Coterie: The Guild (WoD)

SchreckNet Data File: The Guild

The Guild is a rumoured group of kindred in Ashford that hire themselves out for their martial and combat skills. This includes predominantly assassins but also includes bodyguards/personal protection and bounty hunting, or even espionage. None of the Guild members, if asked, will acknowledge the existence of the coterie or membership thereof, and it is not known if this is due to a secrecy pact, or if the coterie is more of a loose association of kindred with overlapping interests, and a coordinated attempt for them to work together (or at least stay out of each other's way). All the members are either good at some form of combat, tracking/locating targets, or stealth (or all the above).

The coterie is led by Mira Panikkar, or at least coordinated as she is able to contact all the members and give them jobs. It appears that Guild members are not forced to only work for Mira.

The Guild: Background

The Guild is relatively new in Ashford, appearing on the scene only after the end of the Sabbat Crusade. All the members have operated for a while (some, literally, for over a century) but independent of each other. At times, this has caused them to cross paths with each other.

Unsurprisingly, the Assamite clan has always been on the forefront of the kindred-assassins-for-hire sector, but many have noticed that, in recent years, the Assamites have become erratic in their organisation, professionalism and observance of classic rules. Traditionally, Assamites have had to keep a low profile in non-Assamite domains, working for Princes, Bishops or other controllers whilst following Sect rules to prevent problems. Mira Panikkar has claimed, however, that there is a large faction within the Assamite clan that believes that the clan would be best served no longer being independent, but by formally becoming members of the Camarilla. Whilst the clan is officially independent, many of these Camarilla-Assamites have found varying degrees of acceptance in Camarilla domains. Due to a formal agreement made with the new Primogen council of Ashford during the Crusade, Mira has been officially appointed as Assamite Primogen of Ashford. As a result of this, more Assamites have come into Ashford. Most of these, Mira claims, believe that the Assamites should be Camarilla members, though she admits not all are - but even those who are not are still Assamites, and therefore follow her direction and rules regardless and therefore, at best, not a threat to the Camarilla. With the recent losses to the Sabbat in the Crusade, as well as the loss of Camarilla domains in the southern states of America over the last decade, leaving Ashford relatively isolated as a Camarilla domain amongst Anarch Free State domains in California and Sabbat domains/contested domains for most of the southern and west coast states, the extra martial aid loyal to the Camarilla is a welcome reprieve, especially since the Gangrels left the Camarilla.

Since officially setting up in Ashford, Mira has endeavoured to prove the Assamite clan's loyalty to the Camarilla and, as part of this endeavour, has attempted to take over the domain of contract killing - allowing a degree of open transparency of Assamite activity to the Camarilla members of Ashford, as well as coordinating with others that have overlapping areas, for the mutual benefit of both members and the Camarilla.

The Guild: Rules

The Guild has few formal rules, at least that are known, include:

• The first rule of the Guild: You do not talk about the Guild.
• Guild members will not take contracts against other guild members, nor engage in personal vendettas against other members. Any past conflicts or grievances are to be set aside or run formally through the Guild.
• Guild members will not take hostile actions against other guild members, except when required to fulfil a contract; In such cases, Guild members will endeavour to not send other Guild members to final death.
• Guild members will coordinate activities through Mira, regardless if given contracts through Mira or taken externally; by doing this the likelihood of members encountering each other at cross-purpose is reduced.
• The Guild will take a percentage of fees gained from arranging contracts directly. They will not take a cut from independently-arranged contracts, although there will be a fee if contracts are taken which are not declared, and this results in a class with Guild contracts.
• Guild members are to answer calls for assistance from other members, especially if such call is to preserve the Masquerade or prevent attention from kine institutions than can be problematic for the Guild.

