House De'spri

House De'spri

"Working with Nature"

Personages

Patriarch: Lelar De'spri Consort: Jondyrinne De'spri (f) Heir: Rirlond De'spri (firstborn son) Membership (Nobles): 19 Predominant Faith: Chauntea

Faction Details

Common Descriptors: Woodwise, calm, canny Primary Classes: Druid, Ranger, Cleric (Chauntea), Paladin (Ancients) Alignments: N, NG, NE, CN

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: agriculture, landowning (greenhouses), apothecary and alchemical goods, alchemist training Holdings: Waterdeep, Ardeep Forest

History

Ethnicity: Illuskan Founded: 1465 DR

A relatively recently ennobled Waterdhavian House, the De'spris have two sources joined to form them: the first, a line of magistrates who have served the city of Waterdeep for nearly a century, and the second, a family of alchemists and herbalists whose arts became in great demand during the Spellplague, when magical goods were unreliable.

The family has always taken great pride in their blood's connections to both Waterdeep and the land, with the second so strong that many generations often have one or more scions of the De'spris capable of wielding druidic magics.

Members of the Family

Lord Lelar prefers keeping most of his family at arms' length. As such, only about half of the family resides in Waterdeep, with most of the others overseeing various De'spri operations elsewhere. There are two other distinct branches, both cousins to Lord Lelar.

Main Branch

	Lelar De'spri Patriarch (Rank 3) • 64 years Though well into his sixth decade of life, Lord Lelar is still quite vital and strong. Many in Waterdeep believe that he has stumbled onto some alchemical secret to maintaining a youthful vigor, and he is content to let them think just that; in particular, he appreciates the curious noble ladies who want to experience it firsthand. He is a notorious flirt and philanderer, although it is pretty clear to everyone involved that he is so with his wife's approval (perhaps enthusiastically so).
	Jondyrinne De'spri Consort (Rank 2) • 52 years The daughter of one of Luskan's finest alchemists, Jondyrinne (or "Rinne," as Lelar calls her) is a skilled alchemist and herbalist herself. She spends a great deal of time working on potions and new formulae, and is the go-to for Waterdeep's beauty obsessed folk, who claim her cosmetics and other appearance-enhancing formulae are second to none, and when she makes a batch of one of her perfumes, the nobles line up, coin in hand.
	Rirlond De'spri Heir, firstborn son (Rank 2) • 29 years Affable and always ready with a quick joke and laugh to follow, Rirlond has precious little talent for alchemy or herbalism. What he does have is a merchant's sensibility for price, and an incredibly skill at haggling. Though nigh on thirty years of age, Rirlond shows no inclination to marry, though he never lacks for the companionship of lovely ladies.
	Orion De'spri Secondborn son (Rank 1) • 28 years Orion is the current darling of House De'spri, and with good reason: in recent months, he manifested druidic gifts. As such, he has now been forced into family social events and intrigues, where his parents can show off his primal gifts as evidence of their family's claim to deep natural connections to the land.
	Niona De'spri Thirdborn daughter (Rank 1) • 26 years An herbalist and amateur florist, Niona loves the countryside far better than she does the city. She is entertaining suits from several nobles, but is quite clear: their bride-gift to her must include a greenhouse of her own. The flowers she grows in the family greenhouses are incredibly vibrant and beautiful.
	Thomor De'spri Fourthborn son (Rank 0) • 16 years A year away from his Coming Out, Thomor has begun his training in herbalism and woodslore. He prefers life at the House's Woodlodge in Ardeep Forest, where he can hunt and play with his hound, Arnid.
	Zanil De'spri Patriarch's sister (Rank 2) • 58 years Like her brother, Zanil is vital despite the weight of years. No one suspects her of alchemical cheating, however: Zanil has always been strong and healthy. She is a strong warrior, and spent nearly ten years in her late twenties and early thirties adventuring. She came home to marry, but her husband Sondor died less than five years after she did so, leaving her with a small babe to raise on her own. Today, Zanil oversees the small household guard the De'spris are permitted, and has taken an interest in the renewed Waterdhavian guard.
	Jerannin De'spri Zanil's firstborn daughter (Rank 2) • 23 years Jerannin is very skilled in woodslore, thanks to her mother's tutoring, and a very capable hand with sword and bow for the same reason. She is also one of the best falconers among Waterdhavian nobility, and like her young cousin Thomor prefers to spend her time at the Ardeep woodlodge. She is very talented at the harvesting of fine materials for alchemical and apothecarial goods, and helps the House with managing those supply chains.
	Haslith De'spri Patriarch's sister (Rank 2) • 52 years Merry Haslith has married several times. She always joked that she wasn't good for much else, and many in the family dismiss her as silly and domestic. Only Zanil has never bought into it. Her third time being widowed and yet childless, Haslith has returned to the House and vowed to leave it never again. Her doting older brother agreed that she has done more than her part. In response, Haslith has married a man quite a bit younger than she is, who dotes on and adores her. She seems transcendently happy.
	Goran De'spri Haslith's consort (Rank 1) • 24 years A half-elf, Goran was an occasional adventurer before his marriage to Haslith. Though everyone assumes his marriage is simply gold-digging, he treats her lovingly and seems to be as enchanted with her as she is with him.

