The Dragonfly

'We should send this to The Dragonfly." The inkmaker handed the sealed letter to his assistant, Journeyman Hannah.
"But we're dragonflies, Master Gunnar." The young wizardess looked back at the middle-aged man with a puzzled frown.
"Not a dragonfly, Hannah. The Dragonfly. Use the black coin."
Hannah gasped, her eyes going wide. "Y-you don't mean --"
"I do."
"I-I'll do that right now, Master Gunnar!"

WHO CAN BE THE DRAGONFLY

The Dragonfly is the greatest wizard of the Shadow Network of wizards. He is the one who created the Shadow Network. The dragonfly is also the symbol of the Shadow Network and every member, when he or she becomes a journeyman, gets their own dragonfly mark. Calling each other wizards is dangerous as those who practice powers not ascribed by the church are marked as heretics and usually put to death. So they have taken to calling each other dragonflies, and often in amused tones that brings groans or rolling eyes from others who think they have heard a bad joke.
Over his 370-something years, The Dragonfly has been challenged by other dragonfly wizards who wished the title for themselves. It is the one thing he will accept a challenge over and he never loses. The fact that he is so old despite still looking like a spry sexagenarian often leads these wizards into doubting he is still truly The Dragonfly. Once proven the error of their assumptions, these wizard often become pillars within the Shadow Network.

by 13smok

Black Coins

Messages between dragonflies is done by writing the Shadow name of the recipient on the outside of the message the seal it with wax. Before the wax sets, press a marble coin bearing the dragonfly mark into the wax. The message will vanish and appear in the place the recipinent has set for recieving them. This is usually a satchel.
Only The Dragonfly has coins of obsidian. These, too, bear a dragonfly mark but it is different from the normal mark. Every wizard in the network gets one when he or she becomes a journeyman, send on a letter of congratulations. In this letter, they are invited to use the coin to send one message back to The Dragonfly. The letter also cautions them to take great care when using their one coin cause they will only ever have the one coin.
It could be a very long time before The Dragonfly sends a reply with another coin. If he ever does. The black coins are highly valued within the Shadow Network. Some will trade them, especially an assistant if their master dies with a coin still in their posession. Their value is priceless and they can purchase almost anything.