The Guild: Members

At present, believed members (ie active, recruitable agents) of the Guild includes:

• Mira Panikkar, Clan Assamite (Coordinator)
• Faran Haroon Salahuddin, Clan Assamite (assassin)
• Lohita Vinchhi, Clan Assamite (assassin; espionage)
• Helena Baker, Clan Assamite (trainer;bodyguard)
• Evelynn "Eve" Wren, Clan Gangrel (courier/scout/bodyguard)
• Bruce Phoenix, Clan Gangrel (bounty hunter)
• Kisa, Clan Senya (espionage; assassination)
• Tatjana, Clan Toreador (assassin; espionage)

Believed associates of the Guild (ie not active members and recruitable agents, but often coordinate with, or provide assistance or services - personally or via their clan/influences - to or for the Guild) include:

• Marina Vasilyeva, Clan Nosferatu (espionage) - Marina is the Primogen of the Nosferatu clan and believed to be the mysterious Shadow Bratva crime syndicate boss. She has a lot of contacts and russian mafia members under her and sells information to the Guild as well as accepting contracts for espionage (and occasionally, assassination) by the Guild which she subcontracts to either Clan members (typically espionage) or members of her human crime syndicate (typically assassination or protection).
• Braxton Donahoe, Clan Senya (espionage) - as Primogen of a Clan notorious for being spies, Mira endeavours to keep close relations with him as, like the Nosferatu, he serves as the central hub for being able to access Clan Senya's ability for espionage, which rivals that of the Nosferatu, even moreso in the business and political kine worlds or amongst other clans.
• The Bertoli Brothers, Clan Toreador (protection; assassination) - the Bertoli brothers (Tony and Franco Bertoli) are prominent members of the Italian mafia in Ashford and can be used to bring the mafia's resources into play. The Bertoli brothers will occasionally directly take assassination jobs (mafia-style hits), as they were mafia enforcers even during their mortal days and as kindred simply moved up the Cosa Nostra's ladder.

Member Profile: Mira

Full Article: Mira Panikkar (WoD)

• Real/Birth Name: Mira Aishwarya Panikkar
  
• Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Mira Kaniyan
  
• Place of Origin: Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
  
• Height: 5'5"
  
• Occupation: Club Owner/Crime Boss
  
• Apparent Age: Mid-20s
  
• Embraced: 1453
  
• Kindred Status: Elder
  
• Sire: Unknown
  
• Clan: Assamite (Sorcerer)
  
• Camarilla Status: Respected Elder
  
• Sect: Camarilla
  
• Sect Status: Primogen
  
• Coterie Role: Coordinator; Assassin

Information

Mira is an attractive woman of Hindu heritage who is known to run the Kelara Spice Hindu-culture club. She is an Assamite elder of the Sorcerer bloodline, meaning she is a master of Assamite Sorcery (Assamite Blood Magic, which is similar but rival to Tremere Thaumaturgy) and more inclined to knowledge and learning than her clanmates, which are stereotypes as assassins and warriors. She acts as the central coordinator for the Guild as an extension of her underworld activities amongst the kine. The Kelara Spice club includes secret underworld activities such as an opium den and harem, but also trains and employs assassins and mercenaries for hire. Whilst most of this activity is amongst the kine (both her clients and her employees) it also serves as a good gover for Guild activities, which is essentially a fine application of her business for the benefit of Guild members and the Camarilla, in addition to her own business concerns. For example assassination contracts against Kindred (typically outside the domain, against independents, blood hunts, or otherwise sanctioned by the Prince or Sheriff) or espionage activities against Kindred (or domains belonging to Kindred) would be run through a Guild member rather than a mortal contractor - both to preserve the Masquerade as well as increasing probability of success.

Mira also has close ties with the Nosferatu Primogen and they coordinate activities; with the Nosferatu clan often being subcontracted to obtain information (this has proven useful for clans such as the Toreador who may wish to use Nosferatu services, but do not want to approach the Nosferatu because of clan enmities). Mira's influence over the Russian Bratva also gives her actual criminal underworld muscle she can bring to bear for the Guild/Mira as required.

