[Morgoth]

@KaL - very nice, but how is it that your house is able to trade openly with a bitter enemy of the empire. If it is indeed the free nation of the north you're getting the weapons from?

@Tes - It's only positive to add history and such. There's more than five thousand years of history to flesh out, so I'll need all the help I can get

Your house seems well thought out. I spose as you've got the seemingly biggest trading fleet, you should know that there are two other continents one can reach from that of the empire. One to the north east, and one the south -south east. The one to the north east is in turmoil as about fifthy years before, a conqueror rose up to gain control of a large portion of it but then got assassinated leaving his armies leaderless and the remaining nations out for vengance. Things never really quited down after that.

The south south east one is mostly jungle and some dry plains. There's plenty of indications of this continent once housing a major civilizations, millenias upon millenias older than the empire, or any other nations for that matter, but now there's just some scattered, tribes and nomades there.

However, the empire, having reached it's possible zenit some thousand years ago, have turned mostly inwards and is thus rarely tempted to trade with foreigners. Though ofc, there is some trade.. Think China late 16th century perhaps.

[Tes'thesula]

Heh, I like writing fiction from a historical perspective, it's a lot easier. We will see how I go once the action starts taking place in the present

[Cause]

Getting there just having trouble putting it to paper

Edit-

Subject to revision and Morgoths green light

House: Orthus

Colours: Black, white and silver

Symbol: A silver anvil centred with a hammer in front a sickle on its right and an anchor on the left on a field of black surrounded by a white border.

House Bio: House Orthus is dying. Crippled possibly beyond salvation by simple misfortune, the deadly in fighting of the empire in which it has not faired at all well and its disaterous participation in the northen wars. But the greatest weakness of all for the house is that’s is current condition is known to all imposible to hide. Only four members of the house remain alive. The house leader aged an almost impossible seventy eight and the three remaining heirs his grandchildren. The twins aged eight and the lone heiress aged six. Should the house leader die before they come of age ready to accept the responsibilities of house leadership it will be destroyed its powers waiting to be seized and divided amongst the others. Equally should the house be left without any of its heirs, all vunerable by their age, than it will cease to be. Few are the people in the empire who when they look at house orthus fail to see the opportunities its fall shall mean.

Still the house has one strength left. The strength the other houses covert for themselves. Wealth. House Orthus is unquestionably considered the richest house. The houses origins are in the northern mountains and forests of the continent. And it is there that is begginigs as an economic and merchant powerhouse began. With many of the mountains containing valuable ore and many of the mountains contained on House Orthus land the house owned the rights to the wealth. But this was just the beginning. The house used this initial surge of wealth to vault it out of obscurity and into power. The wealth was used to start a logging industry to reap the wealth of those near limitless northen forests. Than making use of the houses new assests a large merchant fleet was assembled over generations the house saving costs by making use of its own lumber. This practice of eliminating the need for outside suppliers or transport has continued to this day. The house today has expanded its business beyond mere mining logging and shipping howerer. It now owns several profitable farms in the central plains growing cash crops such as tabocca and has factories in all the major cities. Mostly used to fullfill the contracts to the armies. A raw product can be obtained, processed, shipped than sold without it ever having to leave house Orthus’s businesses.

The houses greatest assest however was born out of its disaster. The Houses origins in the north while responsible for its catapault rise would also it seem spell its demise. With their terrotry bordering that of the unconquered the house would have to contribute more than its fair share to the war effort. A war effort that has forever gone poorly for the empire. Over the centuries of warfare the house has suffered the loss of its heirs to failed campaighn after failed campaighn. To the enemies assasins and plots. This lead to house Orthus slowly withdrawing its participation as the other houses saw it as a chance to earn honour and position to escape the blood bathes. In recent times the house has called for an end to the wars and open trade. Claiming that it would be possible to defeat the enemy through economic assimilitation where martial power has failed. This has lead both the common people and the rest of the nobility to feel that house Orthus has been defeated, disgraced. Losing it nearly all its political weight and favour with the people. However in recent times house orthus has managed through espionage to learn partially the secret of the enemies steel and though only able to produce it in limited amounts its demand and value is near endless. (In reality the house has struck a secret deal with the unconquered. They provide the black market second rate steel and in turn house Orthus ais them as they can. The money it pays for the steal also no small benefit. However house orthus has not turned traitor. They hope to use this as a first step to making the unconquered depenedant on the empires economy. More than a few might suspect his illegal dealings but with little or no proof none would dare make the accusation.)

