[Copper8642]

The Heladuit Court

The Heladuit court is part merchant house, part tailor's guild, part noble house, and part social club.

As a merchant house, they run a very large market for cloth goods, from the basic livery of the plebians, to the finest of suits and dresses, with a focus on the latter. Even money that Court members obtain otherwise is considered part of this market's funds, all money in the Court is fair game to be used by the merchants.

As a tailor's guild, they produce the goods they sell. The actual members of the Court make very few the overall product sold, the majority of it is made by hired workers. Those vestments, those works of art, produced by the members of the Court, are either sold at the highest prices, or worn by Court members themselves. Made of exotic materials, expertly woven, shaped to the highest standards of aesthetic ideals, and often-times enchanted. It is artisan attire that the Court is most known for.

As a noble house... well, they're not even nobles. The Heladuit Court is made up of the Heladuit family, and the Heladuit family is made up of merchant tailors and seamstresses with a knack for enchanting. To ask the Heladuits, however, invites an explanation of how now, they aren't nobles. They are royalty! Markus Heladuit, the current head of the house, has been told by his father since he was young that he is descended from the true kings of this land. His father heard these same tales (truths, we tell you!) in his childhood, and should Markus sire an heir, he will be told of the blood in his veins as well.

As a social club, the Heladuits are a group of high society aristocrats surrounding themselves with others of the same ilk. They take specific care to dress in the finest of liveries at all times, and look down on those who are less caring of what they wear. The Heladuits are also not all blood relatives. To join the Court, one changes their last name to Heladuit, and joins the family. From then on, membership is passed down ancestrally, but new members have joined in every generation, and no distinction is made between brothers of blood and brothers of oath.

Heladuit Court VIPs

Markus Heladuit (Human)

Markus Heladuit is the current head of the Court, and to say that he's let that get to his head would be an understatement. With a superiority complex that makes him as arrogant as they come, Markus's belief in his natural talent, as well as his education and training, is absolute. A natural at the enchanting that his house is known for, the scion of the Heladuits is never without a trick or two literally woven into his clothing. Much of what he wears is made from the silk of his pet (and primary confidante) giant spider, Empress, making it incredibly strong even without his magic. Believing that his blood is the blood of this land's king, he sometimes acts as if he already is. Even so, he is not so arrogant as to be deluded that this is truth, but if he has his way, it will be truth soon enough.
-Empress, Markus's pet spider, can be thanked for the recent trend in web and arachnid influenced designs in the more elaborate of the Court's recent productions. Completely taken with his favorite pet, Markus showers it in more praise and adulation than many of his humanoid followers, and Empress is very loyal in return. She doesn't get taken out often, but anybody who makes regular correspondence with the Court has likely seen the spindly legs and dark chitin of Empress, and has even more likely kept their distance.

Meredia Heladuit (Dwarf)

Meredia's position in the Court is an odd one. Though family members who join the family are not given any different treatment from those born into it, the ruling family, Markus's family, will usually refer to them as cousins or kinsmen. However, Markus insists that Meredia is his sister. The fact that she wasn't seen in the family until 4 years ago, compounded with her being of a different race, makes this hard for many to believe. If anybody is bothered by this inconsistency though, they don't speak up, and Meredia is well liked by most people, both within the house and outside it. Beloved by her "brother," and dressed as a member of the Heladuit bloodline would be expected to be, she has been given the right (the privilege, really) to defend the Heladuit Court in Trial, using the same charisma she used to talk her way into the family and Markus's greatest graces.

Javier Heladuit III (Half-Orc)

The son of the recently deceased Javier Heladuit Jr, Javier III took his father's position as head of the merchants of the Court. Javier III appears to be devoid of personality; speaking in flat tones with little inflection to his voice and no expression on his face. A calm and collected negotiator, with a mind sharper than his tusks, he keeps track of the deals and finances of the Heladuits with apparent ease. Many would think they were negotiating with an automaton, but closer inspection reveals a pulse and other signs of life. His presence unsettling, Javier is given a berth even by his family, in spite of the respect


Traits

Nothing But Class
Blood and Oath
Obvious

Starting Neighborhood

Tailorway