Households of Mt. Komorebi: Rapfelder Family (+ Nobility of Snorthia)

(Year 230, Summer) I decided to write more about the many households of my game, including some details on cultural and historical aspects. I like to share, and it might also help me sorting out further paths and needed inspiration for my own game.

2nd protected family of Simerinia:

Rapfelder Family

Protector of the Fish, Protected by the Orchid, Element Water (especially rain).

Another highly ranked Mt. Komorebi family is the Rapfelder Family, 2nd protected family of Simerinia, but since 3 generations situated at Wakaba in Mt. Komorebi. Saying that the relation between the Sloth Family and the Rapfelder Family is tense, would be an understatement. The former Emperor Ludvort hated the former Rapfelder head, Koshaku Bazar of Minges, because the latter turned the Onsen lot into a public bathhouse - right on the doorstep of the Sloth Palace. Both Ludvort and Bazar's fathers had been close friends, and Sonor Rapfelder, the 1st Koshaku of Minges, had been gifted the lot for residential purposes.

Moor Rapfelder (56), Koshaku of Minges with wife, Princess Tuna (67).

Perhaps this event is the main reason why Snorthia has no more nobility peerages?

The Nobility of Snorthia

The only true nobility of the entire empire are the Emperor himself and the Koshaku of Minges (still held by the Rapfelder Family). Previously there was also the Senbamachi barony which went extinct due to lack of heirs after just one generation. Neither Simerinia nor Jacothia have nobility, Jacothia has a group of Priests but they have no imperial rights.

Some might say Snorthia's old Daimyo system might qualify as nobility, but they are elected and although they are lifetime titles their investiture must be approved by the Emperor. More about the Daimyo system in the forthcoming Nishidake Family post.

Instead of the typical nobility, Snorthia has a system of ranked classes, called the Kurai. The 3 classes are ichi, ni and san. Families of all who holds a -ichi title belongs to the Kurai-ichi, all with a title ending with -ni belongs to Kurai-ni, and those with -san titles belong to Kurai-san, where we also find head of Protected Families that hold no other title. Finally, everybody else belong to the 4th class that has no name, and is seen as below the Kurai.

All sons of the Emperor are Princi-ichi. All sons of any Princi-ichi are Princi-ni. And sons of a Princi-ni is Princi-san. The 3 Daimyos are Daimyo-ichi (the Imperial Council leader), Daimyo-ni and Daimyo-san.

In addition the Koshaku of Minges automatically belongs to Kurai-ichi, and his first son to Kurai-ni.

Females do not belong to any of these 3 classes, the only exceptions are the Empress Consort and the Emperor's Concubine-ichi - after giving the Emperor a Princi-ichi. In fact, the Concubine who gave birth to a Princi-ichi will rank higher than the Empress who did not give birth to a Princi-ichi. It sort of reflects the value of having sons.

So, knowing that Moor Rapfelder, Koshaku of Minges (with Mazaloom nobles the Koshaku equals to Marquis, between dukes and counts) is currently the only person with a valuable peerage, let's move on to his family.

Estate

Moor Rapfelder, Koshaku of Minges resides in Minges House located at Wakaba in Mt. Komorebi.

Originally Moor's grandfather came from Simerinia, and with the peerage he got the Onsen lot at Yukimatsu. The 1st Koshaku then had a house built there. But then the 2nd Koshaku moved down to Sembamachi as the Onsen became a public bathhouse in Year 165. The Emperor got furious, and the conflict escalated when Koshaku Bazar managed to grab one of the Wakaba lots that the Emperor had donated to his 2nd son, Myotashi (Sloth) Ito Princi-ichi. That's where the Rapfelders reside today.

Koshaku Moor in front of Minges House at Wakaba.

Bazar built today's Minges House. Today Moor Rapfelder lives there with his wife, Princess Tuna of Sea.

Current household

Moor Rapfelder and Princess Tuna have no children, as the princess turned out to be infertile. We can only imagine the grin on Emperor's face when the rumor spread. With no legit heir the Koshaku peerage will go extinct. The current Emperor who is actually married to Moor's sister, Lea, has made it clear more than once that he married Lea and not the Rapfelder Family.

Moor has no plans of mending his bad relation to the Emperor, not beyond the requireded time they spend on community matters as Moor was elected for the Imperial Council (Daimyo-san) 22 years ago. His late father reached Daimyo-ichi (council leader) back in his days, despite the ongoing conflict. That must have been much tougher. Moor might be interested of old heirlooms, but he is clearly voicing that the community is in need of modernizing. He would like to enter the circles of nobility of Mazaloom, but thanks to an ongoing national conflict between Snorthia and Mazaloom it has been wiser to stay home.

The Rapfelder family is Protector of Fish, and Moor's father, late Bazar, established a big fishing pond in their garden. Moor is looking for more excitement than regular fishing though. In his younger yeas he dived in risky waters of Sulani (kingdom of Sea), and that was how he met his wife, Princess Tuna. He still owns the Onsen Bathhouse, and he goes there often to enjoy the Wellness treatments after a round of Snowboarding.

Princess Tuna, who's civil name is Tuna (Oceanus) Rapfelder, is of the Jealous sort. The fact that she can not give her husband a son, makes her look over her shoulder. He might be looking for another and younger woman, or even worse - he might want to see her dead? Moor is too proper to suggest a divorce, but murder...? Tuna loves collecting stuff, and it was her idea to mount fish for display in heir rather spacious home. They can even use the empty nursery and spare bedrooms... She often goes down to the waterfalls for a swim, but waters are so much better home in Sulani, Kingdom of Sea.

Rapfelder Family's family tree.

Animals, Crops, Pets

No animals or major crops in this household. They have a cherry tree orchard, and the pond with fish, but nothing that requires their attention on a daily basis.

Perhaps a cat would make them think less on the lack of children?