House Melarn (Ched Nasad)

House Melarn was a drow house in Ched Nasad, which fell during the destruction of Ched Nasad during the Silence of Lolth (1372 DR).

House
House Melarn's compound was a huge cyst-like bulge on the second-highest level of the city.

The waiting room at House Melarn was covered in statues and frescos with motifs of spiders, webs, drow, and musical instruments. There was a broken bust of Mathira Melarn in House Melarn's great hall.

Activities
House Melarn and House Baenre of Menzoberranzan owned the Black Claw Mercantile Company, whose storehouses were operated by House Zauvirr.

House Melarn had a secret family tradition: chosen females studied bae'qeshel bardic magic to become "dark minstrels."

History
Prior to its fall, House Melarn had stood for twenty centuries or more.

In 1372 DR, Matron Mother Ssipriina Zauvirr hired the duergar mercenary band Clan Xornbane to assist in an attempt to destroy House Melarn. Ssipriina took over the Black Claw storehouses, killing Matron Mother Drisinil Melarn. Unfortunately, Clan Xornbane was given the direction to attack House Melarn prematurely, destroying the house with stonefire bombs and causing it to collapse into the city cavern. This contributed to overall chaos in the city, which (as part of a Jaezred Chaulssin plot directed by Zammzt) rapidly destroyed itself.

During the events of Storm of the Dead, Q'arlynd Melarn discovered that the sigil of House Melarn, which resembled a dancing stick figure, was in fact a crude depiction of Eilistraee, showing that some of the drow that remained were free from the Taint of Wendonai and still had in them a speck of good.

Members

 * Drisinil Melarn
 * The last matron mother of the house, who was murdered by Clan Xornbane in 1372 DR just before the fall of Ched Nasad.


 * Jawil Melarn
 * Halisstra's sister. At one point, Halisstra's sister Jawil pushed her off a ledge after Halisstra won a race. Halisstra later killed after Jawil made an attempt on her life.


 * Halisstra Melarn
 * First Daughter of House Melarn, who escaped the destruction with Ched Nasad and joined with Quenthel Baenre to investigate the Silence of Lolth. She eventually became Lolth's Lady Penitent.


 * Mathira Melarn
 * Sword Dancer of Eilistraee. She wielded the Crescent Blade until her death on the Cold Field, where she remained as a ghost until she passed the blade on to Halisstra in 1372 DR.


 * Norendia Melarn
 * Halisstra's sister, who killed Halisstra's bard tutor and whom Halisstra killed.


 * Tellik Melarn
 * A male of House Melarn in the years immediately before the city fell, who was killed for worshipping Vhaeraun.


 * Q'arlynd Melarn
 * The last house wizard. He survived the fall of Ched Nasad and eventually redeemed himself and was freed of the taint of Wendonai and became a Dark elf.


 * Danifae Yauntyrr
 * A battle-captive from Eryndlyn. She was not truly a member of the house, but she served Halisstra.