Great Houses Of Naggaroth

[Akovalev84]

Hi there everyone! That's very nice to join that forum!

I'm quite new to druchii, their armies and culture – but I’m really interested in their society. And now I’m trying to write a part of scenario for a Warhammer LARP Game that’s going to take place in Moscow, Russia next summer. But I faced one problem. It appeared very difficult to find any information about particular Greater Houses of druchii, which actually rule the lands.

The only material I’ve found is the story of the house Daerleth which was published here http://druchii.net/monthly/issues/dherald-june06.pdf

Maybe you have some more information? It would be just great if you help me to describe the elite of the Dark Elf society. Thanks in advance!

[Drainial]

There is very little in the way of concrete information. In essence the cities are run by Drachaus (lit. hand of the dark) who are the greatest lords of the city they run. This post is in the gift of Malekith. The Drachau is then responsible for the city and runs it more or less as a fiefdom for the most part. There are really very few concrete names attached to these positions and they can change (and given that there is no set time period it is impossible to say who has what job when). For specific names there may be some in the Malus Darkblade books and one 'great family' has a long description dotted throughout the AB.

Mostly things are kept vague so people can invent their own backgrounds, after all we do like to make our own great houses from which to draw our generals. Hopefully there are those who can give better details, maybe those who have read the newer Darkblade books/read them more recently than me.

[Norelle]

Dranial explained it best and I'm afraid I won't be much help, as a lot aspects, such as society and such are kept vague as most people are interested in the battle part of the game, not the culture and society and such.
Which is kind of a shame for people like me who are interested in that kind of stuff.

[Nightcall]

And for the above reasons, it gives you more lenience with setting a background for a LARP event or other RP. As long as you keep things "believable" and in the nature of Druchii, I am sure it will be good.

The Houses will have their statuses either through being an old House of Nagarythe who fled with Malekith during the Sundering (and would usually have a name in Druhir, denoting they are an older family), or through becoming powerful in Naggaroth. This is either through favour of Malekith or their Drachau for being great in battle, raiding, being extremely powerful merchants, or generally very very useful.

Note that it is easier to fall from favour than to gain it, so the intrigue and blackmail that goes on between each House as they struggle to stay in favour is intense.

[Naghsaro]

One point of clarification on the Highborn. Full genealogy of a house is a little difficult unless the child is sired by the head of the house. If my memory serves males may have as many lovers as they can risk not being killed by but it is 'dishonourable'(I laughed as well) for him to couple with another if he has performed a binding or dedication ceremony. While females are half expected to take multiple lovers or entertain the idea to keep lesser nobles under their thumb.

Intrigues are an ever present problem in Naggaroth that will manifest themselves from any situation. Examples can go from the outbidding of a noble at a slave auction to throwing your rival to his or her death out of vengeance, inheritance, imagined slights, climbing the social ladder or even just because you had the opportunity.

A lot of detail on the Highborn society can be found in the aforementioned Malus Darkblade books by Dan Abnett and Mike Lee I would suggest Chronicles/Omnibus 1.

[Sezax]

There si very little info when it comes to ABs. The dialogue between Morathi and Malekith in the old one claims that most dynasties are actually build on lies, so they are probably not of noble origin dating back to Nagaryethe , but rather oportunists who managed to gain favour recently, while the really prominent bloodlines have often fallen from grace over the centuries (it could be because of many Slaaneshi sorcerers present among original nobility).

Semicanon info is in Darkblade as ated above.

I picture Asur dynasties as mediavel noble houses (song of ice and fire/game of thrones) and druchii dynasties as ruling families in ancient Rome.

[Merkava]

I was wondering how would druchi lord introduce Himself. My character in game I play do that this way:

Merkava of blood Oribhein (title of family, saying that it belongs to high nobility) Senthaenarion (family name), Loyal Guard, Those Who Stand By The Throne, son of Khaladalaka Senthaenarion, Feinkhalad Naggarythe i Maibd Kherithethlileath, of blood Oribhein Lathfalkhu.

He says he is 'of blood', which means that he is not a present head of family (the title belongs to his brother), the same with his mother, for she joined Senthaenarion family through marriage but is not connected with bloodline, so she keeps 'of blood Lathfalku' as it is her orgin.

I also use Maibd not only as Bride of Khaine in Temple, but for every druchi female who is commonly known to be dedicated to religion although staying secular. So in my version this title is similar to 'Noble' or 'Her Grace'.

Feinkhalad Nagarythe, because he was a dragon rider in Malekith's army before the Sundering, and the titles about Guard and Throne, because this family was traditionaly in duty of protecting the monarch of Nagarythe. Now Black Guard took their place, but they kept the title connecting them to their glorious past.

All druchii names and titles I created combining word and major runes from dictionary I found here. What do you think about these?

[Saintofm]

Probably their title and given name or any monikers they have (Menghil Manhide, Beast Lord Rakarth) more than anything else. Everything is so fluid with the backstabing and all.