13.14 Contracts, Hiring, and the Mark(s) - Quisalis and Ivory

(See: HELP PK, HELP ASSASSINS, HELP CHAMPIONS, HELP WRITS, HELP ISSUES)

Contracts serve as a means to allow adventurers the appropriate retribution for
grievous offenses against the person (in-character only). Serving this purpose,
we have two organisations: 

The Ivory Mark (HELP CHAMPIONS), whose members uphold honour and the plight of
the weak.

The Quisalis Mark (HELP ASSASSINS), who use any means necessary to eliminate a
target.

It mainly comes down to a personal preference which organisation you choose.
Members of both will attempt to slay another adventurer on your behalf.

Contracting a Champion or Assassin
----------------------------------
The specifics for hiring a Mark to fulfill your contract are listed in HELP
CHAMPIONS and HELP ASSASSINS respectively. Some things you should know about
contracting before you proceed:

- Champions and Assassins are used as a means of retribution, for victims of
attacks who are unable to retaliate themselves. Marks should never be used to
instigate conflict.

- A Mark is considered a weapon: all attacks that the Mark makes while
fulfilling a contract will be as if you were attacking the person yourself.

- A valid and clear reason must be specified when requesting a contract. This
reason is not viewable by the Mark, but it is revealed to the target upon
successful completion of the contract. Do not make insults against the victim
when stating your reason; the Administration monitors them and will penalise
those who do.

- You may only have one contract per person at once. You may have up to five
active contracts on different individuals.

- If you are listed as a thief on your honours, the Mark organisations will not
accept your contracts.

What happens next?
------------------
Once your contract is accepted, and your fee paid, you're done. A Mark will be
selected to complete the contract on your behalf. At this point, any roleplayed
justification for attacking that adventurer ceases. 

Contracts last for 30 Achaean days (30 RL hours), but don't move toward
expiration unless the mark is online and the target is:
  - active in the realms,
  - on the prime material plane,
  - on the continent of Sapience,
  - not phased,
  - not in the wilderness,
  - not in any private home (in or out of subdivision),
  - outside of any 'defendable' area of _ANY_ city, temple,
    or House estate.

You can check on the status of your contracts by using the CONTRACTS command. As
the hirer, you can CANCEL CONTRACT <#> if you wish.

If the Mark successfully completes a contract, along with having your revenge,
you'll also gain a sizeable portion of the experience from the kill.

Should the Mark be slain while attempting to carry out your revenge, or if the
target eludes the Mark for the full 30 days, the contract is considered failed,
and the matter concluded. Such is the risk of contracting a member of a Mark.


(See: HELP PK, HELP ASSASSINS, HELP CHAMPIONS, HELP WRITS, HELP ISSUES)