The Royal Eyes of Aundair serves as the crown’s elite covert force. Its operatives spy on other nations, pursue Aundair’s most notorious criminals, and undertake all sorts of cloak-and-dagger missions for Queen Aurala ir’Wynarn. The history of the Royal Eyes goes back to Lady Aundair herself, who had a handful of loyal agents she used to gather intelligence throughout the kingdom—and to watch activities of her younger siblings.

At any given time, the Royal Eyes has a dozen major operations under way. About half to two-thirds of these missions take place beyond Aundair’s borders. The remainder of the missions concern Aundair’s internal security. The Royal Eyes keeps dissidents under surveillance, chases spies from Thrane and Karrnath, and makes periodic raids against hostile targets in the Eldeen Reaches.

Most residents of Aundair have never heard of the Royal Eyes. It is a secret organization, and it likes to remain that way. There is a saying at court: “The Royal Eyes are watching.” But few truly understand the significance or truth of that statement. Only the most well-connected and powerful nobles have an understanding of what goes on within the alabaster tower that rises quietly about the Royal Court.

Beyond Aundair’s borders, the Royal Eyes are also an unknown or perhaps a rumor at most. Other intelligence agencies know of the Royal Eyes, of course, but since they tend to keep their own activities secret, little details of the games of intrigue get out into the public. They differ from their counterparts in other nations in two main respects: their close cooperation to the crown and the greater degree to which they integrate magic into their operations.

Agents

The organization takes care of its agents in direct proportion to how useful they are. The best are made noble lords of Aundair in a private ceremony with Queen Aurala, and wealthy after numerous high-risk missions. The crown grants them a small piece of land in rural Aundair along with their title. In contrast, new agents have little more than a shadowy contact and the promise of a bag of gold when the mission is complete.

The Royal Eyes has a network of thousands of informants, both in Aundair and abroad, and it issues its trusted agents with magical hats of disguise. Other magic items may be temporarily issued as needed.