Ghost Council of Orzhova

To the uninformed, it may often appear that the leader of the Orzhov Syndicate is the Grand Envoy. After all, it is the Grand Envoy who publicly directs the membership of the Orzhov, and tuns its day-to-day activities, ensuring everything continues to run smoothly and profitably.    But in truth, the Grand Envoy is nothing more than a tool for the infamous Obzedat, also know as the Ghost Council, the true leadership of the Orzhov. Membership of the Ghost Council is made up of the guild's most famous and fabulously wealthy patriarchs, brought beyond the veil of death through the strength of their own greed.    Directors of the Orzhov For centuries, the Obzedat has been content to let the Grand Envoy handle the public aspects of guild leadership, all while issuing secret directives from their underground lair. Hidden in the deepest reaches of the Church of Deals, the Ghost Council rule from a massive chamber that is a cross between a cathedral, a room, and a crypt.    Only the Grand Envoy is allowed access to the resting place of the Obezdat and only the Grand Envoy is allowed to speak to the Ghost Council directly. In spite of this, no Grand Envoy would dare to go against the direct orders of the Obzedat, as these undead spirits seem to still somehow maintain a direct awareness of what occurs in the world above them. To go against the Obzedat's orders would mean not only dismissal from the position of the Grand Envoy, but likely death as well, and servitude to last far beyond it.    Greed of the Deathless the exact nature of how a member of the Orzhov elite goes on to become a member of the Obzedat is a closely guarded secret. The upper echelons of the Orzhov keep themselves alive well beyond their natural life spans through the use of powerful alchemy, but when their time finally comes, they are free to petition the Obzedat for membership to the Council.    Should the petitioner be approved by the Ghost Council, their death is scheduled, and they are executed in another secret chamber hidden in the mausoleums of Orzhova, the Orzhova headquarters. What manner the death takes, and whether or not it is painless, is as well-kept a secret as what happens afterwards, when the Obzedar retire to their chambers for several, foregoing all visitations by the Grand Envoy. When the time passes, and the Grand Envoy returns to receive their next orders, the ghost of the deceased has joined the Council.    Admission to the Ghost Council is rare, and in the past several centuries, only a handful of new members have been granted. It is speculated that, like the original members of the Obzedat, expected members must have a strong sense of greed, powerful enough to pull their spirit back to the mortal world when they die. What sort of green can serve a ghost, especially ones hidden away with no access to or use for their wealth, is as much a mystery as the rites of membership themselves.    Chambers of the Obzedat Inside the Obzedat's actually chambers are stored the remains of their mortal forms, their rotting bones stashed away in elaborately constructed ossuaries, each of which cost more than it would take to feed a family of Ravincans for a lifetime. While in the presence of these ossuaries, the Obzedat seem capable of drawing upon some powerful, unearthly magic, connected to their deaths.    Lair Actions On initiative count 20 (losing initiative ties), the Ghost Council as a whole takes a lair action to cause one of the following effects. No matter how many members of the Ghost Council are present, only one lair action can be taken in a turn. 

• The spirits of the slaves and servants that attended to the Obzedat in life rise from the ground, causing 1d4 ghosts to appear in unoccupied spaces of the Ghost Council's choice within 60 feet of a member of the Council.
• Wispy strands of shadow begin to fill the chamber, eventually causing magical darkness to fill a 60-foot radius centered on a point within 30 feet of a member of the Council. Members of the Ghost Council can see within this darkness, and any creature other than a member of the Council that beings its turn in this darkness must succeed on a DC 16 Wisdom saving throw or take 5 (2d4) psychic damage 
• The ground begins to open up, and swallows a creature of the Ghost Council's Choice. The target must succeed on a DC 16 Dexterity saving throw or be sealed underground, where they begin to suffocate. The target can make a DC 16 Strength saving throw at the end of each of its turns, freeing itself on a success. The target is automatically freed if the Ghost Council uses another lair action, or a member uses a bonus action to free the target. 

  Ghost Council of Orzhova