House Valerius
House Valerius
House Valerius is the oldest and most powerful human noble house in Kigum. Tracing their lineage back to Saint Valerius the Just, they view themselves as the rightful stewards of the city's laws and its vast wealth.
Political Influence
The Valerius family holds the permanent seat of "Lord Magistrate" on Kigum's High Council. They oversee the city's legal system, the Arcane Guard, and the taxation of Aether-refineries. Their word is law in the Upper Districts, and their influence extends across the Eastern Continent through a network of vassal houses and trade alliances.
The Valerius Philosophy
"Order through Strength, Prosperity through Law." The house is characterized by a strict, almost martial adherence to tradition. They value stability above all else and are the primary proponents of the "Cold War" stance against Steamfort, fearing that the Dwarven industrial machine threatens the established magical order.
Notable Members
- Lord Alistair Valerius: The current patriarch and Lord Magistrate. A master diplomat and a formidable tactician, Alistair is known for his "iron fist in a velvet glove" approach to governance.
- Lady Seraphina Valerius: Alistair's eldest daughter and the presumed heir. She is a high-ranking officer in the Arcane Guard and a vocal critic of the Grand Arcane Bank's "excessive" autonomy.
- Julian Valerius: The younger son, often seen as the "black sheep" for his interest in forbidden history and his rumored associations with the lower-city's artistic (and criminal) circles.