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The Noble Houses of the Empire |
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At the root of Rihannsu political organisation is the House system. Houses are family groups or clan-like organisations, with hereditary succession structures. Unlike feudal family organisations, however, Rihannsu Houses encompass a much broader spectrum of society. For example, servants of a House Lord are considered part of the family, and adopt the House name and use it as their own. That is not to say that they are equal members, but they are included.
Each house that has its own rank and status accorded in Rihannsu society. Houses are considered either Great Houses or Lesser Houses. Great Houses have many family members that are high in the social standing of the Empire. The members of Great Houses have proven their service to the Empire in past honours and loyalty. Lesser Houses have not received the honour and glory, but serve an integral and vital role within the Empire. It is their quiet service that supports the Empire and brings greater glory to it. The status of House members reflects directly on the status of their House and vice versa.
Starting a Noble House
All members of the Romulan Star Empire can start a Noble House, to do that you need to do the following : The House shall have at least 2 active members. The Noble House needs a family name. The Noble House needs to have a history. The Noble House needs to have a political opinion (or more correct it needs to have a long-term goal). The Noble House will then need to get approval from the daise'Fvillha. When the daise'Fvillha approve the new Noble House they will get the right to build the Noble House Estate on any planet in the Romulan Star Empire (if the members of the House cant code, then the members of the Construction Department will build the House for them). When a House is formed they get automatically membership of the Lower Senate, where they can use there voting power. The voting power is calculated from this table :
| Members of the Noble House | 1 point |
| Members of the Navy | 1 point |
| Members of Command rank (rank 11) | 2 point |
| Members of Flag rank (rank 12+) | 3 point |
| Members of the High Senate | 1 point |
| Planetary Governors | 1 point |
| Romulan Judge | 1 point |
| Ruler of the Lower Senate | 1 point |
| Ruler of the High Senate | 2 point |
| Leader of the Empire | 3 point |
| Medals (Order's, Star's and Ribbons) | Pls. look at the Medals. |
These points are cumulative, so ex. if we use House s'Vulokk as an example. The House have the following members Nanuuk, Migw, Malezar and ukani. Nanuuk's rank is of flag rank, he is a member of the High Senate and Leader of the Empire, so he will add 10 points to the House voting power. Migw is also of flag rank, member of the High Senate and also member of the romulan navy, so he will add 8 points. Malezar is "only" of command rank so he will add 3 points to the House's voting power. ukani is of only member of the house, so he will add. 1 point. So, the total voting power of House s'Vulokk is 10+8+3+1 = 22 points.
To see the purpose of the voting power of the Romulan Star Empire go to the Romulan Government page. To be considered as a great Noble House, the house needs at least 15 in voting power.
Symbol : Two crossed swords, below two twin planets.
Standing : Great House
Voting Power : 27,1
Members of House s'Vulokk : Nanuuk, Migw, Malezar, Ukani, Stragg
The Noble House of s'Vulokk is one of the oldest Noble Houses in the Romulan Star Empire. They originate from the planet ch'Rihan. Members of House s’Vulokk is encouraged to seek employment with the Galae (the Navy), as the Houses sees the Galae as the strongest force inside the Romulan Star Empire. The House s'Vulokk is ultranationalists, they will not or cannot see why the Romulan Star Empire should allie up with any other race in the know galaxy. The only race that they are on somewhat good terms with are the Klingons. This friendship date back to the time where the Klingon Admiral phopios did join the Romulan Star Empire, with the hole crew of the Klingon Flagship IKC Stovo'lhr, this ship are to this day still in the Romulan Star Empires custody. It is also rumoured that daise'Fvillha Nanuuk is a personal friend of Qang Qut, the ruler of the Klingon Empire.
The current politic of the House of s'Vulokk is to expand with the help of the Galae, they do not see the United Federation of Planets as a treat, the only thing stopping them from attacking the UFP is the Lower Senate, where they to this day do not have majority. Another agenda of the House is to suppress all trade of foreign empires in the Romulan star system, to this end they are trying to get help from the Klingon’s to make "pirate" attacks on all non-Romulan merchant vessels. It is also rumoured that the House have a secret agenda concerning the Ferengis.
The House live by a various philosophies written by it’s founder s’Vull. s’Vull was a crew member onboard the Rea’s Helm, and was in fact the son of a philosopher teached by no other then S’task. The most notable philosophy that s’Vull have written is : "Getting people to fight by letting the force of momentum work is like rolling logs and rocks. Logs and rocks are still when in a secure place, but roll on an incline; they remain stationary if square, they roll if round. Therefore, when people are skilfully led into battle, the momentum is like that of round rocks rolling down a high mountain -- this is force."