Members: (more later)

House leader-Xemar Orthus
When his father died aged fifty two to a raid by the unconquered the young Xemar aged only 21 as the last surviving child took the mantle of house leader on his shoulders. Bright and ambitious he set about making his families one assest work to his advantage. Tired of the empires inability to win this war and tired more of its unwillingness to change its strategy after centuries of defeat and the price his house payed in blood generation after generation for the empires pride he set about making contact with the unconquered. It took ten years for the trust between them to be built before even small trades were made to test eachother.

Though his first wife was barren it was only at the age of 32 that he gave up hope and chose another. With his new wife he would raise two sons before the age of 40. His first son would die of the red plague at only 28 leaving behind only two children. The twins. His younger son would die at see on route to the imperial capital. He and his family all drowned but for his youngest daughter. Though unable to prove it. Xemar belives the sinking was no accident.

With only young grandchildren for heirs Xemar is determined to hold onto his house so that when they come of age he may gift it to them. He has begun to make use of the life force of mages to hold back death. Though for years off their own life these mages demand great pay. More determined than ever Xemar is prepared to fight for his house and family.

Bodyguard-Heliek
If Xemar falls house Orthus falls with him. Though tradition forbids the outright assassination of house leaders these are dangerous times. Heliek is an exceptional swordsman and is never seen far from his masters side day or night. Well paid and loyal after so many years service their has grown between the men an intense understanding. And if not friends in a traditional sense there is an intense relationship between both men. Though officially Xemars bodyguard Heliek is possibly the second most powerfull man in house Orthus. Responsible for the household guard or any detail that he might wish to make his business. When not at his masters side it is right for the other houses to get nervous for he is certainly acting elsewhere for his masters interests.

[Tes'thesula]

Im going to be flying back to uni tomorrow, so I will be out of touch for a couple of days while I get the INTERNET hooked up...

Cause: Sounds like our two houses might have a 'friendly' rivalry in the north

[Illuyankas]

House: Khrorozor (crawr-o-zor).

Colours: Crimson and white.

Symbol: A wheel made of swords, with a stylised head of a khrorozan (beast of burden, details later) in the centre. A more common version is simply a wheel of swords, white on a field of crimson.

History of Origin: Forged in response to the Empire's enroachment on their territories four and a half thousand years ago, the mountain tribes of the Jal range - extending down from the north into the western parts of the now-Imperial Continent - came together and offered to join the Empire as an autonomous body, under its jurisdiction. The remaining tribes that bordered the newly titled Jalzian province took this offer and its acceptance as a mark of cowardice, and declared war. With the backing of the fledgling Empire, the Jalzians crushed them, and created a slave labour workforce for their newest source of income - mining the mountains. Vast seams of coal and iron were tapped and traded across the continent, and Jalzian steel was the standard for all metalworking until recently. Five hundred years later, as the shape of the society that would later run the Empire began to form, the most powerful of the ruling members in Jalzian Province created House Khrorozor, and sent their representatives to the City, where they would become one of the oldest Houses in residence.

Over the four thousand years of its history, Khrorozor has been focused on the material, and has been at the forefront of a close majority of the Empire's scientific discoveries. Conciling this attitude with the existance of magicians and living gods has been difficult, with the House suffering a loss of popularity over their apparent disregard for the Emperor, but a middle ground was reached with the rise of 'alchemy', in actuality the study of relics left by the gods, as well as the Lost Peoples. This later evolved into true chemistry, cementing House Khrorozor as the premier source of quality metals, and recently biology, jumpstarting the science of medicine. A quirk of the house is that they will have no interaction with mages at all, often attempting to murder them if possible. Members discovered to be mages are killed outright and stricken from the records, with a former Lord erased from official histories this way. The Emperor and other deities are treated civilly, and their ancestors only slightly more warmly.

