Jaezred Chaulssin

The Jaezred Chaulssin was a secret patriarchal organization based in Chaulssin consisting of skilled shadow dragon-blooded drow assassins.

Base of operations
The Jaezred Chaulssin were "based" in the ruined drow city of Chaulssin, from which they got their name. However, they also infiltrated minor houses in many drow cities, which they used as bases of power, called fosterages, and places to raise their young. These cities were, namely, Ched Nasad, Dusklyngh, Eryndlyn, Jhachalkhyn, Karsoluthiyl, Maerimydra, and Sschindylryn and, as of 1469 DR, Menzoberranzan with an fosterage of about 140 members. Apart from these, they kept six minor bases in settlements like Skullport or Sshamath that were not (primarily) ruled by Lolth but allowed drow to walk freely.

Members
The Jaezred Chaulssin was made up of drow with shadow dragon blood, namely the following types:


 * zar'ithra (shadow draconic drow)
 * zekyl (half-shadow dragon drow)
 * draa'zekyl (drow-dragon) (the eight Patron Fathers)

The Jaezred Chaulssin were not particularly numerous, but their power belied this fact.

The zeri'ithras' draconic blood gave them keener senses, stronger, intimidating bodies, protective scales and a degree of resistance against paralysis, while their ties to the Plane of Shadow gave them faster movement, a tolerance for cold, aptitude for stealth and variety of other skills (such as better reflexes, resistance against non magical attacks, some innate spells like that of fear, illsuion or even traveling to and away from the Plane of Shadow).

The zekyls were the most numerous members of the Jaezred Chaulssin and their more concentrated dragon blood compared to the zeri’ithras gave them even stronger bodies and scales, a keener mind as well as keener senses, an outright immunity to paralysis and the ability to breathe shadowy fumes that sapped the abilities of their targets (they were immune to their own and each others' breathes themselves). Unlike other half-dragons of their size, the zekyls sported wings that allowed them to fly. They could fly faster than they could walk.

The draa’zekyl formed the leadership of the Jaezred Chaulssin and were zekyls who have divided their drow and dragon heritage through magic originally from Clan Malaug. They were shadow dragons that were also drows and could take either form. Through growing and aging they gained more power and abilities of dragons, they had apart from the physical and mental strength of dragons their magical abilities, they could strike fear, blend into shadows, create illusions, shield themselves from divination, teleport, create an area that is favorable for creatures with ties to the Plane of Shadow and gain a resistance against magic as well as non magical physical attacks. As all other dragons, they were able to attack with a magical breath. Theirs was a stronger versions of the zekyls’. Unlike other shadow dragons those who dies at the hands of the draa’zekyls’ breath didn’t remain dead but rose as spectral creatures tied to the will of the draa’zekyl that killed it. The draa’zekyl transformed many former denizens of Chaulssin into these undeads.

The Jaezred Chaussin were followers of Vhaeraun, but over a few centuries they began emphasizing their faith less and less. Still, the death of Vhaeraun in 1375 DR, alongside the Spellplague, was such a heavy setback for them that they were forced to rebuild their strength for an entire century.

At latest in 1469 DR, the Jaezred Chaulssin accepted shader-kai and half-drow as members.

Organization
There were seven Patron Fathers of the Jaezred Chaulssin, led by the Patron Grandfather. Each of the Patron Fathers was a drow-dragon, a half–shadow dragon drow who had divided their heritage into separate dragon and drow parts, thus gaining the ability to take either form. They had concubines, collectively called ilhare'quarthen, in both their home cities and Chaulssin. The majority of them were in Chaulssin because the Patrons couldn't risk keeping many in Lolth-ruled cities.

The Patron Fathers were served by the Velves ("blades"). The seniormost Velve was the Ortho'Velve ("Anointed Blade"). The next in rank were three Ust'Velves ("First Blades"), five Draat'Velves ("Second Blades") and so forth up to the seventh blade with fifteen members. The eighth blades’ numbers were unlimited and rising in ranks was done by beating a higher ranking member.

History
House Jaezred was founded in 792 DR when Clan Jaezred's Church of Vhaeraun found that that the Chaulssinyr leadership had been heavily infiltrated by malaugrym. The house was an order of assassins created to find and destroy any shapeshifters of Clan Malaug infiltrating the group.

