House Pryde

Former rank: Major

Once one of the more powerful major Noble Houses, House Pryde was led by a woman named Undew. Undew was a woman of particular cruelty and sadism, ruling her lands with a viciousness that became the hallmark of her house. As a cadet house under House Charon, she enjoyed a layer of protection from reprisal—protection she wielded with smug satisfaction. This cruelty was not hers alone asit was embedded in the very fabric of House Pryde. The house became infamous for committing unspeakable atrocities against their Serfs and possibly their Commoners, all for fleeting moments of amusement.

Their depravity was so profound that even the callous hearts of House Charon found it disturbing—though not disturbing enough to act. Pryde's value lay in their secret. They controlled one of the few sources of Jaspine outside of House Lock'aihain's grasp. A secret mine, known only to the highest ranks of Pryde. Its location was a fiercely guarded secret, one even House Charon was never privy to. It was this secret alone that stayed Charon’s hand, for they had not forgotten what became of other houses who’d fallen out of favor, like the tragic fate of House Ent.

For years, House Pryde thrived in decadent cruelty, their lavish, brutal lifestyle unchecked. Until the day everything went wrong.

It began with House Charon recalling their undead guardians to prepare for a potential skirmish with the Free Cities on their border. Normally, thousands of animated corpses patrolled the Pryde holdings—not just as protectors, but as a constant reminder that Charon held dominion. But with war looming, every last corpse was summoned away.

Then the mercenaries Pryde employed to keep their "toys" in line were lured away by better contracts from House Wheelnameitlater, who were hunting rumors of a dragon. The pay was nearly double what Pryde offered, enough to tempt even the most loyal sellsword.

All that remained was the house guard. Commoners pressed into service, many of whom bore the scars of Pryde’s cruelty. Their loyalty had been secured only through threats: their families were held hostage at undisclosed locations, promised luxurious lives in exchange for their obedience. Many believed the lie. None dared question it.

Then, on a dark and storm-soaked night, something came crawling from the shadows.

Ursa, the infamous Bandit Queen, led a small army that encircled the Pryde estate. She approached the gate alone, cradling a tightly wrapped bundle in her arms. The guards, too nervous to act, watched in silence as she stopped before them and unfurled the cloth. Inside was the mutilated head of the lead guard’s daughter. Ursa spoke only once before they broke. “They were never safe. None of them. You were never anything but Pryde’s playthings and none survived" With a scream of rage and grief, he flung the gates open, and the bandits poured in.

What followed was not a battle. It was retribution. Every wound Pryde had ever inflicted was returned in kind. Every lash, every cut, every death—they were all repaid, in full. No mercy was shown. Every member of House Pryde present that day died a brutal death. Women, children, even infants—none were spared. Their heads were destroyed, ensuring they could not be raised by Charon’s necromancers. Their corpses were left as a warning and a taunt, Showing the fate of those with such monstrous hearts. Then, as quickly as they had come, the bandits vanished into the night, taking many of the guards and freed serfs with them.

Those who remained, out of a misguided sense of loyalty or simple fear of the unkown, were slaughtered when House Charon returned. Charon, in their fury and shame, tried to erase the event from history, burning records, silencing whispers. But some horrors refuse to be forgotten. As for the Jaspine mine, Charon never found it. House Pryde left no records, and all who knew its location died that night—beyond even the reach of necromantic resurrection. But rumors persist. Some say someone still knows where it is...