His Magnificent Grace, Symeon IV, Marquis of Hokar; Treasurer of the Hold, Protector of the Crossroads. (House Harriven, Toli Armada, Rogue 5 / Wizard 3)
Centrally located, Hokar is a hub for mining, smelting, and minting for the entire Hold. Symeon I of House Harriven was granted the rule of Hokar after saving the Prince of Toli at the Battle of Jetsom Isle in 464 CY. Since then, the Harrivens have built up this once insignificant mining town into a burgeoning city. Today, rulership of Hokar has passed to Symeon’s great-grandson, the narcissistic Symeon IV. Extremely wealthy and equally psychotic, the marquis is a recent widower after his wife’s horse-carriage accidentally crashed into a ravine and caught on fire during a trip to White Cove. The marquis currently grieves by hosting frequent receptions at his palace, full of wild debauchery and often ending with random guests being thrown in the dungeons.
The marquis cares little for sailing the seas like his Harriven cousins. Indeed, during his younger years, he apprenticed as a mage under his father Symeon III, that is until his proclivities led him to instead pursue a roguish lifestyle that earned him the nickname the Knave of Hokar. It is well known that Symeon’s mania has only got worse with age, and now as marquis, his mood swings affect daily life in Hokar.
Politics and Intrigues: The marquis’ late father, Symeon III was an accomplished enchanter of metals and created a dungeon workshop and mint below Harriven Keep. Symeon IV is obsessed with exploring an abandoned mine and cavern system discovered beneath this workshop after a recent earthquake. This lucrative mission has drawn a steady stream of adventuring parties to Hokar. Symeon is also hyper-focused on gaining the favor of a secret pirate society called the Fivefold Council with whom he believes he will one day join. The erratic behavior of Symeon is such a constant concern in the House of Peers, that House Harriven discreetly plots his ouster.
Marquis Symeon IV is an excellent noble benefactor (or antagonist) for all levels of play in a developing city that serves as a good base of operations for adventurers. Unpredictably cunning, Symeon is a lightning rod for intrigue in the Hold of the Sea Princes, giving DMs an opportunity to create a series of stories connected to his questionable goals. The marquis has virtually unlimited resources to either reward heroes for a mission like the aforementioned Mines of Hokar, or to hire mercenaries to harass PCs far afield should they cross him.
House of Peers in the Sea Princes
The Hold of the Sea Princes comprises thirty domains, divided amongst a dozen noble houses. A few of these houses can trace their lineage back hundreds of years to the first Suel migrations, while most are merely fabricated hereditary titles of pirate captains who settled down a century ago. While the Hold is currently ruled by the Prince of Monmurg, the Prince of Port Toli has led the House of Peers for much of the Holds’ history. In political situations, the twelve houses are evenly divided between naval factions called the Princes’ Fleet and the Toli Armada. Those Sea Princes captains who choose to avoid house politics, nominally defer to a fleet named the Hold Flotilla in times of war.
3 comments:
Love little bios.
Probably best to remain edition free, stats are easy to generate, after all.
Might I suggest: Clips of maps might be helpful though, showing each nobles' estate and sphere of influence.
Sounds like nothing but trouble as either friend or foe. One of those nobles whose attention is best avoided altogether unless you're ready and willing to take him down for good (hopefully to be replaced by more stable ruler).
David: This is true, or I could post a link to my political Sea Princes map previously posted.
McGee: Yeah I wanted a noble the PCs would love to hate. He was generally harmless to the players as long as they kept dungeon delving for him, but he was ingrateful when paying up, which made him despised.
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