House Otranto

House Otranto makes its living farming, fishing and fighting. In the early days of Ladinh's settlement, the Otranto family made good use of Deshi ideas and hewed irrigation canals between Rio Gran and il Ippopotamo, creating the Fertile Swathe - Ladinh's best wheat and wine-growing region. House Otranto has stocked Lake Mira with schooling fish and has begun experiments in pygmy hippo husbandry. They also train up condottieri and hire out militia to defend against roving Iberiyan and Ros warbands.

Not for nothing is House Otranto said to be a "den of snakes" - they are a small, eccentric house full of hotheads and rumours about them abound. The older members of this House tend to be reclusive, while a younger generation is starting to make itself heard, full of fire and expansionist ideas. It's worth noting, however, that House Otranto has been particularly successful at getting elven allies to "go to ground" and return to life, er, mostly of sound mind; the question is, have they got it to work on humans?

Note: where characters are labelled (first pass), (second pass) etc this is an estimate of how many times they have gone to ground and been reincarnated.

Key facts
Coat of arms: the snake of Il Serpe and the tower of Torre Matta.

Family Motto: Chi la dura la vince

Leaders:

 * Paterfamilias: Barone Arechi d'Otranto (third pass)
 * Matriarch: Baronessa Maria Sallentina d'Otranto (first pass)

Cities:

 * Forterezza Otranto
 * Il Serpe
 * Torre Matta
 * Beta

Other Familiares and characters
Tribune of Youth: Leandra "la Bestia" d'Otranto
 * Siro Clodoveo d'Otranto and Siro Laerzio d'Otranto (twins, militaristic)
 * Sira Parisia Maria d'Otranto (socialite, second pass)
 * Siro Bartolomeo d'Otranto (first pass)

Lares:
Consigliere: Gualfredo Pazzo (?? pass)
 * Pomeranius (elven lich)
 * Manuelito (Pomeranius's assistant)
 * Silia Mariana d'Otranto (envoy to New Albion)
 * Guelfo (currently visiting lo Bayou)
 * Matteo (contact at Augeia Stables)
 * Nemorina (priestess at Holwel Spring)
 * Gang: "Forza dell' Destino"

Specialities

 * Magic School: Necromancy
 * Cleric Domain: Death
 * Hold the Line: House Otranto condottieri and Familiares can make an attack of opportunity against a charging opponent who enters an area they threaten.