Aviator
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Domination.
Once upon a time, you were innocent and harmless, silent as a shadow and a nobody to the world. You used to be doted on by your parents and your silly, naive “friends” who looked up to you—because you were more attractive than they were, you were smarter than they were, you came from a better place than they did. You were the person your friends ran to for comfort; you were the one who wiped their tears away when they were feeling sad or generally frustrated with the world. You were the one who stood up against the countless bullies who had verbally or physically harassed those who called you their "friend"—it wasn't out of love for those people. But the 1920’s were a dog-eat-dog world. In the face of adversity, friendships didn’t last. Those babies weren't anything important, and you accepted that. Rather, you did all this to show people that you were a force to be reckoned with and that you did exert power over others. You didn't care for the weak any more than the strong cared for them.
After a while, you knew it was time to move on and away from the weaklings. You had to make a path for yourself.
You wanted to go places. With cutting-edge railroad technology and the ideology of Manifest Destiny, there was a new world out there in the West waiting for the bravest to venture into it, and you weren't about to sit around in your neighborhood until you rotted. Living and sharing the same air with the same people who had put you through such a miserable childhood. Change was inevitable. You had to grow up. Find a job, be it a legitimate business, or one not quite so agreeable with the law. Being someone’s slave until the day you dropped dead had no appeal to you. With that, you became someone different overnight. You dumped those loitering friendships, completely severed the ties between you and any fool that wanted to hang around just for the perks. You made new, better friends, true friends who understood the pain you went through for the glory. They were just like you: smart, defiant, fearless. Hateful of the corruption that enshrouded democracy. Compared to your old friends, they were everything you never had. They made you feel important and needed, they made things take a turn for the better, and within months you forgot all about your lost life and surrendered yourself to eternal invincibility. With new people around you and a new, brighter future ahead of you, you didn't think anything could destroy what you were to become. It was just the beginning of the Devil’s Cult.
The Devils.
At first, The Devil's Cult was as welcoming to you as the old friends you had before joining the gang in your young and impressionable years. The Devils, as they called themselves, treated you as an equal and called you brother or sister. These trained killers (something you weren't quite processing at that time) made sure you had three meals a day, every day. They clothed you, kept you sheltered in cushy conditions, provided you with any and all necessities so that you never had to go back to your home if you didn't want to. They were fine with you going wherever you pleased, whenever you pleased—you were no prisoner in their hideout. You weren't even a guest. You were one of them. They took you in and let you choose if you wanted to stay. Some older, more experienced members would laugh and mock you, but that was only to be expected, right? People called you a newbie, some affectionately, some less so, but you never felt shunned as you sometimes did when wandering around with your old gang. No matter who you were or where you came from, the color of your skin or your sexual preference or your religious beliefs, you found acceptance from them. Unfortunately, these earlier days of your stay with The Devil's Cult were to be the only days of comfort you would have with them.
You chose whether or not you wanted to go on missions with the Devils, and sometimes you did. The “missions” they went on were easy-peasy tasks—robbing a convenience store, “borrowing” things from people’s homes, spying on rivals to get essential information. While you were still a teenager, you were making more money than almost all of the adults on your block. These missions were nothing like the tasks you carried out while living with your old gang, which relieved you, but slowly and surely these missions became bloodier and dirtier. You were slow to figure that out, which was too bad for you. You should've known. Of course they meant to trap you, keep you captive with them once you've learned too much about them. After a certain amount of time, you were not permitted to flee the cult; if thirty days passed and you were still with The Devil's Cult, you were an official member of their ranks and there was no longer an option to leave.
We Swore a Bloody Oath.
1. No Devil will stand idly by and watch a comrade fall in a mission. However, if a group is attacked or in grave danger, it is not required to assist another in escaping, as protecting one's own life is the main priority in the face of true danger. (Danger = anything more threatening than a group of Devils.)
2. No Devil is permitted to abandon the Devil's Cult. Doing so will result in automatic death, once caught. (Believe us, you will be caught.) Anyone caught helping someone to escape will also be executed.
3. A mission must, without exception, be completed before a Devil can be allowed to return to the hideout. If he dies trying to fulfill the mission, so be it, as an incompetent Devil is not very useful to the Cult, anyway. Abandoning a group undergoing a mission is equally forbidden.
4. No member of The Devil's Cult may leave the group for more than two days without being accompanied by a high-ranked Devil or without permission (unless he is hurt, on a long mission, etc.).
5. Do not question or defy the leaders and other high-ranked members of The Devil's Cult. Rebels are not tolerated.
6. Do not give orders to others if it is not your place to do so. Ties in with rule #5.
7. It is not against the Oath to question, harass, harm, or even kill another member if a Devil feels insecure toward him due to personal issues (defending one’s honor, fighting for a woman, etc). In order to kill another member of the group, the person must have a valid reason to do so, proof, and at least three witnesses. Once done, a formal duel shall take place in which the challenged may choose the battle weapon. Duels do not have to be fought to the death but often are.
8. Members are to dispose of prisoners that they find and bring back on their own. They can choose to execute prisoners that have been captured by a group (while on a mission, most likely) or they can leave those to the Headsmen, but if one person finds/brings back a prisoner, he or she cannot leave them to die by the hands of the Headsmen. This is how Devils show respect to their captives.
Some are meant to serve. And some are meant to rule.
Leaders | 0/3
Supervise and conduct all activities undergone by inferiors. Plan all missions, appoints all positions; have the final word for everything. A Leader's word is law, and if it is not followed through, the Leader has the right to condemn the traitor to death. A Leader may rule for as long as The Devil's Cult allows him. When a Leader's time is up, he may choose to return to being a regular Devil, take up the rank of Subordinate or Lieutenant, or retire to become an Honored member if he has served long enough.