Kherovis's Branch

• Kherovis De'spri: Patriarch's uncle (Rank 2) • 80 years. The aged Kherovis is the oldest of the De'spris, and a lifetime of exposure to alchemical fumes and accidents has taken its toll. He has difficulty breathing and rarely leaves his quarters in Mistletoe Hall any longer. His mind is still quite sharp, and those De'spri alchemists who go out of their way to seek his counsel inevitably leave with some interesting new tidbit or revelation to their research.
• Feranda Tchazzam: Kherovis's firstborn daughter (Rank –) • 55 years. Although Feranda married into House Tchazzam some thirty years ago, she has become a more active sight around Silversickle Hall again, as she shows up every other day or so to visit her ailing father. Though not an alchemist herself, Feranda is cognizant of her father's prestige, and has never gotten along with Jondyrinne, although she adores her older cousin, Lelar.
• Aundrya De'spri: Kherovis's secondborn daughter (Rank 1) • 51 years. Kherovis's second daughter is an alchemist, and married another of the profession. Together the two of them run a dramatically successful business, The Just Athanor, which specializes in contracts to provide alchemical goods to the Watch and to Castle Waterdeep. Unlike her older sister Feranda, Aundrya is a good friend and confidant to Jondyrinne.
• Arsker De'spri: Aundrya's consort (Rank 1) • 52 years. Aundry's husband and business partner, Arsker is an intelligent and driven businessman first and alchemist second. He could probably occupy a greater position within the House if he chose, but he has always focused on his own business and family first, and the House a distant second. Arsker and Lelar don't always get along, though Aundrya is good at peacemaking (usually through her friendship with Jondyrinne).
• Kurber De'spri: Aundrya's firstborn son (Rank 2) • 28 years. Clever and high in the patriarch's esteem for his alchemical innovations and desire to put the House first, Lelar has on more than one occasion threatened to replace Rirlond with Kurber as heir. Kurber is cunning, however, and has been a companion of Rirlond's since boyhood; it is an open secret that Kurber provides Rirlond with the best in alchemical narcotics for his party lifestyle, and so the two remain fast friends despite Lelar's attempts to pit the two against one another.
• Brithlilla De'spri: Kurber's consort (Rank 1) • 25 years. A quiet young woman originally from House Eagleshield, Brithlilla is a quiet part of Jondyrinne's entourage at social engagements. She is blandly pretty and very unassuming, which makes her among Jondyrinne's favorite companions. She spends a lot of time caring for her children these days.
• Mera De'spri: Kurber's firstborn daughter (Rank 0) • 7 years. A precocious little girl, Mera is the apple of her grandmother Aundrya's eye. She delights in the bright lights, bubbles, and other fun alchemical phenomena her grandmother puts at her disposal.
• Vaergrel De'spri: Kurber's secondborn son (Rank 0) • 3 years. Grel is a serious little boy; even as a babe, he never cried much. Though he does still have a tendency to suck on his thumb, he is all big eyes watching closely. He is the favorite of his Auntie Niona, who loves to read to him. Though Mera never sits still for storytime, Grel actively seeks out grown-ups willing to read to him, carrying around a far too big book of tales just in case he finds someone.
• Lhuleban De'spri: Aundrya's secondborn son (Rank 2) • 24 years. Lhuleban has his father's business acumen, if not his alchemical prowess. Though he is a more than passable alchemist, what he lacks in desire to delve deeper into the alchemical arts, he more than makes up for in finding business opportunities. He already owns three alchemical shops – two in Baldur's Gate and one in Neverwinter – all under the name "De'spri Decoctions." He funnels much of his income into the House coffers, and enjoys the patriarch's high regard as a result.
• Jynna De'spri: Aundrya's thirdborn daughter (Rank 0) • 21 years. Relatively young and rambunctuous, Jynna's clique of young nobles has been on a tour of the North since summer of last year, wintering in Silverymoon. By and large the family is only really aware of where she is when they receive bills of debt from various merchants across the North.

