Shadow Court

Shrouded in mystery, intrigue, and things of a sinister nature, all but the most stalwart of Nobles will even whisper when speaking of the Shadow Court. And those who dare walk its hidden hallowed halls plot and scheme to bring on the Ever Winter.

Or that is what they would rather us wish to believe..

The Shadow Court is an alliance that hides behind the Unseelie court. Believing that the Seelie have corrupted the society of the Kithian by masquerading about in human forms and worshiping antiquated mortality, they seek to bring the coming of the Endless Winter.. They strive to protect the past, but at the same time, the Shadow Court prepares for a new age. Overthrowing the nobility and destroying the seelie court is just the start. Most of its members are herald from the Unseelie Court, although Seelie have also been known to betray their compatriots and join their sinister brethren. The Shadow Court, also known as the Midnight Court, can trace its roots back to the time before the Shattering, when the two courts would share seasonal duties. The Seelie court would rule from Beltaine (May 2, aka May Day) to Samhain, October 31 also known as All Hallows Eve. On this night, the mists would part, giving a glimpse into a world that was much different. This night would be without consequence, for once the night had ended the Samhain Mists would fall on all, and none would remember what had happened the night before. On Halloween night, a celebration would occur in which the Seelie would indulge in their unseelie legacies, and the Unseelie would parade about, dressed in mock attire of the Seelie Nobles. After the Shattering however, the traditions of passing the crown from one court to another became forgotten, or lost. The Seelie remained in constant control. However... on the hellish nights of Samhain, the Unseelie would remember the time were the courts did not clash, but held equal power to one another. Thus a different Shadow Court came into being. One that remained undetected but almost always a phantom menace. One with its own codes, or Manifesto that it rules by..

The Shadow Court is a secretive court of Unseelie Changeling opposed to the 600 years rule of the Seelie monarchs. Many of them are ritualists and have many traditions and holidays, like the Samhain, and wants a return to a winter rules by the Unseelie and a summer ruler by the Seelie. Most members of House Balor and Thallains are members.

The Shadow Court Manifesto

1. The First Tenet: Understand the mortal world, and shelter those who cannot live in it.

In a world where poverty, tragedy, crime, violence and despair rule, one must shelter all those who are of the dreaming. Wither they are Kithian, or Thallain. They are creatures of the Dreaming too and deserve our protection.

1. The Second Tenet: Understand the supernatural world, make and break alliances as necessary.

The “prodigal” races are outside of what we really are. Yet they can bare truth to what it really means to be unseelie sometimes. Despite them not being what we are, they can give illuminating insight to situations that maybe out of our scope. But don't tarry long in their territories.

1. The Third Tenet: Harvest Glamour and prepare for the approaching of Endless Winter.

Mortals come and go, Glamour is free, but Winter is coming. If you want a chance in hell to survive it, you better be prepared. Admit the truth, if we want to be on the top of the food chain, we have to feast on the weak. Gather Glamour anyway you can.

1. The Fourth Tenet: Overthrow the Seelie Court and nobility.

For too long have we been denied our rightful place in the seasons. For this, Winter may be longer than it has ever been, or even Endless. Every chance you get to bring down a Seelie ruler, do so. They are the ones that have truly brought the Endless Winter upon us. If they all fall and Winter comes, then perhaps we will survive long enough for spring to come again. If it ever comes again.

1. The Fifth Tenet: Fulfill the Ritual Obligations of the year, culminating in the rituals of Samhain.

Mortals deface what the yearly rituals mean, forgetting the darker side of their festive holidays, buying into things about some fat man who brings them gifts, or that some kid was dumped in a horse trough cause his parents couldn't get any other place to sleep. But we know better. These rituals keep us alive, they remind us of the old days, whiles preparing us for the on coming winter.

1. The Sixth Tenet: Spread chaos, revolution and anarchy.

Change is good. But Change isn't enough, for our survival in things we must do more. Chaos keeps things lively, pushes new sources of glamour and confuses the hell out of mortals and the nobility. Revolution keeps those damn Seelie bastards on edge, all the better to knock them down when they aren't looking in the right direction. And Anarchy? I think we are being redundant here, but even I like a good firebombing.

1. The Seventh Tenet: There is no tenet number seven. All Hail Discordia!

More information on the Shadow Court can be found, in what other place but The Shadow Court for Changeling: The Dreaming

Notable Shadow Court

• King Meilge ap Eiluned

• Duchess Kali ap Ailil

• Duke Shiva ap Balor

• Duchess Voodoo Queen ap Balor, the ruling Sidhe of Louisiana pretending to be Eiluned

• Riel, Sluagh Spymaster of King Meilge