>> Oversee Subordinates, Lieutenants, and all members.
>> Issue new rules to the Oath only when necessary.
>> Must be a member of The Devil's Cult for at least 3 years.
>> Do not lead missions unless absolutely necessary.
>> Responsible for the mentorship of Fresh Recruits. A Leader gets to choose the Fresh Recruit she wishes to mentor, and can mentor only one at a time. If there's a surplus of Fresh Recruits, the others are the responsibility of the Subordinates.
Subordinates | 0/3
Second-in-command after the Leaders; issue missions given by the Leaders. Occasionally lead missions.
>> Oversee Lieutenants and all inferiors.
>> May step down or decline a promotion if he does not want it.
>> May be promoted to Leader should a Leader step down or die (voted by other Leaders)
>> May be demoted by their Leader without a valid reason.
>> May temporarily stand in for a Leader if needed.
>> Lead missions when there is a shortage of Lieutenants or capable inferiors to do so.
>> Must be a member of the Devil's Cult for at least 2 years.
>> Return to services as a Lieutenant after a demotion. May retire if eligible.
>> Mentor Minors and Fresh Recruits if there are more Recruits than there are Leaders.
Headsmen | 0/3
These guys are the executioners. Each Leader operates one Headsmen, which explains why there are only three. The Headsman will only act under that Leader's orders. No one else in the Devil's Cult will be able to tell him who to kill.
If the method of killing is not specified, the headsman will execute with a shot to the brain or some other painless procedure. Headsmen also act as the torturers of prisoners dragged back by groups from missions. They do not execute the prisoners who have been found by specific members of the Devil's Cult, for those prisoners are to be killed by their own captors.
Lieutenants | 0/6
Lieutenants are senior members of the Devil’s Cult and serve under the Subordinates.
>> Oversee all inferiors.
>> Supervise new recruits, prisoners, members who haven't agreed to the Oath yet.
>> Do a headcount of the members of their squad every night at midnight. It is their responsibility to find and return any runaways.
>> May be promoted to Subordinate if a Subordinate chooses to step down (or dies). Temporarily stand in for Subordinates if needed.
>> May step down/decline a promotion.
>> Lead missions and appoint capable inferiors to lead with them, or to lead in their place if necessary.
>> Must be a member for at least 1.5 years.
Secondaries | 1/unlimited
Secondaries make up the bulk of the Devil's Cult. These members are the “regulars,” the members who aren't extremely skilled nor inexperienced, and these guys carry out the majority of the missions. Some can take on Minors or Fresh Recruits to mentor, if permitted by a Lieutenant or any high-ranked member.
Minors/Fresh Recruits | 0/unlimited
Minors are the least experienced members of the group, having only been around for a couple of months or so. Fresh Recruits, or "meat," affectionately, are just that—newly accepted members, and have even less experience than the Minors, who at least know their way around. They mainly train to get stronger and more skilled so that they may get their turns to go on missions. Hand-to-hand combat is one of the most valued skills that one can have, which these people must build up enough to be considered a Secondary member. Once they are deemed skilled enough, they may then pass an initiation test to promote themselves to the Secondary rank.
Prisoners | 0/10
People brought back to the hideout from missions who are too valuable to kill (yet), or are being held for ransom. Most prisoners are kept alive until they reveal the information they've been keeping; then, they are promptly disposed of. The hideout only has so many cells to hold prisoners in, so approximately ten can be housed every few months. The Devil's Cult does its best to use and dispose of them as quickly as possible so that there are always a couple of cells open for unexpected prisoners.
Unnamed | 0/6
The Unnamed are those who are residing with the Devil's Cult but haven't decided whether they'd like to stay with them or not. Unnamed are allowed thirty days to decide, and if they don't decide before the last day, they are automatically in... After the thirtieth day, if they want to turn back, they cannot. Their opinions do not matter after that last day. The reason there are limited spots for the Unnamed is because the Devils don't like to waste more food and space than they have to on people who might leave them.
Honored | 0/unlimited
These are retired members of the system and get to enjoy their days indulging themselves in violent (or not) acts, helping around the hideout, or anything else they so please. You must have served at least ten years to be considered for an Honored position, and this includes but is not limited to ex-Leaders.
Identification.
All members are required to wear masks during missions, as to keep the police from getting ahold of a “Wanted” sketch. These masks cover the full face and traditionally take the shape of animal heads. No two members can have the same animal as their mask. This is obviously to prevent confusion during missions.
Initiation and Challenges.
After an Unnamed has consented to join the Devil’s Cult, or simply their thirty days of decision have expired, a ceremony is held in which the new Devil takes the vow of silence known as Omerta. One of the Leaders will slice open the new Devil’s palm with a knife and the new Devil (now a Fresh Recruit) will then shake hands with all of their brethren in attendance of the ceremony (usually everyone not out on a mission or otherwise incapacitated). Then comes initiation, a hazing process that occurs during the same time period as combat training. The exact nature of the initiation varies, as this changes depending on the fancy of the Leaders. It’s usually some sort of uniquely humiliating task that a Leader comes up with on the spot, generally for his own amusement. We're a sadistic bunch, after all.
The final, more serious challenge involves the Fresh Recruit being tasked with a “hit,” or the assassination of a rival of the Devil’s Cult. The intent is to see if the Recruit really has the guts for the Devil’s Cult, and for the Recruit to gain some sort of understanding of the hardships their fellow Devils had to endure to get where they are now. A Fresh Recruit will not be promoted to a Secondary until they have completed the assigned murder in cold blood with witnesses from the cult.
