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House Slumberwood
Race: Ailor
Culture: Ânia
Lineage: Carnvaal
Titles: Duchy of Rumvalia
Colors: Matte Red, Black, Sunrise Orange
Religion: Publicly, Unionist. Privately, Evolutionary Cultism.
Physical Traits: Black hair, Porcelain complexion, Tall
Values: Familial Loyalty, Intelligence, Strength, the Occult
Family Trade: Lumber, Art.
Race: Ailor
Culture: Ânia
Lineage: Carnvaal
Titles: Duchy of Rumvalia
Colors: Matte Red, Black, Sunrise Orange
Religion: Publicly, Unionist. Privately, Evolutionary Cultism.
Physical Traits: Black hair, Porcelain complexion, Tall
Values: Familial Loyalty, Intelligence, Strength, the Occult
Family Trade: Lumber, Art.
House Overview
House Slumberwood is a noble family known for its eccentric and often macabre traditions and mannerisms. With a line that dates back to the first days of Anian culture, the family is a prominent advocate for the often considered cursed people. While the family is Anian in culture, it continues to represent all Baldmarkian cultures in the holy city as it rules over Dvala, Anian, Byalan, and Szabadok lands. All the while it holds its darker more occult practices behind a silk curtain of graces and debauchery.Family History
There is a shorter history and longer history. The longer one is in a spoiler and anyone outside the family does not have to read it especially since much of it is ICly secret.
House Slumberwood was formed in Baldmark during the early days of the Anian people at the start of the third century. It would go on to acquire significant amounts of wealth locally through the export of lumber products to surrounding villages for the construction and expansion that was going on during this time in the region.. It is known to have been involved as a minor player in the Order of the Black Dragon that beat back the Szabadok raiders during the Regalian Pessimism, though due to its relatively small role has little beyond this recorded about its place supporting it. The family would go on to reside in Anian lands for decades following, various patriarchs attaining small family properties over the years. The family, while it had for many years acted as a significant underlying force in the politics of the dukelands, really came to power following the choice by its then-patriarch, Marius Slumberwood, and a small entourage of family members to travel to the empire's capital in 307 A.C.There is a shorter history and longer history. The longer one is in a spoiler and anyone outside the family does not have to read it especially since much of it is ICly secret.
In the capital, the family was able to build itself up to a more prominent place in empire-wide politics and eventually was able to take advantage of the long period of chaos during the winter of that year. Following the total rebellion against the Peirgarten Chancellery by Baldmark and various other regions of the empire, House Slumberwood was able to step in and use its status as an aristocratic family to purchase a small mercenary force that it used, along with an alliance with the neighboring rival of Theos negotiated by Merdoc Slumberwood, to crush the Baldmarkian duchy of Kravalia under the guise of loyalty to the state. The duchy had been, at the time, not paying its mandated taxes and refused to the state which allowed House Slumberwood to claim that it was acting out of loyalty to the state that allowed it to annex the lands and begin paying taxes under the name of the grand mayorship of Silmark. This claim ultimately went uncontested and saw Marius Slumberwood recognized as a grand mayor by the emperor, likely due to Silmark being the only tax paying entity in Baldmark or Hellaria at the time while the state needed funds desperately to contest the northern rebellion. This unbridled ambition would once again be shown when not long after the rebellions against the state had been quelled a new preternatural threat emerged.
The occult beasts known as the 'clickers' had arisen throughout the empire in the early months of 308 A.C. and were ravaging the unprepared citizens of Baldmark. House Slumberwood began coordinating relief efforts throughout much of Baldmark and picking up the reigns of power where corrupt or unprepared rulers had failed. This event allowed the house to consolidate power over much of the dukelands placing it as the ruler of the majority of Baldmark that it is now. Following this event the family moved its capital to its home province of Rumvalia becoming the total rulers of the curs-ed province and exerting a great deal of influence over many surrounding Baldmarkian regions.
