History of House Sirecchia
By Harri Mäki
Note: In my version di Sfontis are the first family in the house and di Malapietras come only after the middle of the 10th century.
Giuseppe di Sfonti
The di Sfontis were an old Kerendan family that migrated to the western Alasiyan Marches in the early 6th century. They got a barony in the beginning of the 7th century and established after that their position as one of the leading families in the area.
In AC 707 Giuseppe di Sfonti followed his father Enrico as a baron, at the early age of 23. Giuseppe was a handsome young man with long blond hair. He got the best possible education for those times and he spoke Thyatian, Alphatian, Alasiyan, elvish and dwarvish, all fluently. He was much admired by others, but not loved because of some of his characteristics. Giuseppe was highly intelligent and could not cover it up. He despised people of lower intelligence and he had a very nihilistic view of world. He was also cynic and very violent under his pleasant appearance.
Giuseppe also didn't care about military very much. He wanted to solve problems with the Alphatians and Alasiyans negotiating not fighting. When he told this to Carlo Glantri in AC 708, he was accused of treason and only Cesare Fulvina's mediating saved him. When Lord Pontius Gardius followed Carlo Glantri as a military governor in AC 711, Giuseppe was more careful and only put forward a question if negotiating was possible. It was not.
After that Giuseppe left military matters to others and concentrated on his favourite pastime: hunting with hawks. He also married again in AC 715. His first wife had died in childbed in AC 713, when his second son Massimo was born. This time Giuseppe had his wife come from Thyatis City.
When the war with the Alasiyan nomads and Alphatians intensified year after year, Giuseppe saw clearly that disaster was coming. He tried to speak with his influential friends in Thyatis City about the matter, but to no avail.
When the disaster came in the Battle of Hedjazi in AC 728, from the beginning Giuseppe supported Otto von Drachenfels’ idea of leaving the area. Giuseppe had not bad relations with the nomads, because he had always treated them better than the other Thyatians. But he also knew that it would be a suicide to remain as the only Thyatian family left in the area. His third wife was also pregnant and he wanted to get her somewhere where she could give birth to his child safely.
During the migration to the Highlands Giuseppe was a constant annoyance to the other leaders. He complained about everything and when he was needed he was somewhere else hunting. The only time he was of any use during the voyage was when the migration reached the woods of the Belcadiz elves. Giuseppe was the only leader capable of speaking elvish, so it was he who succeeded in negotiating safe passage for them through the woods.
In fact, Giuseppe charmed some of the elven leaders and especially some of the elven ladies. Giuseppe was already nearly 50-years old, but with his flowing blond hair and boyish manners he still looked like 30-years old. His manners and language were faultless and Giuseppe later spoke often about this event as an example of the benefits of the good education.
Giuseppe led his followers to the banks of the Red River. There he began to build a new home for himself and his family: the village of Oreggiano was founded in AC 731. In the same year Giuseppe was nearly killed in an assassination attempt. He became furious when he discovered that the culprit was his eldest son Enrico. Everyone else was horrified when Giuseppe himself tortured his son to death.
Giuseppe’s folk was mostly spared from the fighting with the Flaems in 730-34 because their area was farthest away from the areas of the Flaems. By this time Giuseppe began to use the title of Baron of Oreggiano.
In AC 743 his son Massimo disappeared when in hunting trip in Glantrian Alps. (It was only in AC 788 revealed that the Flaems had captured him and that he had died in prison in AC 764.)
Giuseppe’s end came suddenly in AC 750. He was already 66-years old, when he died of fever, but he still looked at least 20 years younger.
Corrado di Sfonti
Corrado was 21-years old when his father died. He was born in Selenica during the migration and as Giuseppe’s third son, he was not intended to follow his father as leader of the family. It was only after Massimo's disappearance that his father became tutoring him as the family’s future leader.
Corrado looked like a mirror image of his father, but that was the only similarity they had. Corrado didn’t have his father’s intelligence and he was also a much simpler person. He also didn’t have his father’s tolerance towards others: his father had always sued for peace with the Flaems, but Corrado was thirsty for military glory.
So when Joachim von Drachenfels married a Flaem in AC 751, Corrado was amongst the first to label him as a traitor. When the skirmishes began, Corrado personally led his troops with his younger brother Manfredo. He left the daily matters in Oreggiano in the hands of his father’s cousin, Ottone.
