The Houses of Arabel
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Once prominent in Arabel, the fall of the Primordial spelled the end for Arabel's grand noble families.
House Thond
Whilst not a noble house, House Thond was an important part of Arabel's structure. Now only the elderly widow of William Thond remains of the house.William Thond was a charming man. A retired and very successful warrior and adventurer, he used to form part of an adventurer company that included, among others Lord Myrmeen Lhal.
After retiring from his adventuring days, quickly became an extremely wealthy trader. After the Goblin War, Lord Lhal contacted her old friend William and asked him to help rebuilding the city by bringing his caravan business, and the trade and wealth that comes with them, to Arabel. William didn't hesitate, and as a result he became one of the most powerful economic in Arabellian history and a great contributor to the rebirth of the city. He also had an excellent relationship with the dwarves of Thunderholme, from whom he received a steady supply of excellent dwarven crafts.
Lady Kara Thond, the daughter of William Thond, helped finance the Phoenix Legion's war efforts as well as the famous Adventurer's Guild once located in the Eastern District. Whom served Myrmeen Lhal, during her reign as Queen of Free Arabel. She was too married to Mergyth Cassiel, yet the marriage was not a happy one and ended in tragedy with the fall of Mergyth Cassiel.
After the fall of the Primordial, the Thond family was mostly wiped out with the only remaining survivor Frea Thond mourning the death of her husband and only daughter whom both died by the Primordial's fall over the Western District and the Arabellian Palance. The window now spend her last few days in House Thond's summer house, a few miles away from Suzail.
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House DeSchurr
Once a family of heroes and admired adventurers, the family name DeSchurr is now a bitterly disliked family in Arabel.Four generations ago, the original Lord Mitchel DeSchurr was a wandering adventurer. He was awarded a landed title in Cormyr after his adventuring party successfully defeated a green dragon who was settling in the King's Forest. Until the death of Lord Mitchel Deschurr and his daughter Lord Commander Anya DeSchurr, the DeSchurr family mostly gained its wealth on adventuring.
His family owned a small trading company, The Dragon Eye Coaster, as well as some land near the King's Forest. The main wealth for the family came in two ways.
The first was that the women of the family were trained in battle and run the Green Dragon Adventuring Company. The second major source of wealth came from adventuring. All males in the DeSchurr line were trained in battle and expected to become adventurers. The eldest son still alive as an adventurer would claim the title when his father died.
House DeSchurr's military was the third most powerful force in the area after the Purple Dragons and the city militia until Arabel's claim as a free state. After ten years as a free state when Arabel once more returned to Cormyr, change once more struck House DeSchurr as Lord Mitchel's daughter Anya DeSchurr was promoted to Lord Commander of the Arabellian Militia, making the City Militia the largest military force in Arabel.
During the time of the Civil War, Lord Mitchel DeSchurr was captured together with Lord Bhaliir by a set of beholders. The Lord was known to never truly have recovered after being freed from captivity, allowing his daughter Anya DeSchurr to assume control of the house.
After the fall of the Primordial Anya DeSchurr and her husband ran the City Militia as best they could, yet the ruined city could not withstand the attacks of orcan armies and goblin hordes for long. With this, Lord Hardcastle having retreated most of the city into the newly built Citadel in the south. Lord Commander Anya DeSchurr continued to fight the losing battle to protect the rest of Arabel until 1385, wgeb the Lord Commander and her husband headed out on patrol, never to return. They are suspected to have fallen in battle against Orcs in the King's Swamp leading to the end of House DeSchurr's glorious days.
After the fall of Anya DeSchurr, a cousin of Lord Mitchel DeSchurr took the title as Lord DeSchurr only to waste away the last few gold of the family fortune in the Fine Hells and thus losing the family control over the City Milita and leading to it disbanding in favour of Lord Hardcastle's hired mercenary company. The Lord continue to this day to spend his last few dimes in the Fine Hells, building up a rather size able debt.
