My character is looking into being an assassin, but doesn't want to jeopardize his current relations by doing it publicly. The story is set in a medieval times, so no emails or anything like that. How would/could I get my character started on being an assassin? I had thought about just making my character make a flyer and stick it on a request board, but that wasn't subtle enough and far too lazy. My character is an experienced assassin who is looking to restart his career, but I dont know how to get him back in on it. He has no old contacts in any underground societies, and I dont know how to get him on the track to getting clients and stuff. What are your suggestions on how I should do this? Thanks!
An assassin needs buyers. You don't just put a flyer asking if anybody wants to kill people. Especially in a medieval story where an assassin is more likely to be working for the aristocracy. What you'd need is connections. You say your character has no old contacts, so what they'd need to do is make new ones. They'd surely at least know where to start looking around and integrating themselves.
One of his contacts is a king of a local kingdom. I could certainly see how the king would need someone to do dirty work, but the king is a upfront and honest man, and I dont know what type of people he'd need to have my MC kill. Perhaps a rival kingdom that is about to wage war? What do you think?
The medieval age was a more brutal time. Kings couldn't afford to avoid killing people (not personally I mean). That was just what they did. You didn't do it, sooner or later it would be done to you. So I'm sure there would be a place for your MC if you work with it, some kind of political conflict for an assassin to work at.
Alright. Thanks for giving me an idea for my story! This was a wall ive been struggling with for awhile!
Medieval kings couldn't get away with being nice. But....they don't have to be upfront about it. There's a famous story about King Henry II, who had a years-long feud with Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury. Anyway, it's said that at one time, the king said to a roomful of people "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome priest?" It wasn't a command, but 4 knights took it upon themselves to go to Canterbury and kill Thomas Becket. So maybe something like this happens, and your MC takes it upon himself to go kill the annoying party, thus demonstrating his skills and leading to getting hired by some nobles/political schemers/the king?