The Knights are the aristocract of Megalopolis. They are the descendants of the adventuring party which founded the city, carving it out of wilderness. In principle, if not always in practice, they are lawful good, and follow the religion known as Megalopolitan Orthodoxy.
The Knights comprise seven major families, the heads of which call themselves Dukes, and nearly two dozen minor families, the heads of which call themselves Counts.
The major families:
The minor families:
Since traits tend to run in families, assume (if you need an aristocratic NPC) that:
The Vermerf family are the descendants of Coreus Vermerf, the leader of the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis. There are many statues of Coreus Vermerf around the city; they all portray him as a warrior. Actually, he was a thief, but polite people do not mention this fact.
Coreus Vermerf married twice, having three children by his first wife (who had previously been a henchwoman) and several by his second. Many of the minor families are descended from Coreus Vermerf's other four henchmen.
Lartrah Vermerf, eldest son of Coreus Vermerf by his first marriage, is the current Duke Vermerf, and also Dean of the Order of the Knights of Megalopolis. He is a lawful evil fighter.
Lartrah Vermerf distrusts magic, and if he had his way the College of Knowledge would be closed down.
More details follow in due course.
The ay-Lupu family are the descendants of Tigurd Ay-Lupu, the ranger of the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis. Many regard him as the true father of the city, and they mean this literally, not metaphorically.
Tigurd Ay-Lupu married five times, having two children by his first wife (who had previously been a henchwoman) and many more by the other four. He also has several illegitimate children scattered around the Fifty Worlds. Many of the minor families are descended from Tigurd Ay-Lupu's other seven henchmen (five male, two female).
Syrahme Ay-Lupu, eldest son of Tigurd Ay-Lupu by his first marriage, is the current Duke Ay-Lupu. He is around 70 years old and is a lawful good ranger. He inherited his father's sexual appetite, and has many illegitimate children of several species (half-elf, werewolf, weretiger, sirine, ...) as well as his three legitimate children, a son and two daughters. Like his father, he is a ranger (and, in view of his age, that's a 1st Edition ranger, with mage spells).
Syrahme Ay-Lupu is a friend of Xan, head of the College of Knowledge.
Syrahme Ay-Lupu's eldest legitimate son, and heir-apparent, is Xavzenlux ay-Lupu. Although principally a fighter, Xavzenlux ay-Lupu has studied magic at the College of Knowledge and has the ability to cast a few illusion/phantasm spells. Xavzenlux ay-Lupu, Oylux Sopenne and Krynev Iczmonicernat are friends.
Xavzenlux's sisters Jeshteca ay-Lupu and Collenteca ay-Lupu are unmarried and are actively looking for husbands of noble rank who are of, or would be willing to convert to, the Megalopolitan Orthodox faith.
Ylyema ay-Lupu, known as Herald of the Shining Dawn, is also descended from Tigurd Ay-Lupu.
An obscure point of etiquette should be noted by those whose business it is to note obscure points of etiquette: the initial a in ay-Lupu is spelt with a capital only for the current head of the family or his predecessor. For all other members of the family, and for anyone else with the same surname, it is lower-case. The surname means wolf in one of the languages of Ansuz.
More details follow in due course.
The Vokiz family are the descendants of Ferin Thureor, known as the Knight of the Sepia Rose, a fighter in the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis.
Ferin Thureor married one of his two henchwomen, and they had two daughters.
Ayotakislah Vokiz, elder son of Ferin Thureor's elder daughter, is the current Duke Vokiz. He is in his mid-40s and is a lawful neutral thief.
More details follow in due course.
The Oyluxius family are the descendants of Jojos Oyluxius, a fighter in the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis.
Jojos Oyluxius married once and had a son and a daughter, twins.
Pastible Oyluxius, son of Jojos Oyluxius, is the current Duke Oyluxius. He is around 60 years old and is a lawful good fighter. Although a skilled warrior and handsome for someone of his age, he is very, very stupid. Pastible Oyluxius is Oylux Sopenne's uncle.
The surname means bright eyes in one of the languages of Ansuz, and is particularly inappropriate in Pastible's case.
More details follow in due course.
The Sopenne family are the descendants of Auros Sopenne, henchman of Mius Iverous. Mius Iverous was a fighter in the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis.
Mius Iverous married once and had a daughter. When his widow remarried, his only male henchman, Auros Sopenne, inherited the Dukedom.
