice (d6) for determining the number of hit points they can sustain. 

Assassins are Evil in alignment (perforce, as the killing of humans and other intelligent life forms for the purpose of profit is basically held to be the antithesis of weal). They can, of course, be Neutral as regards Lawful and Chaotic Evil. 

As mentioned above, assassins have thieving capabilities and their own ability functions. Because they can use any sort of shield and weapon, they are generally superior to thieves in combat.

An assassin character need not be a member of the Assassins Guild of the town or city he or she dwells in, but all non-player assassin characters are members of such guilds. There is one such guild in most towns and cities, and each controls an area of from 10 to 100 miles radius around the headquarters town or city. Any assassin discovered in a guild area who is not a member of the local Assassins Guild will be invited to join, thus coming under the authority and command of the Guildmaster Assassin.

The assassin character need not join, but he or she will be under sentence of death if the character performs an assassination while not a guild member. Further discussion of Assassins’ Guilds is given later.

The primary function of assassins is killing. They may use poison ingested or insinuated by weapon. Poison ingested must be put into the food or drink, and the character performing this action must detail exactly when, where, and how the poisoning will be done. The DM will then adjudicate the action. 

• Prime Requisite. None

• Minimum Ability Scores.  Strength (12), Intelligence (11), Dexterity (12)

• Hit Dice. d6; Maximum 15d6

• Alignment. Any Evil

• Player Character Races. Human (U), Half-orc (U), Dwarf (9th), Elf (10th), Gnome (8th), Half-elf (11th)

• Armor. Leather (including studded)

• Shield. Any

• Initial Weapon Proficiencies. 3

• Non-proficiency Penalty. -2

• Added Weapon Proficiencies. 1 per 4 levels above 1st (5th, 9th, 13th)

• Weapons Allowed. Any

• Use of Poison. Yes

ASSASSIN ABILITIES

ASSASSINATION

Assassins attack on the same combat tables as thieves do, including back stabbing.

However, if they surprise a victim, they may attack on the ASSASSINS TABLE. The assassin decides which attack mode he or she will use: assassination, back stabbing, or normal melee combat.

This gives a roughly 50% chance of immediately killing the victim; and if this fails, normal damage according to weapon type and Strength ability modifiers still accrues to the victim. Thus, if a poisoned weapon is used, the victim must also make the saving throw versus poison or die.

Fees for Assassination. Typical fees paid (in gold pieces) for assassination are [listed in gold piece value in the table for Minimum Fees for Assassination.] Important, popular, and/or noble victims will be considered as being above their actual level with respect to fee. For example, an elder of a town who is generous and just (thus popular) might be only 4th level, but for purposes of payment for assassination the character would be considered at three times actual level.

Experience for Assassination. An assassin receives 100 x.p. per level of the character assassinated minus or plus 50 x.p. for every level the assassin is greater or lesser than his or her victim. This is modified by multipliers for the degree of difficulty of the mission - simple (multiply by ½), difficult (standard experience). or extraordinary (multiply by 1½). The explanations for difficulty given under Spying should be used as guidelines here. The experience given above is added to the regular experience earned for killing the victim, as if he or she were a monster. Experience is also given for the fee the assassin is paid.

Example. Therefore, if an 8th level assassin snuck up on and surprised a 10th level magic-user in the dungeon and successfully assassinated him, the assassin would receive 1,000 x.p. plus another 100 x.p. since the magic-user was 2 levels higher than he. However, since it was a simple mission, the total 1,100 x.p. would be multiplied by ½, giving 550 points. This is added to the 2,400 x.p. normally received for killing this magic-user, making a final total of 2,950 x.p. earned, exclusive of fees.

PRIMARY ABILITIES

Primary abilities of assassins which enhance their function are those of being able to speak alignment languages and being able to disguise, as follows:

Assassins with Intelligence of 15 or more are able to learn an alignment tongue (even those special languages of druids and thieves). This ability is gained at 9th level (Assassin) and with each advance in experience level thereafter. The maximum number of alignment languages which can be spoken by an assassin is four - one for each point of Intelligence above 14, i.e. one at 15, two at 16, three at 17, and four at 18 Intelligence. 

