The Tenth House, House Brakx

Nestled in a massive fortified mound of rough earth, set in the highest portion of the Steppes, lies the last House of the Ruling Council. The House of Brakx has remained anchored to the same stones for several centuries. Teetering on the edge of the Ruling Noble Houses, the life achievement of Matron Mother KaerEnth has been to secure the power of her House and the favor of Kiaransalees dark will.

To that end, Matron Mother KaerEnth has never been closer, but already the minds of her daughters had begun to plot the old dark elfs demise. So close to victory, but cheated by the expiring life of her mortal form, the Matron Mother called upon the lost magics of the Necronomicon of Davrnahl and the twisting of spells better left forgotten to mortal minds.

By the will of her evil seeded black heart and the wise fear of failing the dark goddess, the Matron Mother sold her dark soul to the powers of the dead, that she may better serve her. Bound and tortured alone in the inky pits of her mind, the once living drow was torn and cast between the worlds of death and life. Fed by the vile energies of the dark planes of evil and the bindings of the Necronomicon, the Matron Mother continues her immortal search for the one power that will shatter the very foundation of the city and cast her as the supreme ruler. The one item lost for millennia and only exists in rumor, boast and a braggarts lie. The Hand of Vecna.

Yet, her choice was not without err. For in her lusted pursuit for power, she had indeed lost her soul, as her warped tortured mind and the dark embodiment of undead power was a puppet to the Will of Kiaransalee. Never would KaerEnth feel the freedom of independent thought, for now she was her dark mistress to command.

****

Freed by her own lust, the will of Kiaransalee guided the lich Mother to continue the pursuit of the artifact of evil, but the veil of her blind ambition was gone and her actions became far more calculated and drawn out under the goddess control.

Calling upon the powers of the vast Pool of the Dark Mind, KaerEnth scrutinized the surrounding caverns and passages. It was by the divinations of the Pool that her eyeless sockets of fire gazed upon a massive and well sealed cavern. Pleased by her discovery, the Matron summoned her daughters and Quested upon them to sanctify the cavern and tell no one of its existence.

Months passed and by the gateway powers of the Pool, the cavern was meticulously laced with magic barring scrying and transportation, save specified and secret locations noted by KaerEnth. With its security in place, several measures were taken to cultivate the secluded farm of food, fresh water spring, and livestock.

Intentionally, the northern half of the cavern was left bare. In time, this portion was carefully decorated in sigils, bodies, and glyphs honoring the goddess of the dead. Sanctified, the priestess began the tedious construction of Kiaransalees temple. Using the hulks to mine the rough natural stone and the hired Duergar to shape it, the foundation of the citadel temple was beginning to take shape. Every stone was then carefully etched with the precise runes as detailed in the Necronomicon. The mortar between was a vile mix of elven blood captured in acts of vengeance, the powdered bones of their bodies and the tears of their fearful dying. The setting of the dark temples frame took the greater portion of a decade and in it grand ziggurat design, it was still unfinished.

Knowing that no one outside the noble women of the House can know of this feat and the final ritual called for a massive sacrifice, the lich Mothers undead forces turned and slayed the goblin slaves and Duergar stonemasons. Their blood was washed over the citadels walls as the Matron Mother and her high priestess began the final ritual. Calling forth a Gate to the realm of her diety, the women of evil summoned the favor and blessing of Kiaransalee.

The dark dietys angel of death passed from the gates dark recesses. The evil creatures essence was carried and bound to the runed temple walls. The ear shattering closing of the gate was accented by the aura of expanding darkness that flowed from the temples pulsating walls. The faces of several that died and the corpses of the fallen seemed to be absorbed into the living wall of death. Before them, the temple grounds was separated by an impenetrable wall of utter darkness and pulsed with the dark energies of death. The southern expanse of the cave was left untouched and no living beyond the blessing of Kiaransalee could enter.