Fighting soon went from bad to worse, since Corrado had no military capabilities whatsoever. The problem was that he couldn’t admit that. Corrado led his troops from defeat to defeat until in AC 754 he died of fever after a long and tormented agony.
Manfredo di Sfonti
Manfredo was 22-years old when he became a baron. He had inherited his looks more from his mother than his father. He was handsome, but dark-haired and taller than his brother. He was also more capable in military matters. He had long since realised that Joachim von Drachenfels and his troops were superior to their army. So after his brother died, he made peace with Joachim and returned to Oreggiano.
Manfredo lived a peaceful life, concentrating mostly hunting and settling his people over Red River. In AC 759 he married his cousin Constanza. When Joachim von Drachenfels proposed a unified state in AC 761, Manfredo’s answers were evasive. He didn’t believe that a unified state was possible and he didn’t like the idea of a leadership of Joachim von Drachenfels.
In AC 766 Manfredo went to a hunting trip with his cousin Carlo. That was the last time he was seen. Carlo return from the trip badly wounded and told that they had encountered a group of ogres. He had escaped only after he had seen Manfredo killed. (In fact, Carlo had planned all this, killing Manfredo with his own hands to get more power inside the barony.)
Manfredo’s son Ruggiero was only 2-years old, so Carlo was chosen as tutor of the child during his minority, ruling the barony in his place.
Carlo di Sfonti
Carlo was son of Giuseppe’s younger brother Alessandro, who had died with his wife during the migration in AC 729. Giuseppe had taken 3-years old Carlo and his sister Constanza to be raised with his children. However, Giuseppe’s third wife, mother of Corrado and Manfredo, never let him forget that he was not her child. So Carlo grew to hate his younger cousins, who always got what they wanted from their mother.
Carlo was happy when Corrado died, because he knew that after Manfredo he was next in line to the barony’s seat. Carlo was cruel and vindictive, but he managed to control these traits so good that Manfredo never realised that Carlo hated him.
Carlo had begun to plan killing Manfredo immediately after Ruggiero was born. The only thing Carlo welcomed with Ruggiero’s birth was that Constanza died in childbed, so if Manfredo didn’t marry again there would be no more children. It took Carlo over two years to realise his plan. Ruggiero lived only 3 months longer than his father, dying poisoned in his bed.
Carlo took the title of baron before the end of AC 766. As a ruler Carlo was efficient but hard. People could not complain about his decisions and his taxes, but then again everything worked. He took care of everything, and was so paranoid and so obsessed with him having the last word on everything that there was nothing that he didn’t interfere with.
During the years his relatives began one by one to disappear or died in accidents. In AC 777 only old Ottone and his young nephew Matteo di Sfonti had survived Carlo’s epurations. In the previous year Carlo had at last agreed to make a military pact with Joachim von Drachenfels and Titus Glantri against the possible Flaemish aggression. Joachim and Titus knew however that they couldn’t trust Carlo. So when Ottone and Matteo suddenly besieged Oreggiano in AC 777, Joachim and Titus refused to help Carlo.
Most of Carlo’s troops switched side during the battle and Matteo killed his cousin at the steps of his palace; Carlo was 51-years old. After the battle Ottone was announced as a baron of Sirecchia and the folk accepted him as their new leader.
Ottone di Sfonti
Ottone was already 70-years-old when he was proclaimed as new leader of the Kerendan faction. He was a cousin of Giuseppe and had followed him with his younger brother Massimo from the Alasiyan lands in AC 728. Ottone was a reclusive mage who had only taken part in politics when he helped young Corrado after Giuseppe’s death. After Corrado’s death, he moved to Sirecchia where he built a tower for himself.
Ottone had been handsome when young, but now he was a bald, clean shaven, stooped old man. He had never been married and had no children. He was also as cynical as Giuseppe had been, uncaring and somewhat unscrupulous. He finally noticed Carlo’s dealings only after his brother’s death in AC 776. His nephew Matteo had fled to Sirecchia and told him about his parents’ deaths at the hands of assassins and how he had barely escaped.
They planned carefully their attack to Carlo. Matteo traveled to get promise of support from Joachim von Drachenfels and Titus Glantri. When that was obtained, Ottone declared that Carlo was unfit to rule and Matteo led their troops to Oreggiano.
