Talk:Vampire Houses
Yeah, there's alot of edits on this page. It's 3:46 am. And I hate everything I right. Deal with it. (Also, I suck with coding)
Alrighty, I wrote up some details/history for these houses. I didn't spend a whole ton of time on the history, aside from a few, as I think specifics can be done by players in them. But I did give them a solid outline and a general... mind-set, I suppose is the right word, as well as making some of them allied to others and some enemies. I ran out of time before doing a thorough editing of it, and I tried at least in part to tie various houses together. But as always: Feel free to make changes, or edit it, or not use it, or whatever you want, Kasyr/other vampires of Vailkrin. I will not be offended if you hate it all, or want to alter it. :) Now I am done writing it (Beyond editing I might do later), it is yours to do with as you want. :) There, standard disclaimer done. Svilfon (talk) 00:21, 30 July 2013 (UTC)
House Mahara
Head(s) of Household: Lord Antonin Mahara|Lord Antonin Mahara Focus: Historians, Keepers of hidden secrets, Black Library patrons (?) Motto: Knowledge is Power Heraldry: A burning gray arcane orb on an ermined field of Royal purple Goals: Record history, track down ancient--sometimes deadly--secrets both magical and otherwise Organization Type: College arrangement, with leader serving as a Headmaster figure Common Traits: Reclusive, observant, studious, dedicated
Details/History:
One of the oldest Houses in Vailkrin, House Mahara has spent its time recording all the history which has taken place in the City of Vampires, as well as storing vast amounts of dark and arcane secrets amongst its more mundane, but still equally dangerous, knowledge of the power struggles within Vailkrin. Since it was founded, it has existed more as a school than an actual House, being entirely reclusive and far preferring to watch events unfold rather than shape the events itself. The other houses tend to leave it be, as it holds no real loyalty to any, and its only known ally is House Ginavi, and that is an alliance of knowledge rather than one of friendship. House Mahara will give information freely to those who require it, though its true secrets will always remain hidden, and thus its own usefulness to all, added to its neutrality, ensures there would be no gain to be had in its destruction... plus, with the necromantic horrors hidden within the depths of the Black Library's secret tomes... the risk will always be too great.
Known Vampires of House Mahara
House Asharam
Head(s) of Household: Lord Derrick Asharam Focus: Spies and Assassins Motto: We Will Always Complete the Mission Heraldry: Two serrated silver daggers held in an 'X' with blood on the edges Goals: To eliminate threats to the government of Vailkrin, identify political enemies and high priority targets Organization Type: Special forces, espionage Common Traits: Cunning, ruthless, dedicated
Details/History:
Always closely allied to the leading House in Vailkrin's dark streets, everything else about House Asharam is entirely shrouded in mystery. Very few who have entered its home have left again, and those few who have refuse to talk about what they saw within. Even magical compusion has proved useless in this regard. House Asharam exists as the government in Vailkrin's eyes, ears and daggers... always seeking threats and almost always being the ones to elminate them. It has been rumoured that this house has members placed in all others Houses in Vailkrin, though whether or not this is true is unknown. All that is really known about House Asharam is they are very good at what they do... and no-one who has asked too many questions about it has lived long enough to find the answers.
Known Vampires of House Asharam
House Nasar
Head(s) of Household: Lady Collete Nasar Focus: Streets and the Underworld Motto: The Puppet is a Slave to its Strings (or The Puppet is a Slave to the Hands of the Puppeteer?) Heraldry: A crimson jester's hat and silver mask on a field of black Goals: Maintain the web of criminal activity, spearhead the rumor mill, and oversee the black market Organization Type: Crime Syndicate (with the front of a secondary, rival merchant house to House Ventra?) Common Traits: Intimidating, manipulative, opportunistic
Details/History:
Where as House Ventra controls the legal merchant's rights within the city of Vailkrin, House Nasar has always controlled the underground side of such enterprises. Ostentatiously, House Nasar is a rival to House Ventra's merchant rights within the city. Secretly, it is and always has been in full control of the black market's within Vailkrin; a city which has much use for things less than legal. It's said there is nothing you could want that House Nasar cannot get, from dragon slaves to Halfling's hairy toes, the House can and will find it for you, but always the price is high. Aside from filling its cofters will ill-gotten gold, the House also maintains other criminal activities within the streets of Vailkrin, and it always has an ear to words whispered throughout the streets. Few are the rumours which other Houses learn before House Nasar, and it uses this knowledge at times like a scalpel and at other times like a meat-cleaver to remain amongst the most powerful Houses in the Vailkrin.