You wanted to be a hunter? Now you are one.
The year is December 1927, the city is St. Louis. It's the midst of the flapper era, the great Jazz Age, the Roaring Twenties, whatever have you. During this pivotal era in American history, production rates soared, countryside was converted into city, sleek metal monsters cruised down new avenues, and women danced the Charleston with daringly short haircuts. And the criminal underworld thrived. The gap between the rich and poor grew steadily until people desperate for work resorted to thievery, whoring, gang activity, and most importantly, bootlegging. Immigrants were pouring into the country by the thousands, and politicians did everything in their power to discreetly subvert the law and deprive them of their rights. Robber barons lived like kings while the unwashed masses suffered together, trying to make ends meet and unwinding in the speakeasy after a hard day of toil. Suckers, the lot of them, to play by the rules when the rules gave them the shaft. But not you. You were among the smart ones. A dangerous player. You found a loophole through the system that manifested itself in the form of organized crime. A rival to the Italian mafia from which everyone cowers in fear. We are family. We are liberators of the oppressed. We call ourselves the Devil’s Cult.
Domination.
Once upon a time, you were innocent and harmless, silent as a shadow and a nobody to the world. You used to be doted on by your parents and your silly, naive “friends” who looked up to you—because you were more attractive than they were, you were smarter than they were, you came from a better place than they did. You were the person your friends ran to for comfort; you were the one who wiped their tears away when they were feeling sad or generally frustrated with the world. You were the one who stood up against the countless bullies who had verbally or physically harassed those who called you their "friend"—it wasn't out of love for those people. But the 1920’s were a dog-eat-dog world. In the face of adversity, friendships didn’t last. Those babies weren't anything important, and you accepted that. Rather, you did all this to show people that you were a force to be reckoned with and that you did exert power over others. You didn't care for the weak any more than the strong cared for them.
After a while, you knew it was time to move on and away from the weaklings. You had to make a path for yourself.
You wanted to go places. With cutting-edge railroad technology and the ideology of Manifest Destiny, there was a new world out there in the West waiting for the bravest to venture into it, and you weren't about to sit around in your neighborhood until you rotted. Living and sharing the same air with the same people who had put you through such a miserable childhood. Change was inevitable. You had to grow up. Find a job, be it a legitimate business, or one not quite so agreeable with the law. Being someone’s slave until the day you dropped dead had no appeal to you. With that, you became someone different overnight. You dumped those loitering friendships, completely severed the ties between you and any fool that wanted to hang around just for the perks. You made new, better friends, true friends who understood the pain you went through for the glory. They were just like you: smart, defiant, fearless. Hateful of the corruption that enshrouded democracy. Compared to your old friends, they were everything you never had. They made you feel important and needed, they made things take a turn for the better, and within months you forgot all about your lost life and surrendered yourself to eternal invincibility. With new people around you and a new, brighter future ahead of you, you didn't think anything could destroy what you were to become. It was just the beginning of the Devil’s Cult.
Background check.
Perhaps the first signs of evil, danger, hatred, or all three started during your adolescence, that fragile metamorphosis from child to adult. You were, by that time, a full-fledged baddie, always out to get high or wasted, or both. Always out after dark to wreak havoc with your “friends,” venturing into forbidden warehouse districts and vandalizing the graves of people who’d died with their money intact. Working a job with regular hours was a joke, getting a good night's sleep was for the weak and useless losers with no wish to live it up. You “went for the kill” without a second thought—you picked on anyone who got in the way, anyone that your gang scoffed at, spat upon, and you picked on those who sided with those wusses. If you knew the right people, alcohol and more dangerous substances were easily obtainable. The alcohol paved the way for insanity and reckless abandon. Things got out of hand a lot of the time, and people grew to accept that. On several occasions, the people who got mixed up in street brawls never returned. The meek and less dominant scuttled out of the way when the big wolves came along, because they were just too tough to argue with and too violent to give in to the rules.
You didn't just tease, you sometimes tortured innocents; you robbed, cheated, broke hearts, lied, pummeled, damaged reputations... It didn't matter what kind of wrongdoing you committed, so long as it made you happy. The gang wasn't against your freedom. You did whatever gave you the adrenaline. Oh, the thrill of knowing you were in some kind of danger.
No, the thrill was knowing that you were the danger. It was quite something to feel endangered, but it was a whole other thing to be the danger. That was what you were, after all. Danger. You sought the buzz of peril; at times it seemed the only worthy thing to keep breathing for... and, as morbid as that sounded, it was completely and one-hundred percent true. Why live if you couldn't seek that pleasure? When you walked down the street, you felt satisfied to see people shudder, avoid eye contact, or scurry away from you. Maybe it was the inner knowledge that you were never loved to begin with that kept you this way; maybe it was knowing that you were never going to be the perfect one that got you into the gang to start with and kept you stuck in the group. Whatever the reason, you craved danger and the fear of others. Most of all, you lusted for respect. For revenge. For blood. All things that early twentieth-centiry America was trying to deny you.
You were all animals. That was both your greatest strength and weakness. Together, you were all invincible. It wasn't to say that your group looked out for each other all the time, but usually, you guys did. You would warn people if they were going to be found for something, and you would all run for your lives, laughing at the complete absurdity of everything, feeling the vitality of that rush. Sometimes, people were caught. Sometimes your fellow comrades were ushered off in the backs of police cars and you wouldn't see them for a long time, but it didn't matter to the rest of the pack. They kept doing what they did and never thought anything of those capturings. If someone was left behind, they'd stay behind because no one particularly cared for the weak. Not giving a damn for the weak was what banded you together in the first place; it was what formed the group, but you didn't foresee that that was to be your downfall, as well.
