House Amcathra

House Amcathra

"We Trample Our Troubles"

Personages

Patriarch: Nirar Amcathra Consort: Alynthel Amcathra (f) Heir: Ilcainyn Amcathra (firstborn son) Membership (Nobles): 24 Predominant Faith: Tymora

Faction Details

Common Descriptors: Heroic, kind, fun-loving Primary Classes: Fighters, rangers, rogues, cleric (Tymora) Alignments: LG, NG, CG

Faction Ranks

• Favored: Rank 1. You are a favored member of the House. If you are a scion of the House, you have pleased the patriarch sufficiently to gain his notice. If you are an agent or retainer of the House, your efforts to aid the House have gone well-noted. • Lynchpin: Rank 2. You are given a position of some responsibility in the House's operations. If you are a scion of the House, the patriarch considers you one of the favored scions of the House, and consults with you on matters of House importance. If you are an agent or retainer, your contributions and skills in service of the House have won you a position of no small regard and respect in the patriarch's eyes - although that may earn you the jealousy of his blood kin who are less favored than you. • Matriarch/Patriarch: Rank 3. You are the acknowledged and legal head of the household.

Interests

Trade & Interests: Wine, sword-forging, horse-breeding and training, cattle ranching Holdings: Waterdeep, Amphail

History

Ethnicity: Tethyrian Founded: 1142 DR Previous Eras: 1354 DR

Founded by the horse-breeder Rorgar Amcathra, whose horse ranch near Rowan Hold was one of the foundations for the village of Amphail. Rorgar offered his stocks to the Waterdhavian cavalry after the First Trollwar, becoming quite wealthy as a result. In 1248, the Amcathras were among the mercantile families offered ennoblement. Even with the shift to Waterdeep, the Amcathras also remained active in Amphail, being one of the three ruling families of that village.

The Amcathras have been a distinguished Waterdhavian name ever since, well known for their Amphail-based wine and horses, as well as their sword-smithing and training in the fighting arts. Unlike many Houses, they do not consider the Guilds to be rivals: they are now and always have been actively involved with the Vintners', Distillers' and Brewers' Guild and the Splendid Order of Armorers, Locksmiths, and Finesmiths. Indeed, the blades produced by the Amcathras have historically been some of the finest found in the City of Splendors, with a reputation that proclaimed exactly that.

Members of the Family

• Lord Nirar Amcathra: Patriarch (Renown 10) • 53 years. A man with a powerful build from a life of smithing and horse-riding, Nirar is afflicted with an ugly, wracking smith's cough. This leaves him increasingly breathless, struggling to breathe, and surly as a pox-ridden arch-devil. Despite this, he has always run his House's affairs efficiently and well, and continues to do so to this day. He is in negotiations with the Lords' Council about providing mounts and arms to the soon-to-be-established Guard, but it goes slowly (another jab to his already short-temper). He has appointed his nephew Humshan as the next Lord Warden of Amphail because he knows the young man will do well in the position, and also because he despises the entitlement in Ilcainyn that makes his heir think he is somehow automatically entitled to the role.
• Alynthel Amcathra: Consort (Renown 6) • 51 years. One of Waterdeep's best-established matrons, Alynthel has little time for the myriad nonsense always bubbling over in her family. Her only real concern is her comforts, her entertainments, and her noble friends, largely in that order, and doesn't hesitate to tell anyone who tries to insist that she adopt more responsibility that her work – the bearing of four children for Nirar – is well and done, and she intends to enjoy her rewards. It seems that Nirar agrees with her, and so that's the last word of it.
• Ilcainyn Amcathra: Heir, firstborn son (Renown 5) • 27 years. Unfortunately spoiled and wildly selfish, Ilcainyn has no hand for smithing or training horses, and is merely a decent rider. Where he excels, however, is at sword-play, so much so that he has gotten in trouble with the Watch on several occasions for drawing steel when tensions raise (particularly when he's been out drinking). His current obsession is his cousin Humshan being appointed Lord Warden of Amphail, when Ilcainyn feels he should have the title. He isn't sure who to be more furious with, his father or his cousin, but since his father is a dangerous man to hold a grudge against, Humshan is his current target for his wrath.
• Humshan Amcathra: Patriarch's nephew (Renown 7) • 29 years. Clear-headed and plain, Humshan is the noble that almost no one takes for noblility. He dresses plainly, in riding leathers, most of the time, and is a talented horse-breeder and -trainer. He is somewhat shocked that his uncle wants him to be Lord Warden for Amphail, but also dreads it, as he knows that he has no choice but to accept it, even though it will make his cousin Ilcainyn despise him.