Known Vampires of House Nasar
- None at present
House Alnwick
Head(s) of Household: Lord Jaymes Lucianus Alnwick Focus: Politicians and Diplomats Motto: The Good of Vailkrin is All We Know Heraldry: A Scroll and Quill Goals: Extend and stabilize Vailkrin's influences Organization Type: Familial Common Traits: Unwavering loyalty to Vailkrin.
Details/History:
House Alnwick is always striving to ensure Vailkrin remains a strong influence throughout Hollow. Its members are the very epitome of politicians, aside from one fact: They are, by and large, incorruptible. They will aid houses amongst the in-fighting in Vailkrin, for the right price, but never will they do anything which would harm Vailkrin in the eyes of others. There are rumors that House Alnwick believes the city is a living God whose will must be done... a will that is said to include it rising to a level of power not seen for thousands of years... until Vailkrin is the most powerful city in all of Lithrydel. As is to be expected, they are allied closely to the leading house of the city, though in years past they have not hesitated to destroy that leading house if the paths it was walking were not the right ones for Vailkrin.
Known Vampires of House Alnwick
House Torrador
Head(s) of Household: Lady Lorraine Torrador Focus: Arts and High Society Motto: Perseverance to Preserve Heraldry: A golden crown with ornate jewels, and a mighty divinating scepter, on an ermined field of violet and black Goals: Upholding culture and civilization, maintaining the appearance of vampires as a refined race Organization Type: Familial Common Traits: Aloof, conceited, civilly withdrawn
Details/History:
Having made vast sums of gold when Vailkrin was still young through various and often suspicious means - the true amount is still a legend amongst the vampires of Vailkrin - House Torrador lives as one would expect when anything you could ever want is within the grasp of your ring-coated fingers. They live lavish lives, untouched by poverty from the moment they draw their final breath until the moment their unbeating heart is torn from their body. They are seen as conceited by all other Houses and have no allies within Vailkrin, but in truth they do not need them: All of the lesser houses owe money to House Torrador, and all the mighty Houses know the dangers of messing with the wealthy house. Their obscenely decadent home is guarded by a mighty mercenary force, made up of members from all the other races in Hollow. And with near limitless gold behind them, the other Houses know Torrador could bring armies into the city with the call of their wealth. As such, they are mostly left alone to uphold the illusion of Vampire civility and refinement.
Known Vampires of House Torrador
House Ventra
Head(s) of Household: Lady Meliana Ventra Focus: Merchants and business Motto: For the Homeland and Prosperity Heraldry: A golden chimera beast with the head of a lion, eagle, and hydra, on a divided field of evergreen and black Goals: Recovering, building and maintaining Vailkrin's economy Organization Type: Merchant Guild, the Household head serving as the most experienced and skilled merchant among them Common Traits: Shrewd traders, diplomatic, long-sighted in goals and investments
Details/History: House Ventra is one of the youngest Houses within Vailkrin, having been formed when there was a succession battle within House Torrador. One of the siblings who sought control realized towards the end of the in-house-war that he would lose, so taking but a fraction of House Torrador's wealth, he fled. His brother, for reasons unknown to most, never sought his death and instead seemed content with the prize of House Torrador. With the stolen wealth, the exiled brother invested in merchants, ships upon seas he'd never seen - from fishing vessels to pirate ships -, and setting up caravans to take Vailkrin's few sought after exports all around Lithrydel; it did not take too long for him to gain control of the everyday merchant dealings within Vailkrin. The House's chief rival is House Nasar, but no sword has ever been drawn by either House against the other. Both only want gold, and both understand Ventra rules the honest merchants, Nasar the shady ones. It is an unspoken truce between them which means both have the peace required to make both themselves and their city ever richer.