After Carlo’s death, Ottone declared Matteo his heir and went back to Sirecchia. He left most of the ruling to Matteo and interfered only in the most important things, like relations with the allies.
Ottone was actually satisfied when it seemed that Joachim couldn’t trick the Flaems to attack. He was happy with his magical experiments and was afraid that war might interfere with them. When the war broke up in AC 784 however, he honoured his promises and gave his support to Joachim. Ottone gave actually all his troops to Joachim, because both he and Matteo weren’t warleaders.
Ottone stayed in Sirecchia during the whole war, whereas Matteo was with Joachim and Titus on the battlefield as an advisor and negotiator.
Ottone only left Sirecchia in AC 788 immediately after hearing of Joachim’s sudden death. He took some part in the negotiations after reaching Braastar, but because of his advanced age he mostly left them to Matteo. He tried to warn others about the dangers of overlooking Halzunthram, since he had seen through his lies from the beginning, but the others didn’t listen to his warnings.
After Halzunthram’s coup, everyone knew that Ottone had been right all along. However, Ottone didn’t care much who ruled the country if there was peace. So Ottone accepted the new leader and went back to Sirecchia with the title of viscount. Then Ottone left ruling again to Matteo and went back to his experiments.
Ottone didn’t leave his tower never again. He died in his bed in AC 795 at the age of 88. In that time most of the residents of Oreggiano had already forgotten that he, not Matteo, was the real Viscount.
Matteo di Sfonti
Matteo was 40-years-old when he inherited the title of viscount, after Ottone’s death. He had been the real leader of Oreggiano already for nearly twenty years because Ottone had left nearly everything to him.
Matteo was a quiet, unimposing man, but everyone liked him. He was friendly with the people, he was nearly everyday seen walking amongst the commoners. He had a large family, five sons and two daughters. He was more like a benign merchant than a noble. It was very hard for people to imagine that Matteo had killed Carlo di Sfonti 20 years earlier.
When Matteo became a viscount he had already been negotiating with the rebel Flaems and in 796 he switched to their side against Halzunthram, back by Titus Glantri. At first he tried to lead his troops against the Hattians, but he soon realised that he was not a warleader. He left the leadership of the troops to his eldest son Galeazzo, who showed to be a good commander.
Matteo concentrated on keeping the rebel alliance together and tried to get new allies. He sent envoys to the elves, Ethengarians and Kaelics and to Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany. He personally tried to persuade the d’Ambrevilles to join the rebels. Negotiations took years and in the end he succeeded in persuading only the Ethengarians to join their side in AC 801.
In AC 802 combined rebel forces attacked Braejr and might have conquered it if only Hadriana Glantri hadn’t left his position to attack Hattians in the north. This rashness of Hadriana nearly destroyed the alliance. Matteo had a busy time trying to ensure the Ethengarians and the Flaems, who had got the most of the beating, that no one had betrayed. He was so furious with Hadriana that he called his own troops back (he had placed them under Hadriana’s banner in AC 801). However, his son Galeazzo refused to obey the command and stayed with Hadriana.
During this time Matteo also removed his family from Oreggiano to the more secure Sirecchia. In 804 he also again contacted don Fernando de Belcadiz after the dwarves had joined Halzunthram. He realised that this was the best time to approach the elves again. It took however two years to convince the elves to join the rebels.
Galeazzo came back to Sirecchia at the end of AC 805. He had managed to escape with some of his men from the disastrous battle of Vorstadt. He had followed Hadriana some way into Wendar, but then decided to turn back and return to Sirecchia. Matteo took him back with open arms and didn’t bring up his disobedience in any way. But Matteo made clear that Galeazzo had to submit to the command of Alexander Glantri now.
Matteo had raised Alexander like his own son since Hadriana had left him in Sirecchia in 801. Alexander was more capable in military matters than Matteo’s own sons, so he had been clear choice.
After AC 806 Matteo was constantly away from Sirecchia to negotiate with the other leaders of the alliance or to try to obtain new allies for the rebels. He tried many times to persuade the d’Ambrevilles, but they were adamant in their refusal to take any part in the fighting. For some reason also Halzunthram honoured their neutrality. Kaelics were the other group that always refused to take part, remaining isolated in their mountain fastness.
