House Eirian
"A Rising TideLifts AllBoats"
House Eirian is a minor but wealthy nobility in the city of Baldur's Gate. Generations earlier, the grand patron of the Eirian family leveraged his wealth and trading acumen into a title of nobility, and the family's ability to keep and expand successful business income maintains their right.
The Eirian family venerates Waukeen, the goddess of commerce and wealth, and as such has always believed that when all parties are involved in the creation of wealth everyone benefits. Because of this point of view the Eirian family has always had a good relationship with their subordinates and especially their personal servants, butlers and chamberlains; so much so that the higher echelon of servants lead a fairly comfortable and relatively wealthy life themselves.
As aristocrats, the Eirian family worships the goddess of nobility, Siamorphe, but they correspondingly offer prayers to Copperworth, the god of servants. They also worship Tymora, as Lady Luck assists them with their endeavors.
Traditionally, the youth of the family sets out one at a time adventuring for a few years to expand business propositions, increase the Eirian name across the Realms and to become more experienced in the world. While it is not necessarily considered a failure to not increase the family's fortune out on the road, it certainly does reflect positively on the member who does. Currently it is Callum, the first born and son's turn.
Wintering at the Eirian Estate was always very comfortable for everyone involved. There were traditional feasts and festivals that marked the Midwinter Solstice as well as various other personal celebrations the Eirian family observed. These other observances included a ceremony giving thanks to the goddess Waukeen for a fruitful year of trade and wealth as well as to her friend, Tymora, for a year of good luck. The Eirian family even made time to give thanks for Copperworth, the god of servants, to show appreciation for their own servants.
The Eirian estate had a very good professional relationship with their employees. The Eirians always said that "a high tide raises all boats" and strove to live up to that motto in business and in their personal lives. Because of this belief, House Eirian always treated their servants with more care than other noble houses did (and certainly better than estates who treated their servants poorly). Their most personal servants were a family that had served the Eirian family for many generations. The Telford family was so close to the Eirians that they were almost part of each other's family. The Telfords lived in relative luxury themselves under the employment of the Eirians. And while their roles were clear and delineated in public, many times those lines would be blurred in their private moments.
The two youths of about 16 years sat across from each other over a chess set. The both had cups of mulled wine and were intently studying the board and each other in an attempt to predict the other's move. The fire from the fireplace illuminated the room but was dimming as it burned itself out. The oil lamps were providing more light to see by, but more and more darkness creeped in as each source of fuel slowly dwindled.
The brown-haired lad took a sip from his cup and said, "Red Knight is with me tonight, Cal."
The black-haired youth similarly took a pull from his cup and deepened his frown. "Red Knight's always with you, Mal." He replied. "But Lady Luck is with me."
Malafred Telford snorted into his cup. "You keep saying that as if it's going to come true someday."
Callum Eirian regarded his friend with mock annoyance. "One of these days I'm going to beat you at this damned game, I swear it."
Malafred smiled at the board. Chess really was his game, at least over Callum. It was, he theorized, due to his ability to organize Callum's life for him that allowed Malafred to devise strategies against him. He looked up at Callum and continued his gaze upwards as he noticed the young girl behind him.
Callum noticed his friend's diverted attention, and so turned to see what his friend had noticed. He heard the voice of Iris, Malafred's younger sister and chambermaid before he saw her.
"Begging your Lordship's pardon, your bed is turned down for the night." She said politely. Malafred and Callum were best friends and had grown up together, and thus forged a more personal relationship. Iris was often the target of the two boys' teasing, and so was more reserved around Callum.
Callum finished turning around to look at Iris when he saw her. The children of House Eirian and the Telford family had grown up together, and Callum had seen Iris all her life, but this time was…different. There was something different in the way he saw her tonight, something that made him smile uncontrollably. "Thank you, Iris." He said, his eyes wide and dilated, as if trying to see as much as he could of her.
Iris saw Callum, bowed her head and smiled irrepressibly as well. Unbeknownst to her she blushed furiously but the dark hid her from him. She quickly but politely curtsied and hurried off, almost running.
Callum turned back to his friend. "When did she get cute?" He asked.
"Cute?" Malafred replied looking puzzled and a little appalled. "Who, Flower-Butt?"
"Yeah…" Callum replied wistfully.
"Yeah, well, whatever, she's right. Time for sleep." Malafred said dismissively. The two young men stood up, drained their cups and set out for Callum's room. When they arrived, they settled into their nightly routine of Callum undressing while Malafred took the clothes, hung them up, put them away or set them aside to be cleaned. While doing so, Malafred reviewed Callum's schedule for the next day.
"So, after breakfast you have economics with your father and grand-sire, followed by lunch. History with Master Grymm, then low tea with your mother and all that etiquette. Fencing, bath and dinner."
