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The basic outline of the setting is sort of pseudo Italy transferred to an island. The island is not a nation but it has six (6) competing city states. I decided to set my adventure to one of those city states called Ralorna.
Ralorna is a port city and a commercial powerhouse a bit like Venice. I am not yet sure if canals are predominant feature of Ralorna or not. The city is ruled by 7 major noble houses that elect a duke to act as the supreme ruler for a term of 4 years with possibility of unlimited re-election.
As a general idea I wanted to use some sort of rivalry between two noble houses as a catalyst and generator for things to happen in the game. Here are the best candidates.
I have decided to have firearms in this game but I suppose it doesn't affect the general ideas for adventures.
House 1. Manordo
House Manordo is the oldest surviving noble family in Ralorna and it can trace it's roots all the way back to founding of the city. The house is in the decline due to almost complete wreck of their (merchant) fleet and the death of the heir. Fortunately the head of the house is still in condition to act and his son had two children before his death. Children are a 20 year old daughter and a 16 year old son. The 60 year old patriarch of the house sent away his son's widow as they never got along. The widow still has too much influence over her children for the patriarch's liking.
The daughter is planned to be married to a better off family and the son is groomed to be a new heir. Still, the children are just pawns in the game between the patriarch and the widow.
House 2. Tramora
House Tramora is the newest noble house being originally a merchant family but got to a noble status by marrying to an old noble family that withered away. Tramora is rich but has some nasty rumors about their dealings (of which some are true). Their influence is comparatively low but the drive for significance is great.
House Tramora has a young son as a heir. They might want to marry him and the daughter of house Manordo when he comes of age and then get rid of the heir to house Manordo. But that is still some years to future.
House 3. Lorano
House Lorano doesn't own a fleet but they have money and make more of it by loaning it. In a sense they are bankers. At the moment they just run their business without immediate threat to their future.
The family has a heir a some spare sons but also daughters that house Manordo would like to get their heir to marry to.