At the end of the eighth century YK, Delera Omaren was the pirate queen of the Thunder Sea. Although her buccaneers were not as brutal as the Amanatus, she was bold and clever, and she had amassed a following and a fortune by the time Galifar sought an end to piracy. When the Stormreach Compact was drawn up, no one questioned Delera’s right to sit on the council.
As it turned out, Delera was better suited to the life of a pirate than that of an administrator. She invested much of her fortune in the Stormreach Forge and the Foundry, and her family was tasked with maintaining the infrastructure of the city and outfitting the Stormreach Guard. Lacking political savvy, Delera agreed to provide these services at too low a cost, and over the years, this generosity caused the Omaren fortune to fade as the other Storm Lords profited.
Some of the Omaren lords have done their best to live up to their obligations. Others have tried varying approaches to break the Omaren curse. In 890 YK, Castal Omaren sought to eliminate the other lords and seize control of the city. He misjudged Yorrick Amanatu’s influence over the Stormreach Guard, and the mistake cost him his life. The lords allowed Castal’s heir to retain his title, but further penalties were assessed, and the new lord was deeply subservient to the rest of the council.
Lady Paulo Omaren is determined to restore her family’s honor. She bears a special grudge toward Lord Yorrick and the Amanatus. Not only was the dwarf directly responsible for the death of Lord Castal, but the Amanatus’ power is derived from the Stormreach Guard—soldiers outfitted by the Omaren forge. Nonetheless, her thirst for power and vengeance is tempered by a wisdom her predecessors lacked. She knows that it will take more than ambition to unseat the Amanatus. She presents herself as an innovator, looking for new solutions to the challenges that face Stormreach. Lady Paulo has been working with Cannith South, allowing the house to establish facilities inside the Foundry and the Stormreach Forge. She approached the warforged Steeljack and created the Iron Watch (page 117); Lord Yorrick might hold the loyalty of the Stormreach Guard, but as the Iron Watch grows, so does Lady Paulo’s confidence. She has also fought to increase the power and influence of House Deneith. She has recently taken Lord Greigur d’Deneith as a lover, and she thinks of Deneith as her own personal army, just waiting for her command. Secretly, she envisions a day when the Iron Watch and House Deneith will sweep aside the Stormreach Guard and crown her the sole ruler of Stormreach. These dreams might never come to pass; despite his genuine affection for her, Lord Greigur has to balance his duties to his house and his own ambitions. But Lady Paulo’s alliance with him gives her hope for the future, and for now that’s all she needs.
Whatever comes of her current schemes, there is no question that Lady Paulo is the most ambitious Storm Lord and that she is always looking for new sources of power. If a group of adventurers gains a reputation in Stormreach, there’s an excellent chance that Lady Paulo will seek out their services. The only question is whether she employs them openly—like the Iron Watch—or seeks their assistance with more secret matters.
Lady Paulo isn’t the oldest member of her family. The Omarens have an unusual tradition dating back to their buccaneer heritage: Leadership is held through force of arms, and any heir of the family can challenge the current lord to a duel to claim the title. Such duels are uncommon, since the best warriors of the house have no interest in administration. However, this tradition means that the Omaren lords have to be skilled in two arenas, and if an Omaren lord wants to rule until an old age, he or she might have to use trickery to deal with young challengers.