Raj-am

"'As much as I'd hate to say it, I know little-to-nothing about the Raj-am and its people. They operate locally, and only locally, and the mercenaries they hire have little to say outside of the obvious. They seem harmless enough; too small-scale and self-contained. But that's what my predecessor said about Servantigne. Look where that got her.'"

"-W"

Nothing gets past the Raj-am: a mysterious underground syndicate with eyes and ears all throughout the lower levels of Phlan. Though local, not much is known about the organization save for the fact that it operates in the Phlan undercity, absorbing the rival gangs who submit to them and utterly demolishing the ones who refuse. Although they pose as protectors of the sewer dwellers, the true motives of the organization are a well-kept secret. One thing is certain, however: the denizens of the undercity revere and respect them, looking to them for guidance and protection from the various threats that plague the city depths. The structure of the organization is a mystery to outsiders, though it is common knowledge that Lady Yama serves as the undercity's, and by extension, the Raj-am's, uncontested ruler. They are familiar with the inner workings of Phlan, both above ground and below, though their span of influence immediately halts at the city walls.

Members of the Raj-am who operate out in the open are known for wearing featureless porcelain masks that conceal their identities. This is to announce their presence without giving away some of their more identifiable characteristics, even if some of them stand out more than others given their race, scars, or verbal tics. All members are required to have a high degree of proficiency in stealth, observational skills, and martial and magical combat. Membership is lifelong and the only way out of the Raj-am is in a body bag — a message that everyone in the undercity is familiar with.

Purpose
The Raj-am exists as a syndicate consisting of countless gangs which have been absorbed, assimilated, and reconditioned to further the organization's own ambitions. They are not above outsourcing to deal with problems they are ill-equipped or too understaffed to handle. Though their motives elude the public, it would not be a stretch to say that they aim to take full control of the undercity and possibly the rest of Phlan. The people above ground may consider them a threat to the stability maintained by the Black Fist, however the residents of the undercity have claimed that the Raj-am have brought nothing but peace and prosperity since the day of their formation. Regardless, the Raj-am remains a local organization and have expressed no interest in expanding their sphere of influence.

Known Contacts

 * Lady Yama
 * T'zar