House Sneha

Family Side

Head of House

The Heads of the Sneha House have often been laid back with the other members as long as they hold to the ideals of the House. This includes giving them the freedom to marry as they wish rather than mandating political matches to gain power.

Political/Business Side

Head of House

The Head of the House is responsible for the full territory of the Settlements of Gwenerh and all of their operations.

• Appoints or Approves Recommendations for Each Mine
• Ensures proper security measures are in place for each mining operation
• Mandates and ensures adequate safety measures are used
• To Protect the Workers
• To Protect the Surrounding Environment
• Collects Taxes for both the Steward of the Seasons and themselves
• The Taxes for the Treasury are sent to Mauribon
• The Taxes for themselves pay for the maintenance of the mines
• Encourages Artisans, particularly Blacksmiths, to settle in Gwenerh to ensure a steady stream of refinement for the mined ores
• Oversees the transportation of the mined (and refined) materials to the proper parties

Overseers

These are often cousins, uncles, or siblings of the current Thane of Gwenerh and are frequently chosen to oversee the smaller settlements on behalf of the House. They are given the authority to act in the Sneha name, which comes with both power and a responsibility to uphold the ideals of the House. Historically, these Overseers have been given a short lease if they abuse their position.

The culture of House Sneha is built upon a strong foundation of absolute, unwavering loyalty. Their entire identity is captured in their house motto: "Loyalty Forged in Frost." This philosophy is by no means passive, but an active, disciplined choice reinforced by three pillars:

1. Historical Precedent: Houses Gwynt and Tomder have proven a cautionary tale of two of the 11 original Elven Houses that fell due to greed and ambition. Ambition was a fatal flaw for them, for the Fallen, and countless others, while humility has been a proven and fruitful strategy.
2. Religious Devotion: Mauri was clear that the Elves should strive for Harmony. Their service is not just political; it is part of their sacred duty. They are stewards of the realm's mineral wealth and protectors of the northern hills.
3. Duty to the Realm: They understand that their long-developed reputation is why the other Noble Houses trust them with the mines.

Character and Deameanor

The typical demeanor of a Sneha lord, exemplified by the current head Jestin Sneha, is genuinely laidback, calm, and steady. They are the eye of the political storm. However, this calm is the surface of a deep, frozen lake. When a true threat emerges—especially one against their sworn friends or the fundamental stability of the kingdom—their composure transforms into a cold, focused, and terrifyingly efficient fury. This duality is embodied in their name.

• Economic Stability
• Efficient Resource Management
• Fiscal Conservatism
• Upholding Fair Taxation
• Unwavering Support of the Steward
• Advocates for Peace
• Pious Service

Settlements of Gwenerh

Control of the Mines of the Elemental Enclaves

Age of Light

Era of Discovery (0-6,000 AoL)

Founding - 111 AoL

House legends and historical records make note of an Elf named Gweala, who traveled with Mauri down the Envalcir River from Rillan Aur at the beginning. According to myth, Gweala trained heavily, to the point where she could shatter the ice in their path with just her fist. This is the origin of the name "Sneha" which is Elvish for Ice Fist. The surviving records note House Sneha as one of the Original Eleven that settled Mauribon in the 111th year of the Age of Light.

Early Years - 200 AoL - 2,000 AoL

While many records from this time period have been lost, stories and legends have been passed down through the years. House Sneha has been noted as explorers since the beginning, and it was due to their efforts that much of the northern limestone cliffs and hills have been charted.

Rivalry with House Rylin

One of the earliest legends recounts the initial rivalry between the two ancient houses; some accounts describe it as friendly, while others portray it as hostile. Members of both Houses were eager to explore the valley and made discoveries, which were viewed as status symbols during the Era of Discovery. None of the surviving stories declares who won this competition, but it is known that they made peace and co-existed in the areas around Mauribon for several thousand years without conflict.

Conflict with House Gwynt and the Sael Malion

Both groups of Elves focused on the northern boundaries of the valley, which led to conflict on numerous occasions, particularly once land ownership was established and the borders were often contested. House Sneha began to establish its reputation for being laidback during this time period by only responding to perceived trespassers, rather than actively seeking to acquire more land. Despite this, regular border skirmishes were common for House Sneha, who often had to raise their forces against unwanted aggression from the East.

Alliance with House Rhyanaur

House Sneha fought alongside their southern neighbors, House Rhyanaur, during one of the main conflicts with House Gwynt over the Eastern Borders during this time period. It was a member of House Sneha who penned the phrase "the Rivers ran with the blood of their enemies" that began the other House's reputation for being violent and overaggressive.

Contact with the Dwarves of the North

Due to House Sneha's exploration efforts to the far north, the Elves of the Valley became aware of their Dwarven neighbors. A delegation consisting of several Elven Houses, including House Sneha, established peace between the two budding civilizations.

Formation of the Lin Malion

House Sneha played a major supporting role in the formation of the water-based Elven tribe in the 23rd century of the Age of Light. At the time, Callum Sneha led the House and initially sought to stay out of the conflict, despite their former alliance with House Rhyanar. This left the aggressive house to fight against both Houses Manaur and Uisge in a burdensome conflict for the region. Callum agreed to intercede as a peacekeeper and led House Sneha between the two marching armies, stalling long enough for Acer Rylin to intercede with the Maiden to stop the conflict.

Serving on the Lin Malion Council

Over the next four millennia, House Sneha held a leadership role within the tribe. They held onto one of the five fixed seats, serving as 'Keeper of the Treasury' where they managed the Council's shared resources and logistics. It was also during this time period that they revolutionized the collection of limestone, which formed the foundation of the family's wealth.

