House of Dargent (Area of Concern: Finance)
"Your father is the tight fist; I am the hard bargain." Viziera Guinevera Dargent explains the house motto to Katib Hugo Dargent.The House of Dargent is one of the noble families that make up the Noble Court of the city of Palimpsest. Officially, the House of Dargent is counted as a "human" family, but in reality, they are a family of kitsune who have been masquerading as human in order to gain the benefits and privileges afforded to the more favoured species. The kitsune are fox-like creatures known for their intelligence, cunning, and mischievous nature. They are natural shape-shifters, and have the ability to assume human form in order to blend in with the other inhabitants of the city. Even before becoming nobility, the Dargent family had been using this ability for generations, hiding their true nature from the people of Palimpsest. Despite the risks involved in their deception, the House of Dargent have managed to thrive in the city. They are well-respected and influential members of the Noble Court, and have amassed a significant amount of wealth and power through their cunning and skill. Worshipping and operating under the constellation of the Rich Man, the Dargents manage the city's finances: overseeing taxes and delegating the budget for the other noble families' areas of concern. However, they must always be on their guard, as discovery of their true nature could result in their downfall.
Structure
Vizier and Viziera
The House of Dargent is jointly run by Vizier Richard and Viziera Guinevera Dargent. Richard manages most of the day to day running of the City Finances (the Dargent area of concern), while Guinevera focuses on maintaining and improving the family's position at court.Subvizier and Subviziera
Although he no longer lives on the Dargent Estate, Subvizier Victor Dargent-Laureat tries to emulate his father in all things. Having inheritted the position of Arts Vizier under the Tailor through his wife, Victor's current focus is dismantling the arts budget, which may well keep his father happy. Subviziera Satine Dargent-Laureat is quite docile and can be easily manipulated by the more dominant Viziera Guinevera.Vizier's Other Children
The Dargents have pretty much given up on their "spare" son, Katib Hugo Dargent, who not only jeopordised their plans as a teenager, but who since then has been doing the bare minimum to stay on their tolerating side. Richard sometimes sends him into the lower areas of the city to conduct business and is never wholly pleased with the outcomes.The youngest Dargent, nine-year-old Katiba Scarlett Dargent, is closely tutored by her mother in the ways of the court. As a result, she is let into many diplomatic meetings that she wouldn't otherwise have access to and she definitely picks up more than any of the adults expect her to.
Religion
The House of Dargent operates under the constellation of the Rich Man, who acts in the capacity of a Cleric's deity for Vizier Richard, and of a more sinister Witch's patron for Viziera Guinevera.
The Viziera seems to have made some kind of pact with the Rich Man in exchange for her powers of witchcraft. Judging by the Rich Man's areas of interest, the agreement is most likely to do with the Dargent Family's fortune and lineage, and perhaps her own personal legacy. Although the Rich Man annually reminds the Viziera of the price for failing to uphold her end of the bargain through horrible nightmares of ruin and destruction, Guinevera still seems to believe she will ultimately come out on top in the overall bargain calculus.
Meanwhile, more concerned with the wordly aspects of the Rich Man's religion, Richard has a close relationship with the Archdeacon Zaccheus Simony, head of the Rich Man's Church. The Archdeacon officially has no higher authority other than the Rich Man himself, although in practice, he answers to the more dominant Vizier.
A Tight Fist and a Hard Bargain
Founding Date
Goldday, Richmoon, 1287
Type
Geopolitical, Great house
Alternative Names
Dargent Ricardine
Leader
Leader Title
Parent Organization
Subsidiary Organizations
Location
Controlled Territories
Related Species
Related Ethnicities
Related Myths
Courtly Relations
REVEAL
House Dargent-Laureat
AllyVizier Victor Dargent-Laureat is the son of Vizier Richard Dargent, and would do anything he was directed to by his father.
