Cerberov — Roleplayer Guild

House Name
House Antar

Sigil
A golden, two-headed serpent upon a purple background. In the left mouth of the serpent, there is a sceptre. In the right head, there is a sword. The serpent is coiled on a pile of coins.

House Words
“Speak Softly, Strike Harshly”

House Specialty
The smiths of House Antar are one of the few houses left who fully understand the secrets behind Voltaani Steel, and are the primary exporter of the alloy, predominately among their vassals.

Ancestral Weapon
Mordedura de la Serpiente - A falchion, made from a specific alloy of Voltaani Steel meant to be rust-resistant and hold an edge through weeks of heavy use, whose formula was lost prior to the Voltaani exile.  Its pommel is carved like a snake's head, and an inscription on the gilded, jewel-encrusted hilt reads “know no fear” in ancient Endosi.

Important Members

King Mateo III Antar

Age
20

Appearance
Mateo has a boyish face, with wide green eyes, a button nose, and thin lips, seemingly always drawn back in a frown. His dark blond hair is short and wavy, and the accompanying beard and sideburns are scraggly and poorly maintained. He is of average height, with a figure toned by day after day of training and fistfights, and his olive-toned skin is marked by scars gained during his youth.

Personality
Mateo is bombastic, aggressive, and concerned above all with the fate of his family and country. He has little patience for formalities, seeing them as something of a necessary evil. Despite knowing the sacrifices inherent in ruling, he strives to be a strong and just king. He also possesses something of a self-loathing, especially for his carefree and irresponsible behavior in the past.

Talents
Mateo knows his way around a brawl, and has been well-trained in the use of swords and daggers, though he is inexperienced when it comes to real combat. His true talent is his ability as an orator, and the force of personality that he puts behind every word.

Friends and Rivals
His family – Mateo has a more or less antagonistic relationship with his family at this point. He is wary of his mother's ability to get what she wants, first from his father, and now from the nobles of the court. His sister, too, is taking after him in a way that fills him with some shame, for her and for himself. Only his brother – who he is increasingly beginning to see as weak and ineffectual – and his uncle, whom he has barely known but still respects, are even close to friends.

Osane Iniigo, heir of the Duke of Notura, Duchess of Montas – Originally a small fling two years ago that came to nothing else, Osane is now a friend and confidante of King Mateo. Due to being three years his senior and currently married, some scandal is unavoidable, but the truth of the matter is that Osane's days of sweaty trysts have passed and she sees Mateo simply as a friend, and as a young man currently out of his depth. Only time will tell if her assessment is true.

Iago Arvarid, Duke of Txau – Ever since a day that left his youngest son Bieto with a broken tooth, the Duke of Txau has regarded Mateo as a dangerous and over-privileged thug who hides behind his name. Though this attitude hasn’t changed, he is obviously not going to openly insult his king. Among court, Iago cuts a figure nearly as impressive as Mateo, and his own talent with oration is backed up by decades of experience. In terms of making progress with any of his speeches, Mateo has a formidable rival.

History

Even from a young age, there was a fire in the young prince Mateo Antar that could not be quenched. Throughout his childhood years, ever since he could walk, he could throw a punch. He would often organize brawls with the children in the capital, both sides going to war with each other over a few iron crowns scattered on the ground. As he grew into adolescence, taking in lessons on fighting, religion, economics and etiquette between fist fights and nighttime liaisons with servants and the daughters of visiting nobles, the passion that throbbed through him turned to anger. Anger at the state of his country, which seemed to have lost its pride and replaced it with money. Anger at his father, for so complacently bowing to the demands of his vassals. And anger at himself, for his youthful ignorance and rash, self-indulgent behavior.

It was during one lecture on the maintenance of a castle's budget that he was suddenly called out of his lesson. His father, King Thiago Antar, had suffered a bout of apoplexy in the middle of a conference, and though he recovered, he was now incoherent and bedridden. In a hastily-prepared coronation ritual, Mateo ascended to the throne of Volaanti, and proceeded to swear off the many bad habits he had accumulated in his youth. He knew that, as a king walking into a proverbial pit of vipers, he couldn't afford any distractions, or anything that would make him seem weak in the eyes of his council.

