House Nova

Do as thou wilt.

House Nova

Seat of Power: Château Sienne
Homeworld: Nafréce
Head of House: Aleida Nova, fourth daughter of Erelieva Nova by Panthalassa Pastalie
Branches
-House Nova-Ayulsa (via Queen Fidelia I, first daughter of Aleida Nova by Ywain of Taranis; monarchs of Nafréce)
-House Nova-Celetille (via Duke Carloman, second son of Aleida Nova by Ywain of Taranis)
-House Nova-Briyua (via Duchess Briony, third daughter of Aleida Nova by Ywain of Taranis)
-House Nova-Vianchiel (via Duchess Vivi, fourth daughter of Aleida Nova by Ywain of Taranis)
-House Nova-Parith (via Duchess Marie-Zeldaline, fifth daughter of Aleida Nova by Ywain of Taranis)
-House Nova-Merfa (via Duke Vladismilliard, first son of Erelieva Nova by Lavinia Draculesti-Lior)
-House Nova-Exali (via Duchess Kanerva, second daughter of Erelieva Nova by Kirsi Holopainen)
-House Nova-Yasra (via Duchess Konami, third daughter of Erelieva Nova by Komachi Nanri)
Blood Ties
-House Trodiko (via Phera Trodiko, wife of Prince Mercurias, House Nova-Merfa)
-House Altenburg-Balzer (via Irmina Altenburg-Balzer, wife of Duke Vladismilliard, House Nova-Merfa)
-House Walmas (arrangement in progress)
-House Versuvian (arrangement in progress)

Background

House Nova holds court on their homeworld of Nafréce, a pleasant, generally Earth-like world orbiting a large, orange-yellow star. It has a sharp axial tilt and a long year, resulting in distinct seasons. Although heavily populated, Nafrisians as a whole have been decent custodians of their world. The society's strong urban tendencies have consolidated most of the population onto the largest continent in big, efficient cities. Much of the world remains forested or otherwise in the hands of nature. The house is, overall, a socially and economically liberal one, being content to allow Nafréce to be an open port. While not actually protected by a constitution, Nafrisian subjects enjoy some of the least authoritarian interference in their personal lives of any Taranian population, behind only the actual democracies and constitutional monarchies. The capital, space port and alpha city of Nafréce is Lyzeille on the southern seas.

The present Nafrisian royal house rose to power astride the Great War exploits of military genius Fidelia Nova-Ayulsa. When the previous royal dynasty, House Pastalie, had gone defunct on the battlefield and all had seemed lost, it was the future queen who came through for the desperate world with a series of victorious campaigns late in the period of conflict that secured Nafréce a seat at the bargaining table. The present queen grandmother, who reigned as the first Nova monarch, Queen Aleida II, from approximately the halfway point of the war, is also still alive. Though retired, she is respected as an elder statesperson and remains the head of house. Five of the eight branches of House Nova are descended from her children. Her liberal, lassaiz-faire ways have had great influence on contemporary Nafrisian politics as well as the upbringing of her influential descendents. The result today is a colorful, dynamic and, according to most of their subjects, endearing royal house checked from time to time by the power of their wealthiest subjects.

Politically, House Nova has tended to be reformative and liberal. In fact, their reputation for liberality is second only to their idosyncratic members' propensity for scandal. Many of their most visible princes and princesses take pride in being (or are, unbeknownst to themselves) unpredictable and impulsive in nature, acting with their hearts rather than with pragmatism or brains. Time will tell whether these familial flaws can be overcome and a lasting dynasty forged. The primary check to House Nova's power are the wealthy bourgeoisie who have, for six decades, driven Nafréce's wartime and post war prosperity and who control the governmental privileges of the third estate. Traditionally, the third estate only had the right to elect representatives to conduct a "séance" (sitting) on a semi-regular basis to petition the crown on grievances. During the reign of Aleida II, a dispassionate and pragmatic negotiator when it came to state affairs, the third estate lobbied for and were granted considerable new privileges and dignities. This included its conversion into a permanent body, the Séance, which was to meet once a quarter with a member of the royal family in attendance. This was in exchange for them heavily funding the ongoing war effort. Queen Fidelia I (in)famously placed an infant on the throne during Séance sittings as a sign of her contempt for the body through much of her later reign. The situation shifted again under Aristide IV who increased the frequency of sittings to bi-weekly early on, before quickly losing interest in financial affairs and delegating them to a cousin instead.

In the area of religion, House Nova's influence was instrumental in reforming the formerly stuffy Enochian Church of Nafréce through the wartime and post war years, forcing them to cast off most of their mysteries and prohibitions. Aleida II had an infamously contentious relationship with the Church, going through numerous standoffs with clergy over any number of subjects (often clerical criticism of a royal family member's behaviour) and generally winning in the end. However, it is sometimes rumored that the Church ultimately had a part to play in her abdication in favour of her daughter. Subsequent rulers of the dynasty have been considerably more conciliatory in attitude when their decisions touched on the second estate. As much as they shaped the local church to suit their needs, House Nova as a whole still proclaim themselves children before God and would greatly prefer the church as an ally rather than an enemy.

The succession traditions of House Nova give the head of house complete authority to select any member of the house to succeed her. However, Nafrisian law of succession for the crown provides only for absolute primogeniture; Aleida first inherited the throne via her second mother, Princess Panthalassa Pastalie of the previous royal house. The issue is somehwat muddy given that only one person has ever been both head of the house and the monarch of a state. For the time being, it is presumed that Aristide IV will be the next head of house and that his daughter Elodie is heir apparent to the Nafrisian throne. It is not clear which would prevail if house and state succession were ever to disagree.