More than pleased with her accomplishment and the favor shown, KaerEnth has since used the blessed grounds to perform the dark rites of the Necronomicon. Using the sacrifices of her slaves and the bodies of enemies killed in revenge, the pitch black temple grounds are laden with her forces of death. The former twisted into ju-ju zombies, and the later bound to the strong incorporeal forms of wraiths and spectres.

Current ongoings:
If the immense size and scope of the Steppes was not enough to the casual eye, then the vast width and height of the greatest mound set upon the highest plain of the Steppe inspired awe and fear to any that know those that dwell within. The heart of Mordunael felt its power quite keenly. He had ventured into the Houses grounds several times prior. Each time the unmoving silence and still death of the cold ground made the flayers oily skin crawl. ~Why the living surround themselves with the dead, I wish to never know.~ The illithids thoughts echoed quietly safe within the fortress of his mind.

As the merchant lord gazed, the dark spires of the central mound stretched well past the several linked smaller mounds walls. Even from the distance the Houses outer markers offered, an overwhelming sense of silent dread permeates the surrounding streets and land tracts. More then once his milked eyes had seen the balking of several at the mere proximity to the House grounds. Giant lizards buckled and over a dozen rothe stamped away when forced to pass the surrounding streets. Silently, the smuggler chuckled at the frenzied looks the goblins slaves had as their beasts trampled them. That was several years ago and still those that wish an easy journey take measures to skirt the surrounding streets.

The approach to the outer gate was uneventful. As the streets were dead calm, so were the guilded gates and unmanned stone walls. From the street side of the vast compound a series of equally spaced mounds dotted the grounds several hundred feet away from the central mound. Though each mound was half the size of a minor house, they paled in comparison to the fortress they protected. Set firmly between each lesser mound, the great space was filled carefully, several feet thick and thrice the height of the tallest drow high, with carefully cut stones. While each stone is only the width and breadth of an arm, they bear an unending series of etched silver runes.

Set high upon the many spikes of each stretch of the dark stone walls, over a dozen motionless statues of horned and clawed demons leer anxiously to the street below. A single set of rough black metal gates facing the Estates breaks the silver and ebony walls eerie pattern. Past the carved undead faces of the wrist thick twisted bars, the House courtyard is bare and unused. A soft breeze and the tumbling of a dust swirl is the only movement within.

For the past decade, not a single soul has been seen within the courtyard. All seem to stay with the grand center structure. If it were not for the Mothers presence at the Ruling meetings and the Houses members cast into the patrols, one may question if any still exist behind the dark silent stones.

Being expected, Mordunael waited at the unmanned gate and a few passing moments of silence, the metal bars parted with a common silence and he entered. The passing of the gate rippled over him like many times before, although he remembered not one of them. What was one the barren silence of the grave was now a thriving throng of activity. Where dust once was the only inhabitants, now several score drow practiced melees and even played. The sounds, from the striking metal blades and the rippling waves of drow magics, to the cracking whips and cries of the stone moving slaves, all should be heard for some distance but they do not. Even though these sounds are more then enough to bring his attention, they are barely heard over the roaring winds that circle above and around the spiked spire.

Breaking the concentration of those sparring and practicing the Art, a voice of sinister evil echoes from above. Even with her attention gaining barked commands, the sound never passes from beyond the courtyard walls. Heeding her command, swords are sheathed and the smoking targets of spells are cleared from the courtyard. Some of the dark elves return to the spired fortress. Others, mostly the warriors, return to the outer mound barracks.

Not but a week ago, Mordunael would have recognized those bearing the runed stones, but their memory was long lost as he stared emotionlessly toward them. Walking to the fortress entrance, the flayer continued to watch as the runed stones were placed oddly throughout the courtyards hundreds of open feet. Unseen to him as he faced the grand structure once again, were the shovels and small pits being dug. Within the hour, those stones would be buried as ordered and the slaves would be slain that their blood and death may activate the lost magics inscribed far beneath the cold earth.

