✦ • ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

✦ MAISON D’AUCLAIR - DYNASTIE VALOIS ✦
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦
ABDICATION OF JOYEUSE

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

‘Beyond the Dark, into the Light’

✦ • ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

“ Honour, is our Laurel; Valour, is our Blade; ”
Virtue but the hand, that wields them come the day.

✦ • ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

It has been a great journey leading the House of Auclair, from the turmoil of the war of Aevos, to the destruction of that realm to our arrival here in Azuras. Truth be told, as the youngest child of my mother it was never conceived by me that I would come to inherit leadership of this House, I was but a creative who knew little in administration and politics and such. However, the seat of the House came to me, and with the support of my loved ones. Without them Auclair would not have been able to endure and rise as it has.

However, as an artist at heart, I must realise when to make way for new ideas and greater vigour. My most wonderful son, the pride of my heart, Jean-Baptiste has long shown to exhibit these qualities and possess a natural talent for administration, as well as show the same commitment to our beloved Petra as I have.

Thus, it is with great pride that I announce my abidcation to my son, Jean-Baptiste @Lokvank, to inherit the titles and leadership of our House. May he continue to lead our great people and lands to further prosperity and glory, and dedicate his work in service of the Archduchy of Petra.

✦ WRIT & PENNED BY

• ───────────────── •

THE HONOURABLE, Guillaume Auclair,

 Viscount of Joyeuse, Baron of Rhénanie.

HER LADYSHIP, Norellie Auclair, 

Viscountess-consort of Joyeuse, Baroness-consort of Rhénanie.

OF VALOR
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

📜 The Auclair Yule:

A Night of Warmth, Memory, and Gentle Snowfall

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

On a winter’s night, when the world lay quiet beneath a quilt of snow,
the Auclair manor glowed once more with the soft radiance of old traditions and cherished memories.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

In that serene hour of December, when snow drifted upon the cobblestone streets like a benediction from the heavens, the venerable Auclair estate rekindled one of its most treasured customs: the Winter Exchange, a Yuletide tradition preserved through generations.

Though the beloved sisters Madame Valerie Auclair, firm and wise matriarch, and Amelie Auclair, gentle in spirit and warm of heart, had long left this mortal realm, their presence seemed to linger still.

It hovered lightly in the garlands of holly, in the flicker of candle flames, in the softened voices of those gathered.

The night did not mourn their absence; rather, it celebrated the glow of the love they had bestowed upon the family.

Presiding over the feast of preparation was Viola Auclair, granddaughter of Valerie.

Her movements bore the grace so reminiscent of her grandmother—quiet, steady, and deft—as she ensured that every ribbon lay perfectly, every candle shone with an unwavering flame, and the towering Yule tree stood proud in its festive raiment.

Not far from her stood Guillaume Auclair, son of Amelie and Viscount of the House. With the solemn dignity befitting his station, he surveyed the hall, yet a gentler light softened his expression.

For tonight, the weight of lineage felt less a burden and more a comfort—an inheritance of warmth, rather than duty alone.

When the great vestibule clock tolled its solemn hour, the guests gathered round the Yule tree to commence the exchange of gifts—a ritual Valerie had guarded with pride and Amelie had filled with laughter. Wrappings crinkled like tiny choruses, joyful murmurs rose to the rafters, and in each smile and grateful whisper one sensed the echo of the sisters’ affection.

“Do you think they would be proud?” Viola murmured.

“I have no doubt,” Guillaume replied softly. “Tradition endures because we remember… and because they remain within it.”

At that, a gentle draft glided through the hall, setting holly leaves trembling and candle flames bending as though in courteous greeting. None could say from whence it came, yet all felt an unearthly peace settle upon them—like a blessing from distant, loving hands.

The night unfolded in warmth, laughter, and quiet reverence.

And outside, the snow fell in steady grace, as though wishing to preserve this moment from the passage of years.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

OOC

This event will be most OOC, meant for exchanging gifts, sharing laughter,
and enjoying festive company before the IRL holidays.
 

📅 Event Date: December 20nd

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

I CAN FINALLY SAY: ITS TIMEEEEE! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAY YALL

✦ • ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

✦ MAISON D’AUCLAIR - DYNASTIE VALOIS ✦
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦
FEAST OF SHADOW
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

‘ In the house of honor, a new flame is lit.’