Hadriana Glantri returned to the battlefield in AC 811 with Wendarian and Boldavian troops. After a couple of years Matteo began to sense that there was something terribly wrong. It was however only in AC 818 than he got his suspicions confirmed. There had been some hints (Hadriana and his troops only fought and travelled by night, they were unusually efficient and ferocious and so on), but these were dismissed at first as new battle strategies. But then spies confirmed that Hadriana and her troops had become creatures of the night, and Matteo decided to act before it was too late.
It was his most difficult task ever to tell Alexander about his mother and then to convince him that he was telling the truth. When Alexander finally met his mother, at last he believed Matteo. They then destroyed Hadriana and dispersed her troops. They told the others only that Hadriana had died during a ferocious skirmish against undead creatures.
A major break came when envoys of Wilhelm von Drachenfels contacted Don Fernando de Belcadiz in AC 813. Matteo and most of the others took it as a hoax, but Alexander Glantri and don Fernando persuaded them to take it seriously. After some years even Matteo recognised Wilhelm’s sincerity. However, another seven years passed before Wilhelm switched sides openly. After this event, the war began to turn against Halzunthram and he had to bring again more troops from Alphatia.
In AC 822 Matteo was captured by Alphatian troops on his way back from Linden, where he had been negotiating with the Flaems. Matteo was promptly executed for high treason. He was 67-years old.
Galeazzo di Sfonti
Matteo was succeeded as Viscount by his 45-years old son Galeazzo. He was already a tired man, he had seen war since he was 11 and been in war since he was 18. 27-years of war had clearly left their mark on him. He was a grim, humourless and bitter man, who lacked his father’s intelligence. He also couldn’t forgive his father for putting Alexander Glantri before him.
He was probably a better warrior than Alexander, but he lacked his charisma. He was blunt, rude and only his wife and son made him smile. Even his brothers were afraid of him. He was however steady, upright, fair and square with his rulings.
He was killed in the Fourty-years war. When Alexander’s troops finally found the headquarters of Halzunthram in AC 828, Galeazzo was among the first to die. He was 51-years old.
Astolfo di Sfonti
Galeazzo’s son Astolfo was 27-years old when his father died. He was more cultivated than his father, his mother had taken care of that. He had not been taken in any part of the fighting. His father had wanted to spare him from his own unhappy years.
Astolfo was confirmed as Viscount of Sirecchia by the House of Lords in AC 829. He was not very interested in parliament matters and let his uncle Lucchino represent him. He spent his time mostly in hunting and partying with his relatives. Astolfo was however interested in literature and he managed to collect a very sizeable library in Sirecchia.
Astolfo was very much liked by his people and it was a quite a shock when a wild boar killed him in AC 834 at the age of 33.
Lucchino di Sfonti
Astolfo’s successor as Viscount was his 47-years old uncle Lucchino. This was the last time the di Sfontis were unanimous in choosing the new leader of the family. Whereas all his brothers were fighters, he was more like his father Matteo. He was by far the most intelligent of the brothers and consequently his father had given him the best education of the lot.
Since a very early age he had been with his father in his negotiations during the Fourty Years War and it was for sheer good luck that Lucchino wasn’t with his father when Matteo was captured. After that he acted as the family’s negotiator during his brother’s rulership and he was the only possible choice for parliament representative after the war.
When Alexander Glantri was murdered in AC 835 there was no question amongst the Thyatian and Kerendan nobles that Lucchino should succeed him as their representative in the Council. Lucchino was also chosen to succeed Alexander as the Chancellor of the Council, because Wilhelm von Drachenfels refused the position.
Lucchino used his charge to bring architects from Thyatis to build the town of Lizzieni in the area where his relatives lived. He constructed Lizzieni to replaceme Oreggiano as main town in the area. Lizzieni was filled with marble buildings and great avenues. He also began the building of Circus Lizzieni in AC 838.
Lucchino was loved by common people but he had his enemies also. Soon after assuming the viscountship he drove Astolfo’s young sycophants out of Sirecchia. This got him some very dangerous enemies. But it was not till AC 849 than they succeeded in their vengeance. Lucchino was murdered at the age of 62, at the opening of the newly-built Circus Lizzieni.
Giovanni di Sfonti
Selecting Lucchino’s successor wasn’t easy. He didn’t have any children, so the main contenders were his only living brother Giovanni and Borso, son of his deceased brother Mario. Mario had been older than Giovanni and Borso put his claim on that fact. After much quarrelling Giovanni was chosen.
