League of Assassins (group)

The League of Assassins is a secret organization of assassins led by Ra's al Ghul. They train their members out of Nanda Parbat.
 * For the episode of the same name, see League of Assassins.

Overview
Ra's al Ghul created the League of Assassins to hunt down and kill people he deems a danger to society and has done so for many years, resulting in thousands of people killed. All of it's members go through a harsh and bitter training that leaves it's trainees either dead or at the peak of human physical condition, so much that they rarely feel pain itself. They are all trained in the arts of swordsmanship, archery, stealth and killing in both the quickest and most discreetest of methods or to make it painful and last for days. All of it's members also seem very devoted to Ra's as many of them have been seen killing themselves for the league, allowing Ra's to kill them simply for him to train himself and will carry out his orders without question.

The league also has a deep code of honor and those who violate the code are hunted down and killed by Ra's personally. The league also does not allow any of it's members to leave unless they want to die and anyone who tries to run away from the league is hunted down and returned, alive or dead, or if they are unreachable and have families they are targeted instead. Despite this Ra's took pity on Malcolm Merlyn and allowed him to leave with the understanding that Malcolm would obey their code, suggesting Ra's had a certain fondness for Malcolm. If a killer, that draws the league's attention, doesn't claim responsibility and face justice the league targets 50 people a day until that person confesses and faces justice. However those who commit crimes against the league or break it's principles are allowed a trial by combat in a fight against Ra's himself, though most of them seem to be afraid to fight him and choose death upfront. When the trial does take place it is upon a mountain that can only be reached by a long and rigorous climb that some do not even survive. Furthermore all members of the league are given a new name of their choosing to be addressed by. Their only known place of establishment is Nanda Parbat.

The league tends to be very old fashion in a lot of things, including communication, one of which includes invisible ink that is made visible when exposed to a flame, signal messages, and their sense of justice which includes when a crime is committed, they would kill 50 people a day until the person who truly commited the crime was routed out. They also prefer bows and arrow, staffs, and other weapons from medieval times. They do, however use cellphones as a form of communication. They also train their members so they can escape from any prison.

The League's members take new names in the Arabic language; it appears that learning that language may be a requirement of membership, as many League members (even those whose native language is not Arabic) have been shown speaking it.

Each member has his/her signature weapon. During the course of their training members train to master all kinds of weaponry but eventually specialise in one weapon, and that will be the one they will carry with them at all times during their missions. Malcolm's weapon of choice was a bow, along with Nyssa who also carried a bow, Sara a staff, Al-Owal a sword, unknown members a tomahawk, and a wooden stick.

Members are also sent out with a poison that kills the user quickly and painlessly for members to use in the event they are captured to prevent interrogation. They are also very efficient in finding information, even something as faint as rumors of Malcolm Merlyn fathering an illegitimate child, something Malcolm himself wasn't aware of until recently, even though they weren't able to confirm the rumors.

History
Prior to 1936 a 11 year old Ra's al Ghul killed a man who threatened his family's safety and though he felt sorrow for taking that man's life, he also realized he had given justice to the world by removing that man's evil with his death. From then on Ra's sought to fix the world by cleansing it of people who sought to do wrong also and created the League of Assassins to carry out this precise mission resulting in thousands of people being killed.

Known members

 * Ra's al Ghul (founder and leader)
 * Nyssa al Ghul (second-in-command; Ra's heir)
 * Maseo Yamashiro (known as Sarab; meaning Phantom)

Former members

 * Malcolm Merlyn (known as Al Sa-Her; meaning The Magician)

Deceased members

 * Al-Owal (The First)
 * Sara Lance (known as Ta-er al-Sahfer; meaning The Canary)
 * Chase (League's spy)
 * Unnamed (League's sentry)

Trivia

 * This is the second live-action adaptation of The League of Assassins, though the first time by it's DC comic book name rather than the alternative name "League of Shadows".
 * In some incarnations, like Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy, the League of Assassins is known as the League of Shadows. However it should be noted the original name is the League of Assassins as it was the name used in the DC comic books.