House Kulziuzu

## Description:

House Kulziuzu, also known by the surface-dwelling citizens of the Methamura Shogunate on the Continent of Pilbo as the School of the Poisoned Ear, is a Drow noble House residing in the Abandoned Abyss underneath the Methamura Shogunate and surrounding areas dedicated to the dismantling of the surface-dwelling races via subterfuge, espionage, poison, assassinations, and the propagation of political drama and inter-Clan conflict. The House is one of the few Drow Houses who proudly interact with surface-dwellers and their establishments. The House maintains poor relations with the Methamura Shogunate and surrounding nations, but positive relations with other Drow and the Hebijan (Wad-Thet) thanks to the House's willingness to sell their services to all who can afford their price.

The House's location in the Abandoned Abyss ensures that few people, even on the Continent of Pilbo, know of the group's existence; furthermore, the group's mysterious nature and heavy emphasis on stealth and espionage ensures their continued secrecy. Those outside the Continent of Pilbo have no chance of knowing about the House.

### Organization:

#### Capital: Unknown

House Kulziuzu is led by Jōnin Qhonrahi Kulziuzu, the eldest member and teacher of the organization who is responsible for selling the House's services to the highest bidder and managing the group at its highest level; the Jōnin expresses absolute authority over the members of the House, and is also responsible for providing the resources and time necessary to raise and train new recruits, acting as the overseer of the training process and personal mentor to the most talented students. Below the Jōnin sit the Chūnin, who act as assistants to the Jōnin and aid in the management of the organization on a slightly smaller scale, overseeing regional operations on behalf of the Jōnin and undertaking jobs as a representative of the Jōnin and the wider organization. Beneath the Chūnin sit the Genin, who are the lowest official rank of the Ninja School responsible for carrying out the various jobs provided to them by their masters; despite being the "lowest rank," other ranks exist outside of the traditional hierarchy that are listed below.

House Kulziuzu recruit solely from Drow, and make no exceptions to this rule. Most recruits are drawn from the genetically superior genes of retired members or active Chūnin; like the more conventional Drow societies, House Kulziuzu is heavily matriarchal, and only allows female Drow to ascend to any of the aforementioned three (3) traditional ranks. Males are relegated to lesser positions outside of the official ranking system, or are killed as infants for being inferior. House Kulziuzu's eugenics program is more extensive and targeted than those of other Drow Houses, choosing to focus on the agility, stealth, and intellect of their members as opposed to appearances; in this way, House Kulziuzu is seen as more pragmatic than even other Drow Houses, and is often the source of much controversy in its willingness to accept the ideas of surface-dwellers for the sake of advantage in their dealings. House Kulziuzu's specific methods of recruitment, and the strict requirements and rigorous (and deadly) tests required of their students, ensure that the House is frequently in need of fresh recruits, although significant losses are incredibly rare due to the group's skills, resources, and magic.

The School of the Poisoned Ear operates primarily as mercenaries for anyone willing to pay for their services, including surface-dwellers and otherworldly entities, and takes jobs related to scouting, espionage, sabotage, assassination, and poisonings; unlike other Ninja Schools which focus on disguises or open combat, House Kulziuzu focuses entirely on stealth through detachment, using Familiars or pets, or poisons to ensure that their agents are far from the action when it occurs. The group operates primarily within and around the Methamura Shogunate, although their agents are believed to be responsible for many political assassinations in the nearby Elven states of the Ravacaryn Empire and Parthanan Dominion; many rumors and tales of warning are told throughout the political spheres of those nations, warning of House Kulziuzu's visit to those politicians or nobles who anger the wrong Elf or Elven House.

House Kulziuzu walks a fine line between ambivalence and outward hostility towards the JPCU. The JPCU maintains limited surveillance of the group due to their location within the Abandoned Abyss, but actively records any and all sightings of their operatives to ensure that the group does not stray too far from their usual hunting grounds (*Note: Covert or undercover JPCU agents implanted into the Continent of Pilbo may be ordered to seek and take out operatives of the House if necessary, but only under official authorization from Personnel of Wine-Level Clearance and above*).

#### List of Ranks (Official and Unofficial):

1. Jōnin: The term used for the House's Matriarch and leader.
2. Chūnin: The term used for the House's middle-managers, recruiters, logistical minds, salesmen, and regional commanders.
3. Genin: The term used for the House's field agents, responsible for carrying out the jobs provided to them.
4. Shadow-Walker: The term used for a Genin or student specializing in Magic, Shadow Magic in particular.
5. Poisoned Ear: Term used for a Genin or student of the group specializing in poisons, specifically those found in the Abandoned Abyss.
6. Nestlayer: Term used for a Genin or student of the group specializing in the use of Familiars and other animals, usually for scouting or infiltration; known to use Druidic magic.
7. Shadow-Seer: Term used for a Genin or student of the group specializing in the honing and fine-tuning of the Drow's incredible hearing, gaining echolocation and even Blindsight; their rite of entrance is self-mutilation in the form of removing or otherwise permanently disabling their eyes, allowing them more access to the abilities granted to them by their honed senses.
8. School Guardians: Term used for the Driders of House Kulziuzu who are treated more respectably as a result of their crucial role in the protection of House territories.