Prologue
The Balerwyn family was a small mercantile family located in Rumvalia, just outside of Dracali. Traditionally Byala, the family became Anian around the same time as the rest of Rumvalia. In 205 AC, Drahoslav Balerwyn, son of Vladislav Balerwyn, took control of the family when his father died. Drahoslav married Adelina Balerwyn three years later, but not before having two bastard children…
Part I, Abandonment
Marius Slumberwood was born on October 21st 207 AC as Toma de Dracali along with his twin sister Alina who was then known as Claudia. The two were born bastards in Dracali to Clara, a Breizh immigrant from Morlaz, and Drahoslav Balerwyn. Drahoslav had an affair with Clara, resulting in the two's conception. Clara attempted to sway Drahoslav to take in the children but he threatened her and them. Due to these threats, Clara took the children to the capital city within Rakkai.
Clara raised the children, learned Etsoian over time and worked within the city. Toma and Claudia were raised not knowing who their father was. Growing up on the streets, the two didn't need to know. The rough life they lead encouraged mistrust and cruelty in the two, though perhaps that was in their blood as well. When they were 15, Claudia demanded to know who their father was from their mother. She relented, informing them that he was a wealthy merchant in Rumvalia and that he had threatened them so as to keep the children a secret from his family.
Part II, A New Father
The revelation of who their father was and what he had done drove the children further into cynicism and dislike for the world outside of their little family. They wanted vengeance. They wanted their father's wealth, and his life. This drive of theirs was reckless, incompetant even. They regularly got into trouble, fighting and stealing from those who marginally slighted them. It was not until the pair were nearly 25 that they found a focusing lens for their disdain. A vampire by the name of Stavros.
Stavros was an Alais who was working as the steward for an aristocratic house within Rakkai, finding great success in his endeavours with the augmentations that the vampiric curse gave him. Stavros had observed the young adults from his home and had indeed intended to drain the two at first. His final decision was to train the two, teach them how to hide amongst the rich and powerful and once they had learned, turn them.
Toma and Claudia became apprentices of Stavros, learning etiquette and how to keep their emotions close to their chest. The fiery youths that the two had been for the past decade were slowly refined into deceitful, cunning agents under the tutelage of Stavros. Finally, after three years of learning, Stravos turned the two into vampires. Surprisingly to him, the two did not change much in their mannerisms or personality. He even remarked to them soon after their turning that they seemed to be sanguine at heart all along.
Though their anger had been refined, the two still lusted after revenge and told their vampiric tutor of their father, and the wealth he possessed. Intrigued, Stavros traveled to Rumvalia to see what he could find out about the Balerwyn's. After around six months, he returned and told the twins that he had found their father, and a way to get to him and his family.
Part III, Destruction and Ascension
After goodbye's with their mother, who did not know of their vampirism, they departed for Rumvalia. During the trip, Stavros taught them the basics of Annore so that they could properly work under the Balerwyn's as servants. For the next year, Toma and Claudia worked with Stavros as personal servants to the Balerwyn family in the family's small estate just outside of Dracali. During this time they gathered what information they could on the family, learning of the dysfunctional nature of it. Drahoslav was abusive to his son, Vlad, regularly beating him and his wife, Adelina, neglected both of them in favor of wine and parties with local merchants and aristocrats.
Toma befriended Vlad, working his way into the young man's head and thought process. Toma stirred the pot of Vlad's disdain for his family and the life that he had. In many ways, Toma saw himself in Vlad and made the decision to spare him when the time came to enact revenge. Claudia worked closely under Adelina Balerwyn, and despite growing to hate the life that the woman led, learned valuable information on who Adelina's friend's were and who might catch on to the deaths of Adelina and Drahoslav.
