House Basileus

[HappyShackles 886]

House Basileus

((Credit to HappyShackles and Malythil))

Tradition

Children

A child of Basileus’ name usually takes much time in deliberation. Children of the Basileus House all have three syllables in their names. The three syllables exemplify the child’s affinity for the three symbols of House Basileus; the Moon, the Sword, and the Shield. The first syllable of a child’s name is given to them upon birth. The next syllable is given to them upon reaching the age of ten. The next syllable is given to them upon reaching the age of eighteen. The full three-syllable name can be built over time or predetermined. This is dependent on the parents.

At age ten, when given the second syllable of their name, a child of House Basileus is expected to begin to work and study as their parents desire them to. Anything from swordplay to magic to philosophy to blacksmithing.

At age eighteen a child is given their third syllable, and expected to choose an occupation, from smithing to scribing and anything in between.

Courtship and Marriage

House Basileus men and women are generally treated equally in most aspects, including inheritance and rights. The Archon is permitted to offer the members of their House in marriage to other noble houses. Protest against the offered Basileus being married off is not expected or common, even by the specified Basileus. The Archon must consent to any spouse not specifically selected by the Archon themselves, but will often permit one marriage for love to each Basileus.

The Basileus once practices polygamy, but with assimilation into Orenian culture and religion, the practice has died down. However, it is not uncommon for Basileus' to practice free love in secrecy.

Regardless of the circumstance of the marriage, if a female Basileus is marrying a male of another House it is expected they take on the name of the male's house. However, in marriage to a commoner or one married for love, the male would be expected to take the Basileus name, even if the female Basileus had already taken on another noble house's name through a previous marriage. All male Basileus are expected to pass their name on to their spouses. At the ceremony, the following speech is administered by the Archon.

“God bless the harmony of these two betwixt the light of the sky and the sea

God bless the symphony sounding from the image these two will build together

God bless the journey of life in the eyes of these two in their perfect voices

And God bless (Groom). And God bless (Bride)

Now God bless your lips as they press together, and seal your love in matrimony.”

Women who are not Basileus are considered dainty and weak damsels and in need of protection.

A spouse to a Basileus is expected to aid them in whatever way they can. All parents are expected to help raise any children and teach them right from wrong. In death, the spouses of a Basileus are to be buried with him in the Basileus Tomb.

Terms

A general gesture of salutation is the pressing of the index and middle finger to the temple of the forehead, then to the left wrist, and holding the two fingers up facing the greeted party.

Imera Protos: The day a child is born and given the first syllable of their name.

Imera Defteros: The day a child turns ten and is given their second syllable and put to work and study.

Imera Tritos: The day a child turns eighteen and is given the third and final syllable.

Imera Thanatos: The day a member of House Basileus dies.

Rhen: The Moon

Kilij: The Sword

Balvas: The Shield

Yenos: An honorary non-member in good standing with House Basileus. A title given only by the Archon.

Sange: A person who is related to House Basileus only via marriage.

Seleimlar: Formal greeting

Seleim: Informal greeting

Lanet: Generic curse word

Lanetos: Derogatory term for a person

Thyrr: A person who is arrogant or power-hungry.

Charisto: Thanks, thank you.

Origin

History of the Rhenyar people

In days of primitive Aegis, where humans warred as tribes, there existed a land to the far south-east know as the Isle of Rhen - or Isle of the Moon in their ancient tongue. The isle was barren, arid and dry and the people there predominantly had dark black hair, emerald green eyes and olive skin. The Rhenyar revered the moon, as in the desert the moon provided a respite from the hot sun, and they mainly adorned themselves in light cloths, leathers and copper mail.

The most chiefly used weapon was a spear or curved sword known as a kilij ,quite often dipped in a particular poison known as Moon’s Tears which could be brewed only on a waning moon out of tansy and a specific type of scorpion venom. The capital city of Rhen was known as Volant.

The Rhenyar were divided into tribes of sort known as meclis, each ruled by a leader known as an archon. These tribes rarely warred, and the Rhenyar marriage customs involved an archon offering a candidate to another archon and treating it as a mere business arrangement, often to the benefit of the archons in the form or a marriage alliance with another meclis. Due to this factor, they were quite licentious, with taking a paramour other than one’s wife not frowned upon, and bastards being given equal status.

