Shadows of Pembrooke
Information isn't good. Information isn't bad. Information is power.
Words Lord Wilem Pembrooke of Ananport lived by.
As a boy, Wilem quickly learned the impact of information when he was sent to the Toming Steppes Boarding School. What professors looked the other way when the boys peeked at notes hidden in their sleeves. What professors didn't use magical locks on their offices. Whose parents would pay for passing grades for their sons.
Which bullies could be intimidated by secrets.
Wilem spoke to everyone and soon gathered the primitive beginnings of what would become the Shadows. Servants and cooks, tutors, even the headmaster were convinced to share information with Wilem. Most of the time the information was shared during what seemed like casual conversations. Sometimes favors were exchanged for more difficult-to-get information.
Wilem excelled at school and when he inherited the Pembrooke seat, he quickly built up a more professional network. He made friends with everyone from the beggars in the streets to his fellow nobles on Ananport's councils. When information wasn't supplied for free, he found ways to pay for it.
It made Lord Pembrooke is the most well connected man in the capitol. His Shadows were everywhere.
The Shadows have existed for 100 years. Lord Wilem's great-granddaughter Lady Vella Pembrooke now runs the organization, which reaches across the continent.
Few know who is in the Shadows. Fewer still know who is behind the organization. Conversations at a crowded pub have a way of being overheard, as do hushed love whispers in private chambers. Documents have a way of being copied or, at least, read before reaching their destination.
The Pembrooke house has always been known for its extensive library. Now, Lady Pembrooke adds to the collections dailies with collections of newspapers and copies of private letters.
For the most part, Lady Pembrooke uses the information from her Shadows to help others. She can convince the council to invest in improvements at the docks if the Shadows report grumblings among the dockworkers over unsafe conditions.
Perhaps it's the children who used to live on the streets that are the Shadows' best resources. A series of soup kitchens established by Lord Wilem in his mother's name provides full bellies and warm places to sleep. The children seem to have the run of the city. Few adults notice a boot boy as they talk to their colleagues while getting a shine. The girl who turns down the beds in the inn barely warrants attention.
Little escapes the attention of the Shadows.
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