House Jaezred set up base in Chaulssin first in 1136 DR to establish the House of the Hidden Masters and came to be known as the Jaezred Chaulssin.

In 1241 DR, Clan Malaug kidnapped the pregnant mate of the Patron Grandfather. The Jaezred Chaulssin were able to kill the kidnappers but the female drow-dragon vanished. The missing offspring was discovered in 1358 DR north of Amphail under the name Nurvureem but the Jaezred Chaulssin opted to just watch and wait to see if she became a threat.

During the Silence of Lolth in 1372 DR and 1373 DR, the Jaezred Chaulssin chose to strike and implement their plans to take down a number of Lolthite cities. They provoked uprisings in Eryndlyn, Dusklyngh and Maerimydra (which was unexpectedly lost to followers of Kiaransalee). In Eryndlyn, the Jaezred Chaulssin motivated the followers of Vhaeraun and Ghaunadaur to work together, so they can destroy the rulership of Lolth's priestesses, which they did. A series of strikes in Dusklyngh, Jhachalkhyn and Karsoluthiyl resulted in creating a power vacuum that mostly male merchants filled who then funneled money back to the Jaezred Chaulssin. The Jaezred Chaulssin also plotted against Ched Nasad and Menzoberranzan. They provided the stonefire bombs that led to the destruction of Ched Nasad by incinerating the calcified webbing on which the city was suspended. As of 1469 DR, Ched Nasad's ruling council, which was obliged to make concessions to the Jaezred Chaulssin, was considered an abomination by the one of Menzoberranzan because the males of the leading House Teh'Kinrellz, controlled by the Jaezred Chaulssin, had power rivaling and/or exceeding the females' power.

Shortly after the fall of Ched Nasad, the Anointed Blade, Nimor Imphraezl, brought together a number of allies, including Crown Prince Horgar Steelshadow's duergar army of Gracklstugh, the Scourged Legion of Kaanyr Vhok, and the drow House Agrach Dyrr led by the Lichdrow Dyrr. He secretly led them in a siege on Menzoberranzan. Although his forces succeeded in defeating the city's Army of the Black Spider, the siege ultimately failed when Lolth returned and the Silence of Lolth ended, allowing the city's priestesses to turn back the invaders.

Activities
The goal of the Jaezred Chaulssin was to rid the drow of the tyrannical rule of Lolth and her priestesses. In order to do that, they believed that drow society had to be shattered so that they could turn away from Lolth. The Jaezred Chaulssin could then rise as the secret masters of the drow. They were fully aware that destroying the system under which the drow lived would make them suffer weakness and enslavement for a time measured in centuries, but were wiling to risk it to "save" their people from Lolth.

Leadership

 * Mauzzkyl Jaezred: Patron Grandfather (Chaulssin). Born in 27 DR, he was great wyrm drow-dragon sorcerer and assassin who appeared as a healthy but aged drow. He was the founder of the Jaezred Chaulssin.
 * Durrelon Claddmtor : Patron Father (Dusklyngh).
 * Ilphtrin Imphraezl : Patron Father (Sschindylryn).
 * Quildan Oussgyhm : Patron Father (Karsoluthiyl).
 * Tomphael Arkenrret : Patron Father (Eryndlyn).
 * Vesz'zt Auvryana : Patron Father (Maerimydra).
 * Xorthaul Barriath : Patron Father (Jhachalkhyn). He was the head priest of Vhaeraun in Chaulssin.
 * Zammzt Everharn : Patron Father (Ched Nasad).

Other

 * Antrysn Barriath : Anointed Blade (after 1373 DR). He was a sorcerer and assassin with a nasty temper. He had dark-scaled skin covered in arcane rune scars and kept his entire body smooth-shaven. He was murdered by his rival, Nimor, but his father Xorthaul raised him from the dead and he became Anointed Blade after Nimor's failure in Menzoberranzan.
 * Nimor Imphraezl : Former Anointed Blade (until 1373 DR). He lost his position of Anointed Blade after he failed to conquer Menzoberranzan during the Silence of Lolth.

Appearances
War of the Spider Queen series:
 * Novels:
 * Dissolution
 * Condemnation
 * Insurrection
 * Extinction
 * Annihilation
 * Resurrection