House Dunkeld

Banner of House Dunkeld, by @partbearpartnot

House Dunkeld, located in Heartsplain and Shelf, 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

Inhabiting a region known as the Seven Sands, house Dunkeld are widely known to be people of the desert; enduring the harsh conditions and vicious heat. They embody their house banner: the cactus, thriving on sometimes meagre supplies and through difficult times.

### Natural Landmarks

* **The First Oasis** - Believed by all the tribes of the Seven Sands to be the origin of all life in the desert, the First Oasis is the largest and purest source of water for many leagues. Even during the great tribal conflicts this was considered to be sacred ground, and all those who met at its waters were honour-bound to remain peaceful.
* **Beautiful Gardens** - Around the oases of the desert, and in places where great battles were fought, large and beautiful gardens have been seeded. Once thought to have been tended closely, they are now left to grow wild, for their beauty is seen to be in the chaos of nature, not the order of humans.

## History

Almost 1000 years ago, before house Dunkeld came into being, the Seven Sands were in a state of almost constant conflict: tribes vying for power and influence, alliances forming and collapsing, whole ways of life being wiped out. The Dunkeld family traces its lineage back to this time of conflict, and the great Lady Allegra was the chief of the Dunkeld tribe.

Allegra believed (much as many others) that it was her duty to unite the peoples of the Seven Sands under one banner. She brokered alliances and mediated on behalf of mortal enemies, forging truces that put an end to several blood-feuds that were older than all living memory. Where she was met with violent resistance, Lady Allegra was a fearsome battle commander - quashing her enemies with armies of superior discipline and training, and as her conquests grew, so too did her armies. Early on during her life, Lady Allegra constructed an organ from the bones of fallen enemies and the abundant cacti of the desert, and directed her armies with powerful music from atop a great roaming tower. The organ is to this day viewed as a central part of House Dunkeld's history and legend.

The battles grew both bloodier, and less frequent as Allegra swept across the Seven Sands, managing to persuade opposing armies through political wit to disband or be assimilated, until finally the six remaining tribes agreed to peace talks at the First Oasis. The brutal wars had left the Seven Sands scarred and far less populous than they once were: countless tribes had been shattered, splintered, diluted, or absorbed into other, larger tribes. Many of the bloodier factions had been wiped out, and the six remaining tribes were only too glad to put an end to the conflict and swear fealty to Allegra Dunkeld under the banner of the cactus.

Part of the peace had required that all the tribes have a hand in the politics of the region, as democratically as could be managed. However over the course of generations, Dunkeld became the only name worth knowing in the Seven Sands, and the six other tribes were happy to be left in peace and defer policy both foreign and domestic to the ladies of Dunkeld, and act as advisors only.

## Leadership and Government

Since the time of the Seven Sands Truce, the governance of the region has been more or less unchanged: the matriarch of house Dunkeld presides over a council of the tribes. Membership of the council is by election, each tribe selecting a counselor who best represents the people's interests in the region. No preference is given to male or female candidates, and tradition dictates that only those between the ages of 40 and 60 may serve.

In recent generations the power of the council has waned dramatically, and they are regarded more as advisors than rulers, even by their own people. However the Dunkeld family is well known to all the tribes due to their nomadic lifestyle, from the tribal elders down to the common folk, and so it is with a relatively good grace that the people of the Seven Sands accept that the final say over all matters rests with Lady Dunkeld.

A tradition has arisen in recent centuries, whereby the death of Lady Dunkeld does not immediately result in the eldest daughter being made Lady of the house. Any daughter of Dunkeld of sufficient age (which is to say, 16 or older) may make a claim to leadership, but it is not without the full, unanimous acceptance of the council that the daughter may become the Lady of the house. This system is largely symbolic, as it is highly unusual for the eldest daughter not to be the most favoured for power. Indeed, the process of unanimous approval was only put into place when the eldest daughter of Lady Nocturne the Blind refused to return to the Seven Sands to take up the role, choosing instead to continue her life of exploration of the realm in anonymity. The vote has not been required since, but is kept in place and carried out to ensure smooth transitions.

## Traditions and Culture

House Dunkeld is a matrilinial house. Dunkeld daughters are expected to retain the family name even through marriage, and a son-in-law joining the house is expected to accept that he will father no children to his own family name. Attempts have been made in the past to usurp the rule of the Seven Sands from the hands of house Dunkeld, and a tradition was established centuries ago to ensure the safety of the female line: From the moment of birth, a daughter of Dunkeld is watched over by loyal and trusted guards, until she is of such age where kidnap and replacement with a double would be impossible.

