House Smarth

Know your foe. - House Smarth saying.

Smarth is a new noble family brought into their status by great feats of valor. Its notoriety comes mostly from its most recent patriarch, Eian, who has used his dark ambition to give the family an infamous reputation.

Origin
Originally the Smarths were part of a barbarian tribe and are said to have come from the Mournglade Mountains, and their family not recorded until the great chieftain Dareth the Unstoppable. It was he who rose in wealth and power, thwarting his foes, and a fearfull force on land and in the skies, but it was said he feared the sea, and revered the deep creatures like the Kraken as gods. Thus their symbol the golden kraken on sea of black silk.

In turn the Valikorlian Empire attacked the chieftain and his men many times, and lost many times more, until they were so fed up they decreed Dareth to be part of the Kingdom on his own terms, and was allowed to keep his mountain home.

He birthed four strong sons, each cunning, powerful, cruel, and military adept. Harod, Eddard, Henry, and Theon in order of birth. Each were raised in the same traditions as Dareths father before him, the ways of the old. However, in later years of their life learned also the ways of the bigger world from the scribes that came to see them from the King of Valikoria.

It was Henry who understood noble power the best, and it was he who was the most cold of Dareths sons, but knew no power would go to him being thirdborn, so in battle he killed all his other siblings, and rose to highborn just prior to Dareths death. Henry soon inherited all his fathers worth, and sent his mother away, and chose to marry a middleborn lady of Valikorlia from a near by town north of them.

Henry also enrolled himself in many of Valikorlias wars as he and his family were often called to arms during conflict. There he was reveired as a strong warrior, and stronger commander, being a tactical genuis. Cruel and hard, and taught his son Eian Smarth his ways soon after he reached manhood. His other sons taking after different paths.

Eian in his own time grown, helped the coup in Staghorn, due to when Staghorn was established the did not recognize the Smarth's, and deeply disgraced them. Eian was anointed general of Celdin's armies and helped gain notable respect and infamy. Eventually he rose to be the true power behind Celdin and rose to First Citizen. He is the most written of and widley known of the Smarth's next to his brother The Mountain who is a fierce sellsword warrior.

Importance
The Smarth family did not wage much importance until thirty some years after the flood, and the Viith-Sos war. It was just prior to this war that the barbarian men of Mournglade mountains started taking last names to rule their clans under. Also it was this time that the Valikorlian Empire grew desperate and allowed citizenship to these men, and granted their leaders a political seat. During that very point the Smarths quickly raised high in the political ladder, being cunning ruthless and cruel. It was Eians father Henry which first gained some notice being a ruthless general of a small troop into many victories, using barbarian and traditional tactics in a premium blend. From this Henry gained land and weatlh. During the Viith-Sos is when first Henry's heirborn Eian first gained standing for himself and the house as a whole through even more cunning tactics than his father against the dragon ruled armies, and even their own allies. Eian took winning at any cost further than his father, and profited from it. A long quiet time ensued, and the Smarth family did not profit for some time, but merly were at stalemate in their current position. Until that is when Eian Smarth assissted in the coup of the Staghorn nation and brought anew the new nation of Celdin. Which was vast, and as big as the nations of old, spanning across the entire northern part of Kharlia. It was there Eian rose quickly into power. He started of as a regional General to watch and supply some men if needed to the northlands. Then the split occured with east and west Celdin. Eian stationed himself in the east, having no love for religion prominant in the west. Eian's first move was to gain natural resources for Celdin, so he preposed to strike a deal with the Kender or invade them, this would lead to the Hylund-Celdin "war", which neither side took seriouisly due to Kenders lack for motivation and sense of reality. There was some political outcry against Eians actions, but he used manipulation of the people, tax schandles, and "quieting" people to help him gain money to fund his efforts, and attempt to place a name for himself in the history books. Eventually Eian rose to a point after Vergoths dissaperance, and helping Charles to be a figurehead king, ran the country under his own control. He used his power to stop all who opposed him, including: closing the churches, illegalizing magic in Greendale, and positioning Elves as a sub-race. There were also rebellions against Eian and the Smarth family, but he stopped that with quick succession and knowning that the gold pays the weak link in any organized mob. With the help of his father's advice Eian also started attacks on the southern bandits, and gained alot of power and money to do this, as well as good face for the common people. Another trick Eian did was pay his soilders under him with his own coin, which he used through taxes to pay them, to gain their loyalty, as much as one could. But it was the usurper that caused another lasp in the House Smarth, which Eian now had made famous through infamy. But any press is good press, and helped the Smarth family keep 75% of Celdin's old army under their own personal army, and kept their given land when Kanosek returned and took back Celdin, when Eian was down south. Through alot of political planning, trickery, and cunning, the Smarth family has errected its own sort of sellsword nation called Eisensmarth where they rule most of the middle lands of Kharlia. They annexed Mournglade forest, part of Bridgeton Easts remains, the Bandit passing, and surrounding areas. Even after the fall of Celdin, Eian is still highly involved in Celdin politics, even if he is unwanted, but due to being dispatched from Celdin, Eian and the Smarth family have also become frequently involved with all the nations of Kharlia, and gain more wealth with his 'Tax Wall', family connections, and knowing the right people. The Smarths thus far have also evaded war, and hope to do so but keep the rest on their toes, from tension comes the best coin.

