OOC Head - Lord Gaethan Jarengil of House Vanderode

IC Head - Lady Saralleine Caelle of House Vanderode

The house symbol is a white diamond centered within a pale blue oval upon a lavender field.

Our words are "Hard as Diamond, Swift as Wind"

During the chaos and bloodletting of the War of the Hundred Years, Caemille somehow found herself high in the circles of power, serving the first ruler of the newly forged nation of Cairhien. Then as now, Cairhienin were a plotsome vexatious people, and the Crown needed every "loyal" retainer it could get to swear fealty. Caemille was known among the inner circle for her uncommon common sense and her insight. In a shockingly desperate move, Caemille was given a new estate in the foothills of the Dragonwall to hold in the name of the crown. She was titled and given a sizable purse to build a stronghold and raise a force of levees. The region that would come to be the Vanderode holdings was highly uncultivated, thick with hills and quite short of suitable farmland. There was those that whispered it was a poor estate, and read volumes into the Crown's choice, presuming a sort of punishment for some disservice.

Lady Caemille, first of her line, arrived at the rolling hills of her new fief during the spring, when it was filled with wildflowers of a particular type, lavender blooms as far as the eye can see, waving in the winds off the mountains, greatly pleasing her ladyship. Caemille and her new captain hired builders and constructed what would become Wyndswift on a suitably high bluff, with a commanding view of the vale and hills. Sometime during those early years, perhaps as the builders were digging the great earthwork terraces that were necessary to create arable farmland along the mountainside, someone discovered a vein of diamonds.

A banner for the house was chosen. A white diamond to represent the gems that provided the house with wealth, within a blue oval to represent the view of the sky, upon a field of lavender, representing the fields of wildflowers that had so delighted Lady Caemille as she first took possession of her estate.

Mines were dug, and with that, House Vanderode become fabulously wealthy, able to lure settlers to their increasingly less rugged fief, which in turn allowed greater and greater portions to be terraced and planted with wheat and barely, as well as planted as vineyards and orchards.

For most of the early centuries, House Vanderode was relatively inactive in the affairs of the capital, as they ruled in nigh regal splendor near the mountains. They grew richer and richer, and the trade from the Silk Path only added to their coffers. Towards the end of the 6th Century NE (600 NE), Lord Jaevenes constructed a manor in the capital, complete with a suitably soaring tower, and from hence forth, House Vanderode was drawn into Daes Dae'mar and the heady intrigues of the capital city. Sometime later that century, Lord Jaevenes's only daughter Sianelle was betrothed to a prince of the ruling house, who in turn became the heir-apparent when the Crown Princess was poisoned. Princess Sianelle herself was later assassinated in her bath, marking the first time House Vanderode would feel the bite of Daes Dae'mar. It would not be the last.

Through the years, House Vanderode played the Game, using its vast wealth to contend for power, making implacable enemies as it went. House members were given crown appointments as generals and ministers, and as attendants upon rulers. Their prestige swelled. The house was poised upon a precipice.

Saralleine's great-grandfather, Lord Daeveric, made a move for the Sun Throne in the 8th Century NE, and minor civil wars broke out, although it was never fully dubbed a "War of Succession." Lord Daeveric did not succeed. In the Tower brokered "Peace of Tremonsien" House Vanderode was required to forfeit newly acquired estates and to disperse much of its armies. Lord Daeveric later became warder to a White Aes Sedai amid mysterious circumstances and Saralleine's grandmother, also Caemille, but fourth of her name, became the new High Seat.

The Vanderodes paid dearly during the Aiel invasion, and three of Lady Caemille IV's children were killed, although it was widely believed that they were not all killed in battle and that enemies had seized on the confusion of battle to murder the Vanderodes. This was doubly suspicious when it came to Saralleine's aunt, Lilavaere, who did not personally take to the field, remaining at camp to supervise the "field hospital." A "stray arrow" allegedly killed her. This left Saralleine as the heiress after the last of Lady Caemille's sons, a jittery, timid man named Gaethan, Saralleine's bachelor uncle.