Traits

Mercantile x 2
The lassaiz-faire policies of House Nova in their time in power has been friendly to big business. House Nova, both for themselves and on behalf of their noble power base, have been very careful to keep a close eye on the prosperity of their valued tax sources, and to ensure they receive what is due them each quarter.

People's Prince
The endearing scandals, impulsiveness, spontaneity and (in some cases extremely) unfiltered presence of the royal family contributes to their popularity with the low commoners, though many of their nobles and bourgeoisie subjects would rather they get a grip on their dignity.

Enhanced Genetics
Headliner genes continue to run strong in the house through no particular effort on their parts. The combination of strong blood and fertility incites the envy of some but make the Nafrisians a strong proposition for blood alliances.

Fertile
Aleida Nova had five noble children. Combined with her own siblings' lines, House Nova has eight branches in total. Thanks to the devastation of the Great War, the average age is also quite young and, given modern biotechnology, children can easily be produced regardless of sex. Gender fluidity or even switching outright is perfectly permissable, the most recent to do so being the prince of Nova-Vianchiel. Barring unfathomable disaster, there's no danger for at least a century or two of the house being in any trouble with succession.

Decadent
House Nova is always embroiled in scandal, be it reckless spending, weird sex things, or plain old borderline madness. Each instance usually leads to the relevant royal doubling down and carrying on with straightforward feeling.

Parliament
The primary check to the Nafrisian crown's power is the Séance, the house of representatives of Nafréce's third estate - that of the commoners. In practice, the body is filled with and represents the interests of the bourgeoisie: the capitalist, merchant and industrialist subclass of commoners who have amassed great wealth rivaling that of the nobility. In theory, the scope of the Séance's power is fairly limited, mostly revolving around when and how to spend the collective wealth of Nafréce. In practice however, as these are the crown's most significant taxpayers, their voices cannot always be ignored on whatever topic they choose to opine.

Winner of the Great War
Nafréce's fortunes were a bit of a comeback-from-behind case during the Great War. House Nova benefits from association with strong military gains late in the conflict following consecutive disasters under the now defunct House Pastalie.

Core Characters

Aristide IV, By the Grace of God, King of Nafréce, Duke of Ayulsa, Emperor of Marduk, President of the First Estate, Supreme Commander of the Royal Armada, the Household Knights and of his Other Hosts and Forces (47, married to Corvinia Branwyn)
The king must be greedier than any other. He must laugh louder and rage harder than any other. He must exemplify the extreme of all things, good and evil.
known for: charisma, physique, ambition, great belly laughs
mortarhead: Gurgurant (Knight)
Aristide IV is the reigning King of Nafréce and son of Queen Fidelia I, the heroine who saved Nafréce during the Great War. A dynamic and physically imposing man with charisma and ambition enough for anyone, he was mentored by his uncle Carloman and takes very well indeed to his view of kingship. A warrior, adventurer and conqueror to the core, he enthusiastically supported the Treaty of Taran in the years leading up to its signing because it would free him to adventure further from home with the full might of House Nova's military power. He dreams of being the monarch to take the crown of Nafréce bequeathed upon him and expanding it into an interstellar empire. In this, he has enthusastic support amongst the nobility of Nafréce as well as most of the commoner estate. However, he detests ethnic and ideological hatreds such as those born of the Great War; wars of destruction are a dark mirror to wars of conquest. His interest in domestic and political affairs is quite low. He doesn't mind engaging in diplomacy but views it as a matter between kings (even if they call themselves a president) rather than states.

An A+ class headliner and a skilled mortarhead pilot, his robust size as well as synaptic rejection precluded him from using his svelte mother's legendary machine. Instead, he pilots his old knight mortarhead, the black, sinister looking, and very much spike adorned Gurgurant.

Elodie, Princess of Ayulsa, Heir to the Crown of Nafréce (14, unmarried)
known for: strong will, latent psionic powers, being the crown princess, being adorable
mortarhead: Concealed the Conclusion (Royal Wizard)
Princess Elodie Nova-Ayulsa is the heir apparent to the Nafrisian throne, a role for which no amount of preparation is likely to be enough. To this end, she currently spends most of her time learning, whether it is at the Preciel Preparatory School for Nafrisian Nobility or being mentored by her uncle, Prince Mercurias. The latter has influenced her on views of good governance and administration and it does seem the next monarch of Nafréce, whenever she happens to ascend, is likely to have a less militant policy agenda. Her relationship with her father is more distant by comparison. Nevertheless, as the daughter of a warrior king and highly ranked member of a military social class, Elodie is learning how to pilot a mortarhead. She has inherited her grandmother Fidelia I's legendary royal mortarhead Concealed the Conclusion. According to Nafréce's court lumen Duchess Kanerva, she also has very strong latent psionic powers.

Carloman, Duke of Celetille (71, unmarried - perpetual bachelor)
There's no need to be the king to be a king, and no need to be a king to be the king.
known for: drinking, womanizing, enormous physique, sociability, ferocity in battle
mortarhead: Shabranigdo (Knight)
Rarely to be found entirely sober or with fewer than three women multiple decades his junior hanging onto his arms or waist, Carloman was long the king's mentor and his influence can clearly be seen as the Duke of Celetille is, if anything, a louder and more extreme version of the king. He is a giant at over seven feet in height and was supposedly once all muscle, though he's been softening up just a touch over the past two decades. Practically removed from the political side of his noble responsibilities (aside from travelling, which he enjoys), Carloman is a perpetual bachelor, never managing to sustain a romantic relationship, nor ever coerced into any number of potential marriages that might have been beneficial to the house. Instead, he has left a trail of old lovers and illegitimate issue whom he semi-regularly acknowledges and then devotes considerable attention to. He remains second in command (after the king) of the Nova Household Knights, preferring to lead from the front whilst leaving the details of strategic planning to subordinate staff or even the king himself whenever possible. A renowned ace of the Great War, he still pilots his wartime mortarhead, the gigantic, greataxe wielding Shabranigdo. Secretly, he holds a bit of survivor's guilt from those times and would like to die someday in battle, surrounded by fallen enemies in order to rejoin his wartime comrades.

