Conclave of Shadow Nests
The Conclave of Shadow Nests is a criminal organization throughout the Mersan Union consisting exclusively of snallygasters. This group is officially denied in existence by most snallygaster community leaders, but is a matter of rampant speculation among the masses. Many humans and dwarves of the Union believe that the Conclave is present everywhere and that all snallygasters are members. In truth, maybe only five percent of snallygasters have connections to the Shadow Nests. They are still the exclusive criminal organization for snallygasters, and if a snallygaster is a criminal they are either part of the Conclave, or about to die.
Structure
The Conclave of Shadow Nests is very loosely organized, even to the point that it has no formal leader. Every major snallygaster population center in the Mersan Union (and beyond) has a Shadow Nest. The leader of each nest is typically the most cunning or ruthless of the bunch, capable of instilling fear and respect in his or her brethren. The nests all send representatives to a meeting every six months on the top of a mountain outside of the town of Ranger, in the edges of the Apps Mountains. The meeting location is a closely held secret, even among the Shadow Nests. All involved agree upon trade, action against outside criminal forces, and rights to expansion. Occasionally the nests will raid and fight each other, and these are all mediated by the Conclave itself.
Culture
The average rank and file of the Conclave of Shadow Nests know that they are in their positions for life. Those who join a Shadow Nest cannot leave, and are often branded for life by their superior. All criminal activity conducted by snallygasters is in the domain of the local Shadow Nest, and those who commit a crime without being part of the nest are typically marked for death. It is a firm belief by the snallygasters that crime should be regulated only to those who can conduct it properly, and with honor. They enforce this rigorously among all snallygasters throughout Emicara. They also have a severe dislike of charity, believing that it is the worst possible display of weakness. At most they will offer gold for a future favor.
Assets
Each Shadow Nest part of the Conclave maintains its own stockpile of resources and treasures. They are never offered nor shared outside of the nest, and those who become skilled thieves or members of the nest are typically showered in wealth. The Conclave receives a percentage of all snallygaster related crimes in its jurisdiction, and this is shared out among all of its workers and leaders alike. On rare occasions the wealth they have will be tapped into for the hiring of outside mercenaries and criminals, particularly in environments where snallygasters are unwelcome. They maintain more than enough weaponry and armor to supply these individuals, along with their own troopers and spies.
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