House Spencer

Founded by Dalleaux Spencer a scant few centuries ago, House Spencer is a relatively new and comparatively small House. The Spencers made their mark as noteworthy and distinctly reliable traders during the Dragonsong War. Notable connections to other merchants in Eorzea initially helped them gain standing and then a lower title for their deeds for Ishgard, a fact that finds little favor among the older and more established Houses.

When the rest of Eorzea went to war with Garlemald, the Spencers found their longtime contacts dwindling in the face of this new threat, either by loss of standing or loss of life. As their influence as merchants diminished, so too did much of their favor with the more established Houses of Ishgard. Despite this, its members continued to strive for the continued success of their family.

The downfall of House Spencer was a slow decline, until it wasn’t. The initial hit to the House’s finances was a hefty blow of medical fees for a delicate surgery and pricey prosthesis. While it was a notable dip into the family’s finances, time would’ve healed the wound better than even the youngest member's limbs, had the losses been allowed time to recover. The Head of the House, Henri, did not agree. A courting of Lady Luck saw him burned for his financial infidelity, and his addiction to Luck’s effervescent-but-false promises of riches further sapped the House’s coffers. Perhaps a little too late, his ludomania was reined in by the Lady of the House, Fleur, and the family worked to try and recoup their losses in more conservative and intentional ways. The entrepreneurship of an expedition into the unknown lands beyond what was soon to be named The Fog turned into the next devastating blow for the House. 
The expedition was a crippling failure. Not only were precious supplies and resources completely lost to The Fog, but several members of the expedition were injured or fantastically harmed. House Spencer became accountable for the reparations owed to the scholars, and the family’s finances were at an all-time low. The final blow came in the form of rapacious malevolence: the House’s last remaining vassals and businesses were bought out from under them by myrmidons of House Guillot. Stripped of all avenues of resources and income, the House became noble in name only, its few members scattered across The Pillars and Brume to recoup as best they could in the few ways that were still available.

An empty Manoir des Épinettes still stands in The Pillars under the name of the Spencers, and has been threatened to be put up for auction yet inexplicably kept off of the housing market for several years. Unseen hands keep cobwebs from gathering and dust from settling too long, as evidenced by the surprising lack of neglect-based grime one can spy through the shuttered windows.

Both sons have modest living quarters in The Brume; The Lady of the House lives with the family she governesses for, and the Lord of the House’s whereabouts are publicly unknown.

While the House was known for its mercantile efforts and support of new entrepreneurs, its members have taken to different occupations with its most recent downfall.

• Fleur – Governess
• Elias – Temple Knight
• Liam – Auditor

Overall Political Stance:

Being mercantile in origin, House Spencer is predominantly apolitical to keep a neutral stance to better serve Ishgard's people. More recently, however, members have been either an indirect part of the reforms or openly debating them.

Overall Religious Attitudes:

With publicly traditionalist leanings to keep them in favor with The Holy See, the members all have their own ties to the Halonic faith that vary quite widely. 

Overall Reputation:

The House has only recently fallen from power in the past decade, and historically has had a fair reputation for being reliable merchants, and well-known to support smaller businesses and the occasional underdog.

As a fallen house, most connections will have to be made as ones from the past, before its fall from activity. Conversation is welcomed to create these connections, whether they be longstanding and renewed, or potential new prospects:

• Mercantile contacts of the family are always welcome
• Temple Knights/Dragoons might know both or one of the sons, at varying points of their military careers
• Religious affiliates may see the members for Mass or remember Liam working with the church
• Social contacts who have known Fleur, Liam, or Elias for several years, or know of the House's downfall
• House Staff would have been let go, but still are open for contact with The Lady of The House