House Marwth

House Marwth

House
Information
Founder:	Gonerius
Family tree:	Click here
Family feature:	Blue eyes
House traits
Traits:	Men: Worldly, Women: Selfish, Proud, Forgiving
Passions:	Hospitality
Skills:	Men: Diplomacy, Women: Stewardship, Women: Industry
Statistics:	DEX
Heraldry
Blazon:	Azure, an eagle rising argent

The Marwth is one of many families in Logres where the Roman nobility has intertwined with the Cymric bloodlines of the tribes. Although they could by no means be called “romans” anymore, much of the roman traditions and mannerisms seem to remain.

They also have contacts in the cities amongst far flung roman family.

Heads of family

• unknown-403 Gonerius de Clamidem Album (of the White Cloak)
• 403-442: Harsouse
• 442-463: Bryn
• 482-495: Melkin
• 496-500: None
• 501-present: Ennis

Noteworthy members

• Gonerius de Clamidem Album, who married the romans into the family and converted to Roman Christianity
• Harsouse, ruled a bathhouse in Bath
• Bryn, who gave the family it’s lands
• Melkin, who increased the lands riches and started to rebuild the old Roman Villa (invested 20 pounds)
• Victus, a famous knight mostly know as the one-legged-knight, who even had his own shield.

Family traits

Family trait: (men)
Diplomacy +5
Marwth men have a strange affinity for politics, they know what to say and when to say it, a rare trait in these times. (this skill cannot be raised in character creation further)

Women’s gift: (women)
+5 Stewardship, +5 Industry
Marwth women are industrious and clever. They know how to keep the family well fed.

Passion:
Hospitality: +1
The house is what separates us from the wild. It must be honoured above all.

Distinctive feature:
Blue eyes

Traits: (men)
Worldly +1
The romans learned of wine before they learned of God. First things first.

Traits: (women)
Selfish +1
Marwth women have expensive tastes.

Traits: (both)
Proud +1
All Marwth men and women are proud of their ancestry.

Forgiving +1
All Marwth men and women are taught to be forgiving. A legacy past down by Bryn

Statistics:
+1 DEX
Marwth men and women are agile and quick.

Heraldry

The Marwth shield is one representing the roman heritage. Initially the shield styled a silver eagle spread out over a blue sky, but in later periods the eagle is standing on the ground just before taking flight.

Marwth heraldry has been around since the Battle of Carlion, where Bryn was given a shield for his family as a reward for capturing the Irish cheiftan Niall's banner on the battlefield. The shield is inherited by the eldest son always, and cannot be modified in anyway by siblings, children or kin.

The shields colors and symbol was carefully chosen by a roman herald, hired by the family to best represent the future of the house. A roman white eagle was chosen, partly because it represented the roman eagle, and partly because the tribal part of the family had ties to the eagle. The eagle is depicted on a blue background, said to represent the sky where the eagle flies. Ever spreading it's wings, ready to take flight. Ambition, tradition and hope.

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History

When the Romans armies left, many of the lesser noble families stayed behind. Most Romans could take what was theirs and travel to their ancestral homes in Italy. Other were forced to stay, grasping at their dwindling fortunes bound to the lands. Other yet again, chose to stay since they were more at home in the new lands than they ever were in the old.

The Marwth was a family created through the union of such a Roman family, with the tribal members of a local Belgae off-shoot. Lupinus Favonius married his second daughter Cassia to the son of a chieftain he was given a large treasures, and the tribe was given some sense of nobility.

Roman period

When Gonerias married his Roman wife, he changed his name to Gonerius and converted to the Roman Christian faith. He settled in Bath with his new family, trying to grasp the new life his fortune had given him. He new that his old life in the hills was over, as was his wives life of fortune in her own house.

Bryn rules the family (year 442-463)

When Constantinus searched the lands for promising fighters and warriors to war against the invading no one in the Marwth family first saw any reason to leave their homes. But a young warrior named Bryn, the eldest son no less, saw the opportunity. He managed to arrange a deal with the King of Summerland (through one of his intermediaries). The king held an old Roman Villa under the Lord of Salisbury, and promised the land to the Marwth if the young warrior promised to grab the banner of the Irish Chieftain Niall.

During the Battle of Carlion, young Bryn rushed the banner in folly and left most of his fellow men behind. But a large band of warriors from Salisbury followed him, and they together managed to grab the Banner, although at the cost of many men. For his bravery, the King of Summerland gave the old Roman Villa in Salisbury to the young warrior and his family, but only if he swore to the Warlord of Salisbury. He told the young warrior, that the Lord of Salisbury had once saved his life, and that he felt he owed the Lord of Salisbury a service for this. Bryn thus was given the rights to bear a shield.

Uther period

Melkin rules the family (year 482-495)

Marwth When Melkin came of age it wasn’t obvious that he would be knighted or given the right to rule of Hindon as his father had done. It was with the good grace of count Roderick that he was knighted and given the chance to prove his honour, loyalty and valour. During the period when Melkin ruled the family the relations with the Cellydon family was especially good since sir Cadry and Melkin viewed each others as blood brothers. Two items were entered into the family’s possession during Melkin’s time: a holy relic of St Joseph of Aramathia, and a quarter of a magical ring given by Merlin. It was laso during Melkin’s time that the family gained new rights to their shield.