The Houses of Arilan
Crest: The Arilan crest is a dark blue throne on a white circle, surrounded by a dark blue ring, with a crossed trident and spear behind on a field of green.
Motto of House Arilan: “We are the Rising Tide.”
Like so much that has roots in the ancient past, the origins of Arilan are more of a rumor than a firm history. According to family legend, the House’s founder, Arilan the Father, was part of a devout and pious tribe which came to the West from unknown Eastern lands. Some stories claim that he came alone with his family. Other stories, with treacherous followers who turned away from him and sought their own fortunes. Magisters’ research suggests that Arilan may have been one of many tribal leaders who came from an unknown territory far away at the behest of another, unknown spiritual leader.
History steps in at last to tell us with more certainty that before Brydd was united into a single Kingdom, it was a land where five petty Kings vied for control. The Kingdom of Arilan made alliances with the Church of Ceros, promising them great power in a new regime, and with a mercenary band of Dragonriders. With these two factors in his favor, King Talorc Arilan conquered the other Kingdoms and made them subordinate Lords in his new United Kingdom.
When King Talorc Arilan claimed the land and divided the Kingdom into Dutchies, he passed control of the Arilan Dutchy to his eldest brother. Since that time, the King of Brydd has ruled while an elder member of the Arilan family has administered the Dutchy. Sometimes this is a brother, sometimes a son, but always a close and trusted member of the bloodline. Often, the Duke of Arilan is also the Chancellor of the King, ensuring that political affairs are slanted in favor of the current ruler.
The King of Brydd administers the Kingdom from Jahassa County, which contains both the Capital city of Wardenclyffe and the lucrative trading port city at King’s Bay which is only twenty-five miles to the South by Southwest, and reachable over the course of a day’s travel. The Duke will typically administer the Dutchy from the Palace, while the Count of Jahassa will typically administer the County’s affairs from King’s Bay, with perhaps frequent trips to the Palace to attend social functions, appear at court, and report to the Duke. The actual process of governmental administration will often be handed off to minor nobles. Work in Jahassa is prestigious enough to attract many minor and otherwise unemployed noblemen and women.
Culture of House Arilan
House Arilan knows that they are the most elite of the elites, and they act like it. However, they are not generally considered intentionally cruel to those below them, and are not known to enact policies that they know will be harmful to anyone, except as retaliation for some specific act against them. They are generally considered wise and prudent, and orchestrate events so as to avoid violence as much as possible. While they are swift to punish people who act against their interests, they are just as quick to forgive when correct behavior manifests once more. This is a house that embraced its enemies and made them part of the Kingdom rather than exterminating them. They are deal-makers, and are always looking for deals that will benefit themselves and the parties they deal with.
House Arilan has a strong Maritime tradition, and much of their wealth comes from trade goods flowing through King’s Bay. Although it is not known for certain, many believe that the House came to Brydd by sea, and not by land. Many minor nobles of the house take up the Captaincy of warships that patrol the coastal waters of Southern Brydd, making up the largest navy of the Kingdom.
Martial Traditions
The Maritime traditions are so much a feature of House culture and pride that often Knights of the Arilan dutchy include maritime features on their armor and coat of arms, such as shells, seahorses, and other oceanic motifs. In addition to the traditional arming swords and long swords typical of Brydd, many seagoing soldiers and Knights prefer short curved swords and falchions, hand axes, crossbows, and spears or pikes which are employed during ship boarding actions.
Cavalry is not a big part of Arilan culture, but navigation, seamanship, and swimming are essential skills most in the House possess. Arilan marines and ship-stationed Knights are said to train swimming in bronze armor while carrying air bladders to assist in buoyancy, boarding an enemy vessel in secret from the ocean waters and slaughtering enemy crews before they are even aware of the danger. Knights of Arilan are often known to keep two sets of armor- one of steel and one of rust-proof bronze- lending credence to these stories.
Although horsemanship is not a primary focus of the House’s martial traditions, members of the House often win jousts. Whether this is because of their skill with the lance-related spears, or as the result of intentional losses by those who do not wish to offend them, is unknown.
Dark Secrets of House Arilan
Some members of the House are born with webbed fingers and toes, and the natural ability to see perfectly underwater. This is concealed for the sake of discouraging rumors about the Arilan bloodline, and those with this condition almost always wear gloves.
It is whispered by some that the Burning of the Salt Fleet was actually orchestrated by House Arilan, whose members were growing wary of the large naval fleet assembled by House Salain. It may even have been ordered by the King himself.
Despite the House’s open and vigorous public worship of Ceros, some say that members of the House still pray in secret at hidden altars to pagan Gods- ancient monstrosities that may have once dwelt in the depths of the sea… and perhaps still do. If this was ever to be proven, a dangerous rift might surface between House Arilan and the Church of Ceros… perhaps even plunging the realm into Civil War.