Holdings

• Resources Limit: If necessary, House Amcathra could probably generate about 29,000 gp in liquid coin and valuables within a month.

Amcathra Manor (Villa)

The High Road, North Ward

The wall around Amcathra Manor is five feet of blue-black stone, with silver upright crescents along its upper edge. Flickering blue fire ripples along the upper edge of the wall occasionally, a wave of it traveling back and forth along its length, a warning of the magical protections that lie along its upper edge.

• Amcathra Manor: The massive mansion of House Amcathra is probably one of the largest single buildings in any noble compound in Waterdeep, with ample sprawling hallways over four stories, as well as multiple sets of cellars. The ground floor is practically entirely for guests both personal and business, with the northern wing of the manor featuring an impressive ballroom that has been the site of many of Waterdeep's greatest noble parties. Rooms intended for the glorification of the familial heritage are here as well, including an art galleria with portraits and statuary of previous lords, starting with Old Rorgar. A display armory shows off some of the finest blades ever wrought by Amcathra hands, many of which are enchanted. The middle two floors are divided into apartments, the appointment of which is a matter of prestige within the House, and hotly contested for among family members. The upper floor is for the patriarch's immediate family, and whomever else they desire to give over chambers to (an immense honor). It isn't uncommon for retainers of the Lord to be given these chambers, to have them close at hand, although historically this tends to result in some degree of resentment from lower-ranked family members. Amcathra Manor is said to be positively crawling with secret passages and even the occasional secret chamber.
• Fireblue Smithy: The house smithy of the Amcathras has produced an incredible variety of fine blades over the years, and it has an earned place of high regard among Waterdhavian smiths. The southern edge of the building is the smithy proper, two stories in height with ample ventilation to allow the heat to escape. The northern half of the ground floor is all workshops where other work is done, and where apprentices are put to work gaining basic skills. The upper floors of this half are all apprentice quarters.

Amphail

The Amcathras are one of the three ruling noble families of Amphail, who pass the title of Lord Warden among themselves every Shieldmeet. As of Shieldmeet 1492, the title will pass to the Amcathras, and Lord Nirar has already made plain his candidate: his nephew Humshan. Amphail is home to the core of the Amcathra wine and horse trade, with the family owning several ranches and vineyards in and around the village.

Silverymoon

The family also has several ranches and vineyards near Silverymoon. Given the recent difficulties, the Amcathras have well-fortified these holdings, turning them into almost-keeps that many of their neighbors have come to rely on for protection during raids by barbarians, goblinoids, or monsters.

Known Faction Perks

Scions and agents of House Amcathra in good standing might receive the following benefits:

• Living Quarters: Renown 1+. Those in good standing with the House are given quarters within the House's Waterdhavian villa appropriate to their role in the House.
• Living Expenses/Salaries: Renown 1+. Those in good standing with the House also receive a stipend of 1gp plus 5sp per day per point of Rank. This is not actual cash, but simply familial credit towards payment of Lifestyle costs. This stacks with the same kind of familial credit received from the Waterdhavian Noble Background (see Sword Coast Adventurer's Guide).
• Business Opportunities: Renown 3+. Lynchpins to the House's operations receive access to a variety of business opportunities within the House's money-making endeavors. This is handled as "Running a Business" in downtime months. This does not incur a business expense, but if too many of the character rolls results that end in a loss of money, he can and will find his Rank in the House reduced.
• Heir or Consort (Title): Renown 3+. The holder of one of the legal titles Heir of House and Consort of House, as recorded with the city of Waterdeep, is entitled to an additional 2gp per day in familial credit, per the "Living Expenses/Salaries" entry above. The heir is also accorded certain privileges within the legal system of Waterdeep, including the ability to speak on behalf of his House in some legal proceedings and the like.
• Wealth of the House: Renown 10. The patriarch of the House is in total control of the House's finances and various holdings, established by the laws of Waterdeep.