The Black Circle

The Black Circle is a transcontinental crime syndicate, operating primarily in or around the established kingdoms of Remnant. It's origins are as an underground cult, later becoming a cult-like assassin order before branching off into other illicit activities such as theft and smuggling.

History
The first mention of the term "Black Circle" in reference to the group appears in the work of Dravus Malachite, a well known author and aristocrat of Vale's High Court some 300 years before the Great War. Halfway through his life, the middle-aged Dravus seemingly exiled himself to his castle built in the mountains surrounding Vale, where he continued to write volumes of books until his death. Though Malachite was known for such classics as Dance of the River Maiden and Thief and the Butcher, the majority of his works were violent, avant garde erotica banned from most libraries for their provocative and disturbing content. Perhaps the most reviled of these works, By Thorns Caressed, makes reference to a "Black Circle of misery and pain" in Intermezzo VIII, a Soiree Most Grimm, in which two virgin sisters are offered by a mysterious cult to be defiled and consumed by a large, tentacled Grimm.

Several years after Dravus' death, his castle was searched by the Vale Royal Inquisition. Beneath the castle, a vast network of catacombs was discovered, the total distance of the tunnels totaling over thirty miles, and believed to have been hollowed out by faunus slave labor. Once followed and mapped by the Inquisition, these tunnels contained records and evidence of unspeakable horror.

Several documents and registries detail the capture and transportation of both live Grimm and adolescent women from the surrounding mountains and the slums of Vale to the castle. Dravus' diary reveals that he would spend long hours, sometimes days, studying and trying to communicate with the captured Grimm. The girls were used in a number of horrifying ways, mostly as main events for a number of secret masquerades hosted for unknown and unrecorded clientele, as well as for a variety of forbidden rituals of pain and sexual debauchery. It is believed that Grimm were purposefully attracted to the castle by the suffering Malachite would inflict on his victims for days, sometimes weeks.

This evil and twisted operation was carried out in secrecy for decades by a dozen chosen acolytes, christened by Dravus as his "Black Circle," whom he instructed in the art of stealth, thievery, and combat using the common cane as a weapon. It is believed that these twelve acolytes are responsible for at least a portion of the various unsolved kidnappings and murders that occurred in Vale around 270-240 years prior to the Great War.

Fall of the Circle
Towards the end of his life, Dravus became further and further obsessed with discovering the powers of the Grimm. He believed that he could take on their ferocity and ability to feed off negative emotion by having a master Dust tailor sew detailed depictions of the creatures into his skin, with thread made from various types of Dust and the ashes of slain Grimm. Half his body was tattooed over the course of several days before he died. It is believed that anywhere from three to eight of his acolytes underwent the same procedure, concluding that Dravus's aged body was simply unable to withstand the agony and strain of Dust infusion, but they too died soon after their first tattoos were completed.

The surviving acolytes hastily destroyed as much evidence as they could before disappearing, and after the destruction of the castle and every copy of By Thorns Caressed the Inquisition were able to acquire, it would appear that The Black Circle would remain a deranged, Grimm worshipping cult for which Dravus Malachite's death was the killing blow.

Resurfacing
It is presumed that though the original Black Circle had been disbanded, the work Dravus Malachite had started lived on through his surviving acolytes. The next several decades would see Remnant gradually entangled in a complicated web of shadowy politics, as international trade, the expansion of the faunus and the Kougaiji's political influence, and mounting military tensions would bring about The Great War in the next century. Multiple shipping manifests, recovered criminal evidence, and even government contracts from all corners of Remnant made references to agents of The Black Circle, but the name itself was shrouded in mystery until the discovery of an unidentified corpse on the shores of Patch roughly 120 years prior to The Great War. The apparent survivor of a shipwreck of unknown origin, the waterlogged corpse was a male, mottled skin tattooed with horrifying depictions of Grimm on over half his body.

The corpse would go forgotten until Vale authorities arrested an assassin attempting to murder the council of Vale two decades later, the tattoos on her body resembling those of the unidentified corpse. The assassin, known to post-war history only as Alma, had fought and killed fifteen knights of Vale with only a common parasol, before being subdued. Though tortured for months, Alma refused to scream, confess, or speak, though the validity of this is debated. Her final words before the public execution by hanging were: "May the shadows I cast blind this world; the Circle will not be broken." Alma's training, using the curved handle of a common umbrella or cane to counter, disarm, and strangle opponents, as well as her tattoos were not an uncommon sight in Remnant's criminal underworld, though no miscreant from any kingdom would step forward and identify her as Black Circle, for fear of being silenced themselves. In the century following Dravus Malachite's demise, The Black Circle had risen, formless, from his ashes and become one of the most organized assassin guilds in Remnant, feared throughout all four kingdoms.

