Shemeshka has operated within Sigil for nigh on a thousand years, give or take a century, being only slightly newer to the city than Sigil’s other resident Arcanaloth, A’kin the Friendly Fiend. While it has been speculated by some that she was originally exiled to Sigil for some fall in political favor to one Ultroloth or another, or that she was sent to the city of doors on the behest of the Oinoloth as a personal agent and representative of Khin-Oin itself, I have found no evidence that she is either. Rather, it would seem she is the epitome of a self-serving free agent. While it would be foolish to assume that she doesn’t pass on information to others higher up the chain on the Yugoloth hierarchy, I don’t doubt that she profits greatly by doing so in more ways than simply lining her purse.
In public, Shemeshka assumes the role of elegant socialite and wealthy information broker. Oh, she’s wealthy I’ll grant her: only Jeremo the Natterer exceeds her in terms of raw jink and only Zadara the Titan equals her in property holdings in Sigil. But as for the other claims, don’t make me laugh. Information broker is a pretty name to mask her profession of chantmonger. A good percentage of the time her information is distributed in a self serving fashion to seed Sigil’s Cross-trade, and another good chunk of her information is self fulfilling prophecies. She’ll make claims of burgeoning events with no basis in fact, wanting some opportunistic Sod to see them through to her benefit. The Anarchists were often tripped up by this fact yet they, like all the others, routinely paid her far too much Jink for her gem-lined Screed.
With the factions out of political power in Sigil, the Fiend has rapidly turned to meddling with Sigil’s guilds. By all accounts, she has influence or control over four or five of them, including the Runners and Touts Guild. She holds influence over several votes on Sigil’s advisory council as well; most notably Holmin and Cirily. Of course the fiend never displays this level of power openly, instead letting the illusion of control spread further than she actually can reach; all the better to cow her rivals and those she perceives to be under her station.
Source
Uncaged: Faces of Sigil
Planewalker: Cutters
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