House Lebeda are one of the youngest and least homogenous of the Great Houses of Brevoy. While the great Issian Houses (Surtova, Lodkova and Orlovsky) have long histories and can trace their ancestry back to roots in Ioberia – that isn’t the case with the Lebeda. Nor can they trace their roots back to the Taldan Sword Baron, of centuries before, in the same way as the Aldori. The Lebeda, formed only 200 years ago after the coming of Choral the Conqueror, combines blood from both heritages - and some from other, less well-defined, bloodlines too.
While there has been a lot of mixing of the various bloodlines, the development of the house was based on trade income, to bind the various lordlings to the Great Lord who controls the region. Now, with the Surtova in power, that trade income is under threat.
It is only a few short years ago that Lebeda ships dominated trade on Lake Reykal and down the East Sellen river to Mivon and beyond – from wharves and jetties in both New Stetven and Silverhall - but now House Surtova have taken control of some smaller merchant houses and are providing stiff competition in the region. Just as bad is the loss of the Dwarf stronghold of Highdelve and the subsequent decline of House Garess – and there is much less trade (metals and minerals) available from the Duchy of Greyhaven – and even if the trade was there, Lake Hooktongue has become a more difficult passage for their ships – although Fort Drelev was supposed to provide protection. Even the Great North Road is subject to more competition, as the Surtova muscle into the trade along the southern section. Life is tough for the Lebeda, and it isn’t getting any easier. There was even a move to ally with Surtova, by marriage, but even that has fallen through.
More recently, Duke Lander has been missing from home and his mother, Dame Sarrona Lebeda, has resumed management responsibilities.