House Deneith
From its beginnings as an order of mercenaries and soldiers to its modern incarnation as the human face of law and battle, House Deneith has maintained its position as the primary force for security and defense in the Five Nations. Though its fortunes rose during the Last War, the services Deneith renders are no less valuable in times of peace. Today, the house is as prosperous as ever, with its position of neutrality fi rmly established and a host of eager clients ready to use its services. This prosperity tells only half the story, however, and Deneith’s past fortunes might not be enough to guarantee the house’s future.
Neutrality and Law
Throughout the Last War, Deneith maintained a position of neutrality, serving the whole of Galifar rather than any of its fractured parts. Although this position caused unrest in the house’s home of Karrnath, the Deneith patriarch, Baron Breven d’Deneith (LN male human aristocrat 3/ fighter 3/dragonmark heir 4), saw the need for a balance of idealism and practicality. Although Deneith’s military forces were nearly the equal of any kingdom, joining with one side (likely Karrnath) would have overwhelmed the house’s resources as it was targeted by the other nations. As it happened, its neutral position served Deneith well. At the Treaty of Thronehold, the right of House Deneith to maintain a standing military force was recognized once more. Further, it was agreed to allow members of the house to travel unimpeded by national boundaries for the sake of defending the Five Nations against external threats. Before the war, Deneith bodyguards made up a significant portion of the royal retinues of Galifar, services that remained in demand both during the war and after. The central philosophy of House Deneith is built upon fulfilling the letter of the law, with contracts and codes governing every action its members take. The Sentinel Marshals serve an ideal of justice, chasing down criminals no matter where they might hide. For the Defenders and Blademarks Guilds, the law of the land is not half as important as the law of their contract, wherein their services are pledged to a nation or individual under specific circumstances and for a specifi c length of time. No matter what side of the house one falls on, honor, ethics, and an adherence to oaths sworn form the bulk of a Deneith heir’s reputation. One who keeps his word and fulfills expectations is valued highly, whether his heart tends to good or evil. One who is unreliable or capricious, on the other hand, will fi nd few friends within the house.Dissent Within the Ranks
House Deneith’s position of military strength and influence in Khorvaire goes largely unchallenged. Though Deneith is not preeminent among the dragonmarked houses, it has never aspired to be. By maintaining its neutrality and refusing ties to any one nation, Deneith has instead become a force that others must rely on. Today, however, this reputation of strength and security means less than at any time in Deneith’s past. In the aftermath of the Last War, the house is quietly buckling under pressure from within and without, and its resources are strained to a degree that few outside the leadership see.KARRNATH’S CHILDREN
House Deneith’s headquarters is in Karrlakton, and its roots are set deep in Karrnathi soil. The features and temperament of the Karrns can be found at all levels of House Deneith, from Breven d’Deneith to the mercenary captains of the Blademarks. Deneith is proud of its heritage, but the day of reckoning for that birthright might soon be at hand. When the Last War began, House Deneith had a good excuse to claim neutrality. It served Galifar, and would continue to do so even without a crowned king or queen. That neutral stance garnered an amount of respect among the Karrns, who were content that Deneith did not serve their king as long as it served no one else. Galifar is little more than a memory now, formally dissolved by the Treaty of Thronehold. The king of Karrnath no longer fights for a place upon the Throne of Galifar, but rather clamors for peace among his brethren. In the eyes of many of his people, Kaius III’s embrace of peace weakens his land. This conflict of ideals is causing unrest in Karrnath, and could lead to Kaius’s undoing. At the same time, those Karrns who long for battle against the upstart nations of Khorvaire now wonder how Deneith can refuse to fight for its rightful king, especially when they imagine the glories of a shared Deneith–Karrnath army against the poor remnants of Khorvaire’s other nations. Should Kaius III be deposed and Karrnath led again to war, Deneith’s much-vaunted neutrality might be put to the test—and the sword.SUPPLY AND DEMAND
For centuries, House Deneith cornered the market on mercenary forces in Khorvaire. The Blademarks Guild has done business with every major militia and town watch in the Five Nations, as well as provided security forces for other dragonmarked houses, private citizens, and expeditions across Khorvaire and beyond. The Last War changed all this, drastically reducing the available pool of experienced soldiers and mercenaries. It was an unpleasant surprise, then, when House Tharashk entered the mercenary market in the dying days of the war. Deneith had never before encountered competition for its services on any meaningful scale, and for another house to engineer such a challenge with the help of the monstrous races of Droaam was a bitter insult. House Deneith heirs are human, and humans make up the majority of their forces. Though a smattering of warforged, skinwalkers, and half-elves can be found in Deneith ranks, half-orcs usually prefer to work with House Tharashk, and other races are rare. For Deneith’s work within the Five Nations, human troops were