House Vanzek
is the current royal house of the . Its head is King Vanzek. It's symbol is an orange shield, divided by a black X, with a white stag atop it.
History
House Vanzek has been present in for centuries, though it didn't come to particular prominence until the mid-300s, as it grew in size and consolidated land through canny purchases from other minor nobility. It has never been the strongest or wealthiest house, but a few monarchs have come from it. The Commonwealth of Hana and , and the previous Realm of Hana, has operated an elective monarchy for hundreds of years. Technically, anybody is eligible to be elected monarch - on two occasions, a foreign noble has been brought in to the position as a compromise between houses of Hana.
Both the current king, Victor, and his mother, the late Queen Aldona, are Vanzeks. Aldona was elected primarily due to her remarkable political acumen and ability as a diplomat, putting herself forward as a candidate who promised steady rulership, even with the presence of stronger houses. She reigned from 611 until 627. Her sister was swift to present Victor with a promise of more of the same. Some were sceptical of having House Vanzek reign for too long, but the intervention of Grand Duchess of Lonin, a close friend of Victor, and of , the house of origin of his wife, Agata, saw his position cemented.
House Vanzek's own land is in eastern Hana, strung out along the River Prosna, with the eastern portions being on the border with . Its history is characterised by frequent minor conflicts with the tribes of the Waste, particularly ogre and hobgoblin clans. It sometimes cooperates with the to the south. When the went into exile from over a century ago, some came to settle in the Prosna Valley, though nothing like the numbers that arrived to Wayguard, the home of House Karalis, or that dispersed across Dyria as a whole.
Holdings
House Vanzek holds the capital of Hana, Zolev. Zolev is not owned by any noble, but rather is controlled by whoever the current ruler of the Commonwealth is. Zolev is a modest and unremarkable town on the banks of the River Tria. Zolev is seat of the Commonwealth's noble parliament which meets for a week each summer. This coincides with a two-week long summer fair in Zolev, when merchants from around the Commonwealth converge - fees from the fair are the source of much of the town's limited revenue.
House Vanzek's own land is in eastern Hana around the River Prosna, which flows from the distant Worldspine, through the Red Waste, and then veers northward through Hana to eventually join the Whitewater in Lonin. It makes its home in the the castle of Pulaw near the eastern frontier.
Current Events
House Vanzek itself is in a stable position and its core concern is the Commonwealth as a whole. Incidents in , north of Lonin, are becoming more and more frequent. The Red Waste is a constant but not particularly pressing concern for House Vanzek. It is used to the minor conflicts with raiding tribes there and tends to take any outbreak of violence in its stride. The departure of a number of dwarven expeditions from neighbouring Dyria, bound for the Worldspine, has been a source of some curiosity. Elsewhere in the empire, particularly along the borders of the and the , war threatens, and some in have already started to ask if the Commonwealth's experienced warriors will be able to march south.