Houvers

The Houvers are a group of angry divorced men who formed a revolutionary group in -185 EC as a response to the Amphitheatre aristocracy, who they considered to be "a bunch of panty-waists who just want to play dress-up!" Prejudices against the Amphitheatre aristocracy aside, these angry young men began meeting as a drinking society in the 'Daver. Originally, all they shared was love lost and the scorn of their former wives, but their anger and frustration took on a political bent after a performance by the Amphitheatre aristocracy. It seems a play, of sorts, was put on calling for a change in Folktown leadership. Of course, a very liberal-minded member of the Amphitheatre aristocracy was suggested as the replacement. That would have been fine, but for the fact that she was the former wife of Maximilian Gustavus Grande, the de facto leader of the Houvers.

Of course, these conservative and disgruntled recent divorcés, who were also somewhat drunk at the time, would have none of it. They proceeded to launch a particularly ugly smear campaign via leaflets, posters, loud voices, and free beer. The ultimate result was that Adamantine Areola Duphine, Maximilian's former wife, was not elected the Mayor of Folktown, but remained an otherwise obscure bit player in the Amphitheatre aristocracy productions until she eventually took her own life.

In the last 30 years, the Houvers have recruited heavily amongst veterans of the Tarkherk Corps who, upon arriving home from their patriotic service, found themselves short of wives, not to mention a place to stay, their own wives having packed up and left without paying the bills. This has given the Houvers a very dangerous undercurrent which strikes fear into the hearts of their own members. Thankfully, the Houvers are usually far too sotted to be of any danger to anyone, even themselves. Some have noted that the year of their founding coincides with the year that the Harrabloon Bank was founded. Both organizations are quick to point out that this is a total and complete coincidence. They are so quick to point this out that many offer that fact up as evidence that the two groups are connected in some secret and nefarious way.

Oddly enough, no one is quite sure where the Houvers got their name. Some say it was from the way they "houvered" over their drinks. Others speculate that it is a corruption of "Who fer?", which is the traditional question asked by barmaids in the 'Daver when delivering drinks to a table. Members of the Houvers neither confirm, nor deny, either story.

Citations: Amphitheatre aristocracy, Folktown, Tarkherk Corps.

--Doctor Phineas Crank 21:13, 3 Nov 2004 (EDT)