House Viseaux : Another one of the Hound’s creations, House Viseaux comes from the Athsarin merchantry. Though not as prominent as the g’Auerene, House Viseauc was rewarded with the grant of the Wardhelmship of a large, mostly useless land. The land was formerly ruled by House Wenderly, and under the Lord Halder the Fennacht clans rebelled against them. Germond Viseaux was chosen as their new Wardelm, and has gained great respect of his vassals. Their sigil is a golden dolphin on a purple field, and their house words are “Respect is Earned, Never Given”. Their house seat is Vaidenpool, which overlooks the city Baniff.
Wardhelm Germond Viseaux, age 53. A merchant turned noble, Germand Viseaux was one of the major debt holders of the Elming crown. Much of his own wealth was tied into loans to the crown, as his numerous other ventures had failed. With debt collectors of his own hounding after him, Germond took the safety of nobility and accepted the Hound’s offer. Arriving in his land amidst a civil war, Germond did not impose himself on the subjects, and instead built up alliances with the local clans. He has adopted the Fennacht religion, speaks the Fennacht language, and has married a Fennacht woman, the sister of Malcurn U Brennel. Germond has taken to nobility well, and is happy that he has taken it. As a merchant, he had no family, but now, he has a wife and three children he sees every day. As a noble, he is primarily concerned with improving the lot of his subjects, something that makes him immensely popular with the locals. Though long term he has hopes the land might one day, many years later, be good farmland, for now he contents himself with developing the small trading port of Baniff from his castle of Auroria. Germond’s style is for the most part, to live and let live, and has tried to take this approach with his family and vassals with varying degrees of success. However, there is one issue that Germond will not ignore. As the King lies dying, the rumors of the Red Lily excite the imaginations of the Fennacht, but Germond Viseaux is not one to forget a debt. When the Hound calls, he will heed it.
+Kind
+Beloved
_Patient
_Moral
Wardess Yisbell Viseaux nee Brennel, age 33. The sister of Malcurn U Brennel. Altogether a pleasant woman who gets along with everyone. She is the perfect wife of a powerful man, and plays an excellent advisor for her husband in learning the lay of his lands.
+Friendly
+Kind
_Pious
Iain Viseaux, age 18.The eldest of the Viseaux children. Iain always dreamed of being a knight, listening to the stories of the mighty heroes. When it came time to become a squire though, he found it difficult to be a half Fennacht, half foreign lordling with children from ancient Greyling lines. Even worse, his mother’s blood did not imbue him with the strength of her brother, and instead he resembled his much thinner father. And so while the other boys would bully him and torment him, Iain picked up a bow, and found it to suit him. When the other boys came to bully him again, Iain let an arrow fly and hit the scion of the Osvern family in the shoulder, causing even further animosity between the two families. Iain returned back to his father’s lands, but held his head up high. The Greylings might see his family as no better than commoners, and would not think twice of killing them if they had the chance.. The Osvern boy himself declared one day he would ride to his father’s castle and burn it to the ground. But what a fool he is. Doesn’t anyone know that a horse gets stuck in the swamp? And you can’t swim with all that armor…
+Trained (Archer)
+Clever
-Arrogant
Quillem Viseaux, age 16. A shy boy that will do anything possible to hide when his father has company. However, behind his fearful exterior lies a brilliant mind. He helped draw the designs for his father’s new castle and city, and his new project is thinking of ways to make the swampland into usable farmland. His father checks in on him to offer encouragement and suggestions, but secretly the father feels he grows more and more distant to this child. For his part, Quillem feels his family members have less and less to offer him, and secludes himself even further away.
+Innovative
+Brilliant
_Patient
-Shy
-Distant
-Cowardly
Gwenyth Viseaux, age 15. A feisty and fierce girl, she is perhaps the opposite of what any noble daughter should act like. When she first met other daughters of Greyling lords, they made fun of her for her family’s background, in which she responded how her family EARNED their title, while the Greyling lords are resting on past glories. As she finds herself meeting new suitors, she finds them particularly boring and stupid, with the lads thinking it’d be so glorious to fight and die in battle. She is quite clever, and while Quillem might have more knowledge than she, she found it easy enough to manipulate him in arguments. She enjoys playing the harp and singing, something her father greatly enjoys listening to.