The ones who fell out of the group never came back. Why was that? Because a group called The Devil's Cult took them in instead. Well, one would ask why on earth those who were left behind would join some unknown group. The answer is simple: The Devil's Cult made these young adults feel more important, invincible, loved, powerful, better than they did when they were running with their neighborhood gang. The Devil's Cult gave these young men and women true purpose to be as violent and insane as they were, while the gang kids only ran around, searching for trouble for a lack of better things to do. The Devil's Cult gave them missions and rewards if they completed them. They praised their successes and helped them out of their dark pits of despair. It was as if they were a family. A real family.
Perhaps the first signs of evil, danger, hatred, or all three started during your adolescence, that fragile metamorphosis from child to adult. You were, by that time, a full-fledged baddie, always out to get high or wasted, or both. Always out after dark to wreak havoc with your “friends,” venturing into forbidden warehouse districts and vandalizing the graves of people who’d died with their money intact. Working a job with regular hours was a joke, getting a good night's sleep was for the weak and useless losers with no wish to live it up. You “went for the kill” without a second thought—you picked on anyone who got in the way, anyone that your gang scoffed at, spat upon, and you picked on those who sided with those wusses. If you knew the right people, alcohol and more dangerous substances were easily obtainable. The alcohol paved the way for insanity and reckless abandon. Things got out of hand a lot of the time, and people grew to accept that. On several occasions, the people who got mixed up in street brawls never returned. The meek and less dominant scuttled out of the way when the big wolves came along, because they were just too tough to argue with and too violent to give in to the rules.
You didn't just tease, you sometimes tortured innocents; you robbed, cheated, broke hearts, lied, pummeled, damaged reputations... It didn't matter what kind of wrongdoing you committed, so long as it made you happy. The gang wasn't against your freedom. You did whatever gave you the adrenaline. Oh, the thrill of knowing you were in some kind of danger.
No, the thrill was knowing that you were the danger. It was quite something to feel endangered, but it was a whole other thing to be the danger. That was what you were, after all. Danger. You sought the buzz of peril; at times it seemed the only worthy thing to keep breathing for... and, as morbid as that sounded, it was completely and one-hundred percent true. Why live if you couldn't seek that pleasure? When you walked down the street, you felt satisfied to see people shudder, avoid eye contact, or scurry away from you. Maybe it was the inner knowledge that you were never loved to begin with that kept you this way; maybe it was knowing that you were never going to be the perfect one that got you into the gang to start with and kept you stuck in the group. Whatever the reason, you craved danger and the fear of others. Most of all, you lusted for respect. For revenge. For blood. All things that early twentieth-centiry America was trying to deny you.
You were all animals. That was both your greatest strength and weakness. Together, you were all invincible. It wasn't to say that your group looked out for each other all the time, but usually, you guys did. You would warn people if they were going to be found for something, and you would all run for your lives, laughing at the complete absurdity of everything, feeling the vitality of that rush. Sometimes, people were caught. Sometimes your fellow comrades were ushered off in the backs of police cars and you wouldn't see them for a long time, but it didn't matter to the rest of the pack. They kept doing what they did and never thought anything of those capturings. If someone was left behind, they'd stay behind because no one particularly cared for the weak. Not giving a damn for the weak was what banded you together in the first place; it was what formed the group, but you didn't foresee that that was to be your downfall, as well.
The ones who fell out of the group never came back. Why was that? Because a group called The Devil's Cult took them in instead. Well, one would ask why on earth those who were left behind would join some unknown group. The answer is simple: The Devil's Cult made these young adults feel more important, invincible, loved, powerful, better than they did when they were running with their neighborhood gang. The Devil's Cult gave these young men and women true purpose to be as violent and insane as they were, while the gang kids only ran around, searching for trouble for a lack of better things to do. The Devil's Cult gave them missions and rewards if they completed them. They praised their successes and helped them out of their dark pits of despair. It was as if they were a family. A real family.
The Devils.
At first, The Devil's Cult was as welcoming to you as the old friends you had before joining the gang in your young and impressionable years. The Devils, as they called themselves, treated you as an equal and called you brother or sister. These trained killers (something you weren't quite processing at that time) made sure you had three meals a day, every day. They clothed you, kept you sheltered in cushy conditions, provided you with any and all necessities so that you never had to go back to your home if you didn't want to. They were fine with you going wherever you pleased, whenever you pleased—you were no prisoner in their hideout. You weren't even a guest. You were one of them. They took you in and let you choose if you wanted to stay. Some older, more experienced members would laugh and mock you, but that was only to be expected, right? People called you a newbie, some affectionately, some less so, but you never felt shunned as you sometimes did when wandering around with your old gang. No matter who you were or where you came from, the color of your skin or your sexual preference or your religious beliefs, you found acceptance from them. Unfortunately, these earlier days of your stay with The Devil's Cult were to be the only days of comfort you would have with them.
You chose whether or not you wanted to go on missions with the Devils, and sometimes you did. The “missions” they went on were easy-peasy tasks—robbing a convenience store, “borrowing” things from people’s homes, spying on rivals to get essential information. While you were still a teenager, you were making more money than almost all of the adults on your block. These missions were nothing like the tasks you carried out while living with your old gang, which relieved you, but slowly and surely these missions became bloodier and dirtier. You were slow to figure that out, which was too bad for you. You should've known. Of course they meant to trap you, keep you captive with them once you've learned too much about them. After a certain amount of time, you were not permitted to flee the cult; if thirty days passed and you were still with The Devil's Cult, you were an official member of their ranks and there was no longer an option to leave.
