House Saltsby

Proud reisdents of the grand city of Kriegerholm, House Saltsby are political savants and mainstays of the foggy and mercantile city in the south of Aedrinar. Emerging as a powerful local family known for their salt farms and ships - the Saltsbys assencended to nobility in the aftermath of Krigerholm's sacking by King Knut and the death of the Kriegerholm Jarl and High King, High King Ebbe.
A storied house, the Saltbys have remained a steady presence in the city for centuries, simply outlasting their rival great houses. Having held the title of thane for three generations, the previous Thane, Blann, was widely regarded as a ‘fool’ who rested on his family’s deeds rather than his own and frequently gets into trouble with other clans and houses. Thane Blann would anger the Vilderfolken Wolf Clan by throwing the son of their chief out of his castle windows for having a relationship with his daughter, Yasha Saltsby.

Symbols

The Saltsby banner is a green field wit ha white whale or monsterous fish on it. The banner was claimed by Saltsby house founder Thorgier Saltsby for his role in slaying a giant whale that was terrorising the ships of Kriegerholm.

Members

• Thane Blann Saltsby (Deceased): Former Thane of Kriegerholm who was killed by Arngier Warpelt in honourable combat after his role in angering the wolf clan was revealed by Doomed 2 Die.
• Raffa Ironcrest: The widow of Blann and originally a member of House Ironcrest.
• Styrbjorn Saltsby: The prefered candidate for thane last time around, Styrbjorn was at war when the moot was held. He is no the shieldmaster and high martial of the Saltsbys. Styrbjorn lost the moot of 1052 to Thane Gier Warpelt due to Doomed 2 Die's involvement.
• Yasha Saltsby: Daughter of Blann and Raffa, Yasha has run away to be with her lover Thorin in the Wolf Clan.
• Balli Saltsby: A preococious teenager and bookwork, Balli is Blann's only son
• Kyra Saltsby: Daughter of Styrbjorn
• Olaf Saltsby: One year old baby of Styrbjorn.

History

The Saltbys were founded as a house in the the 21st century of the second age as a minor family of salt panners and sailors in Kriegerholm. Surviving as a low ranking house, they would be excelled to nobility after their home was destroyed by King Knut in his war against High King Ebbe . As one of the few surviving houses of the city, the Saltsbys rallied together with four other houses; the Crownforgers, Blackdires, Icewardens, and Tigerhearts.
As Kriegerholm remained a thaneship under Knut's rule, the Saltsbys became the leaders of the city and worked a tenative peace between the bitter king and the citizens of the city he nearly destroyed. Helping to restore Kriegerholm as a mercantile hub the Saltsbys also began a system of alternating who was the thane between the great houses.
In 166, 3e, the Saltsbys joined the other great houses of Kriegerholm in a war against Odinsthrone. Led by then Thane of Kriegerholm, Lefgier Blackdire, the Saltbys sent their ships to destroy the river defences of Odinsthrone and allow their fellow houses to sack the city. As a reward, the Saltbys were granted a lion's share of the plunder and used this to restore their grand halls in Saltmarsh.
The system of alternating power started to fade in the city as the Crownforgers and Drakefjellen became the most regularly Jarls of the south. Between 200, 3e and the rise of the 7th kingdom in the 6th century saw the Saltbys only become jarls three times. The Saltbys narrowly survived Olaf III's sacking of the city in 510, 3e. Their home of Saltmarsh was largely destroyed and the flood defences crippled, forcing the hosue to relocate to the destroyed district of Watergate, the former home of the now extinct House Crownforger after Olaf had wiped them out in the sack.
Again taking advantage of the loss of leadership, the Saltbys used the rubble to build a small keep in Watergate and were appointed Thanes by the surviving houses. The Saltsbys helped restore the city, become firm advisors to the powerful House Tigerheart, encouraging them to invite House Seaspite into the now vacated Saltmarsh to help rebuild the flood defences.
The Saltsbys became occasional thanes of the city for the next century, and when not in power they were still called upon as keen stewards and politcians to negotaite with other settlements and the realm - their wealth increasing and allowing Watergate to become a wealthy and prestigious district of the city.
In the Calamity of the Terrasic in 789, 3e, the Saltsbys were amongst the two surviving houses of the city. Only three Saltsbys remained, all under the age of 20. Elfrid Saltsby became thane and had the undubious position of overseeing the city as it faced reguarly attacks from brigands and the Wolf Clan as the seventh kingdom was disbanded. Elfrid looked to nearby minor houses who had been unaffected by the calamity to invite them to the city as protectors and nobles. The first she gathered were House Crowblood, an exiled Kriegerholm house who had angered High King Ulfgir V. Next they invited the Halgafjar family the Whaleriders. The final house were the Warpelts, who the Saltbys at first refused entry but were overulled by the other houses, thus begining their long feud with the griffon riders.
Kriegerholm again regained promince as they restored the Jarl title, but it was limited to just the city and its outlying homesteads. A steady increase in power and prestige continued until 923 when the city was taken by Sigrun III for the first time. The Saltsbys were quick to ally with the queen, and avoided direct involvement in the Kriegerholm Revolt of 937. They were again left as one of the few surviving houses and quickly went about rebuilding their home.
In 1011, Rolfir Saltsby was appointed thane, begining a three general streak of holding the noble title of Kriegerholm. Rolfir's son, Olaf, became a legendary battle warrior and would die in the 40 Year War. In the absence of his elder children, his middle and weakest son Blann was narrowly appointed Thane in 1038.
Blann's rulership was marred by a reputation of incompetence and poor running uncharacteristic of the Saltsby name. The Warpelts and Ironcrests became outspoken opponents of the house and the city became a hot bed of internal rivalry and feuding. This boiled over in Duskfall 1052 when Blann tried to intervene in the relationship of his daugher, Yasha, and Thorin Sigmundssen of the Wolf Clan. Blann would throw Thorin out of a window, angering the wolf clan and causing them to attack Kriegerholm and Saltsby ships.
The Thane's actions were uncovered by Doomed 2 Die who were tasked with transporting the Kriegerholm nobles to Odinsthrone for King Hardrada's feast. Blann would be killed by Arngier Warpelt and his daughter would leave to be with the Wolf Clan, leaving only his brother Styrbjorn, son Balli, and and neice and nephew Kyra and Olaf as the reamining Saltsbys.
Styrbjorn Saltsby, the marshall of the Saltsby warriors and an esteemed war hero, who many considered should have been thane previously, was amongst the front runners in the moot to become the new thane of Kriegerholm alongside Arngier Warpelt. It would be Doomed 2 Die's internvetion that saw Saltsby power removed and Gier Warpelt elected as thane instead.

"To the Salt We All Return"

Founding Date

circa 2000, 2e

Type

Geopolitical, Great house

Leader Title

Alderman

Parent Organization

House Warpelt

Location

Kriegerholm

Related Species

• Human