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

“ Honour, is our Laurel; Valour, is our Blade; ”
Virtue but the hand, that wields them come the day.

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

As the height of the autumn season is reached and nights grow longer and longer, the harvest around the bountiful lands of the Viscounty of Joyeause grow ripe for harvest. Thus is the pleasure of Vicomital House of Auclair to invite all citizens of Petra, Idunia and further, to celebrate the coming autumn harvest with a harvest feast in the spirit of Petraween.

Alongside the frighteningly tasty cuisine prepared by the finest auverginian chefs, guests will be entertained throughout the dinner by a haunting piano performance.

The feast shall occur on [WEDNESDAY 4PM EST] at [-1868 20 -906]

✦ WRIT & PENNED BY

• ───────────────── •

HIS EXCELLENCY, Guillaume Auclair, Grand Speaker of the Garmont Assembly,

Viscount of Joyeuse, Baron of Rhénanie.

By Viola Valclair

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

“The wind has stopped blowing, as if afraid to bring me another farewell.”

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

I no longer know how long the house has been silent.
The rooms, once full of voices and light, now look upon me as relics of a life that no longer exists.
I walk among the shadows of memories, realizing that even the air feels different —

colder, heavier, as though it too has stopped believing in return.

They said the sea has claimed them both.
First him, and then my child — who never learned to fear the water.
Two lives intertwined, then torn away into the same abyss.
I remained on the shore, with empty hands and a broken heart, staring at a horizon that gives nothing back.

Faith, hope, trust — words that now sound like sweet deceptions.
I no longer believe in gods, nor in the world, nor in the promises whispered when life pretends to be kind.
 

I have learned that even love, when too pure, becomes cruelty.

Each night I ask myself if it was my fault.
If I had prayed more, if I had held them back, if I had cried instead of smiling —
perhaps they would still be here.
 

Perhaps I would have lost my peace, but not them.

Now my sorrow is my only companion.
Pain has become a ritual — a way to remember them, to feel that they still exist somewhere,
in the heartbeat that refuses to stop, in the tear that falls without sound.

They say time heals, but I do not wish to heal.
Because healing would mean forgetting,
and forgetting would be betraying them.

So I remain, within these barren walls, surrounded by shadows that bear their names,
waiting for the sea, one day, to have mercy and call my name as well.

And then, yes — perhaps I will see them again.
Perhaps I will know it was not all in vain.
Perhaps, in that abyss that now terrifies me, I will finally find peace.

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

« Ce que la mer m’a pris, elle ne me le rendra jamais…
mais peut-être, un jour, m’emportera aussi. »

— Viola Valclair

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

Le Vide et la Culpabilité

Since that day, the world has lost its color.
Everything seems wrapped in a thin veil — not of mist, but of sorrow.
Dawn no longer shines with gold, and night brings no peace.
Even the sea, once my confidant, is silent now:
as if it too has lost something, as if it knows my grief.

Since he’s gone, trust has shattered inside me like broken glass.
I can no longer meet another’s eyes; every face feels like a reflection betrayed, a promise unkept.
They say pain ennobles the soul — but I feel no nobility, only emptiness.
And in that void lies a guilt that will not let me breathe.

Because I was the one who let him go.
I told him to leave, to be brave, to follow duty as he always had.
And now each of those words turns against me, like a blade twisting endlessly in an open wound.
I don’t know if the sea has claimed him, or if fate itself tore him from me out of cruelty or whim.
But I know that had I only asked him to stay — perhaps, perhaps we would not be two broken shadows now.

Each night he returns in dreams, eyes gentle, never accusing — always forgiving.
 

And still, I cannot forgive myself.
Not for his absence, but for my weakness.
I let my trust die with him, and since then, the world has felt like a lie.
The voices around me sound hollow, the smiles are masks of wax.
I walk among people like a ghost, searching for a fragment of truth I will never find again.

And within me, the wound stays open.
It doesn’t bleed — it burns.
A silent flame consuming all that I once was: the woman, the lover, the believer.
Now there is only Viola — empty, guilty, surviving.

And yet sometimes, when the wind slips through the curtains and the scent of the sea returns,
I think I hear his name, carried softly, like a caress that dares not touch me.
Then, for an instant, the pain grows quiet.
But as soon as I close my eyes, it returns — sharper, truer.

Perhaps this suffering is how the universe forces me to remember him.
Perhaps it is my punishment — and my bond.
And if he never returns, then let the pain remain —
for in pain, at least, he still exists.