Due to its secretive nature, little is confirmed about how The Black Circle operated at this time beyond educated conjecture, information extracted from few criminals under interrogation, and the weapon recovered from Alma. Its members were believed to be instructed from childhood to be cunning infiltrators, mastering the art of pathological lying and manipulation. Their combat techniques were designed to make use of the cane or umbrella to remain inconspicuous, its members often wearing black, full coverage clothing to hide the various Grimm tattoos each member possessed, including gloves and scarves if necessary. In The Black Circle hierarchy, each type of Grimm had a particular meaning, which was further specified by its placement upon the assassin's body, though the meanings are, to this day, not fully understood by those outside the cult.

The Kougaiji and The Great War
In the years leading up to The Great War, The Black Circle can be traced back to many assassinations across Remnant that were part of the Kougaiji's attempts to manufacture conflicts to increase their own arms profits via The Feral Vigil. The tension throughout the world proved profitable, but when The Great War broke out in proper, it was like The Black Circle had won their own personal lottery.

The horrific acts of violence and subterfuge that rocked Remnant throughout this dark age were a gold mine for The Black Circle, and their involvement in the bloodshed of countless lives allowed them to expand their operations. Using the chaos of war and death as a smokescreen, The Black Circle recruited thousands of new assassins; these were often prisoners of war, liberated with no homes to return to, or war orphans, traumatized and hauled from bombed out buildings and battlefields with just enough of their minds intact to be trained into merciless, tattooed killers.

But as the war raged on, The Black Circle began to collapse in on itself, as it had grown too large too quickly. Hiring out agents and taking contracts on all sides of the war left Black Circle operatives literally assassinating each other, and the quick training regimens taught to new recruits resulted in sloppy killers that were captured frequently, spilling secrets under torture that had been kept by the cult for centuries. By the time the world could fight no longer, and the Grimm had outnumbered any of man's armies, the leaders of The Black Circle did the only thing they could to preserve their order: They vanished.

The Circle is Broken
With the highest ranking members of The Black Circle gone to ground, the order crumbled. The few remaining operatives were captured, killed, or prey for the Grimm, their combat techniques useless against the claws, tusks, and beaks which adorned their skin. Once the smoke cleared, the cult was gone, hiding from view while a new generation of assassins were trained.

But the peace that followed was long, bright, and a nightmare for an assassin cult. The establishment of Huntsman academies across Remnant created warriors with minds capable of hunting Black Circle operatives, and the combat skill necessary to best them. The Faunus Rights Revolution came quickly, but this only fractured the cult further, as its faunus members left to put their skills to use fighting for the future of their species. The Cross Continental Transmit system was the final blow, making it easier than ever for Huntsman to intercept Black Circle communication and predict their movements.

Nowadays, The Black Circle is a shadow of its former self. The cult's leadership, a handful of unnamed, unseen individuals known only as The Imperium, commands its various kingdom branches from a hidden location, using go-between middle men and underbosses to broker contracts. These contracts are seldom assassinations, however, as The Black Circle has recently turned to other crime such as theft, smuggling, and narcotics trafficking in an effort to stay relevant in a changed world. Members are recruited from the tried and tested pool of orphans and street thugs, who must first serve The Circle for years as informants, drug runners, and other easily deniable positions. Those who demonstrate exceptional loyalty, skill, or both are asked to murder a single individual of their choosing, and are only tattooed and become Black Circle proper after the job is completed. This way, if the new recruit is caught, The Black Circle can deny any and all responsibility for the bloodshed, all in the interest of survival until Remnant once again has need of their ruthlessly efficient services.

Operations and Procedures
The codes of conduct that govern The Black Circle have evolved with the group as Remnant itself has changed. One of the primary reasons The Black Circle has stayed relevant over the decades is their ability to act as the middle man; though the Circle monitors its own operations, such as Dust mining and Narcotics development, the group takes contracts frequently, and from any source, regardless of reputation. This allows many other organizations to commission assassinations or other nefarious deeds through The Circle for a price, avoiding responsibility themselves when the task is complete.

Hierarchy
The Black Circle as an entity is guided by The Imperium, a group of individuals shrouded in misinformation and outright mystery. The Imperium governs the overall direction of the Circle, such as training regimens, budget, and the keeping and passing down of records throughout the organization. Operations are handled by a designated underboss, usually not officially Black Circle themselves, who brokers contracts with third parties and carries out the orders of The Imperium. It is believed that The Imperium communicates its wishes to its underbosses via handwritten messages carried by messengers, which are handed off between multiple contacts to further obscure the trail of power should it be traced by a detective or Huntsman. Even in the worst case scenario of a particular operation being completely destroyed, no evidence will remain to lead to the location of any other operations or The Imperium, and The Black Circle as an entity will continue to exist.

A single, trained Black Circle member is referred to as an Operative, and an untrained member such as a messenger or street rat, an Asset. In the days before the Great War, operatives carried out missions and contracts independently, though in modern times The Circle has seen fit to dispatch multiple operatives to accomplish goals as teams. Operatives commonly work in pairs, a single pair referred to as a ''Brace. ''When part of a Brace, both Operatives are expected to compensate for the weaknesses of the other, whether taking turns attacking and defending in combat, or covering surveillance while the other Operative poisons drinks at a party. For larger and/or riskier contracts or operations, it has become increasingly common for Operatives to work in teams of four, a single team referred to as a Cabal.

