House Cameton has long held an influential position on Byzantium Secundus, but never managed to extend its power and influence beyond that solar system.
Note: This is in no way intended as a challenge to copyright. It was created so that people could play a member of House cameton and have all the necessary information on-hand.
House Cameton has long held an influential position on Byzantium Secundus, but never managed to extend its power and influence beyond that solar system.
Once a rising power, this house fell prey to manipulation, greed and gullibility, outmanoeuvred by the major houses time and again. Their fortunes rose and fell with alarming regularity, and while peace currently exists under the new reign of Emperor Alexius, they often find themselves at odds with the new ruler over the governing of Byzantium Secundus, their home planet, and capitol of the Empire. They are the Emperor's greatest detractors, both due to the fact that he has annexed large portions of their territory, and because of his egalitarian treatment of many commoners.
A hated rival of the Li Halan, House Cameton is also roundly disliked by the majority of Byzantium Secundus' citizens and commoners. Typically arrogant, superior and unscrupulous, or sycophantic to those of greater influence, the members of this house are watching their once iron grip on Byzantium Secundus diminish, finger by finger.
While they control Byzantium Secundus' extensive police network and hold numerous administrative and governmental positions, they are also responsible for many of the planet's problems. Their utter disdain for anyone of lower rank or influence has caused them to ignore the plight of those commoners they oversee, causing them to turn a blind eye to the massive poverty and pollution in their territories. Many run small loan-sharking operations, feeding off the poor like parasites, and employing wage-slaves to work in the most appalling of industrial factories.
Desperate to maintain the power that they currently wield, and damage the influence and reputation of Alexius, they have made allies within the Authority, certain more regressive members of various Church sects, and those members of House Hawkwood who are disgruntled by Alexius' treatment of their house since the coronation. In addition, they are courting both The Hazat and Decados houses, hoping to make valuable contacts and co-conspirators in their drive for re-ascendancy and revenge. Despite their less than savoury reputation, some members of House Cameton are deeply ashamed of the recent pacts that some of their house elders are rumoured to have made, and work at odds, attempting to sabotage and reduce any damage that might be caused.
In 3338, during the era of the Second Republic, House Cameton - then a minor house with little influence - seized control of New Istanbul from House Hamid following a bloody coup aided by several merchant cartels. Viscount Psellus, then leader of the house, proceeded to marry Duchess Malikah Hamid, ensuring both his dominance of the planet and absorbing House Hamid in the process.
Grateful to those merchant cartels that had provided support during the coup, Viscount Psellus helped them to establish the Market Authority, a council of merchants with greater powers of self-control over trade.
While House Cameton grew rapidly in wealth and stature, absorbing House Tal and House Webster in the process, they were constantly stymied in their attempts to extend their influence beyond New Istanbul.
As the 41st century approached, they were approached by the 10 major houses bearing an extremely attractive proposal. The Ten's agents required assistance in infiltrating New Istanbul's mammoth bureacracy, and in return they promised to aid House Cameton in acquiring power on nearby worlds. House Cameton eagerly agreed, using their influence within the existing bureaucracy to install outside agents. It was to prove a regretful decision.
When the Ten's agents sabotaged the Second Republic's Welfare Bank's systems, causing them to crash and obliterating much of the stored information, House Cameton was hit as hard as anyone. In the ensuing riots House Cameton's estates and investments suffered heavily, and it turned to the Ten in anger. The Ten denied having destroyed the Welfare Bank, but did offer House Cameton a chance to benefit from the chaos. If House Cameton continued its alliance with the Market Authority, acting as an inside agent for the Ten, the Ten would help House Cameton gain control of systems one jump away from New Istanbul, as well as neighbouring planets. Blinded by visions of power and greed, House Cameton fell prey to gullibility once again.
Bolstering the Market Authority and working with them to restore order, misfortune struck House Cameton again. The suns began to fade.
Anarchy and violent riots erupted and blazed across New Istanbul, damaging House Cameton yet again, and occupying all their attentions as they tried to instil a sense of order. The Church moved in its forces, attempting to quell the discord, only to aggravate the situation further, and stir a conflict with existing and rival sects. With the planet's defences sorely stripped, outside forces saw their chance, and rogue world bandits and alien raiders began to ravage the already besieged planet. House Cameton was losing the battle, and the Ten saw an opportunity. The major noble forces arrived in force, defeating the exhausted defenders and rioters decisively, quelling the chaos ruthlessly and claiming the capitol as their own.
