Eboncoin Pact

Summary

Little is known about the Eboncoin Pact, who they are, or where they came from, but it is clear that they are here to stay. Deeply rooted in the shadows that surround the valley's economy, the Eboncoin -- or 'the Family' as they are sometimes referred -- is thought to be the source of the many nefarious deeds which occur at the night hours and shady deals in dark back alleys.

No one truly knows the extent of the Eboncoin's influence. Truthfully, few people actually believe they exist, willing more to chalk up the crime in the City to random thugs and petty criminals. If most of the population knew the full extent of the Family's power, there would be far more serious consequences than not. However, the Eboncoin makes sure that this sort of information doesn't leak out by any means necessary. Assassinations are the Eboncoin's most infamous demesne, but their works have spanned theft, extortion, smuggling, political intrigue, and even the very occasional act of charity.

Typical Member Traits:

• Generally assassins
• Strong sense of brotherhood; will protect the secrecy of the organization
• Typically non-good alignment
• Reviews all possible jobs carefully and thoughtfully

Origin/History

The Eboncoin's history is unknown even to many of its own members. All they do know is that there are links between the organization and the Shadow Thieves of Amn. No one knows who was the first to arrive, nor who was able to curb the streets crime into a unified group. For a time, there was also conflict between the Eboncoin that was originally based in Sundren City and the Kurz Cartel that operated near the Aquor mountain ranges. With the explosion that destroyed the Cartel Mountain during the Second Sundering, the remainder of what was known as the Black Tax Alliance were absorbed back into the Eboncoin in order to preserve what remained of the smuggling group.

After the destruction of the Cartel Mountain and the ascent of Sundren City to the skies, the Family re-established its headquarters in Port Avanthyr, leveraging its connections with House Meriadoc. They have never forgotten that it was the Red Wizards of Thay that caused the destruction of the Cartel Mountain during the Second Bloodmaim War.

Since the Silent Peace, the Eboncoin have spread their influence across the valley. They enjoyed several decades of prosperity working in secret but close partnership with House Meriadoc, but that ended with the death of the noble family’s long-standing matriarch, Evelyn. The current Duke, Everett Meriadoc, does not see eye to eye with Evelyn on many things, the House’s close relations with the Family being one. In an attempt to salvage their relationship with the Meriadocs, Coin leadership offered several concessions which began to limit the territories they could operate both within and without the port city, particularly where Meriadoc interests were involved. This became known in later years as the "Voided Pact."

Simultaneously, as the Eboncoin’s influence grew outside of Avanthyr, those independent cells in the other cities grew resentful of the mandates issued by Avanthyrian Coin leadership, particularly those operating under Sestra and Aquor’s purview. They banded together under Rafe of the Red Coin and attempted to break away from the Family entirely.

The "Red Coin Rebellion" would likely have succeeded, if not for the agent known as Kirk Duarte, who deceived Rafe into believing the upstart had his support. As Rafe gathered Coin leadership for a summit in Sestra, Kirk put in motion his own plans. Once the summit was underway, Rafe readied to make his move, only to find Kirk’s blade at his throat. By neutralizing this threat, Kirk maneuvered himself into the highest ranks of Coin leadership. The Red Coins were slaughtered, all save Rafe, who somehow managed to escape.

Base(s) of Operations

The Eboncoin maintains operations in all the major settlements of the valley, but there continue to be rumors that they are particularly influential in and around Port Avanthyr. How this sits with the current leaders of House Meriadoc and the Northern Watch is a subject of debate.

Objectives

The true objectives of the Eboncoin are shrouded in mystery much like the organization itself. Some say that they seek to control Sundren from the underworld up, while others protest that they are only looking to become rich and powerful while keeping the various city leaders as a puppets. Whatever the reason, the Eboncoin act on a mission to mission basis. Depending on the job offer, the pay, and the risk, the Eboncoin will determine what is best for its people. Honor among thieves is not just a saying in the Guild, and each and every member lives up to it.

Ranks

• The Upright Man
  
• Guildmaster
  
• Pactmaster
  
• Shadowbound
  
• Shadow Operative
  
• Pactholder
  
• Made Man
  
• Pickpocket
  

Specialty

Any Eboncoin member above the rank of Made Man is also able to take a specialty. These specialties are prerequisites, as there are Pactmasters in charge of each and have a distinct role within the Eboncoin.

• Sicarii: The Sicarii are the Eboncoin's assassins. They handle a variety of jobs, but mainly ones that involve the physical removal of the Eboncoin's enemies through stealth or secrecy. The assassins are trained by the Pactmaster, who in turn directs them accordingly to the requests and jobs that the Pact acquires.

• Vincolo: Vincolo are rogue mages, sometimes from the Hands, other times from even more exotic locales. Regardless of their origins, they serve the Pact as the experts on the arcane, and assist the Pact in matters magical and obscure.

• Esattore: There's always a need for muscle in the Pact. The Esattore are the brawn that enforce a variety of long standing jobs within the Coin, from protection to smuggling. A large portion of the former Cartel joined the Esattore, and are able thieves as well as fighters.

• Demarcchio/a: A Demarcchio or Demarcchia is a priest or priestess of Mask within the Coin. Granted, there are other gods that are allowed in, but the vast majority are the Brothers and Sisters of Mask. These priests assist the Coin in their works, and provide a religious aspect to the Pact that keeps it in favor with the god of Thieves.