Raia Rasanen, Princess of Celetille, Royal Executive of Anu (26, divorced 2x)
Housekeeping is not the same as house keeping.
aka: the Séance Baby
known for: intelligence, fae cunning, avarice, making deals, lacking shame
mortarhead: Invisible Hand (Royal Archer)
Originally an illegitimate daughter of Carloman acknowledged at birth. She was the infamous toddler whom Queen Fidelia placed on the throne as royal representative to show her contempt for the Séance. Ironically, Raia proved supremely precocious and, after several years, demonstrated she had far more understanding and interest in matters of wealth and finance than anyone could imagine. The impression she made never died away even after the position of Great Minister was created during Aristide IV's reign and she remains the royal family member most popular with the bourgeoisie capitalists. Elderly Séance representatives dream of her being named heir and bringing about a golden age of unbridled capitalism and free market prosperity. However, they probably aren't being very careful what they're wishing for, as her two discarded and impoverished ex-husbands can attest. Of all of House Nova, she is the most driven by greed for gold. Whether there is anything deeper to her person must be privy only to her very few close companions. Presently, Raia portrays herself as a princely adventurer, diplomat or trade envoy depending on who she talks to, traveling the stars to gather wealth through law, trickery or blunt instruments.

Not a talented pilot as House Nova members go, she nevertheless procured a dubiously funded royal class mortarhead, the Invisible Hand, through suspect financial instruments.

Passerose Pacifica, Princess of Celetille (19, unmarried)
known for: dedication, strength of blood, skill at arms, social awkwardness
mortarhead: Alice Liddell (Wizard)
Another of Duke Carloman's illegitimate children, Passerose Pacifica was acknowledged into the nobility five years ago via routine institutional genetic testing, having been an orphan of the state since infancy. Shew grew up in Pacifica Abbey in a rural part of Nafréce. The duke isn't entirely sure who the mother was and how the girl came to be completely abandoned, but has firmly determined to care for her now. Unlike many adoptions who are raised, educated and then simply turned into minor state functionaries with stable but boring careers, Passerose's superb talent as a pilot led to her being accepted fully into House Nova-Celetille. Indeed, in terms of pure headliner abilities and sheer strength of blood, Passerose may well be the strongest of the entire house and her skill at arms may be second or third only to Vivian and Astolfo. Finding, to her surprise, a house that was caring and loving despite her origins and strongly defensive of her worth in the face of outside criticism, she has dedicated her entire life on the path of taking her abilities as a knight as far as they can go.

As a headliner, the 'thickness' of her blood is easily S+ class. In battle, she pilots the caster type mortarhead Alice Liddell as her father's subordinate and captain of the Household Knights 4th Division. She is easily stronger than her sometimes training partner the crown princess. Outside of the cockpit she is also known as one of the house's finest gravity sabreurs.

Mercurias, Prince of Merfa, Great Minister to the Séance (41, married to Phera Trodiko)
My nobility is just being here to help out.
known for: sociability, diplomacy, acumen
Prince Mercurias is from a house of slightly lower rank by foreign reckoning, being descended from Aleida Nova's half-brother Vladismilliard rather than Aleida herself. He is, however, one of the most powerful men in the kingdom due to his brotherly relationship with his cousin the king and his dutiful acceptance of the various official duties the king is disinterested in. Having both the courtly presence to keep the Séance in check and the acumen to oversea the administration of an empire, the prince has come to be known as the king's most influential advisor. He is married to Princess Phera of House Trodiko.

Bellmary, Princess of Briyua, Great Admiral of Nafréce (16, unmarried - will only marry for love)
Tanto monta.
aka: the Idol Great Admiral
known for: beauty, strange fantasies, charisma
mortarhead: Dread Pirate Testarossa (Knight)
Strictly a poster girl for the Royal Armada only a year and a half ago, the former royal idol and third princess of the infamously scandalous house of Nova-Briyua abruptly inherited the hereditary rank of Great Admiral of Nafréce from her father after a certain tragic incident. While she neither has in depth knowledge of naval matters nor any combat experience, she has inherited her father's strong cadre of loyal staff officers and quickly proved able to retain and work with them despite many initial doubts. How much damage to the functionality of Nafréce's prized and vital armada her inexperience will cause is still an open question but at the very least it has done wonders for the navy's image amongst low commoners.

Bellmary is roughly equal to the crown princess at mortarhead piloting. Her machine was the functionally ordinary but imposingly decorated Dread Pirate Testarossa until it was destroyed out of hand by the space battleship Rin-sin after almost replicating Minamoto no Yoshitsune's famous eight ship leap.