Interests: The Jal mountains contain vast amounts of coal, iron and salt, strangely, as well as a more remarkable inhabitant, the khrorozan. Of unknown origin, the khrorozan resembles a cross between a millipede and a crab, but with very large teeth/tusks/horns. As an adult, they grow to around thirty-six, forty paces long, with the elaborate display of bones adorning their faces adding another six. Their life cycle starts from a clutch of eggs laid on the surface of the mountain, which hatch and burrow into the ground. The young are a very different animal to the adult, having only vestigal legs which are used to help propel them underground, along with a secretion similar to that of a snail's, or a slug's. This secretion hardens and strengthens the tunnels the young create, also allowing the Jalzians to venture down, look for valuable deposits and set up a mine if there. The enormous structure that is, for all intents and purposes, their teeth, helps bore through solid rock, using an inexplicable method, as it's unobservable. Once they reach adulthood, they enter a chrysalis stage, then emerge into the vast forests that litter the Northlands and have spread onto the Jal Mountains, and live off the trees, being the most ferocious herbivores on the continent. A khrorozan can be tamed when it's recently entered the open, and teams of Jalzians roam the thick forests looking for more newly grown beasts. They are the replacement for the ox, the mule and the horse, both carrying riders and goods, and pulling wagons of heavier sellables to the next in the trading chain, at the forest's edge. The khrorozan is the source of the Jalzian's mining success, and the linchpin of their industry. Unfortunately, the offset of that is there is no lumber industry. The khrorozans need the thick forest to not only feed on, but to breed in. The Jalzians would do anything rather than harm them, so all tree-produced goods are imported, often at a higher cost from houses jealous of their industry.

Major exports are coal, iron, steel, weapons, Jalzian salt, khrorozan shells and other usable parts of the animal, machines and other technology, gold, diamonds and other precious gems, stone for building and obsidian. Also, technological and medical knowledge in the forms of engineers and doctors are exported, by other houses employing them with a notable fee to Khrorozor, and by freelance work. Chief imports include lumber, paper, foodstuffs that aren't from a khrorozan (hard to raise cattle on a forested mountain), and unfinished mechanisms (the Jalzians sell the raw materials at a high price, have the parts made elsewhere for cheaper, then the parts are sent home at high cost to the shipper, constructed and sold again - the chief cause of the House's recent upswing), amongst other things. The House maintains a moderate trading fleet, containing a variety of ships ranging from galleys to galleons, for use in the Inner Ocean. A number of Explorer Craft are also kept, huge beasts made from Jalzian timber collected before its effect on the khrorozan population was noticed. These six ships are the largest vessels afloat - the mast tops of the largest, the Emperor's Glory, can almost reach the clifftops of the City - and until recently kept in drydock, as the cost of usage balanced against profit disagreed with the House Lords of the time, especially as their construction nearly bankrupted Khrorozor.

House Khrorozor keeps a sizable military wing, and have performed with honour continually for the four and a half millenia since the first conscripts were taken from Jalzian Province. Armed with the best weapons and armour the Empire can offer, and backed with khrorozan cavalry, they are a force to be reckoned with. Facing the reticent northern nation on familiar ground, they've had reasonable success, but are now refusing point blank to allow the use of khrorozans in combat against the barbarians, even at a direct command from the Emperor in person to the House Lord. That the Lord left alive is even more of a concern.

Tensions have risen between Houses Kalitia, Orthus and Khrorozor, over the appearance of the superior northern steel, a sore point with Khrorozor, as available for sale by the agents of the former two.

Members: [I'll finish the last parts later. We can make up animals, right? It's not like they'll have any impact in the city, and it's just some background that's leading up to something for the main storyline. Something cool.]

[Tes'thesula]

Had some more thoughts in the light of Houses Khrorozor, Orthus and Kalitia (Which all seem to have a hand in steel)

More on House Kios;

A younger House and faced with the historically superior metallurgy of House Khrorozor and more recently the unexplained superior steel of the True North (which Kios has had only limited success aquiring, and non deciphering), House Kios has concentrated its steel production into numbers and not quality. Though many of the upper echelons of the Empire military are almost universaly armed with Khrorozon stamped steel, the rank and file troops gathered from areas of poor steel production - and of the northern province governed by Kios - are issued with reliable Kios weaponary. It is with these weapons and armour that the Empire wages its constant war.
As mentioned earlier, Kios other major interest is in the transport of goods and services across the Empire, but it also has stakes in lumber and other minerals mined from the mountains. However it leaves much of the processing and refinement of this raw materials to other Houses and businesses. A Kios man may be able to traverse the continent without ever stepping a carriage flying the Ice and Bear, but he will never clothe himself in Kios silks.

The pragmatic and ethically flexibility of House Kios has also resulted in their sizable investment in the trade of information and the shadowy art of assassination. Many a Kios caravan has carried more than its reported cargo and left a body in its wake.
The reverance held for its ancestors, many of whom plied the supernatural, means that mages are more than welcome into House Kios, and Seram au Nurn's rise to power has done nothing but emphasis this attitude. Indeed, there exists a rumour in the criminal underworld that it is his hand that has insisted that the assassins in House Kios wield the subtle arts. This tolerance of mages, and their reputation as 'oath traders' as well as assassins, while leading to commercial success, has made House Kios unpopular with the common man outside of their influence.