An Oath.
After a month, if a person hasn't chosen to leave yet, the Devils automatically lock said person in. They don't literally "lock said person in," of course—no, this means that, without question, they consider that person a true Devil and a recruit. No objections can be made after this point; after all, the person had a month to decide if he or she wanted to stay or not, and after the last hour of the thirtieth day, s/he is stuck. Permanently. He is not allowed to return home to say goodbye to anyone. (Not many Devils have loved ones to speak to.) She leaves her old life and never looks back because she cannot. A paperless, invisible contract between the new member and the leaders of The Devil's Cult is signed on the last day of the recruit’s freedom (the thirtieth day). The Devils call this the Omerta. This Omerta is unbreakable—if it is broken, the person dies on the spot, without a trial or jury to hear him or her out. Still a newbie, but no longer questionable regarding their allegiance, that person is put to the test by a series of physical, mental, and ethical challenges.
It's a rather simple, concise set of requirements... if one is serious about not getting his head chopped off, that is.
It's a rather simple, concise set of requirements... if one is serious about not getting his head chopped off, that is.
We Swore a Bloody Oath.
1. No Devil will stand idly by and watch a comrade fall in a mission. However, if a group is attacked or in grave danger, it is not required to assist another in escaping, as protecting one's own life is the main priority in the face of true danger. (Danger = anything more threatening than a group of Devils.)
2. No Devil is permitted to abandon the Devil's Cult. Doing so will result in automatic death, once caught. (Believe us, you will be caught.) Anyone caught helping someone to escape will also be executed.
3. A mission must, without exception, be completed before a Devil can be allowed to return to the hideout. If he dies trying to fulfill the mission, so be it, as an incompetent Devil is not very useful to the Cult, anyway. Abandoning a group undergoing a mission is equally forbidden.
4. No member of The Devil's Cult may leave the group for more than two days without being accompanied by a high-ranked Devil or without permission (unless he is hurt, on a long mission, etc.).
5. Do not question or defy the leaders and other high-ranked members of The Devil's Cult. Rebels are not tolerated.
6. Do not give orders to others if it is not your place to do so. Ties in with rule #5.
7. It is not against the Oath to question, harass, harm, or even kill another member if a Devil feels insecure toward him due to personal issues (defending one’s honor, fighting for a woman, etc). In order to kill another member of the group, the person must have a valid reason to do so, proof, and at least three witnesses. Once done, a formal duel shall take place in which the challenged may choose the battle weapon. Duels do not have to be fought to the death but often are.
8. Members are to dispose of prisoners that they find and bring back on their own. They can choose to execute prisoners that have been captured by a group (while on a mission, most likely) or they can leave those to the Headsmen, but if one person finds/brings back a prisoner, he or she cannot leave them to die by the hands of the Headsmen. This is how Devils show respect to their captives.
Hierarchy Rules
.
1. Leaders hold the most authority in The Devils' ranking system. However, if one who has been with the cult for three or more years feels that a Leader is not fit to be in that position, she may stand up and request hand-to-hand combat. The Leader must accept unless he is physically indisposed, in which case his Subordinate may fight in his place.
2. Subordinates are second-in-commands. Each Leader gets one Subordinate of his choosing. These people can be pro/demoted at any time, for any reason, but can only be de/promoted by their own Leader. Subordinates must accept a challenge if an inferior requests one (for the same reasons any member would challenge a Leader).
3. If a Leader does not cooperate with the other Leaders and his own Subordinate, she can/will be demoted and replaced without question. However, the former Leader can challenge the new Leader to regain her rank.
4. Leaders are the only ones allowed to change the Oath rules.
5. Subordinates issue missions to members. Lieutenants lead missions.
6. Lieutenants are sort of like the Subordinates of the Subordinates. They assemble and lead “squads” on missions and keep an eye on prisoners/new recruits. Lieutenants do a headcount at midnight every night to make sure every member is present.
.
1. Leaders hold the most authority in The Devils' ranking system. However, if one who has been with the cult for three or more years feels that a Leader is not fit to be in that position, she may stand up and request hand-to-hand combat. The Leader must accept unless he is physically indisposed, in which case his Subordinate may fight in his place.
2. Subordinates are second-in-commands. Each Leader gets one Subordinate of his choosing. These people can be pro/demoted at any time, for any reason, but can only be de/promoted by their own Leader. Subordinates must accept a challenge if an inferior requests one (for the same reasons any member would challenge a Leader).
3. If a Leader does not cooperate with the other Leaders and his own Subordinate, she can/will be demoted and replaced without question. However, the former Leader can challenge the new Leader to regain her rank.
4. Leaders are the only ones allowed to change the Oath rules.
5. Subordinates issue missions to members. Lieutenants lead missions.
6. Lieutenants are sort of like the Subordinates of the Subordinates. They assemble and lead “squads” on missions and keep an eye on prisoners/new recruits. Lieutenants do a headcount at midnight every night to make sure every member is present.
Some are meant to serve. And some are meant to rule.
Leaders | 0/3
Supervise and conduct all activities undergone by inferiors. Plan all missions, appoints all positions; have the final word for everything. A Leader's word is law, and if it is not followed through, the Leader has the right to condemn the traitor to death. A Leader may rule for as long as The Devil's Cult allows him. When a Leader's time is up, he may choose to return to being a regular Devil, take up the rank of Subordinate or Lieutenant, or retire to become an Honored member if he has served long enough.
