The darkness of the room was palpable. It was as if one could feel the shadows clutching at them, suffocating them. The only solace from the oppresive darkness was a single candle on a rotting table in the middle of the room. The light flickered, and cast long, dancing shadows along the cracked walls. The people within the room shifted anxiously, turning to watch each other, and turning to watch the one door leading into the room.

"I'm sorry to have kept you all waiting", came a voice from the corner.

In shock, those present backed away from the corner, drawing weapons, the sound of cold steel snaking out of scabbards filled the room. The figure approached the table, with its hood still drawn about its face. As it approached, it drew it's arsenal from beneath the cloak, a multitude of glistening weapons. The others watched warily, wondering about this thing, and then they murmured to each other in suprise when the figure laid all its weapons on the table.

"I trust this should make you more at ease. Come, do away with your weapons. We have not gathered here for that", said the figure, "Our purpose here tonight has more meaning that simple slaughter."

The hooded head swiveled to look at each one in the room, stopping on each of their faces. One by one, those within the room sheathed their blades, and the figure nodded.

One came forward, the light playing across the face, but coming close enough to expose his mouth. "What have you brought us here for?", he said.

The figure simply replied, "I have brought you here for something we all desire... Power."

Backing away from the light, the figure slipped in the darkness of the room, still talking, and the voice seemed to come from all about them. "Power, my friends, is what we all seek... why else would we have become what we are? We all seek the same thing, and what I propose is that we seek it together."

"And why would be join with you? What have you to offer us that we could profit from?", called one of the men in the room.

The figure stepped back into the light, appearing next to the speaker, causing him some distress, and said, "Because, while we each are powerful on our own, we would be a greater force combined."

"So... to join together, would bring us greater rewards. Surely on your own you may take hold of a small bit of power, but would it be enough? Can it ever be enough? I think not. Those like us desire so much more, we kill for it, we scheme for it... but we do not accomplish much alone. So join with me, and we shall accomplish something much more grand... the times are changing here in Aurealis, the power structure fluxuates and is on the verge of collapsing. There lie many opportunities within. So join with me, and we shall take those opportunities, together, and with greater success...", said the figure, circling the edge of the light.

"So you would have us bow our heads to you? Our supposed, 'benefactor'?", asked one of the others.

The figure stopped, and turned its hooded head towards the one who spoke, "No, you would only be locked to me in name, as I would be to you. We all still have our own agendas, and no one leads this group, we agree together, or we don't agree at all. No ranks, no command... we are not an army... we are assassins. So we will still operate on our own, but we shall work towards a common goal. Power."

"Now comes a time to make a choice, my friends... will you stay or will you go? Make it now, and make it swiftly.", said the voice walking towards the table.

A few of those present headed for the door, muttering under their breaths. As they reached the door, the figure said, "Remember, there is no penalty to refuse my offer, but if you tell anything about what you know of tonight, your days will be numbered... go in peace, but more importantly, go in silence."

Those at the door nodded and left without a word. Those still left stood around the warmth of the single light in the room, and the figure turned its attention towards them. No one noticed the blades missing from the table, no one ever saw the figure retrieve them. But it did not matter, the figure's intent was not murder.

"Now, since secrecy is paramount, we must not let on the existence of this... group", said the figure, "So, my friends, my Forsaken, shall we get down to business?"

As the details came forth, no one ever saw the figure's smile from under the hood...