Note. An assassin would have to be of 12th level (Chief Assassin) and have 18 Intelligence to be able to speak four alignment languages. 

The assassin may select from the following languages: Chaotic Evil, Chaotic Good, Chaotic Neutrality, Druidic, Lawful Evil, Lawful Good, Lawful Neutrality, Neutral Evil, Neutral Good, Neutrality, and Thieves’ Cant.

Disguise can be donned in order to gain the opportunity to poison or surprise a victim - or for other reasons. The assassin can disguise    himself or herself so as to appear to be a human, semi-human, or humanoid creature of either sex.

Disguise can lower height by two or three inches, or raise it by up to four or five inches. It can make the assassin look slimmer or appear much heavier. Disguise can make the assassin appear to be virtually any class of character, a simple pilgrim, a merchant, etc. 

There is a chance, however, that the victim, or one of his or her henchmen or guards, will notice the disguise. There is a base chance of 2% per day of a disguised assassin being spotted. This chance goes upwards by 2% if the assassin is posing as another class, another race, and/or the opposite sex (maximum of 8% chance). 

Each concerned party (victim, henchmen, bodyguards) in proximity to the assassin will be checked for, immediately upon meeting the disguised assassin and each 24 hour period thereafter. 

The chance for spotting a disguised assassin goes downward by 1% for each point below 24 of combined Intelligence and Wisdom of the observer concerned, i.e. a victim with an Intelligence and Wisdom combined total of 20 has reduced his or her chances of spotting the disguised assassin by 4%. The reverse is also true; Intelligence and Wisdom above a combined total of 30 increase the chance of detection by 1% per point. 

Note: True seeing or a wand of enemy detection will discover an assassin, as will detect evil, or know alignment in some cases.

SPYING

The secondary function of the assassin is spying. This mission can be coupled with the stealing of some item.

Where a player character is involved, spying missions are a matter of interaction according to the dictates of the player involved, through the DM, according to the situation as known by him or her and the reactions of the spied upon. In the case of a non-player character undertaking a spying mission, a success table is used. See Spying below.

THIEF ABILITIES

Tertiary functions of assassins are the same as thieves. They have all abilities and functions of thieves; but, except for back stabbing, assassins perform thieving at two levels below their assassin level 1, i.e. a 3rd level assassin has the thieving abilities of a 1st level thief, a 4th level assassin the abilities of a 2nd level thief, etc. 

Simple mechanical traps can be set by thieves or assassins. The chance to do so successfully is equal to that of the chance shown for detecting such traps, but in this case the assassin operates at an ability level equal to two levels above his or her own and exactly as if he or she were a thief, e.g. a 5th level assassin has the same chance of setting a trap as a 7th level thief does. [See the Thief]

ATTAINING HIGHER LEVELS

BECOMING A GUILDMASTER OR GRANDFATHER OF ASSASSINS

In order for an assassin character to gain experience levels above the 13th (Prime Assassin), he or she must have the requisite experience points and then either assassinate the local Guildmaster Assassin (14th level) or challenge him or her to a duel to the death. 

Likewise, a 14th level player character assassin can journey to the place where the Grandfather of Assassins (15th level) has his or her headquarters and slay him or her by assassination or in a duel. 

Note that duplicity, trickery, ambush, and all forms of treachery are considered as fair by assassins. A higher level character can accept a challenge and then have the challenger slain by archers, for instance.

Guildmaster Assassin. Upon attaining Guildmaster/Guildmistress status, roll 7d4 to determine the number of lower level assassins in the local guild. The DM may adjust this result according to the population of the area if they deem it necessary. After determining this number, find the race and level (below) and then find which will stay: 

Upon change of leadership it is 75% likely that each guild member will leave the area. All new assassins coming to fill the ranks will be 1st level, but race must be determined on the table. Note that guild members are loyal only to strength, power, and profit.

Henchmen. It is recommended that you develop henchmen for the Grandfather/Grandmother after discovering the abilities of his or her followers.

Mercenary fighters and men-at-arms should suit the circumstances, but in general they should be very well armed and equipped and include cavalry, infantry, and missile-armed troops as well. Naturally, should a NPC Grandfather/Grandmother of Assassins be displaced by a player character, followers will be 75% likely to leave, as usual, but the new leader will eventually attract a following of up to 44 (28 + 4-16) assassins, the newcomers being found as if they were attracted to a new Guildmaster of Assassins, i.e. 1st level newcomers.