Initiation and Training
After an Asset has proved their loyalty to the Circle through competency, the asset is given the opportunity to murder a single individual, over which they have complete control. Upon successful completion of the murder, they are tattooed with a Grimm design befitting the specific circumstances of their kill, upon which they become a Black Circle Operative and are trained for combat and infiltration. Following the death of Dravus Malachite, Black Circle tattoos were done with dyes and a 24-needle brush, an excruciating process that could take many hours. However, modern operatives are tattooed with the common needle and ink, usually by a tattoo artist contracted by the Circle but not directly affiliated with it.

True to the beginnings of the Circle, Operatives are trained in infiltration and sleight of hand, as the cult prefers contracts be completed in as subtle a fashion as possible. A common tool of Operatives in the field are vials of Black Sap; though frequently used and peddled by the Circle as a potent Narcotic/hallucinogenic, Black Sap is lethal in large doses, and Operatives use it to poison targets. Death by Black Sap overdose is oftentimes a telltale sign of Black Circle activity, leaving victims pale with visible, bulging black veins and eyes flooded with murky grey tears.

For situations when violence is required, Operatives are trained extensively in Bartitsu, the armed style of wielding the curved cane or umbrella as a weapon; males and females are trained to use the cane or umbrella respectively, as it is simply more commonplace and less conspicuous to see males carrying canes and females umbrellas and parasols in most of Remnant's societies. These weapons are modified by the Operative with hidden blades, cannons, Black Sap vial compartments, and other features, making every weapon unique to its wielder. Operatives are taught to prioritize counters and disarms over brute force aggression; should they be disarmed themselves, they are also instructed in the hand-to-hand style of Sai-Hikonou (Dagger Limbs in ancient Shio Faunus) a Faunus martial art originally developed on Menagerie and taught by Jin-boh Usagi. The Black Circle trains and accepts human and faunus members in equal abundance, of both genders, as Operatives are judged and promoted based solely on their abilities to fight, kill, manipulate, and endure pain.

Operatives are also trained to manifest and control aura, as well as resist torture. Those that discover and hone a semblance are often promoted, and are only deployed for high-value contracts, though this occurrence is rare. Though the precise applications of Dust and aura are not known or taught, Operatives make use of Dust-based ammunition when it is required. Fully trained, a process that takes at least six years, most Black Circle Operatives can hold their own in combat against a novice Huntsman.

Operations
The Black Circle maintains several smuggling and narcotics operations across the four kingdoms of Remnant, though their presence is stronger in certain locations than others. Though the location of The Imperium is closely guarded, Black Circle Operatives can be found gathering and conducting business in warehouses and nightclubs across Remnant, where their distinctive tattoos are less likely to stand out and attract attention.

Vale
In the birthplace of Dravus Malachite himself, The Black Circle maintains a stranglehold on most criminal enterprise. From drug running and smuggling to human trafficking and murder, The Circle has a hand in an estimated 65% of illegal operations in the Kingdom, the other 35% being perpetrated by the Hong Zhao and the White Fang. So common is the reach of the Circle that the more conservative Vale politicians have proposed banning all tattoos of Grimm creatures and the wearing of gloves while carrying a cane or parasol. The Black Sap epidemic currently sweeping Vale's nightclubs and slums is believed to be the direct result of The Black Circle's backbone narcotics operation.

Vacuo
The Black Circle presence in Vacuo is largely concentrated in and around the docks of the kingdom, where the cult has smuggled in narcotics from all over Remnant for decades. Recently, the Circle has ventured into sex trafficking, setting up various brothels where their clientele can pay to exploit and degrade captured humans and faunus alike. The Circle's operations in Vacuo are relatively recent, but this is simply testament to how much difficulty Vacuan law enforcement has had combatting the Circle's incursions.

Mistral
Black Circle presence in Mistral is largely concentrated in Skyharbor, Kajaar, and the capital city of Mistral itself, within which the Circle recruits warriors already trained in Chaakhari martial arts and distributes various narcotics such as Black Sap and Krave. Political assassinations are contracted infrequently by the aristocracy governing significant portions of the Kingdom. Mistral is unique in that a Black Circle Operative, Dulcinea Bloom, was instrumental in securing the continued existence of the Kingdom in Operation Anvil during the Great War, later marrying General Lilas Fluer and having three children. This is possibly the only example in Remnant's history of an Operative leaving the Circle of their own accord, and not because of death.

Atlas
The Black Circle's operations in Atlas are few, as Atlesian security and laws make narcotics trafficking difficult and human trafficking nearly impossible. The Circle has sustained casualties in direct competition with the Atlesian assassin family the Nightshades, though has reportedly been involved in under-the-table dealings with both the Schnee Dust Company and to a lesser extent the Atlesian Military. The main reason The Black Circle has not abandoned its Atlesian operations entirely is because considerable sums of money are made off the distribution of stolen technology, including the alleged theft and supply of several prototype Paladin mechs to the White Fang prior to the Battle of Beacon.