House Sobek

House Sobek one of longest-standing merchant houses in the merchant guilds. Despite being founded some two centuries ago and being steeped in tradition, House Sobek is only rich in influence as it provides mainly services instead of actual goods.

The Beginnings

House Sobek was founded way back when by Antonius Sobek, a shrewd man, who was part pirate and part merchant. Antonius was a renowned charmer of the fairer sex, and was always in the company of the most strikingly beautiful ladies at any public occasion. The other women gazed upon them scornfully, secretly jealous. One day, a gentleman and fellow merchant inquired of Antonius as to the possibility of acquiring one of those fine ladies to accompany him to the next ball. This, in turn, gave Antonius the idea of founding a house of escorts.


An idea becomes a reality

At the time, houses of pleasure and escort services were already widespread, but this avocation was only run by women. Antonius decided to spurn tradition and put his own mark on his escort service, as escort services were limited to sporadic ports. Antonius saw the opportunity and made it his aim to place one of his houses on each and every port.


Resistance

What Sobek failed to account for was the hostility and resentment the ladies held for him, a man, new to the business. They saw in him as a fierce competitor for patrons, as Antonius had an excellent relationship to the very businessmen that represented the escort service’s primary target group. As his business began to blossom into maturity, the crafty Sobek reached an agreement with the other escort services. Each owner of these houses, would remain in charge of their own business and receive a portion of the earnings, thus solidifying the business model of House Sobek.


Booming times

None of the women could refuse Sobek’s offer, as the earnings were bountiful and the parlors full of pleasure-seeking patrons. Just two years after entering the trade, Sobek fulfilled his aim and on every port one could find “Sobek’s Escort Service.” Nowadays, there are various escort services, but none with the size and influence of the Sobek name.


Today

Sobek’s great nephew runs the family business today, and Marco Sobek too is a successful businessman. The ladies populating his houses are the most beautiful on all the seas. Oftentimes, Marco is asked where he finds such beautiful dames, but he is not wont to divulge his secret. The ships of House Sobek are rarely attacked as every pirate knows that the cargo on board is that of the female persuasion. The ships in Sobek’s fleet have little in common with standard merchant ships, and are better considered floating palaces. Far be it from Marco, a gentleman in every respect, to even consider mistreating his lovely ladies. Small wonder too, because if they go, so does his house.