>> Oversee Subordinates, Lieutenants, and all members.
>> Issue new rules to the Oath only when necessary.
>> Must be a member of The Devil's Cult for at least 3 years.
>> Do not lead missions unless absolutely necessary.
>> Responsible for the mentorship of Fresh Recruits. A Leader gets to choose the Fresh Recruit she wishes to mentor, and can mentor only one at a time. If there's a surplus of Fresh Recruits, the others are the responsibility of the Subordinates.
Subordinates | 0/3
Second-in-command after the Leaders; issue missions given by the Leaders. Occasionally lead missions.
>> Oversee Lieutenants and all inferiors.
>> May step down or decline a promotion if he does not want it.
>> May be promoted to Leader should a Leader step down or die (voted by other Leaders)
>> May be demoted by their Leader without a valid reason.
>> May temporarily stand in for a Leader if needed.
>> Lead missions when there is a shortage of Lieutenants or capable inferiors to do so.
>> Must be a member of the Devil's Cult for at least 2 years.
>> Return to services as a Lieutenant after a demotion. May retire if eligible.
>> Mentor Minors and Fresh Recruits if there are more Recruits than there are Leaders.
Headsmen | 0/3
These guys are the executioners. Each Leader operates one Headsmen, which explains why there are only three. The Headsman will only act under that Leader's orders. No one else in the Devil's Cult will be able to tell him who to kill.
If the method of killing is not specified, the headsman will execute with a shot to the brain or some other painless procedure. Headsmen also act as the torturers of prisoners dragged back by groups from missions. They do not execute the prisoners who have been found by specific members of the Devil's Cult, for those prisoners are to be killed by their own captors.
Lieutenants | 0/6
Lieutenants are senior members of the Devil’s Cult and serve under the Subordinates.
>> Oversee all inferiors.
>> Supervise new recruits, prisoners, members who haven't agreed to the Oath yet.
>> Do a headcount of the members of their squad every night at midnight. It is their responsibility to find and return any runaways.
>> May be promoted to Subordinate if a Subordinate chooses to step down (or dies). Temporarily stand in for Subordinates if needed.
>> May step down/decline a promotion.
>> Lead missions and appoint capable inferiors to lead with them, or to lead in their place if necessary.
>> Must be a member for at least 1.5 years.
Secondaries | 1/unlimited
Secondaries make up the bulk of the Devil's Cult. These members are the “regulars,” the members who aren't extremely skilled nor inexperienced, and these guys carry out the majority of the missions. Some can take on Minors or Fresh Recruits to mentor, if permitted by a Lieutenant or any high-ranked member.
Minors/Fresh Recruits | 0/unlimited
Minors are the least experienced members of the group, having only been around for a couple of months or so. Fresh Recruits, or "meat," affectionately, are just that—newly accepted members, and have even less experience than the Minors, who at least know their way around. They mainly train to get stronger and more skilled so that they may get their turns to go on missions. Hand-to-hand combat is one of the most valued skills that one can have, which these people must build up enough to be considered a Secondary member. Once they are deemed skilled enough, they may then pass an initiation test to promote themselves to the Secondary rank.
Prisoners | 0/10
People brought back to the hideout from missions who are too valuable to kill (yet), or are being held for ransom. Most prisoners are kept alive until they reveal the information they've been keeping; then, they are promptly disposed of. The hideout only has so many cells to hold prisoners in, so approximately ten can be housed every few months. The Devil's Cult does its best to use and dispose of them as quickly as possible so that there are always a couple of cells open for unexpected prisoners.
Unnamed | 0/6
The Unnamed are those who are residing with the Devil's Cult but haven't decided whether they'd like to stay with them or not. Unnamed are allowed thirty days to decide, and if they don't decide before the last day, they are automatically in... After the thirtieth day, if they want to turn back, they cannot. Their opinions do not matter after that last day. The reason there are limited spots for the Unnamed is because the Devils don't like to waste more food and space than they have to on people who might leave them.
Honored | 0/unlimited
These are retired members of the system and get to enjoy their days indulging themselves in violent (or not) acts, helping around the hideout, or anything else they so please. You must have served at least ten years to be considered for an Honored position, and this includes but is not limited to ex-Leaders.
The Devils' Sanctum.
The Sanctum is the home of the Devil's Cult, and has been ever since the cult was formed, about fifty years ago in 1878. The hideout is located in a complex system of tunnels, which is linked to a long-since abandoned sewer system, both of which twist and wind beneath the streets of the ever-populated New York City. This network of tunnels and dried-up pipes can take months or years for someone to familiarize themselves with. To the members of the Devil's Cult, though, it's home.
WHITEWAY
The only piece of the underground institution to be added to the old structures, the White Entrance, or “Whiteway,” as it is called by some members, is the grand gate into the system of tunnels and passageways that the Sanctum has to offer. It is the newest and most obvious of all the entrances/exits of the Sanctum, and therefore is the easiest to get to. Two main passageways lead back to Whiteway.
LADON AND HYDRA
These two main passageways, old pipes that used to belong to a functioning sewer system, are the main means of transportation in the Sanctum. "Ladon" was named after a river god in Greek mythology, which was supposed to be a cleansing river—good name for a pipe that has undergone much revamping. It's brighter, windier, and cleaner in Ladon's passageways, but sometimes the width shrinks down to half a foot and sometimes it is several dozen meters wide, so newcomers often get paranoid of getting trapped the further they travel in. Ladon is easy to navigate, unlike its twin, Hydra: The route is fairly straight and steady, only occasionally stooping into a crater or two. It's much shorter, taking about fifteen minutes at the most to get through, while its sibling can take hours.
