ONLY MY BLOOD SPEAKS TO YOU | verse

[castafiore]

take thou thy pound of flesh an original verse technically speaking, there is no real currency. things are bartered and traded but not sold in the strictest sense of the word. anything can be exchanged, whether it be wheat, technology, or hours of service, but dishonor your agreements, cross someone you ought not to have, and at the end of the day there is only one price: flesh and blood. some are better at extracting such prices than others, and society has proven the rule by slowly structuring itself to place a few select families at the very top of the social scale, scatter a few in the middle, and leave everyone else to the bottom of the figurative pyramid. (succession of power in families is just as important as power on a wider scale; most of the time, families pass on leadership to the oldest child, though there are exceptions to the rule. illegitimate children are, as a result, less kindly looked upon than they otherwise might be.) families are also extremely tightly knit, and usually adhere to some sort of naming convention. because of the sorts of prices that are extracted daily, the more limbs one manages to keep, the more well-off they are perceived to be. those at the middle of the ladder replace what may have been lost by artificial means, e.g. prosthetics or robotics. (these replacement limbs are usually kept very practical, but can be turned into weapons through a highly unreliable black market process.) those at the very bottom are left as cripples, or simply for dead. those at the top maintain their physical status by taking those from lower classes into service, keeping them essentially as fodder in exchange for affording them an otherwise painless lifestyle. these people, however, are generally considered social pariahs and form something of their own class. at the top of the heap sit two families: the anderholm family the general consensus is that anderholms are getting soft. formerly the most powerful family in the social strata, they are slowly being overturned by the dukes, a fact that does not sit well with them but something they are hard-pressed to do anything about as they try to manage their family debt. (note: they do not take up the duke tradition of marrying within the family. names are changed once marriages are arranged.) ironically, they are probably one of the most "normal" families, surviving solely by being extremely politically savvy. style/vibe guide: a lot of gingers. very victorian sensibilities, for the most part. clean-cut, semi-ostentatious, a lot of white columns and high ceilings. maybe a little prissy, a sense of old money and in-fighting though their problems are larger. in debt in the way that the kingdom is in game of thrones, such details are discussed behind closed doors and not publicly acknowledged. the main family CAESAR ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the father, gradually losing his memory. came into power fairly late in the game, responsible for managing the massive debt that the family has incurred over time. CASSANDRA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the mother, charged with keeping the family together, and trying to keep rulership within the direct family as caesar's siblings vie for power. looking to broker a marriage between the anderholm and duke families. married into the anderholm family. CORNELIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the first daughter (twin). CORNELIUS ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the first son (twin). CASSIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): his wife. CAMILLA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the daughter of cornelius and cassia. CAESARION ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the second son. CALPURNIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the second daughter. CAIUS ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): her husband. CICERO ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): caesar's younger brother, maintaining a distance for the moment though extremely politically-minded. CLAUDIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): his wife, childless because of a mutual agreement with her husband so as never to have to sell their own blood. CASSIUS ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): caesar's youngest brother. CAECILA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): his wife. CATULLUS ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the first son, dead at age 5, sold to the dukes and subsequently killed. CATO ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): the second son, sold to the dukes. CLOELIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): caesar's younger sister, good with money. CRASSUS ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): her husband, from a rich family. CAELIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): cassandra's younger sister. ambitious and power-hungry. CLAUDIUS ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): her husband. CASSIAN ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): cassandra's younger brother. more aware than caelia of the fact that their side of the family has married in, as opposed to being descended from the original anderholm family tree. married to catrina darling. CASSIA ANDERHOLM ( pb: ? ): cassandra's youngest sister. the house SAMSON ( pb: matthias schoenaerts ): an enforcer, more above the table and thus