Giovanni was 59-years old when he inherited the viscounty. He was already somewhat fat and had always been clumsy, ugly and slow-moving. On horseback he was mainly embarassing. Lucchino had also been somewhat fat, but he had been a good rider. Giovanni was chosen because most of his relatives thought him more easy to control than young Borso.
To his great surprise Giovanni was also chosen to succeed his brother as Chancellor, because that time nobody else wanted the position. However, Giovanni proved to be both a good Chancellor and a wise Viscount, surprising everyone. He was more independent and intelligent than anybody had suspected. He had always been in the shadow of his brothers and now he showed to everyone one that he had talents too.
Giovanni also continued Lucchino’s lavish building plans in Lizzieni, which nearly destroyed his finances.
In AC 850 childless Giovanni named his older sister Filippa’s son Matteo as new heir. Everyone expected him to name Borso as his successor, but Giovanni showed once again his independent nature. He chose Matteo because he had shown no interest in ruling.
Giovanni died during a bubonic plague in AC 854 at the age of 64.
Matteo di Sfonti
Matteo was 36-years old when Giovanni died. His position was not secure, because Borso and his supporters were against him. However, the House of Lords confirmed his position as new Viscount. His selection as a representative in the Council was also contested by Alexius Glantri. But other Thyatians and Kerendans favoured more him than the somewhat arrogant Alexius. He was chosen as Treasurer of the Council.
Matteo’s father and mother had died in the last years of the War and he had been raised by his uncle Lucchino. He had realised the boy’s intelligence and decided to make him a magic-user. Matteo was a handsome, lively and pleasant mannered man. Everyone expected very much from him.
His murder in AC 855 was a great shock to everyone in Glantri.
Borso di Sfonti
Matteo’s murder was followed by furious infighting among his relatives to gain the leadership of the house. During the first three months of AC 855 about 20 close and not so close relatives of Matteo disappeared or were murdered. At the end only one contender was left in Sirecchia to present his claim to viscountship: Matteo’s 35-years old cousin Borso. He was also chosen to be representative to the Council in spite of Alexius Glantri's protestations. He also succeeded Matteo as Treasurer.
Borso’s father Mario had died in AC 826 and he had been raised by Lucchino as a magic-user as well. He had been a very good friend of Matteo until Giovanni had chosen Matteo as his successor.
Borso had inherited his father’s and uncle’s tendency to fatness, but was however attractive and cultured. It was difficult for people to believe that he was behind his relatives’ murders and disappearances, but appearances can be deceiving. Inside he was vindicative, petty-minded and very power-hungry.
Borso also had something his predecessors didn’t have ever since Galeazzo’s death. In AC 840 Borso had married Barbara Löwenroth, daughter of one Hattian barons from the north, and they had a son, Ugolino. So Borso had a legitimate heir, which was especially important after the Light of Rad and the establishment of the Principality of Caurenze.
Borso proved to be a good ruler in his principality. The folk generally liked him and he managed to balance the finances of both Caurenze and Glantri after the brief rebellion in AC 859. There was some restlessness in Caurenze, but nothing very serious.
In the Council Borso supported enfeoffment of both Nouvelle Averoigne and Klantyre in 875. He was not on friendly terms with Etienne d’Ambreville, but he recognised his power and understood the benefits of him becoming a Prince.
In his last years Borso also called his last living cousin Bernabo to Sirecchia from Thyatis. He was not sure about his son’s capabilities and informed his family that if he had died before Ugolino was 30-years old, Bernabo would have succeeded him as a Prince.
Borso died in AC 878 at the age of 58 for food-poisoning. Everyone suspected murder but no proof of that was found in the end.
Bernabo di Sfonti
Borso’s son Ugolino was only 27-years old when his father died, so he had to accept Bernabo as new prince. And to everyone’s great surprise he accepted that without any complaints.
Bernabo was 54 when he became the second prince of Caurenze. He was also elected to succeed his cousin as Treasurer.
