House of Underhand (Area of Concern: Espionage)
A terrifying presence at court, the masked House of Underhand follows the religion of The Thief constellation, and are in charge of espionage and assassination. Although officially one of the "human" noble families, they always wear birdlike plague doctor masks, in order to hide the fact that are not actually human, but in fact a group of Doppelgängers.
Structure
Vizier and Viziera
Vizier Haruspex Underhand: Vizier Haruspex Underhand is a master of espionage and extremely dangerous individual. He is the one person at court that Vizier Cobbler Bakerstreet suspects knows even more court secrets than he does.Viziera Crepuscule Underhand (d.): Viziera Crepuscule Underhand was the most intimidating of her family, an Inquisitor whose magic ensured the truth was told in investigations. Her death has severely weakened the Underhands, although they are all still a terrifying presence at court.
Subvizier
Subvizier Ingestron Underhand: Subvizier Ingestron Underhand is unmarried. He is the family's chief assassin, and it is his job to manage the Underhand Estate whenever his father is occupied. Ingestron has had his conscience and ability to feel remorse stolen by the Thief, making him a particularly formidable due to his lack of empathy.Vizier's Other Children
Katib Thornhill Underhand (d.): Before he was killed by Todfrey Laurence in Tinkermoon, 1313, the Underhand's "spare" son, Katib Thornhill Underhand was often sent on the most dangerous espionage missions for the family. He wore a string of Black Pearls (the Underhand's favoured jewel), which were the target in one of the Starcharts set by Whitecape.Katiba Diana Bakerstreet-Underhand: Katiba Diana Bakerstreet-Underhand is married to Subvizier Felinet Bakerstreet, who is blind and so cannot see her even when she is in Doppelgänger form. Diana's voice was stolen from her by the Thief.
Katiba Nycteme Underhand: The youngest, Katiba Nycteme Underhand, had her adulthood stolen by the Thief. She is the least confident, and by default therefore the nicest, member of her family.
Extended Family
A significant portion of the House of Underhand has been picked off recently, although their deaths have not been recorded in the Peerage. Both of Vizier Haruspex's siblings, Katib Sonata and Katiba Glaive Underhand, were killed in Soldiermoon 1313, and both of Glaive's children, Mirze Corvus and Mirza Proserpina Underhand, were killed the following Eclipseday.The only surviving extended family are Mirze Stigmata Underhand, who maskerades as the Underhand's Thievian Senior Chaplain, and Mirza Caesura Underhand.
Culture
Nightmares
"Of those thieves that steal their way through the way through what is rightfully their creator’s. Of them I cannot say so much I’m afraid. Like most of the Things creations, their kind do not sleep and so they do not dream. But they do have fears. I know this. I am one."The Man Who Is Not There tells Lindie Asklepa the nightmares of the Noble Court.
History
Takesday, Thiefmoon, 1283
The House of Underhand was the second "Human" noble family to be established by the Lord Captain Emissary. Under the constellation of the Thief, House Underhand would oversee espionage and assassinations, which the Lord Captain Emissary particularly valued in his attempt to instill ha human majority at Court.Eclipseday between Beggarmoon and Thiefmoon, 1312
Viziera Crepuscule Underhand and her "spare" son, Thornhill Underhand, attended a tea party with Viziera Guinevera and Katiba Scarlett Dargent. Spotted by Lindie Asklepa while she was crawling through the vents of the Dargent Estate, the two vizieras seemed to have brought together two of their children for a tea party. This was a particularly unusual occurance since it took place during an Eclipseday, where it is tradition that no political activity is carried out.It later transpired that then-Subvizier Satine Laureat had let slip to Scarlett about the existence of her banished brother, the barber Todfrey Laurence, and Thornhill was sent out to investigate.
By the time Hugo Dargent, who had been recovering from the effects of Whitecape's Dream Tea, was back at court three days later, there was a rumour that Thornhill had been absent from court for several days.
Givesday, Thiefmoon, 1312
Only Crepuscule and Nycteme Underhand attended the cradle party of Subvizier Sumac Baharat, and they left very quickly.Goldday, Tinkermoon, 1313
The entire House of Underhand attended the Whisper Vote of Vizier Absalom and Viziera Damasque Laureat, and Vizier Kronk Greenskin, all in their creepy birdfaced masks.
We Are Not Seen, We Do Not Miss
Founding Date
Takesday, Thiefmoon, 1283
Type
Geopolitical, Great house
Leader
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Controlled Territories
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Courtly Relations
House Baharat
Vizier Cardamom: -10 (Map, Tailor, 1313)
House Bakerstreet
Marriage: Felinet Bakerstreet & Diana UnderhandVizier Cobbler: -80 (Needle, Sailor, 1313)
House Dargent
Vizier Richard: -6 (Map, Tailor, 1313)Viziera Guinevera: +90 (Gold, Soldier, 1313)
Katib Hugo: -49 (Scrap, Sailor, 1313)
Katiba Scarlett: -20 (Map, Tailor, 1313)
House Ironside
Ex-Viziera Katharine: -75 (Gold, Soldier, 1313)Katib Menelaus: -50 (Gold, Soldier, 1313)