The Exodus of the Rhenyar

After many centuries of prosperity and decadence in Volant, a conflict arose between another not dissimilar nation to the north of Rhen known as the Empire of Thyrr. Thyrr was an ancient and imperialistic movement of humans which attempted to overpower the Rhenyar with their immense numbers in order to absorb them as an imperial province. After a devasting defeat at the event known as the Battle for the Marches in which the majority of the male population was killed in the fighting, the Queen Dilara took a total of fourty ships and fled west to mainland Aegis.

It is believed that the Rhenyar customs of polygamy arose at this point - with the male to female ratio unbalanced the very few men on the boats were required to take several wives in order to bear more children.

The Rhenyar on the Aegean Mainland

When the Rhenyar arrived in the Aegean mainland only three major meclis still survived. Meclis Basileus, Meclis Garathor and Meclis Iramarthis. Meclis Iramarthis and Meclis Garathor desired to follow their old traditions, worship in their old ways. Meclis Basileus, led by Balthazar Basileus I, took a different path. Because their language only differed in some few words and parts of dialect, their heritage being the same as ancient Oren, Basileus managed to assimilate their people to the human culture of a middle-aged Oren. After years of living on land they claimed for themselves, Meclis Iramarthis, their Archon being Queen Dilara’s son Zadrazar, gathered Meclis Garathoren together with their own Meclis and waged war on Meclis Basileus, which by now had become House Basileus of Oren.

Balthazar Basileus I defeated the other two house through a masterful use of a pincer movement, his military skill given to him from the war with the Thyrr empire. Basileus was then able to focus on their new respected place in Oren after their masterful victory. Over time, they learned that their beliefs in God paralleled that of Oren, and Balthazar’s radical mind reformed Basileus completely to a house devoted to God and Horen.

The Destruction of Al’Khazar

With the destruction of Al’Khazar, nearly all of House Basileus was killed. Only a few scattered survivors remained, forgotten and lost. Most or all survivors may have made it to Asulon, but only a few have managed to find eachother, led by their new Archon, Lorethos Basileus.

Members

Hierarchy

House Basileus, while officially a house of Horen, holds on to it's inner hierarchy. The Archon has absolute rule over the holdings of House Basileus, and has permission to marry off any member House Basileus. The Ayudor is the named heir to House Basileus, and in the absence or death of the Archon, takes up that position. Even if the Ayudor is only temporarily assuming the position of Archon, they must appoint a temporary Ayudor.

Archon

Lorethos Basileus (HappyShackles)

-The Archon of House Basileus and Lord of Aegis Keep. Currently a rogue apprentice of the Mage's Guild, he led the Twilight war to it's beginning, sparking the powder keg that was Salvus.

Ayudor

Valerin Basileus (Iorwen)

Others

Elijah Basileus (BigHatMan)

Mayethil Basileus (Roxses20)

[HappyShackles 886]

Application for House Basileus

Character Information

Character Name:

Relationship to the House:

Character Occupation:

Character Strengths:

Character Weaknesses:

Character Skin:

[AlphaCentaurus 173]

Character Name:

Kvothe

Relationship to the House:

A friend and accomplice of Lorethos. Has worked with him on several occasions. Also the cousin of the wife of a member of the House.

Character Occupation:

Conman.

Character Strengths:

A pretty amazing actor and impersonator, which lends itself to elaborate connings. Pretty darn clever. Very good with a sword. Sneaky.

Character Weaknesses:

Not physically strong. Not charming unless he's trying. Incredibly egotistical and arrogant. Cowardly.

[HappyShackles 886]

((The House itself is for blood relatives. The title of Yenos could be given to Kvothe under certain circumstances; but other than that you will have to find a way that Kvothe would somehow be related by blood.

Also; we already have a sort of rebellions House member (Elijah). I want to steer clear of people like that until I feel we need another or it would facilitate good RP. If you have great desire to join the House, the best you can do is make an alternate character. If you are bent in it being Kvothe, he will have to prove himself to Lorethos to earn the title of Yenos.))

[AlphaCentaurus 173]

((I'll think on it. Multicharring has worked out badly whenever I did it, so I'll probably abandon.))