The First Council

House Sneha attended the first council to address the growing tensions with the Sael Malion and managed the logistics for the response.

The Second Council

House Sneha, maintaining close contact with the Dwarves of the Mountain, called the second council once a famine caused a decline in their food supplies. Together, the Lin Malion agreed to send aid to their neighbor and opened up strong trade relations between the two countries.

The Third Council

The House called the third council alongside House Rylin to establish ethical research laws.

The Fourth Council

House Sneha managed the resources for the conflict between the Lin Malion and the Fen Malion that became a full Trade War between the two tribes.

The Fifth Council

House Sneha supported the realignment of the tribes with the emergencance of House Deigh.

The Sixth Council

Due to growing concerns and tense relations with the Fen Malion and the Sael Malion, a council was called by House(s) Rylin, Manura, and Sneha to address their continued visitation rights to Mauribon, particularly once it was revealed that spies had infiltrated Mauribon over the past century. The Council agreed that visitation should be restricted for the safety of the citizens.

Era of the Balance (6,000-10,000 AoL)

Silas Sneha was the head of the House as the Era of Discovery came to an end, and grew concerned over the growing tensions between the tribes. These concerns were entrusted to his close friend, Aenlin Rylin, and together the two noble houses invested in the defensive capabilities of Mauribon. It was also Silas who later nominated Aenline when the other Water Elves sought to appoint a Chieftan, or Winter Warden, to lead the trade during the conflict. This sparked the long-standing feud between Houses Deigh and Sneha, as the other proposed leader, Belen Deigh, took this as a personal slight against him. House Sneha served as the new ruling House's right-hand, and Silas served as the top general during the 20-year conflict. House Sneha was personally involved in the Siege of Mauribon, the Battle of Elder Lake, and led the Attack on Maurisolis.

Aftermath of the War

In the wake of the war, House Sneha established themselves as the right hand to the Winter Warden. As a thanks to his brother in arms, Aenlin granted House Sneha the mining rights to the main Iron Mine in the Valley, and appointed House Sneha as overseers and protectors of the other mines in the northern hills, even those owned by other Noble Houses.

House Sneha took this charge as an act of service to the Maiden. They sought to ensure that the wealth of their Water Tribe was guaranteed, and that the Maiden's dreams of bringing creation to fruition would be furthered by both using the Earth's resources optimally without unduly damaging the nature in the northern hills. Their unwavering loyalty to the ideals of the Maiden and faithful service in their duties alleviated the concerns of the majority of the Noble Houses over the next few generations, particularly the newly formed House Saelsir, which assumed control of the former House Gwynt's mines and saw their production increase under the stewardship of House Sneha.

The Last Gwynt Rebellion

Roughly 2,500 years after the war, House Rylin was called to assist House Sneha as the last scion of House Gwynt sought to reclaim his family's wealth and status by taking control of the northern mines. Due to the combined efforts, the two ancient houses quashed the rebellion in a matter of months.

Era of Expansion (10,000-20,000 AoL)

The use of Relics powered by the Maiden and her Aethils revolutionized the mining operations of House Sneha, which allowed them to vastly increase production and further mine for mithril and orichalcum, which previously proved to be too cumbersome to mine. Their continued relationship with the Dwarves of the Mountain further enables them to safely dive deeper into established mines, allowing them to uncover new metallogenic belts of metals.

For a brief period during this time period, a forge in the main settlement accomplished the creation of Elven Steel, becoming the fourth forge capable of achieving this. An Elven Steel dagger, Onorian, was the first item forged and has remained a treasured heirloom of House Sneha ever since.

The conflict between Houses Sneha and Deigh continued to grow as the Deigh family was repeatedly blocked from gaining ownership of mines in the northern territories. House Rylin kept them informed about House Deigh's plans, and the two ancient houses sought to maintain a united front in preserving the status quo.

Age of the Storm

House Sneha opened up the Settlements of Gwenerth to refugees and others in need as the global war began to intensify. Many of the mining operations were put on hold and redirected to support the war effort, particularly in ensuring that the Enclaves had sufficient armor and weapons to withstand any potential invasion.

When word arrived that the Orcs were using the mountain passes to circumvent the Eastern defenses and invade the Elemental Enclaves, House Sneha purposely destroyed their key forges, including the one that could forge Elven Steel, to ensure that the Orcs would not claim them and then retreated with their people to Mauribon. There, they were key parts of the defense, staying behind to ensure that work continued as Auradir Rylin went to man the defenses at the Citadel Pass.

Rather than marching Eastward to join the Great Alliance with the other Elves, House Sneha was bidden to stay behind and was appointed as the "Winter Stewards" to oversee the lands of the Water Tribe in Auradir's absence. For 600 years, two generations oversaw the Kingdom until House Rylin's return, and then, in a legendary show of their unwavering loyalty, peacefully and willingly gave back all of the authority.

Age of Restoration

The Third Age has thus far been peaceful and uneventful for House Sneha. After the return of House Rylin, they moved the last of their people back to the Settlements of Gwenerth and sought to completely rebuild the damage caused by the Orc invasion centuries prior. Since that period, House Sneha has remained the unshakable bedrock of the valley, ensuring the wealth of all four provinces.

Population Under Their Control: 112,000

They occupy the ancestral lands that their family has held for 26,000 years.

Land Holdings (Cities and Settlements under their direct control).

1. Gwenerh
2. Storelin
3. Mailis

They oversee a military force of roughly 3,360 trained Elves that can be supplied to a war effort if the banners are called.