Just a bit tricky.  This all depends on what they do in your story.  Are they loyal to one cause or person?  If so, they are spies for it/him, and therefore the problem is solved.  However, you make it sound otherwise, so I propose this:

Ninja operated in the greatest of concealment, even amongst themselves.  If such an organization of ninja existed today as it did then, and they were to offer their services for payment, then obviously they will not work for the poor.  They have to make a living.  Before we get into that, let's look at the levels we're dealing with.

The *genin* are the field agents, the classic ninja that you have probably read about in those wonderful Hatsumi books.  They took on the missions given to them head-first.

The *chonin* were go-betweens to the *jonin* and the *genin*, and would pass on the orders of the *jonin* to said field agents.  The *genin* would only in the rarest of circumstances even know who the *jonin* was.

*Jonin* were the masterminds behind the events that took place.  They carefully formulated the plans or tests that would be given by his most trusted friends (*chonin*) to the *genin*.

Now let's apply it to your modern day society of such:

They would obviously be well informed of world events, and would pay close attention to who was in a bind in, say, a career or a political office.  Then, either of their own volition or under the direction of the *jonin* (or a *chonin* giving out false orders due to his disloyalty), a field operative would become friends or get close in any way possible to those who need some kind of service.  When a level of trust is gained, they can offer such service, be it assassination or blackmail or espionage, for a fee.  Should the person they are involved with turn on them, they could disappear, having only been there under a false guise in the first place.  Should they get caught, they would be no threat to the society since they themselves knew so little about who was in charge (one or many *jonin*).  Even if they could name the *Chonin*, they have no idea themselves of the true identity of the *chonin*.  If they succeed, they can either offer a long-term service to their employer or, if that seems to dangerous, disappear from him completely to another location.  The risk of getting caught, of course, is one that would have to be taken, no matter how well established this society's members were.

Should you want a society in which even the poor can hire these ninja, they would be those who would hang around neighborhoods and listen to local and unheard rumors and stories around a given town, finding out who is in a bind and going to that person to offer assistance.  Again, they could become friends, or they could offer their services immediately since an average citizen would pose no threat to their security.  Payments could be either small amounts of money, food, or even housing--perhaps because the ninja is hiding from someone who has found him out.


In this way, the society would be completely self contained, and if they were to involve themselves in government, it would be the field agents doing so, and then relaying their information to the *chonin*, who themselves would either take this to another *chonin* (for added security) or the *jonin*.  The *jonin* is reasonably safe from discovery, since he can test any of his agents by means of his trusted *chonin* by giving them missions that, should they be an enemy or disloyal, they could not commit without pitting themselves against the other side which they may be serving.

Well, I hope some if this is useful to you, if nothing else.

A quick note:  jonin--top man, chonin--middle man, genin--bottom man, comparitive in jo for "top", cho for "middle" and ge for "bottom", such as the three basic kenjutsu stances, jodan no kamae, chodan no kamae, gedan no kamae.

That's just some extra food for thought, for anyone who actually bothered to read all the way through my message.  Have a good day, y'all!

From: "William Morse" <montanto@hotmail.com>
To: ffml@anifics.com
Subject: [FFML] [query]ninjas
Date: Mon, 09 Jul 2001 18:34:31

Hi all.

I was wondering if anyone could help me with a plot hole that has been
plaguing me in the current story I'm working on. What the story is a
thriller involving ninjas. In this story I'm trying to keep away from the
hollywood image of cannon fodder in black pajamas and going with the premise
that the ninja has changed with the times as much as the rest of Japan so
they resemble a very efficient freelance intelligence agency. To get this
right I'm been trying to keep away from the martial arts texts and sticking
with the histories. (I've been reading Hatsumi and Turnbull mostly)

The problem that I came across probably won't bother me until the next few
chapters and is essentially a paradox.

Here it is.

We have a secret society of Spies and Assassins who's secrecy is so
extensive  they have successfully convinced the world that with the
exception of a handful of Dojos  they died out sometime after 1850.  If
they're that secretive how do they get work?

Think about it if they are so good that they successfully avoided legal
authorities and public scrutiny for over a hundred years it would be equally
difficult for potential clients to have even heard of them.

The situation reminds me of some of  Forsythe's "Day of the Jackal" where
one of the OAS members points out just how hard it is to locate the absolute
best assassins and the Jackal later points out how if an assassin were to
make a really great hit (in that case De Gaulle) would never be able to work
again due to the ensuing manhunt.

Anyway any suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

Thanks in advance

                                            Bill Morse
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