Mira and the Senya Primogen have also been working on improving their links to similar effect. Whilst Clan Senya is not known (as a clan) to directly carry out assassinations or criminal underworld activities, their shape-shifting and imitation abilities make them able to infiltrate domains and get spies and informants that even the Nosferatu find harder. Whilst the Nosferatu are good at hiding, the Senya are good at impersonating - an unknown employee in a company may raise questions, but the presence of the head of security would not. From Clan Senya's perspective, improving ties with Mira aids the clan's overall goals, improves their reputation/trust as a Clan (as many kindred still wonder and fear if the Senya are still spying on them internally and pretending to be members of their own clan, as they have done for centuries - something the Primogen officially denies, but when asked unofficially will simply grin and shrug). It also is helpful to the clan to be able to sell information and services to the Guild and gain their assistance when needed. Overall, it benefits the Ashford domain, and prevents accidental clashes between Senya agents that may inadvertently cross the path of a Guild member; which can be damaging to both sides.

Despite predominantly serving as Coordinator, Mira occasionally gets her hands dirty as well. Whilst she may not have the mastery of physical Disciplines, and variant versions of her clan Disciplines to other Assamites, she is nonetheless a Kalaripayatu (an ancient Indian battlefield martial art) master and Assamite elder (and thus an excellent assassin), and can be a master of the subtle kill using subterfuge, poison or blood magic.

Combat/Assassination Style

As a Kalaripayatu master, Mira is a master of both unarmed martial arts as well as melee martial arts (especially Kalaripayatu swords). She is also an expert with firearms and at stealth and has some degree of Celerity, although it is not a clan Discipline for her. Therefore she is quite capable of directly engaging and defeating in personal combat any kine, and most younger kindred. Against tougher kindred foes, she is capable of using her Assamite Sorcery to lethal effects, employing blood effects, using wards on her weapons that can magically harm kindred, setting targets on fire or using mental telekinesis against them. Typically, however, she would use subtler means such as poisoning targets or using her powers or skills to arrange accidents or get close to her target for a quick kill, which can then be covered up if required by her clanmates/employees.

Member Profile: Tatjana

Full Article: Tatjana (WoD)

• Real/Birth Name: Tatyana Dragomirovna Yurlova
  
• Known Identity/Mortal Alias: Tatjana
  
• Place of Origin: Raevskaya, Russian Empire
  
• Height: 5'7"
  
• Occupation: Hired Assassin (presumed)
  
• Apparent Age: Mid-20s
  
• Embraced: 1926
  
• Kindred Status: Ancilla
  
• Sire: Joan d'Aulon
  
• Clan: Toreador
  
• Camarilla Status: Autarkis (former Scourge)
  
• Sabbat Status: Unknown (formerly Priest & Black Hand Ductus)
  
• Coterie Role: Assassin; Espionage

Information

Tatjana is possibly the most well-known of all the kindred rumoured to be members of The Guild. She is known to have been embraced in 1926 by a Camarilla elder, then defected to the Sabbat where she served as a soldier and assassin for their elite Black Hand faction for many decades. She is known to have killed many Camarilla kindred, including two Alastors and various elders, including her own sire. Although she was considered for the Red List, she was never placed on it - but had enough enemies that some Camarilla elders employed the Assamite Clan to eliminate her. The Assamites would send the renown assassin Persephone to kill her. It was believed for a while that Persephone had succeeded in this endeavour, but has since been revealed to be the reverse. Tatjana succeeded in counter-ambushing her would-be assassin and diablerised her, then used the Discipline of Vicissitude to impersonate Persephone. This was apparently around the time that Tatjana defected from the Sabbat after being disillusioned by their refusal to allow her to eliminate her sire when it was discovered she was a diabolist and would be performing a ritual that would release actual demons - something that Tatjana felt should be stopped, but the Sabbat felt would be useful to allow as it would weaken a notoriously strong Camarilla domain. Taking Persephone's identity and accepting a temporary job as Ashford's Sheriff, allowed her to stay under both the Camarilla, the Sabbat and the Assamite Clan's radars for a period. Her true identity was revealed when she actually eliminated her sire and her diabolist allies, with the help of some Camarilla kindred. Since then Tatjana has been officially Autarkis, but questions about her allegiance to the Sabbat floated ever since, although Tatjana was not active in kindred affairs for several years after this.