 In spite of his young age, he has gained infamy in court due to his aggressive personality, keen head for politics, and major push for military reforms. While some find these traits admirable in a king, the majority of Volaanti nobility is stubbornly against many of the policies the king has adamantly tried to push through, and his misgivings about the increasing political sway of sellsword companies have been met with accusations of paranoia.


Queen Mother Estefania Antar

Age
36

Appearance
She is tall and lithe, dark-skinned and black-haired, with amber eyes, a sharp-featured face and full lips. Here and there, stress has caused wrinkles and grey hairs to form.

Personality
She is egotistical, does not forgive a slight easily, and in conversation, tries her best to be cordial. However, anyone with the audacity to openly threaten or insult her or her family are sure to pay for it.

Talents
Estefania is a smooth talker and negotiator, above all else. She knows what she wants, and what to say to get what she wants. If simple flowery words aren't enough for her to get her way, she is also rather adept at finding out things that others do not want to be made public, and using these secrets to her advantage.

Friends and Rivals
Iago Arvarid, Duke of Txau - Iago is neither a true friend or rival, merely someone with a mutual goal: humbling her unruly son. They both have their own methods and motivations for their actions, but in the end, both of them want to see Mateo brought down a peg. This mutual goal has given some degree of respect between the two, though any further pressure by Estefania has been given up, due to the Duke's seemingly incorruptible nature.
Various nobles - Estefania has spent nearly every day of the past twenty years extending her influence over the court, through bribery, blackmail, and currying favors. In terms of potential, her son garners a lot of fear. In terms of real influence, she is feared even more.

History
Born Estefania Orlanti, Queen Estefania was born the only child of Leon Orlanti, a minor noble serving under the Duke of Castillo. Despite being of relatively low birth, and being arranged to marry a nobleman in Caelia, Estefania managed to catch he eye of the then-Prince Thiago. After pressuring his father into proposing marriage with House Orlanti, Estefania quickly consummated her marriage with the young prince, and was with child within months.

When Prince Thiago succeeded his father as king, Estefania quickly wormed her way in as the king's chief advisor. Often, King Thiago would disregard the advice of both his council and his family for Estefania's advice, advancing her own agenda in his blindness. Thus it carried on until his sudden illness. While some believe Estefania had a hand in it, she herself had nothing to gain from incapacitating her highly pliable husband.

She now serves as an advisor for her son, though she is nowhere near as highly regarded as she was by her husband. This has embittered her towards her son, and she seeks to curry her own favor among the nobles to undermine him.


Cibran Antar, Prince of Voltaani

Age
43

Appearance
Long days under the sun have turned Cibran's skin dark and leathery. He has strong, broad features, dark blonde hair bleached by the sun, a long, thick beard with rings braided into it, and blue eyes under hooded eyelids. Though he stands no taller than his nephew, the muscle he's put on makes him seem much larger by comparison.

Personality
Cibran is soft-spoken, thoughtful, and highly imaginative. His long years spent in often violent and dangerous locales have hardened him to violence, and his life spent alone and abroad have given him only a vague understanding of the importance of duty and family.

Talents
Cibran is skilled in all manner of weaponry, though his favorite is still a spear and shield, due to their versatility and ease of maintenance. He is a shrewd businessman and a highly competent sailor, as well. And, even though he would deny it vehemently, he has a small grasp of Arcane Sorcery from his time in the Imperium iz Olbiaen

Friends and Rivals
Various nobles - Cibran is often thought of by the nobility as a vagrant, who abandoned his duties to the crown in order to go on adventures, at the realm's expense. The fact that he has, indeed, left with one of the largest trading vessels ever manufactured, a relic of the now-extinct Voltaani Empire, and come back without it is enough to make him the target of a good deal of scorn.
His niece - Prince Cibran sees himself in the wild child that Rosalia has become: a younger sibling, living in the shadow of an older sibling whose achievements are always hailed above your own. This has given a bit of kinship between him and his niece, and he even looks the other way when she takes his old clothes.
His younger nephew - He understands Nicolau's hesitation: the responsibilities of being royalty are a heavy burden, especially upon a child. His inability to concentrate on his studies is frustrating, but his uncle doesn't see much wrong with it. After all, he wasn't exactly the most perfect scholar in his youth.