Again waiting, Mordunaels gaze settled curiously upon the fortress only entrance. Even though he had passed this way a dozen times prior, his mind registered every detail as though it was the first time. Not by choice, though. Throughout the fortress many runed walls the etched runes pulsed with a life of their own. Quiet and subtle the magics that hid the denizens of the tenth house also swept it common memories away. While one would remember conversations and threatening events, it was the little things that were unconsciously forgotten.

The doors of woven metal and stone shifted upon their well tended hinges as Mordunael entered. Comfortable even in the presence of the dozen drow guards, the mind flayer was more then a match for them. With a thought he could turn several against one another, but that would be bad for business. Business _is_ what he was here for. Not only was he a master of the minds, his powers of transportation and the possession of a rare magical ship made him one of the most sought after smugglers in the Realms, both above and below. Past the twisting turns of the labyrinthine walls and passages, the illithid followed the one beauty he could never forget.

Few would ever know the emotion that danced over the flayers mind as he stared at the approaching beauty of Corianae. Unknown to all save the pair, the flayers ability to take the form of other races was used more then once to secure dealings with the exotic drow female in a pleasant note. He was extremely pleased that he need not use his powers of the Will upon her for such wonderful affairs. She was so willing.

The two walked and talked over much and came to rest away from the common drow. With the power innate to mature drow nobles and the psionic flayer, both levitated up and past several open floors. To the naked eyes, these were far enough to keep the commoners from the more luxurious levels of the fortress. Yet had it not been for the presence of the house noble, the flayer would have set free more then two score undead spirits all seeking to snuff the life from his pulsating body.

The meeting went as planned, more slaves were purchased and to be delivered to the detailed location. Upon which the agreed amount would be presented. With the business of the deal behind them, wordlessly the flayers repugnant form quickly melted to that of a striking drow male. Pleasingly muscled and bare to the world, the two melted into a one another securing the deal, each with goals of their own. While the flayer needed not to force the drow into such matters of lust, he did use the chance to plant suggestions in her otherwise defended mind. The suggestions ensured her agreement and lack of treachery and nothing else. Unknown to him, however, her jeweled ring held more then the glimmer of beauty. Its needle was so small a fly would have hardly noticed it, yet the love poison seeped readily into the bare flayers body. It strength was enough to keep the flayer pleasantly inclined to the females whims.

****

The ironic play between the living served only to amuse the lich mother as she gazed into the pools recesses. In it ripples, the pair passion was evident and soon KaerEnth became disinterested. With gesture of her will the image was gone and all that remained was her approval. Her daughters means were well done. More slaves would arrive within the month and more would be needed in the near future.

With the allied scouts of the 31^st House Alkior and the pitiful 48^th house of MalJonear, soon she would have the seeds planted that she wished. The living were so blind with their mortal passions and prides. They seemed to look for trouble, when plenty would find them in time. She wanted the word of her false efforts to be known. It was all to common for the lesser houses to use what they thought to special as leverage. This loosed information would set the others off guard. She hoped that the other houses would speculate why they were sent by her to gather trade route information of the other cities. They could spend weeks reading into what was a red herring. Weeks that would leave her alone.

Happy with the path of her plans, the Matron Mother gazed about her private chambers. While the mighty Galivan was burdened with mortal sleep in his chair of bone to her left, the lich was left in private thought. He pleased her. While a male and mortal, he would do well to carry a strong line of nobles within the House. Plus his fear of her, made the lichs black heart tingle with a rare warmth. Still, her fiery eyes fell from the weaponmaster to the inlaid altar opposing her bleached white throne.

What was once the skulls and spines of several enemies long sent to Kiaransalee, was now a twisted mass of interwoven bone and rotten flesh preserved by the dark magics. It was this vessel of evil, that pleased her so. With the number of faithful in the dark recesses of her home, the focus of Kiaransalee was alive with power and flowed into and around the dark dietys undead servant.

