House Emesene

## Symbol

Harmonic geometry, perfectly positioned, upon a white background.

## About the House

#### Ancient History

House Emesene were, in antiquity, vassals to House Falthe. When the House controlling the area encompassing the Arabian Peninsula and Anatolia fell to Golden games, the region needed a new subGovernor. It would border Falthe in the north and Grimmus in the south, both Houses having a relationship defined by competition and animosity. After some years of squabbling and assassinating puppet Governors for the region, a compromise was settled.

It was to be split in half. A Grimmus vassal, the Xerxii, would be elevated from vassalhood to SubGoverning House in Anatolia. A Falthe vassal, the Emesene, would receive the same treatment to rule over the southern half. Thus came Emesene into power in the Arabian Peninsula.

The centuries hence, Emesene and Xerxii have had a relationship as contentious as that of Grimmus and Falthe. Border skirmishes and assassination attempts plagued their shared history. No love lost between these feuding territories.

#### Modern History

During the Fall, House Emesene elected to remain on Terra rather than fleeing with the Armada to Mercury. For the first months, they bordered Pyramid lands, and faced no direct aggression. Then House Xerxii fell. Following a battle named “The Thracian Tear”, the legion sundered and the region fell to chaos. It would take weeks for the Emesene to learn of the involvement of one Gideon au Idrys, the Moonie warLord who fell into Anatolia and slaughtered the living members of House Xerxii.

Anatolia fell to chaos. The Republic began aggressing the Emesene’s northern border. To the east, House Maurya collapsed beneath the Republic’s assault, and soon enough House Emesene was defending from north, east, and the southern coast.

The MMO (Martian, Mercurian, Olympic Alliance of Legions), sheltered for a time outside Kuwait City as they prepared sorties with the Republic. This went disastrously. The MMO lost a handful of confrontations, pushed back from the Maurya lands further and further. Rage destroyed Baghdad, the former Emesene capitol. Finally, they abandoned the campaign altogether, with no word or notice given to House Emesene.

A little after, Gideon sent out his invitations for a birthday party peace summit in Anatolia, in Istanbul, the capitol he stole from the Xerxii. House Emesene blamed him greatly for the collapse of the region and the softening of the border which allowed through the first of the Republic’s aggressions. When Love, infamously in a relationship with Rage, accepted Gideon as her subLegate and under her protection, they took this as a personal affront.

When Nikolaos, Curse Knight, infamously friendly with the Love Knight, slaughtered the Morning Knight in a duel he taunted, this was the absolute final straw. Morning, Agravaine au Falthe, had been the Emesene’s greatest supporter at the summit, and on Terra. He had just agreed to send a legion to support the Emesene border.

After this moment, House Emesene finally accepted the flirtations of the Republic. In the next battle, they conspired with the Reaper of Mars to enact the betrayal at Mossoul and Erbil, and the catastrophic secession of the Arabian Peninsula.

## Quotes

*The courtyard of the Raqmat Estate is an oasis within an oasis. The lush verdancy of the red dune fields explodes into ever more intense, ever more beautiful hues of succulent and vine twining through the jet black volcanic stone of the massive water feature in the centre of the courtyard. The fountain is so large, it takes a full rotation to see the carved black marble steps twining up to its centre, to see the platform amidst the water, and its low marble table laden with food.*

*The Emesene have had lunch lain out for their guests. Traditional dishes like lemon kingfish and stuffed flatbread waft their enticing flavour over the rush of water to Love’s assembled diplomatic party. Before the temptation can torture the senses too long, a clear voice calls out, “Lady Tallora au Emesene, second of her name, Primus of House Emesene and subGovernor of the Arabian Peninsula! Lady Chatrasuda au Emesene, first of her name, wife-consort and beloved of the Primus!”*

*A row of Whites along an upper balcony hum low, as below the grand double doors to the courtyard swing wide admitting the Ladies Emesene. They wear ceremonial armour, as intricate as it is costly. Matching and bone white, it is deeply patterned with harmonic geometry and twining vinework, and beneath that their sirwal and lihaf are vibrantly coloured with reds and purples. A stunning desert sunset shimmering across tanned flesh.*

*Hand in hand, Tallora’s left in Chatrasuda’s right, they stop before the party. Together, they bow low to Love and her dignitaries.*

*A discerning eye might look upwards and see the balistraria encircling them from all the higher levels of the courtyards massive surrounding walls. A discerning mind might remember that neither Lady nor Lady Emesene are famed fighters. One, a graduate of Politico School on Luna, the other a nonPeerless entirely.*