The Queen's Hand

The Queen's Hand is the official name of High Queen Fyra's personal task force and one of the most coveted positions in Salkire Palace's court. Though they operate on their own initiative, they still swear fealty to the queen at swear loyalty to the elvish crown above all other authorities. Traditionally consisting of five members, the group may have any number of sidekicks, servants and even pets accompanying them on missions.

History
The first Queen's Hand was established at the beginning of the Age of Arcana, by High Queen Fyra's predecessor and mother, High Queen Alendra. This task force was originally created with far more focus on espionage and subterfuge, as a countermeasure against the coming uncertainties brought about by the world-changing Adventus Arcanum. The members of the first Queen's Hand were her most trusted advisors, and it was not uncommon for them to conduct espionage on other members of the court, at the behest of a suspicious and somewhat paranoid queen. As time went on and causes for concern became fewer and more far between, the role of the Queen's Hand shifted to something rather less active. Instead, they were charged with jobs too dangerous for simple hirelings but not big enough for entire armies. This often came in the form of delving into lost ruins and recovering powerful artifacts, and so the skills of reconnaissance, subterfuge and intrigue remained useful even after the change in responsibility.

Today, the role of the Queen's Hand remains largely unchanged; matters of arcane interest, underhanded politics and even some elements of diplomacy all fall within the jurisdiction of High Queen Fyra's special task force. The second most recent group to fill this role included none other than Jahlua Felnor; fanatical leader of the xenophobic cult known as the Children of Heyenna. From her position of Hingefinger, the master of intrigue, Jahlua set about removing her fellow team members from their positions, either by blackmail or outright assassination, with a view to transform the role of Queen's Hand into a single position as opposed to a group. After her eventual arrest, the travelling band of misfits who were instrumental in her downfall were recruited to the role, in hopes to restore some dignity and honour to a once-noble position.

Positions and Responsibilities
The five main roles within the Queen's Hand each hold a title named after a finger on the normal humanoid hand. Each role traditionally relates to certain responsibilities within the team, though this is by no means a strict ruling and it is common for one individual to engage in responsibilities that would satisfy more than one title. For example, the Longfinger may also be the group's best diplomat in addition to taking the role of warrior.

Hingefinger
Also known as the 'Master of Intrigue', the Hingefinger is tasked with the keeping, collecting and relaying of knowledge and information that would be pertinent to the High Queen and her court. Holders of this title have historically included wizards, researchers, librarians and of course spies. The exact nature of this knowledge will vary from mission to mission, and thus those who are quick-witted and generally well rounded in their knowledge often suit this role best. The infamous Jahlua Felnor strong-armed her way into this position around a decade ago after the pervious Hingefinger, Shava Cinreth, failed to return from a seemingly simple research mission to Dragon's Reef.

Forefinger
Sometimes referred to by the self-important title of 'Master of Masters', the Forefinger takes the role of group leader for the Queen's Hand. Typically, they are the point of contact between the group, the High Queen and the rest of the court. The other fingers traditionally report to the Forefinger for a debriefing after missions, but in some cases it may be more efficient for another finger to take their briefing straight to the High Queen herself. Nevertheless, the Forefinger is the most likely to engage in a mixture of all the other fingers' responsibilities, and also give general direction to the group on missions such as strategies, route planning and how best to approach each task.

Longfinger
Also known as the 'Master of Combat', the Longfinger is often the first point of contact for any tasks involving conflict. In the past, this has ranged from slaying fearsome monsters to assassinating corrupt political figures. Holders of this title are not always shadowy assassins as one might expect, as a number of noble knights have held this title. The second individual to hold the title of Longfinger was the human knightess Talulah Kenstrom, a valiant hero and local legend of Summersong who earned fame for her work in quelling a number of cults which ran rife in the city at the time.

Ringfinger
The otherwise-known 'Master of Diplomacy', Ringfingers are tasked with currying favour with other kingdoms, completing trade deals and speaking on the High Queen's behalf. Typically acting as something of a spokesperson for the group, Ringfingers are usually best suited to Charismatic individuals, or at least those with pockets deep enough to fund a constant stream of bribes. When the High Queen wishes to contact kingdoms with which relations are shaky, such as Humania or Shadowfen, the Queen's Hand will always be deployed on a mission spearheaded by the Ringfinger.

Smallfinger
Something of a less-celebrated but no less important position, the Smallfinger or 'Master of Subterfuge' is the main role responsible for any dealings which the High Queen would rather keep secret. Oftentimes, the tasks undertaken by the Smallfinger are simply sensitive matters done in the best interest of the kingdom that would fail or otherwise turn out poorly if they were not kept secret. However on occasion, they may also be personal matters such as private investigations, heists or other forms of 'questionable acquisitions. Among the palace court, the Smallfinger is sometimes nicknamed 'The Pinless', since they often remove the Queen's Hand insignia for a lot of their work, as not to be traced back to the High Queen Herself.