House Khilkov

Scions of the Occult

All Rushal are considered strange and foreign to their Véritian cousins, but none quite as much as the Khilkov Family. All the most common rumors and stereotypes attributed to the Rushal can be traced back to the Khilkovs, for better or worse. The idea that your neighbor is conducted arcane experiments can be blamed on Prince Lev and his revolutionary spellcrafting; your brother-in-law may be cavorting with the occult, or you may have heard the stories of Queen Yulia's secretive pact with the far realm. The Khilkovs likely have more accumulated knowledge of the arcane and occult than any other human faction in the world, and may even rival the greatest Virithian Clans living in Sel Ath Tel'adar. Their name is spoken by the merchants of Dis, and whispered by monarchs of the Astral Sea. Zealous churches and corrupt government officials do well to tidy up their act when a Khilkov comes to town, because they know a dark iron blade will put an end to their machinations without fail.

Loyalty Earned

All the houses at the High Table have their spheres of influence; Viret controls the church, Guissac the banks, and Holyward the alliance, but House Khilkov seems to get by with presence and name alone. They have no lack of money or resources, their territory is seemingly entirely free from petty crime, and they manage to accomplish all their goals within the strict rules of the Church of Hope. Anyone who attempts to play The Game against them comes out worse than when they started, though they often cannot discern how. Even the common folk within House Khilkov territory seem to slip into this allure of mystery, and no

amount of gold or offers of power from interested parties has been able to answer the many burning questions the Véritian houses have about their cousins. It is thanks to House Khilkov's resilience at the High Table that the Church of Hope has never been able to legally ban arcane magic, despite their incredible control over Tyshan politics. As long as House Khilkov remains in power, some form of personal freedom for religion and magical arts remains present for the people.

Nighthurst

Nighthurst is an ancient castle built sometime during Zero Year, at an unknown location within the Girdellan peaks. The location was kept secret intentionally, and all who once knew the location have since died. Enchantments keep travelers from stumbling upon it, and abjurative wards prevent it from being scryed upon. These wards are so effective that all divining magic fails within its walls, both looking inward and outward. The castle itself was never meant to be accessible from the mountains, instead having an elaborate set of arcane gateways leading to specific locations, such as Khilkov Hold, the House's main residency outside the castle. It also has a permanent teleportation circle within its walls for specially designated individuals, and for emergency use. 
While it was House Khilkov's seat of power, it did not only house members of the family. It instead acted as the main base of operations for the Profaned Order, a group that was led by the Khilkovs but had members from many different families across the nations of Arith. If the Profaned Order was tracking you down, you were either a brilliant researcher on the cusp of a grand discovery, or a danger to society that had to be eradicated. The head of Thybbur, the Outer Will that Khora killed before the Dratarian Wars, hangs in magical suspension within its vaults, as do a plethora of other artifacts and tomes. 

Zashchita ot Nochi(Shield Against The Night)

Founding Date

Zero Year

Type

Family

Capital

Perelglen

Alternative Names

Rushalan Witch Hunters

Leader

Lady Aleksandra Khilkov

Related Ethnicities

• Rushalan