[center][u][b]House Cragmore[/b][/u][/center] [center][img=http://i.imgur.com/FDmIhuI.png][/center] Head of House Kenten Cragmore House Specialty Unlike most great houses, House Cragmore's specialty is not found in strength, wealth, knowledge, or any similar noble pursuit -- House Cragmore's specialty is [i][b]goat breeding[/i][/b]. Originally known as "Sraav Kodar" in their old tongue, meaning "Sheep Breeder", House Cragmore's founders made their fortune breeding what is now known as the "Diregoat", a horse-sized goat capable of traversing the treacherous mountains. House Cragmore's use of their diregoats made them wealthy, as they could pull carts of gold and gems from their mines three times heavier than any horse could, they were sold to surrounding houses for exceptionally high prices, and yielded extremely thick pelts used for the foul Stormgully weather. Naturally, when House Cragmore created their sigil, they chose the very beast that gave them their riches. House Ancestral Weapon House Cragmore prides itself on one ancestral weapon, but two. Tempest and Rainclad (More commonly known as The Sword and Shield of Darmull Cragmore) were used by House Cragmore's founder in the Wyrm War. It is said that Darmull defeated a number of wyrms during the war by using Tempest and Rainclad to conjure great storms, that would then force the Wyrms from the sky. Although any Cragmore who wields both has this power, Kenten Cragmore lost the sword Tempest in a wager with Lord Conrad years ago. [hider=Important Members] [img]http://i.imgur.com/YBgNne2.jpg[/img] Lord Kenten Cragmore of Stonereach (43) Simply put, Lord Kenten is the reason most put "The Once-Great" as a prefix to House Cragmore. Born the bastard son of Lord Ferris Cragmore and a barmaid, Lord Kenten began life as "Kenten Gale", being sired at Stonereach with the rest of the Cragmore family. He grew up mean-spirited, unruly, and jealous of the family he never truly belonged to. Naturally, these traits made him the primary suspect when his half-brother Randall, heir to the throne, was found drowned in Lake Dencliff. Given a Trial by combat, he chose Ha'sil Boksh, a Kreshvi mercenary, as his champion. After Kenten won his trial, the elderly Lord Ferris had no choice but to legitimize his bastard on his deathbed. Ever since then, Lord Kenten has done a famously poor job as Lord of House Cragmore -- Their Diregoats have dwindled from the hundreds to the tens, smugglers deal openly in taverns, and bandit raids are at an all-time high -- Even their ancestral sword and newborn child were both lost in a bet to House Conrad. Although there have been many attempts on his life, they have all been fruitless, only succeeding in killing two of his guards, and his wife. In spite of all of these shortcomings, he is unfailingly narcissistic and cocky. Although he is not brave, smart, or strong, he possesses enough low-cunning to line his coffers with the money of smugglers and thieves under his payroll. Benjamin Cragmore, Son of Kenten, Heir of House Cragmore (19) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/wjwbAMt.jpg[/IMG] If Benjamin has learned anything from his father, it is only their house words, "We Will Withstand". Although he would be slow to admit it, he shares some traits with his father as he has little problem bending rules, is utterly stubborn, and cares little for the world outside of Stormgully. However, unlike his father, he is quick-witted, well-liked, and able to hide his anger. He is the best warrior of the Cragmore children,but cares little for gold or tourneys, as most of his time is occupied trying to restore his house to its former greatness. Other than his skill with the sword and shield, he is the only Cragmore who has formed a bond with a Diregoat, making him the most proficient rider. Reliwen Cragmore, Daughter of Kenten (18) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/TqhHq7o.jpg[/IMG] Equal parts tomboy and proper lady, Reliwen's time is either taken up training with her brother Melvan, who she easily bests, or singing. While not especially beautiful, and not especially rich, she expects that her singing voice is what will grant her a fair husband, and rarely raises her voice because of it. Second to her singing is her swordplay, which she is equally proud of. She is closest to her brother Melvan, and sees Benjamin as too serious and prideful of their meager ancestry. She dislikes her family history as a whole, feeling that an ancestry centered around goats is unladylike and that her father has ruined what remained of the Cragmore name, and hopes to get married soon, if only to distance herself from her house. Aside from singing and swordplay, she is a talented harpist, as well as a talented linguist -- She is one of the few Westerners who can speak with the Kreshvi in their native tongue. Melvan Cragmore, Son of Kenten (17) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/rgbgkuQ.jpg[/IMG] Unlike