When the time finally came, Toma, Claudia and Stavros, now heads in their respective sections of the Balerwyn family staff, dismissed the other servants for the night. They dragged the family out of bed and bound them in the sitting room. Toma made a point to remind Vlad of the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his parents, and told him that there was a better life waiting for him. Drahoslav was furious, who were these servants to think that they could do this? Didn't they know who he was? Toma only smiled, and told Drahoslav that they knew very well who he was. He told the Balerwyn that they were his bastard children who he threatened to have killed along with their mother. Drahoslav lost the color in his face and went silent, realizing that the mistake he had made nearly 30 years ago had come to bite back. Toma grabbed Drahoslav and bit into his throat, drinking most of his blood. Unbeknownst to the others present in the room, he gave Drahoslav The Vampiric Bite, intent on torturing Drahoslav later, and using him as a tool against Vlad if he needed to.
Claudia bit into Adelina, draining her completely. This left a scared and weeping Vlad, who Stavros knocked unconscious. They had succeeded, but there was one loose end that Toma couldn't allow. He drew a knife and stabbed Stavros, the surprised vampire not even realizing what was happening until the knife had been dragged along his belly from left to right. Stavros fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and died.
Claudia and Toma kept Vlad locked away in his room while they took hold of the Balerwyn assets, using the framing of Stavros for the murders of Adelina and Drahoslav as a way to gain local favor. Toma spoke frequently with Vlad during this time, reminding him of how their father treated him, how Vlad's mother treated him. This, with Toma's Kindness, and the promise of immortality, led to Vlad joining them and officially declaring them as Balerwyn's, lost for decades, only to be found amidst a tragedy. Now, seen as a full blooded, and the eldest, son of Drahoslav Balerwyn, Toma had complete hold of the family.
Claudia returned to Rakkai to fetch Clara, turning her into a vampire as well. Now that the family was together, they set their sights on expansion. For a decade, the family grew their wealth to be one of the more prominent merchant families in Dracali, allowing them to buy land with a ruined castle on it. This castle was rather large, but in disrepair. Toma and Claudia, as well as Vlad, wished to be rid of their father's cursed name, and to not have their accomplishments tied to him, due to this, they renamed themselves to Moraborli, translating to common as Deadwood or Slumberwood. The land purchase of their castle was made under this new name. To solidify the end of the Balerwyns, the Balerwyn family estate was burned down with four corpses inside to pose as the Balerwyns.
Part IV, Death of a family, Birth of a new
With liquid wealth they had kept on hand, along with their castle, the new family, Slumberwood, invested and regrew what wealth they had lost in the transfer. Toma took on the name Valentin, Caludia took the name Melita, Vlad took the name Velkan and Clara took the name Irina. They remained rather secluded and away from the public eye during this time so as to not stir up suspicion that they were actually the Balerwyns.
While the family did little in the form of growing wealth, they rebuilt their castle and made allies in the local towns. During this time a traveling troupe of performers came through and one caught Valentin's eye. An Ithanian woman with long black hair, porcelain skin and grey eyes. Her name was Severet Larue and her and Valentin became infatuated with each other. Along with her beauty came a life story of betrayal and murder. She was a killer, just like him, though not a vampire. Valentin made the executive decision to turn her and the two were married not long after.
Similarly, Melita fell for a Shilot man known as Houran. Theirs was more gradual, however and went through more traditional courting, one of the few times she wasn't taking the lead. In the end though, Melita and Houran were married
Both pairs began to have children, first Valentin and Severet, and then Melita did as well. The children grew up in the mostly reconstructed Slumberwood castle and with a growing family, Melita and Valentin sought out ways to grow their power.
Part V, Szabadok
For Vampires, often catastrophe breeds opportunity and this was no different for the Slumberwood's. When the Szabadok attacked Rumvalia, they were some of the first to defend, Melita leading her personal troops into battle and fighting Szabadok raiders off. Valentin used his stealth abilities and intrigue to kill leaders of the Szabadok covertly. During the time of unrest in Rumvalia, the Slumberwood's wealth grew and they officially became aristocratic.
During the last days of the fighting between Rumvalians and the Szabadok, Melita faked her death at the hands of Szabadok and went into hiding within the Slumberwood castle. Valentin continued ruling the family for a time before also faking his death and joining his sister in hiding. Temporarily the family was run by their brother, though in reality they pulled the strings from behind the curtain.
