Cales al Avandy was born in the year 351 PO into the very traditional family of a Qitlan caravan trader. A younger son of a younger son, he was frustrated for many years as his better-than-average trading skills were usually ignored in a culture where the power to make important decisions was firmly held in the hands of the elders, and passed down strictly into the waiting hands of the first born sons of respective clans. By the age of 25, he sensed that he would never reach any level of responsibility in the "family business", simply due to an accident of birth order.

It was at this point that he accepted the invitation to join the crew of a trading vessel about to embark on a perilous voyage. The adventure appealed strongly to a lad who had, until this time, led a rather sheltered existence in the deserts of northern Felinio. The danger was real, and the young feline nearly lost his life on numerous occasions during the four-year voyage, which successfully returned and resulted in an unbelievably high profit for all concerned. But he learned how to overcome the dangers of the sea and human stupidity. History has not recorded the exact circumstances of the voyage, nor its destinations, but the records indicate that Cales, sailing as a seaman/trader, returned to Port Haliv as a ship's officer, and full partner in the venture. History also records that all but one of the original officers on the ship failed to return alive!

Cales had no intent to return to the desert . the sea was now in his blood. Without even so much as a short return to his family home, he used part of the proceeds he earned to buy his way into partnership with two other traders in a well-worn, but seaworthy ship, and entered the lucrative coastal trade. Within a few years, his innate business sense had led to above-average profits, the purchase of two additional ships, and trade routes that covered many ports in the northern areas of the Felinian continent. He had also joined with the senior partner, Indil al Katar, and bought out the shares of their third partner, who wished to pursue riskier global trade.

At the age of 29, Cales married the eldest daughter and heir of his partner. Naria was an adventuresome young lady who sailed with her father, and took an equal hand in the work of the ship. Upon the death of his partner and now father-in- law, Cales found himself in complete control of 7 ships, and a company with a reputation throughout Felinio for dependability and honesty. He had grown to be a canny, if somewhat heavy-handed trader, who seemed to be in a position to obtain whatever it was that a customer demanded, as long as they were willing to pay the price. His skill at satisfying the needs of important families and governments also ensured that his cargoes were seldom examined closely for unusual, perhaps questionable goods.

Neither Cales nor Naria had any intention to settle down and chain themselves to a desk from which they could run their growing empire. They employed others to do administrative tasks, along with hiring many sailors, mostly from among Cales' many cousins. It gave him no end of pleasure to provide jobs for some of the same "older sons" who denied him a chance to succeed in his family trade. Over the years, Cales and Naria had a family of 7 daughters, all born aboard ship, and all thoroughly grounded in the basics of Drakian commerce, something that was not at all usual in the traditions under which the family had to live. In order to do business with virtually all male customers, it was convenient and good business to disguise the power that was evolving into the hands of the seven daughters of Cales, behind a facade of male traders.

CHATON ISLAND

Until 402, the company maintained its headquarters in Port Haliv. With the increasing number of skirmishes occurring around the continent, including Port Haliv, and what was beginning to foretell the ultimate breakup of the Empire, Cales decided that he did not wish to depend too completely on the benevolence of a totally independent Qitlan government. He had been quietly negotiating with the government in Paaz to purchase the rights to Chaton, a large island located about 400 miles off the coast, midway between Felinio and Gaiavio. The Central Ocean Islands were populated primarily by the descendants of a small group of felines who emigrated from northern Felinio some 1200 years before. They had been organized into an island nation under the dominance of the Empire, then later Qitlan. Always relatively poor, they were greatly in need of development, and the sale of the Island was seen by the Paaz government as a convenient way to ensure a more active role in the commercial affairs of the continent. Within the year, Cales had moved his headquarters to Chaton, and had begun to build what would become an important port facility on that island's beautiful, sheltered harbor.

Today, Chaton has become rather self-sufficient, able to raise much of its own food, and, of course, able to depend on a continuing supply of trade goods. The island is primarily a business and trading center, approximately 400 miles long by 200 miles wide, and of a lush, semi-tropical, somewhat hilly environment. The population is a combination of company employees and their families who have come over from the Felinian continent (about 40%); the native feline inhabitants (about 50%); and a mixture of people (about 10%) from many places, all known races, including a small number from the various nations of Gaiavio. Most of these "others" have come because of trading interests, and many are employed by the company, or by other trading companies that maintain offices on the Island. Many of the native felines are also employed by the company locally, or have family members who have been trained as sailors, and who work on the company's ships. There is also a substantial community of retired company officials and sailors who choose to live here. The Island has an outstanding sheltered harbor, and the company maintains a sailors training school, a major ships' provisioning center, and a large commercial trading bazaar at the harbor where unusual goods are offered at lower than average prices. The total population of the Island is about 5,000 people.