Benjamin, Melvan is soft-spoken and sallow. He is the only Cragmore that has not abandoned Kammeth, or even religion as a whole. Having been born sickly, he believes his life was given to him by Kammeth, and follows him unwaveringly, hoping to one day become the first Cragmore Dawnbringer. He enjoys uncharacteristic hobbies for a young nobleman -- Most of his time is spent either in prayer, walking through the nearby forests, or tending to household chores. He believes keeping himself disciplined and occupied will keep him in Kammeth's graces, thinking that to be born to Kenten Cragmore is already a curse enough. He has a slight limp, and walks with a blackthorn cane, topped with a silver goat's head. Harper Cragmore, Son of Kenten, Betrothed to Mena Conrad (15) [IMG]http://i.imgur.com/KWiAJ7l.jpg[/IMG] The Cragmore family knows little of Harper, and to Kenten, this is more than fine. Born 'different', Harper has trouble vocalizing his thoughts, speaks with a stutter, and has trouble with fine motor skills. Flat-faced and slope-eyed, it is easy to tell he was born with a defect, which garners both pity and disdain from those around him, leading him to have never left the Conrad Castle. He is incredibly shy, usually trying to hide behind Lord Conrad or one of the Conrad siblings, although he is large enough that none sufficiently hide him. Although he has the mentioned setbacks, he is unusually talented with swordplay, from fencing to using greatswords. He knows very little of his Cragmore heritage, having been won in a bet with Lord Conrad as a newborn, along with his family sword, Tempest. However, Lord Conrad views Harper in a better light than most, and with more affection than his own true father. He is betrothed to James Conrad's daughter, Mena. [/hider] Nation/Realms Name Stormgully House Motto We Will Withstand Region/color on map Dark Blue Capital: Stonereach City Other Major Settlements: House Hoyan of The Spire House Espetal of Floodwall House Morton of Redwing Pass House Anthon of Cliffhurst Population: 2,240,000 Culture: In a way, The Gullish resemble the very lands they live on -- Tough, simple, and dour. Most live in the same cycle of spending their days working in mines and their nights drinking at taverns, with very little time left for much else. Influence and relations: TBD Military: TBD Landscape: Stormgully, as the name suggests, has foul weather year-round. Intense winds and storms are not uncommon, and an overcast drizzle is considered "Sunny". The area recieves a fair deal of fog and mist, and is one of the few areas to receive hail. It is notably hilly and mountainous, so while there is little farmland, Stormgully prides itself on their mines, yielding a variety of stones, gems, metals, gold, and even rare veins of Makitherin. Wildlife: Aside from the usual forest animals, Stormgully has a large amount of goats, ram, and sheep. History: TBD Strengths [b][u]Hard to Reach[/b][/u] Stonereach is named for the difficult mountain trek required to reach it, sometimes with travelers on foot literally having to [i]reach for stones[/i]. Difficult to reach without diregoats and impossible to reach on horseback, House Cragmore's history features no battles lost to invasion, and for good reason. Aside from the steep climb, there is also the infamous Stormgully weather that keeps attackers at bay -- To climb the treacherously steep mountains is one thing, to do so in the midst of floods, thunder, lightning, hail, and fierce winds is another. Even so, House Cragmore has a third barricade in House Suttbray, their longtime allies. Just as Cragmore guards Suttbray from northern invasion from the mountains, Suttbray guards Cragmore from southern invasions from the sea. [b][u]Hardy[/b][/u] Just as their name states, the Cragmores can do nothing else if not [i]withstand[/i]. They pay little mind to the inhospitable weather that surrounds them, and are able to make the trek up their Stormgully mountains swiftly. While not exceptionally strong or well-trained, they have perseverance and tenacity that few know. There are no accounts of a Cragmore succumbing to torture, very few are ever ill, and their ancestral war-stories usually involve fighting for days on end. Weaknesses [b][u]Poor Reputation[/u][/b] House Cragmore is more commonly known as "The Once-Great House Cragmore", due to the careless ruling of Kenten Cragmore. Many now see Stormgully as a haven for bandits, smugglers, and raiders, while seeing Cragmore as a fallen house ruled by a kinslaying bastard with little claim to the throne. If it wasn't for their extensive trade routes, it is likely that House Cragmore would've been excommunicated for Kenten's numerous actions. [b][u]Reliance on Trade[/u][/b] Stormgully, while having ample mines for metals and gems, has very little farmland. Almost all foods native to Stormgully are sparse root vegetables and meat, so they receive almost all food from Suttbray, and some from Paragon and Whitemane.