Callum listened to his day's activities with only half and ear as he prepared habitually for bed. He said good night to his friend and slipped into his bed as Malafred went back to the lounge to pick up after himself and Callum. And as Callum drifted off into slumber, all he could think about was Iris' smiling face.
A few weeks later…
The man sat in his high-backed chair facing the fire, its twin facing the fire as well but separated by a tea-table. Seamus Eirian, current head of the Eirian family, sat in silence and regarded the fire as if he expected an answer from it, but the only voice that called out was his Seneschal and best friend, Aldwin Telford.
"What will we be having tonight, my Lord?"
"I'll have the brandy." Seamus answered, then, "Pour yourself a glass and join me."
Aldwin poured out two glasses of brandy; one he filled and handed to his employer, the second he poured for himself and then sat in the unoccupied seat to the right of the leader of the Eirian clan. This was not the first time the two had shared a drink at the end of a day, and it was done for any number of reasons.
The two sat in silence for a minute or two, sipped their drinks and gazed at the fire in the fireplace. Then Seamus sighed and began: "Well, our greatest fear has been realized: Callum has noticed your Little Flower."
Aldwin made no sign of surprise of outrage, but calmly continued to sip his drink. Then he said, "Oh yeah? Well, my daughter has noticed your son. How d'ya like that?"
Seamus looked sideways at his friend and servant. "Well, what do you think we should do about it?" he asked with parental concern.
"What should we do?" Aldwin replied. "Seamus, they're teens! It's puppy love! It's not serious, one or the other will lose interest and break the other's heart. Life will go on. "What should we do about it?" Let it run its course, and it will be over before we know it."
Seamus made an exacerbated face to Aldwin in the same manner that Callum does to Malafred. "I'm serious, Al." He said. "They're still young, yes, but they're approaching marrying age, and who's to say that they won't stay involved?"
"Oh, Seamus," said Aldwin. "What's the worst that can happen?"
"He could get her pregnant, that's what could happen!" Seamus replied fearfully.
"Oh he would not," answered the faithful servant. "I'm the girl's father and I don't think he's that much a cad."
The elder Eirian gave his friend a look of annoyance as he could not find an opposing argument against his friend's logic. Aldwin took the opportunity to continue.
"Let's take the 'worst case' scenario: they fall in sincere and true love and they marry; things are a little awkward between our families for a few generations. Our families have always been close, you've always been excellent employers, so I don't have any worries. I'm honestly a little surprised it took this long." He concluded.
Mollified for the moment by his friend's reassurances but annoyed at losing the argument, Seamus took a sip from his brandy. Aldwin did the same. The two finished their brandy in friendly silence, enjoying the fire and the liquor. When they were done, Seamus stood up and bade Aldwin good night. Aldwin stood, collected the glasses and the flask of brandy and walked them down to the kitchen for the staff to clean. As he ascended the stairs back to the bed chambers to conclude his duties, he smiled to himself. Iris could do worse, he thought, even if young Callum was that much of a cad.
Iris Telford was unique among her family and friends. Her family's hair and eyes have always been dark; brown and black hair, hazel and brown eyes. But Iris' hair was a vibrant blond, her eyes a vigorous green. In the summertime she never tanned darkly. Often the adjective people used would be "golden".
It was noticed in her early teen years that Iris had a talent for magic. However, when the wizard of the manor was assigned to train her in the ways of studying magic, he discovered that her magic was not to be found in the pages of a spellbook, but was an innate talent. The Manor Wizard noted that the best training for these "sorcerers" is experience out in the world, adventuring. Of course, this wasn't appropriate for a girl of 12 years. Her adventuring didn't begin until years later, and with her husband.
Callum, Malafred and a handful of their friends were at their fencing lessons with Master Vannozzo Spada. Callum was sparring with the master when he noticed a trio of maidens enter and begin watching them.
Spotting that one of the maidens was Iris Telford, Callum decided he would show her, and everyone else what a dashing and skilled swordsman he was.
Callum sprang forward and with a flourish attempted to disarm his fencing instructor. He circled the tip to gain access to the back his opponent's wrist but did so a little too wildly. The result was that he left himself open to a riposte that disarmed Callum instead. To add insult to injury, Master Vannozzo thwacked the edge of his foil against the side of Callum's fencing mask.
The master immediately and non-offensively placed his weapon in his opposite hand, whipped off his mask and bowed, thus ending the match. Callum was humiliated but could not shame himself by not following proper etiquette. Knowing his face was probably as red as his favorite coat, he straightened up and put on as brave a face as he could, removed his mask and bowed in reply.
The trio of girls giggled and hurried themselves out of the studio before someone could scold them to return to their duties. As they left, though, Iris glanced back, hoping to see that Callum was well despite the embarrassing event.
