House Ostrovsky
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Basic Information
Colours: Black and red.Sigil: Etosian Bear
Words: Aflame with Zeal
Culture: Vladno - Etosian Roots and Influence
Faith: Etosian Unionism
Business: Dye Trade
Title: County of Vraksilo
Brief History
The line of Skliró was established in the second-century A.C, born from the ambitions of a career soldier in service to the city of Pavleona who took up arms against his brethren in faith and in blood. Nikodimos Skliró earned for himself a reputation as both a capable strategist and equestrian during the War of Reclamation; and with a soldier's pension, enabled himself to marry into the wealthy Maliasenoi, landholders in Etolia who had declined into their death throes in those years with a lack of male issue. Achieving title and ennoblement through the demise of a short-lived alliance with the passing of Ioannes Maliasenos, Nikodimos secured himself as regent of Vraksilon for the duration of his newborn son's minority. Manuel Skliró ascended to power at the young age of fourteen, and to the advice of his father who came to sit an influential position on his council. Manuel's tenure as Count was otherwise uneventful and he bore several sons and daughters.
The House of Skliró remained mostly irrelevant until midways into the third century with the death of Manuel's sole male heir, Anastasios. Skliró would meet the same demise as the Maliasenoi as Anastasios' daughter Anna had been married into the household of a lesser Vladno aristocrat, Grigory Ostrovsky. Ostrovsky was descended from Mirnoye settlers of Etosil briefly after the War of Reclamation and was a relatively unknown aristocrat and military officer until his opportune marriage. He took command of the stagnant lands of Vraksilo and revitalized the local industry. Investing heavily into the trade of Etolian tyre, Amphisos grew from a small fishing village into relevance as a bustling port city from which dyes were export to the Crown Isle and the far reaches of Aloria. Tyre brought much wealth to the coffers of Ostrovsky, who utilized the coin to maintain his newfound position and discourage nearby lordlings through the use of hired thugs and the occasional assassin.
Grigory's tenure as lord reached late into the century, much to the ire of his firstborn son, Sascha. He came to be known amongst locals by his epithet 'the old', though he was in no way loved and much of the local Etosian peasantry reviled him for his heavy-handed rule. He outlived his son by four years at the venerable age of one-hundred and one. Succeeded by his eldest grandchild, Vasily - a military man whose life had, for the most part, been spent in service of Regalia.
Holdings
While Ostrovsky has only ruled Vraksilo for little over fifty years, they proudly shepherd the land as their family's own - an expanse of rocky hills & grassy coastal plains, warm and colorful scenery in the shadow of the Etolian mountains. Amphisos rises upon the coastline where waters carry in traders to the bustling port from all corners of Regalia and the sun gleams upon its tall, beige stone walls & the fired clay roofs that sprawl across the harbor. Upon its cusp, the sound of salt waves crashing against its low earthy surroundings are constant, but to the Ostrovsky, it is the sound of sweet home.
Values
Etosians are an extremely religious people, as are the Vladno who lord over them - the House of Ostrovsky is no exception to this. Sons born of the line are reared in the principles of the Etosian Unionist faith, and pay much reverence to the tenets of their faith and to the Herons. Grigory's grandchildren are military men, for the most part, extremely zealous and eager to bring the hammer of war down upon those who do not hold the Regalian Emperor in the same regard. Their guiding moral virtue does not hinder their ruthless nature as Vladno men, and it is said that Vasily had both of his siblings killed in order to maintain his claim on Vraksilo.
The Great Fast of Fyodor
An important religious custom adopted practiced annually by the people of Vraksilo is the Great Fast, known also as the Cycle of Génnisi. Beginning on Katharí Deftera, it opens to a forty-day long period of fasting, abstinence and self-reflection and devotion to prayer. The Ostrovsky were quick to adopt the holiday and their court abstains from most meats, fish, dairy, wine, oil, etcetera during this period and maintain strict liturgical observance, many hours spent at mass and prayer or elsewise offering prayer and devotion to fallen Herons and the reading of spiritual texts. After six weeks, this opens into a holy week of feasting at the end of which is Génnisi, the day of holy Emperor Theomar's birth. Durnoy glaz
The people of Vraksilo are a superstitious sort, and it is a belief instilled into their culture that someone can catch the 'mati', or evil eye, from people with envy in their hearts, heralding physical illness and unease of the mind. It is thought to be dispelled through the utterance of prayers and faith in the Emperor's divinity, but also that the wearing of a lapis glass marble painted with an open eye can negate the effects entirely and ward the wearer against matiasma, or durnoy glaz. Many in the household of the Count can be found wearing such talismans alongside Heron lockets and other trinkets. Imperial Culture
The court in Amphisos has recently been forced to adopt aspects of the Imperial Culture with the ascension of Vasily to the seat of Count. A vocal advocate for Emperor Cedromar's reforms in fashion, he has gone against the more austere dress of the Vladno in favor of modern apparel. As a result, the dark surcoats, colorful sleeves and sashes that are found in the Imperial court have quickly become commonplace in Amphisos. This change has met some resistance, however, and Vladno dress is still commonplace among the local wealth. The Ostrovsky still maintain their cultural dress during religious festivals, parades and similar affairs which call for it.Familial Traits and Genealogy
The Ostrovsky are typical of their Vladno origins, though some Etosian features from Skliró linger. They typically range from fair to light olive skin. Hair pigment ranges mostly from darker shades of brown to black, though it is not unheard of for an Ostrovsky to be blonde-headed in his youth. Their hair is generally thick is natural curl is prevalent. Narrow faces and sharp defined features are characteristic of the bloodline - pronounced jawlines, high cheekbones and aquiline noses. They did not inherit the stature of their Vladno forebears and are on the stockier side as a result, averaging from 5'6" to 5'11" in height with women naturally being on the shorter end of the spectrum.
Blue: Played
Green: Playable
Red: Unplayable
- Vasily Sergeyevich (271 A.C) - Third Count of Vraksilo; career officer, spent nineteen years in the Reglian Army as a field officer, now Lieutenant-General of the Ostmark. Unmarried without issue.
- Alexei Sergeyevich (271 A.C) - Twin to Vasily and briefly pretender after the death of his father. Attempted to coup after his death and disappeared shortly after, suspected kidnapping. Remained unmarried without issue.
- Iosefka Sergeyevich (274 A.C) - An aloof woman who distanced herself from the family to attend the School of Biology. A certified physician, she is an oddity in the family and is looked upon with disdain as a result. Unmarried without issue.
- Tatjana Sergeyevich (286 A.C) - A gossipmonger and rumored adulterer, sold off to a wealthy military officer at a young age in marriage. Married with issue.
- Aleksandr Vasilyev (288 A.C) - Firstborn and only child of Vasily, born out of wedlock. He is recognized by his father and regarded as the heir to his titles due to his lack of otherwise legitimate issue, much to the dismay of his aunt, and remains in Vraksilo where he is currently undergoing tutelage in the School of Lecgaen. Unmarried without issue.
- Bogdan Sergeyevich (288 - 300 A.C) - Youngest son of Sergey, implicated in the attempted deposing of Vasily. However young at the time, he disappeared alongside Alexei in the winter of 300 A.C. Remained unmarried without issue.
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