+Clever
+Musical
-Tempermental
Etelle du Luisser nee Viseaux, age 39. The sister of Germond, it was her husband whose gold helped sustained Germond’s business until the crown defaulted. However, Germond promised to make things right, and when he became a Wardhelm of the Elming crown and offered the couple a noble title along with a city to govern, the two of them leapt at the chance. Etelle has found the isles not to her liking in many aspects, lacking the great luxuries of Mernaix, though she greatly enjoys the power she holds. She has found the power given by nobility is far more satisfying than one simply given by virtue of riches.
+Attractive
+Clever
_Amoral
_Proactive
-Temperamental
-Vain
-Dishonest
Grener du Luisser age 68. Wed to the sister of Germond Vament, and now the Lord of Baniff, was one of the Athsarians made into nobility following Germond’s appointment as Wardhelm. Using his family’s vast fortune, he made himself a smaller one, and luckily bumbled into the good fortune that accompanied Germond. Working with his brother in law, he helped turn Baniff into a bustling town and helped import luxuries from Mernaix to help make merchants from the continent feel more at home. Nine years ago, he fell from his horse that crippled both of his legs, and soon after became very sick. His wife now rules in his name, and he spends his days in the study. Before he enjoyed reading, but as his eyes began fading, he now just watches the ocean whenever he is awake. He keeps his own company, not even seeing his son or wife, and though servants check in on him at times, he is often asleep. More recently, he has been having outbursts, and recently declared he wanted to return to Mernaix. The servants fear that the journey will kill him, and instead keep administering the medicine his wife purchases for him.
+Lucky
+Friendly
-Crippled
-Sickly
Mertrand du Luisser, age 12. The only product of the union between Grener and Etelle. Mertrand has actually never seen his father, as Grener was crippled right after he was born. He is his mother’s pride and joy. All things considered, a very lovely boy.
+Attractive
+Friendly
Clan U Brennel: Formerly, Clan U Brennel was actually one of the weaker clans, with little land to their name. However, the tyranny by the Wenderly Family caused the young head Malcurn U Brennel to rebel against the Wenderly family. His prowess on the field of battle gave him a great following, and forced the crown to cease their support for the Wenderly’s. Now, the U Brennel’s are the chief among the vassals of House Viseaux, and are the most powerful Fennacht clan in the region. Their seat is Menninghan, and their sigil is a red mongoose on a white field. Their house words are “For our Honor, Our Lives”
Malcurn U Brennel, age 43. Malcurn is a warrior, and will bellow it for all to hear. The head of the U Brennel clan, Malcurn was the man who killed Lord Halder some twenty years ago. Clutching an ax in each hand, Malcurn tears into battle, cleaving and slaughtering anyone who dares challenge him. Loud, large, and obnoxious, Malcurn is seen by many Greylings as a dumb, brutish warrior. As they have found, that is not the case, and Malcurn was a skilled swamp fighter that killed many invading Greylings when he killed Lord Halder. When the Athsarin merchant was appointed the Wardhelm, he was highly skeptical, but the man proved himself to be a friend to the Fennacht, and therefore, a friend to Malcurn. Malcurn accepted peace with the crown, and gave his sister to be wed to the new Wardhelm. He is highly loyal to his clan, his people, and Germond Vament.
+Loyal
+Hardy
+Trained (Ax)
_Proactive
_Idealist
-Arrogant
-Temperamental
Cleira U Brennel, age 41. The complete opposite of her husband in every aspect. As quiet as Malcurn is loud, as small as he is large, as careful as he is reckless. Despite all of this, they are very much in love, and she has borne him two children.
+Kind
_Patient
_Pious
-Shy
Drian U Brennel, age 15. The son and heir of Malcurn, Drian is not a warrior like his father. He enjoys wearing soft clothes instead of armor, and shrieks at the thought of combat. Malcurn is highly disappointed in his son, and has instead turned his attention in raising his younger son Timmeoth. Drian prefers life in court and dreams of living in the capital, something that his father has adamantly refused.
