The noble line of House Marcello can be traced back centuries, to a time long before House Darius and the Church of Mitra came to dominance over the realm of Talingarde. For much of that time, the family was known for producing wise and capable bureaucrats and advisers, passing down a tradition of faithful service that helped guide countless businesses and courtly ventures to success and prosperity. Eventually, the family found favor with the kings of House Barca, precipitating a sharp rise in their wealth and influence within the realm. Within a few generations, House Marcello was one of House Barca's most invaluable allies and one of the most powerful noble families in the kingdom.
It was inevitable, then, that the collapse of the Barcan monarchy at the hands of Markadian I would set in motion the decline of House Marcello as well.
The following decades were difficult for the Marcello line, as it lost much of what had built up under the reign of the fallen dynasty. Though they retained their noble rank, the house had been marginalized by the new king and his allies, with many of their most promising members killed in the war and following chaos. Furthermore, the hegemony granted to the Church of Mitra over all other faiths
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There was a time when Sozia thought she was normal. That the beautiful clothes and porcelain dolls her parents bought for her cost well beyond the means of the common folk did not occur to her, nor did the status of the peerage with which they mingled. She was taught the standard courtesies, instructed on how to behave when
