[quote=@ClocktowerEchos]
[@John F Kennedy] If you want an extra spicy twist it could be that Inge and House Marietta [i]aren't[/i] on par with the Great Houses but because of politicking and the favor of one of the previous weak kings, they managed to get themselves declared a Great House. A new Great House is rare but not unheard of and it usually involves a house becoming a new archduchy or a duchy becoming very large/power/rich, more so than what Inge currently is. Could be interesting as some other houses might call you an illegitimate Great House or merely a pretender since they dispute the previous king's decision. Could also feed into the ominous reputation of House Marietta with rumors saying that you somehow managed to bewitch the king with witchery or a hag potion into giving you the title.
[/quote]

I think that is a great way of putting it, they are something of a black sheep of the rest of the great houses.  They clearly are punching above their weight and indulge in Machiavellian shenanigans in order to make the deals that give them any sort of legitimacy.