(Not much) More on the retainers of House Kios;

Seram au Nurn; As said earlier, the closest advisor to Bravga, he is also the Shadowmaster of House Kios, running the gathering of information and handling of Kios assassins. Known as the Iceman for his normally cold demenour and also for the geometric ice blue lines that tattoo his dark body, he originates from the Southern continent and as a foreigner, Seram is looked on with distrust, more even than is expected to a retainer of House Kios, so he stays mainly in the background. Surprisingly for such a distant man, he maintains a close relationship with Bravga's eldest child, Jhon au Kios.

Bravga au Kios; The Lord and Councilor of Kios, he is an aging man in his forties. A veteran of the Northern Campaign and in his youth a captain of one of his father's ships, Bravga has seen a lot. Gruff in temperment, he sleeps poorly and so is short with those around him, including his immediate family. Despite this, he is a respected ruler of the House, for his leadership has led the house from strength to strength, and his irritable exterior hides a cunning and slippery mind.
Although his loyalty to the Eternal Sovereign is unquestioned, few in the Imperial court apart from the Emperor himself would take Bravga's word at face value, House Kios' business has ever had an unpalatable side.

[Valgard]

Well here is my house so far will edit a bit more when i haev the time.

House Dranwreaker

House colours: Green and Gold

House sigil :Golden sheaf of wheat backed by a blue river on a field of green.

Origins:
House Dranwreaker was the first great house of the empire to be absorbed. Originally house Dranwreaker was one of the many small tribes that inhabited the green and prosperous land in the central river deltas. When the emperor came into his glory and launched his first wars of pacification the hammer fell upon the rich nations near at hand. Though not a warrior people by nature the river people held out for many years protected by the natural barriers and their superior knowledge of the numerous waterways. The armies of the emperor were at an impasse unable to bring the river people to battle. This changed when the founder of the line Wothin of Dranwreaker appeared in a dream to the then chief Aelfrith, give him a choice between the destruction of his house and the ending of his line or becoming one the most powerful people in the world. Faced with this choice Aelfrith did the only possible he offered the armies of the emperor boats and guides into the water ways to the stronghold of the resisting tribes. The other tribes were butchered; all the ruling members were slaughtered so that none remained to lead against the emperor. House Dranwreaker was founded by the emperor to thank the tribe that had helped him in his inexorable rise to power. The lands of all the other tribes were appropriated to the House so that they controlled the river the life blood of the empire.
Over the next 4900 years the House has changed. It decided to make it self as useful to the emperor as is possible and since then has trained all its scions in the arts of war as well as commerce. The house controls one of the best trained household guards of any house. The force is only 4000 strong and is scattered across the lands controlled by Dranwreaker if necessary the house can call upon local levies to act as a town watch to deal with smugglers or bandits on its lands. The people of this land train weekly with the bow and spear by order of House Dranwreaker and most of the archer cores of the imperial armies are drawn from house Dranwreakers lands.
The House gained significantly from the expansion of the empire with many more lands being added by a variety of heads of the house. Including a large number of the central plains area bordering the river lands. Till now most of the centre of the empire is controlled by the House.

Interests:
The house has two main interests firstly keeping control of the rivers as this provides them with vast amounts of wealth from tolls on any shipping passing along them. The house deals brutally with any toll dodgers and their corpses a hung of the side of the river as a warning to others. They have also in the past been willing to aggressively assert their sole right to tax the river over the smaller houses that thought to make them selves rich from the profits. This though was very extreme and the house normally uses its second most powerful asset grain.
The house controls the greenest and most productive growing regions of the empire and most of the bread baked throughout the empire has been grown in Dranwreaker fields. This is their greatest weapon the threat of cutting off food supplies to another House. This policy though is only ever used sparingly as if it was used to often the Emperor at the insistence of the other houses would excommunicate them thus destroying their power and would leave them open to being destroyed by the Imperial armies. Many Houses have tried in the past to make off with some of the richer lands. Mostly these disputes have been settled by the emperor, but sometimes a showdown of house guards has occurred.
The House has a long and bloody history in wars in the north and all the Leaders of the House have blood themselves on its battlefields. That is till recently as the current Head will not let his son have a command in the north this is the first time in nearly 4000 years that the house Dranwreaker has not had the heir apparent leading a major force in the a campaign for the emperor. The reason for this is Althelsaran’s disillusionment with the current way the war is being carried out. It has gone on to long and is slowly draining the empire of men, resources and morale. He wants to see a swift end to the conflict one way or another.
As to the status of mages they don’t have any issue with and employ a few but not that many as they do not see that magic is all that useful compared to the guidance of the ancestors. Dranwreaker honours their ancestors more than any other house and still receive advice from them regularly.