History
Cibran was the black sheep of his family, a moody and quiet child who became a dour and highly withdrawn adult, born from the second wife of King Estevo Antar. Much of his misgivings were due to the insults of his father, who made it clear that he existed only as a spare, in the case of his brother's death. Though his brother Thiago had tried many times to mend the gap caused by their fathers' favoritism, Cibran drifted further from his half-sibling and father. By the time the Crown Prince Mateo was one year old, Cibran had already left on trading missions to the east, across the sea.

In foreign lands, he became a famed adventurer and merchant, writing many journals of his discoveries, and of his service as a sellsword to foreign lords of far-off lands. He returned to Voltaani a total of four times, each time merely to greet one of his nieces and nephews, send a copy of his journals to the Sage, and load up his ship before setting off again. But the fourth time would be the last time he set out.

None were as shocked by the news of King Thiago's illness as his brother, Prince Cibran, who had been home from overseas for less than a month before he was confronted with it. Though he had barely spoken to his brother in twenty six years, and had no real love of his country, he knew that duty demanded he stay, until the political situation settled down.

He has angled himself as a contact for various foreign resources, such as sellswords, artifacts, and a very small smattering of magical knowledge which he has not shared with anyone. Unfortunately, his long stay overseas have left him ill-equipped to navigate the current political landscape.


Name
Rosalia Antar, Princess of Voltaani, Royal Heiress to the Kingdom-Republic of Voltaani
Age
15

Appearance
Rosalia is slender, rather tall for her age, and graced by puberty with the mature, sharp features of her mother. Indeed, her face looks like a spitting image of her mother, with the exception of her pale green eyes, and a small cleft in her sharp chin. The playful and soft default expression on her face seems to belie her usual temperament.

Personality
Rosalia grew to be spoiled. Her mother and father promised her the world, and she is determined to recieve it, regardless of who stands in her way. When hse fails to get her way, or perceives someone disrespecting her, it often leads to a tantrum. Her ambition is matched by her modesty and frankness, preferring to eschew the more elaborate dresses she's forced to wear during her rare appearances in court for simple, undecorated sundresses, or even some of her uncle's old sailor clothes, whenever she has a chance to steal them.

She also adores animals, as evidenced by her additions to the Royal Menagerie.

Talents
Rosalia has applied herself well to mathematics and poetry, and like her older brother, she is classically trained in swordplay. She has also learned a bit of navigation from her uncle, and is a proudly self-taught sneak-thief.

History
The circumstances of Rosalia's birth are strange indeed. Queen Estefania apparently gave birth by herself, considering that none who were in the castle at the time recall helping the queen during her labor, and the queen herself could not be found for an entire day. The end result, however, was a healthy and strong baby girl, who would come to be known as a healthy and strong troublemaker by the palace staff before too long.

Whether it is stealing what does not belong to her, or cavorting with undesirables in the slums of the royal capital, there's no end to the grief Rosalia gives to her family. Slicing the face of a servant that accidentally spilled tea on her dress is not the most scandalous rumor that surrounds her by far. The overbearing presence of her brother -- who has far less patience than her father ever had for her antics -- has curbed her habits somewhat, but she is still regarded as rude, impulsive, and cruel by those who aren't afraid to speak against her, and she is determined to not merely be one of her brother's bargaining chips.


Name
Nicolau Antar, Prince of Voltaani
Age
12

Appearance
Nicolau is a scrawny boy, turned gangling and awkward by the onset of puberty. He has the soft features of his brother and father, and the dark hair and amber eyes of his mother. His skin is pale, likely due to how much of a shut-in he is, and his general body language in public is closed in and fearful. There is a slight dent in his cheek, accompanied by a fading, patchy scar, and several smaller scars in various states of healing across his face.

Personality
Nicolau is highly introspective and philosophical, though none would guess it by how quiet and listless he seems, and how disinterested he is in his studies. He is much more fond of sitting in his room, thinking and reading, than he is of being outside in a crowd. The very concept of harming a human being is intrinsically horrifying to him, and the ease with which his older siblings have harmed people in the past has negatively colored his perceptions of them.

Talents
Nicolau has some skill at astronomy, and a rather deep understanding of human emotion and motivation, though he has a hard time practicing either skill. And despite being out of practice, Nicolau is naturally athletic.

