Vex Shadowhand

“The Black Market Kingpin”

“Morality is luxury. I deal in necessities. You need it, I provide it. Price is negotiable. Consequences are yours.”

Quick Reference

Vex Shadowhand - The Black Market Kingpin

Overview

Vex Shadowhand controls the Black Sky Cartel’s Murky Chasm operations—running the black market, managing smuggling routes, and arbitrating disputes in the lawless settlement. Known for being amoral but reliable, Vex will sell anything to anyone: Rot-Shards, stolen artifacts, forbidden texts, forged documents, even assassination contracts. No judgment, just business.

What makes Vex exceptional is reputation for keeping word. In a world of betrayal and desperation, Vex’s reliability is valuable commodity. Deals honored. Secrets kept. Debts collected. This consistency makes Vex indispensable—even enemies use Vex’s services because they know what to expect.

The truth: “Vex Shadowhand” is three siblings—two sisters and brother—who discovered operating as single identity provided advantages. They coordinate through signals, rotate appearances, and maintain the fiction perfectly. This allows omnipresence (Vex seems everywhere), enhanced knowledge (three sets of eyes/ears), and personal security (kill one, two remain).

Cold, efficient, and strangely principled (within limits), Vex represents pure capitalism: amoral transactions that enable society’s hidden needs.

The Three Vex

Vex One (Eldest Sister - “The Face”)

Age: 42
Role: Public presence, negotiations
Personality: Charming, calculating
Appearance: Changes frequently (makeup, clothing)
Specialty: Deal-making, client relations

Vex Two (Brother - “The Shadow”)

Age: 38
Role: Enforcement, intelligence
Personality: Quiet, observant, dangerous
Appearance: Nondescript (deliberately forgettable)
Specialty: Information gathering, problem-solving (violent if necessary)

Vex Three (Youngest Sister - “The Mind”)

Age: 35
Role: Strategy, logistics, Skyport Eos operations
Personality: Analytical, detached
Appearance: Operates openly in Skyport Eos as “Merchant Vex”
Specialty: Planning, resource management, long-term thinking, legitimate business front

Coordination

Method: - Hand signals (subtle) - Dead drops (written messages) - Scheduled meetings (private) - Implicit understanding (decades together)

Rotation: - Vex One handles most public interactions in Murky Chasm - Vex Two fills in when needed, handles enforcement - Vex Three operates independently in Skyport Eos as “Merchant Vex”

Success: Perfect deception (decades, no exposure) - Expanded to Skyport Eos (Vex Three as “Merchant Vex”) - Authorities suspect connection but can’t prove it

Biography (Collective)

Early Life (245-260 S.)

Origin: Born Bright Reaches (minor settlement, destroyed)

Family: Merchant parents (modest, honest)

Childhood: Close siblings (bonded early)

Tragedy (255 S.): - Settlement Rot-consumed - Parents killed - Siblings survived together (ages 13, 9, 6)

Refugee Years: - Arrived Skyport Eos - Struggled (no resources) - Learned survival (hard way) - Turned to theft (necessary)

Criminal Career (260-275 S.)

Petty Crime (260-265 S.): - Pickpocketing - Small scams - Learned underworld

The Idea (265 S.): - Realized single identity advantage - Created “Vex Shadowhand” persona - Began rotating appearances - Worked immediately

Rise (265-275 S.): - Smuggling operations - Black market dealing - Built reputation (reliable) - Expanded network - Connected to Black Sky Cartel

Cartel Leadership (275-287 S.)

Recruited (275 S.): Cartel noticed capability

Promotion: Rapid (competence obvious)

Murky Chasm Operations (278 S.): Given control

Success: - Profits increased 200% - Order maintained - Reputation sterling - Became indispensable

Current Status (287 S.): - Senior Cartel leadership - Controls major operations - Answers only to “The Captain” - Wealthy, powerful, secure

Personality (Composite)

Amoral: Right/wrong irrelevant (only profit/loss)

Reliable: Keeps word (business necessity)

Pragmatic: Solutions over principles

Calculating: Every decision analyzed

Patient: Plays long game

Ruthless: Eliminates threats (efficiently)

Oddly Principled: - No slavery (personal rule) - Honest about risks - Fair prices (by criminal standards)

Operations

Black Market Specialties

Rot-Shards: Primary commodity (dangerous, lucrative)

Weapons: Illegal types, no questions

Forgeries: Documents, identity, credentials

Information: Intelligence, blackmail, secrets

Smuggling: Transport anything anywhere

Assassination: Professional contracts (subcontracted)

Business Philosophy

Rules: 1. Keep your word (reputation paramount) 2. Price reflects risk (fair assessment) 3. Client confidentiality absolute 4. Payment enforced (debts collected) 5. No slavery (exception to amorality)

Why Successful: - Predictability (clients know what expect) - Quality (delivers as promised) - Discretion (secrets kept) - Efficiency (problems solved)

Relationships

Merchant Vex (Skyport Eos): - IS Vex Three operating under the same persona - Gives Cartel presence in legitimate settlement - Maintains plausible deniability - Connection deliberately kept ambiguous to outsiders - Coordinates with siblings through coded messages

The Captain: - Cartel boss - Vex reports to - Mutual professional respect - No personal connection

Clients: - Everyone (no discrimination) - Some regular (Guild, officials, rebels) - Professional relationships only

Enemies: - Commandant Vask (wants Cartel destroyed) - Law enforcement (naturally) - Rival criminals (eliminated)

Secrets

The Truth

Reality: Three people, one identity

Why Hidden: - Security (kill one, two remain) - Omnipresence (seem everywhere) - Knowledge (three perspectives) - Mystique (enhances reputation)

Who Knows: No one (successfully hidden)

Maintenance: Careful coordination (decades practice)

The Principle

Secret: Won’t deal in slavery despite profit

Reason: - Personal trauma (were refugees) - Line won’t cross (morality exists) - Cost: Lost profits (significant)

Hypocrisy: Sells Rot-Shards (arguably worse) but draws line

Internal Debate: Siblings sometimes disagree (mostly united)

The Contingency

Plan: If one killed, others continue seamlessly

Preparation: - Rehearsed - Backup personas ready - Resources divided (protected) - Escape routes planned

Reality: Psychologically devastating (close siblings) but professionally sound

Current Activities

Daily Operations: - Manage black market - Coordinate smuggling - Arbitrate disputes - Collect intelligence - Plan expansion

Major Projects: - Ironhold infiltration (building network) - Rot-Shard trade expansion - New smuggling routes - Intelligence gathering (everywhere)

Threats: - Vask’s military plans (existential threat) - Cartel internal politics - Competition (minor)

Quest Hooks

1. The Deal: Need illegal item/service (negotiate with Vex)
2. The Debt: Owe Vex money (consequences coming)
3. The Job: Vex hires party (criminal work, moral choice)
4. The Truth: Discover three-person secret (expose? Leverage? Keep?)
5. The Infiltration: Vex recruiting spy (for where?)
6. The War: Help defend against Vask’s attack (or participate)
7. The Betrayal: Someone cheated Vex (hunt them down)
8. The Information: Vex knows something vital (what’s price?)
9. The Moral Line: Test Vex’s slavery principle
10. The Captain: Vex offers introduction to boss (why? What’s cost?)

Related Topics

• Murky Chasm
• Black Sky Cartel
• The Underbelly
• The Captain

“I don’t judge. I don’t preach. I provide. You want salvation, find a priest. You want results, find me.”

“Morality is luxury of the safe. I deal with those who can’t afford luxury. Judge me after you’ve starved.”

“Three truths: Everyone needs something. Everything has price. I know both.” [Hidden meaning]