Three Great Maniheim Families
“Kinsmen die, You yourself die, gods and gold die;”
Maniheim is not structured around a single leader, but instead the isles are ruled by families, with Magnates, the term for the local ruler, often being the strongest of the local family. The Magnates rule and make the decisions for the individual families and are aided by a group of Elders, who run the more day-to-day side of the families. Before the Plummeting, it was rumored that dozens of isles, and thus dozens of families existed across the floating isles. After the plummeting of 1050 AC, an event that caused a great amount of death, what has been confirmed is that three families, whose stories were already rumored among the society, took the majority of the reigns.
Background: As of 1050 AC, the three most prominent families within Maniheim are the Sige, the Gothfrey, and the Kormak. Members of all three families are cursed with the curse of the Nephilim, however they are also far from united, sometimes claiming the blame for it falls upon the Dragon that once graced them, while others argue the blame falls upon the other families. Ever still, even the Sige, who claimed to have garnered the favor of the wind Dragon in the past, now raise the banner of Dragon Slayers, and the smited families of Fah'nadir see their once patron as a threat at best.
Sige[edit]
House words: “When truth and fairness are different from the law, it is better to follow truth and fairness”
Epithet: The Founders
Of the three great families of the Maniheim, the Sige are the most prominent. It is said that the Maniheim itself was created when the Sige family was hunted, driven from the swamps that they called home due to their brutality, and eventually having to separate from the very waters that the family had before loved. In this great change, they were supported by the inactive Greater Spirit Zephyr, who would go on to teach the mortals about how to make the floating isles. It is stated that it was the Sige family, specifically Renrir Sige, that greeted Fah’nadir, that received her blessing before the Dragon fell into her great slumber.
The Sige family claim that they embody both justice and vengeance. Their brutality is well known across Maniheim both from the stories and often their actions. When a Sige believes what they do is the right thing to do, the law and rules that might otherwise bind them often goes out the window in favor of what they feel. This has oftentimes caused minor schisms with other families, especially the Gothfrey, who they often come to blows with.
Gothfrey[edit]
House words: “Eagles should show their claws, even when dying.”
Epithet: The Dragon Slayers
The second most prominent of the three great families of Maniheim are the Gothfrey Family. The Gothfrey family was the last to have risen to prominence, and their rivalry with the Sige family is said to be nothing more than legendary. Where the Sige family is known for greeting Fah’nadir and receiving the Dragon’s blessing, it was the Gothfrey family, who, after years of silence from the Dragon, and taking the words of Nevanerro’s Devils, would strike at and capture the Dragon of wind. The Gothfrey family’s Volbur Gothfrey is the one known for creating and claiming the title of Dragonslayers.
The Gothfrey family is obsessed with honor, often putting them at odds with the Sige family with their claim to have gained the dragon’s blessing. It was this craving of honor that led them to listen to the Devils initially. Taking both the lessons of Fah’nadir to heart in terms of rage, and change, as well as the words of the Devils to seek personal glory, they had made the choice to strike at the Dragon even should they perish, all for the chance of higher prestige. To this family, crawling up the ranks of notoriety was worth the rage of the patron Dragon, and even now they claim pride in their ancestor, in while they didn’t slay the Dragon, they had caused for Fah’nadir to be contained for many years.
Kormak[edit]
House words: “All a people need in order to rise up against tyranny is a leader bold enough to take up the banner.”
Epithet: The Free
The Kormaks are the last of the three great families, and the least prominent, despite their legends being older than the Gothfrey. While the Sige and the Gothfrey hold claim to fame for their actions with Fah’nadir, the Kormak legend of Hljod is more of a legend of the people. During one of the raids of Maniheim, Hljod would be captured, and like many of the prisoners who were captured in the raids, she was made to work for the family that captured her. Many of the workers of that family were forced to work to their death, however, Hljod would lead a rebellion against that family, bringing her fellow workers under her banner and overthrowing them. Hljod personally put the axe through her oppressors, and went to take over the land that she had made to work for her own.
The Kormak family believe in freedom, and are ever in pursuit of what will bring it to them. Gold, to purchase whatever they want, food, to hunt for as long as they desire, and when it comes down to it weapons, so that they may strike down anything that may oppress their freedoms. The Kormaks search for these things in excess so that when those times come when lands hold drought and chances are slim, they will still continue on their way, towards their goal unstoppable.
Trivia[edit]
The major vices of the families are often seen as the Sige being the wrathful, the Gothfrey being the prideful, and the Kormak being the greedy. In this culture, such vices are hailed as virtues, for they bring the want to change.
The Families of Maniheim often adopt house words and sayings. The words of one’s ancestors and elders are often to be remembered and respected, used to find the drive to move forwards.
“an honorable name will never die, one which was won by your own work”
Credit[edit]
Notyel https://forum.verdict.dev/showthread.php?tid=3341
https://bavipower.com/blogs/bavipower-viking-blog/best-viking-quotes
https://www.mantelligence.com/viking-quotes-and-phrases/
https://ahlr.artstation.com/projects/Poaao3
Rerir