The Shadow

A mysterious organization whose origins and true goals are entirely unknown. However, it is believed by some that the Shadow pulls the strings of a number of important people and organizations throughout Khorvaire and has possible ties to the Last War.

History

Pre-Campaign

Not much is known about the Shadow and what is known is hardly confirmed. They do operate using entities known as Operatives: highly skilled and trained combatants that enact the organization's will in the field. Up until very recently, these Operatives were the subject of rumor only. Recently, however, they have begun to appear more openly than before.

Campaign

Session 2: An Unexpected Guest

When returning from a mission to acquire a "lost seal" of the mythical House Vol, the Phaeros Foundation was attacked by a metal-masked figure with a numeral V engraved in the forehead.

Session 3: The Lady with the Bronze Rings

Dr. Turk recognized the description of their attacker, identifying him as an “Operative” of a group only known as “the Shadow”. He explained that this group was a rumor only, but one he believed in. They are said to be a group that works to hold control over Khorvaire from behind the scenes and that these Operatives had only been mentioned a few times. Those who had mentioned them ended up dead. He also mentioned that only two had ever been identified, Operatives II and IV.
The Foundation met Vivienne, a member of the Aurum (a philanthropic group), who knew of Turk and was interested in his doings, especially after reading his disertation. Turk’s dissertation dealt with a theory that the reason why Thrane invaded Aundaire, occupied the capital of Thaliost and eventually saw it included in their lands in the Treaty of Thronehold was that it hid artifacts that disputed the church’s history. It also theorized that they did this because they were pushed to by the Shadow. The dissertation identified a specific artifact, the Dragonshard Skull, as the most prominent artifact that might be hidden in Thaliost.
Rasp spent his six days at a House Sivis Library researching a number of topics including the Shadow, but couldn't find any information of note. Marcella also spent her downtime researching at the House Sivis library including looking into topics such as the Shadow. In looking into the Shadow, Marcella noticed no specific mentions of the group, but did notice strange patterns of decisions during the war that seemed to go against common sense as well as essentially confirming that Thrane’s invasion of Aundair was contradictory to their entire wartime strategy up until that date.

Session 5: Shadow, Rake, and Flame

In an alley in the Upper Central district of Sharn, the Foundation was attacked by a number of Shadow agents led by Operative V. The Foundation survived the attack, but Operative V got away after killing the Foundation's only captive before disappearing into Sharn's crowds.

Session 6: Moonlight on the Vine

On the Lightning Rail in Aundair, the Foundation was attacked by Operative V and Operative IV, a fighter who seemed to be both Barbarian and Sorcerer. She showed strange arcane abilities and a dragonmark on her palm that produced smoke and knocked Marcella unconscious instantly. Vax knocked Operative V's mask off revealing a human man beneath that Yelena recognized. The Foundation managed to escape the Operatives.

Session 7: Marked

Operative IV's mark on Marcella seemed to posses her, temporarily taking over Marcella's body and attacking the Foundation. Marcella saw a "shadowy entity" in her mind that eventually said, "I don't have time for this anymore," before evacuating her mind.

Session 11: Flame's Last Shadow

In Thaliost, the Foundation found an abandoned Shadow Outpost in a shrine to Siberys where they found the following:

• A number of documents were signed by a Collis Huntington
• Several records reference not just the Dragonshard Skull, but other relics that were collected, tested, and ultimately sent to “the Vault” for safekeeping.
• The person who signed off on many of these things in an official capacity was someone named Alton Faust.
• This Alton Faust also thanked Collis for holding onto a key to the Vault in his estate in Sharn.
• The last date on a document found throughout the outpost is 2/20/992, the day of the Mourning
• A file half burned in the trash has a photograph pinned to it. It is grainy, but seems to show two figures in Cyran military uniforms: a man and a woman. The page details Captain Maksimillion Vetrov and notes him as a possible recruit for the Operative program. It also begins to detail his relationship with the Cyran Princess, Natalya ir’Wynarn also in the photograph. The man looks exactly like Operative V without his mask, and the woman looks exactly like Yelena.