Bernabo’s father Gino was the youngest son of Matteo di Sfonti. Gino was sent by his father to Thyatis City to try to get support from the Empire or at least hire mercenaries to fight against Halzunthram and the Alphatians. Thyatis was not interested in the Highlands, so his pleas always fell on deaf ears. However, Gino met a mercenary leader, Guglielmo di Tarento, who showed interest in going to the Highlands. So Guglielmo led his troops to Sirecchia and stayed there after the war. Gino married his sister Isabella and stayed in Thyatis City with him. Bernabo was their second son and was educated to be a magic-user.
Bernabo was a short, dark stocky man with thick hair and a very prominent nose. He was not the typical mage, he was not very interested in learning or literature or anything like that. He was instead the typical di Sfonti, interested in hunting, dog-breeding and especially in horse-breeding. In only ten years he raised in Caurenze the best horses of the whole Glantri.
Very much unlike his kin however, Bernabo wasn’t afraid of his relatives. He liked them and got brilliantly along with everyone. Even Ugolino somewhat liked him. He was very easy going although a bit impulsive.
He had only one serious defect: he constantly seeked sexual pleasure and never thought of living with one woman only for the rest of his life. Consequently he never married, but had many brief love affairs.
Bernabo died in AC 885 at the age of 61. He had some venereal disease, which faded him away. In his last year he had in fact been a vegetable. After his death Ugolino revealed that he knew of his disease and this had been the only reason he had accepted his uncle’s rulership. Bernabo had told Galeazzo that he wouldn’t have lasted too many years and Ugolino had promised to wait.
Ugolino di Sfonti
Ugolino was 34 when Bernabo died. He was for a very handsome man, tall and fair and consequently very vain. In his younger days he was quite a daredevil, he liked women, hunting, hawks, dancing and gambling. As a magic user however, he was nearly as bad as Ernst von Drachenfels, who became a prince just one year after him.
Of course he had somewhat calmed with age. He had married Margherita Fulvina just a couple of months before his father died in 878 and already had two young sons when he succeeded Bernabo. Of course the Council didn’t elect him Treasurer because of his reputation. He was instead named Viceroy of Sablestone when former Viceroy Robert McGregor was chosen as the new Treasurer.
As a ruler Ugolino proved to be very competent. People liked him because he shared none of his father’s mean traits. He liked to wander among the commoners and listen to their complaints. He gave splendid displays in Circus Lizzieni and in spite of this he kept the treasury of Caurenze in prime condition.
After the d’Ambrevilles disappearance in AC 896, the Council chose Ugolino to succeed Kenneth McGregor, who was chosen as new Supreme Judge, as Treasurer. He also continued to act as Viceroy of Sablestone. Because the disappearance of one Prince, the Council decided that for the time being one viceroyship should have been connected with the position of Treasurer.
Ugolino didn’t have time to prove his ability as Treasurer of Glantri, however. There was one vice of youth he hadn’t left: women. In AC 897 Ugolino realised that he had got the same disease that killed Bernabo. Ugolino’s end came much sooner than Bernabo’s: he died in 902 at the age of 51.
Gianmaria di Sfonti
Gianmaria was 23 when he became a new Prince. He was also chosen as Viceroy of Nordling. He was a handsome youth, much like his father Ugolino. He was however much more serious because of the responsibilities he had had already for three years because of his father’s illness.
In AC 905 he married Katherine von Drachenfels, cousin of Prince Albrecht. This was the only major happening during his rulership. In AC 912 Gianmaria was drowned in his bathtub at the age of 33 by his servants for no apparent reasons. Those years in Caurenze where so eventless that people later even forgot that Gianmaria had been their Prince.
Filippo di Sfonti
Because Gianmaria died childless, he was succeeded by his 30-years old brother Filippo, who promptly executed all the murderers after a short trial. He also succeeded his brother as Viceroy of Nordling.
Filippo was in many ways his brother’s opposite. He was a plain looking, dark man, who had enjoyed pleasures of life during his years at the Great School of Magic in Glantri City. There he had met Albrecht von Drachenfels and they had had some adventures together. They stayed friends for the rest of their lives.
After coming back to Sirecchia Filippo grew jealous of his brother’s position. After Gianmaria’s death everyone supposed that Filippo was behind the murder, but (as usual in the di Sfontis’ history) there was no evidence.
In 914 Filippo married Eleonora von Drachenfels, Albrecht’s youngest sister. After the marriage Filippo ended his night trips and left all other women. Their marriage still was not very happy. They had three daughters and after the last one Filippo didn’t touch Eleonora anymore.