Status:
As one of the oldest Houses it is well respected and quite feared by the other Houses for the control it has on their food supplies. At a word Althelsaran could halt the war effort in the north by halting food shipments. The house is at odds with house Orsus as Dranwreaker are probably the second wealthiest house in the empire with the control on the grain and tolls on the river journeys. Especially with the perceived decline of Orsus, Dranwreaker hopes to claim what it views should rightfully be its place as the most important house. They are worried of being over shadowed by Khrorozor especially with their new found belligerence. Kios they view as valuable trading partners, food for cheap equipment. The Kalita were once their greatest partners and rivals, but now with the collapse of the luxuries market and the switch to weapons
The house is dedicated to the empire as it has only benefited them in the past and they can see no reason to change that now. They only wish to further strengthen the house so that they might bulwark the empire more firmly from those that waver in their convictions.

Members:

Althelsaran is now in his forties but is still a strong rugged man huge in proportion dwarfing most other men. He outwardly appears gruff unyielding and foolish given to precipitous actions. These are untrue he has passed the folly of his youth and been trained and tested in battles in the North and realises the futility of continuing the war. Of course he couldn’t outwardly admit this, so still sends his troops and food to the front. He is a calm man that only takes action when it is appropriate and will benefit the house most of all. He reveres his ancestors and spends much time talking with them as they are as active in guiding the house now as they were at the start of the empire.

Ossa is the commander of the personal guard of Dranwreaker in the citadel. He is in his late thirties and has served under Althelsaran in all his campaigns and is utterly devoted to him. He also controls the anti spy network the operates along the river. This is how house Dranwreaker keeps abreast of current news by capturing agents from the other houses that are using the river to move swiftly. He also commands the listens, who are group that is specialised in listen to tales from the merchants travelling along the river. Much that has been beneficial to the house was learnt in overheard gossip along the river.

Uthred is the oldest son of Althelsaran and he chafes under his fathers restrictive rules that keep him away from the northern front. He desperately wants to make a name for himself like his father did before him. He is headstrong and brave, but not unintelligent he just needs to learn control as his father did before, then he will be a good heir to the house.

Beocca is the Champion of house Dranwreaker. He has fought in over 50 single combats and has never been defeated. At first glance one would dismiss this small un-imposing man, but any who have seen him fight testify to his brilliance in this theatre.

Alle listener on the docks of the city.


Edited for changes to armies

Sorry to maknavox obviously great minds and thinking alike again.

[Cause]

I dont think we can have armies. The idea is that the troops are loyal to the empire not the houses I think. I guess its for morgoth to decide. Bit I got te impression were like the roman empire. We dont raise the armies but part of our jobs as noble houses is to provide our heirs to lead them. And while the men might give their loyalty to their general the armies wont belong to our houses.

[Illuyankas]

Call it a house guard, under each house's jurisdiction and separate from the levies of troops the Emperor demands. There's the main army, comprised of levied troops from differing houses, under the command of a noble from a house with no troops present, and the individual Guards, led by one of their nobles, also under the general's command. An order by the Emperor to reduce the chance of rebellion, but possibly also the cause of their continual defeats up north.

[Cause]

House guards at over 10 000 men are armies no matter what you call them. Than again considering the size of our merchant empires I suppose a couple thoousand guards would not be totally unreasonable. Ill wait for morgoth to give his word.

[Morgoth]

The imperial armies are absolute. Houses can have guards, and yeah, the total number can be big, but this is not the same as professional armies. The imperial army is under the jurisdiction of the council with the emperor as supreme commander. All top ranking officiers have been promoted by the council, meaning individual houses have little influence apart from where they have house members in top positions.

So, the houses do not have armies as such. It is forbidden to have professional armies, though sometimes house guard very much resemble such if not in number then in training, discipline etc. One can have local militias etc though. These consist only of low born ofc, as those of more nobel blood obviously will serve in the army.

Right..

I'll try posting an intro post in a new thread on saturday, so polish your plans etc by then

Ah yes..

The Emperor

His banner is a rising sun on a dark red background. The edges are darker still almost bordering on black.