House DeSchurr has too had its name tainted in recent days, after the discovery of a member of House DeSchurr being directly involved with the Blue Wedding. The name of the tragic assassination of Lord Hardcastle's only heir and daughter Ann-marie Hardcastle and the last heir of the Arabellian branch of House, Wyvernspur Lord Emil Tybalt Wyvern. Whom both were killed during their wedding day at the Arabellian docks by the hands of the Citizen and the DeSchurrian. Lord Hardcastle is known to have personally executed the DeSchurrian for his crimes after being found guilty.
Yet this was not the end for the DeSchurrian family name being tainted, with Colin DeSchurr, a priest of Bane facing off nearly half of City Militia before the ultimate end of the Temple of Unquiet night. The priest is known to have caused the other members of the temple to depart, declaring it the property of Bane before dying with most of the militia members within the temple as it collapsed over them.
Now, House DeSchurr is a name of hatred and bitterness in Arabel. Left with a drunkard Lord and a tainted family name.
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House Bhaliir
The most infamous noble house in Arabellian history, with many dark episodes and now extinct.Lord Lheskar Bhaliir, the last Lord of the house, built his family fortune through trade and commerce, enjoying lucrative trade routes with many varied organisations. Although the last Lord Bhaliir did not own any caravan lines of his own, he generally transferred his goods along the networks of other merchant companies especially the Iron Throne. He demanded that his House remains paragons of humanity, which is of course why he refuses to hire or employ any non-humans.
He believed that those that break the law and those that interfere with businesses should be dealt with harshly. They were not citizens; they did not deserve the same rights as citizens. This led him to have open hostile views on the weaknesses of the city militia lack of interest to enforce the laws.
Many believe that during the conflict of the Civil war in 1377 DR, when the nobility of the Arabel turned upon the Crown for control of Arabel. That it was during this era, that Lord Leshkar Bhaliir of Arabel was taken captive by beholders whom had been twisted to the service of the Rift. It was during this time that the Callahan Cooperation revealed to be under command of the Lord Leshkar Bhaliir, before throwing the City Militia out of the South of Arabel by force. Unknown to the Arabellian population, it was not truly Lord Bhaliir whom had assumed power of the South.
Utilizing the authority of Lord Bhalir, the beholder used Lord Bhaliir’s powers to open a chasm in the southern section of Arabel. A chasm which physically revealed the Rift, which had lain buried deep beneath Arabel. Luckily for Arabel, it was soon uncovered that Lheskir Bhaliir was in fact captured, and the false Lord Bhaliir to have been a beholder bent on domination of Arabel and the true responsiblity for much of its political instability over the years. However the adventurers of Arabel were unable to slay the beholder which had taken Bhaliir’s image. Once freed, it was discovered that the true Lord Bhaliir had become insane during his capitivity by the beholders. Unfit to be Lord nor a free man, Lord Bhaliir spent the rest of his days in captivity by the War Wizards. With no heir, the family name of Bhaliir ended.
Many years later, it was revealed that Myrmeen Lhal had faked her own death to battle the beholder whom had taken Bhaliir’s disguise. Finally the beholder was slain once and for all, yet sadly Lord Bhaliir had died many years before.
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Lord Lamir Fezznick
One of the few surviving Arabellian noble houses, however no longer located in Arabel.Lord Lamir Fezznick, a honourable and noble helmite residing in Suzail after Arabel's civil war. Lord Lamir took the seat as head of the house after his father at a very young age, many considering the Lord to have been too young. The previous Lord Rolo Fezznick, son of the noted Ashton Fezznick, was poisoned during his own wedding to Johanna Falon of Berdusk. Many speculated how such a young man as Lord Lamir, would fare with the politics and intricacies of the House, claiming it was his inexperience and weakness which lead to the family leaving Arabel. Whilst others argue it was in fact Lady Loretta Fezznick's whom advice and support the young Lord to the fine man he is today and that leaving Arabel was a wise decision for the House's survival.
House Fezznick still holds a reputation for noblesse oblige, working to aid the city militia, and upholding matters of honor, justice, and virtue throughout Cormyr. The House fortune whilst much smaller after the House departure from Arabel, is still based on land, not trade. Previous Fezznick's have been known to loathe engaging in mercantile ventures fearing it would tarnish the House's dignity, which many blame to be the fault of the House dwindling influence and power in Cormyr.
