The House of the Hearth is an orphanage run by "The Knave" Arlecchino of the Eleven Fatui Harbingers. Orphans within the house are often raised directly into the Fatui's ranks or remain closely affiliated with the organization by way of their relation to Arlecchino.
Overview[]
My dear Snezheviches, my dear Snezhevnas, my brothers and sisters
If I were to one day cease my journey and slumber under the white birch, please carry on without me...—The end of Trofin Snezhevich's Tattered Paper, containing the motto of the House of the Hearth
The House of the Hearth was set up by the previous Knave.[1][2][Note 1]
Orphans raised in the House of the Hearth are gathered from all over the continent, likely to make it easier for people who are ethnically from a certain nation to blend in with its people,[3] and those who clearly belong to a certain ethnicity (such as Lyudochka Snezhevna, who was of Inazuman descent) may study affairs relating to their native land from a young age.[1]
Once children raised in the House of the Hearth grow up, those who are deemed to "have potential" are enlisted in the Fatui and are dispatched as sleeper agents to other nations to await orders.[2][4] They could end up as Arlecchino's agents or as the subordinates of other Harbingers and perform assignments other than espionage.
When the previous Knave, Crucabena, oversaw the House of the Hearth, she maintained absolute control over every matter, causing some people, particularly her daughter Clervie, to consider the atmosphere to be choking and as if being in a purgatory. She would frequently force the children to fight each other, and those who were grievously injured were either given to The Doctor for experimentation or sent on dangerous missions that saw them never returning. She maintained a cordial front in the children, brainwashing everyone except Clervie and another orphan, Peruere, who had known her intentions from the start.
Ten years after meeting Peruere, Clervie would die in a duel against her, though Peruere's unique constitution as a descendant of the Crimson Moon Dynasty resulted in Clervie's shadow being absorbed into her. A year after that, Peruere confronted Crucabena and killed her on the same spot before taking over the House of the Hearth, becoming a Harbinger and renaming herself as Arlecchino.
Those raised in the House of the Hearth view each other as "family" and refer to their bonds as being "tighter than blood."[2] Arlecchino is referred to as "Father" by orphans within the House of the Hearth, with the orphans considering themselves children of the Tsaritsa.[5][6] While Arlecchino was much less strict compared to Crucabena, the one vital rule she enforced was loyalty, with betrayal being punishable by death. However, she could amend the rule and could spare them with potions containing her flame. These potions would only be given to those who had the strength and/or will to fight, and when consumed, would erase their memories regarding the House, effectively "killing" them in her eyes while granting them the freedom they desired.[7]
Orphans raised within the House of the Hearth are given the surnames "Snezhevich" and "Snezhevna" for males and females respectively.[1] Some orphans will be given new names entirely along with their designated surname.[2]
There is currently only one known location the House of the Hearth operates in, the Hotel Bouffes d'ete in the Court of Fontaine, although it is implied that other orphanages exist outside of Fontaine.[8][9]
Affiliated Characters[]
The current director of the House of the Hearth is Arlecchino, who succeeded the previous director Crucabena.
There are 18 other characters who are (or were) part of the House of the Hearth:
Playable characters[]
Arlecchino
Freminet
Lynette
LyneyTrivia[]
- The House of the Hearth training and enlisting children into the Fatui after they have grown up and shown potential mirrors real life military schools that provide education for children of various ages and train them in military aspects, preparing them for service in the armed forces.
Etymology[]
- "Snezhevich" and "Snezhevna" mean "Son of Snow" and "Daughter of Snow," respectively. While these two names are officially explained as surnames,[1] in real-life Russian, the -evich and -evna endings make them patronymics, which are secondary names that are based on the father's given name. Because the orphans have unknown parentage, the "Snow" (Russian: Снег Sneg) is considered their "father," while the Tsaritsa is the "mother."[6]
- Hotel Bouffes d'ete (French: Hôtel Bouffes d'été) means "Summer Bouffe Singers Hotel."
Notes[]
Other Languages[]
| Language | Official Name | Literal Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| English | House of the Hearth | — |
| Chinese (Simplified) | 壁炉之家 Bìlú zhī Jiā | House of Hearth |
| Chinese (Traditional) | 壁爐之家 Bìlú zhī Jiā | |
| Japanese | 壁炉の家 Hausu obu Haasu[10] | House of Hearth |
| Korean | 벽난로의 집 Byeoknanroui jib | House of Fireplace |
| Spanish | Casa de la Hoguera | House of the Bonfire |
| French | Foyer de l'âtre | House of the Hearth[• 1] |
| Russian | Дом очага Dom ochaga | House of the Hearth |
| Thai | บ้านแสนอบอุ่น Ban Saen Op-un | A Warm House |
| Vietnamese | Căn Nhà Hơi Ấm | House of Warmth |
| German | Haus des Kamins | House of the Hearth |
| Indonesian | House of the Hearth | — |
| Portuguese | Casa da Lareira | |
| Turkish | Taş Yuva | |
| Italian | Casa del Focolare | House of the Bonfire |
- ↑ French: Foyer is a double entendre, as it can both mean a household or a hearth depending on the context, while âtre less ambiguously always means hearth.
Change History[]
- The name House of the Hearth was revealed.
- "An orphanage set up by Lady Arlecchino" was mentioned.
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 World Quest, The Very Special Fortune Slip, Part 2: The Replacement's Secret
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Sumeru Hidden Exploration Objective, Quest-Like: The Bad Guy in Vimara Village
- ↑ World Quest, The Very Special Fortune Slip, Part 1: Shuumatsuban Operations
Buzuleac: We were all brought up in similar circumstances, but it's just easier for people with Inazuman blood like her to create a fake identity, you know? - ↑ World Quest: The Foolish Fatuus
Oleg: Hmph, Trofin Snezhevich... That guy didn't achieve anything here in the past few years, whereas I have already gotten results. Well, won't we see what he has to say for himself then? - ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter IV, Act I - Prelude of Blancheur and Noirceur, Part 3: Lies Cast Shadows Under Gathered Lights
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 World Quest: A Company Vanishing Into the Deep
Anton: Katarina and her younger brother, Corporal Nikolay, were brought up in the House of the Hearth. They are the children of Her Majesty the Tsaritsa. - ↑ Story Quest, Arlecchino, Ignis Purgatorius Chapter: Act I - When the Hearth-Flame Goes Out, Part 4: Into the Sunlight
- ↑ Lyney's Character Story: Character Story 2
- ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter IV, Act I - Prelude of Blancheur and Noirceur, Part 3: Lies Cast Shadows Under Gathered Lights
Lyney: All of us House members here, Lady Arlecchino herself included, are from Fontaine. - ↑ Archon Quest, Chapter IV, Act I - Prelude of Blancheur and Noirceur, Part 3: Lies Cast Shadows Under Gathered Lights (Japanese Voice-Over)
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