Apperance:
The emperor is not a small man, though he can seem to be as he walks somewhat stooped forwards. He's got a big, silver beard and hair seemingly growing into it. His face, however, looks suprisingly youthfull, if one is able to look past all the hair. He dress simply in white robes and support himself on a tall, straight staff of blackwood, the imperial sun adorning the top. In some ways, the emperor looks so much like a wise sage out of a bard's tale one cannot help but wonder how real it really is.

Position:

The Emperor is officialy the head of state, the supreme commander of the imperial army and the spiritual leader of the nation. Impressive as these titles sound, the truth of the matter is that the emperor has little true power. Over the years, in order to apease the different houses, preventing regions breaking out of the empire, civil war and all that, more and more power have been diverted from the emperor himself to his council. Even though orders, laws etc are in the name of the emperor, imperial decrees so to say, they cannot be passed without the consent of the council. In fact, it's rare that the emperor does anything but sign what the council decides upon.

This however, does not make the emperor powerless. Theoretically he can still dissolve the council and take full control of the empire and so on. He could excommunicate a house, forcing the other houses to either cut all relations with it, or risk the same fate. He has plenty of power.. He has a lot of power, perhaps most importantly the love of the people and their belief that in his hands rest the fate of their souls. The problem is that using it too much may cause civil war and the Emperor's devotion, indeed his whole life, is the empire.

But this is all the official stuff. More important is what is not written down, what happens behind the scenes. The emperor has been alive for at least five thousand years. He knows everyone, he knew their grandmother, their great great granfather, and he knows that their ancestors once were slaves.

He has conections everywhere, and there is proabably not a single economic venture above a certain size he does not have a finger or two in. If necessary he will pull whatever strings possible to preserve the empire.

Location:
The Emperor's palace is huge (and I mean HUGE), and apart from the entrance chamber and the throne room, no one -apart from the emperor and his four bodyguards- have ever seen the inside of it and told the tale. There are plenty of servants there obviously, but they've never left the compound. If they try and are caught, they're slain on sight.

He has his own spy network, his own guard and he is also rumoured to have plenty of assassins ready to do his bidding. This has never been confirmed though as the assassins suspected of belonging to the emperor cannot confirm as they have no tounge. Besides, it's incredibly rare for them to be caught alive at any rate.

[councilor]

right, let me see what i drag up from the pathetic lump of grey matter i refer to as my brain...
bear with me for some extraordinarily unconvincing names...

House name: house screlogue

colours: grey black and brown

sigil: open book in flames

Geology: to the west of the empire, and is almost entirely swampland. however, there are trees of amazing height and girth that have been able to survive in the swamp, growing up to 100 meters in height, and a radius of 5 meters. a remarkable quality of these trees is that upon their death, the wood hardens to a hardness almost like iron. Due it's weight it sinks down into the swmp until it stabilises and becomes stable - those that topple are canabilised for their precious wood - a rare source of outside income. this makes the trees an ideal place to construct houses. the cities are also know as treetop villages

overview:
one of the oldest and hence first country to fall to to the empire. undoubtedly the poorest of all the lands in terms of wealth, due to the fact that most of it lies on almost uninhabitable swampland. in the ealier days of the empire, a dumping ground as well as the destination of various unwealcomed types - both criminals and those that practice forbidden arts and experiments that are otherwise punishable with death. the roiginal screlogues were a group that through cunning and guile and rather than strength that managed to gain control of the various cities. it is said that the leaders of various rivaling groups died of extremely suspiscious circumstances.

being so, the screlogues have managed to adapt to the land - while they were not rich on natural resources, they have capitalised upon the resource they do have - the inhabitants. they set up various schools and colleges teaching various skills. their scholars, engineers, alchemist and mechanists are the regarded as the best in the land, both then and now. the screlogues are also a reflection of the people they redommend, being both of mixed blood of various backgrounds and in possesion of an almost brutal pragmatism. they are now more scholars than bandits and rogues, be sure that they have not forgotten their past.

after the costly empire conquest due to the swamp, the emperor imprisoned the screlogues as an attempt to keep the area in check and then installed his own governer. what he failed to realise is that the areas were only ruled by the screlogues due an acknowledgement of their ability to rule and a trust that have been earned over centuries of good leadership, and the fact rebel leaders died of mysterious circumstances, as well as various accidental deaths.

discovering that each city then declared independence and his governors kept dying, the emperor released the screlogues under the condition of fealty and the payment of taxes and the service of the best graduates. it is alos rumored that the emperor has made use of the shadier side of the screlogues, but that has never been proven.

