House Gothin

The Three Bird crest of House Gothin

### Origins

Nobody truly knows the actual age of the House, though legend says its founding goes as far back as the first Egrillan kingdom in the continent of Latora. The earliest recorded head of the family was Adaferdin Gothin under the banner of the Black Eagle, a historic symbol of the family. Although alleged to be a warrior king among chieftains it was more likely he served as an early example of a feudal warlord within the far western banks of the Latoran shores.

The eventual seat of their power would rest in the county of Louis Chore (Lo-Shore-Ey), a provincial trade hub of modest size. There they would steadily accrue power and authority over the state little by little.

By the time of the discovery of the Hales the province was, though of humble size, fine wealth and strength. The ports became ample staging grounds for the personal expeditions and exploits of the Gothin family. Hard times would however press them as a series of crop failures shocked the economy, halting any further ventures. Around this time however House Gothin would enter a personal union with House Gorgne, a wealthy albeit dying banking family. The elder leader of the House's only heir was the fair maiden Ada Gorgne, whom married into the Gothin House through Bertold Gothin. Once both House elders had died, the two houses had been unified into one, the White Dove of House Gorgne crowning the Black Eagle of House Gothin.

Through the union, House Gothin once again had sufficient funds to continue exploring the Hales. By the time of the first conquest of the Hales, the House had a sizable estate on the mid-eastern Halish shores. The Gothins during this time would become a safe harbor for resupplying ships going to and fro, however their lack of direct action in assaulting key strong points in the Halish lines would become a sore point between the family and their Latoran comrades. The years following the war would be be strife with infighting between Halesmen and Lauchette officials; the Halesmen still unappreciative of their conquest and the Lauchette Officials levying increasing tax rates as "just compensation in blood".

A great pestilence would however sweep through the eastern lands, wreaking havoc as population, all while the Latorans continue to apply relentless pressure on the Gothin family, forcing radical changes in policy. As time wore on, the native Halesmen and Latorans would develop a syncretic relationship in opposition to Latoran attempts to centralize the region. The culmination in this relation when the Reach Raven Tribe was integrated into the holdings of House Gothin under an arranged marriage.

The head of House Gothin at this time, Emil Gothin, began to quietly transfer the majority of wealth and resources from the family's ancestral seat in Louis Chore to their newfound center in Raven Reach. Emil Gothin would become increasingly inaccessible, hidden behind piles of paperwork and frequently visiting the nobles in Aedwin de Steinberg.

The estate of Louis Chore would be mysteriously burnt to cinders, the manor and many piers of the hub would be badly damaged, demoting the county to that of a meager fishing hamlet. Shortly there after, the Great Divide would begin and House Gothin would pledge its loyalty to the throne of Aedwin.