Once this Aerdi house got displaced by Nealax what happend to it? I don't see any references to it any more. I assume Nyrond's royal family is still a branch of it but I don't see them being refered to anymore has a family in the unpublished "Ivid" or in the LGG. It would be hard to believe they would be completely extinct.
In a remote and dusty corner of a library in the city of Rel Deven, an old man and a young woman sat at a table piled high with old scrolls and tomes.
The old man spoke in a hushed voice, "Officially? If you were to inquire at any court of Aerdian nobility, even our own House Cranden, you would receive the same answer. The House of Rax, or Rax-Nyrond, if you will, is extinct. They will say that the first Overking Ivid of House Naelax snuffed out that line of usurpers a century and a half ago. One could say that it was the first, and only, useful deed an Ivid ever performed on behalf of the empire. But, that is ancient history, cousin. What is your interest in a dead House?"
"Consider this", said the young woman, as she held up a piece of platinum between her fingers. The rectangular coin glinted in the afternoon light that streamed through the library's window. "An Imperial coin, identical to any one of thousands. Each bears the image of the Orb of Rax. It shows the orb carried for many generations by overkings of the House of Rax, and House Naelax in turn. It must be an item of great power. I wonder, how many of our kin have beheld a coin such as this, and never paused to consider the importance of what it depicts?"
The old man replied, "Perhaps it would be best if you put that away. We have enough trouble with thieves as it is. But as for the Orb of Rax, it is true that it was borne by the last Ivid, but I have always thought that it was little more than a trapping of the office. Certainly, it has never been mentioned in the same breath as classical Aerdian antiquities like the Mighty Servant or the Mask. For that matter, I am not even certain of the orb's age. For all I know, an Ivid could have had one crafted by a mere glassblower, and trotted out to lend an air of legitimacy to that miserable dynasty."
The young woman laughed. "Oh ye of little faith! See here," as she unfurled a vellum scroll, "This is a chronicle of the Overkings. Here it tells how, for centuries, the Orb of Rax was carried as a symbol of our peoples' conquest of the Flanaess, in honor of the fabled Orbs of Dragonkind. How could the Orb of Rax not be an item of repute? And, even if it started out common, many among the rulers of our empire were known to be magicians of great ability. It would have easily been within their means to enhance its magic. If I were the queen of an empire, I know I certainly would have. After all, the regalia was worn in public. Well have I been taught not to travel streets without the most potent weapons I can put in my hands!"
The old man chuckled. "Indeed, you are a Cranden. But, just because it was written, does not make it true. Beware the lies of House Naelax!"
The young woman wrinkled her brow. "You may be right. How would I go about learning the truth?"
"Continue your studies of the old records," said her cousin. "Perhaps you will uncover a truth, or merely a better understanding of a body of lies. Either way, it is time well spent. Once you know the right questions to ask, then you can engage the services of a diviner, or a high priest. Although, I fear that it will require the application of powerful magic to answer your questions."
"Yes, that's going to take a lot of gold", said the young woman. "I would have to ask father for the money to pay for a ritual, and I'm fairly certain he will get angry with me."
"Dear, he won't get angry with you. He'll get angry with me. Let's not get him involved, hmm?"
"I promise I won't. Is there another way, a less expensive way? Perhaps there are surviving members of the House of Rax that I can ask. But, you said that they were all dead."
The old man paused for a moment in thought. "I said they were officially dead. The House of Naelax was thorough in their decimation of Rax, but their work was incomplete. In truth, there remain more than a few descendants of that House. Remember, it was the House Rax-Nyrond. The blood of Rax flows in the veins of the fools who rule Nyrond. That king, they say, has an idiot brother, or somesuch. The influence of Rax blood, no doubt."
He continued, "A trip to Nyrond might bear fruit; one supposes that Nyrondese accounts from the era of the Turmoil Between Crowns remain unpurged. But, it is a long journey, through unsafe lands."
"Some say that the Archmage Bigby is descended from Rax, but I know that to be slander; he is a Cranden like us. The last court mage of the House of Rax, a wizard named Jaran Krimeeah, is reputed to still be alive, and if that is true, it would be a remarkable feat of longevity. Sadly, his whereabouts are unknown."
