House Damaq
The single wealthiest noble house in Absalom, House Damaq owes its vaunted status to its near monopoly on Keleshite trade in Absalom, itself a result of Damaq’s Qadiran roots. In truth, relatively few of the silks, spices, and fine Qadiran glassware stay in Absalom, instead being shipped further westward. House Damaq maintains trading factors in places as far-flung as Varisia, Senghor, and Minkai, with every Damaq son or daughter spending at least a decade abroad—part education, part supervision.
In addition to helping keep House Damaq fabulously wealthy, its policy of shipping its youth abroad to sow their wild oats gives the house a (not entirely accurate) reputation for reserve, decorum, and sound good sense. House Damaq is often the final judge of standards in Absalom’s nobility, the logic being that if staid and sensible House Damaq accepts a new development in the War of Strings, no one can fault the other noble houses for doing the same. Lord Kerkis further polishes this reputation by being conspicuously generous with his house’s wealth, funding hospitals, public parks, and churches throughout the city—the House of Healing and Yargos’ Mission count House Damaq among their patrons.
Their status as the adjudicators of Absalom’s old guard aligns House Damaq quite naturally with the other Optimates, and Lord Kerkis has family alliances with both House Arnsen and House Ormuz through his sister and late wife respectively. The Aspis and Kortos Consortiums, meanwhile, are perpetual thorns in House Damaq’s side, business competitors of the worst sort.
Nor are those Kerkis’s only problems. Most of the time, sending Damaq’s offspring abroad lets them learn and grow. But every so often some young aristocrat, drunk on freedom and a massive expense account, gets into the kind of trouble that can’t be easily smoothed over. Lord Kerkis is perpetually on the lookout for agents who are trustworthy, efficient, willing to travel to the ends of the earth, and above all, discreet.
In addition to helping keep House Damaq fabulously wealthy, its policy of shipping its youth abroad to sow their wild oats gives the house a (not entirely accurate) reputation for reserve, decorum, and sound good sense. House Damaq is often the final judge of standards in Absalom’s nobility, the logic being that if staid and sensible House Damaq accepts a new development in the War of Strings, no one can fault the other noble houses for doing the same. Lord Kerkis further polishes this reputation by being conspicuously generous with his house’s wealth, funding hospitals, public parks, and churches throughout the city—the House of Healing and Yargos’ Mission count House Damaq among their patrons.
Their status as the adjudicators of Absalom’s old guard aligns House Damaq quite naturally with the other Optimates, and Lord Kerkis has family alliances with both House Arnsen and House Ormuz through his sister and late wife respectively. The Aspis and Kortos Consortiums, meanwhile, are perpetual thorns in House Damaq’s side, business competitors of the worst sort.
Nor are those Kerkis’s only problems. Most of the time, sending Damaq’s offspring abroad lets them learn and grow. But every so often some young aristocrat, drunk on freedom and a massive expense account, gets into the kind of trouble that can’t be easily smoothed over. Lord Kerkis is perpetually on the lookout for agents who are trustworthy, efficient, willing to travel to the ends of the earth, and above all, discreet.
Type
Geopolitical, Great house
Leader Title
Family Leader
Location
Related Ranks & Titles
Controlled Territories
Related Species
Comments