Part VI, Tragedy
The leadership of the family cycled for the next few decades and in 298 AC, the family was struck with tragedy, or at least, Valentin, now going by Marius was. Severet, his beloved, was kidnapped by werebeasts, presumed dead, though no one saw her die. Marius went deep into depression, heavy drinking and seclusion. He only ever left his room in the castle to feed and remained this way for five years. At the end of the five years, Melita had taken on her new identity of Alina and their brother as Merdoc. The three set their eyes to the holy city.
Part VII, New beginnings
Marius was the first of the family to go to the crown isle, wanting to get away from Rumvalia while also expanding the family's wealth. It was 307 AC when he arrived, just before the dread war and when the war began he acted as a scout for the Regalian Military, being present during the final battle of the war. Merdoc and Alina later arrived, along with Marius's son, Aven. The group worked together in Regalia to raise their families name and during the Clicker Crisis, they took much of Baldmark for themselves, raising the family to nobility and Marius to the title of Baron.
The Balerwyn family was a small mercantile family located in Rumvalia, just outside of Dracali. Traditionally Byala, the family became Anian around the same time as the rest of Rumvalia. In 205 AC, Drahoslav Balerwyn, son of Vladislav Balerwyn, took control of the family when his father died. Drahoslav married Adelina Balerwyn three years later, but not before having two bastard children…
Part I, Abandonment
Marius Slumberwood was born on October 21st 207 AC as Toma de Dracali along with his twin sister Alina who was then known as Claudia. The two were born bastards in Dracali to Clara, a Breizh immigrant from Morlaz, and Drahoslav Balerwyn. Drahoslav had an affair with Clara, resulting in the two's conception. Clara attempted to sway Drahoslav to take in the children but he threatened her and them. Due to these threats, Clara took the children to the capital city within Rakkai.
Clara raised the children, learned Etsoian over time and worked within the city. Toma and Claudia were raised not knowing who their father was. Growing up on the streets, the two didn't need to know. The rough life they lead encouraged mistrust and cruelty in the two, though perhaps that was in their blood as well. When they were 15, Claudia demanded to know who their father was from their mother. She relented, informing them that he was a wealthy merchant in Rumvalia and that he had threatened them so as to keep the children a secret from his family.
Part II, A New Father
The revelation of who their father was and what he had done drove the children further into cynicism and dislike for the world outside of their little family. They wanted vengeance. They wanted their father's wealth, and his life. This drive of theirs was reckless, incompetant even. They regularly got into trouble, fighting and stealing from those who marginally slighted them. It was not until the pair were nearly 25 that they found a focusing lens for their disdain. A vampire by the name of Stavros.
Stavros was an Alais who was working as the steward for an aristocratic house within Rakkai, finding great success in his endeavours with the augmentations that the vampiric curse gave him. Stavros had observed the young adults from his home and had indeed intended to drain the two at first. His final decision was to train the two, teach them how to hide amongst the rich and powerful and once they had learned, turn them.
Toma and Claudia became apprentices of Stavros, learning etiquette and how to keep their emotions close to their chest. The fiery youths that the two had been for the past decade were slowly refined into deceitful, cunning agents under the tutelage of Stavros. Finally, after three years of learning, Stravos turned the two into vampires. Surprisingly to him, the two did not change much in their mannerisms or personality. He even remarked to them soon after their turning that they seemed to be sanguine at heart all along.
Though their anger had been refined, the two still lusted after revenge and told their vampiric tutor of their father, and the wealth he possessed. Intrigued, Stavros traveled to Rumvalia to see what he could find out about the Balerwyn's. After around six months, he returned and told the twins that he had found their father, and a way to get to him and his family.
