House Thyscera



Often times regarded as a twisted mirror image of the Royal House Kalindrell, House Thyscera has long been a source of both fear and intriuge; representing a dangerous game of extremist indulgence in all forms, pushing the experience of life to its limits in the hopes of transcending all sense of doubt, fear, sorrow and pain all together.

Those of House Thyscera believe that the sum meaning of all life is suffering and it is our resistance to said suffering that hinders ones own existence. In order to transcend you must accept the suffering, embrace it and inevitably indulge in it as you would the embrace of a lover. It is the way in which dominant forces clash with one another that causes imbalance in the world and to achieve balance, one side must willingly submit to the dominance of the other as part of the natural order.

All followers of House Thyscera, often refered to as "Thyscerites" to some degree are sadomasochistic, either indulging in the punishment inflicted upon them or the punishment they inflict upon others, blurring the line between pleasure in pain to such a degree that the two are seamless. There is no malice or cruelty behind any of their principles however, finding such social norms to be character building and necessary for one to grow past the preconceived notions of morality. To live is to suffer, but such suffering can be pleasurable if you only will it. The chosen name "Thyscera" rather than a family name is derived from the old Elvani concept "Thysciss" which is based around the idea of martyrdome and taking on suffering so others may be spared.

Sigil/Mantle
A thorn whip adorned with large feathers and a single rose at the hilt

Origins
After the fall of Varagoss, great care was taken in the rescue and rehabilitation of those slaves locked away deep in his catacombs who had suffere through years of endless tickle torture, some of which had been driven mad by such torments. Among them was Bianca, a stubborn Dark Elf who had initially reacted to her torments by embodying that same sadistic tendency, becoming just as ruthless as her tormenters. Within the population of that particular catacomb, Bianca had been a symbol of strength and defiance, inspiring others to stay strong. Deep down however,Bianca had already lost all hope and begun to see her life and that of those around her in a very different way. Life was suffering and misery and to live in denial of such truths was to live a lie and the only way she could hope to survive in such world without becoming evil herself was to embrace the punishment and somehow find pleasure in it. As the years passed she became more and more intimate with the nature of suffering, the master/slave dynamic and the philosophy that would become the groundwork for House Thyscera's future.

By the time she had been rescued with the others, her mind had been shattered, equal parts submissive and dominant with a nihilistic outlook on life as a whole but still with a driving desire to share her newfound philsophy with any who would listen. She would become the "Laughing Prophet" who would lead the other broken souls from the catacombs to follow her.

Organization
House Thyscera for the most part operates similar to a relgious order with an ornate and complex system of spiritual believes and moral codes all focused on the teachings of Bianca. All members are expected to pledge themselves, mind, body and soul to the ways of their court for all time and go through countless rites of passage in which their limits are pushed further and further until they are able to overcome their own frailties and learn the ways of torturous ecstacy. There's is a class system in which the upper echelon is made up of the Mistresses and Masters of punishment and their clergy of inquisitor priests and nuns who serve them and administer the rites and rituals developed by the one now known as Grand Madame Bianca. The founder still leads her people and is just as passionate and sadistic even in her golden years. Despite their overall menacing appearance, they are surprisingly courteous and formal with any visitor and will always treat them with respect and accomodate them best they can so long as they are sure to do the same in return. Any slights or insults against them or their beliefs are swiftly dealt with in only the most dramatic of fashions.

Aesthetics
The visual culture of House Thyscera is a somber and erotic mixture of black leather, red velvet, victorian inspired imagery and a dark reflection of eccentric high society. Old world elegance mixed with an almost vampiric ambience is commonplace throughout the various manors and temples that house their activities. Androgyny seems to be an aspiration among many, as the vast majority barely acknowledge gender at all in regards to desire and sex. They've also turned the magic school Transmogrification into an art form all its own, many being altered physically to such exotic and surreal forms that they're barely recognizable as being part of whatever race or gender they once were.

Members
Former slaves make up the vast majority of their numbers and virtually any intelligent race can be found among their numbers although the more inherently sadistic breeds can be found mostly in the upper clergy. The one common trait among them is a deep understanding of the submission/domination concept and the desire to push their tolerance past its limits and beyond. As the majority of them were once involved in the sex trade, most are enchanting to behold if not intimidating.

Reputation
By and large the general populous see House Thyscera as an organization of sadists and lunatics and are to be feared, although many can't help but hear the call of morbid curiosity over the promise of ultimate indulgence they all strive for. Many who have interacted with them usually describe one who is courteous and polite but awkward; always feeling as though they are being undressed by their predatory eyes. There has been some allegations and rumors that they actually harbor war criminals among them, the very inquisitors of Varagoss who tormented them through some odd stockholm syndrome based admiration.