Symbol :
Standing : Lesser House
Voting Power : 2,3
Members of House v'Llenvlok : v'Lor
The house of v'Llenvlok comes from the planet of Rhei'llhne. This house is a relatively young house, only some 100 Earth years of so. The house originated from the great hero v'Lok, one of the first Romulans to conquer Rhei'llhne. For many centuries this hero has survived Rhei'llhne folklore, and is a similar figure to the heroes of the Klingon Empire. During the war with the Federation, Rhei'llhne was fiercely attacked. However, the Federation forces were driven off by the loyal Rhei'llhneians, noting that the house of v'Llenvlok was one of the major forces in the defensive battle. From very few planets outside the ch'Rihan system are such loyal and fierce fighters as from the house of v'Llenvlok found.
Goal: The House of v'Llenvlok is, as stated, a fierce fighting people. It is not uncommon that members of this house are selected for one of the special services, or the Tal'Shiar. Their political beliefs are somewhere along the lines of "shoot first and ask questions later". They are traditional, yet believe that peaceful solutions are a sign of weakness. Many of the best Rihannsu officers are from Rhei'llhne, and notably, the house of v'Llenvlok. The young house activates as one of the long militaristic arms into the galaxy. From an early age, young ones are taught the basics of battle. The house obeys the orders of the daise'Fvillha to the letter, and the planet itself is a staging base for many operations. They have a proud outlook, and believe that all that is, and ever will be, should be Rihannsu!!
Symbol :
Standing : Lesser House
Voting Power : 6,6
Members of House v'krios : Tau'krha
The noble house of v'krios has reigned with distinction for the past 200 years. Although a younger house when compared to those of longer history, the house v'krios is still heard throughout the halls of the senate. Two hundred years ago, a senator named Talvic appeared on the floors of the senate, adopted into a small, unknown house. His skills as a senator and advisor went unmatched, and thus began the history of the house v'krios. While it started with an ancestor known for his diplomacy, the house v'krios has a noble history in the navy as well. Many of Talvic's sucessors were top pilots and tactical advisors, some of which fought the war against the Federation in the 23rd century. After Talvic's life, the house v'krios took its rightful place as a noble house of ch'Havran because, as the name of the planet states, many of Talvic's sucessors took their place among the stars as "travelers," some even leading scientific missions to the edge of the known galaxy. With a short and bright history, the house v'krios shows much promise as a powerful house yielding talented nobility.
Symbol : Hourglass
Standing : Lesser House
Voting Power : 2,2
Members of House v'Lenkow : t’Kolta, Hda'kal
House v’Lenkow is established upon ch’Rihan, it is an old House and have always been present in the Senate since the departure of the Ruling Queen. Members of this House normally takes assignments inside the following departments: The Diplomatic Administration, The Science Administration and the Merchant Administration. It is highly unlikely to see members of this House do service in the Galae, as they try to cut down the fundings to the Galae. The House’s Head has been know to openly debate the daise’Fvillha’s competence as a fit ruler, as they have tried to shaken the High Senates power more then once. The only reason why this House have survived so long in the Romulan game of power struggle, is because they have always been able to make alliance with other House’s or been able to play the other House’s out against each other. They think that they are the only fit rulers of the Romulan Star Empire and have therefor adopted the symbol of an hourglass, this should symbolise that with time everything is going to perish, or translated into House v'Lenkow's meaning : that as a lesser house it will take time to grow strong, and with time the house will engulf everything and control the other Houses, and by that, the Romulan Star Empire.
The goal for House v’Lenkow are somewhat diverse, but if it all adds up, the goal is to diminutives the Galae. Because they think that the Romulan Star Empire will not, cannot, continue with a military force that use around 50 % of all the Governments income in the Rihannsu Star Empire, in one way or the other. They are openly agitating for peace with the United Federation of Planets and a demilitarising of the boarders to the Neutral Zone. They try straightforwardly to minimise the funding to the Galae, as they assume that the time of a major military force is belonging to the past. They also see the Dominion as the major enemy to the Alpha and Beta Quadrant, and the Borgs as the next biggest enemy, not the United Federation of Planets or the Klingon Empire. They are also openly speaking of a truce in the Vulcan problem, as they believe that the Romulan Star Empire should make stronger bounds with its sister race.
This page is the official Romulan Star Empire's Homepage on Ultima Trek MUSH
