The Ninth House, House Shaurak'Hai

House Shaurak'Hai was a very minor noble house for nearly seven centuries, often narrowly escaping destruction by rivals. That changed roughly two hundred years ago. Shaurak'Hai's leadership had for centuries strived in vain to raise a large number of priestesses. For various reasons, this strategy failed time and time again. Finally, Matron Valed'a chose a different route. She risked everything in an attempt to build a large force of soldiers and to seek prominence in one of the few pursuits open to weak houses. Trade. That risk has paid off.

Valed'a's expeditions into the Underdark opened up new trade routes and House Shaurak'Hai now has the most extensive ties to the Duergar of any noble house. The gray dwarves respect Shaurak'Hai for its military strength and discipline, and also for its members' willingness to stand up to the dwarves when they get stubborn or insolent. In addition, Shaurak'Hai is the first drow House that has not betrayed the Duergar at the first opportunity. No formal alliance exists, but relations are as friendly as anyone could reasonably expect. For the past hundred years, Shaurak'Hai has been the chief source of quality weapons and armor in V'elddrinnsshar, successfully combining the best of Duergar and drow technology. Other houses are willing to pay dearly for these items, and they contribute a great deal of money to Shaurak'Hai's treasury, but the current Matron, Calais, has come up with an alternate form of payment. In exchange for a stated number of weapons, the purchaser can either pay in coins or magic. Thus without a large number of powerful priestesses or mages, Shaurak'Hai still boasts intricate magical wards, strongly enchanted armor and weapons, and enough coin left over to pay a great many soldiers and build thick walls.

The House Complex is in reality a huge fortress. Tremendous walls link the five stalagmite columns of the complex, and the two great gatehouses are wonders of military architecture. In addition to the magical defenses, every inch of the grounds is patrolled regularly and the entire area inside and outside the walls is covered by interlocking fields of fire. Furthermore, Shaurak'Hai has specialized in non-magical booby traps during its centuries without powerful magic. An unwary invader is as likely to step on poisonous spikes as she is to trigger a magical trap. Two houses have tried and failed to destroy Shaurak'Hai in the past century. Ninety years ago, Shaurak'Hai is believed to have made its first and only attack on another noble house. House Rebeld'e, the former ninth house fell to a disciplined army that used fewer spellcasters than is typical in such attacks. Some believe Shaurak'Hai is growing rapidly in strength, but most nobles from higher-ranking houses, and even some from lower houses, look down on the house for its perceived weakness in magic.

As befits a warrior House, Matron Calais is a multi-classed Fighter/Priestess, probably the most powerful one in the city. Her oldest daughter K'aydir is also near the top of that short list. Calais' younger sister Ty'erlis and her second daughter H'ejenna are the only other high priestesses in the entire House. There are only four other noble priestesses altogether, though there are a few non-noble fighter/priestesses in each house regiment. The situation is similar among the house Mages. Calais' brother Olxijin is the only member of the House that teaches at Zaktifar, but all three of Olxijin's children are skilled War Wizards, as is Calais' second son Hamil'arre. Again, there are a few non-noble War Wizards in each house regiment.

The true emphasis of the house is its soldiery. Calais' youngest brother Lucien' is a fabulously skilled soldier and tactician, and he serves as the House Weapon Master. The first and third sons of Shaurak'Hai, At'lam and Adenac are both instructors at Melee Mingolith. Fifteen other nobles, Chesir included, are all soldiers or fighter/thieves of varying skill but uniform dedication. Calais' choice of consorts has raised some eyebrows among the family. Tri'ilivin is a roguish warrior who fights with rapier and parrying dagger in most flamboyant fashion. He and his specially picked unit of swashbuckling 'missiliers' bring a bit of flare to the otherwise uniform juggernaut that is the Shaurak'Hai army.

Armed Forces:
2 Fighter/High Priestesses (nobles)
16 Fighter/Priestesses
2 High Priestesses (nobles)
4 Priestesses (nobles)
1 Mage (noble)
20 War Wizards
6 Fighter/Thieves (nobles)
13 Fighters (nobles)

25 "Missiliers" elite drow infantry: +3 chain mail or better, rapier, main-gauche, heavy crossbow, hand crossbow (all +3 or better)

50 "Troopers" elite lizard riders: +3 chain mail or better, +2 buckler or better, lance, longsword, light crossbow hand crossbow, dagger (all +3 or better)

100 "Legionaires" elite drow infantry: +3 chain mail or better, 2 longswords, light crossbow, hand crossbow, spear, dagger (all +3 or better)

100 "Guardsmen" drow infantry: +1 chain mail or better, halberd, longsword, dagger, hand crossbow (all +1 or better)

75 "Fusilliers" drow crossbowmen: +1 chain mail or better, +1 buckler or better, heavy crossbow, shortsword, dagger (all +1 or better)

100 "Orcish Phalanx" elite orcish infantry: +2 chain mail or better, +1 shield or better, throwing spear, long spear, flail, dagger (all +1 or better)

25 "Plunderers" ogre battlegroup: +1 leather armor or better, morning star, spear, dagger (all +1 or better)

200 "Orcish Skirmishers" orcish infantry: +1 leather armor or better, +1 buckler or better, shortbow, shortsword, dagger (all +1 or better)

Alliances and Enemies: Shaurak'Hai is prospering at its current position, and everyone knows it. The House has potential enemies among other mercantile Houses and trading operations. Matron Calais rarely speaks of the possibility of being attacked, but she and her family know who to watch out for. Shaurak'Hai enjoys the support of several lower houses, particularly El'Amin (15) and Nordor (19). Other houses, not all of them lower, have suggested working together on certain endeavors, but Calais keeps this information closely guarded. Even the lesser nobles don't know some of her plans. Aside from noble houses, Shaurak'Hai is well regarded by several mercenary groups, both for honest treatment and prompt pay.

The mostly male heads of these groups are also reassured by the fact that most of Calais' male relatives are still alive and seem genuinely satisfied. Finally, the Duergar have grown accustomed to the lucrative weapons trade. The Duergar clans have no formal alliance with Shaurak'Hai, but the two groups have co-operated in a limited fashion in the past.