House Silla
400 years ago, Silla Kamunha was the terror of the Oulei Sea. Sailors up and down the coast feared seeing his flag on a ship coming out of the mist. Silla was born to a fisherman's family in a small Karuvian village. He left home at the age of 12 to become a cabin boy on a merchant ship.
In his mid 20s, he became captain of his own ship, the Sea's Delight. From there, he pillaged ships, raided coastal towns, and became the most notorious criminal along the coast. After amassing a huge fortune and evading authorities for years, he eventually moved down the coast to retire in Kaleina. As his pirate exploits had been focused on the kingdoms to the north, the people of Kaleina had no ill-will against him. He swore an oath of allegiance to the king, was made a gentleman, and settled down for a peaceful retirement.
Over the ensuing generations, Silla's descendants have expanded his hoard into an impressive fortune. 200 years after Silla began the house, the Head of House was granted the title Count, the highest possible title in Kaleina below the royal family. Although Silla himself was Karuvian, his wife in Kaleina was Taalish as were all future descendants, and the House identifies purely as Taalish today (though rival houses absolutely remember their foreign origins).
House Silla today is one of Kaleina's wealthiest and most powerful families. Their head of house frequently holds the title of Conductor in the Assembly, and both Lake Olla and Valai & Hamad have members of the house serving as magistrates. The current head of house, Kaino Tamverenha, serves as military advisor on the King's Council. House Silla is said to have their fingers in everything in Kaleina, and members are seen as highly advantageous marriage prospects for other nobles.
Sillas have not forgotten their piratical history - in fact, they pride themselves on it. The house motto, Seize your fate, was originally a slogan of Silla's in reference to turning his back on the simple life of a fisherman and creating a life of wealth and adventure for himself. It also refers to seizing opportunities and treasure whenever possible, no matter the ethics, which rivals of the house never cease pointing out. The flag from Silla's original pirate ship is hung proudly on display in the home of the Head of House, and is the family's most treasured heirloom.