#### **Basic Information** - **House Name:** House Rattigan - **Motto/Sigil:** "From Shadows, Truth" / A silver key crossed with a dagger on a deep purple field - **Region & Holdings:** Primarily based in [[Stromhaven]], the Ysoki district of [[Rivermarch]], with business interests throughout the River Kingdoms - **House Colors:** Deep purple, silver, and charcoal gray - **Societal Standing:** Rising house with significant influence in Rivermarch's intelligence and economic sectors; unusual for being a predominantly Ysoki house - **Primary Industry:** Information brokerage, specialized trade, security services, and diplomatic facilitation #### **House Structure & Leadership** - **Current Head of House:** [[Tybalt Rattigan]], Master of Whispers for Rivermarch, leads with a calculating but pragmatic approach - **Heirs & Family Members:** - [[Rynara Rattigan]]: Tybalt's elder sister, manages family business interests - [[Varrin Rattigan]]: Tybalt's uncle, veteran scout and advisor - [[Finnick Rattigan]]: Cousin and skilled tracker who works closely with Tybalt - [[Tessara Rattigan]]: Younger cousin training in diplomatic relations - [[Nella Rattigan]]: Family matriarch and elder, respected for her wisdom - **Loyal Retainers & Advisors:** - [[Grev Lockewarren]]: Chief of underground operations - [[Whiskerwick "Whiskey" Thistlefoot]]: Financial advisor and merchant liaison - A network of informants, scouts, and specialists who serve the family's interests - **Notable Ancestral Figures:** - [[Rennik Quickpaw (Deceased)]] (Deceased): Founder of the family's fortune through shrewd trading - [[Thia Rattigan]]: Legendary scout who mapped many dangerous regions - [[Marius Rattigan]]: Diplomat who secured their first recognition as a noble house #### **Politics & Influence** - **Alliances & Rivals:** - **Alliances:** [[Brinn Whitewood]] and Rivermarch's leadership council, select merchant guilds, [[The Undercroft Vigil]] - **Rivals:** Conservative human noble houses who look down on Ysoki, competing intelligence networks - **Political Ideals:** - Pragmatic progressives who value competence over tradition - Advocates for equal recognition regardless of race or background - Believe in the power of information and preparation over brute force - **Reputation:** - Known for having "ears everywhere" and knowing valuable secrets - Respected for loyalty but feared for the knowledge they possess - Seen as unusually influential for an Ysoki family - Regarded as effective but sometimes morally flexible - **Enemies & Feuds:** - [[Mosswater Syndicate]]: Ongoing conflict over control of information networks - Select members of the [[Issian Loyalists]] who distrust their influence - [[The Echo]]: Professional rivalry with this assassin - Historical tension with several human noble families who refused to acknowledge their status - **Military Power:** - Limited conventional forces but maintain an elite group of scouts, infiltrators, and intelligence agents - Control of [[The Undercroft Vigil]] provides significant security capabilities - Defensive focus rather than offensive, emphasizing intelligence and preparation - **Magical Affinity:** - Specialization in divination and illusion magic - Collection of magical items focused on information gathering and stealth - Employ several specialist mages who develop communication and surveillance spells #### **House History & Lore** - **Founding & Origins:** - Rose from a family of skilled traders and scouts three generations ago - Gained prominence during regional conflicts by providing critical intelligence - Formally recognized as a noble house when Rivermarch was established, though their influence predates this recognition - **Greatest Triumphs:** - Uncovering a major assassination plot against several Brevoy nobles - Successfully predicting and preparing for multiple threats to Rivermarch before they materialized - Establishing legitimate noble status despite prejudice against Ysoki - Creating the extensive tunnel network beneath [[Stromhaven]] that serves as both transportation and defense - **Darkest Secrets:** - Maintain blackmail material on various influential figures throughout the River Kingdoms - Some early family wealth came from less-than-legal activities - Have occasionally employed assassination when intelligence gathering revealed existential threats - Possess forbidden knowledge from ancient ruins that predates modern understanding - **Current Struggles:** - Balancing loyalty to Rivermarch with their own independence - Managing the rapid growth of their responsibilities as Rivermarch expands - Internal debates about how openly to wield their growing influence - Countering infiltration attempts by agents of various rival powers #### **Culture & Traditions** - **Core Values & Customs:** - "Knowledge is survival" - the family emphasis on intelligence gathering - Strong familial bonds and protection of their own - Recognition of competence over birth or status - Annual family gathering called "The Long Whisper" where information is shared - **Preferred Fighting Style:** - Emphasis on stealth, ambush, and precision over direct confrontation - Use of environment and preparation to gain advantage - Preference for disabling rather than killing when possible - Mastery of tunnel and urban combat tactics - **Religious Affiliations:** - Pragmatic approach to religion with respect for deities of knowledge, luck, and travel - Some family members follow Desna, while others prefer Norgorber or Calistria - Maintain small family shrines rather than public temples - **Symbols of Power:** - The Master's Key: A magical silver key passed down to the family head - The Shadow Map: A detailed, constantly updated map of Rivermarch with hidden annotations - The Rattigan Cipher: A secret family code used in sensitive communications - The Undercroft itself, representing their hidden strength and surveillance network #### **Additional Notes** - **Inspiration & Vibe:** - Renaissance Venetian spy networks mixed with pragmatic merchant family - Outsiders who rose through competence rather than bloodline - Blend of loyalty to their adopted home and practical self-preservation - The tension between secrets and transparency, influence and restraint - **Potential Story Hooks:** - Discovery of infiltrators within their own network - Rivalry with other intelligence operations in neighboring territories - Family debate about revealing a dangerous secret that could save or doom Rivermarch - The recovery of ancient artifacts with informational power - Training the next generation of family members in the arts of intelligence gathering