![[DALL·E 2025-02-22 16.30.45 - A noble heraldic crest for House Irovetti, the ruling power of Pitax, featuring a golden theatrical mask with a sinister smile, symbolizing their mast.webp]] ### **House Irovetti** *(Self-Proclaimed Nobility of Pitax)* - **Motto/Sigil:** *“Art, Power, and Deception”* / A **golden mask with a sinister smile**, set against a **deep violet field**. - **Region & Holdings:** Rules **Pitax**, a city-state in the **River Kingdoms**, with **long-standing plans for expansion into the Stolen Lands**. - **House Colors:** **Violet, gold, and black.** - **Societal Standing:** **A self-made noble house**, **resented and distrusted** by Brevoy’s aristocracy but **feared and respected in the River Kingdoms**. - **Primary Industry:** **Art, mercenary warfare, espionage, and magical artifacts.** Irovetti funds **bards, spies, and enchanters**, using **culture as both a weapon and a shield**. --- ### **House Structure & Leadership** - **Current Head of House:** **King [[Castruccio Irovetti]]** – A **calculating, eccentric ruler**, known for his **love of the arts, cruel humor, and long-term schemes**. - **Heirs & Family Members:** - **None officially named**—Irovetti **trusts no one to carry his legacy**. - **Several rumored illegitimate children**, possibly placed in positions of influence. - **Loyal Retainers & Advisors:** - **General [[Avinash Jurrg]]** – A **brutal ogre-blooded warlord**, leading Pitax’s military forces. - **[[Ilora Nuski]]** – A **master of intrigue**, overseeing Pitax’s **spy network and covert operations**. - **Maestro [[Etrien]]** – A **famed bard-propagandist**, ensuring Irovetti’s **public image remains untouchable**. - **Notable Ancestral Figures:** - **None.** Irovetti **created his own nobility**, using **coin, force, and deception** to craft his legend. --- ### **Politics & Influence** - **Alliances & Rivals:** - **Pitax is feared rather than trusted**, using **alliances as temporary tools**. - **Brevoyan nobles see him as a dangerous upstart**, a **powerful but unwelcome influence** on their affairs. - **Several River Kingdoms warlords owe him favors**, but just as many **plot against him**. - **Political Ideals:** **Power through control, perception, and careful positioning.** He sees **order as something to be shaped, not obeyed.** - **Reputation:** **Cultured but dangerous.** A **brilliant patron of the arts**, but also **a ruthless manipulator and sadist**. - **Enemies & Feuds:** - **Seeks to maintain dominance over his corner of the River Kingdoms**, ensuring **no rival kingdom rises to challenge his rule**. - **Rivermarch is a complication, not a primary target.** The settlement **infringes on his long-laid plans for the region**—something he **does not tolerate lightly**. - **Military Power:** - **Relies on mercenary armies, monstrous allies, and assassins.** - **More interested in controlling conflicts through manipulation than direct warfare.** - **Magical Affinity:** - **Obsessed with enchanted relics**, known to **fund and hoard powerful magical artifacts**. - **Employs enchanters and illusionists**, using **subtle magic to shape narratives and influence enemies**. --- ### **House History & Lore** - **Founding & Origins:** - **Irovetti arrived in Pitax mysteriously**, seizing power through **bribes, blackmail, and calculated brutality**. - **Claims to be descended from an ancient River King**, though **no records support this.** - **Greatest Triumphs:** - **Turning Pitax into a cultural powerhouse**, making it a center of **art, performance, and espionage**. - **Staying in power despite constant attempts to remove him**, using **manipulation and forethought**. - **Darkest Secrets:** - **Rumored to have pacts with entities beyond mortal understanding**, fueling his **obsession with art and magic**. - **Possibly orchestrating long-term plans involving the Stolen Lands**, seeking to **reshape them in his image**. - **Current Struggles:** - **Rivermarch disrupts his expansionist plans**, an **unexpected inconvenience in a well-calculated game**. - **Dissidents within Pitax grow bolder**, forcing him to tighten his grip on his city’s nobility and artists. --- ### **Culture & Traditions** - **Core Values & Customs:** - **Art is control.** The best way to rule is to **shape perception and narrative**. - **Nothing is sacred.** All things—**people, culture, history—are tools** to be used or discarded. - **Preferred Fighting Style:** - **Psychological warfare, misinformation, and indirect conflict.** - **Prefers to cripple enemies politically before resorting to force.** - **Religious Affiliations:** - **Publicly reveres Abadar**, the god of wealth and civilization. - **Whispers suggest darker devotions**, possibly **to Norgorber (god of secrets) or unknown forces**. - **Symbols of Power:** - **The Grand Palace of Pitax** – A fortress of **extravagance and hidden dangers**. - **The Iron Mask** – A **relic said to conceal his true thoughts and emotions**. --- ### **Additional Notes** - **Inspiration & Vibe:** - **Machiavellian Renaissance Prince** meets **a sadistic theater director**, ruling through **spectacle and terror**. - **Potential Story Hooks:** - **Irovetti is watching Rivermarch.** They **are not his focus, but they are an annoyance.** - **His true ambitions in the Stolen Lands remain unknown**, but they are likely **long-planned and highly dangerous**. - **He may attempt to coerce Rivermarch into serving his greater plans**, offering **tempting but deadly alliances.**