Vivian, Prince/Princess of Vianchiel (25, unmarried - branded the enemy of all womankind)
aka: the Fool of Nafréce, Enemy of All Womankind
known for: womanizing ways, dashing good looks, great skill at arms, being hopelessly romantic, being chuuni
mortarhead: Rosegarden Inferno (Royal Wizard)
Known as the Fool of Nafréce, an imaginative idiot, hopeless romantic and a shameless womanizer, the Prince of Vianchiel is never far from a scandal or disaster of some sort. His goal is to find romance and girlfriends in every corner of the universe - in other words, build an interstellar harem. He even publicly switched genders and was known only as Princess Vivian for a time whilst in pursuit of a flame. For all his flaws however, the young royal is found endearing by some and it also doesn't hurt that he is far more attractive than he has any right to be wearing the clothes of either gender. He is also, frustratingly, the strongest mortarhead pilot ever produced by House Nova and one of the strongest in the civilized universe. He leads the Household Knights' 3rd Division, a squad composed of his all female bodyguard (whose membership consists of a younger sister, a non-blood related younger sister, and a cousin). As the foremost mortarhead champion, he was given the former Pastalie royal family's heirloom mortarhead which is now known as the Rosegarden Inferno, a name he came up with when he was 13.

Astolfo, Prince of Parith (28, unmarried)
known for: piety, chivalry, skill at arms
mortarhead: Álfröðull (Knight)
Prince Astolfo would be considered a fairly boring prince were it not for his considerable martial talent, being Vivian's only near rival. Unlike his cousin however, he is polite, pious and more or less a perfect gentleman both in and out of his mortarhead (hence boring). Yet, the prince is not without aspirations, being eager for a chance at glory on the battlefield where he pilots his knight type mortarhead, Álfröðull.

Konami, Princess of Yasra (20, unmarried - hard to get along with)
aka: Konami the Younger
known for: curiosity, intelligence, being psychically deaf, being socially deaf, being filled with Determination
The princess of the peripheral branch of Nova-Yasra, Konami the Younger is a clone daughter of Duchess Konami (Konami the Elder). She is a determined adventurer and an expert in archaeology and the excavation of ruins. Among the most prominent princely and ducal personalities of House Nova, she and her mother are the most academically and scientifically oriented. While she has no psionic powers herself, she has a mysterious and unique ability for being a dead zone to psionics. In most cases, she seems equally a dead zone to socialisation with only close friends like Tarja able to put up with her.

Peripheral Characters

House Nova-Ayulsa (senior branch)

Nova-Ayulsa is the senior branch of House Nova, being descended from Aleida Nova's first daughter, and holds the Crown of Nafréce. Its current head is King Aristide IV of Nafréce, the third of the Nova monarchs, who married a daughter of House Branwyn.

Aleida, Queen Grandmother, Head of House Nova (96, widowed)
known for: pragmatism, diplomacy
The queen grandmother is now retired from state politics. She is the fourth and youngest daughter of Erelieva Nova by Panthalassa Pastalie through whom she inherited the throne during the Great War, after the same battle that claimed her husband Ywain of Taranis. She reigned from about the halfway point of the conflict as Aleida II before abdicating in her daughter's favour some time after peace. She remains head of house, arranging its internal affairs, marriages, and probably has her house heir specified in a will somewhere.

Corvinia Branwyn, Queen Consort of Nafréce (47, married to Aristide IV)
known for: secrecy
Wife of Aristide IV. Unlike her husband, the queen consort manages to stealth mode past practically all public limelight and mostly keeps to house affairs. Almost nothing is known about her as she frequently does not appear even at events where the queen consort might be expected to, but apparently she and the king went to school together back in the day. Said to be strict with her husband but to enjoy a good relationship with the Queen Grandmother. She has three daughters, including Elodie, the Crown Princess.

Estelle, Princess of Ayulsa (11, unmarried)
known for: extreme psionic powers
Second daughter of Aristide and Corvinia. Sister of Elodie.

Euterpe, Princess of Ayulsa (3, unmarried)
known for: pretending to have psionic powers
Third daughter of Aristide and Corvinia. Sister of Elodie.

House Nova-Celetille

Nova-Celetille is descended from Duke Carloman, the second son of Aleida Nova. Since he never married (and probably never will), the house is comprised entirely of himself and illegitimate children acknowledged and adopted into the family. If the Duke dies, the branch will be declared defunct, though its current members will remain cadets of the house as a whole.

Glaine Grandiose, Prince of Celetille, Viceroy to Rin (36, unmarried)
known for: acumen
An illegitimate son of Carlomon by still-on-and-off flame Countess Granblue Grandiose. He is a weak headliner but was nevertheless acknowledged into the house and enjoyed a career as a high ranking bureaucrat in the state government before being appointed Viceroy to Rin. Although considered a peripheral family member, the duke goes out of his way to drink with him now and again, ensuring he isn't forgotten. He also has strong rapport with Séance members and is a good enough friend of Prince Mercurias to vigorously debate their policy differences.

Saranus Stansifon, Prince of Celetille (6, unmarried)
known for: daring, excessive energy
Most recently acknowledged illegitimate offspring of Duke Carloman.

House Nova-Briyua

Nova-Briyua descends from Duchess Briony, third daughter of Aleida Nova. They hold the Great Admiralty of Nafréce through their political marriage to the adolescent Fithyn Branwyn during the war but are equally known to be involved in the entertainment industry of the homeworld. They are scandalous but progressive, being popular among low commoners for their liberal views.

Briony, Duchess of Briyua (69, widowed)
Once a celebrity, actress and gravure model. She was House Nova's wartime queen of scandals and was the root cause of many of Aleida II's conflicts with the church during her reign. She retired after the tragedy of the 10-12 Incident. Though she has taken up more writing and supports social causes in favour of commoners, her main dedication these days is with her now parentless grandchildren.

