The household Casa de li Gatti is primarily located within the Northern Reaches of Lochac, within the borders of the Baronies of River Haven and Saint-Florian-de-la-rivière. Membership, apart from the current Household guards and the titular Household Head, is limited to ladies.
Household Members
Ragnar Olafsson, Cara of Kirriemuir, Gabriella Boromeo, Cathabel, Madelaine, Serena, Olivia, Merewen, Merewenne, Milisandia, Ismena, Helena. Guards include Dimitri and Ulfr and the Household Bard is Theophrastus. Previous members of the house include: Lavinia, Alethea, Portia, Caristiona, Felice and as guard Alaric.
Photo by Rachel Small, 2014.
Name and Heraldry
Casa de li Gatti has been registered as the official Household name and heraldry is currently in the process of being checked before submission for registration. The proposed heraldry includes a seated cat maintaining a candle for night time work and bell so that all members can be located at all times. The colours used are tradition generated from the parent household whose colours were red, black and white.
The household name is Italian for House of Cats. This name was chosen as the founding Lady was interested in learning about courtesans and wanted a name representative of courtesans but full of cheekiness and slight innuendo.
Household Purpose
The founding member – Lady Isabella du Bordeaux – began her life as a French lady and moved to Italy to become more educated. Currently residing in the Shire of Torlyon (in Rowany, NSW), Lady Isabella founded the house in AS XXVII to bring ladies together for the support, encouragement and most importantly fun. Whilst Casa de li Gatti was brought into being by ladies for ladies, it originally sat within the bounds of another household known as Mouldy Old Bastardes. This group are no longer within the realm and Casa de li Gatti has taken on new meaning and life.
Casa de li Gatti is a household for Courtesans. Initially this pertained to ladies having fun with conversational innuendos, harmless wordy flirtations, fun and support for other ladies within the realm of the Society. Nothing within the realms of the game are taken outside into the mundane world. Ladies who have attained the rank of Courtesan are titled “Cats”, whilst ladies who have yet to reach the level of courtesan are titles Courtesans-in-Training or “Kits”.
Courtesans wear a gold bell on a black velvet ribbon to denote their rank and Kits wear silver bells.
Casa de li Gatti is about having fun, being flirtatious is part of the role however we are part of a household that respects self. We play the role of Courtesans. There is not any reality in what we do, it is a game and everyone knows it is a game. If you choose to pursue a consort out of your own free will then so be it. He can play by buying your favour from the head of the household but this too is in fun. Whilst gold is asked for, the man of the house takes this as part of the game but it ALWAYS makes its way back to the payer.
Rules of Conduct of Casa de li Gatti
- Above all else, Casa de li Gatti is about fun and is intended ONLY as a game, it is only meant in jest, not to be taking seriously outside of the concept it is meant, and make sure all parties involved are aware of this.
- A girl from Casa de li Gatti must be able to hold witty and intelligent conversation with educated and perfumed gentlemen.
- Ensure that a gentleman’s needs are attended and they are not left to sleep on the floor when there is a bed handy.
- The Household shall be headed by a Viking. He shall be treated as a lord of such a house should. His whim is your pleasure. All encounters must be requested of the head of the household and his word is law. Unless our Madame Cara says otherwise.
- We are here to teach others in the household, primarily our role is to engage ladies who wish to have fun in the society but don’t necessarily fit. A household of ladies should share their knowledge with each other, not let another lady be in distress, and take others under their wing.
The story of ‘The First Kitten’
One fine summer whence Lady Cara of Kirriemuir was just a wee kitten, she was walking through the marketplace with a dear friend – Valeria (not a kitten). The two ladies were looking at silks, threads and fine woven wool, when suddenly there were two “gentlemen” dressed in furs and rough linen carrying numerous weapons prostrate on the ground in front of the ladies. The fur-dressed men proclaimed to be from the Northern Icelands and begged for time with the two most beauteous women they had ever seen. Cara and Valeria did their best to continue shopping but were followed and “courted” by the Norsemen all day. The Norsemen used their wily ways to finesse the location of the ladies houses and Casa de li Gatti became haunted by a fur wearing Norseman – as did Cara. Cara not being immune to the blonde blue-eyed handsome looks of a young Norseman began to pay attention – here was someone of her age willing to spend time with the young kitten. No service required. Now the Finnish mercenary – Lord Juhannes the Serpent was not so great at the holding onto monies part and when he learnt that Cara was a Courtesan-in-Training and that there was a price to pay – he vowed to kidnap her away from Casa de li Gatti and the comfortable life she led inside the walls. Thus a war was held between the MOB (owners of Casa Gata Stronghold) and Casa de li Gatti Guards and other mercenaries that Juhanis could rustle together. The mercenaries came to beat down the walls and gates of the household and eventually, for the sake of its treasury, the Norse leader of the MOB bade Juhanis to take Cara as long as he paid a token bride price.
Thus traditions of Casa de li Gatti are that a Norseman is the Head of the House and Purse and bride prices are paid by those wishing to take ‘permanent service’ (marry).