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

Emblem's of Valclair Line of House Aulciar

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

✧  A N N O U N C E M E N T  O F  A N  H E I R  ✧

To all merchants, courtiers, allies, and friends of House Valclair & Auclair:

From the forges of our lineage and the cunning of our trade, the time has come to name who shall carry forward our name and legacy.

I, Viola Auclair, matriarch of our House Valclair, daughter of the Auclair line, stand before you not as a distant sovereign, but as one who has measured coin and danger, contracts and blades. In my veins runs the blood of Valerie Auclair, whose lessons we inherit: from the delicacy of goldsmith’s work to the shrewdness of commerce; from navigating courtly intrigue to delivering a swift, silent strike when the hour demands it.

But a dynasty cannot rest on memories alone — it needs direction, a hand to guide the ship through storms. With this in mind, after long deliberation and tests of worth, I hereby proclaim:

Valerie Auclair , my daughter, who bears the name of her great-grandmother, is appointed heir of House Valclair.

To her I entrust:

• The custody of traditions, culture and family;

• The stewardship of our trade routes and alliances;

• The honor of preserving our name in both the courts of nobles and in the shadows where deals are made.

Let it be known: from this day forward, succession is fixed. No rumor, no rival may unsettle this decision. In her hands lies not just wealth or power, but the weight of generations. May the raven, emblem of our House, watch over her path. May fortune favor her contracts, her decisions, and her resolve.

✧ Declared by my hand and sealed with my name,
 

MADAME, Violette Auclair, Head of Maison Valclair, Palatine of Maison Auclair, Merchant

& Owner of Auclair Merchant Company

✧⥼───────────────────────────⥽ ⥼───────────────────────────⥽✧

   
✦ MAISON D’AUCLAIR - DYNASTIE VALOIS ✦
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

Emblem's of Valclair Line of House Aulciar

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

✧ The Emblem of the Valclair ✧

The Raven and the Wolf, Shadow and Pack of House Auclair

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

❖ Origins

The Valclair Line was not born of ambition for power, but of choice and sacrifice.

Valerie Auclair, elder sister of Amelie, was the first heir destined to lead the House. Yet when the time came, Valerie recognized in her younger sister a fire and will be more suited for rule.

Instead of contending for leadership, she chose to become the silent root of the family, the one who would preserve the Auclair name through commerce, knowledge, and the arts.

Her descendants took the name Valclair, “the light of Valerie,” to remind all that while Amelie was the flame that shone at the heart of the hall, Valerie was the lantern that lit the paths beyond it.

But every line needs a symbol. And the Valclair found theirs not in a banner devised at council, but in two companions that had followed Valerie throughout her life: the raven and the wolf.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

❖ The Legend of the Raven

It is told that, during her early merchant journeys, Valerie was caught in a storm that threatened to scatter men and caravans alike.

Amid the black clouds, a lone raven appeared, always flying ahead, guiding them until they reached an old monastery where they found shelter.

Where others saw a grim omen, Valerie saw a sign: not of death, but of remembrance; not of an end, but of a path restored.

Thus, the raven became the Valclair’s symbol:

guardian of promises never forgotten,

guide through the storm,

memory preserving what mankind risks to lose.

To this day, travelers whisper that a black raven still follows the caravans of the Valclair, unseen but vigilant, keeping fortune at their side.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

❖ The Pact of the Wolf

Yet the raven was not alone.

It is said that in her youth, Valerie once tended to a wounded wolf she encountered on her travels. Rather than fleeing or killing it, she healed and released it.

From that day forward, the wolf shadowed her steps: not a servant, not a hound, but companion and guardian.

The wolf did not embody savagery, but rather loyalty to the pack and silent strength.

Thus it became the other face of the Valclair sigil:

unwavering loyalty to House Auclair,

tireless defense of family,

the blood-bond that cannot be broken.

As the wolf never abandons its pack, so too would the Valclair never abandon the Auclair, even in the darkest of nights.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

❖ The Union of Two Symbols

Many wonder why the Valclair bear two animals in their sigil, while most noble lines keep but one.

The answer is simple: Valerie chose not to divide, but to honor both truths of her life.

The Raven: memory, wisdom, the watching eye.

The Wolf: loyalty, silent strength, love for family.