wealth
most of the wealth come from the supplying of human resources to the other parts of the empire, as well as tuition fees from their colleges.
screlogue wood prices many many times aboth the other varities due to it's rarity and it's strength.
also, the various chemicals resent in the swamp - after extraction, offer strangely rejuvenating after extraction, alsthough alchemist are curren;t working on the reason.

influence
while very poor, also one of the more influencial houses due to the fact that many projects of the empire are in the hands of those trained by the screlogues - also the fact that the thieves and assasins guild in most cities are run by those loyal to the screlogues

characters

the family has always been characterised by small, dark and intelligent men who are very good with a dagger - those that were not tends to recieve one in the chest.

antry - member of the family. fiercely loyal to his brother who is the councilor
second son of the present ruler of the house. antry is in charge of of the darker aspects of the familty affairs and is in constant travel to survey his operations in th other cities.

nathan - the council representative. the first son and supposed heir his father. controls the various finaces of the house.

conyes - third son. head of research and learning. rumored to have private labs somewhere, but never proven.

the entire house it usually treated with a degree of suspiscion.

in hind site, maybe i should have thought this out a bit more...

[Cause]

councilor13;120575 said:

Due it's weight it sinks down into the swmp until it stabilises and becomes stable

Could not resist. Thats just funny

[Morgoth]

interesting idea, councilor. However, geographically it's impossible that your lands would be the first conquered. Not to mention the fact that I think the title of oldest house has already been claimed. It's not strategicly sound to invade swamplan first, and as the empire came to be closer to the center, in conection with the huge inland sea, it's just not possible.

I'd suggest you'd modify the age of your house somewhat. Apart from that though, it's nice to see a house very much different from the others:)

[Sir Thursday]

House: Falona

Colours: Red and Yellow

Sigil: A Yellow Sun rising above a red Field


History: House Falona is one of the newest of the Great Houses. This is not because they have been recently conquered - far from it, in fact: their vast estates in the Southern hills have been a part of the empire for a very long time - but rather because the founding member of the house inherited it from the formerly great Poluba dynasty. The last Poluba was an old man, and having no living relatives lacked an heir. There was however, the man he had raised as a surrogate son - Maziozo Falona.

The 6th son of a minor landowner within Poluba's vast Baliari estates, Maziozo had captured Poluba's heart upon a visit to his court in Sarana (one of the Polubas' peculiarities was that the head of the house would only remain on The Island for no more than half his life, spending the rest of his time with his estates - they didn't have enough family members to delegate the running of Baliari to lesser members of the house). Maziozo was only 11 years of age at the time, and whilst out hunting one day he was asked to take a message back to Sarana requesting some more wine. On the way back he was charged by a boar, but still managed to crawl back to the kitchens to deliver the message. He was severly wounded and almost died. Poluba was a very compassionate man, so he felt terrible about the suffering he had caused him. To repay his debt, he asked that he take Maziozo into his household and educate him in the ways of the nobility, and the Falona family were more than happy to oblige - as a 6th son there was very little for him to look forward to within the Falona household.

Tragically, a plague swept through the Falona's land a few years later, killing the rest of the Falona family. Maziozo was thus the sole remaining survivor of the house. The nature of the plague was such that it was deemed unsafe for anyone who had not survived it to live in the area, so a containment was set up by the Imperial Army and Maziozo could not claim what was now his birthright. However, over time he became indispensible to Poluba, taking over the day to day running of the estate. With time running out in his life, Poluba formalized Maziozo Falona as his heir. He walked with him up the steps for the last time with the necessary documents, but his heart gave out as the came to the final flight. The paper had been signed though, and thus the Falona family took over from the Poluba's as lords of Baliari.

At first there was a feeling among the other houses that perhaps someone else should take the place of Poluba on the council. However the Emperor, who possessed an impeccable judgement of character, felt that Maziozo Falona would be a strong ruler and thus vetoed any movement to replace him.

Whereas the Poluba family had never been a large one, it seemed a trait of the Falonas that they were especially fecund. Vowing that his newly founded dynasty would never suffer the same fate as his mentor's, Maziozo had a vast progeny. The tenet that it was the responsibility of the parents to have at least three children has survived to this day. In fact, this is one of the main reasons for the rise of the Falonas. Though at first dismissed by the rest of the nobility as upstarts, a series of marriages (there were after all many children to go around) cemented their place and gradually they became accepted by the rest of the emperor's court.

