Mercurio Mar Noyne

Mercurio Mar Noyne is the venerable patriarch of House Mar Noyne and a Magister of Myr, titles he has held since 387 AC. With over fifty years of experience in Myrish politics, he is among the city's most esteemed elders.

After the formation of the Triarchy in 418 AC, Mercurio largely entrusted his duties in his second son, Nymon, and entered an indefinite semi-retirement. Following the coup of 426 AC, Nymon was elected Prince-Admiral of Myr, rendering House Mar Noyne the foremost family in the city. In 436 AC, however, Mercurio's son was deposed and murdered, and the Vashars were restored to the Prince-Admiralty.

Despite his family's fall from grace and his frequent reclusion, the Mar Noyne patriarch has remained an eminent and respected figure in Myr. In lieu of her father, Mercurio's granddaughter Norah now serves as the primary steward of his house's affairs.

Appearance and Character
A man of above average height and a naturally lean physique, Mercurio has become two inches shorter and twenty pounds lighter as consequences of his advanced age. Though his hair remains remarkably full, its dark waves have long since faded to gray. A trim goatee is maintained over his jaw, concealing only a few of the wrinkles that have developed over the years. He is always seen in fashionable dress, though without the flamboyance of the outfits he once wore; Mercurio's wardrobe tends toward dark, muted colors.

Mercurio has always been known to be temperate, seldom indulging in the vices that so often trouble other men of wealth. He has an articulate tongue and a sharp mind that persists even as his body fails; his semi-retirement has been largely occupied by intellectual and artistic pursuits. Though he was once a ruthless political actor, his infamy has all but disappeared in recent decades. With very few others from his generation still living, Mercurio is widely recognized as a benevolent elder statesman.

History
The only son of an only son, Mercurio Mar Noyne was born the unrivaled heir to his house's fortunes. Such inevitability could have easily enabled a decadent lifestyle and a sense of entitlement, but Mercurio was raised well and proved to be a hard-working and modest child.

Though the Mar Noynes specialized in goods coming from the far east - particularly spices and silks - Mercurio was never inclined to travel far from Myr, even as he took interest in foreign customs and history. He was always more talented at the administration of the family's businesses, a responsibility that fell upon his shoulders not long after he reached his majority. At the age of twenty, he was wed to Tyanna Narratys, a noblewoman from Pentos.

Together they produced three sons: Elyas, Nymon and Sallys. With his eldest quickly proving a disappointment, his attention turned toward Nymon, who inherited his diligent nature.

After the death of his father in 386 AC, Mercurio became both the patriarch of House Mar Noyne and a Magister of the Conclave. Over the span of the next decade, he emerged as a driving force in Myrish politics, earning both the respect and fear of his peers through his artful maneuvering. When the formation of the Triarchy was first proposed by Tyrosh in 416 AC, Mercurio was among its most prominent supporters in Myr.

Following the Triarchy's complete ratification in 418 AC, Mercurio announced his partial retirement. He attended magisterial functions only when his vote was required, and left the affairs of House Mar Noyne largely in the hands of his second son.

While his youngest son, Sallys, pursued an adventurous life at sea, Mercurio's two eldest both pursued careers in the Myrish navy. Though Nymon was successful where Elyas proved inadequate, both ended their military service after a few years to focus on their roles in the family's businesses. However, in 426 AC a coup backed by Tyrosh and Lys installed Nymon in the highest naval and political office in Myr - that of Prince-Admiral.

Though often credited for the success of the coup, Mercurio had in truth lent his son little more than his advice. He had faith in the efficacious Nymon and was content to withhold any involvement in matters of state. He was proud to see his son concentrate power into the Prince-Admiralty and integrate Myr more closely into the Triarchy - both of which were longstanding ambitions of his own career.

Having practiced healthy habits throughout his life, Mercurio's constitution only began to decline as he entered his eighth decade - but his mind was as quick as ever, and he continued to attend magisterial functions.

In 436 AC - a year Mercurio never expected to witness for himself - another coup was staged in Myr. This time the tables had completely turned: Nymon Mar Noyne was murdered and deposed by the Vashars, in collusion with his petulant eldest brother, Elyas - who was also killed amidst the chaos. When the blood shed finally subsided, all three of Mercurio's sons had perished, along with two of their wives and one of his grandsons.

His granddaughter, Norah, had caught wind of the plot shortly before it was initiated, and though this was not enough to save the Prince-Admiral, she was at least able to bargain for the survival of her youngest brother. Mercurio leveraged both his own stature and his granddaughter's cooperation to enter negotiations with the Vashars, during which he secured Norah a magisterial seat and agreed to abide the new regime.

The deaths of so many in his family were devastating to the Mar Noyne patriarch, but he remained ever stoic. Even as he approached the age of eighty, Mercurio continued to quietly tend to the future of his line.

Family

 * Mercurio Mar Noyne (b. 359 AC)
 * m. Tyanna Narratys (b. 363 AC d. 423 AC)
 * Elyas Mar Noyne (b. 382 AC d. 436 AC)
 * m. Salma Vashar (b. 384 AC)
 * Darion Mar Noyne (b. 404 AC)
 * m. Elara Staegone (b. 409 AC)
 * Idris Mar Noyne (b. 427 AC)
 * Andros Mar Noyne (b. 430 AC)
 * Nymon Mar Noyne (b. 387 AC d. 436 AC)
 * m. Lysara Nahar (b. 394 AC d. 436 AC)
 * Norah Mar Noyne (b. 414 AC)
 * Laena Mar Noyne (b. 417 AC)
 * Tormo Mar Noyne (b. 420 AC d. 436 AC)
 * Corlys Mar Noyne (b. 425 AC)
 * Sallys Mar Noyne (b. 393 AC d. 436 AC)
 * m. Vila of Qarth (b. 397 AC d. 436 AC)
 * Nicolette Mar Noyne (b. 415 AC)
 * Craghas Mar Noyne (b. 361 d. 405)
 * Descendants of Craghas