once an advantage, but the outlook in Khorvaire has changed. In urban areas such as Sharn, civilized monsters can walk the streets without fear as long as they obey the laws of the realm. House Tharashk helped to pioneer this change, and its actions have placed the house squarely in Deneith’s sights. Deneith is determined to conquer this new mercenary market, either by wresting control from Tharashk or building its own pool of monstrous talent to draw from. Neither house admits to any open conflict with the other, but covert clashes occur on a regular basis. If the situation escalates, the rift between the houses might well become irreparable. The dragonmarked houses have traditionally abstained from interfering in intra-house feuds, but no houses have ever before maintained their own standing armies. Open warfare between Deneith and Tharashk is a prospect few among the dragonmarked care to dwell on.AMBITION’S THRALL
Security and ambition are uneasy companions at the best of times. One requires safety, while the other demands risk. Though Deneith’s position in Khorvaire is largely secure, some within the house are convinced that security is simply another word for stagnation. They see the house’s position and wealth as resources to be spent in a larger plan, not treasures to be hoarded. With its martial strength and established presence across Khorvaire, Deneith could be the equal of any of the Five Nations and the master of all the houses. It could be Galifar reborn. Those agitating for change within the house believe that the time for a Deneith dynasty is at hand. The house provides security for the crowned heads of the Five Nations and a substantial portion of the nobility, as well as important members of the Twelve and the dragonmarked houses. Deneith forces guard Thronehold, with the house holding the throne in stewardship until a new king or queen is crowned. How better to ensure that happens than to seize the crown for themselves? Baron Breven d’Deneith is aware of this movement, but calls it madness. Taking the throne and setting House Deneith to rule Khorvaire would necessitate throwing away everything the house has built and stands for. Such action would pit the house against not just the Five Nations and the other dragonmarked houses, but potentially against the Chamber if the draconic Prophecy were thought to be imperiled. Deneith would be irrevocably ruined—possibly even destroying the Mark of Sentinel as a result. Other members of his house do not share Breven’s perspective. In particular, Shirin d’Deneith (LE male human rogue 3/fighter 4/dragonmark heir 2), a minister within the house, keeps the dark dream of conquest foremost in the thoughts of house members. Though Shirin holds little power from his position alone, he is a charismatic individual. Well spoken and articulate, he has used these gifts to draw like-minded individuals to him. He has also joined the Blood of Vol, using the cult to grant him access to the Order of the Emerald Claw. In doing so, he takes a great risk, since opinion within the house might turn against him if his actions were known. If Shirin has his way, his association with the order will not be discovered until Breven is dead or deposed, and he has seized control of the house.Public Agenda
House Deneith is a dragonmarked house of humans who carry the Mark of Sentinel—the oldest of the human dragonmarks—in their bloodlines. House Deneith’s Blademarks and Defenders Guilds provide security and mercenaries for clients throughout Khorvaire, while the house’s Sentinel Marshals have special dispensation to mete out justice in all nations signatory to the Thronehold Accords.
History
House Deneith were once just a militant noble family in the north eastern area of Khorvaire around the time the first humans began to manifest dragonmarks in -2600. With the Mark of Sentinel empowering their military might, Clan Deneith waged a campaign of conquest throughout the western region of what is now known as Karrnath. In the end, it was only famine that prevented them from creating an empire out of Karrnath. Though not a member of the house, Karrn the Conqueror was born in clan Deneith's homeland and so during his rise to power Deneith pledged fealty to him. When Galifar I united the five nations in 1 YK, he ordered Deneith to protect his new unified empire.
The Last War
Despite having strong ties and the majority of its members being Karrnathi, Deneith refused to take sides during the Last War. Deneith earned its status as a mercenary house during the war by offering soldiers from its Blademarks guild to all nations. It carefully contracted its soldiers by selecting battles to ensure no Deneith forces would clash against each other. During the war ,a Cyran general ordered his Deneith troops to assault a garrison guarded by other Deneith soldiers. The general became infuriated when the mercenaries refused his orders and retaliated by ordering Cyran troops to attack the Blademark "traitors". The Cyran troops were defeated as the Cyran-hired Deneith troops banded together with their comrades at the garrison. During the war, Deneith and House Ghallanda put together a tactical alliance wherein Deneith troops were followed by Ghallanda members who provided them with food and shelter. House Deneith once showed no interest in the political side of the Dragonmarked Houses, Since the end of the war, it has become confrontational with House Cannith and House Tharashk. The reason for this is simply business: Deneith see House Cannith's warforged and House Tharashk's monstrous mercenaries as potential replacements of their soldiers for hire.
Founding Date
-1600 YK
Type
Corporation, Business
Notable Members
Related Ethnicities
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