House Silverberg

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Head of House: Katrana Silverberg

How did the family rise to nobility?

The Silverberg family was a family of silver miners many centuries ago. They eventually grew to be overseers, then owners of a mine. After gaining enough wealth, they bought into more mines in a rich part of the northern mountains of Stormwind, where it was near Dun Morogh temperatures. They gained the name Silverberg this way, naturally, and eventually, through their clever words as the owners of several silver mines, exchanged a deal with the crown of Stormwind. Their silver would flow through Stormwind to be stamped out into the crown's official coinage, and in exchange, the family would be named a noble one. The original region Katrana's ancestors had mined for silver is now long dry of the precious metal, but the Silverberg family has always steadily expanded into other regions with new mines.

How does the family sustain its wealth?

Being that silver mining and eventual coinage is their chief trade, the Silverberg family survives off of the 'tax' (though not the proper word) that the crown allows the family for their supplied silver ores. The northern mountains of Stormwind, bordering the Burning Steppes, have given them a continuous flow of silver ores that has kept their agreement with the crown running since the day it was signed by Katrana's ancestors. However, if needed, the other metals mined with the silver are also used in trade to get helpful wealth to the house.

What sort of assets does the family have?

The Silverberg family owns several silver mines in the northern mountains of Stormwind that also produce any other metals mined up alongside the silver, though silver is the chief product. Alongside that is one large lumber mill that harvests the northern pines and spruces and then delivers them alongside the silver mine caravans to Elwynn. The family also owns two small farms and an orchard in the south of Elwynn, along the shores of the river. The Silverberg family does not technically own the regions surrounding their mines, but since they mine silver for the crown, that is some insurance to insure most noble houses do not intrude in their mining territories. Silverberg Manor itself is a moderately sized estate located within Stormwind City proper, near Old Town. House Silverberg boasts a private guard force of one hundred and fifty men, though an entire hundred of those spend their careers guarding the caravans, mines, and lumber yard in the north. The other fifty, save ten, guard the manor itself and the Silverberg warehouses. The final ten are Katrana's personal guards. While currently attempting to raise a personal militia, a Silverberg miliita does not exist outside the guards that are assigned to guard the mines, caravans, and lumber yard. The House also has enough hired staff to, naturally, manage these mines, the lumber yard, the farms, and orchard, as well as tend to the manor itself.

What is the family known for?

The Silverberg family is known for their silver mines, and the fact that a good chunk of the crown's silver coins are made from ores produced from Silverberg mines. Aside from that, the past patriarchs of House Silverberg have been known as admirable and honorable knights who will gladly ride alongside the forces of the Kingdom of Stormwind if need arises.

How old is the family?

The family itself is centuries old, at least a millenia or two. The family has only been nobility for four hundred of those years, however.

What can be obtained by creating a new family over joining one already in existence?

While this house existed prior to application (much prior), the house has a certain smell to it, as a polite noblewoman who leads it is wrapped in a world of eternal espionage as the last legitimate person to run the house is surrounded by rivals trying to seek her wealth and land as well as potentially try to trick her into making unwise agreements. This makes a fun setting for any particularly rogue-ish or sellswords-y types that want some action in the noble field.

Is the family open for members to join?

For direct family of Katrana such as father, mother, brother, sister, cousins, uncles, aunts, and such... Well, one can read her profile to see why not. But I would possibly entertain the notion of second or third cousins in different parts of Stormwind, if people really wanted to join as family. Feel free to contact me via pm or skype.