The Coterie

The Coterie is the nickname given to the most influential women within the Siren's Halls, the hidden harem of the King of Tenebron. Also referred to as the Shadowed Sirens or even the Queen's Court, the Coterie consists of the most prominent secondary wives married to the King. These women are given relative free reign within the gilded cage of the Halls, and with unique political status, the Coterie wields a surprising amount of power over the rest of the Drowned Palace and court, despite being unable to physically leave the Siren's Halls. Usually, the Queen of Tenebron is at the head of the Coterie, and she will select who joins their secret cabal. She also acts as their outside emissary as no girls but her are permitted to come and go -- Except for those she smuggles out with her.
How the Coterie selects a newly-made wife to join them is unclear, though rumours speculate the women chosen are already assassins, mages, spell-weavers or schemers. They are believed to be women who are hungry with ambition, and no where else to exercise it now that they had been trapped in the King's harem.
Agents of the Coterie, also called Sirens, are feared at Tenebronian court, as if a Queen should wish to be rid of her husband, there is no better killers to be found than among the women he already visits at night. Beyond the simple ease of access to His Highness, the Coterie may serve in other roles within the Kingdom of Tenebron all in secret, such as spying or seducing for the benefit of the Queen and her own supporters. The exact amount of political power they wield is unknown, but many believe conspiracies and rumours that they are responsible for the best and worst of the Shadowed Kingdom's machinations.
Perhaps by design, the Coterie acts as nothing more than smoke and mirrors. Though it is, at the heart, a collection of women seeking power and status despite their means, many at court doubt its existence. Many assume the Queen would be more likely to resent any competition, as opposed to groom them into the perfect agents. But, as is the common counter, this presumption of hatred amongst the harem is also the perfect cover to ensure the Coterie's true existence is always protected.
Beyond spying for the Queen and acting as agents for their own autonomy, the Coterie also looks inward, and is believed to be the chief faction within the Siren's Halls. As the Queen is already expected to oversee the lesser wives of her husband, it is easy to think this extends to her closest allies, as well, and that the Coterie are the leadership among the informal hierarchy. As all children of harem wives are legally the Queen's offspring, it's also believed that the Coterie influences the succession of the monarchy in Tenebron, by selecting future Kings who are easily manipulated or weak.

History

The origins of the Coterie are believed to be as old as Tenebron itself -- Therefore, quite ancient. After the establishment of the Siren's Halls and the practice of polygamy began with the Kings of old, it was only natural the chief wife, his Queen, sought to build her own base of power around her. After all, due to the dangerous edge to Tenebronian politics, she would need allies to defend her and strengthen her claim, and where else to find them but the one place she was tasked with overseeing?
The first Coterie, founded hundreds of years ago, is believed to have been informal, but the Dowager Queen passed down the assemblage to her predecessor, and so on, and so forth until the present day. The Coterie is thought to keep the histories of its members alive through word of mouth and storytelling.

"Men are wont to believe women would knife one another for their love, when in truth, they would share the blade."

Type

Political, Faction / Party

Alternative Names

'Shadowed Sirens', 'Queen's Court'

Leader Title

Queen of Tenebron

Location

Siren's Halls