History of House Fulvina

Origins

The Fulvina family draws his origins from ancient past. Their name comes from the nickname "Fulvius" given by Thyatian soldiers to the progenitor of this family, a great military leader who was easily distinguished from other Kerendans by his fiery red hair. Even now, while the majority of the Fulvinas are typical Caurenzan (rather short, dark-haired and olive-skinned), some of them have red hair. The descendants of this Fulvius were named "Fulvinii", but they later adapted the name to Kerendan speech, letting it become Fulvina.

Migration to the Highlands

At the time of the great migration, Cesare Fulvina was the leader of the family and a lord in the Nicostenian colonies. Following a family tradition that would eventually stand to these days, his sisters were married to the other leaders of the migration, the Thyatian Tiberio Glantri and the Hattian Otto von Drachenfels. During the migration, Cesare Fulvina was the one who kept the alliance from falling apart. He was the one who dealt with Morphail Gorevitch-Woszlany, and who kept Tiberio Glantri from leaving the migration in opposition of the Traladaran lord. Cesare Fulvina was also the only one who could stand Giuseppe di Sfonti and put his talents to some use.

Early Years in the Highlands

In the Highlands, the Fulvinas settled in modern Verazzano. They remained one of the most important families among the colonists throughout Glantrian history. An exception to this was during the Forty Years War, when the family leader at the time, Umberto Fulvina, was already too old, and his only son who was of age, Luigi Fulvina, was not a charismatic leader at all.

However, the Fulvinas always were a very disciplined family. Among them, the first son was always trained as a warrior and a military leader, while the second became a priest or a wizard. Daughters were never considered worthy except as a tool for political marriages, which the family has always planned and used at its best.

Fulvina wizards have a singular penchant for shapechanging magic. It is said in a family legend that long before their arrival in Glantri, one of the members of the family was favored by Proteus, a shapeshifting minor Immortal, who blessed this Fulvina with the power to assume any shape he desired. However, most modern Fulvina mages do not believe this and they believe instead that their ancestor had some powerful magical item or spell. Many Fulvina mages have devoted their life to the search for this item, either by studying the family histories and heirlooms that are kept in Palazzo Fulvina in Verazzano, or even by traveling to Thyatis to explore old ruins were the Fulvinas once lived.

The Light of Rad

In AC 858, when the Light of Rad ruling decided that only wizards could become nobles, the Viscount of Verazzano was Luigi Fulvina II, a warrior and not a wizard. However, old Luigi was able to make a deal with his nephew Orlando, although Orlando was not the next on the succession line, even counting only wizards (Orlando was the son of the third brother of Luigi. Ugone, Luigi's second brother and Orlando's uncle, should have become the next Viscount.). But Orlando, using his superior polymorph magic, was able to fool the envoys of the Council into believing that Luigi had studied and learned magic during the last years. As part of the deal, Orlando was named heir, and inherited the family title when Luigi died a few years later.

From that time on, the family traditions were slightly changed. All Fulvina firstborn were now trained to be wizards, especially transmuters. This training is imparted during the early years of the children, before they enter the Great School. Most Fulvinas learn their magic from their parents or family tutors, and then go to the Great School to learn about "foreign magic". Younger sons either become mages, sometimes choosing different specialties from the family one, or they train as warriors. Most of them then become advisors for the Viscount of Verazzano, or they join the Grand Army as officers.

While this attitude keeps them from open infighting, it has also prevented the Fulvinas from improving their status, as almost none of them have ever joined one of the Secret Crafts, hindering them from gaining political allies.

Recent Years

During the last century, the Fulvina have tried to reach princely status through political marriages, especially with the di Sfonti, knowing that at some point one of the Princes will die without heirs, leaving them as the nearest relatives. Ironically, when the occasion seemed to near, Francesco di Malapietra stepped in, and the Fulvinas were forced to reconsider their projects.

Since then, the Fulvinas have behaved as loyal followers of the Princes of Caurenze, waiting for another chance.

The Noble Line of Fulvina

Cesare Fulvina b. 697 d.732

First Lord of Verazzano ?-732

Umberto Fulvina, grandson of Cesare, son of Luigi I. b. 758 d. 846

First Viscount of Verazzano 806-846

Luigi  Fulvina II, son of Umberto. b. 795 d. 861

Viscount of Verazzano 846-861

Orlando Fulvina, nephew of Luigi II. b. 831 d. 888

Viscount of Verazzano 861-888 

Ferruccio Fulvina, son of Orlando. b. 864 d. 930

Viscount of Verazzano 888-930

Lamberto Fulvina, son of Ferruccio. b. 897 d. 963

Viscount of Verazzano 930-963

Vittorio Fulvina, son of Lamberto. b. 921 d. 987

Viscount of Verazzano 963-987

Griseo Fulvina, son of Vittorio. b. 951

Viscount of Verazzano 987-

References: The Death of Lamberto Fulvina

Author: Giampaolo Agosta