Dyrianna

Dyrianna of House Avenstar

(Person)

Titles

Head Hetaera of Calistria
Guildmistress of the Courtesans' Guild
Scion Lady of House Avenstar

Alignment

Chaotic neutral

Ancestry/Species

Aiuvarin

Level

17

Class

Cleric

Gender

Female

Homeland

Absalom

Deity

Calistria

Organization

House Avenstar

Source: Guide to Absalom, pg(s). 15–16 (1E)
Absalom, City of Lost Omens, pg(s). 298 (2E)

Lady Dyrianna of House Avenstar—head hetaera of Calistria, guildmistress of Absalom's Courtesans' Guild, scion lady of House Avenstar, and councilor of the Ascendant Court—is the ranking sacred prostitute and high priestess of Absalom's Pleasure Salon of Calistria, and manager of its Silken Court brothel. Her portfolio of interests and connections makes her one of Absalom's most influential people.

Background

Early in her life, Dyrianna bore two children while she was enslaved, and after her second child was stolen and sold into slavery she gouged out the eye of her owner in rage. Her owner then sought to sell her to a new owner in Cheliax around 4688 AR when a priest of Absalom's Pleasure Salon of Calistria named Sarielle Avirzaden spotted her in a sin pit in The Coins, bought the beautiful aiuvarin out of slavery, and freed her.

Since then, she was adopted into House Avenstar, gained control of the temple prostitutes and the entire temple of Calistria, and bought a controlling interest in the city's Courtesans' Guild, which regulates paid companions who are neither stage performers nor streetwalkers.

Relationships

Her control over Absalom's Calistrians, the Courtesans' Guild, and House Avenstar grants her a unique degree of influence over the city's religious, commercial, and legal structures. The members of each group also overlap in interest and often work with several of Dyrianna's groups at once. She is particularly connected to her former Calistrian mentor Avirzaden and has quietly supported the Citizens' League's opposition to Lady Darchana Madinani's proposed moral reforms.

Through the personnel of the salon, she controls an extensive spy network which provides information that she discreetly offers to the highest bidder. Chelaxian, Qadiraan, and elven houses have long paid extensive contracts for her services, though she strictly prohibits selling any information that might compromise the city of Absalom or its Grand Council.

As part of her support for the Citizens' League, Dyrianna has also made this network available to Lady Adrielle Neprathep of House Fyrlenn. She also maintains close friendships with Kerkis of House Damaq, Samel Maleagant, and Eliza Petulengro.

Dyrianna is also a devoted abolitionist, resorting to violence at times to gain revenge on slavers but often also bankrupting, disgracing, or otherwise ruining them. While her older child remains at her side, Dyrianna still seeks her younger child that was sold into slavery.

Depictions

The Silken Court contains an art gallery whose centerpiece is a full-length portrait of Dyrianna depicted as Calistria, painted by Absalom's most famous artist Endrik Archerus.