Under the Drawbridge
The Shadow Court
"Tis a deadly sin to keep that oath, my lord- and a sin to break it."
- Shakespeare, Love's Labour Lost
The Shadow Court is exactly that- shadows. We are nothing more tangible than whispers, yet as
firm in our beliefs as any other court. Which brings up another point. We and the Unseelie Court are
two seperate things. The Unseelie is merely the facade that we hide behind. We are the united
Unseelie. We have an agenda that we follow, and we are moving ahead in the goal to bring about
the season change to Endless Winter.
The Shadow Court
During the Interregnum, a
tradition known as the Shadow
Court arose. Created by the
Unseelie to mimic the dying custom
of alternating rule, the Shadow
Court became the one of the only ways in
which Unseelie changelings could
retain some prestiege of their lost
position as shared rulers of the
fae.
Brought together during the
evening rites of the Samhain
celebration, the Shadow Court
rules the changeling community
for one night only. During its short
reign, it bestows honorary titles
which carry over for the Unseelie
half of the year. It also openly
mocks the Seelie traditions,
demonstrating sometimes humiliating
or painful reminders to its rivals
that an alternative path exists for
the Kithain to follow. Most Seelie fae
dislike being made fun of, but
grudgingly put up with the Shadow
Court as a harmless outlet for
Unseelie proclivities.
The Shadow Court occupies the
current status of a Mardi Gras-like
celebration, allowing changelings
of both Courts to throw aside their
inhibitions for a single night and
revel in their darkest passions
and most perverse dreams
without fear of censure or
punishment. Seelie changelings
pay due homage to their Unseelie
natures on this night, becoming
their dark halves for the duration
of the festivities. The fallen fae
are also honored during this time,
for the Shadow Court feels a
special affinity toward the spirits of
the dead, who are central to the
Samhain rites.
What most changelings do not
know is that the Shadow Court
meets at other times of the year
as well, and has its own secret
agenda known only to its sworn
members. The honorary- and apparently temporary- titles
bestowed at Samhain make it
obvious to all changelings who
currently lead the mock court, but
since these positions are only
nominal, few Kithain take them
seriously. The clandestine -
shadowy, in fact - meetings of the
Shadow Court take place under
conditions of utmost secrecy, and
only the Court's most trusted
members attend.
Although most Unseelie rulers
tend to be on good terms with
the Shadow Court, and may even
suspect it of existing as an
independent entity apart from its
annual incarnation at Samhain,
the leaders of the Shadow Court
do not consider themselves
bound to notify their "allies" of
their every action. In fact, keeping
even Unseelie rulers unaware
about the workings of the Shadow
Court ensures a low profile for its secret
members, who prefer it that way.
The real purpose behind the
Shadow Court lies hidden to most
Kithain, and its sinister plans for
the future continue to unfold,
appropriately, in the shadows of
changeling society.
Why does the Shadow Court seek the destruction of the Seelie
Court?
It's quite simple, really. They're deluded. They think that they can reserve
their hoards of Glamour and hold off Endless Winter forever. What they don't realize is that we don't
want Winter to come either, but we have resigned ourselves to the fact that it will come, but when it
passes, we will be in the time of Eternal Spring once again. So be holding back Winter, they also
delay Spring. We see this folly, and seek to repair it. However, they won't listen to our ideas, and
insist on their way. So since they have barricaded us from our goal, we must destroy this
barricade.
What do titles mean in the Shadow Court?Well, not much.
The titles of authroity are changed from year to year at Samhain in accordance with the Unseelie
Code. Remember, Change is good. The most powerful Unseelie fae perform this ritual of changing
titles with their forbidden arts. During the year, these titles function almost the same as their Seelie
titles of the same name, just in a different, and more secret court.
What is the purpose of the Shadow Court? That
depends on the Clique. All Shadow Court members hold the same ideals, but the actual court
members have their own purposes and agendas. Some try to understand the mortal world better so
that when the time comes, the Fae will know enough about it that they can become immersed in it
and still retain a spark of their Fae self. Others try to prepare for the onset of Winter through
Ravaging, and making contacts among the other Prodigals. Some try soley to overthrow the Seelie
courts.Some are in it for a deeper spiritual understanding of their darker side. Some try to raise all
hell and sperad chaos, and yet another group- if they can be called that- say "To hell with anarchy!
Let's live a little!" and their sole purpose is to spread less-than-anarchy, if that makes any sense. Fae
with common purposes bond together in the Shadow Court in most cases, except for that last
mentioned.
What does the Shadow Court stand for? Other than
everything the Seelie court doesn't? Well... We try to gain an awareness of what is happenig in the
mortal world so we know how to survive in it, and we protect some of our Thallain cousins who
simply cannot fit in the Flesh Realm because they are of the Dreaming as well. We also try to gain contacts within the Supernatural world, and
are prepared to betray them before we are betrayed. Another goal is to prepare for the oncoming
Winter in any way we see fit. We also see that the Seelie nobility ought to be overthhrown for their own good. The
Shadow Court also has certain obligations and rites that must be fufilled toward the dead, as we have much contact with them. We also want to cause as
much chaos and anarchy as we can, for what is more Unseelie?
Now that you understand the basic difference between the Unseelie and the Shadow Court, we have our own views on some things that aren't the same as the Unseelie....
Our view of the other Kiths and Prodigals can be found by swimming into The Secret Passage
Sneak back into The_Dungeon
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