Langobar Mafia

One of the three families controlling the City of Targen.

## **History**

#### **Era of Disunity**

The founder of the Langobar family, Willin Langobar, was one of the great merchants of Targen who used his connections and influence to sway the citystates of Targen under the control of his trading company. Though originally rivals with Tancred Calponn, Willian would eventually join Tancred as one of his three advisors, having been convinced by Tancred during a meeting between the two, as well as a marriage alliance between Willin's firstborn son, Venez, and Tancred's daughter, Fressenda.

#### **Merchants of Targen**

Upon the coronation of Tancred as King of all Targen, he would hand over the second-most largest island to Willin, which was renamed Langobar Island in his honor. Much of this island would serve Willin and his descendents well into the future, serving as a ideal location to for the many factories Willin would establish for the purposes of creating products for exporting to the other islands of Targen as well as across the ocean in lands such as Draivros.

Though originally the the Langobar Trading Company sought to merely trade and barter with all so that everyone would protfit, they would over the centuries become the Langobar Mafia, taking advantage of the other families, the government, and the people to ensure their dominance.

#### **First Demonic Invasion**

During the First Demonic Invasion in 250 BCE, a massive gate would appear on the island of Langobar, spewing from it several demons from an unknown realm. These demons would ravage much of Langobar and Calponn Island before being defeated by a united force composed of armies from the Alliance of Ordo and forces from the Kingdom of Targen.

The Langobar Mafia never fully recovered from the devastation of their lands however, and lost major influence among the Three Families, as well as much of their wealth.

#### **Targen Civil War**

Following the death of Edward Calponn in 92 BCE, the Three Families of Targen convened within Targen Hall to discuss a new government going forward. Aldric Venez-Langobar, head representative of the Langobar Mafia, was said to have been outraged by Erik Dane-Thatchbeard's claims to kingship, especially as Aldric held a greater claim due to actually being related to the founding king of Targen, Tancred Calponn. In rage, he stormed out of Targen Hall, declaring he would claim his birthright by conflict.

However, the course of the Targen Civil War would see that declaration come to naught, as Aldric's forces conflicted with Toyotana loyalists and Calponn pretenders for control of Calponn Island. In the end, his forces were routed from Calponn Island by the Thatchbeard families, and eventually subjugated following his death by a heart attack near the end of 92 BCE. Thatchbeard rule would prove instumental in causing a decline in the Langobar Mafia, who saw their influence and power whittled away.

#### **Rise in Power**

The Langobar fortunes would change by 75 BCE, during which the head of the Langobar Mafia, Celph Venez-Langobar, successfully manipulated the Targen court into supporting him as the Lead Senator, thus allowing Celph Langobar to effectively control the City of Targen behinds the back of the Thatchbeard family. Despite efforts by multiple Thatchbeard rulers to dislodge Langobar control of the courts, these efforts have been futile due to Celph Venez-Langobar passing many policies that would cause instability of the city should he or his successors be replaced, instability which would highly threaten Thatchbeard control of Targen.

#### **Kings of Targen**

By 2 BCE, the Thatchbeard's devastating naval wars with the Dominion of Storia would reduce Thatchbeard influence in the Targen courts, culminating in the eventful Battle of Davy Jone's Locker, during which most of the Thatchbeard Royal Family was taken prisoner or killed. With the support of the Storian navy, the Langobar Mafia launched a coup, forcing Eric Dane-Thatchbeard, Family Head of the Thatchbeard Pirates and Prince Heir of Targen, to sign the Targen Hall Accords, thus granting Rozan Venez-Langobar the right to name himself King and Ruler of Targen as well as a significant portion of Calponn island, of which included Targen Hall.

The Targen Hall Accords thus are currently maintained to the present day, ensuring the rule of the Langobar Mafia over the entirety of the City of Targen and all its possessions.

## Branches

The Langobar Family currently has four distinct branches in the family.

* The **Venez-Langobar**, who descend from Venez Langobar, first son of Willin Langobar. This is the main branch, and the current Langobar King and Family Head, Rozan Venez-Langobar, hails from this branch. The Venez Branch is composed of great traders, and many of the family members can be found throughout the world, trading good of all kinds of quality to others. The Venez branch also claims that they are the legitimate rulers of Targen due to their shared blood with the former Calponn family through the wife of Venez Langobar, Fressenda Calponn, daughter of Tancred Calponn.
* The **Mizan-Langobar**, who descend from Mizan Langobar, second son of Willin Langobar. Known for their speaking skills and outright partying, the Mizan branch is composed of politicians and diplomats skilled in the art of talking, and even more skilled in the art of impressing others.
* The **Gona-Langobar**,who descend from Gona Langobar, first daughter of Willin Langobar. Known as skilled legal experts, many members of the Gona-Langobar work as legal advocates for the many businesses in Targen. Their skill is so renown that even members of the Federation of Ordo would pay a fortune to hire a Gona-Langobar branch member.
* The **Flowy-Langobar**, who descend from Flowy Langobar, third son of Willin Langobar, born from Willin's mistress. The Flowy Branch finds their true passion in creating art and finding freedom in expression rather than exploiting others like their cousins. Though often considered the black sheep of the family by the other Langobar branches, the Flowy Langobars do share a common love for beauty with their ancestor Willin Langobar.

## Philosophies

The Langobar Mafia is focused around the concept that greater prosperity of the Langobar family means greater prosperity for Targen. This causes the Langobar Mafia to find ways to further increase their wealth, power, and great statuses, often sacrificing even loyal pawns and family members in order to reach even greater prosperity. This naturally puts them at odds with the Thatchbeard and Toyotana families, who have differing philosophies.