Mixing cannon and suggestions at 'The Vaults' I've come up with this version for my campaign.
The Iron Ring
by Jimmy RoweThe Iron Ring is a rigidly run criminal organisation specialising in theft, extortion and slavery that seeks to make itself a power in the land. It will do anything to achieve that goal. Members can be of any profession or race and have their own secret code and password system to recognise fellow members. Every member has an identifying mark on their forearm, in the form of two manacles linked to a chain.
Joining the Iron Ring
The Iron Ring actively recruits members who show talent. The criteria for joining are: The candidate has brutally killed at least twice. This may be a pre-adventure. The candidate has no allegiance to any other group. The candidate swears a Holy Oath. If a member of the Iron Ring ever breaks ranks or reveals any information they gain the condition: Hunted by The Iron Ring.
There is no freelance activity allowed by the Iron Ring.
The Iron Ring operates in conjunction with the illegal Cult of Leptar, and thus members may become a Cultist of Leptar.
Hierarchy
The members of the Ring are divided by a strict hierarchy.
Iron Master. (The founder Kord Doombringer - an evil dwarf whose headquarters are located in Fort Doom at the pleasure of Baron von Hendriks'.)
Grand Master (The High Priest of the Cult of Leptar, The Grand Mage, Grand Thief and The Grand Slayer).
Master (The head of a particular cell.)
Reaver (A voluntary member of the Ring.)
Hound (A former slave convert to the Cult of Leptar.)
Organisation
The Iron Ring is in league with Bargle the Infamous from the Black Eagle Barony. For the moment this is Baron von Hendriks' chief source of intelligence information from the Five Shires, the Minrothad Guilds and Karameikos.
There are cells in all of the major cities. A cell consists of a Master with at least three Reavers under their control. Each of these Masters oversees the training of new recruits as well as field operations.