Noble Court (Second Court)
The Noble Court (also sometimes referred to as the Second Court) oversees the running of the City of Palimpsest. It comprises of sixteen noble families (eight of whom are officially believed to by Human and eight who are known be a range of other species).
Structure
Vizier: Each of the sixteen noble families is headed by a Vizier, who oversees both the family and the family's area of interest. The Viziers are the highest authority of the Noble Court, perhaps only second to the Lord Captain Emissary, who acts as the representative of the Honourable Company.
Viziera: If the Vizier has a wife, she is given the title of Viziera. Her role is one of manipulation: pulling strings behind the scenes through parties and rumour. The Viziera must strive to be the best dressed in any room, and is a mistress of the subtle putdown, leaving her victim on the backfoot without quite knowing how it happened. It is expected that she will bear her husband an heir who can continue the family line once the Vizier dies (or is removed from court by other measures).
Subvizier: Usually the eldest male offspring, the Subvizier is the heir to the role of Vizier. The first in line to inherit the title of Vizier when the current Vizier is no longer active (either through death or banishment), the Subvizier is closely trained by the Vizier so that he (or she) be ready to smoothly transition into the leadership role when required. Until that time, the Subvizier must work to further the family's area of concern, attend and engage in Court strategy and find a suitable match from one of the other noble families.
Subviziera: The wife of a male Subvizier is given the title of Subviziera. She reports in equal part to her husband and to the family's Viziera (if it has one), and is expected to value the interests of both her married family and her birth family (with preference for her married family if a heirarchy must be drawn). She supports the Viziera in diplomatic engagements, and must accompany her husband to Court. Like the Viziera, she is expected to produce children with her husband to secure the family's lineage.
Katib: Katib is the title given to any male direct blood relatives of the vizier (active or exiled) without a higher rank. An active Katib, like all members of a noble family, is expected to work to further the family's standing at Court, assist in its area of concern and engage in a beneficial diplomatic marriage.
If the Katib is the second eldest male son of a Vizier, then he is often referred to disparagingly as the "Spare". Although he has no extra station or duties than any younger males (all hold the title of Katib), in practice, the Spare is often a disappointment to his parents, with the high power and lessened responsibility and oversight proving a dangerous combination.
If the Katib is from the generation above the Vizier (e.g. if he is a parent of one of the newly established Human Viziers), his only duty is to support the family's position at Court, if required. It is generally assumed that older-generation Katibs have retired from more active duties, and will likely already be married (or widowed). Katiba: Katiba is the title given to any female direct blood relatives (active or exiled) without a higher rank. Often overlooked by everyone at court, the Katibas assist the Viziera in her courtly machinations, and the generation below the Vizier tend to be used as diplomatic marriage pawns to further positive relations between noble families.
Older Katibas, of the generation above the family's Vizier have no courtly duties, and attend court mostly to gossip and socialise their new pygmy-gnoll trend. Mirze: Mize is the title given to minor male nobles (active or exiled) related to the Vizier's family but not direct descendants, typically sons and male descendants of Katibs and Katibas. Mirzes hold a respectable yet less prominent position in the court hierarchy. Mirza: Mirza is the title given to minor female nobles (active or exiled) related to the Vizier’s family but not direct descendants, typically daughters and female descendants of Katibs and Katibas. Mirzas are involved in various supportive roles within the noble family and the court. Dame Viziera: When a Vizier dies or is otherwise removed from his position, the title of Vizier passes to the Subvizier. Since Viziera is the title held by the wife of a the current Vizier, the wife of the former Vizier is given the title Dame Viziera, provided she is still an active member of the Noble Court when receiving the title. Lord Captain Emissary: A representative from the Honourable Company, holding a unique and influential role within the Court. The Lord Captain Emissary acts as a liaison between the Noble Court and the Honourable Company, wielding considerable power and often serving as a tie-breaker in Court decisions.
If the Katib is the second eldest male son of a Vizier, then he is often referred to disparagingly as the "Spare". Although he has no extra station or duties than any younger males (all hold the title of Katib), in practice, the Spare is often a disappointment to his parents, with the high power and lessened responsibility and oversight proving a dangerous combination.
If the Katib is from the generation above the Vizier (e.g. if he is a parent of one of the newly established Human Viziers), his only duty is to support the family's position at Court, if required. It is generally assumed that older-generation Katibs have retired from more active duties, and will likely already be married (or widowed). Katiba: Katiba is the title given to any female direct blood relatives (active or exiled) without a higher rank. Often overlooked by everyone at court, the Katibas assist the Viziera in her courtly machinations, and the generation below the Vizier tend to be used as diplomatic marriage pawns to further positive relations between noble families.
