16/12/2021
Cloaks & Silvers
Individuals who specialize in working in the shadow war of the Chartered Houses are known as Cloaks. Not every adventurer is a Cloak, but almost invariably every Cloak tends to have experience as an adventurer. Nobody really knows why they are referred to as Cloaks, but it is likely an allusion to the tendency of such types to sit in shadowed corners, to literally and figuratively cloak themselves. Of course, though their existence is known, no one actually refers to themselves as a Cloak, just as no one would refer to themselves as a rogue. It is a word invariably used by others as honorific or epithet, depending on their views.
It is exceedingly rare for merchant houses or other employers to hire Cloaks directly. Just as Cloaks are specialists, so there are procurement agents who specialize in connecting employers with employees. Known as Silvers, they function as intermediaries and provide a degree of anonymity and deniability. Of course, unlike typical procurement agents who may be paid by the Geographic Society, Silvers often take a percentage of the payout or loot as a commission. And, should Cloaks find themselves in possession of artifacts that need selling, Silvers often have the necessary connections.