Together, they reflect the charge Valerie left to her descendants: to remember and to protect.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

❖ The Oath of the Valclair

From then on, every son and daughter of the Valclair has been raised beneath these twin symbols.

Upon coming of age, they kneel before the sigil and recite the ancient oath:

“Like the raven, I shall not forget.

Like the wolf, I shall not forsake.

I am Valclair: memory and loyalty,

and never shall I stand apart from House Auclair”

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

❖ Legacy

The emblem of the Valclair is not merely a design upon a banner. It is a story, a promise, a destiny.

When an ally beholds the raven, they know Valclair's word shall never be broken.

When a friend sees the wolf, they know their home shall never stand alone.

Thus Valerie, elder sister of Amelie, though she chose not to reign, became the true silent mother of the dynasty.

And as long as ravens fly in the skies and wolves howl in the night, the Valclair will endure — eternal guardians of Auclair’s glory.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

"The Raven watches not to judge, but to remember.

Let us be worthy of its memory."

MADAME, Violette Auclair, Head of Maison Valclair, Merchant

& Owner of Auclair Merchant Company

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

   
✦ MAISON D’AUCLAIR - DYNASTIE VALOIS ✦
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

HISTORY

The House of Auclair are direct mainline descendants of the House of Valois, which originates from the lands of Asulon in the first Holy Orenian Empire. The Valois name was cannonized by the union of Chrestienne Guivret and Maximillien Gracchi, in 1376 I.T.

Upon swearing to Exalted Godfrey, the Auverginian lands from the dissolved Seventis would be restored to them, with Maris Valois being the first Duke of Auvergne of the Holy Empire, and then Chrestienne inheriting it from her brother Maris, who was without heir.

Thus the House of Valois, and therefore Auclair, traces its origins to Duchess Chrestienne. Though the name of Auclair would be adopted by Lady Guenèvrine Maxime Valois, sole child of the Count of Auvergne Gauvin-Francis Valois.

Lady Guenèvrine was very pious, and after the traumatic death of her father at the hands of political enemies, Guenèvrine would see a vision of the Arch-Aengul Aeriel, who taught her chivalry and duty.

With this she adopted the name Auclair, she penned the Tome of Avowal and the Devoir Sacré, then became a knight of the realm. These instructions as written by Guenèvrine still serve as the foundations of the House Auclair by which its members must abide by.

In recent history, the House’s reputation was restored by Dame Amelie Auclair, who through her influence as Chancellor and Knight of the realm of Petra, received the Barony of Rhenanie. This is an understatement of her influence as Dame Amelie has been credited as greatly contributing to the formation of the Covenant of Man. This coalition of nations however collapsed in war against the forces of the Church and Burgundy, whose subsequent victory resulted in the formation of the Empire of Man.

Dame Amelie continued to fight against the Empire alongside Balian, despite the Petran surrender to the Empire in 2023 I.T. Dame Amelie lost her life in the Siege of Portoregne of 2034, with the body never being recovered.

During Amalie’s absence, Guillaume Rollante Auclair, the son of Dame Amelie came to inherit the position of head of House and the Barony. Through his efforts in the promulgation of Auverginian fashion, long career in politics as Lord-Maire and Grand Speaker, as well as the fame brought about by the mercantile branch of the House, founded by his aunt Valerie Auclair, and continued by Viola, la Maison Auclair was granted the Viscounty of Joyeuse in 2026 I.T

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

TWO STYLES, ONE SOUL

The House of Auclair is divided into two branches. The mainline descends from Amelie Auclair, and bears the lineage, duty and history of the Valois Dynasty. And the mercantile branch descended from Valerie Auclair, sister of Amelie. Though these branches are distinct in the ways they contribute, they both bear the same surname.

The Auclair are the sun — illuminating halls, courts, and public squares.

The Vaclair are the moon — watching forests, walls, and whispered truths.

One declares. The other defends.

One leads. The other guards.

But both follow the same heart.

LE DEVOIR SACRÉ

All House member are sare bound by a sacred code known as Le Devoir Sacré (The Sacred Duty), a moral covenant shaped around six shared principles:

✦•·······························································•✦•·······························································•✦

𝟏. 

CHIVALRY & VIRTUE

To embody chivalric & virtuous values that define the heart of man, and safeguard the innocent, the powerless, the unfortunate and the kind from ill fates.

𝟐. 

AGAINST THE WICKED   

To stand against that which corrupts the heart and nature of man and 

give no quarter to the wicked, the chauvinist, and the tyrant.

