Luminaries of Twilight Vaeteru
Twilight Vaeteru is a sort of queer wonderland in the nightlife of Waterdeep. Though they are far from the only queer-folk in Waterdeep – indeed, they aren't even the only queer subculture in the City of Splendors – they are a tightly-knit one, full of folk who have no families to call their own or who find the glamourous vaeterann of the scene to be closer to their own sense of self than the people they grew up with.
"Twilight Vaeteru" is a term that refers to the glitzy spectacle of this queer subculture focused around taverns and festhalls and parties, which can be thought of as an "overlay" or something that dwells just beneath the surface of Waterdeep. But Waterdeep is not the only place Twilight Vaeteru is found: the subculture exists in Baldur's Gate, Silverymoon, and a handful of other large cities.
- The Saece Houses of Waterdeep are the faux-noble houses of those who practice saece-craft, the art of playing with appearance and gender roles, transforming themselves in transgressive and delightful ways.
- The Lingo of Vaeteru is a collection of the unique terminologies and slang terms used by those who identify as vaeterann.
The Lords & Ladies of the Saece Houses
House of Anjinn
- Founded by Anjinn of Calimshan, a saece who favored belly-dancing and veil-dancing aesthetics to their saece-craft.
- Attracted a number of genasi, and has evolved into something like an "elemental" House, with internal elemental alignments among its members.
- Aesthetics: Bare feet, belly-dancing garb, veils, fans, and firespinning
Khulena Anjinn Mother of the House of Anjinn An incredible dancer and earth genasi, Khulena leads her House with calm resolve and a classy style that even "real" nobles envy. Khulena can often be found holding court – folk come to her, not the other way around. |
House of Eversteel
- Founded by a harnor member of the Guard who often taught her children fighting skills in addition to saece performance
- Mostly women, but has a few men who like to do "warrior princess" style saece.
- Those with fighting skills are often hired by events planners in Vaeteru as security.
- Aesthetic: Sleek peek-a-boo armor, helmets open enough to serve face through, decorative (but often still functional) weaponry
Tyleennyl Eversteel Mother of the House of Eversteel "Mother Tylee" | |
Irdin Eversteel Father of the House of Eversteel xxx |
House of Gembright
- Founded by Her Magnificent Gembright, a gnomish saece fond of using illusions in her saece-craft.
- Populated mostly by gnomish, halfling, and dwarven saece
- Strong focus on metals-and-gems glamour of those races.
- Aesthetics: JEWELS, JEWELS, JEWELS IN YOUR BEARD MAMA
Olani Gembright Mother of the House of Gembright xxx |
House of Highdrum
- Founded by half-orc saece who reveled in merging orcish and human femininity into "the Highdrum aesthetic," an expression of bloodthirsty femininity
- Made up of mostly half-orcs, with a few humans and others from tribal society, including a pair of goblins.
- Frequently looked down on as "too savage for society" but also recognized as the finest drathee drummers.
- Aesthetic: Savage (by which we mean fierce) warpaint, furs and leather, thick stompy boots and very dantha wristguards and bracers
Ufthakh Highdrum Mother of the House of Highdrum xxx | |
Grogan Highdrum The Wild Partyboy xxx |
House of Inidara
- One of the smallest Houses, a House founded by a tiefling and aasimar who were lovers and co-performers
- Strong heavens/hells themes, often combining the two sensuously
- Mostly composed of humans and other more common races, but does include a few tieflings and aasimar.
- Aesthetic: WINGS, WINGS, WINGS GURL
Imeldinna Inidara Mother of the House of Inidara xxx | |
Ourovan Inidara First Son of the House xxx |
House of Marvandra
- Oldest of the Saece Houses, modeled on Waterdhavian nobility; the "old guard"
- Mostly humans, with some elves and half-elves among them
- High society saece, and an emphasis on subtle over vulgar
- Aesthetic: High collars, cloaks for days, understated but utterly fierce jewels, high heeled shoes, buckles everywhere
Alatel Marvandra Mother of the House of Marvandra xxx | |
Zampaena Marvandra The First Daughter of the House xxx |
House of Olindar
- A House that strongly emulates Waterdhavian nobility, made up mostly of humans, elves, and half-elves.
- Rivals to the House of Marvandra, whom the spun off of fifteen years ago.
- Aesthetic: Masks, pearls, and miles of bejeweled diaphanous veils
Milalihn Olindar Mother of the House of Olindar xxx |
House of Redtress
- A House with a religious background
- Originally mostly Sune-focused, but now the house of "ecclesial saece"
- Aesthetic: Savage vestmenture, unhinged saece-nunnery, monastic realness
Lelreea Redtresses Mother of the House of Redtresses xxx |
House of Whitecloak
- The "House of High Art", with an arcane/wizardly focus
- Inspired by the original Archmage of Waterdeep, Aghairon (who was sometimes informally called "the Whitecloak")
- Has the largest number of actual magicians, but even those without a lick of talent for real magic still learn elaborate stage illusions to mimic it, while those with magic frequently use their spells to their Housemates' benefit
- Aesthetics: My Staff is Bigger Than Yours, cantrips-for-days, sexy robes, the twirlingest of cloaks.
Endrue Whitecloak Mother of the House of Whitecloak xxx | |
Mafhendos Whitecloak Father of the House of Whitecloak xxx |
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Other Vaeterann Folk
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