Council of Shadows
Council of Shadows in an interesting and practically perpetually fought organization that is both imperial-wide and theologically connected to its Gods, making them be considered an 'aquainted' organization. It can also be considered a little addon to the Imperium as a whole, made by Black Pantheon Gods that decided that they, too, wish to have a little organization of their own – or at least that is how people attempt to explain why it grows back every time it is destroyed.
Council of Shadows can be shortly described as an imperial-wide organization of criminals that rules over more or less entirety of criminal activity throughout Imperium of Karadia. Of course, it is hard to fully control something on such scale even when being able to work openly – Council of Shadows of course can't do that – so its power is mostly illusory.
Structure
Council of Shadows can be described as a governing body of a vast structure composed of equally vast number of smaller criminal groups and organizations. It is a shadowy (pun intended) cabal of people that rised as high as its possible in the criminal underworld. Number of its members varies. The way they are elected varies. Their internal divisions vary. It is mostly because from time to time Imperial Security Organization or some other imperial organization manages to located them, which ends with many important personas getting hanged.
Each time it ultimately grows back – as it is supposedly patroned by Gods – but in most cases at least slightly different. There are no certain rules behind the complete secrecy and the fact that it is even more decentralized than Imperium as a whole.
It can be roughly divided into what can be described as 'civil' and 'militant' wings. Civil ones deals with mediating between local member groups – their spheres of influence never really defined, meaning they clash often. They are also supposed to work on collecting 'taxes' (normally up to 10-15% of the money included in various deals) and giving it to the Council and the militant wing.
All drugdealers, gambling dens, well hidden brothels dedicated to clients with aquired taste, smugglers, local gangs, fences and so on pay the tax to the Council. Imperium-wide. Which makes it budget quite expansive. Benefits? Several. Access to specialized banking system (easy transfer of money between cities without problems and safe from frauds and thefts), funding lawyers to defend them, even rents to their families if they die (paid from the money they stored). Not to mention being a member group meaning that other groups that came in contact with you have to respect certain rules.
Rules of Council can be concluded to 'be civil'. Murdering other members is forbidden in their houses and temples. Killing family members is a nope. Snitching is so too – if you do that, you are fair game whenever and wherever others want to kill you. Killing other members is a last resort – firstly a mediation should be attempted, then he should be given certain period of time (around 10 days) to leave the city/country forever, and only then last resort (though this is actually a suggestion rather than a rule). Cities should be hierarchically divided between various crimelords to avoid chaos – it also makes collecting taxes easier. Their permission is required to establish permanent 'enterprise' on their territory – one time actions are outside of that rule, though it is considered a matter of good taste.
Also – certain things are a nope. Like dealing with anything even remotely connected with Pentagram, graverobbing, making troubles for local government in case of serious daemonic incursion or plague. Also certain narcotic from Lana (Imperium gets really angry when it is around). Rest? Whatever isn't forbidden is allowed.
The militant wing of Council of Shadows is a large group of shady mercenary bands, heretical cults, political radicals resorting to crime, and generally everything which the Imperium wouldn't really like that is ready to act as Council's strong arm. For fun and profit. Purging opponents, freeing imprisoned considered valuable by the Council, assasinations (especially of law enforcement members), establishing and protecting special drug production facilities, gathering and selling forbidden (but not Pandaemonium related) alchemical ingredients, artifacts and materials... theoretically every criminal in the world can easily hire them with local Council deputy working as a mediator. He can even get them for free if he manages to persuade the Council that it will benefit it.
Public Agenda
Contrary to popular opinion, Council of Shadows isn't there to ruin the Imperium or change it into a lawless place. It is there to civilize the world of crime a little, in a way even benefitting them (for example many crimelords clear poored districts from gangster that would rob probable clients of their establishments, sometimes even investing in such districts).
They are still hunted, but for most of the time Imperium focuses on wiping out local members. Council of Shadows give some sort of stability to the crime world – whenever it is destroyed, it would regrow after a period of particularly bloody fighting. The occasions when it is realy targetted (and ultimately eliminated) is when it goes overly ambitious, is infiltrated by servants of Pentagram, or Imperium is in trouble and its members are too stupid to understand what 'give us a while of peace' means.
Assets
Around 90% of imperial crimeworld, including underground brothels and slave traders, drug production and trade, illegal gambling, stealing and fencing, illegal fighting arenas, extortion and plain old banditism and piracy. It is all theirs.
They also possess a surprisingly strong strong arm in their militant part, being a sort of 'build your own henchmen army' set – capable of letting you hire diverse and ruthless sidekicks and bodyguards for you and your newest establishment. Often employed by many crazed magicians fleeing the Imperial Magic Guild when they plan to search for something (for example way to Ascend) and have money to pay for them.
Demography and Population
Quite many underlings, especially when world/region/city is currently overpopulated (happens often due to very slow rate of settling new lands in a world where big part of life outside of city walls wants to kill you) and many people turn to crime to survive.
Relative equality of chances, as in many crimelords being former peasants or poor citizen that had enough smarts and ruthlesness to advance. On the other hand, many Council members are wealthy merchants and noblemen with a taste for forbidden pleasures and risks...
Type
Illicit, Syndicate
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