𝟑.

SANCTITY OF LIFE

To ensure all life born from the Creator, is treated with dignity, and respect. Judgement, contempt and hatred may not be levied against a life, on the basis of its birth alone.

𝟒.

PASSIONS OF THE HEART

To champion & patron ingenuity, artistry, revelry and wonder; for in these pursuits, does the true heart ofthe living lay itself bare

𝟓.

FAITH

To uphold the virtues of the Canonist Faith, as extolled by the 4 Exalted and their scrolls, and safeguard the faithful from the whispers of Iblees.

𝟔.

UNDER THE ALDTREE

To cultivate memory, wisdom, and introspection, so that the failings of the past may never return, and truth may guide justice.

✦•·······························································•✦•·······························································•✦

While those born into the House bear the surname Auclair, only those who have sworn the sacred oath are considered full members of the House, meaning those sworn have a say in the affairs of the House.

The ceremony to swear the oath is known as the Avowal, and the sworn are Avowed. Further details of the oathing ceremony are kept undisclosed.

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

CULTURE AND IDENTITY

1. Living Chivalry

Honor, kindness, courage, and justice are not mere ideals — they are a way of life. The Auclair live them in their public words, in rulings and command; the Vaclair, in quiet acts, in silent service, and unwavering loyalty.

2. The Troubadour’s Heart

Artistic passion binds the two families. Painting, music, poetry, dance, storytelling, and performance are seen not as ornaments, but as necessities of the soul. The Vaclair, more reserved, often express themselves through symbolism and melancholy; the Auclair embrace the epic, the song, and the living performance.

3. Nobility as Responsibility

Nobility is not a privilege, but a moral burden. Whether one rules or watches, all have a duty to uplift those without voice. This principle manifests in daily life — in acts of care, in listening, in recognizing value where others see none.

4. Knowledge and Silence

While the Auclair value diplomacy, history, and reason, the Vaclair bring introspection, observation, and quiet vigilance. One family is the voice; the other, the ear. One counsels; the other watches. Together, they form thought and action. 

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

 HIS EXCELLENCY, Guillaume Auclair, 

Grand Speaker of the Garmont Assembly,

Viscount of Joyeuse, Baron of Rhénanie. 

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

PENNED, SIGNED & AVERRED.                            184 ARP

✦ • ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

✦ MAISON D’AUCLAIR - DYNASTIE VALOIS ✦
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦
BORN BENEATH A BANNER 

OF VALOR
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦

‘ In the house of honor, a new flame is lit.’

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

“ Honour, is our Laurel; Valour, is our Blade; ”
Virtue but the hand, that wields them come the day.

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

Under the watch of the stars of the night sky, a babe’s cry of new life echoed throughout the halls of Courteis Hale– a sound mighty and pure. It was then that the Viscountess-consort of Joyeuse, Norellie Catriona Auclair had brought forth her firstborn son, Jean-Baptiste Frédéric Auclair, heir to Maison d’Auclair and continuation of a noble line of valor and grace. 

As his voice rang out, the silver bells of Joyeuse tolled, announcing the birth of its future Lord. Henceforth, Jean-Baptise shall bear the title Heir of Joyeuse, and in time, shall be raised in the virtues of Maison d’Auclair - bringing chivalry to the forefront of all he does - that he may one day take the mantle of his forebears with grace and dignity. 

The Viscountess rests in good health, and the newborn Lord is of strong lungs and hale frame. In the coming days, the Lord will be baptized in the presence of family, marking his lifelong commitment to God. By His will, his life will be one of purpose and passion.

✦ WRIT & PENNED BY

• ───────────────── •

HIS EXCELLENCY, Guillaume Auclair, Grand Speaker of the Garmont Assembly,

Viscount of Joyeuse, Baron of Rhénanie.

HER HONORABLE, Norellie Auclair, Secretary of the Garmont Assembly,

Viscountess-consort of Joyeuse, Baroness-consort of Rhénanie.

‘Beyond the Darkest Night - Unto the Brightest Light’

MANTLE OF JOYEUSE RENEWED

Penned by

Sorrel Tulpe
AUCLAIR
—— 

Atstana de

Regne Petrère

182

I, Sorrel Tulpe Auclair, Viscount-Consort of Joyeuse, on the day of my son's wedding, officially announce Guillaume Rollante Auclair as the rightful heir and successor to the Viscounty of Joyeuse.

