Post by Kuroya on Oct 27, 2012 5:13:58 GMT -5
BALTHAZAR
The royal family and the oldest, the Balthazars are dying out, in part due to many generations ago having almost all the heirs female but mostly due to a whole-scale slaughtering of members. They have since had to retreat into hiding as nobles all around eye their throne, thinking them weak, though recently they have re-entered society with the intent to reclaiming such. The heir is Dimitri Leon Balthazar, a man said to have Contracted a powerful Chain, though the exact method of such is yet unknown and the reports vary as to the nature of the Chain he has Contracted.
TATE
A powerful family and one of those with the longest history. An ancestor of this family was the first Contractor, and with his Chain, he brought ruin to the Balthazar family and that of other nobles, including his own. The family has a rich history with the Abyss, and while they always perform illegal Contracts, they are unique in that members of this family are powerful enough to occasionally resurface after having been thrown into the Abyss upon completion of their incuse. The Tates aspire to the throne and are said to be willing to do anything to get it, including murder their rivals and kidnap innocent people to send to the Abyss to later use as pawns. The current heir is Vladimir Tate, who is said to have returned from the Abyss twice, a feat never before repeated, and is reported to have an Abyssal Contract with the great black jungle cat that guards the family's Gate.
VERONIQUE
A powerful family and the second oldest, the history of which is second only to the Tates. Although they were not involved in the scandal of the first Contractor, they benefitted greatly from it since they were lucky enough to avoid the majority of the slaughter and madness brought on by the carnage. They were the family who discovered the truth of how the Tates obtained their power, but unlike them, the Veroniques did not foolishly proceed into throwing their lives away in Contracts. Instead, they investigated extensively until they developed the secondary method of Contracting a Chain, the Charmed Contract. The family is well-known for being able to use any object whatsoever for their Contract medium rather than solely the inscribed mirrors typical of a Charmed Contract. The Tates and the Veroniques are engaged in a fierce war for the throne, though the Veroniques employ far less questionable methods to do so. The current heir is Alexander Veronique, who is actually the younger son and in such position in the first place because while his elder brother might be better suited for the role, he is the only one of the original line engaged in a Charmed Contract and possesses the power of the great sandy-furred savanna cat Chain that guards the family's Gate.
MALIFICENT
A prominent family allied closely to the Tates through their shared darker image among the other nobles. It is whispered that whenever a Tate wishes for some unsavory deed to be carried out, it is a Malificent that carries it out, and indeed, the Malificents have perhaps the strongest spy network out of the bluebloods. The subordination to the Tates, however, occurs because the Malificents do not have access to a Gate to the Abyss otherwise, though the proud family does stand to gain quite a bit with the aid of Abyssal Contracts. Malificients are well-known for their ability to transfer the progress of an incuse from one person's to another's, perhaps even to someone without an incuse, though such an occurrence has never been verified. The current heir is ________
BENEFAULD
A prominent family allied closely to the Veroniques through marriage. Upon the discovery of Charmed Contracts, which they alighted upon one such marriage, they placed their allegiance with the Veroniques. The Tate ancestor ravaged their numbers greatly, and they survived only through intermarrying with other bluebloods. Notorious for their grudge towards the Tates for losing their own bid to the throne, it is speculated they aim to obtain control of the crown through marriage to a Veronique. Benefaults are well-known to be quite receptive to the energies of the Abyss and a few are even rumored to be able to use it to traverse distances and time at will. The current heir is ___________
ILLUMINE
A family that has been steeped in the land for years, they were brought to the brink of extinction by the Tate ancestor and his Contract. It is only in recent generations that they have begun to have a resurgence in power, and that gives reason for worry, though the Tates don't seem to realize the potential threat they could be under. The Illumine are closely allied with the Veroniques, wanting nothing to do with the family who brought them to such ruin so long ago. The current heir is Victoria Illumine, a strong-headed woman with an iron fist who is rumored to have Contracted a surprisingly human-like Chain.
NOCTIS
A family hailing from another land, the Noctis are a powerful group in their own right, and given enough time, they could easily ascend to power. The only thing holding them back seems to be their small numbers and their sheer lack of experience with the Abyss. The Noctis are closely allied with the Tates, though, so it is unlikely that problem will serve to hold them back in another few generations. The current heir is ________
VALENDALE
A family that has only recently gained the numbers, prestige, and funds to be considered nobility, the Valendales are scornfully considered a group of uncultured farmers by most of the other nobles. In spite of this, they are quite strong in their own right, if only because their people are loyal to them, though the family is split as to whose bid to support for the throne, that of the Tates or the Veroniques. The current heir is ________
BELLECOURT
A family once proudly allied to the Balthazars, the Bellecourts were thought dead until recently, when they re-emerged into public life. Their lands are limited, but the people there are quite loyal to them. Known to be the guard dogs of the royal family, they have not taken a side as to who will take control of the throne despite pressure from both the Tates and the Veroniques. The current heir is Lydian Bellecourt, who has not made a Contract with a Chain out of respect for his family's former loyalty to the royal family.
