House Carden


Based:
Durham
(in the County of Lincoln and the Duchy
of York)
Heraldry: Blue and red quarters divided by a white chevron
Leader: Wyck Carden

In around 800AF there were the standard few raids going from Caledonia into Albion, and vice versa.
The trading Carden family were well known in Durham and based from Newcastle they had built
strong relationships with peers in Caledonia and frequently traded across the border. It was on one
such trip, when staying in a local tavern, that they overheard of a plot against Edward, Crown Prince
of Albion. Risking much, a young James Carden spent the next season infiltrating the plotters, and
when the time was ripe got word to his brother William of the plans and when they were to be acted
upon. William in turn warned the Lord Karlennon who warned the King. As a result, the plotters
were caught and brought to justice.

carden-merchantsAs a reward for the information passed on and in recognition of the risk taken, the Carden family
was ennobled as a Sept House of Karelennon; with Lands granted to James and his Brother William
North of Newcastle.

Despite their rise to Nobility, the Carden’s continued to Trade, but their new position allowed for
them to expand their business to the South, establishing trading premises in both Londinium and
Southampton. Whilst James remained in the North in their estates in Newcastle, William spent
much of his time on the road; visiting both Londinium and Southampton often, as well as continuing
to travel with caravans of supplies both within Albion and also on foreign shores.

As William travelled, James focussed on family and building up the House, he saw to the design and
establishment of Heraldry for the House, choosing to emulate House Karlennon’s crossed reds; he
matched this with the blue of the river and sea to form the badge which is still in use today. The
white Chevron was added toward the end of James’ life as the House established its own military
guard.

Continuing the strong links with House Karlennon, James sought permission to marry one of the
daughters of the Karlennon extended family, in so doing he created a permanent blood link with that
family that does exist through to today. James and his wife had two children, one daughter and one
son, both of whom married into other local families in the North of Albion; his eldest , son James
Carden II, married a woman of Houser Fisher and their daughter, Elizabeth married the son of the
Baron of Durham.

Over the years, House Carden drifted apart geographically, William’s side of the family being more
people of travel and exploration, whilst James side remained in the North, staunch in their locality.
Never the less, the family bond remained strong, though rarely were their great family meetings, the
sides of the family were in constant contact and their wealth shared. James progeny strengthened
bonds with both House Fisher and House Karlennon through the generations.

Carden MerchantsWilliam’s youngest son had also married a daughter of House Karlennon, but she had joined
William’s side of the family in travelling. Little information is known about William’s side of the
family, of whom records were more limited due to their travelling nature and what did exist were
seemingly lost during the Civil War and Cataclysm. Just before the civil war, Williams side of the
family had been significantly expanding operations out of Southampton, trading extensively with the
Dragons and even into the far off lands of Jackals. Much of the Carden family wealth was tied up in
these operations and much was lost when Albion was thrown into Civil war and trading came to a
near halt.

During the civil war, House Carden firmly supported House Karlennon, now led by Joshua Carden,
but with the war ravaging Albion, a relatively small House such as Carden paid a high price for its
support of the people and the land. Many of House Carden’s guard were killed in the defence of

staying the night guarding a convoy being led by Eric Carden, Joshua’s brother in Sherburn Keep,
very little is known of what transpired other than all members of the guard and Eric, were killed. It
was a seemingly deliberate attack on the convoy, as all the supplies were also taken. With the losses
in manpower from the House in the North and Bristol and through Trade in the South, come the
end of the Civil War, House Carden was on the brink of ruin. Shortly after the start of the Civil war,
William John Carden, Joshua’s youngest brother and his family, who had been visiting relatives and
checking supplies went missing from Southampton and have not been heard from since.

The premises in Southampton and Londinium were abandoned as Joshua Carden sought to
consolidate operations out of Newcastle, but it was too late. Within 6 months of the war ending,
House Carden was broke. With no other action left to him, Joshua Carden turned to his Aunt’s
nephew, Sir William Fisher of House Fisher and begged for his family to be looked after; what
remaining servants the House had and Joshua’s three children and wife were welcomed into House
Fisher and Sir William either consumed or abandoned the former Carden lands to the North.

Joshua Carden died during the Cataclysm of 1106, in 1107 his son Wyck began to attend court with
the Lady Cordelia Fisher. Having re-established the Carden trading name in Newcastle, Wyck began
a quest to try and make the Carden name again proud and known. Wyck was the Eldest son, but
he had never shown interest in the family path, in fact he had spent much of his time as a child in
study and was an accomplished Alchemist. Never the less he slowly built up the Carden business,
with the support of House Fisher and his mother and sister. His own wealth became apparent when
he bought out-right the properties in Newcastle surrounding his shop, establishing a city residence
outside of the Fisher’s estate, whilst also purchasing three merchant vessels.

Over the next three years, Wyck began to support small farms to the West of Newcastle, those
which had been ravaged by the Cataclysm and then by the Akari forces attacking the shorelines. By
1110, Wyck had some dozen farms working for him and supplying goods directly to his boats and
caravans for trade across Albion and also into Caledonia and Tuetonia. In the summer of 1110 and
with both Sir William Fisher and Lady Cordelia Fisher’s blessing, Wyck petitioned the Lore Regent
Gabriel Barthroy to re-establish House Carden.

At the Gathering of Nations 1110, the Heraldry of House Carden was seen for the first time in 17
years.

Library Archivist,
Summer 1111