House Stel

Like its home city-state, Urik, House Stel is distinctly militaristic in nature. It specializes in trading spoils of war such as stolen cargo, weapons, the rare hostage sold for ransom, and slaves. It does, of course maintain regular trade routes and partake in the more mundane aspects of trade, it is best known for its violent side.

Assets

Facilities: House Stel takes its design philosophy from its home city of Urik. Militarily focused. As such every facility they have had a hand in building is designed like fortresses and occasionally they've even rented out some of their outposts as secure bases of operations to some of the region's various Sorcerer-kings or more powerful nomads and raiding tribes. Unlike some trading houses, House Stel maintains at least a token presence in all of the region's major cities and even a large number of its smaller villages. In the southern part of the region, farther from House Stel's main power center, House Stel's influence is most often limited. Blaic, Altaruk, and Walis for example all only contain a single, lightly staffed office. While their front-facing purpose is to manage the house's caravans in the region, and they do actually manage several caravans each year, they are more likely placed to be able to gather information on potential rivals. In the northern part of the region, Hose Stel's black-and-white banner is a constant presence. It maintains a constant presence in almost all outposts and trade villages, and it runs numerous caravans between Urik, Raam, and Draj as well as between Urik and the forests of the Rining mountains. This is where most of the house's fortress-like outposts are found and they even maintain warehouses in every city-state, although they are reduced to renting temporary warehouses in the cities of Gulg, Nibenay, and Tyr. Troops: House Stel's troops are some of the finest, best equipped, and most numerous of all the merchant houses. At any given moment the house can call upon at least 3,000 trained warriors of at least 3rd level. All of which will have access to high quality weapons and be versed in numerous military tactics.

Notable Forts & Outposts

Fort Courage: This is a massive fortress designed to discourage raids against caravans traveling the route between Urik, Makala and the halfling settlement of Ogo. Fort Iron: Currently this is a supply point/military base 30 miles west of Silver Spring. During the recent war between Urik and Tyr this was used as an important advance position for Urik's armies. Fort Sandol: Despite being in the middle of nowhere 50 miles north of Gulg, this base is a surprisingly vibrant trading post. At any given time nomads of all races can be found here selling art, weapons, and slaves from various raids.

History

House Stel was founded by a small band of warriors and gladiators nearly 300 years ago. If not for their leader, a mercenary named Korvo Stel, and the good graces of Urik’s sorcerer‐king the house would not have prospered. Korvo’s control over Stel was later usurped by a psychic named Iol, who pulled the house from the brink of financial ruin. Rumor has it that Iol was the cause of Korvo’s mysterious death. Presently, Stel is controlled by the descendants of Iol and Korvo. Any ill will that may have existed has since been put aside for the betterment of the house

Recent Events

Stel's aggressive, militaristic policies, general disdain for nonhumans, and expansion into new territories have, of late brought the house into conflict with the elven Water Hunter Tribe. A little more than four months ago the house identified a potentially profitable location for a fort to the west of Urik near the feet of the Ringing Mountains. Shortly into the construction of the fort the employees of House Stel came under a viscous, "unprovoked" attack by the tribe resulting in the loss of life of every single known employee. In the months since this assault the Water Hunter tribe has aggressively attacked any House Stel caravan going through the region and has repelled a second attempt by the house to establish a presence in the area.