The change of rulers has had a rejuvenating effect upon the fortunes of Baliari - the later Polubas were more interested in enjoying the wealth of their position than effectively managing their lands. New trades are being established and after a mere six generations of Falona rule (they are approaching the 200 year mark of their tenure of the title), it appears to be regaining some of it's former splendour. It is still the new kid on the block in the courts of the island, and as such is not accorded much respect and notice by the reactionary houses, but it is steadily gaining in wealth and stature and thanks to its vast web of relations has inside sources inside many of the other great houses affairs.

House Falona has never maintained a particularly strong militia or house guards - being so far south they have nothing to fear from the conflicts in the far north, and as such prefer diplomacy to fighting.

Geography:

The southernmost region of the empire, Baliari is immensely beautiful but sparsely populated. There are two major population centres - Sarana, the provincial capital, and Granido, but for the most part the land is devoted to the growing of crops, particularly wine and parala.

Assets:

Baliari is famous for it's vineyards - the hilly south has soil that is ideal for the growing of grapes. In addition, they have also developed a drink by the name of Paracas, which is made from the parala plant. The parala is what you would get if you crossed grapes with coffee, and as such paracas is a particularly potent stimulant. It is favourite of the nobility as it has the effect of diminishing the amount of time required for sleep. It is extremely expensive and the production process is a particularly well guarded secret. There are some seams of iron and marble in the hills, but these have just been discovered and as such are only just beginning to be developed. The city of Granido, right at the southernmost tip of the continent, has become a centre for commerce as it is the most common stop off point for ships travelling from one side of the empire to the other. There are particularly dangerous straits to traverse, and the Falonas have set up a lucrative trade in recent times by retaining all navigators with the skill to negotiate the passage and then hiring them out at exhorbitant prices to the traders that pass through.


The Falonas have adopted a curious method of succession: instead of handing the lordship from father to son, the four eldest children of the entire generation are groomed for the succession. The two most suitable go to the island whilst the other two remain to ensure that Baliari runs smoothly. The leaders step down after ruling for a period of 30 years in favour of the next generation, but in case of death before the end of their allotted ruling period then one of the candidates in Baliari (of the same generation) takes his place and the 5th son takes his place at the estates.

Current leaders:

The joint leaders of the Falonas at the Island are Estabo and Flavini Falona. They have been working together for the past five years, taking over from Paolagi and Mastigi when they stepped down. They have worked as a team from a young age and are best friends as well as mutual advisors. Estabo is the son of Mastigi, the third eldest of the previous generation, while Flavini was the son of Starici, who became a father at a very young age.

Estabo is especially good at handling diplomatic situations and despite his young age is well known as a good rational thinker on the council. He is sometimes quick to anger, but he is a good enough diplomat to disguise what he feels inside. He does have a tendency to rely overly on Paracas, which does make him jumpy at times.

Flavini is the perfect antidote to Estabo's paraca-induced energy. He is the epitomy of patience, and thus handles bureaucratic matters with aplomb. While Estabo is the more interactive of the two and thus better known by the other houses, Flavini has a greater say in decision making as he has better vision of the long term.

In Sarana, the rulers are Parosi and Caraso. Parosi was in fact the eldest son, but was deemed better suited to Sarana than the complex politics of court by his uncles and aunts.

The Characters (for now, anyway):

Estabo
Flavini
(Who you've already been introduced to)

Corilia (First born daughter of Parosi, she is frustrated at not being in line for succession despite being one of the eldest four. Impetuous but skilled at manipulating others, she is soon to be sent to the Island to be married...)

Pistalio (He is being trained to take over from Parosi and Caraso along with his 3rd cousin Astriali. Shows signs of being an extremely competant trader, and has impressed in his quick understanding of the selling of wine. Ambitious and eager to take the reins (though he must wait another 5 years to do so).

Mevidano (Is one of the few members of the family to become a magician, and was the 5th son of Maziozo, the original leader of the dynasty. As such he carries out a lot of the family's important errands, where his particular skills make him very persuasive :ehh:. He has seen it all and as such is a very competent advisor for the rulers when he is around.)

------------

I think that's enough for now. I'm not entirely sure how this works, but I'm assuming that I will take the POV of one of the characters for each of my segments. I may fill out the (vast) family tree at some later date and perhaps provide details of more members so that I can use them as characters if need be.

Sir Thursday

[caladanbrood]

My participation or otherwise in this will be dictated purely by my up-coming uni work. Therefore assume I won't be able to join in:(

[Morgoth]

ah come on, brewdy, join us!

No worries, just a little participation helps

[councilor]

@cause...
ok...
ok...
i admit i really don't know what i am doing...
although if can make someone laugh, that is still something...
no?

by the way...
i'll rethink the details slightly...
and apologise again for the bad writing...