Throughout my life, I have worked hard for the good of the Petran people and the prosperity of our beloved Commonwealth, while also doting on my family amid my wife's disappearance. It brings me pride and confidence to pass this responsibility to Guillaume. His strong character, wisdom, and commitment to our family make me certain he is ready to lead us forward.

From this day forward, let everyone in the Commonwealth know that Guillaume Auclair is now the official Viscount and representative of our family, holding all rights, titles, responsibilities, and privileges of the Viscounty of Joyeuse. Additionally, I announce my retirement from active duty within the Swords of St. Emma, along with my resignation from all political offices, so that I may enjoy the tranquility of my later years.

As I place my seal and signature on this writ, I take my rest with gratitude and pride. I wish my son Guillaume wisdom, courage, and compassion, so that the Viscounty of Joyeuse and our Commonwealth may prosper for many generations to come. Too, do I wish he is blessed with many happy years of marriage, and that he gives me many grandchildren.

For the last time,

Sorrel Tulpe Auclair, Former Mayor of Vallagne, Former Second People’s Seat of the Garmont Assembly, Loving Father and Former Husband

28TH SIGISMUND'S END, 180 ARP

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦
A RIVER’S PROMISE
✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦ • ───────────────────────────── • ✦
✦ A BETROTHAL OF HOUSE REINHOLD AND HOUSE AUCLAIR ✦

The House of Auclair is delighted to announce the forthcoming matrimony of The Honorable, Guillaume Rollant Auclair, Viscount of Joyeuse, and Her Ladyship Norellie Catriona Reinhold of the County of Anairgrid. 

A tale as swift as the River Petra’s current, the couple’s hearts were first entwined at the Garmont Assembly, where love bloomed at first sight. What followed was courtship marked by laughter, tenderness, and a shared passion for erudition and the rule of law.

To commemorate this joyous union, the couple extends a warm, and open invitation to the people of Petra and all the faithful of the Canondom to join them in celebration. A masquerade ball shall be held at the bank of the River Petra. Let the light of the moon shine upon the bright, colorful attire and masks portraying creatures of the river’s depths of those who dress following the Aquatic theme. 

Let us all share a night of festivities this Owyn's Flame of 181 ARP with music, dance, and cuisine from both Houses, ushering in a matrimony that will be full of cheer.

The Viscount and his Consort-to-be are then to be wed in the sacred halls of the Abbey of Saint Edmund this Tobias' Bounty, 181 ARP, where their vows shall be exchanged before GOD and kin.

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

FORMAL INVITATIONS ARE EXTENDED TO:

➢ His Grace, THERIN I, 

Archduke of the Petra, and his royal pedigree.

➢ His Grace, SIR THOMAS VON THEONUS, 

Duke of Vohenheim, and his noble pedigree.

➢ The Right Honorable, CAPRIC REINHOLD, 

Count of Anairgrid, and his noble pedigree.

➢ The Honorable, SYMON STAFYR, 

Viscount of Falkenstein, and his noble pedigree.

➢ The Lady, EVELINA VALKONEN, 

Baroness of Valkenfeldt, and her noble pedigree.

➢ All citizens of the City of Vallagne,

➢ All people of the Free City of Chambery,

➢ All allies of the Commonwealth of the Petra and their people.

May Love, Like The River, Ever Flow.

SIGNED,

THE HONORABLE, Guillaume Rollant Auclair,

Viscount of Joyeuse, Baron de Rhenanie

HER LADYSHIP, Norellie Catriona Reinhold

✦ • ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── • ✦

My beloved,

by the time you read these words, I may be far away from you, but I hope that somehow you can feel the beating of my heart still next to yours. I don't know how to explain all that I feel, but I want you to know that I will love you forever, even beyond the confines of this life.

I still remember the days of our youth when we first met. Your laugh, so infectious, your eyes shining with dreams and hopes. And then the first time I took your hand, so sure and gentle, as if the world stopped at that moment, and everything else didn't matter. Since then, every day spent with you has been a miracle. Every smile, every word, every look we exchanged became indelible memories, more precious than anything else.

We built a life together, day after day, facing difficulties with strength, but always with the love that united us. There were not only times of happiness, but also times of sorrow, yet at every step, we chose to be together, to never leave each other. Even in the darkest times, our love was the guiding light. And despite the weariness that now overwhelms me, I know that our bond is unbreakable. Every day we spend together has been a gift, and every memory we carry in our hearts is a treasure that no one can ever take away.