Older Katibas, of the generation above the family's Vizier have no courtly duties, and attend court mostly to gossip and socialise their new pygmy-gnoll trend. Mirze: Mize is the title given to minor male nobles (active or exiled) related to the Vizier's family but not direct descendants, typically sons and male descendants of Katibs and Katibas. Mirzes hold a respectable yet less prominent position in the court hierarchy. Mirza: Mirza is the title given to minor female nobles (active or exiled) related to the Vizier’s family but not direct descendants, typically daughters and female descendants of Katibs and Katibas. Mirzas are involved in various supportive roles within the noble family and the court. Dame Viziera: When a Vizier dies or is otherwise removed from his position, the title of Vizier passes to the Subvizier. Since Viziera is the title held by the wife of a the current Vizier, the wife of the former Vizier is given the title Dame Viziera, provided she is still an active member of the Noble Court when receiving the title. Lord Captain Emissary: A representative from the Honourable Company, holding a unique and influential role within the Court. The Lord Captain Emissary acts as a liaison between the Noble Court and the Honourable Company, wielding considerable power and often serving as a tie-breaker in Court decisions.
Noble Houses
Human Noble Houses
House Mason (Area of Concern: Artifice): One of the eight "human" noble families, the Mason Family operate under the Tinker constellation, and are responsible for the artificers of the city. They oversee the maitenance of the city wall and the automated golems that guard it. They produce the clockwork automatons that patrol the city and enforce curfews on the lower levels (although the actual managing of the automatons falls to the Bakerstreet Family). Wearing the signet ring of the Mason Family grants a third off the price of any crafted items on sale in the Mercantile District of the city. House Dargent-Laureat (Area of Concern: Arts): Although officially one of the "human" noble families, Vizier Victor Dargent-Laureat is secretly a Kitsune maskarading as a Human. The Dargent-Laureats oversee the arts and cultural pursuits of the city, however, since becoming Vizier under the Tailor constellation, Victor has been making plans to dismantle the arts budget, believing it to be a waste of resources. House of Ironside (Area of Concern: Military): One of the eight "human" noble families, the Ironside Family are the figureheads of the Palimpsest military. They worship the constellation of the Soldier, and oversee the elemental Genies that aid in city defenses against the encroaching Ghouls from the Screaming Desert. House of Stargazer (Area of Concern: Knowledge and Research): One of the eight "human" families, the Stargazer Family worship the Sailor constellation and are concerned with knowledge and research. They oversee the Observatory and the Library, with the main running of each being the purview of Subvizier Pollux and, until recently, Viziera Andromeda Stargazer, respectively. The library is now maintained by Katiba Cassiopeia Stargazer-Greenskin. House of Dargent (Area of Concern: Finance) 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. Officially, the House of Dargent is counted as a "human" family, but in reality, they are a family of kitsune, fox-like shape-shifters with the ability to assume human form, who have been masquerading as human in order to gain the benefits and privileges afforded to the more favoured species. Even before becoming nobility, the Dargent family had illegally been using this ability for generations, hiding their true nature from the people of Palimpsest. House of Carterhold (Area of Concern: Labour): One of the eight "human" noble families, the Carterhold Family follow the religion of the Poor Man. They manage the labour force of the city, overseeing the menial labourers, factory workers, household servants, and slaves. Although slaves are already their area of concern, they also have a secret chattel workforce of enslaved Mongrelfolk that until recently was facilitated by the Drow Tyl'rr Do'urden, through Barker's Menagerie. The family has recently purchased the Minotaur Daisy Buttercream's Milk Bar, the Labyrinth of which (at least for now unbeknownst to the Caterholds) secretly hides the illicit Undergazette newspaper headquarters. House of Bakerstreet (Area of Concern: Investigation): One of the eight "human" noble families, the Bakerstreet Family are the court investigators. Operating under the constellation of the Beggar Man, they run the City Watch, including the clockwork automatons produced by the Mason Family. The Vizier Cobbler Bakerstreet is suspicious to the point of paranoia, and never gives second chances. House of Underhand (Area of Concern: Espionage): A terrifying presence at court, the masked House of Underhand follows the religion of The Thief constellation, and are in charge of espionage and assassination. Although officially one of the "human" noble families, they always wear birdlike plague doctor masks, in order to hide the fact that are not actually human, but in fact a group of Doppelgängers.Non-Human Noble Houses
