To most people, "Master Assassin" is claimed to be nothing more then a title. It gives someone no more power then anyone else. Well with The Black Dagger (original group founded by my teacher SkyKnight Gruppman back in 2005) it was the sense of leadership, mentoring, experience, and respect, but not just respect for their title, but the ability to share respect with their fellow killers properly. An icon that represented the best of the Black Caste and demonstrated a source of knowledge. Just as the bond of teacher and student had grew strong with myself and SkyKnight, I was humbled by the relationship I was growing with Partisan Swords.
It wasn't for a while now that I'd ever think I'd find someone that I would be comfortable saying was a "Master Assassin" from my training. I constantly stressed that there will be no Master Assassin student of mine in SL Gor and I stuck to it. That was always my stipulation for training, you may earn your way up the ranks but you will never become the Master Assassin. It was a legacy that was passed to me by SkyKnight and is something that I wouldn't accept seeing on anyone but myself until SkyKnight returned and I would give it back. Well, the humbling experience with being the mentor of Partisan Swords made me realize that I need to not look in the past for my mentor to come back but I need to look forward just as my mentor had done.
Partisan Swords is an assassin that I consider my equal and you can call it my ego being inflated, but there is rarely ever a person that I will say that about and admit that to just because I try to hold myself to a higher standard then anyone else. With every waking moment and adjustment to myself Partisan has been challenging me and making myself better. Since the start of his training to now, he's always pushed me and that's something I've never had happen before while taking an student under my wing. It is with out a doubt certain to myself that given some time and experience that Partisan will become a greater Assassin then myself and the best in my opinion.
It's been a legacy of my mentor SkyKnight Gruppman that I carried the title of being a "Master Assassin" even after many years of not wanting it. I always wanted to be just an Assassin and nothing special besides that. Well finally I have found someone that I can relinquish the gift but also the burden to. This is a title that has been in a group of Assassins and carried by 1 Assassin for 6 almost 7 years. It started out as SkyKnight's position which he had stepped down and passed to me. Now it is my time to step down and pass to Partisan Swords.
In the 4 years of my training, I had 58 (Yes, I've Counted and Marked with Notecard Documentation) candidates approach me in search of training. Of those 58 in 4 years I have passed only 6, and those would be Johnn Spear, Foley March, Soren Davidov, Syn Cybertar, Rayiden Kostolany, and Partisan Swords. On top of those who I trained under The Black Dagger there is countless amounts Assassins who've I've mentored, given advice, worked with, and even preped for training with other mentors. I am the longest continuing Role Playing Black Caste Assassin to be on Second Life and I have been the same role and been on the game for a consistant (Not counting a couple breaks everyone has.) 6 years.
The philosophy SkyKnight and I both truly stuck strong to was to be a charming personality, to always remain humble, and never stop learning. Even though one person is a "Master Assassin" does not mean they have ever finished their training, if anything it has just begun. SkyKnight and I both believed strongly in the fact that everyone's opinion on Second Life, Role Play, and Black Caste was worth great value like gold. You can look at other's ideals, learn from them, combine them with your own, and better yourself. A person is never done learning and there will always be a goal of being the best that will never be attainable, but keep reaching and bettering yourself at every moment possible by accepting whats around you and taking it to heart and you will become the closest to the best that there ever will be. Partisan Swords was the Assassin I had trained who truly has a passion for the same philosophy that I've followed from my mentor for so long and is the person I believe is more then capable to give it justice.
I can not say for certain how Partisan will be in the future, but as of 1/9/2012, 6 years since I started training, and 4 years since I became a Master Assassin, Partisan Swords is more then capable to be a Master Assassin in my eyes and carry on the legacy for The Black Dagger (or whatever group he may create in the future) and the tradition of remaining humble, respecting, understanding, and most important charming to those in Gor and Second Life. I don't doubt that Partisan will do nothing but achieve greatness in the future, I know for certain he will and it is with great pride and respect for this man that I give him this passed down gift.
Don't worry, Vincent Cassady will always be an Assassin forever in the shadows.
"Killing is My Business...... and Business Has ALWAYS Been Good."
Black Gold and Steel
Vincent Cassady (Leeroy / Large Flagstaff)
P.S.
If being a Master Assassin doesn't mean this much to you....
If your bond with your teacher isn't this strong.....
If your bond with your students isn't this strong.....
You truly are missing out on an aspect of Black Caste role play that has been enjoyed for years. Some times believeing that you must become and Assassin and then become a Master Assassin ruins the friends, lessons, relationships, and experiences that you could truly be making by taking time and working with one another on a more personal basis. There is more out there then being a Master Assassin and keep in mind....
"Until you are truly able to master one's self, you should never try to master another."
