Other Dementlieuse Noble Houses

[Imperial]

House Sazeray

"La puissance est dérivée de la force."

"Might is derived from strength."

House Sazeray was founded in the year 723 B.C., after a prominent industrialist in Chateaufaux named Xavier de Sazeray was awarded letters patent for “improving and developing commerce within Chateaufaux” by Lord-Governor Chambon and his Council of Brilliance. No land came with the title, and it is all but understood that the title was bequeathed to Xavier because of his willingness to assist with the Dementlieuse government’s rather acute financial troubles at the time. It would be one of many stated reasons for Lord-Governor Chambon’s removal from power five years later.

Of course, Xavier de Sazeray was already of advanced age and he would not be able to enjoy his newfound status for long. He would expire from natural causes and his title would pass along to his eldest son, Bertrand de Sazeray. He would prove to be an unremarkable administrator of his father’s meagre estate until 740 BC, when madness saw to overwhelming Chateaufaux.

The young Baron offered full-throated support of Mayor Henri Melano and Captain Domini Tisiphanes as they created the Black Watch and saw to enforcement of all manner of draconian laws and edicts, and arrested dissenters on the absolute thinnest of legal pretexts. He was dealing with labor troubles at the time, and he knew he could count on the Black Watch to ensure order was kept in his workhouses. When Mayor Melano and Captain Tisiphanes were replaced by new, saner leadership, Bertrand de Sazeray’s past allegiances were not forgotten and he was largely alienated by his noble peers. Scorned and rebuked, their influence in Chateaufaux largely abrogated.

Thirty-six years have passed since then, and the Baron is now in his twilight years. In spite of this, rumor has it that his mind is now as sharp as ever. Rare is it that he leaves his family’s estate positioned along Boulevard Jardine, however, save to occasionally oversee the workhouses his family owns. Instead, his son, Bertrand II, is the one most frequently seen around town and serves as the face of Sazeray Carriage Company, alongside his socialite daughter Zoëlle. Rumor has it that the latter has been sent to Port-a-Lucine, to find a proper suitor who will serve as a match… and yet, she would not make it to her intended destination.

[Veilleux]

House Veilleux
Derived from the Old French "veille", meaning 'watch', or 'guard.'

"Ayez du courage, et soyez gentils."
"Have courage, and be kind."


True to the last name they have long since adapted, the Veilleux family have more than earned their place amongst the gentry and nobility of Dementlieu through their dutiful service. While they may be one of many families whose reputation has been cultivated through excellent military prowess, there is one thing that sets them apart; their unwavering resolution to focus their efforts on protecting the good, the poor, and the innocent. This is a kind-hearted house, and it is known that a Veilleux guard is amongst the most loyal one can acquire...so long as one shows a good-natured hand. To reveal a more nefarious disposition is to sentence ones self to abandonment, and to find an immediate enemy in the Veilleux family. Despite their loyalty, their diligence, and their knack for spawning well-trained knights, this house has remained relatively minor. Many speculate that the Veilleux's are simply happy to remain as dressed-up guard dogs, while others theorize it is due to their "unfortunate" habit of marrying down rather than up.

It was not until around 23 years ago that a member of the Veilleux family elevated to a station beyond that of a knight. Sieur Valentin Veilleux was named Baronet in congratulations of his own merits, causing a great celebration amongst the many members of the family. Valentin has remained a modest man however, never flaunting or paying too much mind to this shift in status. His duty to his family and his work remained his priority.

The Siege of Amaranthe sparked the fuel for the family's only prominent scandal. Raised on the stories of heroes authored by her mother Rosaline, Valérie- the only daughter of Valentin- grew up wanting nothing more than to become just that- a hero her mother could be proud of. The young woman snuck off to aid in the effort, only to be injured, then promptly detained by soldiers who recognized her. Word was sent back to the Veilleux family that the young Veilleux had been killed in battle, rather than having been merely injured. By the time that another report was sent to rectify the mistake, however, it was too late; the grief-stricken Rosaline, who had locked herself away within her room to mourn, was found dead with a dagger at her side, and a slit wrist. The woman and her daughter had a bond closer than any other, and she simply could not bare the heartbreak of having lost her beloved daughter and best friend.