The House of Brakx:
Matron Mother KaerEnth is a 14^th level Lich Specialty Priest to Kiaransalee. Her present goal is to cultivate an army of incorporeal dead. Able to pass freely between walls and sensitive to powers of death, they serve as perfect scouts in her search for the Hand. While commanding a powerful host of undead abilities, she cares little about her position with the city. She does care that she remains upon the Ruling Council, for there she can make policy, but to move further would be pointless at this time. Only once she has found the Hand will she attempt to usurp control of the city.

Her priorities:
1. Find the Hand of Vecna (currently she is unaware of the Eye)
2. Cultivate an army of scouting undead.
3. Maintain and improve her compounds defenses.

Most of her slaves were slain in the creation of the temple and it has been a pains taking process of rebuilding their numbers.

Current slave forces:
25 Kobolds- Serve as House servants and occasional snacks for the umberhulks.
50 Hobgoblins
25 Bugbears
6 Umberhulks- The umberhulks are used in the constant mining of the secured chamber, guided by the divinations of the Pool. The hobgoblins are used to remove the broken stone and fall under the command of the bugbears. All of the caves slaves never leave. Any that die are taken to the temple. All bear the Deathmark of KaerEnth (detailed later).

The temples undead forces:
200 Ju-ju zombie warriors
3 Umber hulk undead beasts (guarding the temples entrance)
50 Shadows
50 wraiths
25 spectres

The temples imbued spirit of the dead is manifested the ghost, Malvious. He serves as commander of the undead forces and overseer of the Temple. The number of zombies grows due to the slaves Deathmarks (as they die they are immediately reborn as ju-ju zombies). The number of wraiths, shadows, and spectres grow for anyone killed by one is immediately turned into a spirit of half strength.

The aura of the temple has several beneficial effects upon the dead. All within the aura resist turning as if a lich. All fight with a +1 bonus to hit and regenerate 1 hp/round. All undead, while under full control of their lich-Mother, fight and plan combat as though they had an intelligence and wisdom if 15. The aura is also pitch black, giving the silent airborne undead a distinct advantage. Any living entering the aura, suffer 1d4 points of negative planar damage per round and fight at a -1 penalty to hit and damage. The damage cannot be healed until outside of the aura and all penalties last only while within the field.

Dark elven forces:
60 Elite (Longsword and maces. All specialized and most use paired weapons.)
100 Infantry (Use halberds and pikes in formation.)
100 Archers (Specialized in firing into melee.)
20 Wizards (15- 4^th level, 2- 6^th, 2 - 7^th, and 1- 8^th)

Miscellaneous forces:
36 Gargoyles (set on the lower three levels of the fortress)
12 Margoyles (set on the highest two noble levels)
The statues around the wall are not monsters but are laced with Nystuls Magic Aura to deceive.

The following are used for defense:

1. Scry Glyphs weaved into the Houses Outer wall, Lesser mounds, and Center Fortress.
2. Mindbane Glyphs woven into every portal (door, window, floor passage, etc). Over two hundred Grave Glyphs and Spirit Glyphs set throughout the courtyard.
3. Forbidance is cast over the entire grounds and set to CE with the passphrase "By the Dead Queens Will."
4. The Altar serves as a Site Foci with the following magics:

• Protection From Fire
• Protection From Lightning
• Control Winds (Hurricane Strength- 30 from the ground to 30 past the fotress pinacle) keeps fliers and missiles from entering. Set in a circular pattern around and away from the fortress. Whiel the winds effects are limited to the air around the fortress and are hidden by the Glyphs, a constant harsh freezing wind radiates from the quiet House.
• Undead Ward set upon the Houses walls and gate (to prevent the entering or exit of undead).

All the Glyphs can be set to only effect aggressors or trespassers. Any Glyph can be set off by Mother KaerEnth at will. Glyphs set off are recharged in one turn.

