“Erstekatte Fromagenet – Rex Mundus Bos”
Die Erstekatte is het Licht, den Zwitkat is die Schaa.*
THE CURRENT COURT of Huys Fromagenet† is described as:
“the epitome of splendor & excellence,
an enveloping radiance to which the people of Vranckdal‡ turn to bask in its glow”.
It may be obvious to the reader that these are the words of the Erstkatte# herself.
FOR MOST OF THEIR HISTORY, Huys Fromagenet was seated on the sidelines of the geopolitical arena. Never were they as pragmatic or boastful like other ruling houses, but always a tad more decadent. They were content with holding a firm grip on the Keysweeghel*, the main trade route into Saksse*, from whose brooding mountain forests all sorts of nutritious cheese are imported. The location of their ancestral home Formmendal*, at the foothills of the West-Sakslandt plateau, put them in a prime location to oversee and coordinate the annual trade caravans.
This de-facto monopoly on a highly sought-after product has kept the Fromagenet treasury filled to the brim for generations, and that is where most of the gold remained… Until the death of the late Swartgudde Fromagenet*, a miserly Lady who made gold by the bar but spent it by the sliver.
WITH THE PASSING of the previous Erstekatte and the coronation of Snorrglausse*, the Fromagenet dynasty steered a new course to power that would ultimately grant them the keys and throne of Kratat. Through arranged marriages & tireless lobbying, Snorrglausse expanded the family holdings threefold, turning it into a veritable powerhouse. She brought about the abdication of Albertýnnes Marktelaer*, the last Hartogh of Kratat, firmly planting her Huys above all others.
SO FAR, the Fromagenet affairs seem surprisingly undeceitful. Unless, of course, Snorrglausse hides her secrets better than Boeriejaan guards his coin*. Kratat under Snorrglausse has experienced fair rule but there are troubling signs of increasing personal vanity; this has led to a point where her entourage has to wear rags, so she may seem the most brilliant of all. Knowing that city and it’s frivolous sense of style, ragged clothing has now become ever so fashionable. Nonetheless, as expenses rise, so do the taxes, and when the masses can no longer bear the load they may throw off the yoke altogether.
Perhaps now the pieces are set for another round of Who-Rules-Kratat?
Notes
“Erstkat Fromagenet – Rex Mundus Bos” — It is not my aim to use Latin phrases in this world, but this early drawing was made without too much consideration.
Also, it is obviously a vanity plaque; no single queen or king has ever ruled all of Bos, and no ruler in his good mind would ever wish to do so (nor could they ever hope to).
“The Erstkat is the Light, the Zwitkat is the Shadow.” — references the order of succession within the Fromagenet-line, see below.
Huys Fromagenet — House Fromagenet; a matrilineal house with a strong internal structure, strict rules regarding succession and specific titles for most levels of the bloodline.
A combination of the French word fromage, meaning ‘cheese’, and the name Plantagenet, the royal dynasty that ruled over England and Normandy in the high- and late middle ages.
Vranckdal or Vrankke — the lands around Kratat, that make up its dominion.
See also: this map of southern Bos featuring Vrankke.
Erstekatte — If and when the Erstekatte litters (Die Katneste aka Kooningkxworppe; Catnest / Royal litter), titles are distributed to the young, following the order in which they open their eyes:
+Erstkat, Erstekatte = Firstcat m/f (current: Snorrglausse Glatpels Fromagenet)
+Zwitkat, Zwittekatte = Secondcat m/f (current: Grissomus Knorpot Fromagenet)
+Dritkat, Drittekatte = Thirdcat m/f (current: Tyg Swartfracke Fromagenet)
+Virtkat, Virtekatte = Fourthcat m/f (current: Witsteerte Glatpelsse Fromagenet)
+Vifkat, Vievekatte = Fifthcat m/f (current: Manckel Pootglindte Fromagenet)
The male forms are rather rare, as male offspring are often skipped when attributing titles. Males seldom contest for power as they get to lead a lavish life in the Zwithoof (Second court);
a palatial estate surrounded by extensive hunting grounds, located in the dense woodlands surrounding Froomenthal. The Zwitkat will never ascend to the throne but should act as an advisor to the crown. The title still entails a lot of power and a sizeable dominion; but historically most Zwitkatze are known to spend most of their time hunting and procrastinating on their domain.
Keysweeghel — Cheese road; a well known trade route that stretches East to Southwest.
From Dutch: ‘kaas’ (cheese) and ‘weg, wegel’ (road)
Sakslandt or Saksse — a land of dense forests and rugged mountain regions, located to the East.
Formmendal — ancestral home of Huys Fromagenet.
Swartgudde Fromagenet — the previous Erstkatte, presumably died of substance abuse.
Snorrglausse Fromagenet — the current Erstkatte
From Dutch: ‘snor’ (whiskers, moustache)
Albertýnnes Marktelaer — described by Swartgudde as a “claw-less wretch” and Muyzeman (mouse of a man), an insult
not appreciated by actual mice.
…than Boeriejaan guards his coin. — a reference to the patriarch of Coudeheerd