Oylux Sopenne, eldest son of Auros Sopenne's eldest son, is the current Duke Sopenne. He is rather young for a Duke, and his several uncles do not take him all that seriously. Although principally a fighter, he has studied magic at the College of Knowledge and has the ability to cast a few enchantment/charm spells. Oylux Sopenne is Pastible Oyluxius's nephew (Sopenne's mother is Oyluxius's twin sister). Xavzenlux ay-Lupu, Oylux Sopenne and Krynev Iczmonicernat are friends.
More details follow in due course.
The Jziliess family are the descendants of Jzillen Jziliess, a fighter in the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis.
Jzillen Jziliess married three times, having six children by his first wife (who had previously been a henchwoman) and several more by his second and third.
Calius Jziliess, eldest son of Jzillen Jziliess by his first marriage and twin brother of Barelius, is the current Duke Jziliess. He is in his fifties and is a lawful neutral fighter. Calius Jziliess was the first upper-class Megalopolitan to study magic at the College of Knowledge, and casts spells as a 3rd-level mage.
Barelius Jziliess, son of Jzillen Jziliess by his first marriage and twin brother of Calius, is Calius's junior by only a few minutes. He is in his fifties and is a lawful evil fighter.
More details follow in due course.
The Iczmonicernat family are the descendants of Capas Iczmonicernat, a fighter in the original adventuring party which founded Megalopolis.
Capas Iczmonicernat married twice. His first wife (who had previously been a henchwoman) died without issue. His second marriage produced three children, two sons (Zilip and Paspan) and a daughter (Vieshi).
Zilip Iczmonicernat, elder son of Capas, was a paladin. He married the daughter of the Patriarch of the Megalopolitan Orthodox Church.
Krynev Iczmonicernat, only child of Zilip, is the current Duke Iczmonicernat. Although principally a lawful good fighter, Krynev has studied psionics at the Polythaumatic Institute, being so far the only upper-class Megalopolitan to do so, and has a number of psionic powers. Xavzenlux ay-Lupu, Oylux Sopenne and Krynev Iczmonicernat are friends. No-one else likes Krynev - the best that anyone will say about him is that he is cold and fanatical.
Vieshi Iczmonicernat ran away to the forest rather than go through with an arranged marriage with Pastible Oyluxius, for whom she has nothing but contempt. She is now a neutral good cleric/ranger and High Priestess of the Temple of Mielikki (which is hidden away in the forest and is a respectable charitable institution to which rangers may legitimately donate excess treasure).
Paspan Iczmonicernat and his descendants detest Krynev Iczmonicernat, as does everyone else who lives at Castle Iczmonicernat. The extended family includes descendants of Capas Iczmonicernat's henchmen; Krynev treats these people as servants, whereas they expect to be treated as minor nobility in their own right. (Krynev's father Zilip treated them as servants too, but he had the charisma and the Holy Sword, so he could get away with it.)
The family property includes two semi-artefacts, both of lawful good alignment. One is a suit of plate mail with various major and minor powers. The other is a spear with various major and minor powers. They are locked away safely in case they are ever needed. Krynev Iczmonicernat, as head of the family, is entitled to wear them if he wants to, but he hardly ever does. Plate mail would interfere with his psionic powers, and his weapon specialisation is sword, not spear.
More details follow in due course.
The Jeschius family are the descendants of Judo Jeschius, originally a henchman of Coreus Vermerf.
More details follow in due course.
The Mofatino family are the descendants of Jzitok Mofatino, originally a henchman of Coreus Vermerf.
More details follow in due course.
The Vatpasta family are the descendants of Mofatizun Vatpasta, an adventurer in his own right (although not a member of the original adventuring party) who, hearing of the prospects for warriors in Megalopolis, retired from active adventuring to build a castle of his own near that of his cousin Jzitok Mofatino.
More details follow in due course.
The Abarentys family are the descendants of Zraa Abarentys, originally a henchman of Tigurd Ay-Lupu.
More details follow in due course.
The Elomirhan family are the descendants of Thuwti Elomirhan, known as The Jaguar, an adventurer in his own right (although not a member of the original adventuring party) who, hearing of the prospects for warriors in Megalopolis, retired from active adventuring to build a castle of his own on the edge of what was then wilderness.
A year or two after being accepted as a Knight of Megalopolis, Thuwti Elomirhan put on the wrong magical girdle and was turned female. This precedent established that females could head junior Megalopolitan Families.
According to the book of etiquette, anyone changed to the other sex should remain celibate until the matter can be put right. Thuwti Elomirhan failed to observe this, marrying one of her henchmen, Puladaus Barth, and giving birth to a daughter and three sons.