more easily used than the agency. the duke family the dukes, on the other hand, are largely feared due to their ruthlessness and a history of mental instability. a strictly patriarchal family, the eldest male is always known as red, and passes on that name to whoever should succeed him. marriages are traditionally made within the family in an effort to keep blood "pure," but as of late, that rule has been disregarded in favor of gaining influence and brokering peace. (it is also, in part, an effort to eradicate the "madness" that runs in the family, but a divided stance within the family has made it somewhat difficult to properly execute, even for the sake of politics.) they are also the family that most aggressively takes advantage of the trappings of their wealth, racking up a rather alarming body count that they try to cover up with their own pr staff. style guide: crazyeyes. "heavy" art deco, i.e. art deco if all of the windows had the curtains closed, with a dash of that one painting of ivan the terrible. a lot of gold, a constant sense of thickness in the air akin to the thickness of literal blood vs. water. alternately, a sense of extreme impermanence and fragility, but underscored by the fact that they can get away with practically anything, which is dangerous given how famously crazy they can be. the main family RED DUKE ( pb: ? but probably still michael caine honestly ): the patriarch, a "progressive" looking to marry into the anderholm family. the kindest in the clan. RUBY DUKE ( pb: ? ): the matriarch, dead in childbirth. TITIAN DUKE ( pb: jefferson mays ): the eldest son, not unkind per se but most fascinated with anatomy and the idea of perfection to the point of cutting apart spares taken by the family, and "buying" others. these habits are the stuff of popular rumor despite the best attempts at rehabilitating public image. extremely aware of how to leverage his family's influence, preoccupied with the notion of blood purity as well. ROSE DUKE ( pb: ? ): the eldest daughter. SCARLET DUKE ( pb: isabelle adjani ): the second daughter. a pendulum that swings at the heart of the dukes, scarlet rages between periods of intense mania and less frequent periods of lucidity. in love with her sister, coquelicot. ALIZARIN DUKE ( pb: noah bean ): the second son. fond of excess. born into ill health and constantly attended to by an entourage as such, comprised of medical staff and hangers-on. difficult to marry off due to his (broadly speaking) congenital disorder, though he is the most capable among his siblings of appearing normal and is generally well-liked. COQUELICOT DUKE ( pb: ? ): the third daughter. married to alister darling. GARNET DUKE ( pb: ? ): the last daughter. RUST DUKE ( pb: ? ): red's brother. loyal to a fault. RUSSET DUKE ( pb: ? ): his wife, red's sister. loyal to her immediate family rather than the duke name. AUBURN DUKE ( pb: ? ): the first son. DAHLIA DUKE ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. RUFOUS DUKE ( pb: ? ): red's youngest brother. COPPER DUKE ( pb: ? ): his wife. CLARET DUKE ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. CARMINE DUKE ( pb: ? ): ruby's brother. CRIMSON DUKE ( pb: ? ): his wife, red's youngest sister. CHERRY DUKE ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. CORAL DUKE ( pb: ? ): the second daughter. MAGENTA DUKE ( pb: ? ): ruby's sister. BRICK DUKE ( pb: ? ): her husband. MAROON DUKE ( pb: ? ): the first son. BURGUNDY DUKE ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. BLUSH DUKE ( pb: ? ): ruby's youngest sister. powerhungry. the house staff/affiliated people/etc. THE MIDDLE CLASS: the saint family the saints take the idea of "blood and flesh" too literally, practicing cannibalism (believing it to allow for a transference of powers) and generally avoided as a result. they are a relatively powerful family, but looked down upon due to their unsavory habits. they are a small, insular family, and despite their reputation, are generally considered fair, and are no less clever for believing what is not true about the consumption of human flesh. their politics are mostly internal, as the children have always had a habit of picking each other off in order to determine who will become the next head of the family. style/vibe guide: like the great gatsby plus a murder mystery, i.e. a gorgeous family estate, extremely clean, extremely insular, everybody stays until we figure out who killed who in the where with the what. fancy old rolls royces, also cannibalism. a bunch of hannibal lecters in the same house. sibling rivalry vs. sibling affection. the main family TAMORA SAINT ( pb: ? ): the mother. LUCIUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): the father. dead in a car accident. VALENTINE SAINT ( pb: george clooney ): the first son. MUTIUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): the second son. dead, eaten by valentine. MARTIUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): the third son. married to rhona darling. BASSIANUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): the fourth son. CHIRON SAINT ( pb: ? ): the fifth son. PHILOMELA SAINT ( pb: elizabeth olsen ): the first daughter. once a shining example of the greatness of the saints, the last six months have seen philomela saint practically vanish from society. ALARBUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): tamora's illegitimate son. ravenous. TITUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): tamora's younger brother. LAVINIA