Retainers

Lundineth Malon Jondyrinne's sister (Rank 2) • 48 years The consort's younger sister is an alchemist, trained by their father Auktavan Malon. Lundineth came along with Jondyrinne when she married to work for House De'spri and to oversee the small sheaf of unique alchemical formulae that were part of Jondyrinne's dowry. Lundineth is usually the preferred mentor for young De'spri scions eager to learn alchemy. She has been given the De'spri Woodlodge as her virtual domain, overseeing mentoring, research, and the greenhouses and wildharvesting there. "Aunt Lundi" adores her niece and nephews, spoiling them every chance she gets.

Holdings

• Resources Limit: If necessary, House De'spri could probably generate about 67,000 gp in liquid coin and valuables within a month.

Silversickle House (Villa)

North Ward, Waterdeep.
This villa, originally owned by House Phylund, is the De'spri villa in Waterdeep now.

• Silversickle House: The impressive building for which the villa compound as a whole is named. Silversickle House is almost entirely entertaining spaces and living suites. It is three stories in height, with an extensive cellars that span beneath the courtyard, connecting it to Mistletoe Hall.
• Mistletoe Hall: While the upper stories of Mistletoe Hall also have living spaces, the ground floor has been converted into a teaching space, with a library and pair of lecture halls for De'spri who are teaching alchemy to apprentices. There are also some very basic labs here as well. The second floor has the House's private alchemical formula repository, and the offices of the Lord. Mistletoe Hall is four stories in height.
• House Labs: This old stables has been reinforced and treated with flame-retardant agents, and divided into a series of alchemical labs for the house of De'spri alchemists.

Other Holdings

• De'spri Woodlodge: Ardeep Forest. An old hunting lodge originally built by House Phylund in 1346 DR, House De'spri secured this structure and turned it to their own House's benefit. They frequently use it for their own harvesting expeditions into the Ardeep Forest, seeking fine herbal specimens for their own work. The lodge also boasts a trio of fine greenhouses, where rare herbs are grown.

Known Faction Perks

Scions and agents of House De'spri 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).
• House Lore: Renown 2+. Every De'spri of any kind of potential is taught the skills of the household. Gain proficiency in either alchemist's supplies or an herbalism kit.
• House Labs: Renown 2+. Scions and retainers of the House gain access to the House's labs. When crafting alchemical goods or potions using herbalism, half of the cost of the goods is paid by the House's stores. Using the Solve et Coagula alchemical rules, these labs have a great many slots, but a character may claim only one of them for use.
• 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.
• Alchemical Lore: Renown 3+. Alchemists are given access to some of the House's alchemical formulae as they advance in the House's esteem. For each rank starting at 3, the De'spri alchemist is given 3 Uncommon and 1 Rare formula. At Rank 6, they may swap out the Rare formula for a Very Rare one.
• Private Lab: Renown 7+. Household elders and leaders are given their own private labs to work out of, avoiding the hustle and bustle of the familial labs. These are standard alchemy labs, with three extra slots, two athanors (uncalibrated), and a greater alembic in one of the lab slots.
• 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. This includes the vast library of alchemical formula maintained by the House.