8.12.1 The Syssin Syndicate
Reformed in 371 MA, the Syssin Syndicate owes its life to the ancient lineage of the Spirean Defenders, those men and women trained by the God of Artifice to be His group of elite soldiers.
Where one may have once envisioned a dank warren of cutthroats, the Syndicate takes its inspiration from the trade companies and cartels of Albedos, styling themselves as a profiteering entity - with an emphasis on loyalty, and a brutal spin on honor.
Headquartered in the Republic of Spinesreach, the Syndicate feeds from its own notoriety. Individual members are taught to to be the dominant and pioneering force wherever they go, as respected as they are feared and reviled. Natural born leaders and masters of their trades, Syndicate members seek to have their fingers in every pie they can reach, and command authority in their respective communities. They are the rogues you love to hate, and hate enough to love.
Like all guilds, the Syssin are comprised of members trained in many disciplines and arts, however, they pass on their own teachings, adapted and built on from the original methods of Lord Severn. Even in this modern age, these rogues are trained with the same rigour as the Defenders of old.
With Venom, Syssin can produce the deadliest poisons known to mankind, from substances that incapacitate and paralyse, to the deadly Voyria compound, known for its ability to kill even the largest elephant in seconds.
Through their training in Hypnosis, these deadly agents can pierce through the mental defenses of an unwitting victim, bombarding their minds with crippling disorders and maladies that can be released at the snap of a finger.
Deadliest of all is the ancient art of Subterfuge, a martial system taught to the Ankyrean-era soldiers of Spinesreach and continually built upon over the centuries. With this discipline, a Syssin can move vast distances in the blink of an eye, trail victims without their notice, make pincushions of their foes, and then vanish entirely from the plane of reality.
In manners of trade, politics, espionage and sabotage, the Syssin Syndicate can claim no equals. This path is not for everyone, and there are those who, consumed by the avaricious and nefarious lifestyle, find themselves unable to make the cut and fade into obscurity. But those who work hard for the Syndicate find their place in the stars, and are remembered by Aetolia forever.