Friends and Rivals
His uncle - Prince Cibran sees himself in Nicolau and dotes upon him, and Nicolau is all too happy to receive the attention. His uncle's attention has even been enough to put him back on the path of his studies.

Raul de Noture - A Diosean priest, and the personal tutor of Nicolau. Despite not getting through to the prince when it comes to his role as a tutor, he is a source of comfort for the young man.

History
Nicolau's birth was uneventful. The labor was short, and the boy himself, though born in bad health, became healthier as time went on. Much of his early childhood, too, was uneventful, him staying out of much of the mischief that his siblings involved themselves with. He was a playful child, but there was little mischief that he involved himself in, until he had begun teasing a serving boy that had been assigned to him as a personal aide. It was one day, when he was eight, that all of this changed.

A stunt that Nicolau used to pull was jumping off of a low balcony in the palace. He knew how to roll with the fall, avoiding any major injuries he may have otherwise suffered. He pulled the serving boy aside one day, and was determined to teach him how to fall correctly. The boy, afraid for his life, and unaware of what Nicolau was trying to do, reflexively pushed the young prince off of him. Nicolau had no time to align himself, as he plunged, not in his usual landing spot on the grassy hill, but in a bed of roses below the balcony.

The fall cracked his cheekbone, and thorns tore at his face and limbs. The servants scrambled towards Nicolau as he screamed, their rush of action and meticulous snipping of vines preventing any serious damage from the thorns. The serving boy seemingly vanished overnight, no longer seen in the corridors of the castle. And Nicolau has been a timid, nervous wreck ever since.


Vassals
1: House Arvarid, Duchy of Txau
2: House Roivas, Duchy of Castillo
3: House Perris, Duchy of Corazon
4. House Navar, Duchy of Notura
5. House Casca, Duchy of Sebin
6. House Artez, Duchy of Surta
7. House Valari, Duchy of Corte
8. House Leon, Duchy of Valdis
9. House Iniigo, Duchy of Montas

Courtiers & Retainers
Chancellor Florentina Leon
High Priestess Haieza de Corte
Marshal Maxwell Barton
Sage Ignacio Rojas
Sentinel Dominique l'Soldat
Spymaster Zorion Black
Steward Mitxel Casca

Realm
Kingdom-Republic of Voltaani, Realm of the Verge

Primary Holding
Joya del Oriente – The Jewel of the East is the capital city, and seat of the Voltaani royalty. In its spot on the eastern coast of Voltaani, it is the gateway to the countries across the ocean. Both small galleys and cogs made to stop through ports along the rest of the peninsula and continent, and large, royal three-masters meant to sail overseas, are held in one of the largest ports in Orlandis. The influence from trade is tangible, Endosi architecture mixing with Overlandic and Exlandic facades, and spices, dyes and tapestries, both foreign and domestic, flow through the town day by day.

La Ruta del Oro - Outside the capital city, in the outskirts of the duchy it rests upon, stone roads cut through the mountains to the north, and into the southern steppes. Taverns dot these roads, ready to receive the nobles and wealthy freemen who frequently travel to the capital for their business. Due to the high rate of banditry associated with these rich routes, mercenary companies bid ruthlessly for rights to ply their trade on the roads around the capital, with the rights changing hands nearly every other month.

Vassal Holdings
Castel del Corazon – A stronghold tucked into the mountains, Castel del Corazon is the only major settlement not predominately protected by mercenary companies, instead preferring to rely on a well-trained levy and the natural defenses afforded from the single pass out of the mountains. Due to its lack of arable land, Castel Del Corazon relies heavily on imports, and the strip of farmland ahead of the pass. Despite this, it stands as the arms manufacturing capital of Voltaani, importing Voltaani Steel from the royal  seat and exporting swords, spears, and armor across the country. Ironically, House Arvaraad's greatest customers are the mercenaries they prefer not to hire.

Influence & Relations
Caelia – Caelia is a long-time ally of Voltaani, though they have warred in the past. Current relations with Caelia have been tense, partly due to King Thiago's spurning of a marriage two decades ago, and partly due to a growing sense of arrogance and nationalism among the Voltaani court. Though war is the last thing wished by either side, disputes have risen in recent years, including disputes of the succession order of duchies on the Caelia-Voltaani border. Though the disputes have been resolved through trade concessions, there is the chance of them igniting yet again.

