Umbraguild
The Umbraguild of Corgath was a high-profile crime syndicate with its hands in schemes all over Legere. All manner of under-the-table deals were orchestrated by their members, from hitmen to exotic pets, and from rare artifacts to illicit substances. In particular, they were the largest distributor of Chimera Crystals, which were abundant in Corgath, but outlawed (for recreational use) for their hallucinogenic properties. The Umbraguild ran all of these shady deals through their signature black market, the Undermarket.
The Umbraguild made their headquarters in the City of Corgath, to take advantage of the center of commerce and the influence of wealthy nobility who were in their pockets. Some nobility even held influential positions in the syndicate. Notably, the Merz and Mangano families held a great deal of control over the Umbraguild for several generations - being lead by Benno Merz and Merton Mangano in 275 DHT. They used their political connections to further the guild’s motives and funnelled a hefty chunk of its profits to themselves, thereby building their wealth at the cost of little more than suspicion. Though the Umbraguild never appointed official leaders, these powerful elites steered the organization in their favour.
The origins of the guild are unknown, but they date back before the Demon Wars. During The Corgathian Spellcraft Crisis, the number of spell casters joining the guild practically tripled overnight. At this time, the guild’s black market trades became much more heavily focused on magical items and arcane mercenary work than it had before.
The Undermarket #
