In the spirit of my other thread, I've decided to write some brief stuff in order to flesh out New Virginia of S.M. Stirling's Conquistador. Hope there's interest!
The Twenty-Three: An informal designation naming the 23 most influential families of immigrants outside of the Thirty Families and their collaterals. The Twenty-Three is only named by number, so as to not take on to pretensions of being equal to the Central Committee of the Gate Control Commission families. Among them include the more wealthy or powerful of immigrant clans that played second fiddle to the families that were inducted to the Committee, the leading families from the lesser-known immigrant waves, or families who for some reason or another (probably because of blood politics) were unable to rise to the highest of statuses. These 23 are not allied, per se, nor do they form any formal organization despite perpetual rumors that they will. They are recognized for their prominence, however.
Tabatabai
Holdings: San Ramon Valley
Motto: "Be a lion at home and a fox abroad."
Sigil: The Derafsh-e-Kaviani surrounded by a cluster of wheat
History: This family is notable for being the only in all of New Virginia to be Muslim, albeit very nominally. Javeed Reza Tabatabai, the canny patriarch, fled Iran with his family in 1978 ahead of the coming revolution. The former enterpreneur brought with him the clothes on his back, several SAVAK toughs who happened to be distantly related, three cargo carriers, and as much of the in-country assets from his Saghar National Bank as he could siphon. Though his destination was originally to be France, or perhaps the United States, he was contacted by Sol Pearlmutter through his Persian Jew cousin, Ebrahim Sohuli. The Sohulis would later emigrate to New Virginia as associates- the 23 analogue to collaterals- of the Tabatabai family.
Though the Persian family was vaguely mistrusted for their religion, Javeed's main faith is Mammon, and his second was in the White Revolution. Realizing that his beloved Pahlavi Iran was gone, he decided to disappear himself and his family rather than live in a world where Tehran would be lorded over by clerics. Not wanting to be merely a big fish in the little pool of exile politics, he accepted Pearlmutter's offer of resettlement in NV and ability to continue to influence events on Firstside through indirect means (of course, like all non-Committee members, the Tabatabai are forbidden from ever returning), in exchange for his considerable resources as a once co-owner of one of Iran's shipping companies, as well as head of a private bank. A false assassination blew up one of the company jets- Javeed was too paranoid about revolutionary reprisal for his SAVAK ties to continue living openly in Firstside, anyways- and his family settled snugly within the Pearlmutter domains.
The Tabatabai do not leave their holdings very often, being clients of the Pearlmutter and seen with some degree of suspicion by some parties in New Virginia. However, their extravagant lifestyles, family history, and loads of money are enough to convince others of their impiety towards Allah. They have much involvement in New Brooklyn, financing much of the nascent naval trade and development. In general the Tabatabai are known for a love of luxury sportscars and for insisting they are "the Aryan of Aryans" of New Virginia, a boast that amuses most rather than irritates (other than for the von Traupitz).
ooc: if enough people actually read and comment on this I'll write down a few of my other ideas. Please read and comment. Please.
The Twenty-Three: An informal designation naming the 23 most influential families of immigrants outside of the Thirty Families and their collaterals. The Twenty-Three is only named by number, so as to not take on to pretensions of being equal to the Central Committee of the Gate Control Commission families. Among them include the more wealthy or powerful of immigrant clans that played second fiddle to the families that were inducted to the Committee, the leading families from the lesser-known immigrant waves, or families who for some reason or another (probably because of blood politics) were unable to rise to the highest of statuses. These 23 are not allied, per se, nor do they form any formal organization despite perpetual rumors that they will. They are recognized for their prominence, however.
Tabatabai
Holdings: San Ramon Valley
Motto: "Be a lion at home and a fox abroad."
Sigil: The Derafsh-e-Kaviani surrounded by a cluster of wheat
History: This family is notable for being the only in all of New Virginia to be Muslim, albeit very nominally. Javeed Reza Tabatabai, the canny patriarch, fled Iran with his family in 1978 ahead of the coming revolution. The former enterpreneur brought with him the clothes on his back, several SAVAK toughs who happened to be distantly related, three cargo carriers, and as much of the in-country assets from his Saghar National Bank as he could siphon. Though his destination was originally to be France, or perhaps the United States, he was contacted by Sol Pearlmutter through his Persian Jew cousin, Ebrahim Sohuli. The Sohulis would later emigrate to New Virginia as associates- the 23 analogue to collaterals- of the Tabatabai family.
Though the Persian family was vaguely mistrusted for their religion, Javeed's main faith is Mammon, and his second was in the White Revolution. Realizing that his beloved Pahlavi Iran was gone, he decided to disappear himself and his family rather than live in a world where Tehran would be lorded over by clerics. Not wanting to be merely a big fish in the little pool of exile politics, he accepted Pearlmutter's offer of resettlement in NV and ability to continue to influence events on Firstside through indirect means (of course, like all non-Committee members, the Tabatabai are forbidden from ever returning), in exchange for his considerable resources as a once co-owner of one of Iran's shipping companies, as well as head of a private bank. A false assassination blew up one of the company jets- Javeed was too paranoid about revolutionary reprisal for his SAVAK ties to continue living openly in Firstside, anyways- and his family settled snugly within the Pearlmutter domains.
The Tabatabai do not leave their holdings very often, being clients of the Pearlmutter and seen with some degree of suspicion by some parties in New Virginia. However, their extravagant lifestyles, family history, and loads of money are enough to convince others of their impiety towards Allah. They have much involvement in New Brooklyn, financing much of the nascent naval trade and development. In general the Tabatabai are known for a love of luxury sportscars and for insisting they are "the Aryan of Aryans" of New Virginia, a boast that amuses most rather than irritates (other than for the von Traupitz).
ooc: if enough people actually read and comment on this I'll write down a few of my other ideas. Please read and comment. Please.