+Musical
+Literary
+Smart
_Idealist
-Vain
-Cowardly
Aiba U Brennel, age 13. The daughter of Malcurn, she is sweet and her mother dotes on her. She feels sorry for her older brother and how their father bullies him. She is very popular and enjoys playing with other children.
+Friendly
Timmeoth U Brennel, age 6. The second son of Malcurn, Timmeoth is far more suited to the life as a warrior than his brother, already displaying a passion for arms. Malcurn spends most of his time with Timmeoth, training him.
+Hardy
Clan U Lylr: One of the oldest Fennacht clans that still holds power in the isles, Clan Ulylr still survives to this day due to two reasons. The first is their swampy, inhospitable lands and their fortress Broughch. While taking the fortress in itself is easy, holding it is impossible, with disease rampant, supplies nowhere to be found, and soldiers constantly disappearing in the numerous secret passages of Broughch. The second is their absolute willingness to do anything to save themselves. When the Greyling invasion came, Clan Ulylr was one of the first clans to swear loyalty to them, and was rewarded justly for it. They became the most powerful vassals under the Wenderly family, easily the most powerful of the Fennacht clans. When Malcurn’s rebellion came, the Clan supported Lord Halder Wenderly, positive the King would not allow such impudence against a Greyling lord. When Malcurn slaughtered the Wenderly family, and a new Wardhelm had to be chosen, Bairen Ulylr petitioned to be given the Lordship, feeling that his clan’s continuous loyalty to the crown and the Greylings, and the Greyling need for a compromise lord, made him the perfect candidate. Instead, the Hound gave the Wardhelm to an upjumped merchant. For their siding with House Wenderly, Clan Ulylr lost much of its wealth and power, but was not completely wiped out. Clan Ulylr intends to make them regret that they did not do so when they had the chance. Their House sigil is a Black crow with a red eye on a grey banner, their words are “Always watching, Always Waiting”,
Bairen U Lylr, age 61. Very little is known about Bairen Ulylr except the whispers that creep back from Broughch. He is said to enjoy whipping prisoners (or those who just “accidentally” end up there) and playing tortuous mind games with them. Ever since his defeat with the Wenderly family, Bairen has yet to leave Broughch, claiming he is too old to leave home, and no one else would come to the Broughch unless at the head of an army. For his part, Germond would like to remove Bairen, but knows it would be a difficult task, and it could cost him the support of some of the Fennacht clans that are loyal to him. So instead, they play a waiting game, Germond unwilling to remove him unless a truly desperate situation arises. Bairen has used this to his advantage to try to return to his old power, but the arrival of his bastard daughter has complicated things. While he cannot deny that she is his daughter, her attitudes, actions, and manner all threaten to undo the planning of Bairen, and if she were to become his heir, that very well might be what pushes Germond to at last finish off the U Lylr clan once and for all.
+Clever
+Diligent
_Amoral
_Cynical
_Patient
-Distant
-Cruel
-Diabolical
-Obsessed (Power, old failures)
-Arrogant
-Dishonest
Morrigan U Lylr(?), age 19(?). The only tales that escape the Broughch more frightening than the ones about Bairen are the ones that speak of Morrigan U Lylr. The base born daughter of Bairen, Morganna mysteriously emerged after the death of Bairen’s three sons. Claiming she had disappeared and had spoken with the Gods, she returned to “claim her birthright”. Bairen rejected her, and intended to make on his nephews his heir until Morrigan killed him and his sisters. Bairen was impressed, and at the very least took her into his household, though since then he has regretted his decision, seeing the actions of this child Forgoing the traditional pursuits of a noblewoman, Morrigan preferred a morningstar, each spike allegedly dipped in poison, and a whip. Tales of her misdeeds are whispered at the Broughch, that she can perform dark magic, that she will slaughter an entire village if they do not bow down low enough to her, and even that she had something to do with the death of her brothers. Aside from her battle prowess, Morrigan is very clever and manipulative, and when she is not in a psychopathic rage, has a certain beauty to her that can make her opponents hesitate.
