House Chauki was one of the earliest houses to rise from the ashes of the First Republic.
Symbol: A feathered serpent.
House Chauki was one of the earliest houses to rise from the ashes of the First Republic. Growing in power and strength from its early roots as a social organisation and federation of workers, it soon became a force on what are now Aragon and Vera Cruz.
The Hazat were loyal retainers to the burgeoning House Chauki, commanding the house military, while the Chauki considered themselves with politics. This partnership endured for nigh on a millennium but was doomed to end in bloodshed.
As the Second Republic began to crumble, the power-hungry General Emanuel Huevo Iman (Hazat descendant, now 'Saint Emanuel') turned on House Chauki, aided by the military. The purge was both brutal and thorough, or so was widely believed. In reality, a small handful of minor house members escaped to Iver and ended up cut off from the Known Worlds during the calamity known as the Fall.
With the recent rediscovery of Iver, it has become all too apparent that the Chauki line continues still. The Hazat are not amused.
TDA, a giant agribusiness conglomerate, was an established business as the Second Republic rose. Shipping workers from South America to Aragon and other worlds, it made substantial gains from cheap labour. The workers themselves presented a loose federation, but possessed little control, and no voice. However, several families established close bonds and a social organisation of sorts, slowly growing in power due to cooperative effort and canny business sense. The seeds that would grow into House Chauki were sown.
As TDA became increasingly greedy, it ran its agricultural concerns with less and less concern for the workers, safety and the environment. Workers languished in shanty towns, completely dependent on TDA for all their needs, and Aragon's great forest were almost stripped to desolation, destroying much of the ecosystem in the process. Discontent began to flourish and grow. The federation, comprised primarily of TDA farm workers, a few TDA security agents, and a handful of lower-ranking TDA executives, began to pressure TDA for reform and consideration. Then the Sathra Revolts struck, and TDA directed its monolithic gaze elsewhere.
Seizing the opportunity, the federation, lead by the families that would become House Chauki, combined resources, bribing and cajoling Aragon's security forces into allying with them, in exchange for positions of power within the federation. As the chaos of the Sathra Revolts faded, TDA turned to face a strong federation, more than capable of demanding reform. Arrogant and self-assured, TDA refused any and all demands. War broke out.
As strife wracked Aragon, the federation's leading houses strove to legitimise their claims to power. Following the lead of the growing noble houses, their leaders traced their ancestry, and in 2553, Federation President Cesar de la Santo proudly announced his descent from Aztec King Montezuma, establishing the Chauki noble house. Standing steadfast at his side was the general of the Chauki army: former TDA Security Commander, Emanuel Primitivo Hazat...
The Chauki military grew from a base of civilian volunteers into an elite force. An increasing number of people traded their freedom for the security offered by House Chauki, and the house's influence grew. Chauki and Hazat formed a perfect partnership, and a thousand years passed under their banner.
While the Chauki strove to develop those planets they already controlled, the Hazat commanders continued to press for greater expansion, but were constantly rebutted. General Emanuel Iman grew resentful, and announced that House Chauki had conspired to cover up evidence that the Hazat were descended from King Alfonso XIII of Spain. Gathering support from House Cameton and House Windsor, Emanuel initiated a bloody coup, blaming House Chauki for hundreds of crimes ranging from genocide, alien fraternisation, and embezzlement. Within a generation House Chauki was all but wiped from the face of the universe.
Rallying the people during their sudden isolation, the few surviving members of House Chauki gained popular support, an easy task for nobles with a millennia of political expertise to draw upon.
Iver was a world alone, unable to rely upon or trade with other worlds. Many despaired at this isolation, but House Chauki strove to fire the spirits of Iver's population, holding rallies, and proclaiming speeches of strength and passion. Iver's government, already shaken following the collapse, embraced the Chaukis as a useful force in maintaining morale, granting them several minor governmental positions.
As strong supporters of Republican ideals, House Chauki realised that it could gain power, reduce the risks of revolt, and enable Iver to prosper, by campaigning for, and eventually introducing, egalitarian reforms.
Aliens, primarily in the form of Etyri, were promised equal status, diverse religious practices were to be openly permitted, the legal system was to be revised, placing justice above law, and basic education was to be provided for all, with the aid of the flourishing Incarnate sect; all, providing of course, that the Chauki were elected into power. Within a decade, House Chauki ruled Iver, and actually implemented its electoral promises, ensuring a high level of contentedness among the populace. After a single generation, they had enough popular support to abolish all but local government, becoming the Chauki Royal House.
As House Chauki witnessed the gradual breakdown of technology, it took unprecedented action. Acts were passed that gradually reduced the use of advanced technology to the bear minimum necessary, thereby maintaining it for longer. Artefacts became protected 'treasures', tended even when they could no longer be used. With this implementation of near reverential care, the demise of Iver's technology was slowed to an acceptable pace, finally stabilising at a sustainable, Late Victorian level, with widely used steam-cars, trains, and factories.
