The Seven Families are the foundational pillars of Neo-Europa's power structure. Each one evolved from a medieval noble house in Brussels and has since transformed into a hypermodern megacorporation, blending aristocratic tradition with technological control. Together, they rule the city through the Council of Nobles.
Governance
Each Family holds one seat in the Council of Nobles. Within each house, power is further divided into:
The Noble — the head of the Family and its voice on the Council.
The Banner — the public-facing representative, sworn to chivalry, honor, and visibility.
The Dagger — the covert operative, working in the shadows to ensure the Family's will is carried out.
The Families
Serhugh Group
Noble: Julia Clutine (public face; her father Orelian Clutine remains in the shadows)
Banner: Walter Berthout, nicknamed "Dragonbeard"
Dagger: Salvatore Mendez, former assassin and Julia's secret lover
Serhugh Group dominates Neo-Europa’s skyline. They construct towers, transit arcs, and the city’s spaceport, the Serhugh Ascension Terminal. Their aesthetic is one of steel, glass, and monumental power.
Codenberg Corp
Noble: Quinty Codenberg (90% machine, possibly over a century old)
Banner: Hendrik Estor, named after a medieval knight, embodiment of chivalry
Dagger: John Weinvlit, brutal, brilliant, and the polar opposite of Hendrik
Specialists in cyber-medical technology, brain implants, and neural interfaces. Codenberg is feared and respected for controlling the line between human and machine.
Sleus Dynatek
Noble: Severus Sleus (aged, cunning, but no longer publicly active)
Banner: Pierre Papillon (also performs Dagger duties)
Dagger: Pierre Papillon (officially holds both titles due to Severus’ paranoia)
Operators of Neo-Europa’s digital backbone. They manage the network, communications grid, and infrastructure-level data flows.
Swert Systems
Noble: Arata Swert (introverted, spiritual, poet of encryption)
Banner: Sota Tanaka, a 15th-century-style samurai with katana and wakizashi
Dagger: Chiyo Matsumoto, small, brilliant, kind, and deadly with a ninjatō
Neo-Europa’s firewall. Swert Systems guards Cypherspace, Veil infrastructure, and data purity. They style themselves as digital samurai.
Stenweg Cyber
Noble: Ray Stenweg (hedonist, philosopher of sensation, Dionysian mystic)
Banner: Phillips Hardenberg, charming, theatrical
Dagger: Jonas Hardenberg, his brother, quiet, ruthless, and an expert in clean-ups
They control entertainment, VR, and immersive escapism. Their scandal-prone empire centers on the Glimmeredge district.
Serolov Conglomerate
Noble: Oleg Serolov (brutalist philosopher, efficient and feared)
Banner: John de Graaff, terse and stoic
Dagger: Henri Capet, loudmouthed and effective
Serolov builds roads, cities, and megastructures. Their reputation includes whispers of bodies beneath the concrete.
Rodenbex Industries
Noble: Gérard Rodenbex (warm in public, secretive and manipulative in private)
Banner: Rashid Rodenbex-Darwish, stoic, thoughtful, quotes Marcus Aurelius
Dagger: Sahira Rodenbex, Gérard's daughter, graceful, lethal, always watching
They run Neo-Europa’s hotel and information networks. Their intelligence operations are embedded in every guest check-in.
Legacy
The Seven Families are more than corporate giants. They are bloodlines, ideologies, and gods of influence. Through their Banners and Daggers, they maintain a grip on every facet of life in Neo-Europa—from memory, myth, and machine to silence, scandal, and spectacle.
Allegiances Among the Seven Families
| Family | Serhugh | Codenberg | Sleus | Swert | Stenweg | Serolov | Rodenbex |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Serhugh | — | 🤝 | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚔️ | 🤝 |
| Codenberg | 🤝 | — | ⚫ | 🤝 | ⚔️ | ⚫ | ⚫ |
| Sleus | ⚫ | ⚫ | — | 🤝 | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚫ |
| Swert | ⚫ | 🤝 | 🤝 | — | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚫ |
| Stenweg | ⚫ | ⚔️ | ⚫ | ⚫ | — | ⚫ | 🤝 |
| Serolov | ⚔️ | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚫ | — | ⚫ |
| Rodenbex | 🤝 | ⚫ | ⚫ | ⚫ | 🤝 | ⚫ | — |
Notes
- Serhugh + Rodenbex maintain a soft alliance via shared infrastructure and legacy mutual respect.
- Codenberg + Swert coordinate on security and cyber-medical boundaries.
- Serhugh + Serolov frequently clash over territorial and architectural doctrine.
- Codenberg + Stenweg are ideologically incompatible: discipline vs indulgence.
- Swert + Sleus collaborate closely on network protection.
- Stenweg + Rodenbex share a mutual love of social influence and spectacle.