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Lord Sabastian Milliar is easily the youngest and most inexperienced prominent noble in the City of Arabel. While he is considered a noble, he flaunts more power than the house truly has - and strives to gain more power to hopefully someday be an equal with the more distinguished houses like Thond and DeSchurr.
He took the throne only a year and a half ago, when his parents were unexpectedly murdered in their sleep one night. The murderer was never caught, and Sabastian alongside his younger powerhouse brother Rufus, strive to find the true killers of his parents. It is rumored that the killer was an associate from another prominent noble house, who felt threatened by the increasing power in the Milliar name - but speculators to that particular rumor also wonder why Sabastian and Rufus weren't even touched that fateful night.
Addendum:
Lord Milliar was killed on the 13th of Uktar, by his younger "brother", Rufus. Rufus was exiled later that night - the Milliar legacy, ended.
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The Mertois are a relatively new family, with only two generations that have been recognized by the Suzailan Court. The first generation and head of the family is Lord Sebastian Mertoi, a retired Purple Dragon Knight whom was granted his title because of his service to the late King Azoun. His wife, Licia Mertoi is said to be a former War Wizard, although whether this is true is still uncertain today. Their second generation consists of Lord Winston Mertoi, the eldest, and Lady Lucretia Mertoi, the youngest. Richard Mertoi, Sebastian's brother, was not granted any noble rights, but is nonetheless close to the Family, serving as Sebastians advisor for monetary affairs.
The Mertoi Family has always placed itself at the forefront of defensive affairs. They are firm believers in enhancing the military of Cormyr in order to protect it and its rulers. While not one of the wealthier noble families, they have contributed large amounts of gold generated by their assets to the continued building and support of the Purple Dragons. Lord Winston Mertoi, Lord Sebastian's son, actually served briefly as a Purple Dragon before returning to the Suzailan Court. His sister, Lady Lucretia, currently serves as a Tactical Advisor in the Stonelands.
Discipline is of the forefront of the concerns of the Mertois. Their Retainers are often as disciplined, tactics conscious and devoted to duty as standing military. Some say they are among the most well trained soldiers in Suzail, outside of the Purple Dragons for their ability to communicate quickly and decisively with hand signals and quick sounds.
They appear to give patronage to Torm, but also frequently offer their prayers to the Red Knight, Mystra, and Chauntea.
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Lord Morgan Hursk hails from a noble family three generations old. The origins of his nobility hold a militaristic essence, his grandfather Patrick Hursk, a Lionar within the Purple Dragons at the time, was honoured following a successful and famed campaign against a tribe of lycanthropes. Personally felling the chieftain Patrick's heroics were recognised by the Courts and nobility instilled upon him. The family are known to travel Cormyr following migration patterns in wildlife, their love of hunting steering their cause.
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House Mears is an established albeit minor noble family originally from the suburbs of Arabel. Current patriarch Lord Albert Mears fled his country manner and vineyard during the outbreak of the civil war and settled in central Suzail. Albert remains at the forefront of the family’s flourishing winemaking enterprise of which retails throughout Cormyr.
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House Obarstal is one of the older noble bloodlines in Cormyr, yet have never really played a significant part in its history. Rumors have it that the family has bloodties with the Royal family, yet such rumors have never been confirmed, and is usually treated as silly gossip. A house focussed mainly on its landholdings and small merchantile activities, the otherwise quiet house have in the recent year been a flux of activity. Starting with a change of the House Crest, their holdings in Suzail have been visited almost daily, either by old war veterans, or scholars of various kinds.
The current heir, Lady Katelyn Obarstal, has inherited the house, after the death of former Matriarch Lady Leonara Obarstal, known for her role as leader of the city council in Proskur. Within court, the house has taken special interest in the civil war in Arabel. Much gossip within the capital say that many nobles believe the young Matriarch should be more concerned of finding a husband and producing an heir, and less interested in warfare and adventuring. The house affairs are currently handled by the house stewart, until the matriarch declares herself ready to take over.