After having been returned to her home, Valérie remained under house arrest for more than a year, rarely making appearances outside of the family home. The hopeful, happy youth slowly decayed, becoming a shell of her former self. Her laughter no longer filled the halls of their home, and any formal training she had for swordsmanship seemed to cease. Even those closest to Valérie have not seen her smile since.

With the house arrest now lifted, one can only wonder...what will she do now?

[ThatOneGeneralGuy]

House d'Averine

House d’Averine holds an unremarkable history in Dementlieu and has almost never been at the forefront of any political involvement, often keeping away from disputes throughout its existence. The family all started due to the increasing success of textile merchant Bureau d’Averine, who quickly made a small enterprise and later earned the recognition by becoming Baronet. After his death, his son Robert d’Averine inherited the charge of his miniscule dynasty and title. Robert, to the knowledge of the public, had a fruitless marriage that bore him no children.

At his deathbed, Robert had shocked both the gentry and his own retainers, by confessing in his will that his family had an heir, legitimizing the bastard son known simply as Tezoh. This alarming and confusing revelation had led to controversy throughout the gentry, but the legal documentations were later deemed as legitimate by the magistrate and that Baronet Tezoh d’Averine was officially deemed as the rightful heir to the family.

Despite this, House d’Averine’s future remains uncertain, for despite its new head, Tezoh remains as the sole surviving family member, and his questionable appearance makes the public wonder how long he will last.

DM DISCLAIMER: No characters can be created nor can they originate from this family. The only living family member is Tezoh d'Averine.

[Dale]

House de la Cour is an older house, its founding goes back at least three generations with Louis de la Cour during a now forgotten war. A military commander, House de la Cour found its beginning on the battlefield under the tactical wisdom Louis offered. His excellence on the field was rewarded with an honorable baronetcy, the unlanded title pushing them into noble courts, typically as military advisors.

Their influence would fade more with time, House de la Cour would be known for producing military men and women, typically on the homefront. Professors of military sciences, gendarmes, military officers, with this trend only being disrupted recently. With the passing of Gaspard de la Cour, his eldest son Tristain became the current baronette. Known as a bleeding heart and a compassionate man, his personal philosophy has kept the vast family out of the nation's major conflicts this last decade, much to the chagrin of many of its members.

His younger brother, Andre, has finally convinced Tristain to let him go to the capital to seek glory for the family. With his eldest son Devereux in tow, the traditional man is determined to end the family's recent stagnation and bring them to the forefront of the nation's politics.
 

[Ambroiseux]

House Ambroiseux

House Ambroiseux began in 730 BC with its founder, Percival Ambroiseux.  Percival had invested heavily into the trade and manufacture of perfumes.  Recognized for its importance in Dementlieuse culture, he was ennobled with the honorary title of Baronet, as well as the title of Maitre by the Council of Brilliance.

The blossoming House Ambroiseux made its own share of enemies along the way.  After the Grand Conjunction in 740 BC, an inexperienced Baronet began to fall prey to the scandals and schemes of the aristocracy, all while experiencing harsh decline in their fortune.  After months of the threat of attainment of his Baronetcy, Percival was narrowly able to escape the scandals dragging his house down, unscathed, through a series of byzantine deals at the hands an enigmatic solicitor once in his retinue.

For years following, their perfume trade became a staple in Dementlieuse fashion, curiously avoiding further scandal over the years and even proceeding to prosper further in wealth.  Percival and his wife, Imogene Ambroiseux, went on to have several children, though each generation, including the first, seem to always lose their firstborn sons within a year.

In 777 BC, Algnernon Ambroiseux arrived in Port-a-Lucine with his wife, Marianna Ambroiseux, and his four daughters.  Beautiful and full of ambition, the identical twin sisters Françoise Ambroiseux and Florentine Ambroiseux, and their two younger siblings, Éléonore Ambroiseux and Genévieve Ambroiseux all set out to forge their own mark.  Though, gossip and rumors follow Algneron's branch of the family, talking of when, or if, they will ever have a son to further the line of succession for the title of Baronet...