Umbra is the organization behind Fury’s Gaze. They funded Auria’s research and treated her experimental subjects as investments. Secretive, hierarchical, and patient — they don’t rule openly. They pull strings.
Philosophy: Controlled instability. Enough chaos to keep nations and factions off-balance, not enough to destroy the systems they profit from. Long-term goal: permanent influence through blackmail, bribery, and the quiet ownership of key decision-makers. No throne, no flag — just strings. Heavily invested in aetherial research, particularly voidsent mastery — not for armies, but for precise, surgical tools.
Operative Tiers
| Tier | Role | Notable Members |
|---|---|---|
| Specters | Elite agents. Operate autonomously with full Council trust. Masters of aetherial manipulation, assassination, and psychological warfare. Umbra’s living myths. | Cailean Arda |
| Phantoms | Mid-level operatives. Manage cells and regional operations, lead mercenary groups, implement plans at ground level. | Lexus Ovicula, Ivraut Dauvamois, Ilse “Red” Rosse |
| Shades | Ground-level operatives. Recruited from mercenaries, thieves, desperate individuals. Expendable. | Amelia Graves |
| Whispers | Informants and contractors, often unaware of Umbra’s full scope. Disposable. | Marcus |
| Assets | Products of Auria’s experiments. Not members — tools. Compound dependency gives Umbra direct leverage. | Amelia Graves, Hapus Anrhefn, Lorelai Lesrekta, Nimvaei (potential) |
Council of Shadows
Umbra’s governing body. Members use codenames tied to Primals. True identities known only to each other, communicated exclusively through intermediaries. Even within Umbra, few know who they are.