PhalonCalinSettingInfo
Major Noble Houses of Calin.
House Jiraya: A political House. Traditionally the House that sets the trends in court, despite its age House Jiraiya has seen only two Shoguns from its line. This seems to suit the house fine, since then it gets to be advisors to the throne. Most of its money comes from its monopoly on the textiles trade and the sometimes overpriced garb nobles are expected to wear. After all, if you set the fashion trends why not profit from them?
House Riyoko: A troubled House. Maintaining a firm grip an almost all of the slave trade to go through Calin, several disasters have recently beset this once grand major House. The mysterious raids on slave caravans seemed to have increased over the last year as if the withdrawal of Realm presence was finally complete and no one could oppose the mastermind behind these raids which leave no survivors. The house is currently relying on its naval contracts to keep the House afloat but with the Realm Civil War entering full swing, who knows how long the shipping lanes will remain safe?
House Struan: The ancient House. Able to trace a proud lineage all the way back to the bloody days of the Usurpation, or so they say, House Struan maintains the highest pedigree of blood of all the houses of Calin. Claiming descent from the very Dragon Blooded who pacified the area after the overthrow of the anathema the House certainly has fortune enough to back its claims even if the amount of Exalted children it produces these days are slim. They maintain a majority of important trade contracts in Calin, including the exclusive right to trade in First Age artefacts.
House Orthell: The archivist House. Famed for its scholars and its library, House Orthell is seen as the guardians of knowledge threatened to be lost. While nowhere near rivalling the libraries of the Heptagram or Lookshy in terms of arcane knowledge, Hose Orthell claims the prestige of having the most extensive and well written history of the world since the Usurpation. It maintains a good relationship with House Struan, although it would dearly love to get its hands on their lineage records to add to their own vaults.
House Gether: The Dragon Blooded House. The House from which the current Shogun hails, House Gether also provides Calin with the majority of its Dragon Blooded warriors. For which the people are thankful during these troubled times. Without their might, surely chaos would have already overtaken the lands, especially with the withdrawal of what little Realm presence remained in the country with the advent of the Civil War. Since it is also the most militaristic of all the Houses, its armies are well received at the moment too.
Minor Noble Houses of Calin:
House Hatsuo: A recently risen merchant family, House Hatsuo pulled itself into the spotlight with careful financial planning and ruthless political acuity. Having gained control of almost all the silk trade in Calin, the ruthless head of the family, Hiro Hatsuo, is known as the most cunning man in Calin. Although rumours of internal familial problems abound, the strong ties between House Hatsuo and House Riyoko stop rumours going much further.
House Minerva: A House with a history almost as long as House Struan’s, House Minerva has always been content to stay low key. Operating most of the ‘Houses of Pleasure’ (and controlling the rest, or so it is said) in Calin and providing ‘Escort and Companionship’ services for both males and females from the noble blood of their own House, house Minerva is probably the House with the most information on any of the other noble Houses, minor or major. They maintained good relationships with House Cynis before the Civil War cut contact.
House Larszetzes: A fallen House, Larszetzes used to be one of the major Houses until a Shogun fdrom their number proved to be… bad for the country. Since then the House’s fortunes have dwindled and their favour has become all but non-existent. It is only a matter of time before the House disappears completely. But then again, desperate Houses are capable of desperate actions…
House Loerte: The House of magistrates. Boasting an occasional Dragon Blooded scion, the house is still reeling form the murder of its most notable personality, Akiko Loerte, the Azure Crane. Banditry is up in areas not controlled by the Gether military, and many are crying out foe the House to tell it’s scions to stop mourning and get back to their jobs.
House Iriche: A new House whose fortunes have been built around the accomplishments of one man: Horus Iriche. A weaponsmith of unparalleled skill, it is rumoured that his creations are due to mystical blood in the family. The House has little idea of politics and nobility, however, so it is likely their fortune will last only as long as Horus’ creations fascinate the nobility.
House Getsui: A House of farmers and merchants. Rather than being of a stable bloodline, the House is more like a Union for the workers of Calin and was formed by House Jiraya centuries ago as a way of keeping the political power out of farming. The project has met with mixed success based on how corrupt the current heads of the House are.
House Denius: The ambassadorial House. Sponsored by the five major Houses, Denius is a bloodline of pretty men and women created through careful intermarriage of the other noble houses to produce diplomats of pleasing appearance. They are used as envoys whenever Calin needs to send an ambassador to speak in its name as they are not too important that if something goes wrong they will be missed too much… Some of the scions of this House are aware of the disposable attitude the other Houses seem to take towards them, but so far it seems their loyalty to Calin has prevented anything other than minor murmurs of mistreatment from the House who survives only based on the favour of the other Houses.
Places of note:
Port Calin: Capital of the country and also its major port city, Port Calin is the largest, busiest and most influential city in Calin. Home to the Great Game and the Palace of the Shogun, Port Calin is a dominant feature to all whose lives are based in Calin.
Eberret Forest: Always maintaining a haunted reputation, this forest a week’s north travel of Port Calin and close to the Lookshy border has recently become the centre of more… horrific tales. No caravans pass within two day’s travel of it anymore, and some say that those who catch sight of it are due for death within a week. House Gether is currently trying to gain popular support for a military incursion to inspect the dread forest, but support is not quickly coming to its efforts.