Initiation Process/Organization Structure

The Upright Man controls every facet of the guild, but lets it run itself. He only steps in rarely, and when he steps back there are stains to be removed, and positions for the competent to fill.

Pact Masters are the ultimate authority on anything concerning designated field, and everyone must obey, including other Pact Masters. That being said, those Pact Masters that abuse this privilege will be done away with in short order, and a new Pact Master will be filling their shoes, and room. As an example, a Pactmaster PC is Pact Master of Legion Relations. His sole job is to keep the Legion away from the Pact. If he says it's on his order as a Pact Master, even The Upright Man, Veiro would take pause. Not because Veiro is under him, hardly. But because this is a shadowy group, and the Pactmaster PC has more information on the Legion than any other member, so arguing, or disobeying, can lead to the sort of consequences where somebody ends up beaten to death and strung up in the training room as a warning.

After the event, inquiries can be made, and judgement can be rendered.

Below Pact Masters are the Shadowbound, who have indeed been bound to Shadow and to the Pact via a Maskarran ritual to ensure unwavering loyalty. The details of this ritual are not spoken of, even in jest, and the mechanism by which such loyalty is guaranteed is likewise not spoken of, least of all while a Shadowbound is present. As the ritual itself is secret, and time consuming (there are wild guesses as to the material cost), only the most talented and trusted of Pactholders are invited to take part in the ritual. Saying no is tantamount to admitting to betrayal. The Shadowbound are the elite, and they collect small retinues of Pactholders and outsiders to assist them in their causes or jobs.

As for the Pactholders themselves, they are the majority of the Eboncoin Pact members. Those ranks beneath them are considered disposable, if possibly useful assets. It is a Pactholder's job to recruit pickpockets and select the most talented and trusted of them to become Made Men, a misnomer that makes the thief think they're 'in'. They're not. Other Pact Holders see little difference between a Made Man, a Pickpocket, and a rogue thief that pays the Tax.

Once a Made Man has proven him or herself to be intelligent, clandestine, and loyal, it goes up for a vote among the other Pactholders (which includes Shadowbound and Pactmasters. No vote is weighed more than another, but a Shadowbound and Pactmaster's personal 'gang' will always vote with their gang. Those that don't are carefully watched for unrest before it spills into the street.

Pickpockets never learn a smidgen about the Eboncoin, and those that do are either joined to the Pact, or killed. As far as they should be concerned, they're working for a small time crew doing odd jobs, probably for a bigger organization, but it's nothing for them to think about, and their boss takes orders from above just like them, so they're all in it together.

Those pickpockets that show talent, discretion, intelligence, and above all, trust, are given hints about 'the men upstairs'. They are flattered, rewarded, and given a drop of information that may or may not be true. They can follow it up, or sit on it. That decision doesn't matter. What does matter is their test, where another gang, possibly a Shadowbound, looks to get something out of him. They can do it gently, or they can attempt to force it out of him.

In any case, he comes out of the ordeal changed.

Pickpockets can leave the organization at any time, and unless there's reason to believe they know something, no action is taken.

Made Men have proven their loyalty, and in case they only have implications and theories. Made Men have no threatening information on the Pact. They almost always can leave if it gets too hot, as the Pact doesn't want someone to stay in out of fear of death, only to eventually find their out once they have info that can damage the Pact.

Pactholders are in for life, and made aware of that. They also own the lives of their Men and Pockets. Assaults on them is a property crime against the Pactholder, and restitution must be paid.

Killing a Pactholder without unanimous consent from the rest of the Pact is a personal death warrant. Fights aren't unheard of, but weapons never come out.

Timeline/Historical Events of Note

• 1381 - The Second Bloodmaim War sees the Red Wizards of Thay sacrifice the Kurz Cartel's mountain stronghold to deal a devastating blow to the Bloodmaim. Hundreds of agents are slaughtered and the remainder regroup in Avanthyr.
  
• 1394 - 1405 - The Blinding of the Gods makes it easier than ever for Eboncoin operatives to conduct their affairs. The Family sees their influence begin to spread across the valley. Hidden bases are established in Aquor, Sestra, and Sundren City.
  
• 1408 - The Upright Man vanishes from the valley. That same year, Rafe of the Red Coin is promoted to Pactmaster. His moniker is earned by how bloody his methods are.
  
• 1415 - Everett Meriadoc succeeds Evelyn Meriadoc as Duke of Avanthyr. He refuses cooperation with the Eboncoin in Avanthyr and makes moves to sideline and expel the organization.
  
• 1420 - The Voided Pact - Eboncoin leadership, unwilling to abandon Avanthyr as their base of operations, make concessions to the Duke to limit their activities around Avanthyrian interests.
  
• 1421 - 1422 - The Red Coin Rebellion - Rafe of the Red Coin leads an unsuccessful attempt to splinter dissatisfied Aquor and Sestra operatives into their own group under his leadership. The rebellion is put down by Kirk when he outplays Rafe and secures an uneasy truce with Duke Everett Meriadoc.
  

Leadership/People of Note

The secretive leaders of the Eboncoin remain mostly hidden from the eyes of the public. But those who do deal with the Coin know a few whispered names of their agents, and keep them largely to themselves.