"The rest of the offspring of Rax are a degenerate lot of wretched ne'er-do-wells. You'll find most of them in the western lands of the old empire from the town of Jennden down to Oldridge. Jichrisen, the Prince of Jennden, descends from the House of Rax, although they say the years have been none too kind to him, and I'm not altogether certain that he can still fairly be called human. Mayhap you could find someone else of that family to help you."
"Down at Oldridge, you will find a nest of pretenders, usurpers, bastards, drunkards, and common criminals in whose veins flow some measure of blood of the House of Rax, although I can't imagine that any of them posess the coherence required to be of any assistance whatsoever."
"And, finally, although I hesitate to mention it, there is Prince Ferrenan of Blacksplinter. He, among all of them, might know the answers to your questions. Mind you, young lady, do not, under any circumstances, go to Blacksplinter! It is said that Ferrenan is a recluse who does not wish to be disturbed, and has a heart as black as night. Instead, send an emissary on your behalf. Someone you won't miss if they never come back."
"Oh, that sounds exciting!" exclaimed the young woman. "I can't wait to see for myself!"
The old man groaned. "I fear I erred in telling you all this. This won't end well, which means it'll end even worse for me. Perhaps it would be best if I gave you money to pay for the divinations." He reached into his pocket and handed a coin bag to his cousin.
"Thank you, cousin, I just knew you'd help!" said the young woman. "But now I have to go." She rose from the table to leave.
"Wait! There's something I must know. If the Orb of Rax is worth pursuing, it will have been with the last Ivid, and they say he was engulfed by a magical rift vast enough to cover the entire city of Rauxes, from which none have returned alive. How do you propose to retrieve it?"
"I'll worry about that tomorrow", said the young woman, as she left the room. "It's been fun!"
The old man laughed to himself, "Shaken down by a mere child. The empire is in good hands".
The Rax line was dispossessed but not rendered extinct;
From Ivid the Undying
"Overking Nalif was the last of the Rax line descended directly from the overkings. A flock of misbegotten cousins, exiles and ne'er-do-wells of Rax could lay some claim to the title of overking when Ivid had Nalif assassinated, but after a century of hopelessly ineffectual Rax rule all of the royal houses agreed that another Rax overking was simply unacceptable."
"Among the competing houses, the House of Cranden opposed Naelax, as did many elements of the House of Garasteth and the remnants of Rax."
My Analysis
Dispossesion of the Central Rax Lands
After the loss of the civil war the few remaining Rax nobles and the central lands were absorbed by House Naelax. Rather like the norman conquest of England post 1066; Few Rax nobles remained through assassination or dispossesion. Most central lands are vacant or within the hands of a Rax daughter to be wed. (Most English noble families have a Norman Lord and a Saxon Lady).
Either way the Rax line within Aerdi was so completely eclipsed within the generation the line held no significant land holdings - could be some minor Rax village vestiges remained within the central lands but no real threat and those probably wed into house naelax as soon as possible to retain their positions.
Nyrond
The junior branch of House Rax is the ruling house of Nyrond; despite their rebellion, the Nyrond branch through blood has more of a claim to the Malachite Throne then the Naelax. Which explains the Naelax obsession with Nyrond. The existence of Nyrond was a constant reminder of the illegitimate naelax claim.
Thanks Crag. I wondered how much of a claim Nyrond's royal family had on the throne. It actually back's up their claim on the Almorian lands they occupied based on royal heritege. Though it does sound like the remanants of the Rax line that does still exist in Aerdi lands are pretty much powerless.
Quite right; not that royal blood means that much within the shattered Great Kingdom. Arcane power and military might is much more important then some diluted blood from a distant Rax ancestor.
However to be fair to the Naelax; once Nyrond rebelled and declared its lands an independent Kingdom the Imperial claim to the Malachite throne would be considered null and void by the remaining Aerdi houses.
No doubt it did help the Nyrondese "Liberation of Almor" - play up the historical connection to reduce initial resentment.
Last edited by Crag on Wed Dec 31, 2008 3:33 pm; edited 2 times in total
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