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==Organisation==
[[Image:OfficioOrg.jpg|thumb|right|The structure of the Officio Assassinorum. Note that the [[Vanus]] and [[Venenum]] Temples are dubbed "classified"{{Fn|16}]]
The primary division of the Officio is into temples (also called clades), each of which is led by a small group of Masters (often termed '''Lord Assassins''' or '''Grand Masters'''{{fn|9}}) and specialises in a unique brand of murder.{{fn|16}} These Masters rarely work directly but instead being responsible for planning, organising, research and watching over the younger Assassins. The greater number of the Assassins are unranked, though some can be more experienced than others.{{Fn|2}} Despite their hard and often short lives, Assassins can rise in the organization by successfully completing missions. Upon achieving '''Sicarius Primus''', they gain the right of refusal to any sector-level mission and even take assignments intended for other Temples. This is the stepping stone for advancement to the central Temple on Terra, where they can become high-ranking masters of the organization.{{Fn|27a}} Indeed, the Grand Master himself is a skilled assassin who has advanced to the Officio's highest position.{{Fn|28}}
The temples, with the exception of the Culexus Temple, are located on Terra but their specific locations are a closely guarded secret. They may be deployed to a battlefield to covertly 'help' an Imperial force, including Each Temple also operates sub-temples on the [[Space MarineSegmentum]]s, and then [[Sisters of BattleSector]], and level. These are in turn coordinated by the [[Imperial GuardTemple of Assassins]]on Terra, but never join any squad, as they work best alone. The Officio as a whole which is based on home to the [[Assassinorum TempleGrand Master]] of Assassins and the central command of the organization. The Central Temple on Terramaintains several sub-departments to oversee Officio activities, such as the '''Office of Missions''' and '''Office of Operations'''. The temples use heads of these departments answer in turn to the Grand Master himself. The Officio is also home to many exotic types of equipment, such non-assassin employees as [[synskin]]for every assassin that is deployed, a substance that once sprayed onto thousands of clerks and bureaucrats oversee the body, forms a black outer skin which protects logistical work of the wearer from Officio. These officials determine where the environment operatives should go, who they should kill, and how their equipment is produced and enhances strengthmaintained.{{Fn|227a}} The Temple ranks of the Officio Assassinorum also maintains a secret vault of forbidden include ancillary staff, including intelligence operatives who are deployed across the Imperium to conduct reconnaissance and analysis.{{Fn|27}} These along with [[Astropath]]s, [[Navigator]]s, and alien weaponsother such servants. Though these individuals are not Assassins themselves, giving them access to some of they live entirely within the most advanced technology in organisation and have no contact with the Imperiumoutside world.{{Fn|5a2}}
===Temples===
An additional temple, the [[Maerorus Temple]], attempted to create an assassin using illegal human/mutant/xenos hybrids capable of absorbing the biomass of victims to rapidly evolve new bio-weapons. The temple is now extinct.{{Fn|9}}
==History==
Following the outbreak of the [[Horus Heresy]], the agents of the Officio Assassinorum dispatched eight agents from the six primary Clades in order to eliminate the renegade [[Warmaster]] [[Horus]], but all of them failed. The last attempt was made by [[Tobeld]] of the Venenum Clade outside the command tent of the rogue [[Primarch]]. During a meeting at the Shrouds, the Clade Directors Primus debated and argued over how to eliminate their foe. At this point the Master of Assassins, following the advice of [[Legio Custodes]] [[Captain-General]] [[Constantin Valdor]], decided to assemble the first [[Officio Assassinorum Execution Force]] consisting of various Clades, to eliminate Horus. Such an act was unheard of in the history of the Officio Assassinorum.{{Fn|3}}
In 546.[[M32]], the [[High Lords of Terra]] [[The Beheading|were slain to a man ]] by the Grand Master of the Officio, [[Drakan Vangorich]]. A [[Space Marine]] strike force drawing from the [[Halo Brethren]], [[Sable Swords]], and [[Imperial Fists]] [[Chapter]]s was scrambled to stop Vangorich. Storming the [[Assassinorum Temple]] on [[Terra]], the force was assailed by a hundred [[Eversor Assassin]]s. One sole Space Marine survived to reach Vangorich and slay the mad Grand Master. Afterwards, the Imperium descended into a period of anarchy.{{Fn|6}}
During the [[Age of Apostasy]], the Officio itself became afflicted by the general corruption of the Imperium, and certain high-ranking members of the Office utilised the assassins for [[Goge Vandire]]'s own ends. During Vandire's purges, powerful individuals and even the Officio's Grand Master became victims of the assassins. The war within the Officio became known as the [[Wars of Vindication]]. Following the Apostasy, it was deemed wise to reorganise the Office, one change being that only the Senate could order an assassination. A section of the [[Inquisition]], the [[Ordo Sicarius]], was created to monitor and control the Officio Assassinorum from that date on.{{Fn|17}}
*'''[[M31]]''' - The first [[Officio Assassinorum Execution Force]] is dispatched to kill the rogue [[Warmaster]] [[Horus]]. The operation ends in failure.{{Fn|11a}}
*'''[[M31]]''' - The [[Callidus Assassin]] [[M'Shen]] slays [[Night Lords]] [[Primarch]] [[Konrad Curze]].{{Fn|11a}}
*'''546.[[M32]]''' - The In the aftermath of the [[War of the Beast]] the [[High Lords of Terra]] are killed to a man on the orders of the rebellious [[Grand Master of Assassins]] [[Drakan Vangorich]].{{Fn|11a}}
*'''990.[[M32]]''' - [[Culexus Assassin]] [[Dranos]] slays the [[Sorcerer]] [[Xantaka]].{{Fn|11a}}
*'''340.[[M33]]''' - The [[Callidus Assassin]] [[Mother Gullet]] steals away the son of the dangerously self-centered [[Governor]] [[Thygmus van Spracht]].{{Fn|11a}}
*{{Endn|26}}: [[White Dwarf 118 (UK)]] pg.60
*{{Endn|27}}: [[Assassinorum: Kingmaker (Novel)]], Chapter 4
**{{Endn|27a}}: Chapter 2
*{{Endn|28}}: [[The Beheading (Novel)]] - Chapter 9
{{ImperiumOrg}}
