The Mardock Family

The Mardock family is a lineage that hails from the mainland, and inhabits mostly Morioh, and created the Mardock Merchants Guild.

## History & Lore

*This lore is WIP and may be revised and changed in the future.*

The exact time, location, and the people responsible is murky at best when it comes to the Mardock family. Their history is secretive and kept only among themselves. Or, at least their, true history is. What is guaranteed is that it all started with very wealthy people. A coin here, a coin there, some gained wealth faster than others. Extraordinarily wealthy traders, colonists, nobles, and even some royalty.

The truth of why they all came together? Under the name of a God or the Devil, take your pick. They answered to an *entity* of sorts, and if you were a Mardock, you'd know that entity is represented by an owl. A network of close friends, allies, and relationships that are hard to describe in a single word pulled these very wealthy people to want more than just wealth- complete control and sacrifice to this entity.

A cult it is, then! A secret meeting here, a sacrifice of gold there, a cult was formed! What better way to appease this owl figure than to grow the cult? So it began, either through blood or through initiation. This network of people grew; A criminal there, an assassin's guild there, power through networking quickly grew.

Oh what better way is it to grow your cult than for it to be a grand part of colonizing and starting new nations? A colony here, a continent there, Mardock's lust for growth infected the new lands of the exploration era!

A translation here, a mispronunciation there, you see the Mardock name change and warp and evolve. Expansion came with its problems, and soon you'd have offshoots of the Mardock's under a different name and customs. But if you look hard enough, you can track it all back to Mardock.

You may ask yourself- why have I never heard of these people? A massive family, who changes their name not only because of blood but by initiation? A whisper here, a secret there, allow me to remind you that this cult is secretive. A fake name here, a rather creative one there, the Mardock name is the secret true identity.

Oh, but there is one place they have not completely infected and rooted into, one place that is the home stretch to this massive scheme. Power, wealth, control. They are confident that they have appeased the one they worship through sacrificing wealth to it, and by having heavy influence over society itself. An invisible hand with a single goal- stay in power and acclaim wealth. Oh, but there is one place they have not done so yet, one place that may be considered the ultimate goal; this odd continent we all dwell on. One of the most prominent Mardock strongholds, one where they carry their name with pride and for all to see, have a deep interest in colonizing here. Maybe others do, too. This wretched land, oh, this hellish place, they plan to be the invisible hand that plays it like a game of chess.

But what do you know? You're crazy, you say, there can't possibly be an intricate underground cult that hosts secret meetings that has members from the lowest beggar, to the simplest farmer, to the devious assassin, to the wealthy trader, to the noblemen and finally kings and emperors themselves! That's insanity, you say! The Mardock's here are a family business just trying to pass by! Just merchants, they have no place outside of this continent! Hahaha! And I pity you fool, for it is already too late for you to see, for it is already done! Hahaha! Beware the owl, my comrade, or you may be turned to gold by Midas's touch, and sacrificed by the Mardocks themselves!

Or, I just told you the longest joke in history and you fell for it. The look on your face! Priceless! You'll never know if I speak of lies or truth! Maybe both at the same time! I pity you.