The Ironclutch Family

The Ironclutch Family
The Ironclutch Family is at least as old as Ornarux. They are eccentric occultists, and Sorcerers nearly to a one. They trade in high-level artifacts, supplying wares and ritual services to the wealthy, and the profits of many low-level magical operations (cosmetics, laundry, contraceptives, repair etc) in the Ornarux region eventually filter their way up to an Ironclutch matriarch.

They claim to have once held a noble title, and territory within the Darastrixtonopara holdings, but no records of this exist. Ostensibly, different clusters of the Ironclutch family intend to maneuver their way back in, but none have made a move as of yet. Some claim that their right to rule has nothing to do with the current Queen's largess in granting nobility, and that the family predates Ornarux.

Practices
In accordance with their traditions, the Ironclutch family abides by certain procedures: The Ironclutch lineage is defined by a paradigm of unhealthy love and unbridled spite. Inheritance is granted not along genealogical lines, but rather based on the perceived value of an individual to the whole of the family name. The Iron Tome is a heavily-enchanted ledger kept in a vault in Arcaniss, under contract with the church of Akasha, never to be viewed or accessed directly; it receives Sendings with accolades (usually profit values) and sends Sendings with instructions about who should receive what. The formulae by which the Iron Tome calculates these are lost to time, and there is no agreed-upon rule for what the Tome should be told. Nevertheless, its instructions are obeyed for fear of reprisal.
 * No more than a dozen members of the Ironclutch family may live in the same Ornarux holding, and no holding may have more than a single Ironclutch matron. This prevents competition in their niche markets.
 * All Ironclutch children must be female, and twins. Male children are abandoned or forced to transition at a young age. Single children are raised and then committed to a particular cause. Triplets are treated as single children. Quadruplets are treated as two pairs of twins. Quintuplets are treated as two pairs of twins and a single child, and so on.
 * All Ironclutch children are conceived over Leylines, or the intersection thereof, to increase the likelihood of twins, and measures should be taken when possible to increase the likelihood of inborn magical talent.
 * Twins are given names with the same prefix and different suffixes, and treated as a single entity until they begin to distinguish themselves magically. For example, Coralily and Corarose would each only be referred to as 'Cora'. If Corarose committed some transgression, Coralily would also be punished; likewise, they would be praised for an exceptionally good event as though both were equally responsible.
 * This creates a rivalry between the twins. They cannot overtly act against one another in such a way that would cause overt harm, as this would incur the wrath of their mother. Instead, their resentment is let to simmer, unspoken, and they must push to excel over and undercut one another, all the while maintaining both the veneer and truth of intimacy.
 * The ultimate result is a pair of matched, complementary masters of the arcane, who know the capacity and limitations of their partners. One usually comes out with an edge of dominance in daily affairs; this individual is the matron, if the twins should range away from their mother, or if their mother should die.
 * Ironclutch women as a rule do not marry, but instead are serial monogamists, running through as many relationships (usually unhealthy and exploitative) as they care to to satisfy their personal needs and offering their sister the level of dedication expected of a spouse.
 * Ironclutch women as a rule do not respect men, treating them as tools to be used. Some leeway may be granted for men who uphold a certain feminine mystique, but the subjective nature of gender presentation and perception makes this utterly arbitrary depending upon who is making the judgment.
 * All Ironclutch women are made to learn at least one art, preferably one that can be extended into magical production.
 * The family as a whole favors magical tattoos in lieu of more traditional magic items, and most learn the art of the needle personally, without being taught. Traditionally, the first tattoo to be done is a small skull or other token of death inscribed in pale ink upon the ankle or somewhere else easily concealed, that will incinerate their skin upon death. This prevents their personal magical capital from being taken by thieves, and allows them to maintain a fortune of magical effects without making them more viable targets. The second is usually the suggestion of gauntlets, done on the wrists.

It should be noted that the family is not necessarily very large at any given time, maintaining perhaps 50 members in the world, with perhaps 10 matrons over as many groups. Reproduction is prolific, but so is disownment.

Accepted Bloodlines
While the Ironclutch family only accepts those with innate magic as its own, it still discriminates based on which bloodlines are expressed. Acceptable bloodlines include:
 * Destined: considered the strongest bloodline among the Ironclutch family, alongside Imperious. The Destined are supremely hard to kill. Destined Ironclutches are the most likely to communicate openly with farther-flung members of their family.
 * Imperious: representative of their overall demeanor, and their foremost claim to nobility. That said, the Ironclutch family holds no particularly racist views. Their fondness for the Imperious bloodline is pragmatic: most of their own number are human.
 * Arcane: perhaps the most common bloodline. Ironclutch women with the Arcane Bloodline also have the greatest incidence of departure from the family proper.
 * Fey: most common in the north, among the Ironclutches who have taken up in the cold. Cutting deals with the realm of the Fey is standard practice for some, and the Fey bloodline's facility with Enchantment is regarded with respect.
 * Infernal: scattered at random, Infernal Ironclutches are not spoken of well by their kin, as the bloodline only seems to manifest when it overcomes that of the mother. Gossip and minor skirmishes sometimes develop over who introduced infernal blood in the first place. Unlike the Fey, it is never considered acceptable to broker a deal with Hell--this is regarded as true folly.
 * Rakshasa: most common in the west, among the nomadic Ironclutches of the desert. Their unique ability to deceive the senses is feared, and they are occasionally called on--for a price--to deal with unseemly rival casters and artificers.
 * Draconic: a relatively recent addition to the bloodline, Draconic Ironclutches add a unique capacity for violence. No Draconic Ironclutch has yet held the role of matron, and it remains to be seen whether or not they will flourish. Nevertheless, the prevalence of dragonbloods among the nobility has earned them some security.

Members
Mina and Mona Ironclutch of Skovur, Destined Gina and Ginetta Ironclutch of Arcaniss, Imperious Kili and Kali Ironclutch of the Aussirnuade Capitol
 * Baroness Coralily Ironclutch-Shantzi and Corarose Ironclutch (Cross-blooded: Destined and Fey)
 * Fio Ironclutch (Dead-blooded)
 * Megala and Megaerie Ironclutch (Destined Arcanists, disowned for weak blood)
 * Snapdragon (Unwanted, sold to the Fey)
 * Mina and Mona Ironclutch (Destined)
 * Deirdree and Deirdriss Ironclutch (Arcane)
 * Gina and Ginetta Ironclutch (Imperious)
 * Jana and Jala Ironclutch (Arcane)

Jana and Jala Ironclutch, nomads of the Northern Territories
 * Mina and Mona Ironclutch (Destined)
 * Jana and Jala Ironclutch
 * Jana and Jala Ironclutch
 * Tianna and Tiami Ironclutch (White Dragon)