The early religious experimentation that followed isolation gradually stabilised as well, with a full 18% of the populace following the Church Incarnate sect, primarily due to its doctrine of peace, reincarnation, and love of education and knowledge. Despite this, religion never became a driving force on Iver, and atheism still thrives.
After several centuries of power, it was inevitable that resentment of a hereditary monarchy, however benevolent, would fester. An anti-royalist faction began to make protests, but were driven underground by the majority loyalist population. House Chauki, fearful that any severe action against the protesters would create martyrs, studiously ignored the protests in public, using their influence n the media to paint the anti-royalists as 'evil, misguided, and anti-social anarchists': a highly successful strategy that ensured the anti-royalists had few supporters, especially following several assassination attempts on house members. Life on Iver continued, almost without incident, until the jumpgate burst into life a mere year ago, and a ship entered Iver space.
House Chauki now find themselves staring into the face of several severe problems. House Decados is making moves to claim Iver as its own, and the Hazat are all too eager to complete their earlier purge, thereby neutralising any claim that House Chauki might have to their holdings.
Aliens and Incarnate refugees are flooding to Iver, far faster than the society can easily cope with, and the Church has turned a jaundiced eye on a planet it sees as foul and heretical (Atheism!? Aliens as equals!? Education!?). Compounding the problem is the failure of the new Church missions to convert the populace, and the refusal of the Church Incarnate to bend knee and pledge fealty to the Patriarch.
Within a year, the formerly prosperous and contented planet has become a powdercake, as it faces a universe now very alien to it. Integration and survival will not be easy, and it remains to be seen if House Chauki can gain the support of the Emperor, trade their claim to the Hazat's holdings for support, and make peace with the Universal Church.
Members of House Chauki have the dark hair, dark eyes, and tanned skin typical of Latin American ancestry. Generally slightly taller than average, they are of average-broad build, and avoid ostentatious displays of wealth, such as excessive jewellery or decadent styles.
Their clothing appears to be about 100 years out of date compared to the Known Worlds, but is the height of fashion on Iver. The house's colours of grey, black and silver predominate their wardrobe.
The typical male member of the house sports a moustache and sideburns (muttonchop, normal, or pencil-thin) and short mane of hair. Formal attire consists of a silver-grey shirt, black leather vest bound with crossed thongs, charcoal-grey pants with silver seams, black leather boots, black leather gauntlets, a broad black belt with large silver buckle, and a charcoal grey cloak with white lining and silver clasp.
The typical female member wears her hair long and unbound, and wears elegant gowns in the house colours, tastefully trimmed with spun-gold thread.
Shrewd, open-minded and egalitarian are all attributes that define members of House Chauki. Despite this attitude, they generally have little trouble reconciling their position as hereditary monarchs, pointing to their superior social reforms as evidence of their fitness to lead.
As Lost Worlders they are amazed and fascinated by the changes wrought on the Known Worlds, and find some of them a little bewildering. Passionate and open, they prize loyalty and honour, although they are canny enough to cut their losses in a losing situation. They are genuinely worried and concerned for the survival of their planet and its culture, and will strive to amass allies and support.
Duke Arturo Chauki, Head of the Chauki Royal House Duke Arturo is an aged man of increasing frailty, but beloved by Iver's populace due to the public works of his youth. He has also won admiration for his unbecoming demeanour, and general dislike of excessive formality.
Nephew of Duke Arturo, Andros served as a medical officer in Iver's proud, though untried, military. A broad man of strong bearing, with a muttonchop moustache, he is next in line for the throne, but has retired from military duties in order to represent his house as an ambassador.
A young girl in her early teens, Leandro is Andros' daughter, and was allowed to accompany him as an ambassadorial aide. She is actually astute and observant, a fact that her father is fully aware of and recognises that many people might be much more open with 'this well-spoken girl'.
Characteristics: Extrovert, Passion, Ego, Wits, Perception
Natural Skills: Charm, Impress, Observe
Learned Skills: Etiquette, Read Urthish (max. 2), Read Iver Dialect (learned to Wits level), Speak Urthish (max. 2), Speak Iver Dialect (learned to Wits level)
Blessings: Shrewd (2 pts: +2 Wits against attempts to fast-talk)/ Doubter (+1 pt: -1 Charm among the faithful)
Benefices: Nobility, Riches
Afflictions: Lost Worlder (1 pt)
Note: Any weapons borne are likely to consist of a rapier and revolver.
Over the centuries, the structure of Urthish spoken on Iver has changed substantially.
Examples:
"You back get him?" instead of "Can you get him back?"
"I thank aid, friends mine. I debt forever." instead of "Thankyou for your aid, my friends. I am forever in your debt."
Iver's own currency, the paper-based Hand, is useless off-planet. Members of House Chauki (and other Iver citizens) travelling off-planet must rely on barter, or (in the case of nobles) carry precious stones and other saleable commodities. Iver is only just starting to integrate and accept the Firebird.