Saralleine's own mother, Lady Caelle died giving forth Saralleine's sister. In the disjointed atmosphere following the fall of King Laman and his house, Caemille made a play for the Sun Throne, but she did not succeed. As punishment, the new king, Fiabhan of House Kintala exiled her to her estates, forbidding her entry to the capital, with a Royal Edict decreeing her death should she try. Attendently, Saralleine was the heiress-presumptive after her uncle, who had neither the wits nor cunning to function at Court. Saralleine married of course, a cousin, and had three children, which she had fostered out in secrecy to better protect them after Saralleine's husband died in a "hunting accident." It is believed that either House Kintala or one of theor partisans was behind his death.

When King Fiabhan proved unable to keep the Sun Throne for his house, Saralleine and her very aged grandmother made yet another unsuccessful play at the Throne. Lady Caemille later died in her solitary exile, and Lord Gaethan ascended to the High Seat.

Currently, the Royal Court is openly hostile to House Vanderode, as Saralleine made a play at the throne being vacated by the Old King, Fiabhan. Unfortunately, it was an over-ambitious play, as the House's suasion was greatly reduced through the long-standing vying for power with House Kintala. The leading candidate, Lady Heally of House Cordaevell or her partisans were able to unleash a potent weapon against Lady Saralleine: they used forged letters and slander, and implicated Saralleine in a host of unsavory things, all of which disgraced her, by manufacturing a series of lovers, common ones at that, and publishing forged love-letters. Saralleine's standing was utterly destroyed, and her reputation befouled. She now lives in Tar Valon, keeping a low profile and a small retinue. The house still manages to keep up its wealthy and privileged lifestyle, but for the time being it has been effectively removed from the swirl of power and danger that is Court at the Sun Palace. This is not to say that they do not plot to regain their place, however.

The House also maintains smaller holdfasts in small villages all along the estates by the Dragonwall. A small townhouse has been renovated and furnished in Tar Valon, called Vanderode Hall, and now seems to be a gathering place for dispersed family members. A smaller manse was purchased in Caemlyn in which Lady Erienna was housed when she became a family embarrassment.

For archival purposes, I have decided to display the descriptions of the homes and their rooms.

• Vanderode Hall, Tar Valon
• Vanderode Manor, Caemlyn

The vidame maintains the estates from Wyndswift, deputized by Lord Gaethan to oversee the estates in his name while he secludes himself in the forests in fear of his rivals. There is a Lance-Captain who maintains the levees and trains them as well. Furthermore, the castle itself is administered by the chatelaine, who is in actuality the bastard daughter of Saralleine's uncle Caendric, and Saralleine's cousin. Wyndswift employs a relatively small staff as much of the Vanderode family has dispersed and gone into hiding and/or seclusion. As the house maintains a relatively low profile of late, the staff is minimal, although loyal retainers have been sent with each of Saralleine's children into their seclusion, and Saralleine maintains a small but appropriate train within her townhouse in Tar Valon, with her house guard lead by her sworn-sword, her cousin Lord Kiendrid.

Saralleine would have in her personal retinue perhaps a lady-in-waiting, a secretary, a few maids and cooks, groomsmen, a small cortége of soldiers, a vice-chatelaine (head maid), perhaps a gardener as well as her financial advisor(s).

Fully aware of the fact that this is just a game and that these all imaginary titles, I would ask that my members behave in manner that treats everyone justly and politely, and appropriately for the character. I would like to point out that IC, the nobles would not treat the staff as equals, but OOC everyone is equal in my eyes, and that people are OOCly expected to be respectful and courteous to one another. People that are very annoying will be put on probation, which is to say a one-month period to see if the other members of the house agree that the "problem-child" can play nice with the other kiddies. If we have decided no, it seems that OOC and IC expulsion is all that can be done.