Hydra, meaning “water” in Greek, was also the name of a multiple-headed sea serpent slain by the hero Hercules, and it is the more complex of the two, being wider and longer—it is easy to get lost in Hydra, for she twists more times than one can count and branches out into many smaller passageways that lead to different corridors and dead ends. However, it is essential that one learns to maneuver in Hydra because as she leads to many different other channels, she also leads to a great deal more escape routes and exits. Hyrdra is the grimier and darker of the two, but the air is colder and crisper, though it does have a stale scent to it.
TANITH
Tanith is the third largest tunnel in the Sanctum and possesses many dead ends, blocked exits, and dank prisoner cells. Tanith is mainly used to house prisoners and those of lower status. The air is thicker and heavier here, as well as hotter, but provides good warmth for the colder months. Tanith is even more tricky to navigate than Hydra is, sometimes circling a wide arc just to have the explorer end up where he started, and as a result of that, many have starved to death after weeks of aimlessly walking around its grounds.
LYDIA
Lydia is one of the longer tunnels that branches from Hydra and leads to the main source of clean water for the Devils. Lydia was built entirely by the first generation of Devils that inhabited the underground network of passageways, leading to a water source that has otherwise not been discovered by the rest of the world. It's not a very long tunnel, fairly easy to navigate and takes ten minutes at most, even for inexperienced travelers, but as it gets closer to the water at its end, the temperature drops lower and lower. It is unwise for someone to venture down there in scant clothing, because during the winter it is easy to catch an illness due to the dank air in Lydia. The wet and cold are ideal conditions for certain amphibians and insects as well, which linger close to the water source. Nothing harmful, but beware, nevertheless.
THE WATERHOLE/SINKHOLE
The main source of clean and fresh water that the Devils have access to, this pond-like body of water is usually referred to as the Waterhole, or, in some cases, the Waterbowl, or even Sinkhole. It contains cold, refreshing, clean water which can be drunk from the source. No one has been known to die from drinking the water, and in the environment the body of water is situated in (weathered slabs of spotless granite, for the most part), it’s highly unlikely that any sources of poison will ever reach it. The water is very deep, contrary to common belief; for this reason, the Waterhole cannot be considered a puddle of any sorts, more like a sinkhole. The area was believed to have been completely untouched by man before the construction of the additional tunnel, Lydia, which would explain its purity. This doesn't mean that other species haven't found they way to the Waterhole, though. Senior members of the Devil's Cult like to tell stories of big, dangerous fish lurking at the depths of the sinkhole-esque body of water. Who's to know, perhaps there really are fish down there.
The Sanctum is the home of the Devil's Cult, and has been ever since the cult was formed, about fifty years ago in 1878. The hideout is located in a complex system of tunnels, which is linked to a long-since abandoned sewer system, both of which twist and wind beneath the streets of the ever-populated New York City. This network of tunnels and dried-up pipes can take months or years for someone to familiarize themselves with. To the members of the Devil's Cult, though, it's home.
WHITEWAY
The only piece of the underground institution to be added to the old structures, the White Entrance, or “Whiteway,” as it is called by some members, is the grand gate into the system of tunnels and passageways that the Sanctum has to offer. It is the newest and most obvious of all the entrances/exits of the Sanctum, and therefore is the easiest to get to. Two main passageways lead back to Whiteway.
LADON AND HYDRA
These two main passageways, old pipes that used to belong to a functioning sewer system, are the main means of transportation in the Sanctum. "Ladon" was named after a river god in Greek mythology, which was supposed to be a cleansing river—good name for a pipe that has undergone much revamping. It's brighter, windier, and cleaner in Ladon's passageways, but sometimes the width shrinks down to half a foot and sometimes it is several dozen meters wide, so newcomers often get paranoid of getting trapped the further they travel in. Ladon is easy to navigate, unlike its twin, Hydra: The route is fairly straight and steady, only occasionally stooping into a crater or two. It's much shorter, taking about fifteen minutes at the most to get through, while its sibling can take hours.
Hydra, meaning “water” in Greek, was also the name of a multiple-headed sea serpent slain by the hero Hercules, and it is the more complex of the two, being wider and longer—it is easy to get lost in Hydra, for she twists more times than one can count and branches out into many smaller passageways that lead to different corridors and dead ends. However, it is essential that one learns to maneuver in Hydra because as she leads to many different other channels, she also leads to a great deal more escape routes and exits. Hyrdra is the grimier and darker of the two, but the air is colder and crisper, though it does have a stale scent to it.
TANITH
Tanith is the third largest tunnel in the Sanctum and possesses many dead ends, blocked exits, and dank prisoner cells. Tanith is mainly used to house prisoners and those of lower status. The air is thicker and heavier here, as well as hotter, but provides good warmth for the colder months. Tanith is even more tricky to navigate than Hydra is, sometimes circling a wide arc just to have the explorer end up where he started, and as a result of that, many have starved to death after weeks of aimlessly walking around its grounds.
LYDIA
Lydia is one of the longer tunnels that branches from Hydra and leads to the main source of clean water for the Devils. Lydia was built entirely by the first generation of Devils that inhabited the underground network of passageways, leading to a water source that has otherwise not been discovered by the rest of the world. It's not a very long tunnel, fairly easy to navigate and takes ten minutes at most, even for inexperienced travelers, but as it gets closer to the water at its end, the temperature drops lower and lower. It is unwise for someone to venture down there in scant clothing, because during the winter it is easy to catch an illness due to the dank air in Lydia. The wet and cold are ideal conditions for certain amphibians and insects as well, which linger close to the water source. Nothing harmful, but beware, nevertheless.