The Ebon Blade – Originally a bandit company founded by an Overlandic expatriate, the Ebon Blade was reformed not long after its founding into a mercenary company catering to the personal defense of nobility. Much of the Guardia Real, the Voltaani cavaliers assigned to protect the royal family, are drafted from the veterans of the Ebon Blade, and as such, they are considered a powerful ally to have among Voltaani nobility.

Veronia – Veronia is the source of most of the overseas trade that comes into and from Voltaani. Despite this, relations with Veronia have never been more than neutral, both countries preferring to keep to themselves. A major push to improve diplomatic ties was tried by the late King Estevo, but its backfiring was considered one of the biggest weaknesses of his reign.

The remnants of the Imperium of Vndos - The Kingdom of Voltaani is the largest piece left of the once proud trading empire that it came from, but other parts exist. The Republics of Ortan, Orm, Nevra, Ralos, and Naeos are seemingly mere provinces compared to their might at the height of the Imperium, but they are both invaluable as trading ports, and the few pieces of the Imperium that escaped the collapse following the Voltaani Exodus.

Templo del Refugio - The Eastern Paragon stands as a prominent figure, both in terms of spiritual leadership and political sway. When a noble child is sent to be educated outside their house, there are two choices: the most trustworthy noble house nearby, or the Templo del Refugio. As a mentor to the powerful and the authority on what is just and good, the Paragon has the power to bring any house, including House Antar, to their knees. The main reason why the Paragon has not done so is a need for stability, especially in these growingly turbulent times.

The Western Paragon - The Western Paragon has little sway over the people of the Verge, but still exists as a highly respected religious leader.

Exports & Imports
Spices – Voltaani itself grows many peppers and herbs that would not survive outside of the Verge. Combined with the import and resale of more exotic spices from beyond the sea, they have easily earned their nickname of “Spice Country”.

Wine – Wine is a very important cultural drink among the nobility and freemen of the Endosi, and Voltaani consumes enough of it that they have to import it from other countries, including the kingdoms of Caelia and Veronia.

Textiles – A thriving textiles industry exists in Voltaani, exporting clothing and tapestry to the rest of Orlandis, made from both the native linens and cottons of the Verge, and more exotic fabrics imported from the east.

Gold – The eastern mountains of Voltaani are rich with gold veins, and while the majority of this gold is minted, the remainder is taken by jewelers and goldsmiths, who turn it into works of art and jewelry designed to cater to nobility. Gold is by far Voltaani's most lucrative export, though the current difficulties of finding ore in the mountains have slowed trade.

Soldiers – Foreign mercenary companies are commonplace in Voltaani, to the point that they often have their own degree of economic and political pressure. 

Recent History
The rule of King Thiago III Antar, though peaceful, was an era of erosion for both the prestige and the influence of House Antar. His council had begun to turn on him due to the favoritism of his wife, and his children's wild behavior had only contributed to the image of an ineffectual king, incapable of keeping his own household in order, much less the kingdom. The fact that he had been struck by apoplexy, in the middle of court, did not help the nobility's declining opinion on the state of the royal family. The succession of his son Mateo has been met with some hope for a wise ruler, but even more fear of the infringement of the nobility's rights, as well as the welfare of the economy.

Also present in the time following the last High King of Orlandis, and most likely prior, is a growing sense of detatchment from the continent. A nationalistic portion of the Voltaani nobility has been growing as a vocal minority, demanding the reinstitution of the military system of old, where a professional army of freemen was considered the staple of the army instead of the foreign mercenary companies that are now heavily relied upon. In spite of the oft-repeated restrictions of manpower, the logistics needed to support an army infrastructure, and the loss of support from many sellsword companies that have now become political institutions, the debate continues to rage.

A less vocal minority, however, are the Decentralization Faction. They see the loss of power of the monarchs and the growing sway of the nobility as a natural next step in the growth of the nation, and wish to see the monarchy either reduced to a figurehead, or outright abolished. This is not an overtly popular faction following the illness of King Thiago and the rumors of poisoning, but the sentiment remains.

Other Information
Theme Songs, Notes, and so forth. 

(Still WIP)
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