House Pelagia

House Pelagia was a coalition of noble families that controlled the Pelagia Province of the Tapani Sector. House Pelagia held greater esteem for honor and dignity than the other houses of the Expanse. Assassinations were strongly discouraged and lying was a undesirable trait. As a result Pelagian nobles tended to be masters of spin and were adept at manipulating the truth to suit their needs.

History
The first colonists from the core settled on Pelagon approximately 13,000 BBY and were initially governed from the Pelagian capital world by the Pella Compact, the original council that lead the colony ships to Pelagon. As more worlds were colonized power shifted away from Pelagon to clan capitals.



House Pelagia was once one of the most powerful fall houses of the Tapani Sector and they often controlled the balance of power in the Great Council along with their historical enemies House Mecetti. A number of Pelagian families had bloodlines strong in the Force, and several were members of the Jedi Order. House Pelagia allied themselves with the Jedi against House Mecetti and the Mecrosa Order during the Cleansing of the Nine Houses about 4000 years BBY (year 8,720 in Tapani Sector Calendar). During this time the Pelagia Duplex Command Assault Gunship entered service to protect the Tapani Sector from the chaos of the Great Sith War.

When Palpatine branded the Jedi traitors of the Republic and issued Order 66, that begun the Jedi Purge, the Jedi bloodlines in House Pelagia were rooted out and eliminated.

During this period, motivated by the fear of Imperial reprisals and jealously of House Pelagia's power and influence, the other houses joined with Pelagia's old enemy, Mecetti, in opposing House Pelagia militarily for the first time. The initial battles were ferocious and for a while it appeared the House Pelagia might be able to fend off the combined forces of the other house fleets. Eventually several Mecetti agents were able to disable Pelagon's planetary shield and the once mighty house was defeated. House Cadriaan prevented Mecetti from totally destroying the house but it only retained 3 of its original 11 systems, eight of which were ceded to House Calipsa, and its capital world of Pelagon was devastated. All but two of Pelagon's great platforms were destroyed and its oceans were contaminated from the bombing. Only ten percent of Pelagon's species escaped extinction. The house lost seventy percent of its votes on the Great Council.

After the Mecetti Purge House Pelagia had to put all of its resources into surviving and with the help of House Cadriaan it did. House Pelagia was careful not to overtly make any significant political moves, aware that another attack would most likely destroy the house.

After the purge many noble Pelagian families went to the Freeworlds to start new lives while others were received into other houses as second class aristocrats. Some of these families secretly maintained their old loyalty to the fallen house and acted as a spy network routing information and resources to Pelagia.

The House Pelagia starship Regal Destiny disappeared during the Mecetti Purge. It was rumored that the ship contained treasures from the fallen house. The treasures turned out to be the long lost brother and sister of the Pelagian High Lord Theux Paddox, who were betrayed by a Mecetti spy posing as a crewman. He poisoned the ship's air supply with a bio-agent forcing the children's governess to put them in stasis. The Degal Destiny and the two hibernating members of the Theux family were later discovered by the crew of the mining survey ship Bright Seeker shortly after the Battle of Hoth.

After the death of Emperor Palpatine, House Pelagia began the long road to recovery.

Pelagia Province
After the Mecetti Purge of House Pelagia there were only three systems in the Pelagian Province, Bethal system, Obelia system and Pelagon system containing two inhabitable worlds Bethal and the capital world Pelagon. Eight systems, Betolio, Grella, Lorenz, Kamper, New Javis, Setolio and Netolio were ceded to House Calipsa during the fall.

Assets
After the fall, Pelagia had very little in the way of assets. Many businesses left the house when it was defeated, seeking a more stable environment. The Pelagon Aquatic Components Corporation, however, remained based on Pelagon.

The best asset that Pelagia controlled was the Shapani Run which was the fastest hyperroute to Cadriaan. Pelagia ensured that its enemies, including House Calipsa, paid high tariffs for passing through. At one time Calipsa was banned from Pelagian space and therefore isolated from the Shapani Run.

House Pelagia preserved some of its Jedi heritage after the purge including a collection of Jedi Holocrons. This secret was closely guarded and only known by a handful of trusted individuals. During the Great Jedi Purge the Mecrosa Order's top agent, Nevil Tritum, retrieved the Sith holocron of the ancient Sith Lord Adas from House Pelagia possession.

Military (0 BBY to 3.5 ABY)
Over the approximately twenty years since its fall, Pelagia had been quietly rebuilding its defensive forces. By placing orders through its allies in the House Cadriaan government it successfully prevented Mecetti agents from discovering the full extent of the re-armament program. The Herglic Melchi, captain of a Nebulon-B medical frigate called the Benevolence, used a mobile medical relief unit as cover for smuggling military supplies to House Pelagia.

During the period between 0 BBY and 3.5 ABY the Pelagian navy consisted of the following capital ships although it had placed orders for more.


 * 2 Tapani-class frigates – bought second hand.
 * 5 Rendili Stardrive Neutron Star-class bulk cruiser – bought second hand.
 * Pelagia Star (Pelagia's Moon) – being refitted during the Galactic Civil War.
 * Guardian-class light cruiser Reprise

Although Pelagia lost a great deal of its military power during the purge it did retain its powerful intelligence and diplomatic assets. There are many agents of House Pelagia across the sector, many directed against the old enemy Mecetti.

Politics
House Cadriaan was Pelagia's closest friend and ally in the sector. It ensured Pelagia's survival and has helped in its rebuilding and rearmament efforts.

After the fall of House Pelagia the Great Council on Procopia was controlled by an a coalition of House Mecetti, House Calipsa, and House Reena. House Mecetti had always been Pelagia's most implacable enemy. At this time Calipsa and Reena were enemies by their alliance with Mecetti.

Before the Battle of Endor, under the leadership of High Lord Theux Paddox, House Pelagia participated in secret talks with Melantha and Barnaba. Such an alliance would break Mecetti's control of the Great council and therefore the sector. House Melantha has historically been one of Pelagia's allies in apposing Mecetti but it was always an alliance of convenience.

Although House Pelagia did not associate itself with the Rebellion there was a Rebel Alliance cell that called themselves the Pelagia Freedom Force and was led by a native of Pelagon, Zanthe Nadia.

Behind the scenes
That members of House Pelagia would be notable for spinning the truth opens the possibility that they may be named for Pelagius, a monk whose interpretation of Christian teachings was deemed heresy--that is, a twisting of the truth.

Notable members

 * Lord Theux Paddox (High Lord)
 * Lord Taj Junak (Dr.Shellery Kint)
 * Baroness Mellona Gantrolo (House Mecetti Agent)
 * Trad Paddox
 * Verinia Paddox
 * Janna Pallask
 * Pellas Agri (Coros Telari - alias)
 * Mistress Winslo
 * Alek Ben-Faris
 * Zanthe Nadia
 * Melchi