Morrimer Cairns: A series of low hills in the eastern region of Calin, these seemingly always sunny hills are a mystery to those that know of them. With such favourable conditions, it is said, why have they not been settled already? Indeed, it seems as if House Riyoko has had plans for a settlement to be built there for over two hundred years now. Perhaps it is the rumours of the tombs of ancient heroes under the hills which prevent any one House from gaining ownership of the land? For now it seems that this particular area will remain a curiosity for those who know of its mysterious lack of exploitation.
Lookshy Coastal Redoubt (Calin Redoubt): A mere half day’s travel north of the Calin/ Lookshy border, this coastal fort also sports a nearby market town that is the main point of trade between Lookshy and Calin. Since it is also connected to the heliograph system, it is the fastest way for Calin to get a message to other major cities of the Scavenger Lands.
Persons of Note:
Shogun Maximus Gether: An aged and respected man, Maximus has ruled Calin now for fifty three years. Gaining the throne while in his thirties, Maximus is now an old and wizened man whose aging body houses a still keen mind. It seems he saw these troubling times approaching as the slow build up of Calin’s military since the disappearance of the Empress is now much appreciated. It is said he will not last much longer however, as rumours of a prophesy fortelling his imminent death are circling the streets of Port Calin. The magisters and military due much to quash such speculation of the wise man’s demise, but one must wonder how the rumours started…
Autellia Cynis: The last remaining Realm representative in Calin, the patrician Autellia is well known for her raucous parties as she is for her beauty and complete disregard of her set duties. If you want a good time just call on her house. If you want to talk to the Realm, it would be better to find out who still runs it for her. House Minerva gaurds its almost exclusive access to her parties jealously, however, and all invites to talk to her or her staff are bought through them.
Lamentations of the Wind: The rarely seen, but much admired by the ladies of the Court, ambassador from Thorns. Little more is known about him other than his ability to charm those around him and of his achingly handsome good looks. He has not been seen in the city for almost four months now, and his approach is always greeted with equal amounts fear and anticipation. Who wants the eye of the mask of Winters to fall on Calin, after all?
Horus Iriche: A troubled, practical man who seems glad that his calling in life is what has made him famous: weapon smithing. He tries to ignore the way he seems to be being used as a political tool by the Houses even as his own family tries to secure the lifeline thrown to them due to their patriarch’s highly regarded skill. Still, many wonder where this seemingly ordinary man’s seemingly supernatural talent comes from. If any in his family know, they guard that secret as desperately as they attempt to make themselves a true noble House.
Adjutant Shoi-fong Taroketu: Lookshy’s official ambassador to Calin. More often found in the Calin Redoubt than in the country proper, the woman seems more interested in advancing her own military career than in her duties as the ambassador to Calin. The rumour that her family had her assigned to Calin to keep her out of the military and in the family’s business only seems to sour her mood when mentioned around her.
Quillan Gornt: The Guild representative to Calin. A jovial if somewhat portly man, Gornt is a welcome face at Court and parties due to the fine food and wine he inevitably brings to the party, whether as a gift or as a purchase from his organisation. Referred to cheerfully as ‘Mr. Gornt’ by those who know of his reputation the only weakness he is known to hold is an appreciation of pretty women.
Raek Struan: There has always been a Raek Struan in the Courts of Calin. A steady, unchanging appearance that points to the purity of blood in House Struan, Raek the Second, current incumbent of the title, merely smiles when he is asked why, despite not being the second to bear the name, he has that title. Viewed as more mysterious than his predecessor, who passed away twenty years ago, Raek seems to have found a second wind in recent years. The amount of projects commissioned under his name has doubled. The rumours about him seem more tightly controlled. The Shogun bends his ear to the canny politician on an almost daily basis when Raek is in the city. It is obvious he is making some sort of move, but the question on everyone’s lips is: Which way will he lead Calin?
Victoria Struan: A child prodigy of House Struan, Victioria’s accomplishments in the field of thaumaturgy already have people buzzing about what is to come. The only daughter of the Struan matriarch Madeline and apparent successor to the family head the young woman is generating much interest in court. Rumours abound that Raek is also viewing her as his disciple and both the friends and enemies of the house are watching her next move very carefully.
Takeshi the Arrow: Famous disciple of the late Akiko the Azure Crane, it only astonishes people that he seems to not just be filling her shoes, but doing very well at it. Looked up to by many of the magistrates who feel their positions and authority is crumbling around them he still remains a favourite topic of gossip in the Courts after his impassioned speech to the Shogun following his mistress’ death. There is already a fanciful novel based on the supposed romance between the two, even if the names are changed. The fact that Takeshi is ‘straight as an arrow’ and seems to ignore the political buzz around him only makes him all the more appealing.
Kai Hatsuo: The Black Sheep of House Hatsuo. An up and coming man in the navy, most have heard of his name if not his reputation as a competent soldier. An interesting person to watch, certainly, since it is people like him who will decide the fate of the country’s military. The ‘bad business’ between Kai and his father is almost legendary in the Courts.
