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Don't know about the official errata but this seems much more like a question for the specific DM.
Consider FR; are there any places mentioned where one can legally hire an assassin in the FRCS? I doubt any are specifically mentioned there but a DM would likely decide, "Sure, Westgate and Skullport" (your DM may vary).
In Pathfinder the only place that seems likely is Riddleport. But that seems to me much more like Luskan, where anyone can hire an assassin but it's certainly not legal.
-W. E. Ray
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Is the act of hiring an assassin legal in any of the areas of the world presented in the gazetteer?
Darn... thought this was going to be a thread about killing lawyers..
On a more on topic note...I would say that there are probably lots of places you could hire assassins. I never really liked the "text book" version of the Assassin. I always thought magic would be a lot easier way of killing a target, then trying to poison them, stab them in the back, shoot them with an arrow, etc. Course anyone that is anticipating that they might be assassinated probably has their defenses up.
Oh well back to work
Trent
Infinet Media & Design
Creative Director
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Is the act of hiring an assassin legal in any of the areas of the world presented in the gazetteer?
Or any where else?
I'm not sure there are, actually. Part of the problem is that an assassination is, by definition, the murder of an important person for political or religious reasons. And since "laws" are put into place by the same people who are often assassination targets, it's unusual and rare and sort of self-defeating for there to be areas where hiring assassins is legal.
There are certainly countries where hiring assassins is common. I'd say Cheliax is a good nomination here, as is Galt or any other nation in a state of upheaval. But countries where it's legal to hire assassins? That's a tougher call. I'm pretty sure, in any event, we haven't set aside any specific country in which we've expressly said hiring assassins is legal, in any case.
RPG Superstar 2010 Top 16
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Suzette Haden Elgin wrote a story or two about a very highly regimented society, formed by a Compact after a long trip. They had different castes --government, law, education, handworker, artisan, etc. Boys were encouraged to decide on a trade and prepare for their livelihood as soon as possible.
One of the professions was "criminal". Criminals would file their intents to commit crimes, and, once approved, would be the only people legally allowed to cary them out. Other people wishing for a criminal action would not commit the crimes themselves --that would be tantamount to insanity-- but would contract out a professional criminal to do so.
Sometimes people just need killin'. Sometimes, there are feuds that threaten to erupt into multi-generaltional hostilities. And in lawful societies, you might need to hire someone else to do the killin', somebody who's trained in the skills, who'll not accidentally take out an entire marketful of innocents, who'll do the job like a professional.
That's your legal assassin.
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H. Beam Piper also had a story featuring legal assassin's guilds. It also featured proven reincarnation, which made it extra interesting.
ERB's Barsoom had legal assassin's guilds as well.
You could have them in the context of dueling guilds where dueling is legal, and you hire an assassin with the expectation that he will either kill the target in a duel, or embarass him by forcing him to avoid the duel.
Is the act of hiring an assassin legal in any of the areas of the world presented in the gazetteer?
Or any where else?
I'm not sure there are, actually. Part of the problem is that an assassination is, by definition, the murder of an important person for political or religious reasons. And since "laws" are put into place by the same people who are often assassination targets, it's unusual and rare and sort of self-defeating for there to be areas where hiring assassins is legal.
There are certainly countries where hiring assassins is common. I'd say Cheliax is a good nomination here, as is Galt or any other nation in a state of upheaval. But countries where it's legal to hire assassins? That's a tougher call. I'm pretty sure, in any event, we haven't set aside any specific country in which we've expressly said hiring assassins is legal, in any case.
I like Terry Pratchett's take on the Guild of Assassins. Assassination is a gentleman's persuit. Etiquette and manners are as much tools of the trade as stilleto blades and poison. Assassination is legal, but limited by a strict code of conduct. An assassin can only kill another being when a contract is out (set by the guildmaster). The target deserves a fair chance, and killing bystanders is considered extremely bad form. That makes most assasination attempts close and personal. Illegal assasins (those who do not follow the guild rules or are not members of the guild) are hunted down by guild members without remorse.
The net effect is that usual targets of assissination are actually safer. They know what to expect from assassins and can prepare. If someone plays foul, he'll have the city watch AND the assassins guild to deal with. Which would you be more affraid of?
I'm not saying this should be the way things are run on Golarion, but still. It might fit... somewhere.
In the Book of the New Sun series, there was a guild of Torturers.
Good times...
Anyhow, I don't see assassins ever being 'legal' anywhere, but plenty of places would turn a blind eye to such dealings (on any world).
Except for perhaps an organization of 'Social assassins', like the ones from The Destroyer series - that practice the secret art of Sinanju.
Because, like the man said, some people just need killing.
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Anyhow, I don't see assassins ever being 'legal' anywhere, but plenty of places would turn a blind eye to such dealings (on any world).
Villains by Necessity By Eve Forwardone of the main character was the guild leader of the guild of assassins. It seems that by the end of the book, regular assassinations are legal, but not 'true assassinations' (ones that the assassin takes the head or otherwise makes the target unable to e raised from the dead).
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In a world with spells like Raise Dead, assassination might just be a warning.
I'm going to butcher the spelling but I remember a book called Jerhig and another called Yendy where assassination and revivification were common. The real crime was to kill someone's soul, because then there was no coming back.
Also, didn't Dune have something about proper etiquette for assassinations?
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In a world with spells like Raise Dead, assassination might just be a warning.
I'm going to butcher the spelling but I remember a book called Jerhig and another called Yendy where assassination and revivification were common. The real crime was to kill someone's soul, because then there was no coming back.
Steven Brust's Vlad Taltos Series... very awesome!
For a time Morghanti daggers (destroys a soul) were a very real threat in my D&D games.If you want a mix of Sopranos, Godfather, and Fantasy.. read this series.
Trent
I like Terry Pratchett's take on the Guild of Assassins.
So do I. But then again, I like most of Pratchett's stuff.
It also featured proven reincarnation, which made it extra interesting.
Well, Golarion also has resurrection, and the Red Mantis assassins(most infamous assassin's guild in the Pathfinder Chronicles) have adjusted themselves: The PrC grants you a special sense that tells you when one of your marks is raised, and their contracts state that if they kill someone, he stays dead. If he's raised, they just go and inhume him again, with no extra charge.