Fithyn Branwyn, Duke Consort of Briyua, Great Admiral of Nafréce (deceased)
Uncle of the queen consort. Was a young boy when he gained House Branwyn's hereditary position following the Third Battle of Taranis. His marriage into House Nova placed the Nafrisian crown and both its major hereditary military commanderships within its branches, cementing their power. He was effectively a figurehead during the Great War but did serve properly as the Great Admiral afterwards, overseeing five fairly quiet decades during which the armada had neither dramatic victories nor embarrassing disasters until his death in the 10-12 Incident.

Reinhardt, Prince of Briyua (deceased)
aka: Reinhardt the Elder
First son of Fithyn. He was killed during the tragic 10-12 Incident along with his wife Rosamund; both his first and second sons Reinhardt II and Siegfried; his fourth brother Heinrich and wife Kriemhild and their unborn child; and several other prominent nobles and house members.

Evereldis, Princess of Briyua (42, partnered)
Syardina, Princess of Briyua (42, partnered)
Twin second and third daughters of the duchess, who have taken over from their mother as the joint Nova-Briyua queens of scandal. All but publicly incestuous.

Ilse, Princess of Briyua (31, married to Ilse)
Yuzuha Madomura (31, married to Yuzuha Madomura)
Fifth daughter of the duchess, and her wife Madomura Yuzuha. Their attempts at appearances generally result in unintentional scandals. Both are on leave expecting each other's children, which is a bit weird even by House Nova's standards.

Leopold, Prince of Briyua, Great Minister to the Interregnal Council of Ruby-Kaleid (24, unmarried)
known for: charisma, acumen
Sixth son of the duchess. He is, amazingly, not scandalous (at least not yet). Though young, he was already considered to be endowed with enough charisma, acumen and talent in both military and bureaucratic affairs to be appointed Great Minister to the Interregnal Council of Ruby-Kaleid.

'Reinhardt, Prince of Briyua (deceased)
aka: Reinhardt the Elder
'Siegfried, Prince of Briyua (deceased)
The deceased first and second sons of Reinhardt the Elder and Rosamund. Elder brothers of Bellmary. Both had been on track for careers in the armada.

Syrianne, Princess of Briyua (14, unmarried)
known for: beauty, singing voice
Xsavin, Prince of Briyua (10, unmarried)
Balsemius, Prince of Briyua (4, unmarried)
known for: running around while holding the tableware on his head The younger children of Reinhardt the Elder and Rosamund. Younger siblings of Bellmary.

House Nova-Vianchiel

Nova-Vianchiel is the fourth branch of House Nova. They descend from Duchess Vivi, another of Aleida Nova's more notorious offspring. The duchess herself is both decadent and highly reclusive, perfectly fitting the stereotype of depraved, ivory tower, harem keeping nobility. Instead, virtually all attention is focused on her eldest child, the martially peerless Vivian.

Vivi, Duchess of Vianchiel (66, partnered - widowed/divorced 7x)
known for: strange appetites
The Duchess of Vianchiel is a record holder for having been married and divorced no less than seven times from both men and women, claiming they could not "keep up" with her. In recent years years, she has given up and reverted to casual partners behind thankfully closed doors.

Ravenna Branwyn, Lady Consort of Vianchiel (43, partnered)
Sister of the queen consort, Ravenna is the most regular of the duchess's many partners. Like her sister, she is very quiet and stays out of the public limelight. Her low key presence belies an apparent ability to "keep up" with her partner. She is, furthermore, noted as the parent of some of the duchess's latter issue. Whether she is truly a gene donor to the four children she bore is a frequent subject of speculation.

Violaine, Princess of Vianchiel (21, unmarried - somewhat attached to her elder brother)
known for: being adorable
Younger sister of Vivian, A+ class headliner and latent psion. The two were born to the duchess herself by her previous husband who lasted almost seven years before dying of 'misadventure'. A loyal and close subordinate of her elder brother. She is shy, short of stature, and has an issue with nerves.

Her mortarhead, the vaguely owl-like The Owl Price is an extremely tough and heavy set machine. It has a minor quirk in that it can reverse directions quickly by spinning its head and reversing its limbs and wings.
mortarhead: The Owl Price (Knight)

Virgil, Prince of Vianchiel (19, unmarried)
known for: irritation with his elder brother
Veronico, Prince of Vianchiel (18, unmarried)
known for: admiration of his elder brother
Verrine, Princess of Vianchiel (15, unmarried)
known for: beauty, being a bad girl
Valerion, Prince of Vianchiel (12, unmarried)
Children of Vivi and (at least officially) Ravenna Branwyn.

Karga Branwyn (23, unmarried - openly attached to her non-blood related brother)
known for: beauty, boldness
Ravenna's daughter from her first unhappy marriage to Prince Rodney Nigerian. Adopted into Nova-Vianchiel as a convenience. A B rank headliner and subordinate, as well as a non-blood related sister, of Vivian. A natural fox, she has dusky skin and dresses and acts quite boldly.

Her mortarhead, Bird of Hermes is edgy and dual wielding.
mortarhead: Bird of Hermes (Knight)

House Nova-Parith

Descended from Marie-Zeldaline, the youngest daughter of Aleida Nova. Quiet, religious and arguably boring, but well connected to the church and highly positioned in the military.