In accordance with the established traditions of Megalopolitan Orthodoxy, everyone pretended not to notice anything unusual about the situation. To this day, Megalopolitan Knights scrupulously avoid drawing attention to the fact that the surname, Barth, of the current head of the family is not the same as the family name, Elomirhan.
By tradition, warriors from the Elomirhan family wear studded leather armour rather than chain or plate mail, believing that speed and mobility are the best forms of protection.
More details follow in due course.
The Rubies family are the descendants of Vinab Rubies, originally a henchman of Tigurd Ay-Lupu. The family name is pronounced "Rub-yes" and collateral branches of the family prefer to spell it Rubjes to avoid confusion with gemstones.
More details follow in due course.
The Marllshte family are the descendants of Paspan Marllshte, originally a lieutenant of Jojos Oyluxius.
More details follow in due course.
The Jzillerialius family are the descendants of Laverib Jzillerialius, originally a henchman of Tigurd Ay-Lupu.
The second of Laverib Jzillerialius's three wives was Jojos Oyluxius's widow; there was no issue from this marriage, but the Jzillerialius and Oyluxius families remain close. Laverib Jzillerialius's first marriage produced five sons and a daughter; his third marriage produced three daughters.
More details follow in due course.
The Quess family are the descendants of Parnax Quess, a nobleman who moved to Megalopolis at the instigation of his wife, who wanted to be near the resting-place of her deceased younger sister (Tigurd Ay-Lupu's first wife). Parnax Quess died before Castle Quess was completed. In the absence of any established succession laws, his widow became head of the family. The eldest of their three sons became head of the family on her death.
The current Count Quess is Ivokiym Quess, grandson of Parnax Quess.
The most interesting member of the family is Vlaxlavnab Quess, youngest son of Parnax Quess. Vlaxlavnab Quess is a disgraced Megalopolitan Knight and ex-paladin, and was an active adventurer. He renounced his paladin status to marry a dryad after she became pregnant by him.
Vlaxlavnab Quess is Syrahme Ay-Lupu's cousin, their mothers being sisters. Through his cousin's influence, he was appointed castellan of Vomanutersextee, a region some way from the city of Megalopolis. (Zilip Iczmonicernat, who was Duke Iczmonicernat at the time, expressed his strong disapproval of this appointment and of Vlaxlavnab Quess's choice of wife).
[AD&D-Specific] Vlaxlavnab Quess, human male, Str 15 Dex 8 Con 13 Int 17 Wis 13 Cha 16 Align LG Hp 77. Age: elderly. Fighter (ex-Paladin), level 12. Mage, level 24.
Vlaxlavnab Quess's son Hurquess regards Vomanutersextee Castle as his family home and expects to inherit it when his father dies. The Knights of Megalopolis regard Vomanutersextee as a feudal fiefdom and Vlaxlavnab Quess's position as castellan as a sinecure, and expect to appoint a new castellan when he dies (and their choice of castellan will not be Hurquess). This divergence of views could be the hook for any number of adventures.
Vlaxlavnab Quess's katana, "Bushikishitsu", and his magical scarab are semi-artefacts.
[AD&D-Specific] Hurquess, half-human male, Str 16 Dex 10 Con 13 Int 17 Wis 15 Cha 15 Align LN Hp 83. Age: approaching middle age. Fighter, level 16. Mage, level 20.
Few people know that Vlaxlavnab Quess and Hurquess have spent the last decade or two studying magic and have become very good at it. The Knights of Megalopolis are amongst those people who do not know, and it could come as a nasty surprise.
Hurquess's girlfriend, Ladienneva, lectures in invocation at the College of Knowledge. They plan to marry when Hurquess inherits Vomanutersextee Castle (they love one another, but he does not want to start a family until his home is secure).
Hurquess has recently been seen in Megalopolis, and his behaviour appeared furtive. The Knights suspect, falsely, that he wants to hire an assassin to kill his father. The truth is that Hurquess knows that his father will die in the next few years, and wants the Megalopolitan Orthodox faith (which his father has never renounced) to arrange divine ascension.
Hurquess's sword is a semi-artefact.
More details follow in due course.
The Roxxotaldo family are the descendants of Cupivente Roxxotaldo, originally a henchman of Tigurd Ay-Lupu.
The current Count Roxxotaldo is Hewenomius Roxxotaldo, elder son of Cupivente Roxxotaldo and his first wife. Hewenomius Roxxotaldo is a paladin, although as he takes his responsibilities as head of his family seriously he is no longer an active adventurer. His wife is a sister of Harecal Nedary.