[Esterlen 4499]

Why did this get -1'd? x.x))

[HappyShackles 886]

((Because half all the server hates me? :P))

[Whitebeard 126]

I shalt join thine house.

[HappyShackles 886]

I shalt join thine house.

((If you could do a quick fill out on the form, that would be nice.))

[Zebanamana 410]

((If I have your permission I want to move Rhen and Thyrr to the south west of Oren instead of the southeast. That way when they migrate to mainland Aegis they are closer to the Oren as most players know it. The reason for this is that if they were in the south east they would be rather close to the orcs and the closest bit of Oren to them would be the part that is culturally different and an infrequent member of the kingdom. (The eastern portion that contains Nuremberg, Konnigsberg, Nical, and such) ))

[HappyShackles 886]

((That is acceptable.))

[Esterlen 4499]

((If I have your permission I want to move Rhen and Thyrr to the south west of Oren instead of the southeast. That way when they migrate to mainland Aegis they are closer to the Oren as most players know it. The reason for this is that if they were in the south east they would be rather close to the orcs and the closest bit of Oren to them would be the part that is culturally different and an infrequent member of the kingdom. (The eastern portion that contains Nuremberg, Konnigsberg, Nical, and such) ))

((I don't see what the big problem is, myself. All of those settlements were established towards the end of Aegis, and this is ancient history, which means it's unlikely at the time of the exodus the Teutonic Order even existed. South-west is closer to Malinor than it is Oren, so the points on orcs is invalid.))

[Zebanamana 410]

I don't see what the big problem is, myself. All of those settlements were established towards the end of Aegis, and this is ancient history, which means it's unlikely at the time of the exodus the Teutonic Order even existed. South-west is closer to Malinor than it is Oren, so the points on orcs is invalid.))

((I was considering Orcs back in ancient history to be similar to orcish today in that they absorb any settlements or countries near them through threats and warfare. No one really lives near the orcs in Asulon because of their nature; they have all essentially been destroyed and moved to the main capital or far away. As I see it being closer to Malinor in the south west ensures that they won't be completely annihilated by a war culture. The point on the settlements such as Nical, Nuremberg and such is irrelevant in that Eastern Oren is to essentially be culturally different from the west and therefore experience periods of time where they would be independent nations. By placing Rhen in the west then they will be in Oren proper which would legitimize their claim to nobility better. Of course it isn't necessary to have the islands in the west, but for the sake of keeping things simple and without unnecessary dues ex explanations as to the houses location.)

[Esterlen 4499]

((I was considering Orcs back in ancient history to be similar to orcish today in that they absorb any settlements or countries near them through threats and warfare. No one really lives near the orcs in Asulon because of their nature; they have all essentially been destroyed and moved to the main capital or far away. As I see it being closer to Malinor in the south west ensures that they won't be completely annihilated by a war culture. The point on the settlements such as Nical, Nuremberg and such is irrelevant in that Eastern Oren is to essentially be culturally different from the west and therefore experience periods of time where they would be independent nations. By placing Rhen in the west then they will be in Oren proper which would legitimize their claim to nobility better. Of course it isn't necessary to have the islands in the west, but for the sake of keeping things simple and without unnecessary dues ex explanations as to the houses location.)

((Eastern Oren sure didn't seem culturally unique to me until the Teutonic Order cropped up. As to the orcs - it is an island at incredible distance from the orcish mainland. Unless orcs, at the time, were highly advanced naval technicians, it's doubtful they even knew of Rhen's existence.))

[Zebanamana 410]

((Eastern Oren sure didn't seem culturally unique to me until the Teutonic Order cropped up. As to the orcs - it is an island at incredible distance from the orcish mainland. Unless orcs, at the time, were highly advanced naval technicians, it's doubtful they even knew of Rhen's existence.))

((Take it with a pinch of salt, I am working to make the world of Aegis seem more realistic instead of the massive peace loving city state it was before. As for the distance thing, I am making anyone that comes from far away lands actually be a lot closer to the mainland so that they can fit into the lore. Reason is to cut down on farlanders, and as I have been told by some Gms I should ignore the existence of people from Far away lands because it breaks lore. I choose instead of voiding people from far away land's lore, to make their lore fit in as a piece of a puzzle to the history of Aegis.

We should continue this is pms though, don't want to clog up this thread))