Tenzerlins and Ghostas

The Houses of Tenzerlin and Ghosta

Among the many merchant houses of the Shuttered City, two of the most famous are the Tenzerlins and the Ghostas, known for their feud that has endured for almost fifty years. The Tenzerlins are an old and noble house, whose colour is red and whose sigil is a hawk in flight. The Ghostas are upstarts, who wear green clothes and follow the sign of a bunch of grapes.

The feud began when the three Ghosta brothers were little more than roaming thieves and treasure-hunters. They finally struck rich when they captured a caravan that was moving a great quantity of ancient shroomwine (16.04.01) from the Shuttered City to the old Tenzerlin villa in the country. The eldest brother, Canetz Ghosta, subsequently used the shroomwine to woo a powerful wizardess named Zenobia of the Eye, who in those days was among the mightiest magic-users in the city. Thus was the house of Ghosta elevated to the society of the nouveau-riche. Yet few people know that all this was masterminded by the sister, Wenle Ghosta, who remains the true power and ambition behind Canetz’s throne.

Today, though, the Ghostas are once again a waning house. Many of their number have proved infertile or unmarriageable, and it is rumored that this is because of a curse placed upon them by the Tenzerlins. Meanwhile, a younger generation of Tenzerlins has risen up and destroyed the old guard; some were assassinated while others were exiled. Now Balthario Tenzerlin is head of the family and is planning to get revenge on the Ghostas once and for all. But before he does, he wishes to retrieve the stolen shroomwine which Canetz claims is kept in a magically concealed vault somewhere within the city.

The Tenzerlins have recently been scandalized by Pina, the niece of Balthario, who has fled the city to be married to a sword-wielding ruffian named Jast. The famed master swordsman Pranza, of whom the Tenzerlins are patrons, fought a public duel with Jast but was humiliatingly bested. He now pursues the lovers eastward.

The last great hope of the Ghosta family is young Esmen, who disappeared into the Kingswood at the age of twelve and returned at twenty-two an accomplished druidess. Her grandmother Zenobia is grooming her for great power, but she secretly wishes to abandon the city forever and return to her teacher.

Each family owns a ship that sails the Keening Sea between Shuttered and Blind Midshotgatepool, though the Tenzerlins’ galley is superior. Each year they race to be the first to reach the August City and acquire the pick of the seawig catch. So far the Tenzerlins have won three years in a row, carrying home the freshest wigs for sale to eligible young ladies in Shuttered.

Connection:

Amanita Tenzerlin’s beautiful new necklace may explode into fireballs at any moment (03.04.01).

Hooks:

What kind of shroomwine is this, and why is it so valuable?
Where is the villa of the Tenzerlins, and what’s in it?
How did the shroomwine help a lowly adventurer to woo Zenobia of the Eye?
Where were the older Tenzerlins exiled to? Do they want to take the power back from Balthario?
Is there really a curse on the longevity of the Ghostas, and if so how can it be broken?
Where is the shroomwine vault? Is it somewhere in the Undercity?
Where have Pina and Jast fled to?
How did Esmen survive in the Kingswood, and who trained her to become a druidess?
What is a seawig and why do eligible young ladies want it?