### Overview [[Top Factions/South Angoria/Silvervale/The Shadows|The Shadows]] is a covert organization operating in the darkest corners of Solare, blending espionage, assassination, arcane manipulation, and political subterfuge. Originally believed to be a rogue thieves' guild, The Shadows' reach spans continents and centuries. Their true leader is not a common thief or mage—but **Emperor [[Glasious]] of the Askaria Empire**, who uses the guild as a silent hand to shape the world in his favor. ### Symbol / Sigil **The Shadow Sigil** is a blackened serpent coiled around a vertical dagger, its tail forming a broken ring. This emblem is often etched into obsidian, seared into parchment with magical flame, or burned into walls with necrotic energy. Only the highest members bear it openly, and even then, rarely. The symbol represents: - **Secrecy and control** (serpent) - **Execution and decisiveness** (dagger) - **Fragmentation and rebirth** (broken ring) Those who see this symbol and live are often considered valuable or already complicit. --- ### Origins & Purpose Founded in secret during the early years of the **Askaria Empire**, The Shadows was originally Emperor [[Glasious]]' hidden arm. Its goal was to manipulate trade, sabotage enemies, and eliminate threats to Askaria’s rise. However, over the centuries, rogue cells began splintering off. Some aligned with powerful arcane entities such as: - **The Brimstone Wraith** - **[[Anam]], [[Anam|the Withered One]]** - **[[Raphael]], Lord of the Blood Throne** Each splinter gave rise to new doctrines, creating internal conflicts that eventually fractured the guild’s unity. Today, **The Shadows still operates under [[Glasious]]’ command**, but many former masters, like Renald the Shadowmaster, pursued independent agendas. --- ### Known Leaders & Agents - **Emperor [[Glasious]]** – True master of [[Top Factions/South Angoria/Silvervale/The Shadows|The Shadows]] - **Renald the Shadowmaster** – Former high master, slain at the Battle of Shadow Island - **[[Armara]]** – Former enforcer, now rogue agent hunting [[Rarvas]]. She still wears a **Shadow Sigil pendant**, a blackened serpent coiled around a vertical dagger, inlaid with a splinter of obsidian enchanted to glow faintly when near betrayal or magical tampering. The pendant, hidden beneath her robes, symbolizes her severed past and the oath she once took under Renald and [[Glasious]]. - **[[Rarvas]] Mev** – Former operative turned vampire, now tied to the [[Crimson Sigil]] --- ### Structure [[Top Factions/South Angoria/Silvervale/The Shadows|The Shadows]] is divided into **rings**: - **Inner Ring** – Elite masters, few in number, communicate with [[Glasious]] or his closest advisors - **Black Cells** – Assassins and arcane agents that travel between cities carrying out high-value missions - **Gray Cloaks** – Spies and diplomats who pose as merchants, nobles, or mages - **Red Threads** – Saboteurs, forgers, and ritualists tied to dark pacts --- ### Territories of Influence - **[[Hexa Landing]]** – Infiltrated via the [[Ebonclaw Conclave]] and Whispershades - **[[Talonalton]] & South Angoria** – Used as test zones for undead and corruption rituals - **Brensistria** – Nearly impossible to penetrate due to [[Queen Cyrill]]’s magical safeguards - **[[Karudasos]]** – Occasional contacts with orcish factions for dark magic relics and mercenaries --- ### Relationships - **Askaria Empire** – Founding and ruling power; uses The Shadows as a tool for conquest and control - **The [[Crimson Sigil]]** – Sometimes cooperates with former Shadow agents like [[Rarvas]] - **[[Ebonclaw Conclave]]** – Some Elders are aware of The Shadows’ existence but are not allies - **Queen [[Callidora]]** – Aware of their influence but has yet to move openly against them - **[[Queen Cyrill]] of Brensistria** – Actively opposes them and has purged their agents before --- ### Current Status Despite fractures, The Shadows remains a powerful faction. Some of its members believe in [[Glasious]]' vision of total dominance. Others seek their own paths to power, leading to a decentralized yet dangerous web of enemies and manipulators. --- ### Adventure Hooks - A PC finds the Shadow Sigil burned into a wall after an assassination - An ancient contract written in Shadowscript binds a noble to the guild’s will - A rogue member of The Shadows offers to trade secrets in exchange for protection - The party must delve into an abandoned Shadow sanctuary to retrieve cursed knowledge > "We are not seen, yet we guide. We are not heard, yet we shape. We are The Shadows."