Blancharde Family

## Overveiw

The Blancharde Family is the most powerful and prestigious trading and merchant family in the United Isles. The influence of the family is immense outside of the Isles, with exclusive trading charters in Translvanta, Medo, & The Theocracy, while maintaining a sizable portion of the market share in the other nations of the world. The Blancharde Family is the newest of what is known as the Three Dynasties, the most powerful of the merchant families, alongside the Lightfoot Family and Zenon Family. Despite being the youngest of these three families, their power and influence is equal to the other two families combined. Their power and influence stems from the actions of their blood father, Venezia Blancharde. Venezia Blancharde was the Minister of Finance under High Kahuna Mobey Marlin, and was the architect of the Blancharde Revolution, a monumental shift in the financial structure of the United Isles. The Blancharde Revolution would propel the United Isles to the wealthiest nation in all of Lone Haven, surpassing their rivals in the Kingdom of Sernasso and the Republic of Supan. By restructuring the United Isles economy towards their strengths in large scale trade, it would have immediate and long term benefits for the family. In the immediate, Venezia Blancharde was made Lower Kahuna, the second highest position of authority, second only to the High Kahuna himself. In this position, he would establish The Blancharde Trading Company, and promote his family to the different positions of power within the company, granting his 3 sons joint control of the company. Venezia Blancharde would also act as regent of the United Isles upon the death of High Kahuna Mobey Marlin, acting as the head of state while the former High Kahuna's grandson, Blake Marlin, came of age to assume the title at 18. In the long term, the Blancharde family was set up perfectly to take control of many of the burgeoning trade routes that came after the Blancharde Revolution, increasing their wealth and authority all over the world, with trading relations with every nation in the world except for the Free City of Legacy. Upon the death of Venezia Blancharde, a huge gathering of the entire Blancharde family was convened in Moshu, capital of the United Isles. The aim of this gathering was to elect a new head of the trading family. Many had doubts however, because the shadow of Venezia Blancharde was immense, and who could possibly succeed that? After 3 weeks of the gathering, the family would come to a decision. Charon Blancharde, only remaining member of the youngest child Velt's side of the family, would assume control of the company, while Udon Blancharde, youngest surviving son of Asteron, the eldest of the 3 Blancharde Brothers, would inherit the title of Lower Kahuna. This compromise would end up to be the correct course of action for the family. Charon Velt-Blancharde would position the family to survive the economic fallout after The Medo Revolt, The Koyoba Incident and subsequent First Brothers War. With each of these major trade partners isolating themselves off from the rest of the world, with the lone exception being Blancharde merchants. With this monopoly of trade, the Blancharde wealth would eclipse that of their rivals. In the United Isles, despite no longer needing a regent, Blake Marlin would delegate much of his duties as High Kahuna to Lower Kahuna Udon Asteron-Blancharde. In the years following, a minor power struggle would occur between the three sides of the family. The Asteron-Blancharde wished for Udon to be the head of the family, where Charon would assert his claim to that title. While these two sides of the family disagreed, the final side of the family, the Yepreie-Blancharde would put forth a compromise. Charon would retain control of the company, Udon would retain the post of Lower Kahuna, and their candidate, Teach Yepreie-Blancharde would be appointed to the head of the family. This compromise would unite Charon Velt-Blancharde and the Asteron-Blancharde against the Yepreie-Blancharde for their underhanded attempt to seize the authority of the family from either of them. The results of this would lead to Teach Yepreie-Blancharde leaving the trading family altogether and pursuing a life of piracy against his former family, first acting as a privateer for their rivals, then later joining forces with The Gemini Imperator. In the modern day, the Blancharde family is among the most powerful and wealthy entities in the world, serving not only as the dominant family in the United Isles, but also serving as a principal supported of The 5 Phases Guild. The family also leads the world in humanitarian aid to recovering nations, with Sernasso, Translvanta, Medo & The Eternal Empire all receiving money or other forms of aid to rebuild their nations.

## Sub-Families

* Velt-Blancharde
* Asteron-Blancharde
* Yepreie-Blancharde

## Known Members

* Venezia Blancharde (Deceased)
* Charon Velt-Blancharde
* Lower Kahuna Udon Asteron-Blancharde
* Yaki Asteron-Blancharde
* Teach Yepreie-Blancharde