Part III, Destruction and Ascension
After goodbye's with their mother, who did not know of their vampirism, they departed for Rumvalia. During the trip, Stavros taught them the basics of Annore so that they could properly work under the Balerwyn's as servants. For the next year, Toma and Claudia worked with Stavros as personal servants to the Balerwyn family in the family's small estate just outside of Dracali. During this time they gathered what information they could on the family, learning of the dysfunctional nature of it. Drahoslav was abusive to his son, Vlad, regularly beating him and his wife, Adelina, neglected both of them in favor of wine and parties with local merchants and aristocrats.
Toma befriended Vlad, working his way into the young man's head and thought process. Toma stirred the pot of Vlad's disdain for his family and the life that he had. In many ways, Toma saw himself in Vlad and made the decision to spare him when the time came to enact revenge. Claudia worked closely under Adelina Balerwyn, and despite growing to hate the life that the woman led, learned valuable information on who Adelina's friend's were and who might catch on to the deaths of Adelina and Drahoslav.
When the time finally came, Toma, Claudia and Stavros, now heads in their respective sections of the Balerwyn family staff, dismissed the other servants for the night. They dragged the family out of bed and bound them in the sitting room. Toma made a point to remind Vlad of the abuse he had suffered at the hands of his parents, and told him that there was a better life waiting for him. Drahoslav was furious, who were these servants to think that they could do this? Didn't they know who he was? Toma only smiled, and told Drahoslav that they knew very well who he was. He told the Balerwyn that they were his bastard children who he threatened to have killed along with their mother. Drahoslav lost the color in his face and went silent, realizing that the mistake he had made nearly 30 years ago had come to bite back. Toma grabbed Drahoslav and bit into his throat, drinking most of his blood. Unbeknownst to the others present in the room, he gave Drahoslav The Vampiric Bite, intent on torturing Drahoslav later, and using him as a tool against Vlad if he needed to.
Claudia bit into Adelina, draining her completely. This left a scared and weeping Vlad, who Stavros knocked unconscious. They had succeeded, but there was one loose end that Toma couldn't allow. He drew a knife and stabbed Stavros, the surprised vampire not even realizing what was happening until the knife had been dragged along his belly from left to right. Stavros fell to his knees, clutching his stomach and died.
Claudia and Toma kept Vlad locked away in his room while they took hold of the Balerwyn assets, using the framing of Stavros for the murders of Adelina and Drahoslav as a way to gain local favor. Toma spoke frequently with Vlad during this time, reminding him of how their father treated him, how Vlad's mother treated him. This, with Toma's Kindness, and the promise of immortality, led to Vlad joining them and officially declaring them as Balerwyn's, lost for decades, only to be found amidst a tragedy. Now, seen as a full blooded, and the eldest, son of Drahoslav Balerwyn, Toma had complete hold of the family.
Claudia returned to Rakkai to fetch Clara, turning her into a vampire as well. Now that the family was together, they set their sights on expansion. For a decade, the family grew their wealth to be one of the more prominent merchant families in Dracali, allowing them to buy land with a ruined castle on it. This castle was rather large, but in disrepair. Toma and Claudia, as well as Vlad, wished to be rid of their father's cursed name, and to not have their accomplishments tied to him, due to this, they renamed themselves to Moraborli, translating to common as Deadwood or Slumberwood. The land purchase of their castle was made under this new name. To solidify the end of the Balerwyns, the Balerwyn family estate was burned down with four corpses inside to pose as the Balerwyns.
Part IV, Death of a family, Birth of a new
With liquid wealth they had kept on hand, along with their castle, the new family, Slumberwood, invested and regrew what wealth they had lost in the transfer. Toma took on the name Valentin, Caludia took the name Melita, Vlad took the name Velkan and Clara took the name Irina. They remained rather secluded and away from the public eye during this time so as to not stir up suspicion that they were actually the Balerwyns.
While the family did little in the form of growing wealth, they rebuilt their castle and made allies in the local towns. During this time a traveling troupe of performers came through and one caught Valentin's eye. An Ithanian woman with long black hair, porcelain skin and grey eyes. Her name was Severet Larue and her and Valentin became infatuated with each other. Along with her beauty came a life story of betrayal and murder. She was a killer, just like him, though not a vampire. Valentin made the executive decision to turn her and the two were married not long after.
