House Viridian

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Overview

House Viridian (Imperial \vərˈɪdiən\ from green) is named for its association with the deep, verdant jungles of Viridia. Lore about House Viridian is typical for Great Houses of Mercatia, in that they are very famous but also keep many secrets. They are studied by historians and merchants alike.

History

House Viridian is the second-oldest Ancient Great House of Mercatia, having formed as a pirate company in the early days of the Shattered Empire of Acrolon, soon after The Realm War.

While starting as pirates, they turned to more legitimate forms of commerce when Suentius formed the Mercatian Charter. Over the centuries, they have dabbled in countless enterprises, but most consistently they have exploited the natural resources of Viridia, which they adopted as their family name. During the Dark Age, like most Great Houses, they turned to more evil forms of commerce, such as slave trade, primarily of Ferals from Viridia.

During The Change in Ledger in the early Dawn Age, the most corrupt and evil members of House Viridia were eliminated by The Turned Palm and younger powers within the family took over, and endeavors like slave trade were ended. Though greatly harmed by The Change in Ledger, they still had enough power to remain intact as a Great House of Mercatia in the present age.

Governance

House Viridian is governed through a central power structure called The Verdant Court, created through magically and legally binding contracts, primarily between family members. The leader at any given time is called the Verdant Throne, who oversees a council of board members called Verdant Crowns. There are usually 11 Verdant Crowns at any point in time. Each Verdant Crown can further organize their power structures as they see fit, but must ultimately answer to the Verdant Throne. The Verdant Court can convene to decide House business if the Throne and at least four Crowns are present.

One of the Crowns is called the High Crown, and this is the member of the House assigned to represent the House in The Conclave of Mercatia. They cast votes in official matters, and maintain the House holdings in Mercatia. It is unheard of that the High Crown votes in a way that contradicts the Verdant Court, however. It is believed that the magic of the contracts of the court prevent this.

Society

The core of the House is usually formed by 20-30 individuals. These include the Throne and Crowns, as well as their spouses, siblings, and high status cousins spanning the eldest 3 generations at any time. This represents the Verdant Court and their immediate support structures. Lines of succession are usually drawn within this group.

Outside of the core family, there are an additional 60-80 cousins and more distant relations that, combined with the core, form the Upper House. This 80-110 people represent the influential ruling body of the House at any given time. This number plunged to just eighteen members 100 years ago, during The Change in Ledger, but they have restored their members through political marriages and other family-growing unions.

Hundreds more people comprise the House Staff, or the Lower House. Some are related to the Upper House, and some are merely direct employees, or owe their allegiance for other reasons. They are still considered part of the House proper, even if only acting as agents to the Upper House. Signet rings and other heraldry identify The Court, the Upper House, and the Lower House.

Beyond the House, there are the Viridian holdings, which include countless merchant companies and other indirect employees.

Economics

The economic resources of House Viridian, like all Great Houses of Mercatia, are almost unimaginably extensive. Like all Great Houses, House Viridian has extensive interest in banking, financing, contracts, transportation, and martial capabilities.

Sources of Goods

• They have unique access to the resources of the Viridia subcontinent, which includes spices, dyes, gems, teas, perfumes, silks, exotic jungle woods, and fruit. This is their most unique source of wealth.
• Fashion and luxury services
• Shipping and maritime security (primarily for their own companies)
• Legal services and contract arbitration
• Fishing
• Agriculture (their most recent interest, based in southeast Oscillia)
• Metal smelting and tooling

Trade Routes

Much of the success of their enterprise comes from the unethical treatment of Viridia. The worst of this was of course their slave trade of Viridian natives during the Dark Age. But while that ended during The Change in Ledger, it is not well known that they still gain most of their profit from stifling the development of Viridia and exploiting its natural resources out from under its native population. This practice is done to a degree that would consider a breach of treaty with Concordia, and so is a tightly guarded secret.

Geography

The seat of House Viridian is the island of Valdessa. However, it is the dominant power in all of the Green Reach islands and most of the coastal regions of Bleakridge. Of course, like all Great Houses, House Viridian also keeps an estate in the capitol of Mercatia.

Members

The Verdant Court

These represent the current ruling members of the House, from most to least powerful.

• Carissa Viridian: The current Verdant Throne and matriarch of the family.
• Mavian Viridian: The current High Crown. Cassira's younger brother. Resides in the Mercatian estate to be close to The Conclave.
• Tavion Viridian: Cassira's second born son and presumed heir to the Verdant Throne.
• Edrion Viridian: Older brother to Cassira.
• Galyth Viridian: Cassira's third son.
• Eyza Viridian: Cassira's youngest daughter.
• Valaker Viridian: Mavian's eldest son, Cassira's nephew.
• Kairel Viridian: Tavion's eldest son, Cassira's grandson.
• Selene Viridian: Mavian's eldest daughter, Cassira's niece.
• Ysmir Viridian: Cassira's older brother, failing in health.
• Sorana Viridian: Ysmir's eldest daughter.
• Kairan Viridian: Cousin to Valaker, recently rose from Lower House.