House Artifacts:

1. The Necronomicon of Davrnahl - Flesh pulled from the putrefied corpses stretched taut over a frame of bone and sinew, covers the blood painted pages of this evil grimoire. Within it details several lost secrets of the powers of the undead. The greatest of rituals can only be tried once, take months to years to complete, and failure results in the death of the caster. Lesser rituals can be repeated, take days to weeks, and failure causes the caster to suffer a loss of 1 level for a time equal to the ritual. Minor rituals can be recast, take hours, and failure results in loss of material used.

***Greater Rituals***

• Transfer to Lichdom - The caster is slain by the use of this ritual. Should his form go undisturbed for three days, it is raised as a lich with former level of experience. Any interruption of the spell causes the caster to fall into the death early and never to wake up.
• Fortress of Death - This spell, in conjunction with Gate calls and binds a greater spirit of the dead to a specially prepared temple of evil. Failure to complete this spell slays all involved in it casting. The outer walls of such fortress function as Living Walls. The base of the fortress is 25 per level of the caster/ squared. Its pinnacle is 5 per level of the caster. (Her temple would be 350 on a side and 70 at its tip.)
• Aura of Darkness - This spell generates a field of negative energy (as described above). Failure to invoke this ritual successfully instantly gates the caster to the Negative plane.
• Army of Darkness - This spell only takes a single turn to cast, but its preparation takes well over a year. 200 undead can be created by this spell for every level of the caster, but bodies to be animated must present. The lifeless husks that are animated, become ju-ju zombies under the casters complete control and cannot be turned. Those animated stay in the casters service for until destroyed or he is slain. Failure to properly complete this spell or premature interruption causes the undead to raise immediately and attack the caster and his allies, after which they fall lifelessly.

***Lesser Rituals***

• Deathmark -Those marked raise when killed as ju-ju zombies.
• Rite of Vengeance -Sacrifice must be made in vengeance. Undead created is random, but it will at least 6 HD. Almost always it is incorporeal.
• Marker of the Grave -Can be used to extend a Fortress of Death and Aura of Darkness. The marker must be covered in the blood of a Lawful Good priest.
• Gift of Darkness -Any faithful is rendered immune to the negative planar effects (including the Aura and the special powers of undead)

***Minor Rituals***

• Call of Death - Any sacrificed to this rite are transformed into a ju-ju zombie.
• Glyph of the Grave - Any living or dead passing within 30 of this glyph of buried bone powder is immediately grasped by a skeletal hand. Those in the area must save every round to avoid capture. Each hand has 12 HPs and an AC of 5. Any damage done to the hands also effects those grasped. Any number of creatures can be grasped at one time, but airborne creatures are unaffected.
• Glyph of the Spirit - Any living passing within 50 of this sigil, releases a quartet of Shadows. The shadows sense all life within 100 and attack immediately.
• Scry Glyph - Everything within 50 is protected from all scrying attempts magical or psionic. Additionally, those objects and persons within the area are completely invisible and silent to those outside. This effect is NOT dispelled by an affected individuals attack.
• Mindbane Glyph - Any passing within 15 of these subtle markers are affected by a Modify Memory Spell. Those that fail their save, forget any detail the caster desires. All the ones set in the compound, remove the memories regarding the presence/actions of people and the layout of the grounds/house. Several others are set along the walls, gate, and portals to cause those that fail their save to remember their last order was shout and surrender. This glyph can affect any number of enemies entering the area, but takes 1 turn to reset itself before it is able to be used again.