Adatse Roxxotaldo, youngest son of Hewenomius Roxxotaldo and nephew of Harecal Nedary, is an active adventurer. He hopes, in due course, to succeed his uncle as Margrave of Selitionornacticold. He shares his uncle's view that Vomanutersextee is a subfeofdom of Selitionornacticold. He is also a bitter enemy of Hurquess.
Unknown to his uncle, Adatse Roxxotaldo is on quite good terms with the residents of the Mirror Mansion.
[AD&D-Specific] Adatse Roxxotaldo, human male, Str 17 Dex 17 Con 14 Int 15 Wis 17 Cha 15 Align CG Hp 41 Age: 40ish Mage, level 7. Ranger, level 10.
More details follow in due course.
The Nedary family are the descendants of Tanvivel Nedary, an adventurer who, at the time he built a castle in the wilderness around Megalopolis, had no connection with the Knights. He was quickly adopted as one of their number.
Tanvivel Nedary's eldest son, Glato Nedary, had a short but spectacular career as an adventurer before ending up as cook-in-the-can dragon food. This posed a succession problem as Tanvivel's other two sons were twins.
The twins drew lots, and the current Count Nedary is the winner, Rubjel Nedary.
The loser, Harecal Nedary, was appointed Margrave of Selitionornacticold. Selitionornacticold is a rural district a long way to the east of Megalopolis. If one accepts the way Harecal Nedary draws its boundaries, Selitionornacticold includes two castles, Selitionornacticold Castle itself and Vomanutersextee Castle, and also includes the Mirror Mansion.
Although Harecal Nedary insists that Vomanutersextee is a subfeofdom of Selitionornacticold, he also insists that this is a technicality and is happy to have Vlaxlavnab Quess as a colleague and an equal, defending Megalopolis and Civilisation from the wilderness on which his province borders.
Harecal Nedary is on very bad terms with the residents of the Mirror Mansion, regarding them as chaotic troublemakers.
More details follow in due course.
The Bumin family are the descendants of Ydef Bumin, an adventurer and a friend of Tanvivel Nedary. Like his friend, Ydef Bumin was quickly adopted as a Knight of Megalopolis.
The current Count Bumin is Garth Bumin, elder son of Ydef Bumin. Garth Bumin is chaotic evil and does not hide the fact - he is a thoroughly nasty person. He and the Nedary twins have been enemies since childhood.
More details follow in due course.
The Wenne family are the descendants of Oylux Wenne, an adventurer who, at the time he built a castle in the wilderness around Megalopolis, had no connection with the Knights. He was quickly adopted as one of their number.
The current Count Wenne is Iqbarnat Wenne, son of Oylux Wenne by his second marriage. Iqbarnat Wenne is a paladin. Those of non-lawful alignments think that Oylux Wenne's daughter by his first marriage should have been Countess instead.
More details follow in due course.
The Minarojos family are the descendants of Villesh Minarojos, originally a henchman of Mofatizun Vatpasta.
More details follow in due course.
The Vibbyk family are the descendants of Van Vibbyk. Van Vibbyk, a warrior, moved to Megalopolis to join his friend Repan Zedort, with whom he had gone adventuring. He completed his castle at much the same time as Repan Zedort was promoted to owning his own castle on what was then the border of the wilderness.
At this time, Van Vibbyk made the arrangements for marrying his two henchwomen. He was dissuaded from doing this (to their disappointment) as Megalopolitan customs frowned on polygamy. Rather than choose between them, he arranged marriages for the two women. Van Vibbyk himself later married Lashia Jeschius, daughter of Judo Jeschius; the couple had one child, a daughter.
The succession problem created by Van Vibbyk's death has not been resolved, and there is no Count Vibbyk. Although there is precedent for females heading families, all of the females who have done so in the past have been adventurers. No-one wants to set the precedent of having a female with no adventuring experience head a family. Van Vibbyk's daughter has no adventuring skills whatsoever. It is widely believed that at least some of the sons of Van Vibbyk's two henchwomen were fathered by Vibbyk and not by their husbands, but if they were, he never acknowledged this. No-one wants to set the precedent of having unacknowledged bastards succeed in preference to a legitimate heir.
In typical Megalopolitan fashion, everyone behaves as if there really were a Count Vibbyk, but he just does not happen to be around at the moment.
The de facto head of the Vibbyk household is the senior henchman, Ause Reparnat. He himself is elderly, and what will happen when he dies is anyone's guess.
