House Venere

Ah, good old "House Venereal"! What a scandalous House! Such luxury, such vanity, and such romantic scandal! That's the promise of Venere. How, then, has this House managed to not just survive, but thrive as a cultural beacon in Ladinh? Perhaps the Familiares of this rococo House care for more than appearances after all.

Most humans don't bother to put on magical glamours, but it's customary in Venere to seem as beautiful as possible - meaning people of all cultures are heavy glamour users. Even the odd perfumed Y'd can be seen wafting the traces of pagan illusion magic around in the busy portside shtetls of Venere and Gabi. Speaking of Y'd, it seems that dwarves get the warmest welcome in Ladinh when they ally themselves with House Venere. Y'd act as mediators and conveyancers for many trade deals, and have financed a handsome temple, the Three Spires, which beautifies the peninsula to the east of Venere itself.

Venere fulfils its duty to Ladinh by maintaining the Pillars on either side of the entrance to the Eastern Basin. It also selects a draft to help garrison Bastion far to the south. Those who fall out of popular favour tend to wind up on the draft, which is overseen by the Fratres - a supposedly neutral grassroots clerical group.

If you're looking for exotic goods, experimental weapons or interesting spices and raw materials from the Archipelagos and Hot Lands, Venere's a good place to visit. There's usually a party going on somewhere in the great city. Just try not to get mugged, conned or worse.

Key facts
Coat of arms: Three lions' heads (three ancestors)

Family Motto: Bene placito

Leaders: (the Matriarchy is in dispute)

 * Paterfamilias: Barone Alarico di Venere
 * Matriarchs: Baronesza Chiara "Alba" di Venere and Baronesza Pellegrina "Nera" di Venere

Cities:

 * Venere
 * Gabi
 * The Pillars
 * Meli (joint colony)

Other Familiares and characters
Tribune of the Youth: Peppa "la Porca" di Venere

Sira Perlina di Venere

Siro Quinzio di Venere and Siro Secondo di Venere (brothers and trade competitors)

Lares:
Consiglieri: Penteo and Pegaso (Keepers of the Pillars) Gang: Stiletto
 * Rico de la Vega
 * Melissa (overseer of Meli)
 * Rafael (elven ambassador from a mystery cartel)
 * Semira, Greco, Ignazio and Lenzo (mountebanks)
 * Leonella (trader at large)
 * Fra. Lorenzo (a well known priest in Gabi)
 * Moreh Benjamin and Morom Sareh (booksellers in Shtetl Gabi)
 * Rav Abram Shamor (Judicial and religious leader in Shtetl Venere)

Specialities

 * Magic School: Illusion
 * Cleric Domain: Trickery
 * Broker the Deal: +2 Family bonus to Charisma based checks about commercial matters

Local businesses
Gli Siri Cacciatone - Spelling Press in downtown Venere