Marie-Zeldaline, Duchess of Parith (59, married)
Gordo Allegretto, Duke Consort of Parith (60, married)

Anatina, Princess of Parith (22, unmarried - somewhat attached to her cousin)
known for: beauty, healthy physique, gluttony
The most straight-laced of her cousin Vivian's subordinates. She has a ladylike demeanor but is able to eat enormous quantities whilst not suffering any consequences for her gluttony.
mortarhead: Divine Dragon Fa (Knight)

Amalia, Princess of Parith (26, unmarried)
Orlando, Prince of Parith (16, unmarried)
known for: beauty, looking like a young woman
Said to be destined for a career in either the Nafrisian military police or a historian, he is keen on truth and justice. He is frequently mistaken for a very attractive young woman.
Gervasio, Prince of Parith (5, unmarried)
Other children of Marie-Zeldaline and Gordo. Siblings of Alfonso and Anatina.

House Nova-Merfa

Descending from Duke Vladismilliard, the eldest son of Erelieva Nova, Nova-Merfa would have been the senior branch of House Nova if not for the last common ancestor's subsequent marriage to Panthalassa Pastalie, securing the throne. The cadet house inherited the Great Generalty of Nafréce which had already been the purview of House Nova for nearly four centuries prior to the Great War and also holds the newly created Great Ministership to the Séance. Members of the house are also the anchors by which the old blood ties to Trodiko and Altenburg-Balzer are tied. As a result, it is practically the most powerful branch of the house after the senior branch itself.

Lavinia Draculesti-Lior-Nova (151, divorced)
The divorced first wife of Erelieva Nova is the oldest member of House Nova still alive. She occupies a small royal palace near the capital and is consulted now and again by many house members for her counsel, including even Aleida herself. On her romance from over a century past, she remarks that she always knew it would not last.

Vladismilliard, Duke of Merfa, Great General of the Royal Host (123, married)
As the eldest son of Erelieva Nova, Vladismilliard inherited, and still holds, the title of Great General of Nafréce. He married Irmina Altenburg-Balzer, a half century his junior, during the Great War at a time when Pomerelia's position was at its nadir while Nafrisian fortunes appeared to have turned for the better. A thoroughly dedicated soldier, they remained distant until well into the post war period when they finally settled down and developed a relationship. These days he's still quite serious, but far less so than in wartime.

Marteias, Prince of Merfa (33, unmarried)
Second son of Vladismilliard and Irmina. A mortarhead pilot and direct subordinate of the king in his campaigns. Somewhat rank conscious.
mortarhead: -

Joverias, Prince of Merfa (29, unmarried)
Third son of Vladismilliard and Irmina.

Satella, Princess of Merfa (24, unmarried)
known for: beauty
Fourth daughter of Vladismilliard and Irmina.

John-Anton, Prince of Merfa (7, unmarried)
Liana-Orgel, Princess of Merfa (4, unmarried)
Children of Mercurias and Phera.

House Nova-Exali

Nova-Exali are an all female branch descending from Duchess Kanerva, the engineered daughter of Kirsi Holopainen and Erelieva Nova. While they occasionally marry out (as Kirsi herself obviously did), the line exclusively reproduces via singular virgin births engineered every twenty-four years. Even from before marrying into House Nova, as House Holopainen, they were known for madness, psionic powers, and martial prowess both in and out of mortarheads.

Kanerva, Duchess of Exali (116, widowed)
Engineered daughter of Kirsi Holopainen and Erelieva Nova. Has outlived both her daughter and granddaughter. She is head of Nova-Exali and Nafréce's "court lumen" - the highest ranking psionic specialist employed by the state.

Virve, Princess of Exali (deceased)
Died in a psionically charged mortarhead encounter on the irradiated surface of Taranis during the Great War. Although her wounds were mortal, she did defeat her enemy in the end and both mortarheads, including the current Dancer of the White Night were recovered and passed on.

Asta, Princess of Exali (deceased)
Married out to Urnuba of House Aiwass, an important family on Nafréce. Both were present at the 10-12 Incident and killed.

Lyyli, Princess of Exali (44, unmarried)
Mother of Tarja. Has expressed she isn't averse to marrying out so long as her great grandmother doesn't mind holding onto the reins of the branch's affairs for a few decades longer.

Tarja, Princess of Exali (20, unmarried - unavailable for 5 years)
known for: cat ears and tail, being adorable
The youngest in the line of Nova-Exalis. She is usually in the company of her friend Princess Konami, who is technically her great grand-aunt of the same age. Considered a peripheral family member for not having huge ambitions and being a bit offbeat, she is in fact an S class headliner and a powerful psion, though she cannot read Konami at all. She commands the elite Svärdcarols whom she recently forced cat ears and tails upon and pilots the agile Dancer of the White Night with tremendous skill.
mortarhead: Dancer of the White Night (Knight)

House Nova-Yasra

The smallest and least known of House Nova's branches. Nova-Yasra consists only Konami the Elder and her cloned daughter Konami the Younger. The elder Konami is herself a genetically spliced and mechanically hatched offspring of Erelieva Nova and Komachi Nanri from Planet Yashima, one of the earliest prodigal interstellar explorers of the current age.

Konami, Duchess of Yasra (98, unmarried)
aka: Konami the Elder
known for: reclusiveness, eccentricity
An extremely eccentric member of the royal family who lives in a vast manor on a small moon with only some strange maids and vast laboratories for company. Said to look much younger than her actual age - to the extent of looking exactly like her daughter despite being nearly a century old. Of course, nobody talking about it has seen her for decades. She cloned a single daughter, Konami the Younger, twenty years ago and sent her to Nafréce along with one of her two old mortarheads. She has since recalled the Gothicmaid after her daughter departed for Ereshkigal (True) and may soon be producing a set of enhanced twins with psionic powers. mortarhead: Gothicmaid, ???

Other Factions and Powers of the Nafrisian Empire

Nobles Houses

House Aiwass
A ducal family. One member was Urnuba Aiwass, husband of Asta Nova-Exali.