Tatjana resurfaced recently during the Sabbat Crusade. It became apparent to AJ, the Malkavian whip and Willa Jade of clan Senya, neonates who crossed her path whilst fleeing the Opera House Massacre, that Tatjana was not on the side of the Sabbat - who obviously considered her a traitor and enemy during the brief discussion between the Sabbat and Tatjana that the neonates witnessed before Tatjana killed all the Sabbat before her, helping the neonates escape. In the end, the new Prince (via agents of Clan Senya) managed to negotiate a deal with Tatjana, gaining information about and employing her help against the Sabbat which proved to be crucial to ending the Crusade; in exchange for being pardoned. Although the Camarilla has not officially removed the label of Autarkis, they have noted her actions and respect the Prince's authority within the domain and so, within Ashford, Tatjana is not considered Autarkis. The fact she has refused sect membership means that there are still trust issues and uncertainty about her actions, but Tatjana appears to have little interest in Camarilla or Sabbat affairs since.

Tatjana has most recently been seen dealing with some controversial elements within the lupine Sept of Sacrificial Friendship, along with some neonates with believed links/sympathies to the Anarch Movement. She has been seemingly re-engaging in doing professional contract work, but has become extremely choosy about which contracts she accepts. Few, even Mira, seem to understand what her criteria is - but some theorise that she is choosing targets that, somehow, aid the goals of the lupine Sept. Regardless, she is typically the most expensive and reclusive reputed member of the Guild; rarely taking jobs but with a reputation for deadly effectiveness when she does.

Combat/Assassination Style

As a Toreador, Tatjana has traditionally relied on using Firearms and speed in combat. She was an experienced shot due to participating in two wars during her mortal days and received further training from both Camarilla agents as well as (later) the Sabbat's Black Hand, which included other forms of martial combat. Since then she has committed diablerie various times, developed her physical Disciplines (as well as Vicissitude) and studied many different forms of combat. She is now a master of both unarmed combat and melee weapons, and has a degree of mastery of firearms (as well as dexterity) to a supernatural level beyond the capability of any kine or higher-generation kindred. She is, to any measurement, a pure killing/combat machine molded by a life of warfare, and an unlife of constant and relentless training and combat against a wide variety of supernatural threats - kindred, lupine and demonic.

That said, she is predominantly known to rely on her speed and firearms ability first and foremost. Striking quickly and efficiently, often from a distance at unsuspecting targets - typically going for the biggest threats first to quickly disable, so she can take less caution with the rest of her targets. She is fond of using a sniper rifle at range, or pistols up close, and frequently employs specialised ammunition (silver, incendiary, explosive, fletchette) depending on the target. Her reputation as an assassin and with firearms makes enemies often underestimate her, believing that if they can engage her in melee she will be weaker. A mistake that two Camarilla Alistors (a Gangrel and a Nosferatu) fatally made. This is a weakness only insofar as a comparison to her supernatural firearms and speed; even in normal melee she is still a master with almost any weapon, with high-level Potence and Fortitude in addition to her elder-level mastery of Celerity. She has also learnt to combine various disciplines to even more deadly effect. Because of her mastery, her use of firearms or a martial style is a preference only, and she has been known to quickly and suddenly change fighting style in the middle of combat against a foe who seems to be able to hold their own against whichever style she is using by default, making her unpredictable. She also is renown for fighting dirty, something which is often found surprising as she's renown to follow the Path of Honorable Accord (she will point out those who find this confusing do not actually understand the path, or what honour means - and that she is an assassin, not a soldier).

Tatjana is as subtle, or as brutal, as is needed for the situation. She has been known to use her Vicissitude Discipline to get close to targets to poison, shoot or kill with unarmed combat; and she has been known to walk into criminal bosses' houses and eliminate anything that crosses her path in whichever way is most efficient at the time, regardless of how bloody or visceral it may be. Overall, Tatjana prefers to go for the "quick kill" by any means possible, rather than engage in protracted combat.