House of Baharat (Area of Concern: Agriculture): More interested in aesthetics than politics, the Elven Baharat Family are one of two noble elf families. They have beautiful gardens of unusual plants and a Menagerie of rare animals and beastfolk. The Baharats (incorrectly) blame House Underhand for their banished son James's death, because Katib Thornhill Underhand was conducting surveillance on James at the time. House of Brasseyes (Area of Concern: Learning and Research): One of the eight "non-human" noble families, the Gnomish House of Brasseyes is one of the older families at court. Formerly their area of concern was Knowledge and Learning, before the Stargazers more recently filled that role. The Brasseyes are keen on relic collecting and magical exploration, and seem to be less averse to the more illicit forms of magic than many at court, although, naturally they do not officially engage in the illegal practices themselves. House of Darktusk (Area of Concern: Infantry): Tragedy has recently struck the House of Darktusk, one of the two Orcish noble families in the Noble Court (the other being their ally, House Greenskin). After the Patchwork Empire's attack on the Darktusk Estate, on Copperday, Soldiermoon, 1313, then-Vizier Jafar Darktusk was killed. His son, Sheikh Darktusk was framed for the murder and a Whisper Vote called for his execution and his wife, Quince Darktusk-Carterhold's banishment, leaving only baby Gast Darktusk to take the role of Vizier. The House is now stewarded by Cassim Ashhide until Gast is old enough to take on his duties as Vizier. House of Greenskin (Area of Concern: Industry): The Greenskin Family is one of two Orcish noble families at the Noble Court (the other being House Darktusk, historically rivals but now allied in the face of the human-dominated court). Currently, the only active members are Vizier Kronk Greenskin and her daughter, Subvizier Cassiopeia Stargazer-Greenskin, who is married to Katib Castor Stargazer, the "spare" of the Stargazer Family. House of Jackalslicer (Area of Concern: Medicine): One of the eight non-human noble families, the Jackalslicers are a family of Hobgoblin clerics. According to the Peerage of the Second Court, they worship The Poor Man, although in practice some of their members, most notably Viziera Atkin Jackalslicer and "spare" Katib Fennec Jackalslicer, secretly worship the forbidden star of Conscript Hodge, the Walking Wounded, who is a Hobgoblin deity. House of Nightkeeper (Area of Concern: Nightwatch): The Dwarven Nightkeeper Family is one of the eight non-human families of the Noble Court. While officially they follow the Eight human constellations (most purporting to worship the Soldier or Thief), they are secretly worshippers of the forbidden survivor deity Panopticon, the Eyes and Arms. They exclusively hire from trusted dwarven families, who also follow the Eyes and Arms, and they have ties to the Jonas Fogg Medical College, which until recently was run by the Panoptican Professor Jonas Fogg. Before the human restructuring of the court, the Nightkeepers were the city jailors and nightwatch. They still secretly carry out their own religiously motivated form of vigilante justice. House of Ratrider (Area of Concern: Pest Control): Having seen and been hit by the targeted attacks from the human takeover at court, the Goblin Ratrider Family are now one of the most courtly of all the noble families, taking their courtly duties far more seriously than any of the other families do. Before the Humans arrived, the Ratriders used to be the cavalry guard, but in recent times that role has been rendered mostly obsolete by the city's more modern defences. They have been relegated to be in charge of pest control on the basis that they have a history with vermin. Several of the members can actually talk to rats through their vermin empathy. House of Shajara (Area of Concern: Leisure): The House Shajara's area of concern is leisure, and is infamous for its risqué parties, with illicit drugs and other hedonistic activities. The Shajaras are one of the eight Non-Human families of the Noble Court. As very young Elves, the Vizier Hali and Viziera Cassilda Shajara, have not yet bothered to try to create an heir, preferring to live the hedonistic noble lifestyle unburdened by infant offspring. They are secretly followers the forbidden survivor star, He-That-Walks-Beyond-The-Wall, the Prince in Saffron, and is was recently discovered that Vizier Hali is actually a Worm That Walks disguised as an Elf, and has held the Shajara Vizier position, changing his face every so often, since Ambrose Shajara, centuries ago.History
Before the advent of the Honourable Company, the Noble Court of Palimpsest was ruled by a reasonably even spread of species of various races. This changed when the Lord Captain Emissary was nominated to the Noble Court in 1281. He set about a restructuring of the Nobility, and over the next decade he introduced eight Human (or so he thought) families to the Court to balance out the pre-existing Non-Human families. The Noble Court now comprises of eight officially "human" noble houses, and eight "non-human" houses.
Type
Court, Noble
Subsidiary Organizations
- House of Aldebaran
- House of Baharat
- House of Bakerstreet
- House of Brasseyes
- House of Carterhold
- House of Dargent
- House of Dargent-Laureat
- House of Darktusk
- House of Greenskin
- House of Ironside
- House of Jackalslicer
- House of Laureat
- House of Mason
- House of Nightkeeper
- House of Ratrider
- House of Rocket
- House of Shajara
- House of Stargazer
- House of Underhand
Location
Related Traditions
Related Ranks & Titles
Related Ethnicities