Administrative management of the Island is under the immediate control of the company, which has a general political philosophy of neutrality and cooperation with all governments. Allegiance is to Qitlan who maintain a relatively small but influential presence on the Island in the person of Aboud al Drogas, his family and staff. He is an elderly, scholarly human, who has been involved with the Sepdomoj trading affairs for many years. He is married to a woman from a noble family of the Empire, and who has close family ties to high figures in the Empire government. He is looked upon as the Governor-General of the Island, and as such is the official representative of Qitlan and its leaders. The Empire also has a presence in the person of Captain Guidwin Graywolf, a young, dynamic Naval officer who handles all affairs for the Navy and the Empire on Chaton, and, incidentally, is the toast of Chaton society. Many of the Empire's naval ships call at the port, mostly to take advantage of the trading bazaar and the provisioning facilities. The Empire and Qitlan navies also recruit sailors from the school and the population.

Religiously, the Island is a combination of the Razdalian religion most common among the native Island population, and the Lumegism that has roots in all the population groups. There are also smaller communities dedicated to Mithras and Caria.

THE SEPDOMOJ MERCHANTCY & SHIPS

Apart from their headquarters, the Sepdomoj maintain nearly autonomous offices, known as the Sepdomoj Merchantcy, in most of the large port cities throughout the Felinian continent. These offices are under the control of members of the Sepdomoj family, but have many high-level employees from the local area. While the ultimate authority within the company rests with the Konsilo which is located on Chaton, communications are such that virtually all decisions are made locally. The Merchantcy offices are primarily responsible for orders, sales, and obtaining trade goods from the areas in which they are located.

Ships are considered to be assets of the company, and are generally under the ownership of a particular house (domo), or sometimes of a particular member of that house. The captains of the ships owe their allegiance to the Sepdomoj and the house or individual that owns the ship, and not to the Merchantcy offices, with whom they negotiate for provisions, cargo, and sales. Ship's Captains are usually Sepdomoj family members, but can be trusted Sepdomoj employees of virtually all races, and persons from all parts of Drak. Needless to say, ships captains are highly autonomous, and very protective of that!

ORIGIN OF THE SEVEN HOUSES

By 425, and because his daughters and a few husbands had begun to make their own personal marks on the world of trade, Cales began to consider how he could best provide opportunities for his daughters while still preserving the capital the family had amassed, which was substantial. The family as a group decided that the family empire needed to remain intact, simply because it worked well. Yet, each wanted a share to experiment with, a way to try their own ideas, which were becoming more and more diverse as the young ladies were of widely differing personalities.

The idea of the "seven houses" came about because of the nicknames that his two eldest daughters had had since childhood. The eldest, Mithrania, a pure white feline of somewhat large proportions, was known as "Nego" (NAY' JO), the word for "Snow" in the "Language of the Ancients", which the children had learned from their grandfather, and used through their childhood as a "secret language". Her next younger sister, Thanceline, who was as purely black as her sister was white, and whose proportions were decidedly more pleasing to the eye of her many suitors, was known as "Korako", or "Raven".

Using that same idea, and the same ancient tongue, the third daughter, Gwyndryth, who had always been the most enthusiastic sailor among her sisters, took the name "Akvo", for "Water", and her next younger sister, Celebria, the family intellectual, would be "Folio", or "Leaf", a rather cute pun referring both to her love of the forests and her love of books. Amethine, the fifth daughter, inherited more of her father's love of money than was probably healthy, so she naturally took "Oro", or "Gold". Triciana, the 2nd youngest, on account of her temperament as well as her natural coloration, agreed to the name put upon her by her sisters, "Fajro", or "Fire". Finally, Cales' youngest and certainly most enjoyable daughter, Argenstone, whose sense of humor had always held the family together in the face of any disagreement or hardship, took the name "Tero", representing, as she said with a smirk, the solid earth upon which she would so gladly remain once freed from her responsibilities on the high seas!

Each daughter's family group decided to adopt their mother's nickname as their own family name, which would be inherited matrilinearly, passed down from mother to her children.

The symbol of Cales' company was a gray shield with a black square, representing a bale of the many (and possibly secret) trade goods the company furnished. To represent the newly established seven houses ("Sepdomoj" in the ancient language), the symbol was changed to seven squares, and the background was to vary with the colors naturally representing each of the seven clans.

Yet, even though the assets and family members would be designated as being part of one or another house, the unwavering belief that this was indeed one, strong, undivided family will live on for generations. Daughters and sons proudly wear their mother's colors for life. Unrelated spouses adopt the colors of their husband or wife, though marriage to a family member does not change that family member's colors. Employees of the company who have no relationship to the family wear the seven-square crest with the original gray background, which remains the company logo.

SUCCEEDING GENERATIONS

The clear and proud identification with the family has continued to the present day. Colors and names are truly a badge of honor for members of all the houses.