The Dunkeld family maintains no seat, preferring to uphold the nomadic tradition of their ancestors. The family travels the Seven Sands, lodging with each of the six tribes in turn. The region is managed on the move, and by visiting with each of the tribes, good relations are maintained with house Dunkeld's subjects and good marriage pacts are able to be brokered. If outside visitors are expected, they are received at the settlement of the tribe with whom Dunkeld are currently habiting, which has upon occasion led to some confusion amongst outsiders as to the state of affairs within the Seven Sands.

Since the earliest days of house Dunkeld, music has played a part of vital importance, both in times of war and of peace. Lady Allegra's original instrument has long since withered with time, but smaller replicas are maintained by each of the tribes as a mark of tribute to the long-dead unifier. The bones of the original organ are kept in a chest which is carried at all times with the traveling retinue of the house; in times of war, the ancient instrument is to be rebuilt anew.

Perhaps as a logical extension of the prevalence of music throughout the Seven Sands, dance has come to be a vital part of the culture. Sustac dance - as it is called - is elaborate, energetic, and highly ritualised, and appears to have martial roots. Ladies of the ruling class are expected to become experts in the art, and are trained from a young age, though sustac is performed (to varying degrees of skill) by those of all classes throughout the region. Ritual dance forms an important part of many ceremonies; funerals, weddings, state visits, and so forth. Outsiders and visitors to the Seven Sands are welcomed with a ritual dance, and sent back on their way with another. And yet the meanings of these dances (for there is said to be deep meaning in the movements) are neither known nor revealed, for they are closely guarded secrets that the tribes will never share.

The bloody history of Seven Sands as well as the hardships of living in a desert have instilled into all its peoples a sense of impermanence. Both the commonfolk and the nobles are aware that they are mortal, and eventually their deeds and lives will be all but forgotten. This has led to the growth of an unusual art form: sand sculpture. Practiced by all, this art is a dedication to the fragility of life and the temporary nature of all things. A natural adhesive is used to bind sand together into an image or structure, and then allowed to slowly disintegrate as the elements take their toll. Great events and deeds in the lives of ancestors are often depicted in this way, reminding the sculptor that his ancestor is gone, and it is his turn to perform great deeds and witness great events, before he too is swept up with the sands.

Whilst not forbidden, alcohol is frowned upon across the Seven Sands. Consumption of alcohol leads to the waste of precious water, which cannot be abided in the dry desert. Thus it is prohibitively expensive, and rarely (if at all) consumed by the smallfolk of the region. Furthermore, no alcoholic drink may be consumed before matters of any import, such as politics or weddings, and even then sparingly afterwards.

### Notable Buildings and Monuments

* **The Great Library** - Long ago the Dunkeld family built a library in the midst of the desert, hidden to all but those who know of its existence. In appearance it is a very small building, but in truth it is a vast "tower" which extends deep beneath the dunes. The Great Library contains all the knowledge and history of the Seven Tribes, and is permanently guarded by elite warriors from each of the tribes. It is a great honour to be chosen as a guardian of all knowledge of the Seven Sands, and knights of house Dunkeld are educated and trained to completion beneath the desert.
* **Desert** **Beacons** - Due to the size and sparsity of the great desert, faster communication than that provided by a man on horse- or camelback was required. Thus a series of beacons was built atop the highest dunes, for communication via smoke and flame. Different materials are kept on hand at all times, altering the appearance of the great conflagrations to convey distinct meanings, and improving communication speed across the sands many times over.
* **Tribal Fountains** - Each of the six tribes has given up its nomadic heritage, and settled permanently on the Seven Sands. Each settlement is centred around a great fountain, said to have been seeded from the First Oasis itself. These fountains are monuments to the past, but also gifts to the future, and every year it is traditional to add to the fountain in some way, either by adding records of that year's great deeds in statue or writing, or else restoration of an old part of the structure. Each tribe's fountain is unique and enormous, providing not only water but a sense of history and belonging to all who behold it.

## Relationships and Diplomacy

House Dunkeld maintains a seat at the table in the broader geo-political machinations of the realm, but more out of concern for their own lands than out of a desire to broaden their own power. Relations with neighbouring houses are generally good, but the people of the Seven Sands often find that outsiders do not well understand their ways.

When the heir apparent to the title of Lady turns 12, she is sent away from the Seven Sands to complete her education abroad. She is required to travel the lands of the realm, visiting with and learning from as many of the Twelvescore as she can. As the Dunkeld house is responsible for the foreign-policy of the Seven Sands, the Lady of the house is required to know a little of all her immediate neighbours, the crown, and the goings on of the realm beyond Dunkeld lands.

## Trivia

House Dunkeld is written and played by Bill and Kristy.

* Bill is a musician and plays guitar for Ey Up Maiden and Sir Curse .