Court of Shadows

The Court of Shadows is a mystical and possibly fictional organization that is said to govern the Undercity of Surket. They supposedly control all criminal activity within the city and protect the citizens of the Undercity from the tyranny of the surface. Within Surket, they are rarely talked about and will only be brought up as a sort of conspiracy or in hushed rumors. In the Undercity, they are spoken of as a sort of folk legend, with many people praising them when good fortune occurs. They will not speak of them to outsiders, however, which only adds to the mysterious nature of the organization.

Almost as mysterious as the Court of Shadows themselves are their motives. Some claim that they are heroes, using the shady underbelly of the city to steal from the rich and give to the poorest. Others think that they are much more sinister, possibly being a vampire clan or a coven of monstrous beings that prey upon others in the shadows. A few even claim that the Court of Shadows is actually just the Council of Surket operating in secret. One constant remains in all the stories and rumors about it, however. All the stories claim the the Court of Shadows swears fealty to the Queen in Rags.

Whatever the truth is about the Court of Shadows, mentioning it in the city, especially around the upper class, will always generate a buzz. Some people will enthusiastically talk about them and claim that a cousin had found their secret meeting chamber once while others will grow sour and berate you for spewing nonsense.