Unless the followers are a body, they will not come at the same time. After the conditions for obtaining such a following have been met, generate a random number from 1 to 30 (d10 using d6 to determine 10’s, 1-2 = no addition, 3-4 = add 10, 5-6 = add 20 to the score of the d10). The result is the day after completion of the requirements on which the first follower(s) will appear - in some cases, all of those coming. 

Thereafter, additional followers due the character will arrive at intervals of 1-8 days until all have arrived. If there is no one available to receive them they will wait from 1-4 days and then depart forever. In the latter case, the character has lost that follower forever. It is permissible to allow some henchman or servant to care for followers if the character designates such duty.

Headquarters of the Grandfather of Assassins. The headquarters of the Grandfather of Assassins can be virtually anywhere and of any form - cavern, castle, monastery, palace, temple, you name it. However, if it is a large and obvious place, the headquarters must be located well away from all communities - such as in the midst of a murky woods, a dismal marsh or fen, a lonely moor, a deserted island, a remote coast, or far into forsaken hills or atop a mountain. 

Upon attaining the headship of all assassins, the new Grandfather or Grandmother must pay all remaining followers of the former head 1,000 gold pieces for each of their experience levels, destroy the old headquarters, and construct a new one somewhere else.

ASSASSINS' GUILD HEADQUARTERS

The headquarters of a guild is always within a large town or big city. It must not be a noticeable fortress or an ostentatious place. It is typically a warehouse or other nondescript structure, with safeguards and traps added. This avoids attention and unwanted notoriety. All expenses of maintaining the guild and its members—excluding the Guildmaster—are assumed to be fully paid for by normal guild activities. Any improvements, changes, the expenses of the leader, and all other special costs must be borne by the Guildmaster Assassin.

USE OF POISON

Poisoned weapons used run the risk of being noticed by others. All non-assassins within 10 feet of the bared weapon have a 10% cumulative chance each per melee round of noting the poison and attacking the poison-using assassin and/or calling for the city watch. (There is a 20% chance for attacking the assassin, a 50% chance for calling for the watch, and a 30% chance for shouting for the watch and then attacking the assassin.)

Example. An assassin draws a dagger with a poisoned blade. The first melee round it can be seen by two persons. The percentile dice are rolled for each, but unless 10 or less is rolled, they do not notice the venom. The next melee round the two first seeing the weapon have a 20% chance of noticing the poison, and any others seeing it for the first time have but a 10% chance. If any onlooker does see the poison, percentile dice are rolled: a score of 01 to 20 indicates attack, 21 to 70 indicates a hue and cry for the watch, and 71-00 indicates both.

Assassins use poison just as any other character does, according to the dictates of the DM. That is, they use the normal tables for poison types. [See Additional Rules, Conditions.]

Studying Poisons. When an assassin reaches 9th level (Assassin), he or she may opt to make a study of poisons. The study will require many weeks and cost from 2,000 to 8,000 g.p. per week. The assassin must find a mentor—an assassin who has already made such a study and actually has put the techniques into practice. In most cases this will be a non-player character assassin of 12th or higher level, who will charge the variable amount. The cost reflects both time and the poisons used in the training. If a player character is involved, he or she must actually have a wide variety of animal, vegetable, and mineral poisons on hand for the training; but he or she can also set the fee as he or she sees fit. (2)

The assassin must spend 5-8 weeks to learn each of the following poison skills:

• proper use of all poisons effective in the blood stream only;

• proper use of poisons effective through ingestion only;

• proper use of contact poisons and poisons effective when in the blood stream or ingested;

• the manufacture of poisons and their antidotes;

Thus, after 20-32 weeks of study, the assassin will have complete knowledge of 90% of all poisons known. He or she can then use poisons at full normal effect and have the following options as well:

• choose to assassinate by an instantaneous poison;

• elect to use a slow acting poison which will not begin to affect the victim for 1-4 hours after ingestion;

• elect to use a poison which gradually builds up after repeated doses and kills 1-10 days after the final dose;

Assassins use all forms of poison, other than those listed in the Poison section, at an efficiency which gives the victim +1 on the saving throw; All other character types use them at an efficiency level which allows the victim +2 on saves (in all cases). Assassins who have studied poisoning (as above) have no penalty.