House Alven
The Margraves of Blackwood on Ascolat. Horst Alzen is married to an unacknowledged daughter of the Duke of Celetille. Their rank in Nafrisian peerage equates to that of count.

House Branwyn
Nafréce's second most powerful house after the royal family, being heavily married into them. Under the crown of the Pastalies, they were a peer left and right hands of the throne, holding the hereditary title of Great Admiral whilst House Nova held that of Great General. They still hold the highest peerage of Nafréce, the rank of Great Duke, held by their ancient but jovial head, Varnas Branwyn.

House Draculesti
A thickblooded house of once tremendous power who were mostly extinct even before the short jump was rediscovered. Only two of its nine historic branches are extant - Draculesti-Lior, married into House Nova, and Draculesti-Tilea who still hold their ancestral great ducal rank.

House Grandiose
A large, powerful and wealthy ducal house whose Duke goes largely unremembered in the shadow of his daughter, fashion mogul and celebrity socialite Countess Granblue Grandiose who famously had a public affair with Duke Carloman some decades ago.

House von Hevn
The Margraves of Hevn on Ascolat.

House Holopainen
A defunct, all female great ducal house once known for madness, psionic powers and martial prowess. Their fragile bloodline continues as House Nova-Exali.

House Madomura
A minor house originating from the Yamato sector. One of their daughters, Yuzuha, is married to Ilse, a princess of Nova-Briyua.

House Nanri-Bezeld
Purportedly the only surviving branch of the Nanri clan from Yashima. They arrived a century ago to Nafréce, among the earliest short jump explorers of the Taranis sector. One of them, Komachi, became Erelieva Nova's third wife. The rest settled on Nafréce, establishing the Nanri-Bezeld branch whom hold the rank of count.

House Nigerian
A comital house currently headed by Count Rodney Nigerian, a man who has now had two unfortunate marriages involving House Nova members. Known for their involvement in forthright business.

House Pastalie
The defunct former royal house. They were known for the depth and complexity of the court life they embroiled their vassals in. Truly victim to a lack of Fortunae more than a lack of competence.

House Rasanen
A comital house.

House Spraicy
A ducal house headed by Duke Conoway Spraicy. They have quite conservative values but are nevertheless valued for their pragmatic counsel.

House Stansifon
A comital house.

Miscellaneous

Guilds of Assessors
Nafréce has four Guilds of Assessors who are involved in the prospecting business and assess the value of finds, discoveries and salvage both in space and abroad. They are important and powerful cogs in the economy with a significant voice in the Séance.

Interregnal Council of Ruby-Kaleid
Now a vassal of Aristide IV. However, they are guaranteed the same privileges as the Séance of Nafréce.

Ships of the Royal Nafrisian Armada

The Royal Armada has been in and out of action since the end of the Great War, accounting for its fair share of local brushfire experience over the past four decades. On the other hand, it has frequently been strapped for slipway space and funding as the Séance sees it mostly as a money sink (as well as a direct contribution to the nobility's side of the balance of power). Hence, the fleet still uses a lot of older ships dating back to the Great War. Many ships entering service are in fact refurbishments of mothballed hulls. That said, the armada has good numbers on paper and newer vessels are being commissioned at a slow but steady trickle.

Reinforce class fleet frigate (1st generation escort) (18)
length: 230m
weapons: armour piercing missiles
defenses: ECCM
systems: sensors
propulsion: fusion thrusters (4)
modifications: additional weapons; powerful weapons
The venerable Reinforce class fleet frigate was a mainstay of the royal armada from the Great War up to today. Its main - really, only - duty is to act as the eyes of the line of battle. Once battle is joined, they empty their brace of torpedo tubes and retreat to a safe distance to wait out the fight, it being considered pointless and dishonorable to chase them at that point. The only nod to the passage of time has been the installation of newer, more powerful graviton warheads into the otherwise war era spec systems.

Reforçar class assault frigate (1st generation escort) (15)
length: 247m
weapons: particle cannons
defenses: armour
systems: landing bay
propulsion: fusion thrusters (4)
modifications: -
A Reforçar is a Reinforce class frigate hull pulled out of mothballs and fitted to carry and land troops rather than missiles. The extra length comes from an atmosphere deflection boom and armoured sheath fitted to the hull.

Virago class frigate (2nd generation escort) (20)
length: 300m
weapons: particle cannons
defenses: ECM
systems: sensors; AKV hangar
propulsion: fusion thrusters (6)
modifications:
The Virago class is a generalist light combat frigate - the kind of thing you post at a far flung base to defend against poorly armed locals or escort moderately important convoys through somewhat dangerous space.

Lyzeille class expeditionary cruiser (2nd generation cruiser) (52)
length: 450m
weapons: particle cannons
defenses: sandblasters
systems: sensors; fuel scoop
propulsion: fusion thrusters (9)
modifications: cruiser hull; additional drives; more weapons; fire control
Neither House Nova nor their predecessors, the Pastalies, ever put much stock in the "cruiser" concept. The prospect of a relatively cheap ship dedicated to protecting trade lanes however, proved a popular concept among the mercantile elite, to the extent that the funding for it was practically free. A conservative design by Taranian standards overall, the Lyzeille class are fitted out similarly to its counterparts in other states and houses, being fast and equipped with sensors and a fuel scoop, but are notably well armed for their size. It is, however, a bit more budget and less cutting edge than many of its rivals. Newly commissioned, they only served their intended role briefly before being mustered for the expedition to Ereshkigal (True) and being accordingly reclassified as expeditionary cruisers.