Members
Eian Smarth: Heir to the Smarth manor, and his fathers men. Oldest of the born and most infamously known Smarth. He gets along best with Garald and Henry, and dislikes his mother, and his sister. He cares little for Jarden and Tarren but has no strong hate towards them. (Played by Zangus as General, and figurehead of Eisensmarth)

Age: 28, Height: 6'2'', Weight: 208 lbs.

Henry Smarth: Married to Kayrol Smarth, and the father to the Smarths, and lord of the house, he is said to be much like Eian but alot worse, as if the man had been raised in the cold part of hell and birthed of Dearuhk herself. He choses no god to follow, and his families views are very much after his own. He is exceptionally brilliant, cunning, and cruel. And even slew his two older brothers to be the high born to be heir to his fathers lands and men, but to make certain also slew his baby brother and cast out his mother. Henry was used by Valikorlia allot in the Dalmarite wars, and later the Viith-sos war were at first he was a simple bannerman called to arms, but later through many victories was raised to a general of a small army. Henry is the leader of Eisensmarth, gets along best with Eian and Garald, and dislikes his daughter and youngest son. -UPDATE- Later killed by Kharlian Countrymen when Eian sold them out. (NPC)

Age: 53, Height: 6'4'', Weight: 224 lbs.

Kayrol Smarth: Mother to the Smarths, and lady of the house. She was once a fair maiden, and lived a happly childhood and youth as a middleborn lady to a Valikorlian house. She was agreed to an arranged marriage to Henry after many fierce battles and was quick to bear him many children. She believes strongly in the old gods, and heavily dislikes races outside of humans, and most of all elves. She gets along best with Jarden and Karya, and dislikes Eian. -UPDATE- Later killed by Kharlian Countrymen when Eian sold them out. (NPC)

Age: 46, Height: 5'6'', Weight: 124 lbs.

Garald "The Mountain" Smarth: Second oldest and a fierce warrior. A giant of a man and bloody thirsty, it is said he is his fathers best combatant and holds many ears on his sinew necklace. He takes after Eian and his father Henry with a wide strong jaw, and a strange brown hue to his hair. He also carries heavy facial hair. He holds true to the Old Gods and part of his worship requires him to take his enemies ears until death, were he can have the joy of fighting them again in the afterlife to claim their ears back. He is the his fathers second favourite son and has some reputation himself from fierce battles. He favours two mighty axes, and a third axe on his back, he often says "Three axes are better than two". Garald gets along best with Eian and his father, and dislikes his brother Jarden. -UPDATE- Later shipped to slavers by Eian's men when Eian sold them out. (Played by Mermillo, and is Master-of-Arms of Eisensmarth)

Age: 26, Height: 7'1'', Weight: 410 lbs.

Jarden Smarth: Middleborn, said to be even more inqusative and craftier than Eian, and never speaks a fowl thing about anyone... to their face. He is said to be the best looking Smarth, and is slim featured and takes after their mother. Jarden enjoys the finer parts of nobility and is rather fond of rich silks, and exquisite wines. Many times Jarden has been called to various courts to attend in meetings and gatherings in representation of the house Smarth, and he is the only one whom seems to enjoy it. He has married into the De Lionne family. He was presumed dead, but recently resurfaced. (Played by Setzer, and is Master-of-Coin of Eisensmarth)

Age: 21, Height: 5'10'', 163 lbs.

Karya Smarth: Only Daughter to the Smarths. She is a very devotee to the old gods like her mother and Garald, but chooses not to carry a weapon, which angers her family. She also is not at all interested in battles or war, and wishes to be instead a herbalist. She stayed in school longer than the other Smarths, but is also quick to judge others. She like Eian and her mother have little cares for any race outside human. She gets along best with Garald, and her mother. And dislikes Eian, Henry, Jarden, and Tarren. -UPDATE- Later left with no home or money by Eian's men, Eian married her off to the Osbearns. (NPC, is Master-of-Knowledge of Eisensmarth)

Age: 20, Height: 5'8'', Weight: 130 lbs.

Tarren Smarth: Youngest of the sons, and youngest born next to their sister Karya Smarth, he is the only one to retain the blonde hair of his mother and is the least brightest of the Smarths, but is said to be an excellent archer and horse tamer. Is too dumb to be witty but hes cruel to make up for it, often mutaliating his foes. He takes after his mother the most being fair haired, and slim featured. He is scarred from battle, and is very ugly, even more so than Garald. He is also the only Smarth that openly does not mind other races and has been known to fancy Elven whores. He is called the blacksheep because doesn't think for himself like the other Smarth family, and for it is the butt-end of jokes for low intellegence. He secretly plans to slay them all when he has the chance, but it is unlikey they will go through with any schemes to do so. (Played by Royalsea3, is Master-of-Horses of Eisensmarth)

Age: 18, Height: 6'1'', 190 lbs.

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