Description
The man standing before you is almost remarkable in his normalcy. He is
neither tall nor short, standing a shade under six feet. He is neither lean
nor bulky, scrawny nor heavily muscled. He appears to be fit, perhaps 180
lbs and his weight is well balanced throughout his body. His brown hair has
been trimmed close to his scalp in a professional manner. A pair of dark
brown eyes peer at you unassumingly from a face set with common features.
You cant detect a scar on his body, and it is nearly impossible to determine
what his age might be. As you study him, you cant help but think of him as
an everyman, a foundation of Thera - wholly unremarkable and ordinary. He
obviously is no great warrior or powerful magi.But what is he? He is clean
- far too clean for a common laborer or mercenary. He does not have the look
or the dress of a noble or cleric. He seems to carry himself with a sly,
professional demeanor and it is then that you notice the luggage he carries
with him. Each piece is engraved and gold-inlaid with the mark of three
golden bars stacked in a small pyramid.You have seen this mark before it
is the mark of the Bartona family, one of the great merchant clans of Thera.
It is then that it strikes you that this man must be a merchant or trader of
some sort.
Role
The Bartona Family
Added Sat Jan 14 16:29:40 2006 at level 1:
Family lore speaks of he first Bartona, a man named Datrill, who was born and
raised in a small nomad band in the deserts south of Hamsah Mutazz. As the
story goes, he began running a variety of desert artisan goods to the
northern city, where he would sell them to the markets plentiful merchants,
at a young age.From this his burgeoning career blossomed and the peddling
youngster and his future ancestors gave birth to a traders empire that
eventually stretched to every civilized (and some uncivilized) niches in
Thera.
No one can remember just how long ago Datrill Bartona first came out of the
desert with his first sack of hides, nor can anyone say when the Bartona clan
peaked in wealth, power or influence, though it is said that they are no
longer the same visible force they once were. The patriarchs of the merchant
empire have always shared certain traits. Always intelligent and extremely
clever, they have had keen business sense and great insight into other men.
Excellent leaders, they have been excellent at retaining loyalty and building
impressive networks of merchants, politicians, nobility and, as rumor goes,
some of the more unsavory types. They have displayed lesser traits, as well.
A deep-seated greed seems to consume the family. This is accompanied by a
tendency to turn to violence to resolve unwanted situations. This reputation
for greed and violence, along with whispers of long-standing ties into
organized crime, has given the Bartona family the stigma of a mafia-like
group fronted by their successful mercantile kingdom.
While this reputation precedes the Bartonas, they are quick to downplay it.
It is no secret, however, that they are involved in circles that would
seemingly have little to do with simple merchants. Whether their involvement
exists to further their influence and wealth or whether it is for darker
gains is unknown.
Fezontel
Added Wed Feb 15 16:22:59 2006 at level 24:
Fezontel Bartona, better known as "Fezzo" across the land, was the first son
born to one of the Bartona merchant barons of Hamsah Mutazz. His upbringing
was hardly different from those of his ancestors before. He was taught the
good life, the power of money and given a wealth of influence through his
family.
Coming of age, his father sat down with him one day. "Fezzo," he said,
"youve seen many things growin up in this house, and not all of themd be
considered wholesome by most. I do not consider myself a bad man, or an evil
man. But I ave had blood on m hands, an I ave done other things that no
holy man would approve of. Do you understand why we do these things?"
Fezzo looked back at him, that same impassive look that he always seemed to
carry upon his face. After a moment of thought, Fezzo responded, "We do
these things because we ave to, I suppose. We do em because its the best
or th only way to get what we want and get what we need."
Fezzos father chuckled a bit, nodding his head. "Yes, Fez, yes. Always
remember this - these things we do, we do to get what is meant to be ours.
We dont engage in these acts for entertainment, or for causes or for
anything else. That is what has given our family all the we have, and it is
what separates us from petty bandits and worthless merchants."
For many years, the trade of the desert had been shifting to the metropolis
of Galadon in the west. On Fezzos 17th birthday, he was called to his
father. "Fezzo, long we have anchored trade in the city of Hamsah Mutazz,
but the money has moved east to Galadon. We have established many ties
there, but we need a more permanent presence in this city if we are to remain
a force in the world. I am sending you to carve our niche. Now go." And
with that, Fezzo set out alone, with his family name and a worldly experience
well beyond his years.