Manufacture of Poisons. The assassin must compound the poison, of course. The DM will have to adjudicate this manufacture as he or she deems best. To simulate such manufacture, it is suggested that a week of time and a relatively small outlay (200-1,200 g.p. for materials, bribes, etc.) suffice for any poison. Instantaneous and very slow, undetectable poisons should be more time-consuming and costly, but not greatly so.

This does not guarantee the assassin success, naturally, for he or she must still manage the poisoning and then escape. However, it will give a far better chance and also provide leverage with regard to a slow poison by knowing the antidote. Note that the assassin can stop his or her study at any point, knowing only the knowledge gained in the completed course of study. Also during any course of study, the assassin may not engage in any other activity, or he or she must begin studying again from the beginning of the course. This means that during from 5-8 game weeks the assassin character will be out of play.

Blade Venom. One type of poison which assassins can learn to compound is blade venom. Blade venom (always an insinuative poison) evaporates quickly. For the first day after its application it does full damage, the second day half, and by the third day none. It is likewise removed by use: on the first hit it will do full damage, on the second hit half damage, and by the third it will be gone. Partially evaporated or used death poisons allow the victim a +4 on his or her saving throw.

Manufacture of Poison Potions. Only assassins of 9th or higher level may concoct “potions” of poison—or any other sort of poison, for that matter. No laboratory or alchemist is needed, but cost and time are found as if a normal potion was being prepared.

PROCEDURE FOR SPYING

Use the Assassin Spying Table to determine the success of any mission, treating the spy as a 1st level assassin on his or her first mission, 2nd on the second, etc. Such spies can never become more proficient at spying than 8th level in any event.

Time Required To Accomplish Mission. The length of time necessary to travel to the region in which the spying activity is to take place must be determined by the referee according to circumstances. Once in the necessary locale, the spy will then take a variable period of time to accomplish the mission (or fail), according to the degree of difficulty of the task:

• Simple = 1d8 days

• Difficult = 5d8 days

• Extraordinary = as required

Extraordinary missions must be determined by the circumstances of the case. 

For example, a spy sent to become a member of a secret society might take a month to discover the recruiting requirements of the society, and then spend one or more months making himself or herself eligible for recruitment, and then become insinuated in the group. Thereafter, he or she would gain simple or difficult information according to the time requirements shown, and special information could be gained only as the individual gained more and more status within the organization through continued membership and seemingly outstanding contribution. 

Chance Of Discovery. There always exists a chance of discovery, no matter how simple the mission. The base chance to be discovered is a cumulative 1% per day of time spent spying, subject to a maximum of 10%, minus the level of the spy. 

Even if the latter brings chance of discovery to a negative percentage, there is always a 1% chance. Modifiers are dependent upon the precautions against spying taken by the spied upon.

SAFEGUARDS VS. CHANCE OF DISCOVERY

No precautions. 1% chance per week (0.14% per day)

Minimal precautions. 1% to 10% chance per week (e.g. up to 1.4% per day)

Moderate precautions. 1% to 10% chance checked twice per week

Strong precautions. 2% to 20% chance checked twice per week (e.g. up to 2.9% per day)

Minimal precautions represent occasional checks on individuals and their activities and some watch on important information. Moderate precautions are simply more frequently carried out minimal precautions and more careful questioning of anyone behaving in a suspicious manner. Strong precautions include many security checks on individuals and information, as well as counterspies operating to discover any such activity. 

If a spy actually becomes a leader in a group, the chance for being detected then drops to that of the category of “no precautions”, as the individual is regarded as being “above suspicion”, i.e. only certain jealous or ferret-like operatives will still check on the individual. 

Chance of discovery will increase tenfold if a spy is caught and another spy is still attempting to operate during a period of 20 to 50 days thereafter. 

Spy Failure. If, after spending the requisite time, the spy rolls and is not successful, various possibilities exist. The results are determined on the table below.  The d% is modified as follows: Difficult Mission (+10%), Extraordinary Mission (-5%), or spy was discovered (+25%).