House M'ke

House M’ke’s origins are somewhat mysterious. Some claim that the house originated in an unknown area beyond the Tyr region, while others believe that M’ke was founded by dissident templars fleeing their sorcerer-king’s wrath. Whatever its origin, M’ke became a force to be reckoned with. Under the leadership of a veiled sorceress named Katyana, who never showed more of herself than a pair of exotic, kohl-lined dark purple eyes, M’ke quickly unseated House Comis, then the most influential merchants in Raam. This was accomplished through a combination of assassinations, raids on enemy trade routes, and dramatic undercutting of Comis’s prices in major cities. Within a few years, M’ke had taken over major trade routes to Draj, Urik, and Nibenay. Finally, M’ke launched a military campaign against Comis, using household agents, guards, and large numbers of mercenaries to take over the vital trade village of Dayos, between Raam and Draj. This crushing victory sent House Comis fleeing southward to obscurity and eventual extinction. M’ke’s subsequent behavior has been an interesting combination of ruthlessness and caution. They treat more powerful rivals with intense respect, but they steal trade routes and even engage in open combat with weaker houses. Despite their occasional vicious streak, members of House M’ke are generally considered pleasant and intelligent individuals with few bad habits. This is only one of many bizarre contrasts in the confusing, contradictory House M’ke.

As the years passed, intelligent business practices prevailed, and House M’ke amassed a sizeable treasury, setting portions of each year’s profits aside for use during lean years. Lean years came sooner than expected. Abalach-Re, ruler of Raam, is now a laughing stock, with nobles openly warring for control of the city, and many leading citizens calling for her overthrow. The recent chaos in Tyr, where for the first time in history a sorcerer-king has been overthrown, has added new fuel to the fires in Raam. Battles between bands of noblemen and their followers are common in the city’s streets. The Great Vizier’s templars, as reviled as their mistress, find it more and more difficult to carry out their duties. While Abalach-Re still maintains a great deal of power, corruption, violence, and crime have run wild. These unsettled conditions have crippled Raam’s once thriving economy, and the city’s merchant houses have suffered accordingly. Much of House M’ke’s hoarded wealth is now being channelled into hiring mercenaries to guard warehouses and facilities within the city and to defend the house against the marauding nobles, who are now little better than raiding tribes themselves. Rebellion is spoken of openly in Raam, an event almost unthinkable in other cities. The Great Vizier ‘s templars are held in utter contempt rather than treated with the respect and fear accorded templars elsewhere. Several nobles are speaking of combining their armies to assault Abalach-Re’s palace and put one of their own on the throne as the new sorcerer-king. As the plot spreads, pressure builds from both within and without the city for M’ke to throw in with the conspirators, pressure that M’ke’s patriarch Truvo has thus far resisted. Hamanu of Urik and Tectuktitlay of Draj also desire Abalach-Re’s overthrow. Hamanu sees this as an opportunity to expand his empire, while Tectuktitlay wants some stability in Raam. With such influential sympathizers, the conspiracy against the Great Vizier is certain to continue gaining strength. Trade by the house has shrunk of late, with M’ke withdrawing to secure citadels and outposts and adopting a fortress mentality to withstand the chaos in Raam. Truvo M'ke realizes that this means the future will hold intense struggles to regain old routes, but the house has been equal to the task in the past.

M'ke's greatest asset is its hidden wealth, much of which is contained in the vaults beneath the family palace in Raam. Other caches of wealth are rumored to be scattered throughout the Tyr region as a hedge against future reverses. These are said to be located in inaccessible or dangerous areas, such as beneath the Sea of Silt, in the Aluvial Sand Wastes, or in the infamous city of the undead, Bodach. Should House M'ke's treasure be located in these places, the house's agents must have some secret means of reaching its hiding places and avoiding the natural hazards.

Caravans

Caravans flying M'ke's colors still ply the trade routes to Urik, Altaruk, Tyr, and Balic, carrying metals, food, weapons, and obsidian. The profits from these ventures have been diverted into keeping the house alive as Raam's political situation deteriorates. M'ke can maintain only ten to 20 caravans at any one time. A typical caravan consists of 20-30 crodlumounted scouts, six to ten medium-sized wagons and, on especially important caravans, up to four well-defended armored caravan wagons. Crossbow-armed troops ride in the caravans, while foot soldiers or slaves walk alongside to provide further protection.

Facilities

House M'ke's holdings have shrunk along with their caravan routes. The house maintains small offices, often with skeleton staffs, in most major cities of the Tyr region. Though every caravan route once featured at least one House M'ke outpost, these have dwindled to a fraction of their former number. Major facilities are listed below.