### Equipment:

Like many Ninja Schools, House Kulziuzu employs the user of the stereotypical Shinobi uniform - dark robes tied tightly to the user's body, thin sandals, masks, all of which is black or dark blue (color depends on environment and time of day). The group does not wear armor, although magic can be applied to serve a similar protective purpose.

House Kulziuzu, being a Drow House, has access to more advanced technology than most people in the Methamura Shogunate; despite this, the House does not employ this technology. The House, like Clan Servingblade of the Dwarves, has thrown aside their race's traditional technological ideas in favor of the Japanese way, using magic instead of technology to achieve their goals. House Kulziuzu uses this purposeful rejection of modern technology as an excuse to boast about their prowess, often using it as a source of pride when encountering other Drow. House Kulziuzu does still employ the standard equipment expected with Shinobi warriors, and are known to use their speed and agility to their advantage whenever possible.

Magically, House Kulziuzu is moderately advanced. Preferring to focus more on martial skill than magical prowess, the group's reliance on certain magic (particularly Shadow Magic) is only for show; many of the House's members are proficient enough to complete their tasks without using any Magic at all, but choose to do so out of convenience. This being said, House Kulziuzu's grasp on the usual magics of the Drow is not insignificant, and the group is considered to be a scary nighttime story for many households within the Shogunate thanks to their mysterious and magical nature.

#### Types of Poisons Used:

1. Dardarian Skin Ooze: The gelatinous lubricant scraped from the skin of Dardarians in the Abyss that has psychoactive elements when consumed, inducing a state of docility, tranquility, and leaves the victim open to suggestion.
2. "Death Bean Coffee": Coffee beans/grinds taken from the "Death Bean" plant, grown solely in the Abandoned Abyss; the coffee is strong enough to kill a normal human and induce vomiting in even Dwarves and Orcs, Elves find it disgusting but harmless, and its frequent consumption by Drow make them immune over time.
3. [BEHOLDER] Tears: The tears of those floating, many-eyed monsters of the Abyss induce hallucinations, paranoia, anxiety, and fear when consumed.
4. Ghost Powder: The refined core elements of Ectoplasm converted through Alchemy into a powder that, when inhaled, induces a lack of motor control, paralysis, and confusion.
5. Bloodspore Mist (Klumanide): A refined and concentrated chemical compound found in the spores of Bloodspore fungus that, when inhaled, causes difficult breathing, blood to fill the lungs, and death.
6. Sulphur Puff (Stasaride): A refined and concentrated chemical compound with a notable sulphur-esque odor/taste found in the spores of the Sulphur Puffball fungus that, when inhaled or ingested, enters the victim's lymphatic system and, after causing increased perspiration, will, if triggered by intense heat or even a high fever, cause the victim to "spontaneously" combust, as the victim's sweat and internal tissues are incredibly flammable and volatile.
7. Fiendish Dust (Grenine): A refined and concentrated chemical compound found in the spores of the Grenyl fungus that, when injected, inhaled, or ingested induces a state of suggestion in the victim as the fungus takes over the person's brain functions; while victims operate under the orders of anyone who tells them what to do, the chemical will kill the victim in a few hours.
8. Pixie Butter (Kankicin): An Alchemically refined poison derived from a mutated form of bacteria found only in the Abyss born from unused and rotting Pixie Dust that, when ingested, inhaled, or injected, causes unconsciousness in victims, taking effect after a few seconds.
9. Demon Ash: The remnants of a Demon's physical body on the Material Realm created when a Demon dies to something to which they are susceptible; this powerful drug has many effects, each of which corresponding to the Demon's Deadly Sin, and has a variety of uses.

#### Types of Weapon-Applicable Poisons Used:

1. Drider Venom: The venom collected from Driders that induces intense pain and necrosis in organic lifeforms when injected.
2. Ludrah's Kiss: Alchemically-created concentrated venom that, when injected, causes paralysis and susceptibility to further poisons.
3. Bloodletter's Gift: A slick oil created through the alchemical processing of mutated mosquito venom that, when injected, increases the victim's blood pressure and heartrate and prevents the clotting of the blood, making victims more susceptible to damage and harder to stabilize and heal; even magical healing is notably less effective, and victims are known to pass out faster when under the effects of this poison.
4. Web Oil: Oil derived from refined and processed webs from Driders and giant spiders that caused a gradual loss of motor control, loss of speech, and the gradual degradation and liquefaction of internal organs; considered a good counter to mages.
5. Drougloth Spit: Refined chemicals found in the saliva of Drougloths that, when injected or ingested, reduces the victim's higher brain functions and increases anger in the brain, driving victims into mindless rages with a craving for humanoid flesh.