Known Vampires of House Ventra
House Ladaeth
Head(s) of Household: Lord Mikael Ladaeth Focus: Bladesingers Motto: We are Warriors Heraldry: A bronze chest plate of armor with white and blue thorns wrapping it Goals: Further bladesinger studies, serve as bodyguards to political and noble family figures Organization Type: Family-esque military Common Traits: Disciplined, zealous
Details/History:
House Ladaeth is a home to some of the most powerful warriors in Vailkrin: The Bladesingers. Often this house will be called upon to guard the merchant caravans which leave Vailkrin, or to guard the homes of powerful houses during the rare times their gates are open to visitors. They care little for Vailkrin, nothing for wealth, and are the only house to openly scorn House Torrador, whom they hold in the highest disdain. The lives of House Ladaeth's vampires are spent honing their minds and bodies with a zealotry rarely seen. They abhor decadence more than anything, and everything about their home and lives reflects this. Aside from their hatred for House Torrador, they are otherwise kept out of the political manoeuvres within Vailkrin, instead performing the task of guarding those who play the great game and any others who pay the ridiculously high cost for their services... and never once has it been said a single copper was wasted in hiring them, such is the power and reputation of the Bladesingers in House Ladaeth.
Known Vampires of House Ladaeth
- None at present
Head(s) of Household: Lady Alesha Ginavi Focus: Necromantic arts Motto: Service Beyond Death Heraldry: A roaring bronze dragon skeleton on a diamond field of black and white Goals: Push the boundaries of necromancy, discover and pioneer new magics within the elements of Death Organization Type: Mage's Circle, leader serving as the High Mage of the House Common Traits: Sadistic, callous, somewhat vain
Details/History:
One of the stronger Houses within Vailkrin, House Ginavi is entirely dedicated to the Black Arts. Their necromantic prowess is rumoured to be almost as powerful as the Necromancer Guild itself, and many vampiric students from the Guild find themselves placed within this home when their power has been proven. House Ginavi is always striving to push the boundaries of what is possible with dark magic and their home is often a grotesque symphony of horrific screams and mutilated cries which come from the victims within. House Ginavi has only one known enemy house in Vailkrin, that being House Markhan, whose purely scientific research is seen as obscene to the magical workings of House Ginavi, and its only known ally is House Mahara, the keepers of House Ginavi's secrets. The House exists only for nercomantic power. Nothing else is important.
House Markan
Head(s) of Household: Lord Alexander Markan Focus: Scientists and Inventors Motto: In the Pursuit of Science Heraldry: A set of golden cogs on a midnight field Goals: Scientific advancement over magical Organization Type: Unknown, secretive Common Traits: Unhinged, leaning toward insanity, reclusive
Details/History:
Though, hated by other houses, most especially House Ginavi, House Markan is entirely ignorant to this fact. In truth, it's hard to know for sure whether they are even aware there are other Houses. Rarely do they leave their home, the only visitors come from House Ventra, for legally acquired goods to be used for their research, and House Nasar, for the less legally acquired goods which they need for their experiments. The members of this House are entirely dedicated to learning science, being amongst some of the greatest alchemists in the land, and they believe magic and those who use it are ignorant to the truth of life: Knowledge and Power comes from Science only, not from waving magical wands and saying pretty strings of words. But even the mages who know of this insulting mind-set would never act upon it. Who can guess what guards House Markan? Who could ever imagine what creations they have made to ensure they are not bothered? None who hold any remnants of sanity, that's for sure. Because those scientists within House Markan long ago gave up the stability of their minds for the pursuit of pure knowledge, and somewhat ironically, none are sane enough to think this may not have been the greatest idea. All that matters is science, everything else is a distraction.
Known Vampires of House Markan
- None at present