SAINT ( pb: ? ): his wife. MARCUS SAINT ( pb: ? ): their son. the house HUGH DALTON ( pb: kevin spacey ): former advisor to lucius saint. crippled in the same car accident. the crown family in a word: sycophants. they back whatever they perceive to be the winning team, and are currently facing internal rupturing, as their traditional loyalty to the anderholms is being sorely tested. they put a very high value on beauty and are, as a family, fairly vain and haughty. they have been known to sell off and give up children who do not meet their standards of physical beauty. style/vibe guide: i never saw the movie in time (the one with jt) but kind of like the trailers of that. everyone is relatively young and indisputably beautiful, they all dress super swank and have probably the most "modern" sensibilities of the big houses. everything is the latest model. probably some are also really into plastic surgery/crazy make-up/anything to stay looking beautiful. the main family PYRITE CROWN ( pb: ? ): the father, still with the anderholms. EMERALD CROWN ( pb: ? ): the mother, leaning toward the dukes. JASPER CROWN ( pb: ? ): the first son, in agreement with his mother. fathered a child with beitris darling. JADE CROWN ( pb: ? ): the first daughter, in agreement with her brother. SPINEL CROWN ( pb: ? ): the second daughter, given to the anderholms as a servant at age 10. SAPPHIRE CROWN ( pb: ? ): the third daughter, given to the dukes as a servant at age 8. BENITOITE CROWN ( pb: ? ): emerald's younger brother, neutral. OPAL CROWN ( pb: ? ): his wife, leaning toward the dukes. OBSIDIAN CROWN ( pb: ? ): the first son. DIAMOND CROWN ( pb: ? ): the first daughter, disappeared (thought to have been kidnapped and eaten by one of the saint family). QUARTZ CROWN ( pb: ? ): pyrite's younger brother, not fond of emerald. PERIDOT CROWN ( pb: ? ): his illegitimate daughter. TOURMALINE CROWN ( pb: ? ): pyrite's younger sister. ZIRCON CROWN ( pb: ? ): emerald's youngest brother. the house staff/affiliated people/etc. the darling family obsessive social climbers, the darling family has only recently come into any significant social status.the key to their survival has essentially been proliferation; the larger the family is, the more they have to offer the world, both in terms of debts paid, and in terms of potential spouses. marrying into powerful families ensures a little status for themselves, and safety (hopefully) for the family member who departs. they also work heavily with the agency, essentially acting as saboteurs of others in order to further their own prospects. style/vibe guide: proto-mad men, and/or one of those period bbc dramas. everyone strives to look as if they are above their actual station. very economical and practical in comparison to other families. the main family RORY DARLING ( pb: ? ): the patriarch. ELSPETH DARLING ( pb: ? ): his first wife (death by illness). when it was discovered that elspeth was genetically predisposed to the illness that eventually killed her, all of her children (regardless of age or health) were sold as spares. DOUGAL DARLING ( pb: ? ): the former first son and heir, elspeth's child. sold as a spare to the dukes. ISEABAIL DARLING ( pb: ? ): the former first daughter, elspeth's child. a pretty child, and so sold as a spare to the crowns. CATRINA DARLING (ANDERHOLM) ( pb: ? ): the former second daughter, elspeth's child. married off to cassian anderholm as a child bride prior to elspeth's death. EWAN DARLING ( pb: ? ): the former second son, elspeth's child. sold as a spare to the saints, promptly devoured after. CAOIMHE DARLING ( pb: ? ): rory's second wife. CALUM DARLING ( pb: ? ): now the eldest son. young, and with his station in contention as such. DONELLA DARLING ( pb: ? ): rory's sister. GILCHRIST DARLING ( pb: ? ): her husband HARPER DARLING ( pb: dominic west ): the eldest son. a twin. KERRY DARLING ( pb: oona chaplin ): the eldest daughter. a twin. AINSLEY DARLING ( pb: ? ): rory's youngest sister. in charge of brokering the marriages between houses; the political end of things. ALAN DARLING ( pb: ? ): her husband. INNES DARLING ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. originally set to inherit her mother's seat, only later revealed to be 'genetically flawed'. colorblind. MAIRI DARLING ( pb: ? ): the second daughter and heir. NEIL DARLING ( pb: ? ): the first son. RABBIE DARLING ( pb: ? ): the second son. NIALL DARLING ( pb: ? ): rory's brother. calculates and coordinates the breeding pairs; the 'scientific' end of things. SAUNDRA DARLING ( pb: ? ): his wife. MUIR DARLING ( pb: ? ): the first son. AILEAS DARLING ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. ALISTER DARLING ( pb: ? ): rory's youngest brother. married to coquelicot duke. childless and therefore shamed (rumored to be sterile). BEITRIS DARLING ( pb: ? ): caoimhe's half-sister. sold to the saints as a spare after having an illegitimate child (with jasper crown). BLAIR DARLING ( pb: ? ): the illegitimate son. kept within house darling, separate from his mother. RHONA DARLING (SAINT) ( pb: ? ): caoimhe's youngest sister (considerable age difference). married to martius saint. MYSIE DARLING ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. devoured by one of her uncles. MALCOLM DARLING ( pb: ? ): the first son. died under questionable circumstances; devoured by his father. MONROE DARLING ( pb: ? ): the second son. the house EOIN PEROT ( pb: joaquin phoenix ): a servant. a twin. AOIFE PEROT ( pb: ? ): his