House Terzo

House Terzo is powerful, wealthy, and old. It has been a substantive force in the shaping of the city since it was founded.
There is magic in the blood of the Terzo and sorcery is much more common among its members. It is expected that at least one sorcerer will be born every generation (often there are several) and the family produces many children to help ensure this. Any generation that fails to produce a sorcerer is considered a bad omen and all members of that generation are considered deficient at best, as if it were a personal failure, or even cursed.

Culture

Occasionally, a child will be born with draconic features, such as serpent eyes, slightly scaly skin, or a small tail, etc. These children are said to be born bearing the "mark of the dragon", are considered blessed, and their births, a good omen. Even still, while the birth of a dragonmarked child is considered significant, it is usually kept quiet, for these children, often, do not survive. (It is known that these children have high rates of being assassinated, as those without the mark are often overlooked for their "special" kin). Those that do survive tend to be sorcerers of significant might and capable leaders, often making significant gains for the house.
Not surprisingly, purity of blood is important to the Terzo and the house is not enthusiastic about diluting it. Every 150 to 200 years or so, the House implements a plan to concentrate the blood of the family in an attempt to enhance their draconic attributes and slow their decline. This incestuoulsy conceived generation tends to produce a dragonmarked child, but at the cost of a significant rise in physical and mental disabilities among its members.
House members not “of the blood” (aka those that have married into the house) will alway be considered second class, never to be privy to its greatest secrets. Even those that are of the blood have their social hierarchy, with those of more “pure” heritage being considered (especially by themselves) to be “better” than their less blooded peers.
All blood members of House Terzo are expected to have some magical training, along with all their other areas of aristocratic education. Even those without sorcerous blood are taught magecraft.
Education begins at home with private tutors, a few of which are members of the Arcane Order themselves. Those with exceptional skill or sorcerous blood are submitted to the Arcane Order for initiation. Failure to be accepted, while a smudge on the house's prestige, does not necessarily stall the magical education of a candidate. Those still set on a career in magic can apply to the university or continue with private education. Others move into other fields, such as the military, church, or politics; all the better to solidify House Terzo's position.
While none of their members have engaged directly in mercantilism as of yet, they are not above marrying minor members of the house into prominent merchant families to help sustain wealth and give a modicum of influence.

Public Agenda

Due to their high birth rate, the Terzos have strategically placed their numerous offspring in many positions of power, either through merit, coercion, or marriage, such as local and foreign governments, the military, the Church of the Nine, and even (or especially) the Arcane Order; there are more house members in the mage's guild than any other family, including a sitting regent.
However, even this multigenerational strategy has been insufficient to put them in any positions of supreme power in the land. It has been said that the Terzo have been cursed to always sit next to the throne, but never on it. None, however, doubt House Terzo's resolve to disprove this; you can practically see their mouths watering at the thought of ruling the empire.

Assets

Above-average numbers of sorcerers. Dragonhold castle
Immense political, military, and religious influence.
The Terzo have a number of unique spells, potions and other crafts they use that enhance or play off their draconic heritage. It is considered treason against the house to teach these secrets to non-blooded members, much less outsiders. It is a sign of the greatest prestige the house can bestow upon those not of the blood to bequeath them some item that is normally reserved for family members.

History

Once, generations ago, the House was blessed with two dragonmarked children. The head of the house at the time took this as a sign and knew the obvious thing to do was to breed them together in order to produce a "pureblood" Terzo. The child that was born of this union was hideously deformed, being more dragon than human. Her immense magical power and viciously evil cunning more than made up for any physical infirmity.
Sickly and twisted, struggling to survive, the house invested heavy resources into her survival and powerful magics were used to keep her alive. Over time, her health improved and she came to power in the house after overthrowing its head, the first step on her way to the throne. Her magical might was largely unmatched and she engaged in rituals and rites that further enhanced her draconic heritage, as she tried to apotheose into a genuine dragon. She ruled the land for over a century before being slain and at that time she was said to have had claws and fangs, armor-like scales and functioning tail and wings.

Sanguis Dracones (Blood of Dragons)

Type

Geopolitical, Great house

Leader

Gaudino Terzo

Family Leader

Gaudino Terzo

Founders

• Andolicus Terzo

Government System

Monarchy, Absolute

Location

Dragonhold

Controlled Territories

• Dragonhold

Notable Members

• Amanius Terzo
• Andolicus Terzo
• Andronica Terzo
• Arentia Terzo
• Avigail Terzo
• Bernardo Terzo
• Concordio Terzo
• Cosseus Terzo
• Dianara Terzo
• Edmund Terzo
• Flavio Terzo
• Gaudino Terzo
• Lavillia Terzo
• Livinia Terzo
• Mine Terzo
• Orenzo Terzo
• Pelettoria Terzo
• Prothero Terzo
• Radolfo Terzo
• Romulo Terzo
• Severus Terzo
• Teodata Terzo
• Valeria Terzo
• Vivinica Terzo
• Zenobia Terzo

Related Species

• Human