Merchant Leagues & Houses

Starshaven League

This merchant league centers on the Sea of Wend and the Sea of Stars, and its geographical reach includes Coastal Aorlis, Western Kand, and the southern hemisphere of Aarthus. Ashdown is the league’s senior house, but it also includes the houses of Bigge, Brickendon, Dubois, and Durante. This league holds monopolies on slaves, poppies, hashish, gems, oils, and grain. Its wealth and influence is incalculable, and its crest is an island city.

by Scott A. Story

Ashdown

This merchant house operates out of Starshaven Island, where it also dominates that island’s city commune, and its reach covers the Kaladrion Islands, the Tael Wigt Islands, Iatona, and West Kandia. This is the senior house of the Starshaven League, and its wealth and power, even without the league, is international. It has loaned money to many monarchs, and its financial influence runs deep. Ashdown’s crest is a dragonfly.

by Scott A. Story

Bigge

This house belongs to the Starshaven League and operates out of Starshaven Island. Its reach includes the Argoria, Grumn, Draut, and Orlois, and this house is incredibly wealthy. Bigge’s crest is a trowel.

by Scott A. Story

Brickendon

This merchant house operates out of the town of Gilley, in the County of Binforth, in the Palatine Principality of Eldris, and recent generations have purchased that county and its title for itself. Their geographical reach extends through Eldris, Gwyfned, and Kaldur. This house belongs to the powerful Starshaven League, and its crest is a bascule.

by Scott A. Story

Dubois

The merchant house of Dubois operates out of St. Gilleanus-by-the-Sea in Burlam, and their geographical reach covers the Marcelle, and Allyn beyond that. This house is a member of the influential Starshaven League. It has loaned significant funds to Burlam’s rulers. Dubois crest is a moth.

by Scott A. Story

Durante

This merchant house is a member of the Starshaven League. House Durante operates out Taeglos City, Thalium, and their geographical sphere of influence covers Thalium, Blackvale, Orlois, and the Baelric Hills. Durante’s crest is a tackle block. They have a long held alliance with the Mystonian Knights.

by Scott A. Story

Alusian League

This powerful coalition of merchant houses centers on the Sea of Arlin, and its geographical reach includes the coast and interior of Aorlis, North Kainded, Old Karmithia, and the Holy Karmithian Empire. It holds monopolies in wool, specialty ores, gold, and silver. Its senior merchant house is Laurent, but it also includes the houses of Mannering, Moreau, and Nash. Its crest is a sheep.

Laurent

This is the senior house in the Alusian League. House Laurent is based in Fenwidden City, Alusia, and they have used their wealth to buy the title of the Count of Allel. Their geographical sphere includes Alusia and the Rhonce. Its crest is triple attired, or three horizontal stag horns stacked.

Mannering

Based in Baelrin City, Kaldur, this house belongs to the Alusian League. Their geographical sphere includes Kaldur and southern Gwyfned. Its crest is a barrel and cresset. This house has spent lavishly on Baelrin’s cathedral.

Moreau

This merchant house is located in Gnoman City, Hexton, and its geographical reach includes Hexton, Karlionne, and Caindos. House Moreau is part of the Alusian League. Moreau’s crest is a crab. They actively engage in slavery, and even their ships’ crews comprise abducted sailors.

Nash

House Nash is based in Kaidlorr City, Kaidlorr, belongs in the Alusian League, and its sphere includes Kaidlorr and the greater Rhonce. Nash’s crest is a dog-headed andiron. They are involved heavily in papal politics, and have many bishops and cardinals from this family or in their control. They have long-term designs on the Patriarchy.

Lapstrake League

This powerful merchant league includes house Petit, Ward, and Webston, as well as its senior house of Payne. The league’s geographic reach includes the Corlin Ocean, the Kaladrion Isles, Northern Yndad, and the Northern Hemisphere, granting it boundless reach and wealth. It has monopolies in lumber and non-specialty ores (iron, tin, copper, etc.). The league crest is a caldera gringaloda, or cauldron with two emerging serpents.

Payne

This is the senior merchant house in the Lapstrake League, and it is located in Enlith City, Burlam. Its geographical reach includes Burlam, West Allyn, North Gwyfned, and South Thalium. Its wealth is incalculable, rivaled only by house Webston. Payne’s crest is a scorpion.

Petit

This merchant house belongs to the Lapstrake League, and it is based in Taeglos City, Thalium. Its geographical sphere includes Thalium, the West Baelrics, Blackvale, and West Allyn. They have used their tremendous wealth to buy the title of Count of Weajgarr, Thalium. Petit’s crest is hames.

Ward

This merchant house, based in Helmdjarr City, Orlois, is part of the Lapstrake League. Its sphere covers Orlois, Draut, the Out Islands, and North Blackvale. Ward’s crest is a crayfish. They have often engaged in piracy.

Webston

This merchant house, based in Ignarth City, Eldris, is a member in the Lapstrake League. Its geographical reach includes Eldris, Gwyfned, and the Duriche Islands. Webston is very wealthy, perhaps more so than its senior house, the Paynes. Webston’s crest is a wool comb. This house has financed the education of numerous wizards over the decades, and then it employs these spell casters to further its economic and political ambitions.