Filippo grew very stingy when he grew older, and also became mean and bad-tempered. It was very difficult to deal with him.
In AC 937 he succeeded Malcolm McGregor as Treasurer. He also kept Fort Nordling.
In his later years the greatest problem for Filippo was his succession. All his three daughters had together as much magical talent as had his left boot. Of course he could linger on till some of his grandchildren had the proper age to succeed him, but what about if he died too early?
There were of course his son-in-laws who were all magic-users, but he didn’t like any of them. One was too loose with money, one was too stupid and one was too power-hungry.
He was still wondering what to do when he died suddenly of heart attack in AC 847 at the age of 65.
Enter di Malapietras
Within one week of Filippo’s death, two of his sons-in-law died all along with their families and servants. First Alfonso and Margherita Novellara, with all their children, burnt within their house in Oreggiano and only two days later Fernando and Anna Bozzolo were murdered while sleeping together with their children.
Only Lucina di Sfonti and her husband Francesco di Malapietra survived the murders. Of course everyone thought that Francesco was behind the deaths of his wive’s relatives, but there was no proof what-so-ever to connect him with these.
So Francesco di Malapietra was confirmed as a new Prince of Caurenze. But before that we must tell something about his father.
Vincenzo di Malapietra
Vincenzo was the younger son of Ercole di Malapietra, senator of Thyatis. He was a wild youth, he spent money lavishly, he was also an enthusiastic swordsman and a passionate womanizer. He spent more money than his father would give, so he soon fell in deep debts.
Vincenzo was saved from his debtors by Emperor Gabrionus IV. The Emperor promised to pay Vincenzo’s debts if Vincenzo moved to Glantri to be his spy there. Vincenzo had no alternatives but to accept.
So in AC 898 Vincenzo di Malapietra, aged 25, arrived in Glantri City. He was soon accepted in the highest social circles because he was entertaining, polite, flirtatious. Especially Thyatian-speaking nobles took him in their circles with open arms. Of course he was no magic-user, but he was a man-of-world compared to many Glantrians.
In 899 Vincenzo married Livia Fulvina, youngest daughter of Viscount Giulio Fulvina. Two years later their son Francesco was born.
Vincenzo was a socialite. He spent his life in celebrations and was not a very effective spy. In fact most of the reports he sent back to Thyatis were more or less made up. He just told people there what he thought they wanted to hear.
At first Vincenzo had been a bit depressed about his "banishment to backwoods". However he soon realised that it was more fun to be a big fish in Glantri than just one of the shoal of small fishes in Thyatis.
Vincenzo died in 923 at the age of 50. His health just didn’t stand anymore his very consuming lifestyle.
Francesco di Malapietra
Francesco was 46-years old when he became Prince of Caurenze. He was also confirmed in his father-in-law’s positions as Treasurer and Viceroy of Nordling.
Francesco was in many ways his father’s opposite. He didn’t enjoy mundane events. He was pale and restrained. But this outer look was somewhat deceptive: behind that he was jealous and power hungry.
Vincenzo had sent him to study at the Great School because he had realised that this was the only way his son could have reached the nobility in the Glantri. That was the only thing Francesco was later thankful for to his father. Francesco showed himself to be very talented in magic. He graduated as a primus of his class.
At first Francesco was happy when his father died, but then he realised how many debts his father had, which where now his responsibility. It took Francesco nearly four years to pay all debts back.
Then in AC 930 Francesco just vanished. Nobody knows where he went, but he returned to Glantri City nine years later. He was even paler than before and his magical skills were at a whole new level now.
Francesco began immediately to court Lucina di Sfonti, youngest daughter of Prince Filippo. Lucina was already 35-years old and everyone had assumed that she would die as a spinster. Reason for his unmarriedness was that she clearly had not everything in right places in her head.
It took Francesco two years to get Lucina’s mother Eleonora to approve the marriage. Filippo didn’t like Francesco, but he desperately needed to get Lucina married to somebody important. Lucina was happy with Francesco and somehow it seemed that during the years Francesco also learned to love his wife.
After Francesco assumed the status of Prince it became obvious that he was very determined to keep the title to his family. Within two years all the remaining di Sfontis were dead or disappeared.