THE WATERHOLE/SINKHOLE
The main source of clean and fresh water that the Devils have access to, this pond-like body of water is usually referred to as the Waterhole, or, in some cases, the Waterbowl, or even Sinkhole. It contains cold, refreshing, clean water which can be drunk from the source. No one has been known to die from drinking the water, and in the environment the body of water is situated in (weathered slabs of spotless granite, for the most part), it’s highly unlikely that any sources of poison will ever reach it. The water is very deep, contrary to common belief; for this reason, the Waterhole cannot be considered a puddle of any sorts, more like a sinkhole. The area was believed to have been completely untouched by man before the construction of the additional tunnel, Lydia, which would explain its purity. This doesn't mean that other species haven't found they way to the Waterhole, though. Senior members of the Devil's Cult like to tell stories of big, dangerous fish lurking at the depths of the sinkhole-esque body of water. Who's to know, perhaps there really are fish down there.
Identification.
All members are required to wear masks during missions, as to keep the police from getting ahold of a “Wanted” sketch. These masks cover the full face and traditionally take the shape of animal heads. No two members can have the same animal as their mask. This is obviously to prevent confusion during missions.
Training, Missions, Hostages.
After they have been initiated into the Devil’s Cult, Minors and Fresh Recruits are mentored by either a Leader or Subordinate in three forms of combat: firearms, knives, and hand-to-hand. Mentors usually task their Fresh Recruit with challenges such as burglarizing houses, kidnapping a valuable mark, making a drug deal, or pulling a confidence trick on an unsuspecting innocent. They may be pitted against another mentor’s Recruit in a sort of competition.
A “mission” is just a synonym for a heist, job, or any other money-making activity. As great as the Devil’s Cult being a family sounds, to say that that’s their primary purpose would be sentimental bullshit. Like anyone else, the Devil’s Cult is out to make money above all. They do this through schemes like illegal gambling, loan-sharking, extortion, murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, prostitution rings, robbery, home invasions, fencing, confidence tricks, and money laundering. Bribes are made often in order to convince the authorities to look the other way. Half of the profits from any one operation are automatically given to the Leaders to divvy up amongst themselves. The other half circulates down the hierarchy in decreasing increments.
Hostages are a specific type of prisoner. Unlike some, they are not tortured with the purpose of divulging secret information. Hostages are often taken from exceptionally wealthy families who are in a position to pay handsome sums, and are held prisoner in the Devil’s Cult until their ransoms are paid off. Sometimes they are taken for political reasons, as Devils occasionally will barter with the police if one of their beloved members has been apprehended and will arrange a prisoner exchange. The kind of state in which a hostage is released depends on how cooperative he was. It is not uncommon for hostages to leave the Devils’ hospitality missing an eye, tongue, or fingers.
After they have been initiated into the Devil’s Cult, Minors and Fresh Recruits are mentored by either a Leader or Subordinate in three forms of combat: firearms, knives, and hand-to-hand. Mentors usually task their Fresh Recruit with challenges such as burglarizing houses, kidnapping a valuable mark, making a drug deal, or pulling a confidence trick on an unsuspecting innocent. They may be pitted against another mentor’s Recruit in a sort of competition.
A “mission” is just a synonym for a heist, job, or any other money-making activity. As great as the Devil’s Cult being a family sounds, to say that that’s their primary purpose would be sentimental bullshit. Like anyone else, the Devil’s Cult is out to make money above all. They do this through schemes like illegal gambling, loan-sharking, extortion, murder, kidnapping, drug trafficking, prostitution rings, robbery, home invasions, fencing, confidence tricks, and money laundering. Bribes are made often in order to convince the authorities to look the other way. Half of the profits from any one operation are automatically given to the Leaders to divvy up amongst themselves. The other half circulates down the hierarchy in decreasing increments.
Hostages are a specific type of prisoner. Unlike some, they are not tortured with the purpose of divulging secret information. Hostages are often taken from exceptionally wealthy families who are in a position to pay handsome sums, and are held prisoner in the Devil’s Cult until their ransoms are paid off. Sometimes they are taken for political reasons, as Devils occasionally will barter with the police if one of their beloved members has been apprehended and will arrange a prisoner exchange. The kind of state in which a hostage is released depends on how cooperative he was. It is not uncommon for hostages to leave the Devils’ hospitality missing an eye, tongue, or fingers.
Initiation and Challenges.
After an Unnamed has consented to join the Devil’s Cult, or simply their thirty days of decision have expired, a ceremony is held in which the new Devil takes the vow of silence known as Omerta. One of the Leaders will slice open the new Devil’s palm with a knife and the new Devil (now a Fresh Recruit) will then shake hands with all of their brethren in attendance of the ceremony (usually everyone not out on a mission or otherwise incapacitated). Then comes initiation, a hazing process that occurs during the same time period as combat training. The exact nature of the initiation varies, as this changes depending on the fancy of the Leaders. It’s usually some sort of uniquely humiliating task that a Leader comes up with on the spot, generally for his own amusement. We're a sadistic bunch, after all.
The final, more serious challenge involves the Fresh Recruit being tasked with a “hit,” or the assassination of a rival of the Devil’s Cult. The intent is to see if the Recruit really has the guts for the Devil’s Cult, and for the Recruit to gain some sort of understanding of the hardships their fellow Devils had to endure to get where they are now. A Fresh Recruit will not be promoted to a Secondary until they have completed the assigned murder in cold blood with witnesses from the cult.
We are not what we seem.
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