More details follow in due course.
The Zedort family are the descendants of Repan Zedort, originally a lieutenant of Mofatizun Vatpasta.
Repan Zedort's first marriage, to the widow of Coreus Vermerf, produced no issue. His second marriage, to the widow of Mius Iverous, produced two sons and a daughter.
The current Count Zedort is Worgy Zedort, elder son of Repan Zedort.
Jutry Zedort, younger son of Repan Zedort, is Margrave of Voubstrowizasta, a province bordering on the wilderness. Jutry Zedort intends that his castellan, Jzillupu Darrhas, is promoted to Castellan of Vomanutersextee when that position becomes vacant.
Although of middle-class birth, Jzillupu Darrhas has friends in the right places, including a sister, Genevasta Darrhas, who lectures in enchantment at the College of Knowledge. He also has the adventuring skills required for commanding a castle bordering on the wilderness.
More details follow in due course.
The Tabot family are the descendants of Karthal Tabot, originally a henchman of Jojos Oyluxius. Karthal Tabot had four daughters by his first marriage and a son by his second.
The current Count Tabot is Hertarty Tabot, son of Karthal Tabot by his second marriage. There are those who think that one of Karthal Tabot's daughters by his first marriage should have been Countess instead. There are also those who do not really care about the Tabot family but are hostile to Iqbarnat Wenne. No-one wants to criticise Iqbarnat Wenne publicly - he is, after all, a paladin - but many people detest him - he is, after all, a paladin. If it were ruled that Hertarty Tabot should relinquish his title in favour of one of his elder half-sisters, this would set a precedent which Iqbarnat Wenne would be bound to follow.
More details follow in due course.
The Roques family are the descendants of Roschig Roques, a well-known adventurer of that generation who, although unconnected with the party which founded Megalopolis, was invited by them to build a castle on what was at the time the border of the wilderness.
Warriors of the Roques family wear distinctive shell-shaped helmets (it is an obscure pun in a now-defunct language).
More details follow in due course.
The Romate family are the descendants of Ciab Romate, a paladin who, although unconnected with the party which founded Megalopolis, was invited by them to build a castle on what was at the time the border of the wilderness.
Ciab Romate married Ivokiym Quess's sister, and the Romate and Quess families are traditional allies.
More details follow in due course.
The Repastimon family are the descendants of Rovsko Repastimon, a thief who used his ill-gotten gains to fund the building of a castle on what was at the time the border of the wilderness. The Knights of Megalopolis value pragmatism as a virtue, and encouraged him to join their Order.
More details follow in due course.
The Velius family are the descendants of Dnwxkt Velius and his henchmen. Dnwxkt Velius was an adventurer and a friend of Jachangoaene Jeatemartius, and had no previous connection with the Knights of Megalopolis before building a castle on the borders of the wilderness.
Dnwxkt Velius himself has no legitimate descendants. It is widely and correctly believed that he was in love with Jachangoaene Jeatemartius.
The current Countess Velius is Roxxune Krypwja, eldest of Dnwxkt Velius's illegitimate children. The other Knights of Megalopolis do not like the idea of an illegitimate daughter becoming head of a family, but Velius's henchmen accepted her as their leader, so there was little the Knights could do about it. In true Megalopolitan fashion, they pretend not to have noticed that Roxxune Krypwja is female, and behave as if she were male, sometimes even addressing her as "Count Velius".
Roxxune Krypwja's name has been linked romantically with that of Angoaenehuan, head of the Polythaumatic Institute. She is fond of him, and particularly enjoys sharing his bed. However, her main concern is with maintaining her position, so she is cautiously sounding out how Velius's henchmen and their descendants would feel about her marrying a necromancer.
Roxxune Krypwja has a great respect for Jachangoaene Jeatemartius, but that is as far as it goes. Roxxune Krypwja is entirely heterosexual.
More details follow in due course.
The Jeatemartius family comprises Jachangoaene Jeatemartius, her henchmen, and their descendants. Jachangoaene Jeatemartius was an adventurer and a friend of Dnwxkt Velius, and had no previous connection with the Knights of Megalopolis before building a castle on the borders of the wilderness.
Jachangoaene Jeatemartius is a lesbian and has no descendants, legitimate or otherwise.
Of those who founded the Order of the Knights of Megalopolis and the Families, Jachangoaene Jeatemartius is the only one still alive. She is in her mid-seventies and has a lot of life left in her.
More details follow in due course.