CrimsonStar:House Erinyes

Game: Children of the Crimson Star

Claiming to be the oldest house in the city of Tyr, The Noble House Erinyes' (AIR-in-yay-ss), is certainly one of the more unusual. Their legendary founder and namesake was certainly inhuman, given the blood she has passed on to her descendants. Following the precedents she established, the house also follows rules of inheritance which seem strange to others of the city, dividing property evenly between all daughters (a practice which does little to reduce sororicide). Thus, the house is many in number, but only a handful of those who claim noble title actually hold enough land and power to be seen as worthy of the name. Yet few will mock one of Erinyes' daughters, for the house has another tradition, never openly acknowledged but wholly undeniable: the practice of arcane arts.

While the use of the Way is certainly prevalent, it often serves as a cover for mystical practices best left undiscussed, and tolerated by Kalak only because Erinyes' witches eschew the vulgar and obvious use of defiling. Their diabolical practices require a certain intake of expendable sapients, leading the house to hold ties to several slave trading companies; as a dubious benefit, the expense means that they are otherwise less prone to costly decadence than their rivals.

Economy

Erinyes holds very little land, and the lands they do hold are largely inhospitable. What wealth their territory holds is found far beneath the earth, in the salt, obsidian, and lapis mined by a steady stream of short-lived slaves. Most of the house's income comes from dealings with various merchant houses, particularly the steel traders of Vordun; Erinyes is tied deeply into the slave markets of Tyr, and serve as patrons to many other enterprises.

Military

House Erinyes is not much inclined to open warfare. Their most well-reputed fighting forces, thus, are not infantry of the line, but skilled irregulars. Equally trained in skirmishing from the backs of crodlu or infiltrating enemy encampments, the Obsidian Knives are most feared when they are nowhere to be seen. When pitched battle must be joined, the commanders of Erinyes are usually to be found in heavily armored howdahs borne on mekillot-back, wielding the Way (and, it is rumoured, darker arts) from positions of relative safety.

Political

Rivalries

• House Tartaros: House Erinyes is rivals with House Tartaros, the only house to rival their claim to the title of oldest house in the city of Tyr.
• House Orestes: Erinyes is also rivals with House Orestes, with whom they parted alliances abruptly a decade ago after a botched alliance-by-wedding attempt.
• House Markae: In addition, House Markae is considered a rival as a recent intended wedding between Erinyes Scion Alecto and Markae Scion Reacar ended in the death of the groom by burning.

Allies

• House Sfika: Erinyes is newly allied with House Sfika, through the gift of an Erinyes Scion, Megaera the bard.

Known Goals

• Total destruction of House Tartaros.
• Discovery of the secrets of Ryleh.
• Survival at all costs.

Crest and Motto

Born in Blood, Tempered in Flames

Scions

Alecto

Alecto, eldest daughter of Stheno, is notably cunning and pragmatic even for her house. While she dutifully studied the Way, her true talents clearly lay in the arcane arts, and thus it was that she studied under her great-aunt Euryale, a woman of great power and cruelty. But when Kalak lay waste to his templarate, the house saw an opportunity to gain influence in the halls of the king, and presented this learned and capable scion to take the sorcerer-king's oath.

Tisiphone

Tisiphone, only son and greatest disappointment of Stheno, is one of the most straightforward children of House Erinyes that you are likely to meet. A mediocre swordsman who spends too much time watching (and participating in) fights in the dlatiatorial area, he keeps in touch with his younger sister and avoids the eyesight of his oldest sister. As a male scion of Erinyes, he oftenfinds himself swept aside as unimportant, and being a male bearing a traditional family name that is usually reserved for a female leaves him in a difficult position. Seeing himself as unwanted, even by himself, Tisiphone has built up a layer of contempt for others that is difficult to crack. There's a storm brewing behind this young man's eyes.

Megaera

Megaera, youngest daughter of Stheno, is impulsive and relentlessly cheerful. As a young child she found her calling as a bard, and excelled in it. In a cunning political move by the Erinyes elders, Megaera was given as a gift to House Sfika to cement an alliance. Once there, she brough life and music to the house, as well as subterfuge and information gathering for her birth house. Her work as a handler and entertainer in the gladiatorial arena has brought pride and prestige to both Erinyes and Sfika.