I will miss you, my love, with a strength I cannot even describe. I will miss your voice, your caresses, the way you looked at me as if I were the most precious thing in the world. But I don't want you to suffer. I want you to remember our life together with a smile, cherish every moment we shared and find the strength to move on, as I would if I were in your place. I promise that I will always be with you, in memories, in dreams, in every gesture you still make. Our love will never end.

Goodbye, my love, and thank you for giving me a life full of happiness and love. You have been my everything, and you always will be.

With everlasting love,  

Yours, always.

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

Valerie Auclair,

Eldest daughter of the

Auclair Household

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

"The sea calls to those who have walked its shores,

for it remembers every step,

every whisper of the wind."

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

A RETURN TO THE WILDS

There are those who leave with the clamor of drums, their names sung to the heavens, and those who slip away in quiet, unmarked steps, becoming echoes in the wind.

You, Grandmother, were the latter. You drifted like fog through the cedars, like a whispered prayer, slipping the bonds of duty, of place, of time. You were a healer, a voice in the dark, a firm hand on a fevered brow, the whispered word of courage when the shadows closed in.

Yet, I watched you fade, not into weakness, but into something deeper, something quieter. The light in your eyes turning to the distant horizons, your heart no longer bound to the pulse of this city, but to the silence of ancient paths.

No one dared to ask where your thoughts wandered, but we saw it — the slow retreat into yourself, the unspoken farewells, the way your hands lingered on the old maps, the way you stared into the dusk as if catching the final glimmer of a departing ship.

You left, one dawn, your shadow stretching long across the stones, and the door whispered shut behind you.

No trace, no letter, no final words, only the echo of your steps and the salt-sweet breath of the sea.

But perhaps, one day, you will return.

Perhaps the wilds will release you, and the world will once again feel the steady pulse of your steps. I saw you leaving with a pack of wolves, creatures you had raised from trembling pups to fierce, loyal guardians, their silver eyes mirroring your own untamed spirit.

Now, as I stand at the edge of this world, looking to where the waves meet the sky,

I know you are there — a faint figure in the mist, a heartbeat in the surge of the tide. You are the wind in the sails, the whispered call of the unknown.

Let the sea cradle you now. Let the stars guide your steps.

Let the wild places know your name, as we did.

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

Not goodbye, grandma, but bon voyage.

For in the loneliness, in the wind, in the twilight ... you remain.

Always

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

SUA SIGNORA,

Valeria Viola Auclair, 

Head of the Valeriane Line of the

Auclair Household

A Farewell, A Memory from the past

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦ 

"Death is not an end, but the bridge to the Seventh Heaven.

Those who lived with honor, do not fear the call and welcome their fate with a serene face.” 

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

"For years I mourned a daughter I thought lost in the sands of the kingdom of Lurak."

Rey, my beloved Rey-you had just passed your 25th Solstice when you set out for those distant lands, driven by a series of discoveries you had since childhood.

Adventure was calling you, you said.

And I, as a mother and as a fool, let you go, with a broken blessing and a heart filled with pride and fear.

Then came the news. An attack on travelers near the desert region of numendill, caravans devastated, no survivors.

Only your spear, found entangled in the ruins.

No body, but enough for the guards to declare you fallen.

Your daughter, Viola, had just turned fifteen winters old.

Too young to understand the void, too big not to feel it.

I tried to raise her with your light, but I was not you. No one can be.

And now, after seventeen long years, I don't know why the wind brings me your name today.

Perhaps a whisper in a dream, or the echo of a spell that never faded.

But I feel your spirit still alive, far or near, in flesh or memory.

Rey Auclair, if the stars still watch over us, know that your mother never stopped looking for you in the sky, or speaking to you in silence.

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

SUA SIGNORA,

Elder of the Auclair Household, Vice Physician of the Petra clinic

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

"Live with hope while you are alive, the flexible person always goes forward. I saw a house on fire, and on the door lay a dead man."

✦ • ────────────── • ✦ • ────────────── • ✦

Years have passed.

Years in which the memory of that day assails me like a disease, devouring from within. I close my eyes and see everything again, every damn detail etched into my flesh like a wound that will not heal. The wind cutting through my skin, my horse's hooves beating mercilessly on the earth, our mother's promise constantly screaming in my head,

“Protect her, never leave her alone.”