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House Ulanti has its roots in the hamlet of Espar, located on the far side of the King's Forest from Arabel.
Janndra Ulanti is known to have immigrated to Arabel in 1373 and joined the City Militia shortly soon after, serving with with distinction. During the Gondegal Rebellion, she maintained her position in the Militia without taking sides.
However, in last stages of the Civil War, a call for volunteers was made to lead an assault on a Purple Dragon position. Janndra Ulanti was the first to volunteer, and was at the forefront of the attack, charging across an open field during the Battle of Grissom's Head, far south of Arabel.
The sole survivor of the first wave, she succumbed to her wounds and was ennobled posthumously by Gondegal.
Janndra Ulanti is the sole surviving member of the Ulanti family.
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House Solarius was ennobled two years ago by Gongedal, for helping in the fight to free Arabel from Cormyrian rule. The Solarius family derives their family name from a powerful warrior-priest of Lathander, who was a stalwart companion of King Goldfeather.
House Solarius can trace their family line to well before Arabel was conquered by Cormyr, and have a history or worshiping the Morninglord, heroic deeds, and looking after the interests of the citizens of Arabel.
The current head of the house is Lord Patrick, and the heir apparent is his teenage son Justin. After the death of Lord Patricks wife, his eldest son Lucius returned to Arabel from obscurity.
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House Harclay is a Cormyrian Noble family of some pedigree principally based in the nation’s capital of Suzail. Traditionally their activities include several affluent mines in gold and silver, a few of which are still active throughout the country to this day.
Present patriarch – Oslo Harclay – is an elderly Lord who spends no small amount of his time in Cormyrian theatres of politics and debate. He holds as his chief counsel his cousin Gerard Harclay, a chivalrous Knight-in-waiting.
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House Ravenclaw is a Sembian Noble family of some small note mainly because of its ties to the Venieth bloodline and former King Cassiel. The family appears to have recently relocated to Arabel.
Daniel Ravenclaw is the scandal ridden, eccentric heir of the Ravenclaw family following the previous patriarchs death. There appears to be strong opposition to him inheriting his fathers estate with a counter claim by the family having been filed.
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House Bresk
added a well written note loosely inserted into the book
House Bresk (the estate of the Baroness Natassia Bresk)
was destroyed in a climactic battle with the demon who had given Barena her power, and was part of a prophesy which was fufliled by the demon being imprisoned by the Bresk twins, the Baroness Natassia and her sister the Dame Melanie.As with the prophesy they sacrificed themselves to trap the demon who's name and real name have been lost to time, the Bresk estate was destroyed and the grounds south and to the west of Arabel were cleared to make way for the now abandoned Zhent embassy which now sits vacant, a graveyard sat a short distant to the north of where the estate stood. *update: the abandoned Zhent embassy fell into disrepair and all of the signs it was once there have been removed, building materials likely being re-purposed for the rebuilding of the many devastated areas inside the city, all that remains now is a graveyard some distance off the road.
Natassia Rift/Bresk
Melanie Rift/Talbot/Bresk
Edana Lyonson-SeLangstra Retainer and survivor of the second destruction of the estate, moved to Silverymoon to raise her and Wynn SeLangstra's children (he perished in the battle where the demon was bound)
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House Darendaal is a small yet old noble house, its lands located just north of the High Road between Eveningstar and Arabel. Having been tasked with overseeing tax collection on the High Road in the early days, the house has in the past been accused of banditry and theft, yet evidence of such misdeeds have never been enough for the house to lose favor or be stricken of its title.
Due to its unique location, most of the fertile lands and fields owned by the house were lost by the creation of the Helmlands, and with them rumors of decreasing coffers have quickly begun to circulate. Some harsh tongues even gossip regarding the possibility of the house returning to previous activities of pillaging and banditry.
The Darendaal family are famous for its apples and apple cider export, and in general for speaking in defense of nature and the balance.The house crest is a golden stag upon a green or brown background, and uses the name Golden Stag for its ruler.