House Mataro

House Mataro is the ruling noble house of Emesh, headed by Count Balian Mataro and based at Borosevo Castle. They descended on Emesh more than a millennium ago, backed by three Imperial Legions, displacing existing Extrasolarian interests and a Norman Freeholder group. They built the oldest parts of Borosevo on an isolated atoll and allowed the old capital Tolbaran to molder in the hands of their servants. The house colors are muddy green, worn by palace servants; their hoplites are called peltasts and carry ceramic long swords. Their heraldic symbol is a sphinx — appearing on banners throughout the Borosevo Colosso and on statues carried by Umandh through the palace quadrangle. Lord Dorian's triumph armor is enameled green and golden.

House Mataro owns and operates the Borosevo Colosso, the principal gladiatorial arena on Emesh, as well as the Ulakiel alienage where the largest concentration of enslaved Umandh on the planet is held. Colosso staff wear a red uniform. The myrmidon contracts recruits sign waive the rights of any kin to pursue retributive legal action against the games' proprietors, identified as House Mataro of Emesh. The house also employs slave staff within the Colosso, including the slave medic Chand, who wears a bronze collar. The house keeps several hundred Umandh in the palace itself for aesthetic and labor tasks. Count Balian's children are Anais and Dorian, the latter of whom has recently come of age.