House Cameton was all but destroyed, its holdings now standing in ruins, its influence obliterated, and many of its members dead. Desperate to claw back some power it pressed the Ten to abide by their promises, only to be refuted. How, they asked, could they expect House Cameton to run the affairs of other planets, when they were obviously too weak to run their own?The Dark Ages House Cameton was all but destroyed, its holdings now standing in ruins, its influence obliterated, and many of its members dead. Desperate to claw back some power it pressed the Ten to abide by their promises, only to be refuted. How, they asked, could they expect House Cameton to run the affairs of other planets, when they were obviously too weak to run their own?
The Ten left House Cameton alone in its defeat, a laughing-stock that had fallen prey to its own greed and ambition. They abolished much of the existing power structure, setting up a council of their own members to administer the world, renaming it Byzantium Secundus.
House Cameton languished for 500 years, nursing its anger, but with no means of venting it except on those unfortunate few commoners still under their control. Even its one-time ally, the Market Authority had turned against it, aware of the houses' treachery and taking every possible opportunity to make the noble's lives a misery.
Then came the barbarian raiders...
The planet, then ruled by House Gesar, was devastated by a savage and unexpected assault, and House Gesar cried out for bloody vengeance.
Allying with Duke Vladimir Alecto, House Gesar and Byzantium Secundus gained in power while crusading against the barbarians. Duke Vladimir Alecto rocketed in power, and the remnants of House Cameton joined him in his crusade. In 4550, Vladimir landed on Byzantium Secundus for his coronation as Emperor, only to be assassinated. House Gesar, weakened during the Crusades tried to press their own claims for the Emperor's throne, but House Cameton had gained in strength and made a few deals...
One night in 4664, a fleet of al-Malik, Decados and mercenary ships came through the jumpgate. By the time they had destroyed all the Gesar ships in orbit, Cameton troops (with the aid of over one thousand mercenaries they had hidden on Arden) has seized control of all Gesar holdings and slain all the house's members in the process. Once again they were in control, although they have been repeatedly challenged by House Lambeth and House Setevis, and these houses continue to challenge them even now.
The Heavens flared with the conflict of the Emperor Wars, and House Cameton became heavily embroiled. Failing to cover up their involvement in the assassination of a notable Hazat noble, Byzantium Secundus was brutally sacked in retaliation.
Four years of conflict followed, until Regent Samitra Li Halan was assassinated, paving the way for Prince Alexius Hawkwood to become Regent, supported by most of the minor houses.
House Cameton refused to support Alexius, maintaining their old ties with House Decados even after the al-Malik and House Hawkwood signed an alliance backing Alexius as well. Once again it was a foolish decision, prompted primarily by their indignation at the fact that Alexius' predecessor, Darius Hawkwood, had tried to proclaim himself Emperor on Delphi rather than Byzantium Secundus. When Alexius declared himself Emperor, Byzantium Secundus flared up in conflict yet again, and The Hazat and House Decados, aided by House Cameton, made extensive assaults against his position, but to no avail. A year later the Hazat and House Decados leaders finally accepted Alexius as Emperor, and House Cameton sued for peace.
House Cameton's nobles maintain an uneasy peace with those administrators installed by Emperor Alexius, but are regularly at odds over how the planet should be run. However, both parties agree that major redevelopment plan is necessary to repair the damage wrought during the Emperor Wars, and rebuilding has progressed at an amazing rate.
A major source of Cameton resentment was the establishment of the Questing Knights, which they see as little more than a source of brawls and drunken revels throughout its territory. However, their main dislike for the Questing knights stems from the fact that these young noble knights may demand fiefs on Byzantium Secundus, possibly taking further territory from House Cameton's hands. Perhaps attempting to acquire further allies, House Cameton has also embarked upon a campaign to prevent the eviction of aliens from Scraver and off-world noble house property, although they have been largely unsuccessful in this endeavour so far.
Relationships with the Li Halan have steadily deteriorated, only to plummet with the recent discovery of the body of a long-lost Li Halan countess, who was found walled up in a Cameton-owned winery. Given their control of Byzantium Secundus' security and police forces, and the plotting of their elder members, House Cameton remains extremely wary of the Imperial Eye, the intelligence service officially recognised by Emperor Vladimir. While Emperor Alexius has asserted that the Imperial Eye will only use Byzantium Secundus as a base of operations with its focus off-planet, it is an open secret that the Eye often uses independent agents to watch House Cameton, and vice-versa.
While House Cameton lacks any appreciable military might, it possesses a strong surface navy, and some house members fill positions as naval commanders.
