The Black Magistrate - Bounty Hunter Guild¶
Tenets¶
Most black magisters adheres, to some degree, to an unwritten code of ethics which, when spoken of at all, was referred to as the "bounty hunter's creed." While the exact wording of these tenets varied from chapter to chapter, the Creed served as a loosely defined set of enforceable principles, by which magisters conducted their trade and lived out their lives.
- NO Bounty Is Worth Dying For
This rule emphasized that, no matter how great a reward, a magister should never take any undue risks to his or her life in order to make a capture. They should also consider how much of a risk whichever bounty was going to be and to plan accordingly. (Of course, how much effort a magister had put into pursuing a target, how great the reward, and if was worth the risk were all open to interpretation in the middle of a hunt.) A reward, even if enormous, could not be spent if a magister was dead.
- People Don't Have Bounties, Only Acquisitions Have Bounties.
This single, cardinal rule, more than any other, defined the way in which bounty hunters approached their chosen profession. It reflected the idea that sapient beings, to some degree, must be accorded respect. If, however, an individual had a bounty placed on them, he or she ceased to be an individual with rights. No longer a member of the community, the "acquisition" became fair game. Tears should never be shed over the fate of someone that was, after all, only an "acquisition."
- Capture By Design, Kill By Necessity.
In keeping with the loosely defined black magister code of ethics, killing was sometimes necessary. That was business, pure and simple. However, unnecessary killing was still murder. The magister, unless otherwise directed by those leveling the bounty, must attempt to deliver the acquisition alive. Often, those leveling the bounty had a vested interest in a live target — and the target might have been better off getting killed by the magister.
- No Magister Shall Slay Another Magister.
Simply put, whatever their origin, black magisters saw themselves as a special breed. They took their lives (and those of others) into their hands each time they hunted. One may agree with another magister's motives or insult them for the manner in which they carried out their hunts, but no bounty hunter would ever take up arms against a fellow hunter. This law applied only to bounty hunters who followed the creed, not to those who had a bounty posted on their head becoming merely acquisitions. In such cases, the ex-hunter was no longer seen as a member of the common fellowship and old scores could now be settled with impunity.
- No Magister Shall Interfere With Another's Hunt.
While it was not unheard of for magisters to work as a team, the hunt for a given acquisition was most often seen as a form of personal duel between two intelligent creatures. In such a deal, the magister matched skill and courage against all the resources one's opponent could bring to bear. If the magister won, it was a personal triumph denoting superior skill and intellect, and not simply a question of luck. To interfere with another's hunt, unless first invited, was to leave the question of "who is better" open and, perhaps forever, unresolved. Of course, competition between magisters was often fierce and there was often a very thin line between "competition" and "interference". This being true, while a magister was constrained against taking direct action against another magister, there was nothing to constrain a magister from hiring others to do the dirty work. Of course, if such an action, successful or not, could be traced back to the original perpetrator, serious consequences inevitably followed.
- In the Hunt, One Captures or Kills, Never Both.
In cases where the acquisition had been taken alive, that "choice" could not be altered. To kill an acquisition in the course of the hunt was one thing, but to purposely kill an unarmed, helpless being already subdued and unable to resist was seen as simple slaughter and wanton butchery. An acquisition "killed while attempting to escape" however, would be an entirely different matter altogether.
Ranks and Hierarchy¶
The hierarchy of The Black Magistrate is largely based on skill and experience as a bounty hunter reflected by how much money a person is able to provide the guild. The guild also practices democracy, as the best bounty hunters does not necessarily make the best leaders.
Each rank has a coin associated with it and the membership coins are a way to prove membership.
Leadership¶
The highest rank is Regional General.
The power of the guild is decentralized and has no single leader, but it comprised of 10 councilmen; the regional generals. Since the guild is based in Aelmyr, the power is split between each region, and a council member from each. Their official title is 'Regional General'. The Regional Generals are typically the chapter leaders from each region's capitol. They meet few times a year and in theory, they are all equally important, but the leaders of the larger chapters seem to have the most sway, when it comes to decisions for the guild. The council decides the overall direction and rules of the guild.
Chapter Leadership - Mithril Coin
Many towns across Aelmyr has a chapter of The Black Magistrate. Each chapter has an elected Chapter Leader. Only magisters of certain rank can be considered as leaders. The chapter leaders are often retired from bounty hunting and instead manages the chapter's finances and upkeep. Chapter leadership can be challenged by other magisters and a vote will be held. If the challenger wins, the previous leader has to step down. If the challengers loses, he is exiled from the guild.
Black Hand - Platinum Coin
Very few ever reach the rank of Black Hand, but those who do have been an immense asset to the guild for many years. When new Chapter Leaders are elected, the candidates are drawn from the pool of Black Hands. Black Hands are the ones selected for the highest and most important bounties and they are usually quite wealthy. If a bounty requires travelling to far away countries, a Black Hand is usually chosen for the task. The long-lived races are overrepresented among Black Hands as they have more time to accumulate prestige.
Black Knight - Gold Coin
Becoming a Black Knight of The Black Magistrate usually requires many years of service to the guild. It is an honorary title rewarded for extraordinary service of some kind. The knighting process often involves some kind of challenge.
Black Knights have first pick of bounties over anyone with a lower rank. They are permanently employed by the guild, where they sometimes act as enforcers or bodyguards for higher ranked members. They are paid a base rate of 5gp/day.
Black Magister - Silver Coin
The possibility of promotion to this rank usually comes after someone has earned the guild over 1000gp in bounties. The promotion ceremony includes the initiate reciting the Creed from memory and writes their name with their own blood in The Black Ledger. The Black Ledger is a record of all previous and current members of the guild and heavily protected.
Once someone becomes a Black Magister, the membership coins they will receive have been enchanted to become hot as coal, when anyone besides the true owner holds it. The Black Magister rank is the first rank, where you are truly seen as a member of the guild. Black Magisters can vote in chapter elections and can use the guild facilities for free, both residence and food.
Black Initiate - Copper Coin
Once someone has done enough bounties for the chapter leaders to notice, they are offered an initiate membership. To become an initiate they will be read the Creed and made to swear by it. Being an initiate grants someone the privilege to buy temporary residence and stable space. It costs 5sp a night per bed.
Black Prospect - Iron Coin
People are offered a prospect coin when they accomplish their first bounty. This grants them access to The Black Magistrate buildings, but not to use the facilities. In a few instances, higher ranked magister have given prospect coins to individuals they deemed promising.
Religion and Practices¶
Religious Practices¶
Members are expected to follow Ious, the god of Justice and Chrysus, god of Coin. Members are otherwise free to follow any religion as long as it does not influence their work or reflect badly upon the guild.
Bounty System¶
The guild is so established, that if the governmental workforce is unable to bring someone to justice, the victims contact the guild. When the guild receives a bounty, the price and the difficulty is determined. The bounty is then offered to the highest ranked guild members first and later posted on a wall outside the Black Magistrate buildings, for everyone to claim. The Black Magistrate takes a certain percentage of the reward which becomes smaller, when someone rises in the ranks. Unless the bounty states otherwise, the target is required to be captured and taken to a chapter building for proof. If the target has been killed, their body or an identifying body part must be taken as proof of completed bounty.
The guild can be trusted to pay up front and then handle the business with the ones who posted the bounty afterwards.
Creed Breakers¶
When a guild member breaks the Creed, they are branded as Creed Breakers. When the Creed is broken, the guild posts a bounty themselves on the Creed Breaker. If the they are meant to be captured to be interrogated or killed is depended on the severity of their crimes. Black Knights are often the ones sent to collects these types of bounties.