House Cabbaro

Banner of House Cabbaro created by @partbearpartnot

House Cabbaro (known in the noble language as **Maxuec Cabbaro** /ˈmag.zwek ˈkab.baro/ [audio]), located in Doublecrown and Red Hills, is a major Noble House in Merion. As the home and seat of power of one of The Twelvescore Enobled it is a major geo-political force in Merion, and an important contributor to the events prior to The Cataclysm and the resulting Merionese Succession Crisis.

## Geography and Climate

House Cabbaro is positioned on the border between the regions of Doublecrown and Red Hills. Owing to its advantageous location on the River Sunflash, the house has enjoyed a central place in a bustling trade network connecting the Wax to the interior of the continent. Its economy is further elevated by the cultivation of two rare spices brought over from foreign lands, fireroot and blueseed (**ramhene** and **singost** in the noble language respectively /ˈramxene | ˈsiŋgost/ [audio]). These spices grow exceptionally well in the dry sunny climate characteristic of the entire Doublecrown and Red Hills region. Alongside these goods, House Cabbaro profits from textiles and metals from within its borders and without; the productive Quidoiraz Mines are in year-round operation.

The terrain is elevated somewhat above the neighbours in Doublecrown, due to its proximity to Red Hills' famously rugged topography. Nevertheless the region is surprisingly flat, leading to some excellent landscapes - one of the best such can be viewed from Plateau Point.

### Natural Landmarks

* River Sunflash
* The Quidoiraz Mines
* Plateau Point

## History

House Cabbaro is an old but not ancient house, dating back to sometime after the unification of Merion. According to the usual narrative, a large party of travellers hailing from beyond the Ocean Contested arrived in Merion and settled between the regions of Doublecrown and Red Hills, on the banks of the River Sunflash.

After some years, it is said, their leader was instrumental in defusing a situation between nearby houses which threatened to spill over and destabilise the entire region. As thanks, the Queen ennobled House Cabbaro and granted them those lands where the Duban people had already settled, along with some adjacent area taken from the squabbling neighbours as punishment for their inability to cooperate.

Upon the extinction of House Sarlogen several centuries later, House Cabbaro acquired the land, having married extensively into House Sarlogen over the years. This granted House Cabbaro access to a long extent of the River Sunflash; this event, along with the discovery of the Quidoiraz mines and the introduction of the Cabbaro spices into mainstream Merionese cuisine, truly launched House Cabbaro onto the national stage as an economic powerhouse.

## Leadership and Government

   House Cabbaro has an idiosyncratic succession system believed to be rooted in its foreign origins (although this is disputed). Noble blood passes strictly in the female line, through the descendants of the current House Mother (Bomaec). However, the Lordship - and thus the ruler of the house - is always male, being typically the eldest brother of the House Mother. Upon the Lord's passing, the title passes to his nephew - the eldest son of the House Mother.

Sons of House Cabbaro, being incapable of continuing the noble bloodline, customarily find matches among the marriageable women of neighbouring houses, or dedicate themselves to a Knighthood.

At the present time the House is ruled by Lord Autzim, aged 11, with his regent Rovarom Paro. They reside in and govern from the Waterhouse at Wackost, one of the many properties owned by the family, which is located adjacent to the Great Library.

## Personality and Atmosphere

House Cabbaro is widely regarded - and not for nothing - as the regional leader in the trade of luxury goods such as spices, textiles and precious metals. Still, the house's mercantile projects include staples such as maize (the most-cultivated crop across Doublecrown and Red Hills) and wool. It is not a coincidence that the family's properties extend beyond their noble homes and the Great Library at Wackost to several warehouses located in various towns along the River Sunflash and the coasts of the Wax.

The trade network House Cabbaro has developed gives it some protection from any martial ambitions its neighbours may harbor - few people are willing to cripplr their economy for the sake of more expansive borders. However, it is widely acknowledged that House Cabbaro lacks almost any military prowess worth mentioning, preferring to defend itself through diplomacy and relying on the weapons of its neighbours to safeguard its interests.

## Traditions and Culture

The noble Cabbaro family are for the most part no different from other nobles, having assimilated into Merionese culture in the centuries since the house's inception. However, several unique characteristics remain, most notably the traditional Duban names almost all the nobles have. The noble language Duban can be seen also in several placenames across the house's lands.

House Cabbaro maintains a strong educational tradition, both among its subjects - all of whom are expected to learn to read - and within the family. The family and trusted scribes keep knowledge of the noble language alive; within the Great Library at Wackost are stored many scroll dating back to the time of the immigration, and more Duban works have been penned in the centuries since. In times of war, this method of complete secret communication between members of the Cabbaro dynasty has proven invaluable.

### Notable Buildings and Monuments

* The Great Library at Wackost
* The Spire
* Waterhouse (current seat of government)

## Relationships and Diplomacy

### Relationships with The Crown

Through the centuries the house's influence with the Crown has waxed and waned, with several marriages arranged for this purpose. The house is still regarded warmly, but it has certainly had more influence in the past.

### Relationships with The Twelvescore Enobled

* House Cabbaro has strong trade links to all the neighbouring houses, as well as those upriver and downriver along the River Sunflash.

## Trivia

House Cabbaro is written and played by user Jack H Keynes.

* House Cabbaro is one of the only noble houses not to have a primogeniture succession, haveing been granted a royal exemption by virtue of its history.