sister. a twin. the club a bunch of climbers, the club is not so much a family as it is what its name implies. made up of lower class citizens who, through whatever means, rose to a higher status, they are an extremely pragmatic and ambitious bunch. THE LOWER CLASS: the glass family some families survive through brutality and others survive through breeding; the glass family survives through specialization. they make themselves useful, whether it be in mechanics or music. they're not on the up-and-up and they like it that way. they do their jobs and provide. they are an anomaly in that there are no other structured lower-class families. style/vibe guide: honestly they're just a bunch of pretty nice people. the most "normal" family of them all. the main family WOLFGANG GLASS ( pb: ? ): patriarch, former musician. MARIA GLASS ( pb: ? ): matriarch, former composer. LUDWIG GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first son. a technology specialist in service of the anderholms. FREDERIC GLASS ( pb: ? ): the second son. a painter in service of the dukes. CAMILLE GLASS ( pb: marion cotillard ): the first daughter. a musician in service of the dukes. a pianist, somehow an optimist, she fights daily to keep her faith in the world intact while under the service of one of the most gruesome families, and increasingly that upkeep has sapped most of her liveliness. she remains enamored with eddie ash, the only stranger who has ever shown her kindness. she has nightmares of a woman in red shoes. EVE GLASS ( pb: ? ): the second daughter. a technology specialist in service of the dukes. CHIARA GLASS ( pb: ? ): the third daughter. a seamstress in service of the dukes. JOHANN GLASS ( pb: ? ): wolfgang's younger brother. a portraitist. his family is in residence with the anderholms. KEIKO GLASS ( pb: ? ): his wife. FRANZ GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first son. a gardener. ANDREA GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. a chauffeur. GIACOMO GLASS ( pb: ? ): the second son. a plumber. SOLANGE GLASS ( pb: ? ): wolfgang's younger sister. a maid. her family is in residence with the crowns. PYOTR GLASS ( pb: ? ): her husband. a mechanic, specializing in cars. DINA GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. a chef. HANS GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first son. a sculptor. SIEGFRIED GLASS ( pb: ? ): the second son. a tailor. IZABELLA GLASS ( pb: ? ): the second daughter. a maid. LEN GLASS ( pb: ? ): wolfgang's youngest brother. a musician. his family is residence with the darlings. MODESTA GLASS ( pb: ? ): his wife. a tutor. LILI GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first daughter. a gardener. HOWARD GLASS ( pb: ? ): the first son. an artist. the venus house essentially a dolled-up strip club. a house that puts the most beautiful girls it can find on view (usually out of reach), it also — though never explicitly stated — takes advantage of a niche fascination with the application of robotics and prosthetics among those who have lost limbs in the payment of debts. as such, some of the girls are whole, and others are altered, in one way or another. it is a better solution, for some, than continuing to be whittled down in order to settle someone else's scores. the girls all take new, chosen names when they come into service. MOTHER ( pb: never seen ): proprietor. extremely protective of the girls. GRACE ( pb: i'm working on it ): whole. STELLA ( pb: bella heathcote ): missing her legs from the knee down. MAGDA ( pb: elle fanning ): a venus girl with a glass eye, magda is not technically under the standard employ of the house, relegated to cleaning and cooking and idle household chores instead. THE BLACK MARKET: the mechanics these are the people you go to if you want an upgrade on your robotics that you really shouldn't have. a warning, however: if you are caught with weaponry you ought not to have, you will be killed, and if you can't pay the mechanics back, you'll be dead meat then, too. FREE RANGE. the agency the agency will get you anything else, whether it be a limb or a person killed. mercenaries and scalpers, one gets the impression that they might be revolutionaries if the system weren't so easy to exploit. because they are technically on the most wanted list, if they think your demand is untenable, there is a chance they will simply take what you offer and give you nothing in return. you can hardly complain to anyone, after all, as you weren't supposed to be associating with outlaws in the first place. IAIN MARLING ( pb: aidan gillen ): a contract torturer. discreet, and as such, usually in service to some of the bigger families when they need dirty work done. goes to the highest bidder. rumored to have a daughter somewhere. divorced. miscellaneous drifters, grifters, and everyone in between not attached to a family or an organization. a rare breed. EDISON J. "EDDIE" ASH ( pb: jeremy renner ): ??? i'll be honest with you he might be the devil on a very literal level. PARIAHS, ALSO KNOWN AS SPARES (lose their last names when given into service): beholden to the anderholms SPINEL ( pb: ? ): status: ? beholden to the dukes CATO ( pb: ? ): status: ? SAPPHIRE ( pb: ? ): status: ? DOUGAL ( pb: ? ): status: ? beholden to the saints BEITRIS ( pb: ? ): status: missing her left arm and leg. beholden to the crowns ISEABAIL ( pb: ? ): status: ? beholden to the darlings woop beholden to the club woop beholden to the mechanics woop. beholden to the agency woop