Editing Nobledark Imperium Notes (section)

==  Eldrad, Sreta, Taldeer, and the rest of House Ulthran ==

Eldrad and Sreta don't hate each other per se. It's more accurate to say that Eldrad is merely disappointed in Sreta, that he isn't pleased with some of the things she's doing and wouldn't mind seeing her get humbled a bit. On the one hand, he's proud of her in the fact that she got her power by being damn clever (even Eldrad probably wouldn't have been able to run the cartel like she has), and her actions give Ulthwé a lot of resources and the ability to rush-buy things if need be. On the other, she got the metaphorical start-up capital to do so by capitalizing off her relationship to Eldrad (which is frowned upon in eldar society) and the way she runs the cartel is kind of shady (Sreta plays favorites with her family members).

By the same token, Sreta is frustrated with Eldrad and considers him short-sighted. Sreta considers Eldrad the patriarch of the family. Any personal feelings she holds beyond that she feels are irrelevant. She's a distinctly unpleasant woman that does unpleasant things, but she knows Eldrad does good, and thus puts her resources at his disposal. She wishes Eldrad would be more dignified and more active in politics, rankles at Eldrad's long distance approval and praise of Taldeer, and holds an especial disdain at the more distant relations that Eldrad sees fit to entertain and allow to thrive. In Sreta's balance books, there's a great deal of money lost to 'Pointless Charity from Eldrad.'

But Sreta started on the path of the servant among the eldar, and it has shaped almost the whole of her character, even as she has pushed the letter of the law to the limit to gain enough power to be considered a figure of galactic influence. She still thinks of herself as a servant, even if she sometimes holds her self appointed master in disdain. If anyone asks, Sreta would state plainly that all she has done, and she does is for the good of Ulthwé, and Eldrad. Sreta has after all earned money and influence enough to make a great deal happen. Eldrad has made use of these resources from time to time, and Sreta has never begrudged him.

But there is a tension. Sreta feels that Eldrad doesn't understand the basics of business (Make sure money comes in, don't give shit away for free) and meddles too much. And Eldrad at times wonders at times if Sreta has grown too heartless. There are a lot of people out there that Sreta has driven into despair and poverty in the name of profit. And under the name of Ulthran.

Taldeer is currently Eldrad's favorite because he sees a lot of himself in her. Taldeer rejected the cushy lifestyle of the cartel (which would have come at the cost of her ability to self-determinate) and decided to go make her own mark on the world, just as Eldrad would if he were in her situation. Taldeer making it on her own has also made her a beacon for the other unfavorite members of the Ulthran family, who were previously dependent on staying in Sreta's good graces to achieve things. So now the Ulthran cartel and the previously ostracized members are starting to stop moping around and get shit done.

It's been heavily implied that out of all the human-eldar couplings in the galaxy, Taldeer and LIVII were the ones to get pregnant as a bit of a practical joke by Isha on Eldrad to get back at him for her unexpected arranged marriage to the Emperor (that is, a hybrid was going to happen anyway, but Isha's influence over fertility in the galaxy made it happen to Eldrad's favorite child as a friendly joke). That, and Isha knows that Eldrad will literally bend fate is he has to in order to keep his family safe.