Similarly, Melita fell for a Shilot man known as Houran. Theirs was more gradual, however and went through more traditional courting, one of the few times she wasn't taking the lead. In the end though, Melita and Houran were married
Both pairs began to have children, first Valentin and Severet, and then Melita did as well. The children grew up in the mostly reconstructed Slumberwood castle and with a growing family, Melita and Valentin sought out ways to grow their power.
Part V, Szabadok
For Vampires, often catastrophe breeds opportunity and this was no different for the Slumberwood's. When the Szabadok attacked Rumvalia, they were some of the first to defend, Melita leading her personal troops into battle and fighting Szabadok raiders off. Valentin used his stealth abilities and intrigue to kill leaders of the Szabadok covertly. During the time of unrest in Rumvalia, the Slumberwood's wealth grew and they officially became aristocratic.
During the last days of the fighting between Rumvalians and the Szabadok, Melita faked her death at the hands of Szabadok and went into hiding within the Slumberwood castle. Valentin continued ruling the family for a time before also faking his death and joining his sister in hiding. Temporarily the family was run by their brother, though in reality they pulled the strings from behind the curtain.
Part VI, Tragedy
The leadership of the family cycled for the next few decades and in 298 AC, the family was struck with tragedy, or at least, Valentin, now going by Marius was. Severet, his beloved, was kidnapped by werebeasts, presumed dead, though no one saw her die. Marius went deep into depression, heavy drinking and seclusion. He only ever left his room in the castle to feed and remained this way for five years. At the end of the five years, Melita had taken on her new identity of Alina and their brother as Merdoc. The three set their eyes to the holy city.
Part VII, New beginnings
Marius was the first of the family to go to the crown isle, wanting to get away from Rumvalia while also expanding the family's wealth. It was 307 AC when he arrived, just before the dread war and when the war began he acted as a scout for the Regalian Military, being present during the final battle of the war. Merdoc and Alina later arrived, along with Marius's son, Aven. The group worked together in Regalia to raise their families name and during the Clicker Crisis, they took much of Baldmark for themselves, raising the family to nobility and Marius to the title of Baron.
Physical Traits
Many members of the Slumberwood family are known for their pitch hair, its color comparable to the unending forests of Baldmark on the darkest nights of its winter. The family is also gifted with an almost preternatural pallor similar to the color of a moon's rays when viewed in the reflection of a lake or a freshly starched sheet though some of the house's more athletically-inclined members could have easily lost this skin tone. Moss green eyes are common in the family though some members are noted for their glossy blue eyes, a feature that often makes for a striking appearance when combined with other common familial traits. Though these traits may be common among the family's members, there is of course some variation and they are by no means a binding standard.Family Members
This family tree is not common knowledge
This family tree is not common knowledge
Current Family Members
- Merdoc Slumberwood | 93 @KK134
- Marius Slumberwood | 100 Reserved for @G0atfather
- Alina Slumberwood | 100 Reserved for @G0atfather
- Morgaine Slumberwood | 25 | Cousin of the Duke @Goldifish
Staff
The Slumberwood Staff is headed by a Commandant (occupied) responsible for the house guard, a Chamberlain (non-occupied) responsible for servants, handmaidens, and manservants as well as event organization, a Grand Artisan (occupied) responsible for ensuring the court has artists, musicians, and entertainers available for it and its events, and a Seneschal (not appointed yet) who acts as the patriarch's right hand and advisor.The House takes on servants skilled in many different trades to accompany its members throughout their day and assist them and house guards of many different combat backgrounds.
Applying to Join Staff/Guard
Write an IC letter from your character to House Slumberwood and send it to KK via the forums or discord. It will be forwarded to the right people and we'll arrange for an IG interview.Applying to Join Family
To join as a family member just get in contact with KK over discord or forums and we can discuss. You should bring a character concept to the table and what you want to do with it in the nobility or in Regalia in general. Non-vampires can also be discussed.
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