Members of House Cameton are Hispanic in appearance, with tanned skin, dark hair and eyes, typically of average height and slightly-stocky build, tending to plumpness in later years. They dress in fashionable noble apparel, seeing it as an outward symbol of their prestige and authority over lesser mortals. They favour purple, red and gold in their regalia (further symbols of wealth and power), and always display the Gurdvulf head, usually as a cloak-clasp or signet ring.
Despite their obvious desire to display their status and wealth, members of this house are surprisingly tasteful in their choice of clothing, adornment and hairstyle, seeing this restraint as an indication of good breeding.
The symbol of House Cameton is a Gurdvulf head facing left, the image of a powerful predator, long since hunted to extinction for its luxurious russet fur (often seen lining the cloaks of Cameton nobles).
Arrogance is the hallmark of a Cameton, raised as they are to believe in their inherent superiority to anyone who wields less power, influence and wealth. Indeed, they have almost no regard for anyone below them in station, seldom thinking of commoners as anything but an expendable resource.
Accompanying this arrogance is an almost insatiable greed for power, influence and wealth, that often leads to an appallingly sycophantic attitude towards those who wield greater power, although this attitude is entirely self-serving and insincere. However, the Cametons have learned from their past follies, and are not so easily duped as they once were. Their previous crushing defeats have made them suspicious, wary and patient in their deals, and their greed does not overrule their judgement quite so easily anymore.
Members of House Cameton are trained to be administrators, officials, and diplomats, often finding positions within the government of Byzantium Secundus, working to direct the police and security services, or dealing with outside investors. They eschew physical confrontation in favour of covert manipulation, and few have practised fencing, hunting or other noble arts with any regularity since the end of the Emperor Wars.
Harmony is a continent in the northern hemisphere of Byzantium Secundus, and was once a lush jungle paradise. Under the tyrannical, greedy and uncaring fist of House Cameton, Harmony has been turned into a squalid hellhole of pollution, rife over-population, and poorly planned development.
Much of the land is contaminated with toxic wastes from the industrial factories that cover the continent, and the lowlands are a desperate slum spattered by an almost constant black toxin-laden rain.
Unscrupulous nobles and guilders flock to Harmony constantly, taking advantage of the down-trodden citizenry, literally enslaving them in some of the most dangerous and dirty industries, including the Novgarod ship yards. Muster slavers ply their trade here extensively paying bribes to the corrupt Cameton officials, and find that many of their victims are only too eager to leave, even in chains. The disparity of wealth between the rich and poor here is so shocking, even many nobles would be sickened and appalled.
House Cameton maintains a small duchy on the continent of Tamerlain, a landmass that is constantly wracked by volcanic activity, earthquakes and harsh storms. Located in the relatively stable southern coast, the Duchy is a walled city surrounded by vast stretches of wilderness. The duchy is popular with tourists and pilgrims who travel to Tamerlain, and the Cameton nobles here maintain strong interests in the southern coast-based magic lantern industry. However, while the rest of Tamerlain remains at the forefront of independent intellectual thought, artistry, and progressive Church policy, House Cameton maintains a much more conservative and traditional city-state.
An arctic wasteland of towering snow-capped peaks, and vast glaciers, rift valleys, precipices and fjords, Tarsus is located at the planet's southern pole.
Sparsely populated, with a handful of guildposts built around natural steam vents, Tarsus is officially under joint Hawkwood and Cameton rule, although they do little to govern the frozen land, and are generally ignored by the individualistic miners and guildsmen.
She is the current head of the house, for although Duke Andrea Cameton is alive, he gave up his position a decade ago due to ill-health.
Andrea retired from the public eye a decade ago, having become extremely ill and sickly, and is rarely seen anymore. Although he gave up his position to Lekoya, he often advises her and does have a degree of influence over her decisions. A painfully thin, grey-haired hispanic gentleman with a wispy beard, he looks as if he is being gradually eaten away by his illness, and bears a constant level of physical pain. Despite this, his eyes are bright with intelligence, and he still possesses a cunning mind and sharp perception.
Characteristics: Perception, Ego
Natural Skills: Observe
Learned Skills: Bureaucracy, Etiquette, Lore (Law), Read Urthish, Science (Business, Economics, Politics), Speak Urthish (usually learned up to Wits level)
Blessings/Curses: Suspicious (2 pts: +2 to Perception when rivals about)/ Haughty (+2 pts: -2 Extrovert around serfs)
Benefices: Nobility (9 pts maximum), Riches (8 pts maximum), Gossip Network (2 pts maximum), energy shield (6 pts)