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House Szind was a notable Lolthite drow house of the city of Sschindylryn in the 15th century DR. They were feared and respected for their mastery of magic, especially necromancy.[1][note 1]

The Menzoberranzan dogs are not worth our time. We will achieve more for Queen Lolth than they ever will. When we rule Cormyr, and its occupants are our slaves, there will come a time to settle old debts.
— High Priestess Hekta Szind's missive[1]

Activities[]

Szind specialized in intelligence-gathering, alchemy, their wizards, and the creation of undead. They relied on House Dun'Robar for direct military assistance and Avithoul for (living) slaves. Their business of selling undead made them one of the wealthiest and most powerful houses in the city, and they were hard at work developing techniques to create smarter, stronger, and more loyal undead.[1]

Headquarters[]

The estate of House Szind was located inside of Sschindylryn, and contained spacious laboratories and chambers for magical experimentations and the storage of their undead. Thanks to their wealth, it was exceptionally large and luxurious. They did not keep living house servants, but rather a force of shambling undead that performed manual labor under the direction of necromancers.[1]

History[]

Send a few captives from the other world to our diviners in Szind. See what we can glean from their minds, then throw their bodies into the depths of the lake. If you think they would better serve Lolth as slaves, send them to Avithoul instead.
— High Priestess Hekta Szind's missive[1]

At some point in the past, Szind destroyed House Jegg'Dralnoc, removing it as a power and scattering its surviving members.[1]

During the Darkening in the mid-1480s DR, House Szind formed an alliance with Dun'Robar, Avithoul, Sparskrael, and Cay'Vorym in order to prosecute the Sschindylryn invasion of Eveningstar in Cormyr, with the notable refusal of House Ebsar. This was all organized by High Priestess Hekta Szind in order to find the Thread of the Weave for her Queen Lolth. For her part, Matron Zhivsha sent her soldiers throughout the Underdark and onto the surface at the King's Forest and Eveningstar, causing much destruction. Of particular note was their conquest of the village of Deep Glen, which allowed their force of necromancers free access to its expansive graveyard and the bodies within, and Vicala Szind's raid on the Midler farmhouse.[1]

A Cormyrean strike organized by Oryne Belamadin favored a direct assault without much trickery or complication. Aside from being illusioned to resemble drow, the attackers were tasked with simply destroying everything they could. Capturing flashstones from the Szind laboratories, they destroyed the necromantic cauldrons used to create powerful undead, the house's library archives, and much of their reserve of undead servants, including the head necromancer himself Relig, who pioneered new techniques. At the same time, Silan Szind sought to kill and reanimate her mother Zhivsha with the help of the necromancer Sarnish, which would allow her to control the house. The invaders may have intervened in this plot, or simply left it to stew. Regardless of the outcome, the house was left in utter disarray and began pointing fingers at their so-called allies Dun'Robar and Avithoul, leaving the Sschindylryn Ziggurat vulnerable and allowing a strike team to reach Hekta Szind at the Temple of Lolth.[1]

Members[]

During the invasion of Eveningstar in the late 15th century DR, the house included the following notable drow:[1]

  • Dhanae Szind a lady of the house.[1]
  • Durilghar Szind, a master necromancer.[1]
  • Eldrin Szind, a wizard.[1]
  • Garen'thir Szind, an outcast drider.[1]
  • Hekta Szind, the high priestess of Sschindylryn.[1]
  • Phinrae Szind, an arch-necromancer.[1]
  • Silan Szind, a priestess and Zhivsha's daughter.[1]
  • Teira Szind, a priestess.[1]
  • Vicala Szind, a priestess.[1]
  • Zhivsha Szind, the house matron.[1]

The house also had a number of prominent servants:[1]

Appendix[]

Notes[]

  1. Menace of the Underdark (including Web of Chaos) is dated to the period of 14841485 DR, as it references the ongoing Darkening. Shadowfell Conspiracy (including Disciples of Shadow, Shadow Under Thunderholme, The Druid's Deep, and The High Road of Shadows) are dated to the same period, as they are stated to take place at roughly the same time as Menace of the Underdark.

Appearances[]

References[]

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