2. The Pool of the Dark Mind: This 10 diameter bone basin of sculpted twisted faces grimace in abject horror and pain. The inky black surface of the motionless liquid is an extremely powerful vessel for Divination magic. Any knowing the command phrase gazing into the Pool can scry as a Mirror of Mental Prowess without fear of detection. Sight, scents, and sounds can be sensed but the view is subject to existing light and illusions. Any view can be obtained with patience. It is as if an incorporeal eye is cast about gazing and sensing all within 120 feet of it. By sheer will, the eye can move to give different views. Any divination spell can be cast through the Pool to extend its range. Twice per week, a powerful Commune spell can be called upon regarding anything viewed (object or person). Last, the Pool can function as a portal to any place viewed. Once opened, it will remain until the caster wishes it closed and only those entering it from the Pools side may pass. The other side of portal is viewed as slight ripple in space and is not obvious.

3. The Black Heart of Kiaransalee: This stone of inky black coal drips with the evil taint of the queen of undeath. When placed in the heart cavity of a high priestess their powers over death are enhanced by the plane of death itself.

• All successful turning/control attempts effect twice the number of undead. Those that are not automatic are made with +4 bonus. Undead that cannot normally be turned may be, but resist as normal for their hit dice.
• The priestess may cast spells from the Wizard school of Necromancy as cleric spells. Each takes a spell slot. All effects are determined by the priest's level (note spells of 8^th and 9^th level are treated as 7^th level cleric)
• The priestess is tied to the negative plane and is healed by its presence. All negative effects return hit points, strength, and levels. Every exposure to the negative plane gives and equal amount of hit points, levels, and/or strength that they would have drained. While powerful the increased power only lasts for 2 rounds before fading and the effect is not cumulative.
• The last power can only be used once per week. The wearer can open a gate to the dark plane and summon a host of defenders. The summoned undead serve without question and cannot be turned. The fight and serve for 1 day and then return.
• There is an equal chance for one of the following groups:

1-2 Ghosts
2-4 Vampires
3-6 Spectres
5-10 Wraiths
10-20 Wights
25-50 Shadows

• The ritual of placing the heart in a living host is futile and will most likely kill the intended priestess (10% chance of success). Placing the heart in an undead host is very easy and uneventful.

Key House Nobles:

****

Surely Kiaransalee is the goddess of revenge, for only her dark will would allow the first daughters plans to crumble and waste before her very eyes. The Matron was old and about to expire from years. How she cheated death itself was one question and what to do with a Mother that would never die of age or poison was another.

Several sleepless nights and eves of prayer to the dark goddess passed in pursuit of her will. Did the Matron Mother posses the embodied will of Kiaransalee or was this a test of Irriels prowess? Open contest against her mother would end in humiliating death and eternal servitude in undeath. Even the passing of such doubt unto her sisters could poison her place as first daughter should they betray her. So the obedience of the first daughter Irriel would continue, until Kiaransalee willed otherwise, but the thought of an immortal Matron upon the throne of the House broke the pleasing transfer of power.

Irriel is a 12^th level Specialty Priestess of Kiaransalee. It is rumored that she posses a pair of enchanted bracers that maximize the effectiveness of her Combat and Healing (reverse also) spells.

****

Corianae could feel the hatred and buried contempt for her Mother seep through Irriels every movement and word. Her sisters feelings were well hidden to most, but as the Houses diplomatic liaison, she became attuned to such false fronts of pleasance. The throne of the House was never within her grasp, being the fourth borne to the once living Mother and still its power has never tempted the dark enchantress. Soft words and hidden alliances have always been the steel and magic of the extremely beautiful drow noble. The use and wonton display of power always seemed to attract a level of attention and a number of enemies that could easily be done without. For Corianae, the undead power of her mother was a coattail that she would enjoy riding. In fact, it would be a poor fate for those she knew threatened her mothers place.

Corianae is a 10^th level priestess/ thief of Kiaransalee. Due to her extreme beauty and glibness, she is the Houses chief diplomatic liaison. She posses both a Ring of Human Influence, Medallion of ESP, and a lead ring of Mind Shielding (making her lies and alignment undetectable). Her favored weapon is a Dagger of Impaling that festers within any wound until a open doors roll is made (handy with a backstab).