But I always did. I left you alone and it was the second time....

When I arrived, there you were, kneeling, dust mixing with tears on your cheeks. The bandits were laughing, holding you, taunting you, and I -- I stood still. I was prepared to fight, to kill if necessary. Yet, in front of them, in front of your fear, my voice died out. I petrified like a coward, unable to say a single word. Terror clutched my throat, and you saw. You saw my cowardice.

And then-then the blade shone for an instant. A blink, and blood painted the earth. Your blood. Your body collapsed like a broken doll, and I screamed. I screamed as if it could bring me back, as if my voice could rewrite reality. I clasped my hands around your wound, tried to stop the inevitable, but your warmth faded between my fingers.

I was there to save you. Yet I was only a spectator of your death.

I don't know what happened next. They say a miracle append, that your life was called back into your body. But what does it matter? What does it change? Your breath came back, but my heart died that day.

And now, years later, every day is a silent punishment. I live with this condemnation stamped on my skin, a memory that won't subside, a guilt that burns my insides. I spend my days saving lives, mending wounds, giving hope to those who think they have lost it. And yet, the one life that really mattered to save, the one wound that should never have existed, the one smile I had to protect--I lost it, if only for a moment.

Instead, you continued on your way, away from me. You are strong, stronger than I am, and I see it even now, even in your letters, in your tales of a life that seems perfect, built on foundations that I have broken. You always write with such sweetness, with a love I don't deserve. You ask me why we don't see each other more often, why I don't come back to you. But what could I say to you? How could I look into your eyes without feeling the weight of that day, without feeling remorse strangling me?

I always answer you with a few words. "I'm fine. Work keeps me busy. I'll see you someday, I promise."

But I know these are lies. I know it will never be enough. I hide, I keep away, because my silence is the only way I can keep from burdening your happiness. I don't want you to know how much I still suffer, how much I blame myself. I don't want you to feel you have to heal me when I am the one who should have protected you.

I did not keep my promise. I did not prevent them from harming you. And while you live, I rot in this guilt that envelops me like an eternal condemnation. No matter how much you smile at me, no matter how many times you try to tell me it wasn't my fault. It has been. It always will be.

I love you, my little one. But the darkness that surrounds me will never go away.

,

Eldest daughter of the

Auclair Household

I might not be able to attend due to my illness by i still love you and support you

✦•············································································•✦•············································································•✦

Dear little sister,

I know that life at times can seem difficult and uncertain, and it weighs on me that I cannot be there beside you, giving you my physical support as I once did. But know that despite the distance and circumstances, my heart is always with you, in every step you take, in every decision you make.

I still remember when, as little girls, we played together building paper castles, imagining a bright, limitless future. And even today, I see that same determination in your eyes, that light that never goes out, even in the darkest moments. You always had incredible strength, a resilience that allowed you to overcome difficulties, and there is nothing that makes me think you cannot continue to do so, now as then.

Sis, I know how difficult the world can be. There are days when you feel like the load is too heavy, when goals seem far away and successes hard to achieve. But I want you to remember one thing: Every step you take, even when you don't see immediate results, is a step toward your dream, toward the person you are destined to become. Every difficulty you encounter is a lesson that will make you stronger, more experienced, more aware. And I am convinced that, with your dedication and commitment, you will succeed in doing extraordinary things.

I often think of the days when we were together, when you were afraid to take the first step toward something new, and I encouraged you not to give up. Today, I tell you the same thing, even though I cannot hug you or hold your hand as I did then: never stop. You have incredible strength within you, which has allowed you to overcome every obstacle, and will allow you to continue to do so.

When you feel tired, when you think you can't do it, think of me. Imagine that I am there with you, like when we were children, telling you that you can do it, that you can achieve everything you want if you believe in yourself. My love for you knows no bounds, and I am always with you, in your thoughts and heart.

I love you, more than words can express. Be proud of yourself, for every achievement you make, big or small. I am already immensely proud of you.

With all my love and strength, you Big sis and your niece.

✦•············································································•✦•············································································•✦

HER LADYSHIP, 

Valerie Auclair, owner of the Land around Venic Town, Priestess of the Mother Church and Holy Knight 

HER LADYSHIP,

Rey Malatesta Auclair, Head of the Malatesta Household and heir of the

Valeriane line