¤ La Chambre Noire (GM only)

King Charles III de la Tete d'Or, like his father and grandfather before him, knows the value of an efficient secret service, which can keep down the most dangerous political enemies and plots against the crown. Very few, even amongst the nobility, know anything of La Chambre Noire other than its name and vague purpose; many suspect (quite rightly) that it is based in the Oisillon Palace. In fact, La Chambre Noire is just that: 'The Black Room'. It is found in the heart of the royal palace, far from prying eyes, and has no windows or anything else on the walls; moreover, to guard against the members of the group who control the extremely delicate service from knowing each other's true identity, meetings take place in absolute darkness, with the members each entering from a separate door and being guided to their seats by a chord. Only the Master of La Chambre Noire knows the real names of all the members - and his own identity is the most closely guarded of all. These details, however, are almost unknown outside La Chambre Noire itself; but its reach goes further and deeper than even the King himself could guess. Much speculation goes on amongst the aristocratic inhabitants of the Palace as to who might be a part of La Chambre Noire, and rumours run rampant, stirring the hearts of young heiresses. A few rash and daring noble gentlemen, seeing this, have it put about that they are actually members of La Chambre Noire themselves. Those who make such claims soon learn their folly: a dagger with the blade half snapped off is the first warning, a full dagger is the second, and death is the third.