Fort Firstwatch: 30 employees, 50 slaves. Storage and supply point between Raam and Draj. Frequent target of raids by trade rivals and elf nomads. Fort Isus: 50 employees, 100 slaves. Supply point and trading post between Raam and Nibenay. Popular spot for trading with nomadic tribes. Thri-kreen traders often visit Isus, to trade with elves, although the two races are usually sworn enemies.

Fort Xalis: 100 employees, 150 slaves. Major trading post, supply point, and military base near Black Waters, between Raam and Urik. Much of M'ke's reduced military manpower has been concentrated here, because the obsidian and slave routes between Raam and Urik are vital to Raam's survival and M'ke's continued prosperity. A major attack upon Xalis by an unknown trade rival, who had hired elven, halfling, and thri-kreen mercenaries, was recently repelled, but Fort Xalis's walls were badly damaged in the assault.

Jalaka: Trade village, 250 citizens. Despite difficult terrain and massive logistical problems, M'ke continues to maintain this village, located on the edge of the Forest Ridge approximately 40 miles north of Tyr. The reasons for this persistence are the profits to be gained from the hardwood found in the forest and the unique trade goods from the halflings of the forest. Some also suggest that Jalaka harbors a major cache of M'ke's wealth, though no specifics of this alleged hoard are known.

Troops

With House M'ke's retrenching has come a substantial reduction of its standing military forces. Today, M'ke employs approximately 600 troops, mostly cavalry and armored infantry. Once used to harry or destroy rival caravans, these troops today serve garrison duty in house forts, guard caravans, or protect house members from assassination. The family headquarters in Raam are extremely well defended by troops of 6th level or higher.

House M'ke's agents are masters of negotiation, intrigue, and diplomacy. Rogues and psionicists are often employed here; they may rise high in the organization with continued success. Unfortunately, the mortality rate among M'ke employees, who are expected to die rather than betray or compromise their masters, is quite high. Lately, M'ke has not been doing much hiring, but when they do the house pays well (25-50 percent higher than average) but demands absolute loyalty. Employees who transfer loyalty (when offered higher wages, for example) are dealt with harshly. Hirelings must obtain permission from the top in order to change employers. Work with M'ke is high-paying but hazardous, and new employees can expect constant action, including dealing with raids from outside tribes, nobles, and even rival merchant houses. Special bonuses are paid for particularly resourceful or skilled acts in battle. The pathetic state of the monarchy in Raam is illustrated by the fact that some of the Great Vizier 's templars have been known to offer their services to House M'ke, as guards, spies, or spellcasters. While this is punishable by death, the Great Vizier has never bothered to take any action against underlings who behave in this manner.

In less turbulent times, M'ke's trade practices are extremely flexible and unpredictable, varying with each situation. Powerful rivals are treated with respect and even friendship, while weaker houses are treated with contempt. M'ke's mercenaries have few qualms about raiding the caravans of small houses or even assaulting their headquarters or warehouses in major cities. Perhaps the best way for a small house to deal with M'ke is to put up a bold front, for M'ke will pounce at the slightest sign of weakness. Actual trading is done fairly, if rather ruthlessly. M'ke's agents have a reputation for squeezing the last ceramic piece out of customers, but they always deliver what they promise. Favored customers and representatives from other houses are treated with the utmost respect. Woe unto the rival, however, who underestimates or shows weakness to M'ke's masters. As may be gathered, House M'ke's relations with outsiders vary greatly. With the other great houses – Tsalaxa, Wavir, Shom, and the like, relations are friendly and cooperative. M'ke is known for its policy of respecting those who can do it harm. Its representatives frequently visit other houses offering gifts and good wishes, and information on trade routes is freely exchanged. When dealing with a smaller or less influential house, however, M'ke's friendly facade transforms to one of downright viciousness. Raids by M'ke's mercenaries disrupt small houses' trade routes, damage their warehouses, and injure or kill their personnel. Once a small house is driven out of business, M'ke steps in to pick up the pieces. Recently, the tables have turned somewhat, as M'ke has been forced to cut back its routes. It now feels the pressure of the vengeful small houses nibbling away at the its profits. As M'ke turns inward, defending itself against the unrest in Raam, pressure on weaker rivals has lessened and pressure from other major houses has increased. Whether M'ke will survive the current period of turmoil is not certain. M'ke also treats the sorcerer-kings with great respect, even going so far as to maintain strict neutrality while the rest of Raam's populace calls for the Great Vizier's overthrow. M'ke never engages in smuggling, and it is particularly friendly with the kings of Draj and Urik.