The third generation (the grandchildren of Cales and Naria) simply were known by the prename given to them at birth, and the house name. To avoid the confusing repetition of names that can occur with a limited number of surnames, it was decided by the Estrino (see below) that family members of the fourth and succeeding generations would, at the age of adulthood (18), be allowed to choose a surname reflective of their personalities, members of the family (or historical figures) they especially like or admire, expected careers, likes and dislikes, physical characteristics, or any other reason, including "just liking the sound of the name". The house name then serves as a middle name, and is generally used only when conducting family business with family members. The assumption of a descriptive name is the badge of adulthood eagerly awaited by all children, and most have grown up considering the names they will choose, changing their minds often as they mature.

The family has continued to care for its own. No member of the family, regardless of how little Cales blood flows in their veins, will ever be allowed to starve due to lack of a position. This applies, no matter how old, young, or physically disabled the person might be. There is something for them to do, if they wish to accept it. Many family members, of course, have found their own careers outside of the company, but the lifetime security of having something to fall back on is reassuring.

The company also has extended its reach, owning property and businesses in every corner of Drak. Family members of all the houses work with their cousins in all the family enterprises. First choice in all hiring is given to any family member who applies and is qualified. However, the career ladder is very much a two-way path. Family members can be and are frequently moved to positions more in keeping with their abilities, whether by their own choice, or the choice of the Konsilo (see below). This is not considered a demotion, but simply a rearrangement of family assets into a more optimal pattern. Non-family members are hired when needed skills are not available within the family, and there is no requirement that employees (or spouses, for that matter) be feline.

FAMILY AND BUSINESS LEADERSHIP

Members of each house elect several of their number, both male and female, to the "rank" of elder. This honor is based on intelligence, attitude, hard work, and to some degree, on business, negotiating and conciliation skills. While age is not a factor, it is unusual for anyone under the age of 50 to become an elder. Because of the slowness of communications between Chaton and very distant places, most elders are selected from among the family members living on Chaton, in Qitlan, and the northern part of the Empire.

In a tradition that goes back to Cales' original family, where his daughters would meet to make important common decisions for the family, the female elders of each house elect from among their number a house leader who sits on the Estrino, the supreme governing body of the family.

Also going back to the first days, where the men of the family needed to be the visible leadership in many business ventures, the male elders of each house elect from among their number a house leader who sits on the Konsilo, the "Board of Directors" for the family's commercial interests. Decisions on placement and employment of family and non-family members, acquisition of new businesses, and normal executive business decisions are the purview of the Konsilo.

The term of office for both the Estrino and the Konsilo is indeterminate. Members serve at the pleasure of the elders and the serving elder. Persons serving on both boards take up residence on Chaton Island for the duration of their term, and desire to live there indefinitely has been known to limit the time these very dynamic people wish to serve. Both boards elect their chair annually, but the chair holds no special power. By tradition, the Folioj member on both bodies serves as scribe and archivist.

Decisions by the Konsilo, if challenged, can be overridden by a 6-1 or unanimous vote by the Estrino. While this almost never happens, it is intended to represent the philosophy that what is good for the family is more important than what is good for the business.

Two particular situations are the sole responsibility of the Estrino, that of banning and outside adoption.

There are a number of offenses for which a family member may be permanently banned from the family. The two most common are the intentional killing of another family member, or an established pattern of evil or unethical behavior toward other members of the family. While unethical behavior toward the outside world is grounds for losing a position, and even for being unofficially shunned by other family members, banning is considered too serious a punishment.

A person who is banned loses permanently the right to wear the colors or use the name of the family or house. They cannot be employed by any company owned by the Sepdomoj, and if a company for which they work is acquired by the Sepdomoj, they will be immediately dismissed. There is no appeal. A banned family member seen wearing the crest of the family or the logo of the company is likely to be executed summarily by any family member who has the opportunity.

In order for a family member to be banned, the Estrino will hold a formal hearing, to which the accused will be invited, but that can occur even if the person chooses not to appear. The vote for banning must either be unanimous, or 6-1 where the dissenting vote is that of the councilor representing the accused's own house. There is no appeal. The effects of banning only apply to the individual, and in no way affect their spouse, children, or other relatives.

Adoption of family members, of any house, is not only without restriction, it is considered a duty. Such adoptees do not relinquish their family colors, retaining the colors of their natural mother.

Outside adoption, however, is another situation reserved completely to the Estrino. It is uncommon, yet happens occasionally, that a Sepdomoj family wishes to adopt a person from outside the family. This has most often happened when a non-family employee has been killed or died while employed by the family, and there are orphaned dependents, including disabled or elderly adults. Such an adoption must have a minimum of a 6-1 Estrino vote where the dissenting vote cannot be that of the representative of the clan in question. Adoption is not limited to felines. Adopted persons are considered blood relatives and members of their adopted mother's house, or, in the case of a family member married to a non-family member, the house of the family member. This rule has also been used to "adopt" non-family spouses (who take the family of their spouse), in circumstances where that person has contributed a great deal to the well-being of the family over an extended period, and most often is applied to elderly persons, often after their spouse has died.

THE SEPDOMOJ ESTRINO & KONSILO MEMBERS