As to TPs, care will be taken to produce TPs that are consistent with theme and with the MUSH's rules and PG rating. TPs involving marriage and/or severe criminal acts (murders, kidnappings) must be approved by the OOC House Leader in consultation with the whole house, with House Leader as final word. Taking my cue from Fal Moran, no TPs involving rape/sexual assault will be approved. Although we are a typical Cairhienin house, we are not a gothically debauched house, and we would consider ourselves more beneficent than malevolent. Still, we will plot for power and gain.

Recruitment will be conducted by the House Head in consultation with the whole house, with the House Head as the last word. I place no requirements on members to find more members.

Looking at a selection of other "on-MUSH" houses, I adopt their marriage policy. As with most Betrothals and marriages will require a consultation with the rest of the house, but should a member find and "unsuitable" it will be considered as a possible RP hook.

House members will be asked to contribute one room to the family dwelling in Tar Valon, or if we have a member willing to act as the nucleus of an offshoot branch in another area like Caemlyn, to that family dwelling instead. Saralleine reserves the right to approve and adjust the descriptions of "public rooms" that are added on to any "family dwelling." Members may also opt to maintain private houses wherever, and Saralleine will have no say in that.

• Junior members would only have a few stripes. Senior members to the waistline, or slightly below. Extremely senior members to the knees. The seniority, or lack of it, is not based on age, but on what line you descend from, as well as wealth and skill.
• The women can wear their hair up in a tower of curls, or loose, and you can wear a small gem in the middle of your forehead. That gem is called a "kesiera."
• The men of the warrior type wear the hair long in the back, but the top shaved and powdered. The non-military men wear long hair to the collar. Men may wear wide flat berets as well, often with a jewel or feather for a jaunty effect.
• Our colors are pale blue, pale purple and white, but these should be used only sparingly in descs - more as a contrast to the dark clothing.
• Capes of velvet and fur acceptable winter wear. Other fabrics to consider when descing clothing are velour, lawn (like creased linen), brocade, damask (light and silky) and samite (linen with threads of silk in the weave).

• We have long standing animosity towards House Ildevwyn, a vitriolic rivarly that followed us from Cairhien. They are be regarded most carefully, with an eye on the purse and a hand on the hilt. Armed escort is suggested when engaging socially and the presence of an advocate-at-law is suggested when transacting financially.
• We are not welcome in Cairhien city because we tried for the throne before Heally ascended, and made a lot of enemies, particularly House Cordaevell, regnant house of Cairhien, and their principal vassals Houses Roseillin and Alixandred.
• We have a pact of cordial, yet wary, neutrality towards House Rhiaghan and its vassals, House Belovinde, as they are also largely removed from power and decamped into exile in Andor.
• We like the Andivells in a condescending way, as they are fallen nobles who fled Cairhien a generation ago.
• We are now in a loose defense compact with House Sulamaad. We welcome Sulamaad members in our homes, and are equally welcome in theirs.
• We have amicable dealings with House Dhamsid of Arad Doman, despite the disastrous romance between our Lord Benjaen and their Lady Jehanne, and will engage them socially.
• Likewise, House Corsobar of Altara is equally welcome to engage with socially, although we must be carefull not to ignite their legendary Altaran tempers.

• As we have established a minimal presence in Caemlyn, we must strive to maintain formal and cordial relations with House Versyr, Royal House of Andor. Tendrils of diplomacy and amity were established by the good grace of Queen Aislynn when she deigned assist in the return of Lady Erienna.
• Similarly, when present within Andor's borders, we must tread respectfully around the dignities of two of the most powerful houses in Andor House Roesone and House Hune, which through a dynastic quirk is the house of the current Daughter-Heir.
• Lastly, we may chose to treat House Belmond kindy, although they are a dimuntive house with scant influence. Members of House Vanderode are free to express suitable opinions.