The Assassin Maids of Valchestry Manor

The Assassin Maids of Valchestry Manor are a secret group of women who act as the hidden guards of Valchestry Manor. They conduct the services of ordinary maids for the majority of their occupancy. They also carry out duties normally overtaken by guards ranging from escorting guests to subduing attackers.

Established as a means of protecting the occupants, Valchestry created the group to protect the grounds from anyone on the premises that could be a potential threat. Normal guards are stationed along the outside of the building as a means of intimidation to discourage trespassing and attacks. The Manor's rule of only inviting trustworthy individuals led to the decline of traditional guards until they were phased out entirely. This was until an attempted assassination attempt nearly led to the death of one of the family. The attempt was thwarted by a female member of the family who had studied combat abroad. It was this incident that led her to create the hidden group. Since the attacker had underestimated her abilities by not accounting for her training, she decided she would use this tactic to train a new generation of guard.

In the beginning, beautiful young women from lower class homes would be offered to join a "special service" for Valchestry Manor. Being a huge opportunity, most families agreed to terms, despite being told a level of risk would be involved. These women were then brought to the Manor and trained in martial arts as well as normal methods of combat that normal soldiers would partake in. Once they were properly trained, they were then implemented years later.

Keeping the group a secret was top priority only surpassed by the objective to keep manor occupants safe. Actions taken by maids were only to be performed either in secret or with no living witnesses. Nobody, save for a few individuals outside the family knew about the existence of the group. Its effectiveness lied in their seemingly innocent appearance as maids. Their close presence to guests at all times is not seen as threatening or mistrustful as a normal guard would be perceived. Also, their intrusion into rooms and even baggage is often overlooked due to the expected services of normal maids.

Their looks are a key factor to their success. Maids are dressed in revealing maid outfits, with short skirts, and tops with revealing cleavage. This is to showcase their beauty, which is a dis-alarming tactic and also a distraction used to control the thought patterns of guests. Guests will often keep from staring out of shyness, allowing the maids to do things in plain sight. Conversely, guests who have a habit of staring will often not be able to consider much about the maids other than their appearance, further concealing their true intentions. They conceal all of their weaponry, the main one being a dagger hidden inside of their feather dusters that they keep on them at all times. Brooms and mops also have easily detachable tops that convert them into staffs, spears or javelins.

Maids are highly respected in Valchestral society. They are on par with soldiers in their social standing. All maids are given a red ribbon to signify their service to the royal family that they wear around their necks with their uniform. Maids are permitted and largely do wear them at their leisure. Maids that have performed special actions that required them to kill are given red lipsticks to be worn as a mark of honor. This shade of red, known as Valchest Red, is found in the lipstck and ribons of maids. It is synthesized from blood, usually of the enemies they kill. Normal Valchestrian people are disallowed from wearing this color or any similar to it out of respect.