+Attractive
+Clever
+Trained (Mace)
+Skilled (Poisons)
_Amoral
_Proactive
_Pious
-Temperamental
-Cruel
-Obsessed (Power, reputation, beauty, the gods)
-Dishonest
-Diabolical
-Depraved
-Rebellious
Abriua Ulylr, age 63. The older sister of Bairen, and to her alone, the rightful heir to her father. Her father, a much more sane and kinder (though certainly not actually kind by any stretch) man than her brother, saw his son as a monster, who dissected cats, tortured animals, and, though the father never said anything, Abriua suspected her brother had killed one of their cousins. Her father saw fit to name Abriua his heiress, and had her marry a man from a nearby Fennacht clan to help solidify her rule against a potential challenge against her brother. When her father was about to die, Bairen marched into his chambers, killed Abriua’s husband and altered their father’s will to declare him heir once more. Bairen would not kill her, and instead locked her in a tower, with naught but a tiny window and one single book “The Tales of Gimmy the Frog”. She has been locked away for 40 years, never speaking a word with anyone else, never seeing anyone else, the guards seeming to know when she is sleeping to slip food inside. She suspects she might be mute by now.
+Literary
-Distant
-Sickly
-Silent
Clan U Laidhe: An ancient clan, perhaps one of the oldest in the isles. Clan U Laidhe is a very isolated clan. It rules over a tiny castle and a few scattered hamlets, and festivals are held between hamlets so that one can meet a husband or a wife from another village. Even the U Laidhe will intermix with their subjects at tims, with very few of their consorts being from another noble clan. Their isolation is so intense, that during the Greyling invasion, the invaders did not realize the existence of Clan U Laidhe until much later, and Clan U Laidhe did not realize how badly the Fennacht had lost in their wars. While most nobility involve themselves in wars and politics, Clan U Laidhe’s first and foremost concern is their religious duties. They are the guardians of one of the oldest shrines of the Fennacht religion, its very location a secret from most. Clan U Laidhe’s head of the family is traditionally the caretaker of the site, and has a wide variety of rituals they must attend to. The importance placed on those religious duties is so high, that a younger son will be placed above their older brothers if the older brothers are not devoted enough. Though there has never been a woman head of the household, there are whispers that the current situation could cause this. With the death of numerous Clan U Laidhe members, the clan has been nearly wiped out with two members, Yiara and Jeor, remaining. Though Yiara is a bookish, pious person devoted to her faith, Jeor is more concerned about becoming a warrior. In a better time, this would not be an issue, but as it stands he is the only male heir of the Clan. In recent events, the Clan did not fight in Malcurn’s rebellion one way or the other, not particularly caring for the dispute. However, upon the ascendancy of Germond Viseaux, Germond came to visit the Clan’s home. Though he did not go to their sacred site (he had yet to convert at this point), he was received well by the U Laidhe Clan, and Germond left behind a variety of gifts for his new vassals. Many years later, much of the clan died in a mysterious sickness, though it has since disappeared. The seat of the U Laidhe Clan is Talabragus, in an ancient, but small, castle that has seen the rise and fall of numerous kings and kingdoms. Their banner is a green spiral on a grey field, their house words being “Eternal”
Yiara U Laidhe age 16: A young woman, forced to grow up quicker than she would have liked. A few years ago, a sickness spread through the family’s town, killing a good majority of the castle, including her father and one of her younger brothers. This forced Yiara to take on the running of the household and taking care of her remaining younger brother and preparing him to take over the familial duties when he comes of age, and is frustrated that he wishes to take no part in them. She currently rules over Talabragus in her brother’s name. Despite the isolation of Talabragus, some few men have tried courting her due to her status, though she has rejected all of her suitors so far.
+Kind
+Handy
+Just
+Literary
_Pious
_Idealist
Jeor U Laidhe, age 7. A stout and hardy boy, he survived the sickness that killed his father and brother. While his sister is insistent that he learns his familial and religious duties, Jeor wants nothing more to be a knight. He has begged her to allow him to become a page, but she has adamantly refused. He doesn’t pay attention to her, and instead just whines and moans. He is strong for his age though, and has begun getting into fights with other boys, usually winning.
+Hardy
-Temperamental
-Arrogant
(Today)
