House Kühn

## **Aspects**

* Situational Aspect: A Hired Knife is as Sharp as a Bonded One
* Situational Aspect: A Bound Pledge is Sharper Still
* Situational Aspect: Hidden Ways Beneath

## **Overview**

Within Yosthaven, the Great Houses serve many functions, acting as both government, military, and industry. House Kühn is a House of bankers, a merchants guild who acquired enough wealth and talent to buy themselves a place first as a Lesser House, and now as one of the Great Houses of the City. Though some might disdain those who rose to power on wealth rather than raw talent, they soon find that the former is more than capable of buying the latter. House Kühn might have started as a Guild of upstart bankers and merchants, but **Meluc** is **Meluc,** and their investments in Wards and Oathsworn have served them well.

* Situational Aspect: A Hired Knife is as Sharp as a Bonded One

## **History**

100 years ago, House Kühn wasn't a House at all, just a large bank within Crowns owned by a Consortium of investors and other powers, and led by a skilled Craftbinder named Anna Kühn. Anna had little talent for the Craft itself, but had amassed a small fortune for herself based on her skill with contracts and pledges. She invested her wealth well, and the Ward which protect a bank's vaults are not altogether dissimilar from those that secure a Lesser House's. She purchased the services of Craftsfolk, mercenaries, and other Lesser Houses, eventually building her Consortium until they were strong enough to declare themselves a Lesser House. Thus it was that she founded House Kühn, converting her investors into Housebound through the skill of her own Pledgebinding. It took another 32 years, and two successors, but eventually the House grew strong enough to invest into their own Wards on Pirika's Wall, and become a Great House.

In the years since, the House has continued to buy into outside talent, rather than cultivate their own. Some amongst the great Houses scoffed that they were, at their core, just merchants. Those bound to House Kühn would likely have countered that the Craft is just the exchange of Meluc, and at their core they are all just merchants. The House has certainly cultivated a wealth of relationships and Dependents amongst the banks, lenders, and investment Consortiums within Crowns.

* Situational Aspect: A Bound Pledge is Sharper Still

## Domain

House Kühn is an Open House, maintaining their wards within the neighborhood known as Crowns inside Pirika's Wall. It is a massive structure, tall and windowless. It is rumored that the House hides many tunnels, for despite providing **Melucrum** to many of the neighborhoods banks and lenders, its Bound are rarely seen on the lightless streets of Crowns.

* Situational Aspect: Hidden Ways Beneath

## **Housebound**

### **Akim Dulka, Head of House Kühn**

It is rare for a Weaver of Silk to rise high within Yosthaven. Not because the Holda hold any particular animosity towards the people of the Empire of Tal, they certainly share a common enemy, but merely because the bonds that tie the Thousand Hidden Families to one another are stronger than steel. Akim speaks little of how he came to break those ties, though there are Lore Keepers within the city who hint that the line of Dulka is no longer counted among the Empire's lists. In the 27 years since he arrived in Yosthaven, he has managed to rise high within Kühn, ascending to Head of House 3 years ago when the previous Head stepped down.

Like all Svila, Akim has a deep appreciation for art and aesthetics, something that has served him well in his Craft. His skill with Craft is legendary within the House, and he has pioneered a number of theories and practices that have become instrumental to the Mantles they cloak themselves in. He had launched a campaign of expanding the House since long before he assumed his current position, actively recruiting Dependents, Housebound, and Oathsworn with a ferocity which many whisper must have certainly drained the Houses Wards dry. For while more veteran Oathsworn certainly means more wealth, the process of empowering and training them is an expensive one.

### **Oathsworn Floy Prost**

House Kühn's newest addition, Floy spent much of her young life as a Dependent of House Melifloran, growing up within their schools and under their watchful tutelage. It is unclear, exactly, what offer made the talented Craftswoman abandon her patrons and find cause with House Kühn. Yet when the oaths were sworn and the Pledgecraft woven, that is what had occurred. The obvious answer is Melecrum, it usually is, but a Sorceress of her apparent talents shouldn't have had any significant want or need as far as Meluc is concerned. An ambitious woman, it is entirely possible that the position of first among House Kühn's Oathsworn was enough to lure her over.

She has proven to be more than competent at the role in the two years since she has taken it,  deftly navigating the House's many contracts and pledges to build their power. It does not hurt that she is rumored to be a Duelist in the Craft of extraordinary talent, and can rely on her reputation where her House's rumored Melucrum might not be enough. With her at their helm, the House might truly begin to train and empower their own Oathsworn, rather than buy the talents of others.