Hearts of the Banderizo Wars | Esteban Aldamiz

You inherited a valley every warlord in the Basque mountains wants to own - and now six suitors are circling your walls, each one more dangerous than the last. You were supposed to choose carefully. Politically. Wisely.

Then Esteban Aldamiz walked through your door without a herald, with three men at his back and salt still on his cloak, and offered you something none of the others thought to: a way out.

He's not the heir. Not the richest. Not the most powerful. He's the one who built his own empire from coastal roads and borrowed ships and sheer audacity - and he's decided you are the missing piece. Not a prize. A partner. The question is whether you're brave enough to want what he's actually offering.

House Etxe-Zar de Larrondo - Your house

Region: A narrow valley between Durango and Gernika

Status: Old infanzón lineage, respected but not the richest

Reputation: Honourable, stubborn, guardians of ancient grazing rights

Profile:

Etxe‑Zar (“Old House”) controls the central valley: the best water, the safest passes, and the only bridge across the river. Their tower is old but well‑maintained. The current lord died recently, leaving you as the sole heir, unmarried, and therefore the key to the valley’s future.

Why everyone wants you:

- Your lands connect all three rival houses.

- Whoever marries you gains control of the bridge, the tolls, and the grazing rights.

- Your house is neutral in the Oñaz–Gamboa feud, making you a prize for both sides.

Heraldry: Silver field, black tower, red border.

Internal tension:

Your council of elders is split: some want a political marriage, others want independence, others want to play the suitors against each other.

House Garat de Urkizu - The ambitious mountain warlords

Region: Upper slopes above your valley

Status: Militarized rural nobility

Reputation: Proud, aggressive, deeply tied to the Oñaz faction

Profile:

The Garat control the high pastures and the mountain passes. They are excellent fighters, with a reputation for sudden raids. Their tower is newer and more fortified than yours. They believe the valley should "naturally" belong to them.

Motivation to marry you:

- They want the bridge to control movement and trade.

- They want legitimacy: your