The Fenats

A family on the rise...

The Fenats are a prominent merchant family in the Kingdom of Litticala. The family rose from humble herdsmen with a knack for fiber craft to become the most well-known textile traders and finest tailors in the world. Since their arrival in the capital city of Coromare in 203GE, the Fenats have been at odds with their greatest mercantile rivals, the Capiri.

History

Pastoral Origins

The Fenat family traces its origins to the village of Pujarcel in the mountainous southern region of the Kingdom of Litticala. Their children were tasked with minding the family flocks, and taught to spin fine wool thread at their parents' knees. Each generation refined the spinning techniques of the generation before, and the family quickly developed a reputation across the region for producing thread and woolen fabric of unparalleled quality. The Fenat flocks grew to meet the increasing demand for cloth until they were the largest in the kingdom.

Northern Migration

As their wealth and influence grew, the Fenat family sought to break into markets beyond the southern cities. To avoid the high cost of distributing their goods through Capiri Trading, Oriol fom Fenat moved his family to Coromare in 203GE. Far from their mountain home, the Fenats converted to Celestialism in an effort to better assimilate into northern society.
Oriol's initial efforts to avoid a middleman nearly bankrupted the family. Capiri Trading had already established themselves with the most reliable caravans, and most were disinclined to place their livelihood in the hands of a lesser-known family with lighter purses. It would take nearly two generations for the Fenats to make a strong enough name for themselves to gain the trust of a major caravan and properly establish a supply chain. This rise in influence did not escape the notice of the Capiri family. Forced to consider the Fenats as possible competitors, the Capiri turned to more aggressive tactics to keep the allegiance of the caravans in their employ. Unable to keep up with the pay rate offered by the Capiri, the Fenats risked losing everything they had tried to build in Coromare.
One of Oriol's great-granddaughters, Jana fom Fenat, proposed a novel solution to the family's financial woes. Rather than compete with the wealthier Capiri family for the loyalty of trading caravans over land, she contracted with a Guild ship to transport larger quantities of wool up and down the coast at longer intervals. While this slowed the flow of goods and resources, the family was able to rebuild their capital and commission a cargo ship of their own. By the time Jana's daughter took over the company two decades later, the Fenat name held as much influence in royal Coromare as it did in tiny Pujarcel.

Across the Seas

With the family's financial situation more stable, the Fenats lived comfortably for the next century. There were occasional spats with the city's nobility, who disapproved of a common family rising so high, and tensions with the Capiri remained high. Mireia fom Fenat was not content with the successes of her forbears, and strove to make the Fenat name known worldwide. She began by sending her youngest son to sea as an apprentice aboard a Guild ship. By the time he returned home, the Fenats had forged a strong connection with the Guild, and established new trading partners across the Makeyan Sea.
Recognizing Mireia's wisdom, the rest of the Fenat family quickly followed her example and sent their younger children to sea. While not all were successful, in just three generations, the Fenats were the most well-known textile traders the world over.

Tied Together

Joannis fom Fenat brought about a dramatic change in the relationship between the Fenats and the Capiri. Unaware of the conflict between the two families, Joannis struck up an unlikely friendship with Maravioso dolo Capiri when the two boys met at a Celestial temple during evening worship. Bored by the long wait for moonrise, the two snuck away from the service to play and became fast friends. No amount of family history lessons or cursing of the Capiri name could discourage young Joannis from avoiding his lessons to meet with Maravioso. Even when he was sent to sea at the age of ten, Joannis insisted upon sending letters to the future Capiri heir from every port.
Though Joannis would marry a Makeyan and choose to remain at sea for the rest of his life, he continued to send letters and visit the Capiri estate whenever he docked in Coromare. The tight knot of tension between the two families began to unwind as it became clear that neither man was interested in continuing the old rivalry. As a sign of his great trust and respect, Maravioso followed the Fenat custom and sent his son Tilodorio to sea with Joannis.
Emboldened by his younger brother's friendship and the friendlier relationship between the two families, Sosimo fom Fenat arranged for his son Joseba to marry Maravioso's youngest daughter, Valeria. Though the families are currently on good terms, both sides remain anxious about what the pending marriage will mean for trade.

Notable Members

Name	Dates	Notes
Oriol fom Fenat	171 GE - 240 GE	Moved the family to Coromare to expand trading opportunities.
Jana fom Fenat	247 GE - 317 GE	Returned the family to financial stability after decades of uncertainty.
Mireia fom Fenat	351 GE - 423 GE	Expanded the family business to overseas markets.
Sosimo fom Fenat	460 GE - Present	Current head of the family.
Joannis fom Fenat	464 GE - Present	Improved family relations with the Capiri.
Tamsa fom Fenat	485 GE - Present	Prominent Guild member and Yemar.
Joseba fom Fenat	488 GE - Present	Betrothed to Valeria dolo Capiri.

Religion

The Fenats have been Celestialists since their arrival in Coromare. Eager to be accepted into northern society, Oriol fom Fenat converted to Celestialism and insisted that his children be raised to follow these traditions. By and large, Oriol's descendants have followed his example, although some later adopted Temporalist practices as the religion gained a foothold in the city. While religious observance has waxed and waned according to personal belief, few Fenats have been devout, and none have joined the priesthood.
The major exception to these traditions is Tamsa fom Fenat. Born at sea to a Makeyan mother, Tamsa holds a special place in the Makeyan Folk Religion as a Yemar.

Fenat Textiles in Coromare

Fenat Textiles in Newmarket, in operation since the family's arrival in Coromare, sells fabric ranging from Pujarcelian wool and Coromaran linen to fine silks from across the sea. It is currently operated by Nemsa fom Fenat and her sons, Itzor and Aitor.
Sosimo fom Fenat and his wife, Mirensa, oversee The Golden Needle in Godswalk. The shop has provided tailoring services to the Celestial temples of Coromare for nearly 300 years.
Fenats' Finery in well-to-do Whitebridge is the newest of the Fenat family businesses, founded by Sosimo's sons, Baldomero and Joseba fom Fenat in 508GE. The brothers have very quickly made a name for themselves by catering to the nobility who once cursed the family name.

Woven Together

Type

Political, Family

Demonym

fom Fenat

Leader

Sosimo fom Fenat

Location

Coromare

Controlled Territories

• Fenat Textiles
• Fenats' Finery
• The Golden Needle

Notable Members

• Joannis fom Fenat
• Joseba fom Fenat
• Sosimo fom Fenat

Related Ethnicities

• Calan