Marcella took to collecting and looking through half-burned documents in a bin, clearly meant to be destroyed outright. She found three names of relics that had been found and tested and were either already sent to the Vault or were going to be moved at some point:

• Primarch’s Eye
• Incog of Gideon
• Seal of House Vol

Session 12: Paintings, Poisons, and Private Parties

Yelena researched the Shadow during downtime, but as usual did not find much. However, she did find a report written by Ardent Veronica Kestus positing that an agent of the Shadow was operating within the Vermishard Palace at the time of the Mourning.

Session 14: Darkened Hearts

Inside of the Huntington Estate, the Foundation found a secret closet in the parlor that hid the uniform of Operative IV.

Session 15: Unraveled

Inside the Huntington Estate, Vax touched Operative IV's uniform, which bestowed a strange curse on him. The Phaeros Foundation then managed to uncover Marris Wistner-Huntington's Shadow office under the estate. There, they discovered the vault key that Marris was keeping safe as well as a recording left for her by someone telling her that she had already failed once and could not fail again. The Foundation also found records that seemed to show that the Shadow had been following and keeping tabs on Vax, as well as a map that showed Shadow influence across the entire continent, and a ticker tape tracking the Dragonshard industry.
As the Foundation escaped, they were accosted by Marris, Operative V, and Operative III, a massive warforged fighter who had accosted Bal at the masquerade. Marris said that everyone has a Shadow, and everyone has a price. Luckily, the Foundation escaped once again. During the fight, Mila noticed that Operative V stuttered for a moment, but Marris hit him in the back of the head, making V continue his pursuit.

Session 16: Look to the Western Skies

The Foundation delivered the Shadow documents from the Huntington Estate to Turk who discovered the following:

• First off, Turk has found out that there seems to be 7 Operatives. III, IV, and V the Foundation have met, the documents reference II and VII and the reports are mostly written by Operative VI, who wrote the report on Vax. Of note was the fact that the Shadow seems to still be trying to recruit Operative I.
• The ticker tape Vax stole is tracking the dragonshard industry, so the Shadow has some interest in that.
• Reports talk a lot about the Mourning. Turk fears that they are trying to recreate it.
• Lastly, any references of this vault mention the Lantern. As far as Turk knows, this means the Lantern Tower in the Shadow Marches.

Session 17: Strangers in a Strange Land

The Foundation discussed the reports from the Shadow outpost with Vax, who explained he had no idea that the Shadow had been keeping tabs on him. However, it would seem that House Thuranni agents did not kill his parents, but the Shadow had, which meant that taking down the Shadow was his single priority now.

Session 20: Parting the Curtain

At the Lantern Tower, the Phaeros Foundation discovered the Secret Shadow Vault which held a unique prisoner: Operative VII. (See session notes for full details).

Members

Operatives

The Operatives are metal-masked, military uniform wearing special agents that enact the Shadow's will. Each bears a numeral on the forehead of their masks denoting them in some sort of ranking, though the details are unknown. Thus far, it has been deduced that there are seven:

• Operative I - Currently no one. The Shadow has been attempting to recruit someone for this position for some time.
• Operative II - One of the only Operatives to have been confirmed before coming into contact with the Phaeros Foundation. Almost nothing is known about Operative II.
• Operative III - Estoc. A large male warforged. Seems to have both arcane powers and extreme martial prowess.
• Operative IV - Marris Wistner-Huntington. Female drow. Possibly barbarian/sorcerer. Has a dragonmark on her palm that can knock out and at least temporarily possess people.
• Operative V - Captain Maximillion Vetrov. Male human. Possibly fighter/monk. Once served in the Cyran military with Mila during the war.
• Operative VI - Unknown. Possibly Zilargon and possibly affiliated with the Korranberg Chronicle (according to Trilla).
• Operative VII (former) - Trilla. Female nightmare kalashtar. Turned against the Shadow and imprisoned in the Lantern Tower for over three years.

Agents

The Shadow also utilizes agents who wear black cloth masks to hide their identity. These agents are less talented and zealous than the Operatives, but are still capable of terrible things. These agents are seemingly persons that the Shadow has either promised power, blackmailed, or bribed into doing their bidding.

Leadership

No one knows who or what leads the Shadow, but recently a name has been uncovered: Amon.

Founding Date

Unknown

Type

Illicit, Other

Demonym

Unknown

Leader

Amon

Notable Members

• Operative III