House of Sand

The House of Sand was formed out of a group of Zlathan nobility that decdied to treat with the Empire instead of fighting it head on. They were wealthy, but they lacked the military might to engage in prolonged conflict with the empire. Instead, they went directly to the Nobility, especially ones whose coffers were low from constant war, and offered them material wealth beyond their dreams. This political power bought them two things. Fasaryr Prime, and and a permanent spot in the Imperial Nobility. The House of Sand has the most democratic selection of their nobility, as they most be approved by a ratification of the citizens of Fasaryr Prime. Of course all the choices are still mostly chosen by the Fasaryr Oligarchs.   They were given the holdfast of Fasaryr Prime, their cultural center. From Fasaryr Prime, they used their knowledge and connections to trade regularly, establishing the Fasaryr Run. This trade corridor ran straight through Pacifica, giving them access to the likes of the Grand Baronies of Carthage and Musura Federation. When they discovered rich reserves of Plasteel and other rare metals neccessary for the construction of Jump Drives under the crust of the planet, they were set upon by the much older and more dangerous houses. Long has the House of Sand fought for their existence, and long have they persisted.   Though they may be more splintered and chaotic than the more senior noble houses, the House of Sand has beaten off the advances of much more senior houses, like the House of Moments or the House of Glass. This is in part due to their aggressive and extremely capable intelligence services, nicknamed the Sand-men. They also have a staunchly loyal Imperial Army regiment, that is one of the few all-volunteer forces in the Empire. It is only deployed as a defensive force, ensuring that the other houses do not make a move against the House of Sand.   Many loyal members of Sand have becomes powerful Judicars or other agents of the family. The House funds a public schooling system that shares most psionics from the cruelist years on Dol Amoth. This willingness to embrace psionics and use it to their advantage has put them ahead of their peers. They have also worked closely with the planet's union bosses, ensuring their happiness has allowed easier control over their planets.  

Court of Sand

 

• Dorado Clique - The primary supporters of Federalism within the House of Sand, they have the greatest amount of support of the Ignoble. Their coalition of political power is carefully maintained through a large tent of political allies, who often fight with each other as much as their opposition. Dorado currently holds the governorship of Fasaryr Prime. In grander Imperial politics, they work closely with House Reyes, of Axes to further Federalism in the Imperial senate and court.
• Clique Le Roc - Made of shareholders in Titan Industries and other mega-corps, Clique Le Roc is allied with House Dorado mostly out of need rather than want.
• Mel-Thien Dynasty - The Mel-Thien dynasty are the absolutists within the House of Sand, and were the original zlathan royal family that rule Fasaryr Prime during the Age of Exploration. They still have a great deal of money, power and influence on the Sands' homeworld, and use that to subvert their more liberal counterparts. They have also been injected with funding from other houses like Moments and Glass. The Fourth Column views Federalists as the enemy within, and are keen to see their power diminish.