The Black Hand

[Eccetra]

Whispers echo through the back alleys of Regalia, passed from mouth to dirty, pricked ear. Rumors of the infamous Black Order: faceless cloaked operatives, silently stationed the darkest corners of the Holy City--the eyes and earpieces of the all-knowing Emperor. Criminals and devious aristocrats huddle in their misshapen circles alike, suspicious to those that approach. But the Black Hand lies in wait at every invisible crossroad, their identities shrouded by the commonality of day to day Regalian life. All that is seen of the elusive Order is their steel, expressionless masks; shrouded figures that appear once in a darkened moon before disappearing just as silently into the night.

Even in the quietest corners of the slums, their spine-tingling icon emerges.
A hand of holy, benevolent white-- a beacon of warning against the shadiest of backdrops.

"Silence is loud. The deafened ears are open.
Secrecy is not sacred, nor are anti-Imperial sentiments.
The tides have shifted abroad and at home.
Blackness is always watching. The shadow is your friend.
Do not hide, for the truth will be made known.
We are Justice. We are Security.
We are the Black Hand."

Feared as the "corrupt" partner to the Regalian Guard, and respected as the close daughter of the infamous Black Order, the Black Hand serves to enforce justice where other charters cannot. Though more subtle in movement, the Order of Black Operatives lingers in the shadows of Regalia's back-alleys, poised to strike where the nefarious plans of criminals falls beneath the fingers of other law organizations. They assimilate near perfectly into common Regalian Society, unknown to all but the most trusted of officials and the Emperor himself. There, from within the belly of the Dragon, they lie in wait--watching, listening and prepared for the Empire's beck and call.

Once in a blue moon their faces can be seen, as cold and emotionless as the work they perform for the Empire. Hardened steel masks, and cloak shrouds painted with the chalky white hand that symbolizes them. In a mechanical fashion they emerge from the shadows, acting on the Emperor's word with utmost efficiency, before disappearing once more into the hustle and bustle of Regalian life. Even in the lawful protection of the sewers and slums, no nay-sayer is safe from their presence. The Black Hand treads every inch of the Empire and beyond, unhindered by the constraints of law that bind constitutional Regalian enforcements; the Black Hand prepared to do whatever is necessary to keep the Empire in utmost safety.

The Black Hand's existence remains to prove that no matter how closely one holds their plans, the Empire is always watching. No anti-Imperial thought will go unnoticed, and no heretical whisper will go unheard.

( For more information, see the Black Hand wiki page. )

Principal Secretary
<REDACTED>
The lawfully established leader of the Black Hand; the Principal Secretary is in charge of all information passed between Captains and Operatives, and the direction of the Black Hand in totality. The Principal Secretary maintains direct contact with the Black Privy to ensure that the Order continues to work efficiently under the Emperor's command— delegating tasks to all parties working within it. Primarily, she deals with the paperwork, intel management, and the lawkeeping of all employees.

Principal Officer
<REDACTED>
The Principal Officer is a position appointed solely by the Principal Secretary, who oversees the field work of all Black Operatives and their activity levels. The Principal Officer is always highly skilled in Leadership and/or Military, and serves to provide direction for the Black Operatives under his command. He is in charge of ensuring Operatives follow through with the Acts they are assigned, and can be most seen performing in the public eye; leading agents and assisting them in Retrieval and Enforcement missions.

Black Operatives
<Ranks Classified>
The Black Operatives are the metallic face and hardened fist of the Black Hand— individuals trained in the difficult tasks of delivering justice and extracting information from criminals. Under the command of the Principals, they are given missions ranging from rescuing innocents from hostage, to planting evidence to undermine troublesome aristocrats. They are given the permits and law immunity to do whatever is asked of them, with little to no constraints as to how they can perform their tasks. The Black Operatives must always have some degree of combat experience, and be ready to strike when required of them. When not on duty, they slip into the background; assisting the Black Doves with eyes and ears peeled for the first sign of criminal activity.

Black Doves
<Ranks Classified>
Invisible to all but the few who know of their hidden identities, the Black Doves appear to many as typical citizens of the Empire. They hold jobs ranging from the lowliest of tavern sweeps to the grandest of Imperial Guards, with no necessity to conceal their faces. The Black Doves are the silent ears of the Black Hand, assimilating perfectly into society and retrieving information from the most hidden of criminal organizations to deliver to the Principal Secretary. They are the foundation of the lawful organization, and give true meaning to the phrase "the walls have ears".

Due to the secretive nature of the Organization, all recruitment must be done through private channels. For this reason, the thread will be locked. To log your interest in joining the Black Hand, you must write an in-character letter to the Principal Secretary and send it via Forum PM to (CURRENTLY UNKNOWN). This letter should include your character's name, basic information, the position they would like to apply for, and any relevant skills or qualifications they may have. You may then be immediately accepted, invited to a pre-screening, or rejected on any IC or OOC basis.

In most cases you will be expected to attend a meeting for the White Order loyalty check, with an extra Combat Proficiency test given if your character lacks ample qualification for a Black Operative. If both of these are sufficiently passed, your character will be granted Charter Rights and become an official member of the Black Hand.​

OOC Criteria for Application

• You must have a Character Application in a readable state. It may be WIP or Under Review, so long as it contains all necessary information to a balanced standard.
• You must have an active Skype and be okay with joining the group chat. This is necessary to keep in contact with the Black Hand and remain up to date on happenings.
• You may not join the Black Hand if you have another character in a known criminal organization. This does not apply for infrequent / petty crimes, but rather large-scale gangs with active aims to oppress the state. This is to avoid conflicts of interest and unintentional metagaming.
• You must have a good track record of roleplay etiquette and adequate knowledge of the rules and the lore. New players are advised to get familiar with the roleplay scene before trying to apply for the Black Hand! Any recent roleplay punishments will disallow you from joining.
• If applying for Black Operative, your character may not be enrolled in any other enforcement charter with the exception of the Regalian Sellswords. This rule does not apply for Black Doves.

Any further questions? Feel free to PM <REDACTED> for more information!
I bet you wish the "This is so goth" rating was still a thing.
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Charter Rights Granted by The State (Verified by Noble Managers)

• The right to arrest, detain, and interrogate criminals.
• The right to openly carry weapons and wear armor.
• The right to enter forbidden Regalian Territories (Slums)
• The right to conceal one's identity
• The right to maim/kill only on direct Imperial Order

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