Excalibur class battleship (short hull) (1st generation battleship) (66)
length: 806m
weapons: 2 x particle cannons
defenses: armour
systems: 2 x AKV hangar
propulsion: reactionless (1)
modifications: damage control
An relic of the Great War, the Excalibur class were built starting late in the conflict to replace even older Nafrisian ships of the line, earning themselves a reputation for toughness if nothing else. Their only other feature of distinction are their notably large racks of combat drones.

Excalibur class battleship (long hull) (1st generation battleship) (66)
length: 850m
weapons: 2 x particle cannons
defenses: armour
systems: AKV hangar; landing bay
propulsion: reactionless (1)
modifications: damage control
In addition to the standard version, a somewhat rarer "long hull" version of the Excalibur was also produced at the Sairaag shipyards. They feature an elongated hull and armoured box which, along with the omission of the forward combat drone hangar, accomodates facilities for troops and dropships instead.

Elucidator class battleship (2nd generation battleship) (110)
length: 995m
weapons: 4 x particle cannons
defenses: 2 x armour
systems: 2 x AKV hangar; landing bay
propulsion: reactionless (1)
modifications: damage control
The Elucidator class is House Nova's most modern ship of the line that's available in numbers, having been trickling off the slipways on Nafréce in fits and starts over the past two decades. They are essentially expanded versions of their predecessors - more big, more armoured and more beams. Their facilities include a prodigious combat drone complement mounted in rows of racks port and starboard as well as a long launch bay with attached troop handling facilities placed beneath the centerline.

Kimaris class battlecruiser (2nd generation battleship) (100)
length: 962m
weapons: 4 x heavy lasers
defenses: armour; ECCM
systems: fuel scoop; repair yard; landing bay
propulsion: fusion thrusters (3)
modifications: -
The Kimaris class ships are designated "battlecruisers" thanks not to speed but their fundamental role as capital ships that can (and are designed to) operate more or less on their own for extended periods far from home. While a novel idea to Nafrisian naval tradition, some states and houses already have entire fleets likewise kitted out and House Nova may find out the hard way whether they're too little and too late to the party.

Flagship Impossible Request (hero battleship)
length: 1192m
weapons: 6 x particle cannons
defenses: 3 x armour
systems: 2 x AKV hangar; landing bay
propulsion: fusion thrusters (3)
modifications: Star Patrol weapons, Pleadian steel armour
The super battleship Impossible Request serves as the flagship of the 'idol great admiral' Princess Bellmary Nova-Briyua. It houses an impressive set of state rooms, including holodeck throne room.

Forces of House Nova

Nafréce

Kimaris (Kimaris class battlecruiser) [repairs: Q2 52]

Vorpal (Elucidator class battleship)
Terminus Est (Elucidator class battleship)
Orna (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Fragarach (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)

4 x Reinforce class frigates
2 x Virago class frigates

Concealed the Conclusion (Royal Caster type mortarhead)
Rosegarden Inferno (Royal Caster type mortarhead)
9 x Knight type mortarhead
3 x Caster type mortarhead
1 x Mortarhead (Knight: Star Patrol Pacification Unit)

6 x Power Armour regiment
4 x Planetary army

Marduk Sector

Anu

2 x Virago class frigates

1 x Power Armour regiment
1 x Planetary army

Nergal

Spyglass
Star Patrol Wreck

Impossible Request (Hero battleship)
Elucidator (Elucidator class battleship)
Silver Eternity (Elucidator class battleship)
Lambent Light (Elucidator class battleship)
Rose Bride (Elucidator class battleship)
Imhullu (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Istenkarja (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)

6 x Reinforce class frigates

Invisible Hand (Royal Archer type mortarhead)
Mortarhead (Knight: Star Patrol Pacification Unit)
Mortarhead (Royal Wizard: Patroller Command Unit)
8 x Knight type mortarhead
6 x Archer type mortarhead

4 x Assault regiment
4 x Power Armour regiment
1 x Planetary army
2 x Teledrone pacification army

Ishtar

Excalibur (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Cortana (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Lævateinn (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Dáinsleif (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Gram (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)
Tyrfing (Excalibur class battleship -short hull-)

6 x Reinforce class frigates

South Ishtar

2 x Planetary army

Marduk

Sikanda (Elucidator class battleship)
Nemesis (Elucidator class battleship)

2 x Reinforce class frigates
2 x Virago class frigates

6 x Knight type mortarhead

4 x Assault regiment
4 x Power Armour regiment
2 x Planetary army

Iliad Sector

Homer Station

Spyglass

2 x Virago class frigates

1 x Power Armour regiment

Logres Sector

Brocéliande

1 x Planetary army

Expeditions

Ereshkigal (True)

Decarabia (Kimaris class battlecruiser)

Lyzeille (Lyzeille class heavy cruiser)
Saillune (Lyzeille class heavy cruiser)
Zefielia (Lyzeille class heavy cruiser)
Sellentia (Lyzeille class heavy cruiser)

Dancer of the White Knight (Knight type mortarhead)
Svärdcarols (Elite Catgirls Power Armour regiment)

Aracoma Crusade

Murasame (Elucidator class battleship)
Evening Calm (Elucidator class battleship)
Durindana (Excalibur class battleship -long hull-)
Aram (Excalibur class battleship -long hull-)
Areadbhar (Excalibur class battleship -long hull-)

Star Patrol Medical Ship Trick or Treatment

6 x Reinforce class frigates

3 x Knight type mortarhead
2 x Power Armour regiment

3 x Caster type mortarhead
2 x Assault regiments