****

The aspect of power that her mother wielded with such fluidity nearly overwhelmed the youngest of the noble sisters. Ghiranel found every rite of necromancy and act of savage but sweet revenge implemented by the Lich Mother a beautiful masterpiece of evil. She found that she was not alone. Nearly every other sister felt a sense of security with the immortal lich. Alone, the power of the lich was a positive symbol to the favor of Kiaransalee upon the House of Brakx. Always, the other sisters quietly questioned the whims of the Matron Mother. Was it personal search for power or was it the security of the noble House? Now with the living transformed into death and the Mothers focus on the secret temple showed that the undead leader of the House placed the favor of the dark queen before the politics of the drow city.

Ghiranel is a 7^th level priestess/fighter and the youngest of the noble females. She possesses an enchanted rod capable of great melee prowess (Rod of Flailing).

The other seven sisters are of varying levels between 7 and 10^th. Three are single classed priestess. Two are fighter/clerics and the last is a specialty priestess of Kiaransalee.

****

What the women were doing was not their place to ask or discuss. The rent wounds of their backs were a subtle reminder of the ill favor faced with a poorly placed question. Bold prying would only invite them to a place of quiet undead servitude. Yet, it was hard to not wonder where over the past decade the masses of food, supplies, and slaves had gone.

Nearly three hundred goblin and orc slaves has disappeared into the Matrons chambers, never to be seen again. As with all four brothers, the only audience they were permitted was under the blindness of the Mothers magic. There was an icy sense as the dead mothers bony talon barely brushed their exposed flesh. Such cold the males would remember for the rest of their lives. Paralyzed to the core of their souls and blind in a freezing oblivion they surely thought this was the undeath life they would face forever. In the time it took for them to replay their lives any an place of insult they could be paying for, the familiar glow of the undark palace.

The four noble males are equally capable warriors. All are 9^th level and maintain equal responsibility over the drow forces and their training. Each has a small collection of magical weapons and armor.

****

Was it a privilege or a dark sense of humor that the chosen mate and weaponmaster of House Brakx was to remain at the undead Mothers side? The transformation of the living mother to the icy lich queen stirred a sense of dread within the oldest male. It was one thing to face the sting of a whip or flailing bolt of displeasure, but no to face the soulless orbs of spite against the living every waking hour was more then any living should face. Blessed as the other nobles, he bore the Mark of the Lich Queen and the ritual scarring of the Darkness. Never again would he fear the touch of the dead, even his Mothers touch of freezing icy troubled him no more, but she has far many other means of ensuring his undying loyalty.

Yet the Houses turn of fate and his mates form of undeath was not without reward. Long had it been since he felt the touch of another female then the aging form of the Matron. Now barren by death, the line of the House was to be carried by him and the first daughter. Pleasing indeed, she was far younger and carried a beauty that had long faded from Mother KaerEnth.

The Weaponmaster of Brakx, Galivan is a 14^th level Fighter. He posses a unique silver Two-handed Sword of the Githyanki named Diamond Edge". It is the +5 vorpal blade of a Githiyanki Arch-Knight. If it were not for the Silken Band of Denial (renders him immune to Divination and Enchanment/Charm at the expense that he cannot cast spells) he wears, the Swords presence would bring the vengeful weight of the astral warriors full upon the House.

****

The House Wizard, Zathreth a 15^th level general mage (he has rounded his undead spells with a host of illusion and enchantments that prevent him from being a specialist). He views the Matron Mother as a valuable coattail to ride to power within the city. He is the only other that is aware of the Mothers desire to find the artifact, though he is more aware of the rumored curses and does not seek it himself. While the Mother remains focused his loyalty is secured as are his services.

****

All nobles save Evilyn bear both the Mark of KaerEnth (undead servitude) and the Blessing of Darkness (immune to special undead abilities and see in magical darknss.)