Aside from that and his tendency to be a little paranoid, Francesco proved to be a good Prince for Caurenze. He spent money more readily than his father-in-law. Circus Lizzieni was opened again, after Filippo closed it in 932 because of the costs of its maintenance.
As a Council member Francesco soon made von Drachenfels furious. He had the irritating habit to address Prince Albrecht as "uncle", which in fact he was to his wife Lucina. Albrecht didn’t like the disrespectful tone in Francesco’s voice. Francesco also called Johann and Georg "cousins": Johann didn’t mind that, but Georg was as furious as his father.
During Filippo’s reign the relationships between the two families had been very close, but Francesco soon made that history.
In 957 Francesco was chosen to succeed Charan Erewan as Chamberlain of the Land. This was part of the arrangement after Johann von Drachenfels had become unable to continue as Grandmaster. Francesco was only one of the Princes who wanted the status of Chamberlain. He had been content as Treasurer, but wanted to get rid of Nordling.
Francesco tried to be a good Chamberlain, he traveled around Glantri and personally inspected roads, bridges and forests of the country. But he had really no talent for that kind of job. After six years he began to neglect his duties and when he died in smallbox in 966, everything was in a neglected condition. It took Georg von Drachenfels some years to clean the mess Francesco had made.
Mario di Malapietra
Mario was 24 when his father died. He had inherited his grandfather’s disposition: he enjoyed good company and celebrations. He had healthy appetite and he drank heavily, so he was already somewhat plump. He was even more intelligent than his father and already at a young age surprised elder people for his knowledge especially in philosophy and law.
Mario was chosen to be Viceroy of Nordling. That however lasted only six years. In AC 972 he was chosen as Chancellor of the princes after the death of Prince Cadwallon Aendyr. He was the youngest of the Princes but in that year older princes thought that as advantage in the job. Also everyone realised that Mario’s nature was perfect for hosting foreign ambassadors.
Mario was not much a negotiator but everyone agreed that as a Chancellor he arranged the best parties ever for foreigners. He made everything possible to get his guests to enjoy.
Mario had only one ambition, he wanted to become the Supreme Judge. Unfortunately Supreme Judge in that time was Alfonso de Belcadiz, so he realised that it might stay a dream only.
It’s ironic that Mario and Alfonso died in same year, AC 991. Mario was poisoned in a diplomatic dinner. He was only 49-years old. The culprit of the deed was never found.
Innocenti di Malapietra
Mario’s successor was his 29-years old second son, Innocenti. For some reason Mario had passed by his oldest son Giovanni and named Innocenti as his successor. Mario never explained the reason, but everyone suspected that reason was that Mario’s wife Letizia detested his oldest son.
Innocenti was chosen to be Viceroy of Ylourgne just to annoy Prince Etienne, who didn’t like him at all.
Summary
Giuseppe di Sfonti b.684 d.750
First Baron of Oreggiano
Corrado di Sfonti b.729 d.754
Manfredo di Sfonti b.732 d.766
Carlo di Sfonti b.726 d.777
Ottone di Sfonti b.707 d.795
First Baron of Sirecchia
First Viscount of Sirecchia
Matteo di Sfonti b.755 d.822
Galeazzo di Sfonti b.777 d.828
Astolfo di Sfonti b.801 d.834
Lucchino di Sfonti b.787 d.849
Chancellor of the Council 835-849
Giovanni di Sfonti b.790 d.854
Chancellor of the Council 849-854
Matteo di Sfonti b.818 d.855
Treasurer of the Council 854-855
Borso di Sfonti b.820 d.878
First Prince of Caurenze
Treasurer of the Council 855-878
Bernabo di Sfonti b.824 d.885
Treasurer of the Council 878-885
Ugolino di Sfonti b.851 d.902
Viceroy of Sablestone 885-902
Treasurer of the Council 896-902
Gianmaria di Sfonti b.879 d.912
Viceroy of Nordling 902-912
Filippo di Sfonti b.882 d.947
Viceroy of Nordling 912-947
Treasurer of the Council 937-947
Francesco di Malapietra b.901 d.966
Treasurer of the Council and Viceroy of Nordling 947-957
Chamberlain of the Land 957-966
Mario di Malapietra b.942 d.991
Viceroy of Nordling 966-972
Chancellor of the Princes 972-991
Innocenti di Malapietra b.962
Viceroy of Ylourgne 991-1010